Reservation control method for facilities

• US 6,079,863 A
• Filed: 06/11/1997
• Issued: 06/27/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Miyazaki, Tadashi, Furukawa, Junko
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US08/872,997
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/381, 364/407, 364/401
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

A reservation control method, system and computer program for reserving times for use of a plurality of facilities. The invention provides for the storing of a time span of dates and times on which each of the facilities are to be used as a reservation schedule in a storage and controlling reservations of the facilities based on the stored reservation schedule. Further the invention provides for setting a time span of dates and times in which use of at least one of the facilities is forbidden as a reservation forbidden schedule in the storage and forbidding reservations for the facilities when the reservations overlap the reservation forbidden schedule. The reservation forbidden schedule can only be accessed and/or modified by a manager of the facility. Reservations for the facility overlapping a reservation schedule approved by the manager are forbidden and a request for reservation which does not overlap the reservation forbidden schedule and a reservation schedule approved by the manager is temporarily stored as a reservation schedule. At a later time the temporarily stored reservation schedule is updated into a status of approval or non-approval in accordance with instructions from the manager.

Claims

1. A reservation control method for reserving times for use of a plurality of facilities, comprising the steps of:

storing a date and a time span on which each of said facilities are to be used as a reservation schedule;

controlling reservations of said facilities based on said reservation schedule;

setting a time schedule, in which use of at least one of said facilities is forbidden, as a reservation forbidden schedule; and

forbidding reservations for said facilities where said reservations overlap said reservation forbidden schedule.

2. A reservation control method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

forbidding reservations for said facilities where said reservations overlap a reservation schedule approved by a manager.

3. A reservation control method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

temporarily storing a request for reservation, which does not overlap said reservation forbidden schedule and a reservation schedule approved by said manager, as a reservation schedule; and

updating the temporarily stored reservation schedule with a status of approval or non-approval in accordance with instructions from said manager.

4. A reservation control method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

displaying said reservation forbidden schedule for viewing by users of said facilities prior to making reservations.

5. A reservation control method according to claim 1, wherein said reservation forbidden schedule can only be accessed, set and/or modified by a manager of said facilities.

6. A reservation control method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing user log-in data which includes user identifiers each identifying a user permitted to use said facilities;

requiring a user to enter a user identifier prior to entering a reservation;

comparing the entered user identifier with said user login data; and

permitting said user to enter a reservation when the entered user identifier matches one of said user identifiers included in said user log-in data.

7. A reservation control method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing manager log-in data which includes manager identifiers each identifying a manager permitted to approve reservations or access and modify said reservation forbidden schedule;

requiring said manager to enter a manager identifier prior to approving reservations or accessing and modifying said reservation forbidden schedule; and

permitting said manager to approve reservations or to access and modify said reservation forbidden schedule when the entered manager identifier matches one of said manager identifiers included in said manager log-in data.

8. A reservation control computer program stored in a storage medium for reserving times for use of a plurality of facilities, said computer program when executed by a computer causes said computer to perform the steps of:

storing a date and a time span on which each of said facilities are to be used as a reservation schedule;

controlling reservations of said facilities based on said reservation schedule;

setting a time schedule, in which use of at least one of said facilities is forbidden, as a reservation forbidden schedule; and

forbidding reservations for said facilities where said reservations overlap said reservation forbidden schedule.

9. A reservation control computer program according to claim 8, when executed by said computer causes said computer to perform the further step of:

forbidding reservations for said facilities where said reservations overlap a reservation schedule approved by a manager.

10. A reservation control computer program according to claim 9, when executed by said computer causes said computer to perform the further steps of:

temporarily storing a request for reservation, which does not overlap said reservation forbidden schedule and a reservation schedule approved by said manager, as a reservation schedule; and

updating the temporarily stored reservation schedule with a status of approval or non-approval in accordance with instructions from said manager.

11. A reservation control computer program according to claim 8, when executed by said computer causes said computer to perform the further step of:

displaying said reservation forbidden schedule for viewing by users of said facilities prior to making reservations.

12. A reservation control computer program according to claim 8, wherein said reservation forbidden schedule can only be accessed, set and/or modified by a manager of said facilities.

13. A reservation control computer program according to claim 8, when executed by said computer causes said computer to perform the further steps of:

storing user log-in data which includes user identifiers each identifying a user permitted to use said facilities;

requiring a user to enter a user identifier prior to entering a reservation;

comparing the entered user identifier with said user login data; and

permitting said user to enter a reservation when the entered user identifier matches one of said user identifiers included in said user log-in data.

14. A reservation control computer program according to claim 8, when executed by said computer causes said computer to perform the further steps of:

storing manager log-in data which includes manager identifiers each identifying a manager permitted to approve reservations or access and modify said reservation forbidden schedule;

requiring said manager to enter a manager identifier prior to approving reservations or accessing and modifying said reservation forbidden schedule; and

permitting said manager to approve reservations or to access and modify said reservation forbidden schedule when the entered manager identifier matches one of said manager identifiers included in said manager log-in data.

