JPH08202776A - Hotel system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To automate the reservation of a hotel, the management of keys and the account adjusting job of charges without a clerk. CONSTITUTION: This system is provided with a reservation information storage means 2 for storing reservation information, reservation receiving means 3 for investigating the conditions of vacant rooms corresponding to reservation requests from a telephone line and registering the inputted telephone number or the like of a user as a reservation code for reservation, automatic front means 4 for investigating the reservation information storage means 2 corresponding to the reservation code inputted at the time of check-in, confirming the reservation, guiding the amount to be prepaid, issuing a card key C equipped with a storage means for storing the remaining non-used money of a room charge, etc., in the prepaid amount and validity or the like after the payment, and returning the remaining money of the card key C at the time of check-out, and gate means 5 for performing the inhibition of facilities utilization or the allowance only within the validity by unlocking a door while holding the inserted card key C and for adjusting the accounts of facilities charge from the remainder of the card key.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hotel system for collectively performing unmanned automatic processing of guest room reservation, key management, fee settlement, etc. in a hotel. It can also be applied to specific facilities such as rental rooms similar to the use of guest rooms in hotels.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, it has been proposed and has been proposed to automate hotel operations by various systems.

In the guest room reservation business, there is a system in which a machine accepts a telephone application from a user. For example, a storage device for storing reservation information and a voice response device are provided, and user guidance and reservation registration are performed in response to a telephone inquiry from a user who has registered in advance and has recognition information. First, when the user calls the hotel, the voice response device guides the user. When the user types in the desired date of use, the number of stays, and the customer code registered in advance, the storage device retrieves the reservation information, and if available, the voice response device will prompt the user I will tell you the number. If the user accepts this condition, the user types in the reservation application and the reservation is completed. As such a technique, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 64-32377 proposes a technique for recognizing a voice of a user.

In addition, various key rationalizations have been performed by using a card key instead of a mechanical key as a guest room key. For example, when a user applies to the front desk, the receptionist inputs the guest room number, the number of stays, customer data, etc. into a card and hands it to the user. The user uses the received card to open the guest room door and use the guest room. Such a technique is proposed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-51593.

In addition, various methods have been used to rationalize the usage fee clearing method by using a machine and a card. For example, register in advance and receive a membership card. Apply for usage by loading the membership card into the reception device in the hotel and inserting the advance payment. Then, the reception device adds the key function to the membership card by the advance payment.

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional system, since each business in the hotel is an automated or semi-automated system independently, it is not possible to link them with each other, and all the business is performed. There was a drawback that it could not be automated in a batch. In addition, in the case of reservation registration, since it is necessary to register as a member in advance, there is a drawback in that the burden on the user is heavy and it is not possible to deal with a diving customer. Further, even when the card key is used as the key, it cannot be used like the mechanical key when the card is lost. In addition, there is a problem that it is difficult to collect the surcharge when the facility is used in excess of the advance payment.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to perform unattended and automatic processing for all operations such as guest room reservation, key management, and charge settlement.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the problems and achieve the object, the hotel system of the present invention uses a card key to manage facilities such as guest rooms and to settle charges from the user's reservation reception. Is a hotel system that manages and manages all the steps up to unattended, including a reservation information storage means for storing reservation information, and a reservation reception means for notifying the reservation code used according to the user's reservation request from the telephone line. , Automatic front means to issue a card key with a reservation code and payment of prepayment and a storage means for storing unused balance etc. of prepayment, and prohibition or expiration date of facility use by card key When the reservation is made, the reservation reception means checks the reservation information storage means for the vacancy status and registers the reservation, and notifies the reservation code when making a reservation. , At the time of check-in, automatic front means, to confirm the reservation examined the reservation information storage means with the entered reservation code to guide the advance payments, advance payments is after the payment,
The card key storing the room number, expiration date, balance, etc. is ejected, the gate means holds the card key when the card key is inserted, unlocks the door, and at the time of checkout, the automatic front means Is a system that returns the balance stored in the card key and settles it.

Further, in addition to the above hotel system, the gate means may be provided with a facility use control means for controlling the prohibition or permission of the use of the facility in the guest room, which is a facility, by means of a card key. Further, the above-mentioned hotel system is also configured such that the gate means is provided with a charge clearing means for reducing the charge from the balance of the held card key and clearing the charge. Further, in the above hotel system, the reservation code uses a code based on the telephone number input by the user. Further, in the above hotel system, the gate means may be configured to operate independently without being connected to the reservation information storage means, the reservation reception means and the automatic front means.

