JP2001109799A - Device and method for estimating transportation cost - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for automatically and correctly estimating a transportation cost in a short time. SOLUTION: A home page of a trader is accessed through a digital communication network 10 by a terminal 12 of a client, a client successively answers the items displayed on the screen of the terminal 12 to execute an input operation, inputted data are transmitted to a trader side terminal 11 to calculate an estimation and a calculation result is immediately transmitted to the client terminal 12 and displayed on the screen.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transportation cost estimating apparatus and method, and more particularly to a transportation cost estimating apparatus and method for automatically estimating a transportation cost.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, when moving, a carrier is first requested to estimate a moving. The carrier checks the quantity and type of goods to be carried, such as the household goods of the client, and calculates a moving estimate based on this. Then, an estimate based on such calculation is presented to the client. Based on such a quote, a transportation contract for moving will be made.

[0003]

However, such a conventional moving estimation method requires several days. In addition, a carrier's estimator visits the client's house to make an estimate and checks the goods, which requires half or one man day. There is a drawback that such man-hours are repelled by the transportation cost and the moving cost is increased. Further, even if an estimate is created, the requester does not always request a move, in which case the estimate itself is wasted, and there is a problem that the man-hour for this is wasted.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and has as its object to provide an estimating apparatus and an estimating method for automatically estimating a transportation cost in an extremely short time. .

[0005]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital communication network, a first terminal connected to the communication network, for calculating an estimate of a transportation cost,
A second terminal connected to the communication network, for inputting information necessary for the estimation calculation, and transmitting the information to the first terminal through the communication network. Transmits a calculation result of the estimation calculation to the second terminal through the communication network.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital communication network, a first terminal connected to the communication network, for transmitting a program for estimating a transportation cost, and a first terminal connected to the communication network. 1
A second terminal that performs an estimate calculation based on a program sent from the terminal, and wherein the first terminal transmits the program in response to a request from the second terminal. The present invention relates to a transportation cost estimating apparatus.

In these two inventions, the digital communication network may be the Internet.

The main invention relating to the estimating method is as follows. The client side performs a predetermined input operation on the terminal, transmits information necessary for calculating the transportation cost to the terminal of the trader through the digital communication network, and the terminal of the trader transmits the information. The present invention relates to a method of estimating a transportation cost, in which an estimate is calculated based on information obtained, and a terminal on the trader side transmits the calculation result to a terminal on the client side through a digital communication network.

[0009] Here, information on the article may be input by inputting a numerical value into a corresponding one of the article list. The distance condition between the loading point and the unloading point may be specified by inputting the postal code. The distance condition between the loading point and the unloading point may be specified by selectively inputting the location.

Another invention related to an estimation method is that, in response to a request from a terminal on the client side, a terminal on the trader side transmits a program necessary for calculating an estimate of a transportation cost to the terminal on the client side through a digital communication network, Perform a predetermined input operation on the client side terminal, calculate the estimate by the program, and output the calculation result of the estimate by the client side terminal,
The present invention relates to a method for estimating a transportation cost, wherein the calculation result of the estimation is transmitted to the terminal on the trader side through the digital communication network together with information on the client side.

[0011] Here, when the estimation calculation result is transmitted to the terminal on the trader side, it is preferable that the program necessary for the estimation calculation is deleted by the program itself on the terminal on the client side.

In the above-described method of estimating a transportation cost, information on an article is input by inputting a numerical value into a corresponding one of an article list displayed on the second terminal or the terminal on the client side. According to the method described above, it is possible to easily and accurately input information on articles.

Regarding the distance condition between the loading point and the unloading point, which is a large factor in the estimation in the transportation such as moving, etc., by inputting the 7-digit zip code of each of the two points, the distance between the two points can be determined. Distance conditions can be specified with very high accuracy. The distance condition can be specified by inputting a six-digit number of the telephone number instead of the postal code.

The actual location of the loading point and the unloading point can be inputted to specify the location. In this case, the distance condition between the two points may be specified by sequentially expanding the prefectures and municipalities of the location on the terminal on the client side and selecting the corresponding one. Alternatively, a map may be developed on a screen using image data related to geographic information, and a loading point and an unloading point may be respectively input by a cursor to specify a distance condition between the two points. .

[0015]

According to the main invention relating to the above estimation method, the client requesting the transportation performs a predetermined input operation on a terminal connected to a digital communication network such as the Internet, and obtains information obtained by the input operation. Is transmitted to the terminal on the trader side through the communication network. The terminal on the trader's side automatically calculates an estimate based on the transmitted information, and transmits the calculation result to the terminal on the client's side through the communication network. Therefore, the transportation cost is estimated automatically and in a very short time. During this time, since no human operation is required, the transportation cost can be estimated in a short time and at low cost.

[0016]

FIG. 1 shows a network constituting an apparatus for estimating a transportation cost according to an embodiment of the present invention. Here, a digital communication network is used. As the digital communication network 10, for example, the Internet may be used. Then, the trader side terminal 11 and the client side terminal 12 are connected to such a network 10, respectively.

