SERVER

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

[0001] The invention relates to a server, a control method for the server, and a control program for the server.

2. Description of Related Art

[0002] An organizer user who holds an event individually notifies a plurality of candidate date/times to a plurality of invited users invited to the event and determines a holding date/time of the event on the basis of replies of attendance possibilities individually received from the invited users with respect to the respective candidate date/times.

[0003] For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-168003 discloses that an organizer user registers invited users of a drinking party in a schedule adjustment system and the schedule adjustment system checks schedules of all the invited users and sets a date/time convenient for all the invited users.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] In the schedule adjustment system described in JP2013-168003A, the organizer user reserves seats of a restaurant in advance in order to secure seats for the number of invited users who can participate the event. Thereafter, when plans of the invited users are changed, the organizer user has to cancel the reserved seats of the restaurant. When the seats of the restaurant are reserved in advance, work of the organizer user is likely to increase.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a server, a control method for the server, and a control program for the server that can automatically decide a reservation without imposing a burden on an organizer user. [0006] A control method according to a first aspect of the present invention is a control method for a server including a storing section, the control method including: storing, in the storing section, pluralities of users included in a plurality of groups, respectively; storing, in the storing section, a venue available time transmitted from a venue terminal; transmitting the venue available time to user terminals used by the respective users included in a predetermined group among the plurality of groups; storing, in the storing section, participation registrations for participation in an event in a venue related to the venue terminal in the venue available time transmitted from the user terminals that receive the venue available time; and storing, in the storing section, the predetermined group as a using group if the number of the stored participation registrations exceeds a first predetermined number.

[0007] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the storing the predetermined group as the using group may include: counting, if the venue available time is transmitted to the user terminals used by the respective users included in a plurality of predetermined groups, for each of the groups, the number of stored participation registrations; and specifying, as the using group, a group in which the number of counted participation registrations exceeds the first predetermined number first.

[0008] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the control method may further include storing, in the storing section, area information related to the respective users and area information where the venue related to the venue terminal is present, and the transmitting the venue available time may include: determining whether the area information related to the respective users included in the predetermined group and the area information where the venue is present are in a specific relation; and transmitting the venue available time transmitted from the venue terminal of the venue to the user terminal used by a user related to the area information determined as being in the specific relation with the area information where the venue is present.

[0009] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the control method may further include: transmitting, to the user terminal, display data for displaying a schedule management screen for managing a schedule of the user who uses the user terminal; and transmitting, to the user terminal, display data for displaying a name of the venue related to the venue available time in a display region corresponding to the venue available time on the schedule management screen.

[0010] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the user terminal may display, only if a schedule of the user who uses the user terminal is not registered, the name of the venue related to the venue available time in the display region corresponding to the venue available time on the schedule management screen.

[0011] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the control method may further include storing, in the storing section, schedules of the users who use the user terminals registered by the user terminals used by the respective users together with start date/times and end date/times of the schedules, and the transmitting the venue available time may include transmitting, if the number of users whose schedules are not registered in the venue available time among the plurality of users included in the predetermined group exceeds a second predetermined number, the venue available time to the user terminals of the users who are included in the predetermined group and whose schedules are not registered in the venue available time.

[0012] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the transmitting the venue available time may include transmitting, when the number of users whose schedules are registered before the venue available time among the plurality of users included in the predetermined group exceeds the second predetermined number, the venue available time to the user terminals of the users who are included in the predetermined group and whose schedules are not registered in the venue available time and whose schedules are registered before the venue available time.

[0013] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the control method may further include displaying, according to selection of the displayed name of the venue by the user via the user terminal, a name of another user who has transmitted a participation registration for participating in the venue in the venue available time.

[0014] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the area information related to the user may be area information concerning a schedule immediately before the venue available time displayed on the schedule management screen.

[0015] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the control method may further include transmitting participation guide information to the user terminal that is used by the user included in the using group and has transmitted the participation registration and storing, in the storing section, in association with the using group, the user who uses the user terminal to which the participation guide information is transmitted, and the transmitting the venue available time may include preferentially transmitting, if the predetermined group is a using group stored in the past, the venue available time to the user terminals of the predetermined group.

[0016] According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the transmission of the venue available time, if other venue available times as many as a number exceeding a third predetermined number on a day same as a date of the venue available time are transmitted in the past, the venue available time is not transmitted.

[0017] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the transmitting the venue available time may include transmitting the venue available time a predetermined time before the venue available time.

[0018] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the control method may further include transmitting participation guide information to the user terminal that is used by the user included in the using group and has transmitted the participation registration and deleting the participation registration corresponding to the participation guide information stored in the storing section, and the user terminal does not have to transmit the participation registration if the number of participation registrations stored in the storing section exceeds a fourth predetermined number.