[0010]

In the hotel system of the present invention, at the time of reservation, the reservation acceptance means checks the reservation information storage means for the vacancy status according to the user's reservation request, registers the reservation, and notifies the reservation code to use the facility. Occasionally, the automatic reception means will check the reservation information storage means with the entered reservation code to confirm the validity of the reservation and guide the prepayment.After the prepayment is paid, the room number, expiration date, and prepayment After ejecting the card key storing the balance, etc., when the user inserts the card key into the gate means, hold the card key and unlock the door, permit the facility use within the expiration date, and after using the facility , The automatic front means returns the balance stored in the card key for liquidation.

In the gate means, the card key is inserted by the equipment use control means, and during the expiration date,
Turn on the lights and permit the use of in-room equipment such as TVs and telephones. In addition, the gate means uses the charge clearing means to reduce the charges of the vending machine in the guest room, the equipment in the guest room such as the telephone and the television, the guest room, etc. from the balance of the held card key. Also, the user's telephone number entered by the user is used as the reservation code. Further, the gate means is not connected to the reservation information storage means, reservation reception means and automatic front means, and operates independently.

[0012]

Embodiments of the hotel system of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the hotel system of the present invention. The hotel system 1 of the present invention is
Reservation information storage means 2 that stores the reservation status of the guest room, reservation reception means 3 that processes reservation reception from the telephone line by telephone or personal computer communication, charge at check-in and check-out, balance transfer and card It is composed of automatic front means 4 for performing front processing such as issuing and the like, and gate means 5 for managing unlocking / locking of the passenger compartment door. further,
The gate means is provided with a facility use control means 6 for controlling availability of equipment such as lighting in a guest room, a vending machine for beverages, a TV, a telephone, and a fee clearing means 7 for collecting fees such as room charges. Good. Further, as the card key C used in the present invention, an IC card or the like having a storage means such as a semiconductor memory is used.

FIG. 2 is a schematic system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the hotel system of the present invention. In the figure, the hotel system comprises a management machine 8 installed at the front and a gate device 9 installed near the entrance of each guest room and independently operated without being connected to the management machine 8. The management machine 8 performs telephone reservation reception processing, front processing of check-in and check-out, and the gate device permits or prohibits the use of facilities such as guest rooms and facilities in the guest rooms, and pays the charges.

The automatic front settlement machine 8 includes a data processing unit 8
1, a reservation information storage unit 82, a voice response unit 83, a guide display unit 84, a data input unit 85, a card reading and writing issuing unit 86,
It is composed of a money transfer processing unit 87. Data processing unit 8
Reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU or the like, which performs various data processing relating to reservation reception processing and front processing, and controls other units.

The reservation accepting means 3 for executing the reservation accepting process includes a data processing section 81, a reservation information storage section 82 and a voice response section 8.
It is realized in 3. Further, the automatic front means 4 that performs front processing at the time of check-in and check-out includes a data processing unit 81, a reservation information storage unit 82, and a guide display unit 8.
4, a data input unit 85, a card reading / writing issuing unit 86, and a money transfer processing unit 87.

The reservation information storage section 82 stores the reservation information as a reservation database in a storage means such as a magnetic disk as the reservation information storage means 2 and stores it. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the reservation database stores a room number, a room charge, a reservation code, a period of use, check-in / check-out information, etc. for each room.

The voice response unit 83 is connected to a telephone line,
In response to a reservation inquiry from the telephone, voice guidance such as guidance and reservation result is controlled under the control of the data processing unit 81, and the reservation data such as the reservation date and time and the reservation code input to the telephone are passed to the data processing unit 81.

The guide display unit 84 displays advance payments and various operating procedures by means of displays and sounds such as voices. The data input unit 85 includes a ten-key pad or the like, and accepts a manual input of a reservation code of a user at the time of check-in, or a manual input of data of a use application of a diving user. Card reading / writing issuing unit 86
Writes the guest room number, expiration date, unused balance of advance payment, etc. into the card key at check-in, and reads the room number, expiration date, balance, etc. of the card key at check-out. The money transfer processing unit 87 performs processing for receiving deposits such as cash as advance payments, change, and processing for returning balances left at checkout.