FIG. 2 shows an operation of estimating a moving by such a device in order, and a client who intends to move accesses the homepage of the terminal 11 on the trader side by his / her own terminal 12. Then, a home page is transmitted from the dealer terminal 11 through the network 10. When this homepage is opened on the client side terminal 12, an input screen in a question format is set on the screen. Therefore, an input operation is performed by the client terminal 12 using such a screen.

The input data is transmitted to the network 1
0 is transmitted to the terminal 11 on the trader side. Trader's terminal 1
1 calculates an estimate based on the above transmitted contents, and transmits the calculation result to the client terminal 12 via the network 10. Then, an estimate is displayed on the display of the client side terminal 12. If necessary, a hard copy of the quote can be obtained by a printer connected to the client terminal 12.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of such an estimation method. FIGS. 4 to 15 show display screens on the display of the terminal 12 on the client side in the estimation operation performed by such a method. This operation will be described step by step.

The client develops the home page obtained from the terminal 11 on the trader side through the terminal 12 on its own display. Then, a screen for requesting the input of the postal code appears as shown in FIG. Here, the postal code of each of the loading point and the unloading point is entered by a ten-key numeric character with a 7-digit arithmetic number.

If the postal code is not known, the process shifts to a process of inputting the name of the prefecture and the name of the city, town and village of the actual address. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, first, the prefecture name of the address of the loading point is selected. Next, the names of cities, towns and villages are selected on the screens of FIGS. After performing the above input operation for the unloading point, the same operation is repeated for the unloading point.

When necessary information on the loading point and the unloading point is input, a screen shown in FIG. 8 appears. That is, the loading point and the unloading point are confirmed.
In addition, here, in order to ask whether there is an elevator at each point, an answer to this is made as necessary.

Next, a list of household goods as shown in FIGS. 9 to 12 appears on the display of the client terminal 12. Therefore, for the corresponding household goods, the respective quantities are input using the numeric keypad.

When the number of household goods is input, a screen shown in FIG. 13 appears. On this screen, the user first inputs the date and time at which he wants to move. At this time, the type and number of household goods to be transported are displayed on this screen.

If there is no particular error in the display, the user clicks the "start estimation" display. Then, necessary data is transmitted to the terminal 11 on the side of the trader, where an estimate of the cost required for moving is calculated. The calculation result is sent from the trader side terminal 11 to the client side terminal 1.
2 is displayed on the display of the terminal 12 in FIG.
The calculation result as shown in is displayed. The client transmits the contents of the estimate displayed on the terminal 12 to the terminal 12.
Can be output as a hard copy by a printer connected to the printer.

According to such an estimating method, it is possible to obtain a moving estimate in a very short time using the digital communication network 10, for example, the Internet. That is, when the input operation is completed, the time required to obtain the quote is within several minutes, for example, within 1 to 2 minutes, so that the estimate can be obtained in a very short time. If the input of the distance condition between the loading point and the unloading point and the input of the type and number of household goods are accurate, it is possible to calculate an extremely accurate estimate. Moreover, in the process of calculating such an estimate, since no human intervention is involved, an extremely low-cost estimate can be performed.

Next, another embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, a program transmitted from the terminal 11 on the trader side is downloaded to the terminal 12 on the client side instead of calculating an estimate at the terminal 11 on the trader side, and the terminal 11 on the client side is downloaded based on the program. 12, the calculation of the estimate is performed.

The procedure will be described in order. First, a person who intends to move accesses his / her terminal, that is, the terminal 12 on the client side, to access the home page of the trader. Then, a program necessary for calculating an estimate is supplied from the terminal 11 on the trader side through the Internet. Then, such a program is downloaded to the memory of the CPU of the terminal 12 on the client side, and an input operation is performed. Then, a predetermined estimation calculation is performed based on such an input operation. The display and input method on the screen at this time may be the same as those in the first embodiment.

The result of the calculation is the terminal 1 on the client side.
2 is output and displayed by a display or the like. Further, the calculation result is transmitted from the terminal 12 on the client side to the terminal 11 on the trader side through the Internet. At this time, the information on the client side is also transmitted. Trader's terminal 1
1 stores such data. When the client-side terminal 12 completes the transmission of the above calculation result, this program is deleted by the estimation calculation program itself.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the two embodiments shown in the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made based on the technical concept of the present invention.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the distance condition between the loading point and the unloading point is specified by the selective input of the zip code or the address. The position between the two points may be specified using the four-digit display of the number. Alternatively, a map based on the image information may be developed on a screen, and each of the loading point and the unloading point may be indicated by a cursor to specify the location of the two points. In addition, it is also possible to specify the two points by the display of the house, convert the kana to kanji using the function of the word processor of the computer, and actually input, and determine the two points by the computer judging such an input result.

Although the above embodiment relates to estimation of moving, the present invention is widely applicable to estimation of various other transportation costs. Further, in the above embodiment, the estimation is performed through digital communication means comprising a combination of the Internet and a desktop computer, but a wireless digital communication network or a portable mobile terminal can also be used. is there.

