Management system, server, management method, and program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11216538-B2
Application number	US-201916448630-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2019
Priority date	Jul 4, 2018
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

A management system includes: a right holder information storage unit which stores right holder information about a right holder entitled to use a delivery locker device; an agreement formation unit which creates a block of a blockchain that includes a processing instruction, and stores the block into a block storage unit; a terminal device which transmits an assignment processing instruction; a process execution unit which, when obtaining the assignment processing instruction included in the block, updates the current right holder included in the right holder information; and a condition checking unit which, when determining that the condition for assignment fails to be met, creates a return processing instruction and transmits the return processing instruction to the agreement formation unit. When obtaining the return processing instruction included in the block, the process execution unit updates the right holder information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A management system, comprising:
a right holder information storage unit configured to store right holder information about a right to one locker in a locker device, the right holder information including a first user who is a right holder entitled to use the one locker, the locker device including one or more lockers each of which accommodates a tangible object in a physical space and includes a lock that is locked and unlocked by electronic processing;
an agreement for unit configured to create a block of a blockchain and store the block into a block storage unit, the block including a processing instruction;
a terminal device which transmits, as one kind of the processing instruction, an assignment processing instruction including a condition for assignment of the right and user information indicating a second user to whom the right is assigned;
a process execution unit configured to, when obtaining the assignment processing instruction as one kind of the processing instruction included in the block, update a current right holder included in the right holder information from the first user to the second user; and
a condition checking unit configured to check whether the condition for assignment is met, and when determining that the condition for assignment fails to be met, create a return processing instruction for returning the right from the second user to the first user, and transmit the return processing instruction to the agreement formation unit, wherein
the process execution unit is configured to, when obtaining the return processing instruction as one kind of the processing instruction included in the block, update the second user included in the right holder information to the first user.

2. The management system according to claim 1 , wherein
the condition for assignment is one of an expiration limit, a total number of uses, and a total number of permitted reassignment.

3. The management system according to claim 2 , further comprising:
the terminal device;
the locker device; and
a server device, wherein
the server device includes the right holder information storage unit, the agreement formation, unit, the process execution unit, and the condition checking unit, and
the condition checking unit is configured to check, at a predetermined interval, whether the condition for assignment is met.

4. The management system according to claim 2 , further comprising:
the terminal device;
the locker device;
a server device; and
a locker control device which controls the locker device, wherein
the server device includes the agreement formation unit,
the locker control device includes the right holder information storage unit, the process execution unit, and the condition checking unit, and
the condition checking unit is configured to check, at a predetermined interval, whether the condition for assignment is met.

5. The management system according to claim 1 , wherein
the condition for assignment is set by being input to the terminal device.

6. The management system according to claim 1 , wherein
the terminal device further transmits a request for update of the right holder information, and
the condition checking unit is further configured to, when receiving the request for update, check whether the condition for assignment is met.

7. A server, comprising:
a right holder information storage unit configured to store right holder information about a right to one locker in a locker device, the right holder information including a first user who is a right holder entitled to use the one locker, the locker device including, one or more lockers each of which accommodates a tangible object in a physical space and includes a lock that is locked and unlocked by electronic processing;
an agreement formation unit configured to create a block of a blockchain and store the block into a block storage unit, the block including a processing instruction;
a process execution, unit configured to, when obtaining an assignment processing instruction as one kind of the processing instruction included in the block, update a current right holder included in the right holder information from the first user to a second user to whom, the right, is assigned, the assignment processing instruction including a condition for assignment of the right and user information indicating the second user; and
a condition checking unit configured to check whether the condition for assignment is met, and when determining that the condition for assignment fails to be met, create a return processing instruction for returning the right from the second user to the first user, and transmit the return processing instruction to the agreement formation unit, wherein
the process execution unit is configured to, when obtaining the return processing instruction as one kind of the processing instruction included in the block, update the second user included in the right holder information to the first user.

8. A management method, comprising:
storing right holder information about a right to one locker in a locker device, the right holder information including a first user who is a right holder entitled to use the one locker, the locker device including one or more lockers each of which accommodates a tangible object in a physical space and includes a lock that is locked and unlocked by electronic processing;
forming an agreement by creating a block of a blockchain and storing the block into a block storage unit, the block including a processing instruction;
executing a process by, when obtaining an assignment processing instruction as one kind of the processing instruction included in the block, updating a current right holder included in the right holder information from the first user to a second user to whom the right is assigned, the assignment processing instruction including a condition for assignment of the right and user information indicating the second user; and
checking a condition by checking whether the condition for assignment is met, and when determining that the condition for assignment fails to be met, creating a return processing instruction for returning the right from the second user to the first user, and transmitting the return processing instruction to a computer which forms the agreement, wherein
in the executing, when obtaining the return processing instruction as one kind of the processing instruction included in the block, the second user included in the tight bolder information is updated to the first user.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium which stores a program for causing a computer to execute:
storing right holder information about a right to one locker in a locker device, the right holder information including a first user who is a right holder entitled to use the one locker, the locker device including one or more lockers each of which accommodates a tangible object in a physical space and includes a lock that is locked and unlocked by electronic processing;
forming an agreement by creating a block of a blockchain and storing the block into a block storage unit, the block including a processing instruction;
executing a process by, when obtaining an assignment processing instruction as one kind of the processing instruction included in the block, updating a current right holder included in the right holder information from the first user to a second user to whom the right is assigned, the assignment processing instruction including a condition for assignment of the right and user information indicating the second user; and
checking a condition by checking whether the condition for assignment is met, and when determining that the condition for assignment fails to be met, c

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Corp America

Inventors

• Nishida Naohisa
• Unagami Yuji
• Soeda Junichiro
• Tanaka Akira
• Kagaya Fumiaki
• Abe Eiichi

Classifications

• H04L9/50

  using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees · CPC title

• G06Q20/223

  based on the use of peer-to-peer networks · CPC title

• G06F21/305 Primary

  by remotely controlling device operation · CPC title

• H04L2209/56

  Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash · CPC title

• H04L9/3239

  involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD · CPC title