The data processing unit 81 controls various data processing such as reservation acceptance processing and front processing and other units. In the reservation acceptance process, the voice guidance unit responds to the reservation inquiry with the usage guide, receives the reservation data such as the desired date of reservation, searches the reservation database in the reservation information storage unit, and confirms whether there is a room or not. In response to the reservation application, reservation data such as a reservation code and expiration date (reservation date and time) is registered in the reservation information storage unit, and a notification of reservation completion is returned to the voice response unit. In the check-in process, the guide display of the usage of the management machine is displayed in the guide display part, the reservation database is searched with the reservation code from the data input part 85 to confirm the validity of the reservation, and the prepayment amount higher than the room charge is paid. In addition, calculate the balance after subtracting the room usage fee from the prepayment, and after confirming the payment of the prepayment at the money transfer processing part, enter the room number, expiration date, prepayment, balance etc. to the card key The card reading and writing section is made to record and issue the card key. Also,
The data input section 8 can be used for the users who dive in
5 corresponds to the function of the voice response unit 83 being handled by the guide display unit 84. In the check-out process, the room number, expiration date, balance, etc. stored in the card key are read out, and the balance is returned to the money transfer processing unit.

The gate device 9 includes a control section 91, a guide display section 92, a card reading / writing holding section 93, and a key unlocking / locking control section 9.
4, an equipment usage control unit 95, and a usage amount counting unit 96.

The control unit 91 controls the other units and
It has an internal clock, and confirms the validity of facility use from the expiration date of the card key, and performs fee settlement processing with use data sent from the use amount counting unit 96. Information display section 92
Displays usage guidance such as forgetting to take in / out the card, and guides with sound such as voice. When the card is inserted, the card read / write holding unit 93 reads out the guest room number, the expiration date, and the like, and when clearing the facility usage fee, writes a new balance obtained by subtracting the usage fee from the balance. The unlocking / locking control unit 94 unlocks or locks the door key of the guest room. Facility use control unit 9
Reference numeral 5 controls the availability of equipment in the guest room by turning on / off the lighting power supply. The usage amount counting unit 96 is a facility for collecting usage charges for in-room equipment such as telephones and televisions in rooms, charges for vending machines in guest rooms, or charges for guest room charges when not collected by management machines. Whenever these charges occur,
The usage amount is counted and usage data is sent to the control unit. Then, the control unit calculates the charge based on the usage data, and the card read / write holding unit reduces the charge from the remaining amount of the card key and writes a new remaining amount.

Any card key may be used as long as it has a storage means capable of storing a room number, an expiration date, a balance, and the like. A magnetic card with a magnetic stripe may be used as the storage means, but a semiconductor memory is preferable. I
A C memory card, an IC card, or the like has a large storage capacity and is preferable in terms of security. More preferably, a card key provided with a display means that can always display the remaining amount of money that changes according to the occurrence of charge collection is convenient. As such a display means, a display element capable of reversibly rewriting visible information by external energy such as heat, electric field, magnetic field or the like can be used. For example, a reversible display element of a thermosensitive recording type that can rewritably display by reversibly changing between a transparent state and a cloudy state by heating and cooling, a reversible display element of an electric / thermal recording type that can rewrite display by an electric field and heating, a magnetic field sensitive magnetic It is a magnetic recording type reversible display element containing powder in microcapsules.
In the thermosensitive recording element, a polymer / fatty acid composite film in which fatty acid is dispersed in a polymer matrix is used. In the electric / thermal recording element, a liquid crystal / polymer composite in which liquid crystal is dispersed in a polymer matrix is used. There are those that use membranes and the like.

When the card key has a display means, the card reader / writer used in the card read / write issuing section 86 and the card read / write holding section 93 is a read / write means for reading / writing information from / to the storage means. Rewriting means for rewriting the display of the display means is provided. The rewriting means is a type of reversible display element used for the display means, and is provided with an energy applying means for applying external energy such as heat, electric field, and magnetic field. For example, a thermal head is used for heat, a matrix electrode or roller electrode is used for an electric field, and a magnetic head is used for a magnetic field.

Next, in the system configuration as described above, one embodiment of using the hotel will be described with reference to FIG. 3 and FIG.
Also, description will be made step by step with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

In the reservation acceptance stage, when the user first makes a call, the management machine gives a voice guidance about the usage method (step S1).
1). Therefore, the user inputs a desired date of use, the type of guest room, and the like from the push button to make a reservation inquiry (step S12). The management machine searches the reservation database, confirms the vacancy status of the guest room that meets the desired conditions, and answers the availability (step S13). If the returned contents of use are acceptable, the user inputs his / her telephone number as a reservation code and applies for reservation (step S14). The management device returns the input reservation code, confirms the correctness with the user, registers the reservation information in the reservation database, and notifies the reservation completion (step S15).
If the same telephone number has already been used for the reservation code, guidance may be given to add another number or sub number.