[0033]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital communication network, a first terminal connected to the communication network for performing an estimate calculation of a transportation cost, and a first terminal connected to the communication network for performing an estimate calculation. A second terminal for inputting information and transmitting the information to the first terminal through the communication network, wherein the first terminal transmits the calculation result of the estimation calculation to the first terminal through the communication network. It was made.

Therefore, according to such an apparatus, an apparatus for automatically and very quickly estimating the transportation cost can be provided.

Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a digital communication network, a first terminal connected to the communication network and transmitting a program for calculating an estimate of a transportation cost, and a first terminal connected to the communication network. Of calculating the estimate based on the program sent from the terminal of the second
And the first terminal transmits the program in response to a request from the second terminal.

Therefore, according to such an apparatus, the second terminal automatically estimates the transportation cost based on the program transmitted from the first terminal. Can be automatically estimated.

According to the invention relating to the estimating method, the client side performs a predetermined input operation on the terminal, transmits information necessary for calculating the transportation cost to the terminal on the trader side through the digital communication network, and the terminal on the trader side transmits the information. An estimate is calculated based on the information thus obtained, and the terminal on the trader side transmits the calculation result to the terminal on the client side through a digital communication network.

Therefore, according to such a method, it is possible to automatically and automatically obtain an estimate of the transportation cost. In addition, no human intervention is required for such estimation, which makes it possible to minimize the time and cost required for the estimation, thereby significantly reducing the burden on the trader. Become.

Another invention related to an estimation method is that, in response to a request from a client terminal, a terminal on the trader side sends a program required for calculating an estimate of the transportation cost to the terminal on the client side through a digital communication network. Performs a predetermined input operation on the terminal and calculates the estimate by the program, the client terminal outputs the calculation result of the estimate, and the calculation result of the estimate together with the information on the client side through the digital communication network and the terminal on the contractor side To be sent to.

Therefore, according to such a method, the calculation necessary for the estimation is performed at the client terminal based on the program sent from the trader terminal based on the request from the client terminal, and the estimation is performed. The calculation result is output on the client terminal. Therefore, according to such a method, it is possible to obtain an estimate of the transportation cost in a very short time and automatically. In addition, in this case, the number of times of data exchange between the terminal on the trader side and the terminal on the client side is reduced, so that the communication cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of an apparatus for estimating a transportation cost.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an estimation operation.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an estimation operation.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a screen for inputting a postal code;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a screen for inputting an address place.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a screen for inputting a location.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a screen for inputting a location.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a screen for confirming a loading point and an unloading point.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a screen for inputting the type and quantity of household goods.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a screen for inputting the type and quantity of household goods.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a screen for inputting the type and quantity of household goods.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a screen for inputting the type and quantity of household goods.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a screen for confirming input items.

FIG. 14 is a plan view of a screen showing a display of a quote.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating an estimation operation according to the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 digital communication network 11 trader side terminal 12 client side terminal

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A digital communication network, a first terminal connected to the communication network for performing an estimate calculation of a transportation cost, and connected to the communication network to input information necessary for the estimate calculation And a second terminal that transmits the information to the first terminal through the communication network, wherein the first terminal transmits a calculation result of the estimation calculation to the second terminal through the communication network. A shipping cost estimating device characterized by the following. 2. A digital communication network, a first terminal connected to the communication network and transmitting a program for calculating an estimate of a transportation cost, and a first terminal connected to the communication network. And a second terminal for performing an estimate calculation based on a program sent from the first terminal, and the first terminal in response to a request from the second terminal.
A terminal for transmitting the program, wherein the terminal transmits the program. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the digital communication network is the Internet. 4. The client side performs a predetermined input operation on the terminal, transmits information necessary for estimating the transportation cost to the terminal of the trader through the digital communication network, and the terminal of the trader transmits the information transmitted. A method of estimating a transportation cost, comprising calculating an estimate based on the calculation, and transmitting a result of the calculation to a terminal on a client side through a digital communication network by a terminal on a vendor side. 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the information on the goods is input by inputting a numerical value into a corresponding one of the goods list. 6. A distance condition between a loading point and an unloading point is specified by inputting a zip code.
How to estimate the freight cost described in. 7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the distance condition between the loading point and the unloading point is specified by selectively inputting the location. 8. A terminal on the trader side transmits a program required for estimating a transportation cost to the terminal on the client side through a digital communication network in response to a request from the terminal on the client side. The input operation is performed to calculate the estimate by the program, and the calculation result of the estimate is output by the terminal on the client side, and the calculation result of the estimate is transmitted to the trader side through the digital communication network together with the information on the client side. A method of estimating a transportation cost, which is transmitted to a terminal. 9. The transportation according to claim 8, wherein when the estimation result is transmitted to the terminal on the trader side, the program required for the estimation calculation is deleted by the program itself on the terminal on the client side. How to estimate costs.