15. A reservation control computer program according to claim 8, wherein said storage medium is included in a server connected to a network having a plurality of computers;

and wherein said server transfers said reservation control computer program to said computer for execution, via said network.

16. A reservation control computer program according to claim 8, wherein said computer which executes said reservation control computer program is a server computer.

17. A reservation control computer program according to claim 8, wherein said computer which executes said reservation control computer program is a client computer.

18. A reservation control system for reserving times for use of a plurality of facilities, comprising:

a storage which stores a date and a time span on which each of said facilities are to be used as a reservation schedule and a time schedule in which use of at least one of said facilities is forbidden as a reservation forbidden schedule; and

a processor which controls reservations of said facilities based on said reservation schedule, sets a time schedule, in which use of at least one of said facilities is forbidden, as said reservation forbidden schedule, and forbids reservations for said facilities where said reservations overlap said reservation for bidden schedule.

19. A reservation control system according to claim 18, wherein said processor forbids reservations for said facilities where said reservations overlap a reservation schedule approved by a manager.

20. A reservation control system according to claim 19, wherein said processor temporarily stores in said storage a request for reservation, which does not overlap said reservation forbidden schedule and a reservation schedule approved by said manager, as a reservation schedule, and updates the temporarily stored reservation schedule with a status of approval or non-approval in accordance with instructions from said manager.

21. A reservation control system according to claim 18, wherein said processor displays on a display screen said reservation forbidden schedule for viewing by users of said facilities prior to making reservations.

22. A reservation control system according to claim 18, wherein said reservation forbidden schedule can only be accessed, set and/or modified by a manager of said facilities.

23. A reservation control system according to claim 18, wherein said storage stores user log-in data which includes user identifiers each identifying a user permitted to use said facilities;

and

wherein said processor requires a user to enter a user identifier prior to entering a reservation, compares the entered user identifier with said user log-in data, and permits said user to enter a reservation when the entered user identifier matches one of said user identifiers included in said user log-in data.

24. A reservation control system according to claim 18, wherein said storage stores manager log-in data which includes manager identifiers each identifying a manager permitted to approve reservations or access and modify said reservation forbidden schedule;

and

wherein said processor requires said manager to enter a manager identifier prior to approving reservations or accessing and modifying said reservation forbidden schedule, and permits said manager to approve reservations or to access and modify said reservation forbidden schedule when the entered manager identifier matches one of said manager identifiers included in said manager log-in data.

25. A reservation control method for reserving times for use of a plurality of facilities, comprising the steps of:

receiving a log-in request from a user of said facilities, said log-in request including a user ID;

permitting said user to enter a request for reservation of a facility if said user ID matches one of a plurality of user ID'"'"'s included in user log-in data, said request for reservation including a date designated by said user;

retrieving reservation schedule data corresponding to said date designated by said user;

retrieving reservation forbidden schedule data corresponding to said date designated by said user if said date designated by said user corresponds to a time schedule in said reservation forbidden schedule data; and

displaying said reservation schedule data and said reservation forbidden schedule data corresponding to said date designated by said user for viewing by said user when said date designated by said user corresponds to said time schedule of said reservation forbidden schedule data.

26. A reservation control method according to claim 25, wherein said request for reservation further includes a facility ID identifying said facility;

and

wherein said retrieving reservation schedule data step retrieves said reservation schedule data corresponding to said date designated by said user and said facility ID.

27. A reservation control method according to claim 26, wherein said retrieving reservation forbidden schedule data step retrieves said reservation forbidden schedule data corresponding to said date designated by said user and said facility ID if said date designated by said user corresponds to said time schedule in said reservation forbidden schedule data and said facility ID corresponds to a facility related to said time schedule in said reservation forbidden schedule data.

28. A reservation control method according to claim 25, wherein said displaying step comprises the step of:

displaying said reservation forbidden schedule data in a manner which distinguishes said reservation forbidden schedule data from said reservation schedule data.

29. A reservation control method for reserving times for use of a plurality of facilities, comprising the steps of:

receiving a log-in request from a user of said facilities, said log-in request including a user ID;

permitting said user to enter a request for reservation schedule of a facility if said user ID matches one of a plurality of user ID'"'"'s included in user log-in data, said request for reservation including a date designated by said user;

retrieving reservation forbidden schedule data corresponding to said date designated by said user when said date designated by said user corresponds to a time schedule in said reservation forbidden schedule data;

outputting an error message indicating that said request for reservation can not be satisfied when said date designated by said user corresponds to said time schedule in said reservation forbidden schedule data;

retrieving reservation schedule data corresponding to said date designated by said user when said date designated by said user does not correspond to said time schedule in said reservation forbidden schedule data;

outputting an error message indicating that said request for reservation can not be satisfied when said date designated by said user corresponds to said time schedule of an approved reservation schedule in said reservation schedule data; and

registering a reservation schedule corresponding to said request for reservation when said date designated by said user does not correspond to said time schedule of an approved reservation schedule in said reservation schedule data.