At the check-in stage, the user first inputs the reservation code, which is his own telephone number, using the ten-key pad of the management machine (step S21). The management machine inquires the reservation database for the inputted reservation code and confirms whether or not there is a reservation (step S22). If it has been reserved, the fee guide for the advance payment is displayed on the screen (step S23). The charge should be higher than the room charge. The user deposits the displayed amount as advance payment (step S24).
After confirming the deposit, the management machine calculates the balance by subtracting the room usage fee from the prepayment (step S25), stores the room number, expiration date, prepayment, balance, etc. in the storage means of the card key and Print on the key display surface (step S
26) and eject the card key (step S27). The user receives the card key (step S28). Although the present embodiment is premised on using an IC card with a reversible display element as a card key, the card key is not limited to this.

At the guest room utilization stage, the user goes to the guest room with the received card key, and inserts the card key into the gate device installed beside the entrance (step S31). The gate device reads the card key, determines the validity (step S32), unlocks the door if available, and turns on the indoor illumination lamp to enable the use of indoor equipment (step 33). Next, after the above processing, the gate device takes in and holds the card key in the device (step S34). Then, the user enters the room and uses the guest room. In addition, when using an indoor facility such as a telephone or a television that generates a usage fee (step S35), the gate device reduces the usage fee from the balance of the card key in real time and clears it (step S351). If the card key is depleted, the facility cannot be used (step S
352). Further, it cannot be used even after the expiration date (step S36). When the user goes out and opens the door from the inside (step S37), the gate device ejects the card key. When the card key is discharged, the gate device outputs a warning voice as "Please take out the card key" (step S38). Then, the user receives the card (step S39).

At the check-out stage, the user inserts the card key into the post-use management machine (step S41). The management machine reads the remaining amount stored in the card key (step S42), returns the remaining amount and settles it (step S43), and takes in the card key (step S44).

[0030]

According to the hotel system of the present invention, it is possible to perform reservations, management of keys, and liquidation of charges unattended during the business in the hotel, which reduces labor costs and the burden on the operator side. Also, the user does not need to register as a member in advance to make a reservation, and the user's telephone number is used in the reservation code so there is no worry of forgetting it.Also, when the reservation is completed, you can jump in without issuing a card key in advance. Since it is possible, since the gate device holds the card when using the guest room, there is no fear of losing the card, and convenience for the user is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a hotel system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a hotel system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram from reservation reception to check-in.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram when using a guest room.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart when accepting a reservation.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart at the time of check-in.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart when using a guest room.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart at checkout.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Hotel System 2 Reservation Information Storage Means 3 Reservation Reception Means 4 Automatic Front Means 5 Gate Means 6 Facility Use Control Means 7 Fee Clearing Means 8 Management Machines 81 Data Processing Units 82 Reservation Information Storage Units 83 Voice Response Units 84 Guidance Display Units 85 Data Input unit 86 Card reading / writing issuing unit 87 Money transfer processing unit 9 Gate device 91 Control unit 92 Guidance display unit 93 Card reading / writing holding unit 94 Key unlocking / locking control unit 95 Equipment usage control unit 96 Usage amount count C card Key S Step number Y Advance payment, balance

Claims (5)

[Claims] [Claim 1] A reservation system for storing reservation information, which is a hotel system that manages and manages a user's reservations, facility management of guest rooms, etc. Storage means, reservation reception means that notifies the reservation code used according to the user's reservation request from the telephone line, and receipt of the reservation code and prepayment, and the unused balance etc. of the prepayment It is equipped with an automatic front means for issuing a card key having a storage means for storing and a gate means for prohibiting the use of the facility by the card key or permitting the use of the facility only within the expiration date. If you wish to make a reservation, the reservation information storage means will be checked for the vacancy status and the reservation code will be notified. At the time of check-in, the automatic front means will record the reservation information with the entered reservation code. We will check the memory and confirm the reservation and inform the prepayment.After the prepayment is received, the room number, expiration date,
The card key storing the balance etc. is discharged, and the gate means holds the card key when the card key is inserted,
The hotel system is characterized by unlocking the door and at check-out, the automatic front means returns the balance stored in the card key and settles it. 2. The hotel system according to claim 1, wherein the gate means includes equipment use control means for controlling prohibition or permission of use of equipment in a guest room, which is a facility, by a card key. 3. The hotel system according to claim 1, wherein the gate means is provided with a charge clearing means for reducing the charge from the balance of the held card key and clearing the charge. 4. The code based on the telephone number input by the user is used as the reservation code.
Or, the hotel system described in 3. 5. The hotel system according to claim 1, wherein the gate means independently operates with the reservation information storage means, the reservation reception means and the automatic front means.