30. A reservation control method according to claim 29, wherein said request for reservation further includes a facility ID identifying said facility;

and

wherein said retrieving reservation schedule data step retrieves said reservation schedule data corresponding to said date designated by said user and said facility ID.

31. A reservation control method according to claim 30, wherein said retrieving reservation forbidden schedule data step retrieves said reservation forbidden schedule data corresponding to said date designated by said user and said facility ID if said date designated by said user corresponds to said time schedule in said reservation forbidden schedule data and said facility ID corresponds to a facility related to said time schedule in said reservation forbidden schedule data.

32. A reservation control computer program stored in a storage medium for reserving times for use of a plurality of facilities, said computer program when executed by a computer causes said computer to perform the steps of:

receiving a log-in request from a user of said facilities, said log-in request including a user ID;

permitting said user to enter a request for reservation of a facility if said user ID matches one of a plurality of user ID'"'"'s included in user log-in data, said request for reservation including a date designated by said user;

retrieving reservation schedule data corresponding to said date designated by said user;

retrieving reservation forbidden schedule data corresponding to said date designated by said user if said date designated by said user corresponds to a time schedule in said reservation forbidden schedule data; and

displaying said reservation schedule data and said reservation forbidden schedule data corresponding to said date designated by said user for viewing by said user when said date designated by said user corresponds to said time schedule of said reservation forbidden schedule data.

33. A reservation control computer program according to claim 32, wherein said request for reservation further includes a facility ID identifying said facility;

and

wherein said retrieving reservation schedule data step retrieves said reservation schedule data corresponding to said date designated by said user and said facility ID.

34. A reservation control computer program according to claim 33, wherein said retrieving reservation forbidden schedule data step retrieves said reservation forbidden schedule data corresponding to said date designated by said user and said facility ID if said date designated by said user corresponds to said time schedule in said reservation forbidden schedule data and said facility ID corresponds to a facility related to said time schedule in said reservation forbidden schedule data.

35. A reservation control computer program according to claim 32, wherein said displaying step comprises the step performed by said computer of:

displaying said reservation forbidden schedule data in a manner which distinguishes said reservation forbidden schedule data from said reservation schedule data.

36. A reservation control computer program according to claim 32, wherein said storage medium is included in a server connected to a network having a plurality of computers;

and wherein said server transfers said reservation control computer program to said computer for execution, via said network.

37. A reservation control computer program according to claim 32, wherein said computer which executes said reservation control computer program is a server computer.

38. A reservation control computer program according to claim 32, wherein said computer which executes said reservation control computer program is a client computer.

39. A reservation control computer program stored in a storage medium for reserving times for use of a plurality of facilities, said reservation control computer program when executed by a computer causes said computer to perform the steps of:

receiving a log-in request from a user of said facilities, said log-in request including a user ID;

permitting said user to enter a request for reservation schedule of a facility if said user ID matches one of a plurality of user ID'"'"'s included in user log-in data, said request for reservation including a date designated by said user;

retrieving reservation forbidden schedule data corresponding to said date designated by said user when said date designated by said user corresponds to a time schedule in said reservation forbidden schedule data;

outputting an error message indicating that said request for reservation can not be satisfied when said date designated by said user corresponds to said time schedule in said reservation forbidden schedule data;

retrieving reservation schedule data corresponding to said date designated by said user when said date designated by said user does not correspond to said time schedule in said reservation forbidden schedule data;

outputting an error message indicating that said request for reservation can not be satisfied when said date designated by said user corresponds to said time schedule of an approved reservation schedule in said reservation schedule data; and

registering a reservation schedule corresponding to said request for reservation when said date designated by said user does not correspond to said time schedule of an approved reservation schedule in said reservation schedule data.

40. A reservation control computer program according to claim 39, wherein said request for reservation further includes a facility ID identifying said facility;

and

wherein said retrieving reservation schedule data step retrieves said reservation schedule data corresponding to said date designated by said user and said facility ID.

41. A reservation control computer program according to claim 40, wherein said retrieving reservation forbidden schedule data step retrieves said reservation forbidden schedule data corresponding to said date designated by said user and said facility ID if said date designated by said user corresponds to said time schedule in said reservation forbidden schedule data and said facility ID corresponds to a facility related to said time schedule in said reservation forbidden schedule data.

42. A reservation control computer program according to claim 39, wherein said storage medium is included in a server connected to a network having a plurality of computers;

and wherein said server transfers said reservation control computer program to said computer for execution, via said network.

43. A reservation control computer program according to claim 39, wherein said computer which executes said reservation control computer program is a server computer.

44. A computer program according to claim 39, wherein said computer which executes said reservation control computer program is a client computer.