[0019] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the storing the venue available time may include storing, in the storing section, vacancy information indicating the number of people able to participate in an event in the venue available time transmitted from the venue terminal together with the venue available time, the first predetermined number may be set to be smaller than the number indicated by the vacancy information, and, if the number of users who are included in the using group and use the user terminals that have transmitted the participation registration reaches the number indicated by the vacancy information, following participation registrations are received.

[0020] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the user terminal may be capable of transmitting the participation registrations for a plurality of persons.

[0021] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the transmitting the venue available time may include: discriminating, if end time of a last schedule of a day same as a date of the venue available time among schedules of the users who use the user terminals is registered before the venue available time, on the basis of the venue available time and area information where the venue is present and the end time of the last schedule and area information where the users are present at the end time, whether the users who use the user terminals are able to arrive at the area where the venue is present by the venue available time; and transmitting the venue available time transmitted from the venue terminal of the venue to the user terminal used by the user discriminated as being able to arrive at the area where the venue is present by the venue available time.

[0022] A control program according to a second aspect of the present invention is a control program for a server including a storing section, the control program causing the server to execute: storing, in the storing section, pluralities of users included in a plurality of groups, respectively; storing, in the storing section, a venue available time transmitted from a venue terminal; transmitting the venue available time to user terminals used by the respective users included in a predetermined group among the plurality of groups; storing, in the storing section, participation registrations for participation in an event in a venue related to the venue terminal in the venue available time transmitted from the user terminals that receive the venue available time; and storing, in the storing section, the predetermined group as a using group if the number of the stored participation registrations exceeds a first predetermined number.

[0023] A server according to a third aspect of the present invention includes: a storing section configured to store pluralities of users included in a plurality of groups, respectively, and store a venue available time transmitted from a venue terminal; a notifying section configured to transmit the venue available time to user terminals used by the respective users included in a predetermined group among the plurality of groups; and a reserving section configured to store, in the storing section, participation registrations for participation in an event in a venue related to the venue terminal in the venue available time transmitted from the user terminals that receive the venue available time and store, in the storing section, the predetermined group as a using group if the number of the stored participation registrations exceeds a first predetermined number.

[0024] With the server, the control method for the server, and the control program for the server according to the present invention, it is possible to automatically decide a reservation without imposing a burden on an organizer user. That is, since the organizer user does not confirm a plurality of users about participation possibilities, it is possible to reduce a load of the entire server. The organizer user can omit a search for a venue for a reservation and processing of the reservation. Therefore, it is possible to further reduce the load of the server.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals denote like elements, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining an overview of a reservation system; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the reservation system;

FIG. 3A is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of an organizer terminal;

FIG. 3B is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a user terminal;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a server; FIG. 5A is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of a table; FIG. 5B is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of a table;

FIG. 6A is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of another table;

FIG. 6B is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of another table;

FIG. 6C is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of another table;

FIG. 7 A is a diagram showing an example of an operation sequence by the reservation system;

FIG. 7B is a diagram showing an example of the operation sequence by the reservation system;

FIG. 8A is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the organizer terminal;

FIG. 8B is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the organizer terminal;

FIG. 8C is a diagram showing an example of a message displayed on the user terminal;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the user terminal;

FIG. 10A is a diagram showing an example of another screen displayed on the user terminal;

FIG. 1 OB is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of another table; and FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram for explaining an overview of a reservation system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0026] Various embodiments of the present invention are explained below with reference to the drawings. However, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and extends to the inventions described in claims and equivalents of the inventions.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining an overview of a reservation system 1.

[0028] The reservation system 1 includes a user terminal 3 and a server 4 including a storing section. The server 4 performs schedule management of users and reservation management of facilities in a venue. Therefore, the server 4 stores, for each of a plurality of users, date/times and places of plans of the users in the storing section. The server 4 stores, for each of a plurality of venues, places of the venues in the storing section.

[0029] The server 4 extracts, from the storing section, a time period when plans of all of the plurality of users are not set (1). For example, it is assumed that a last plan of one day of a user A is a preliminary meeting at 16:00 to 18:30, a last plan of one day of a user B is a meeting at 16:00 to 17:00, and a last plan of one day of a user H is at 16:00 to 18:00. In this case, for example, the server 4 extracts 19:00 to 21:00 as a time period 10 when plans of all of the plurality of users are not set. Details of processing for extracting the time period are explained below. The time period when the plans of all of the plurality of users are not set is a period from a start date/time to an end date/time of an event.

[0030] The server 4 determines, on the basis of date/times and places 11 to 13 of plans of all of the respective users set immediately before the extracted time period, a venue where all of the plurality of users can gather in the extracted time period (2). For example, there is thirty minutes until the start date/time of the event after a plan of the user A set immediately before the extracted time period ends. Therefore, the server 4 specifies a range 14 in which the user A can move from a place of the plan in thirty minutes. Similarly, the server 4 specifies ranges 15 and 16 in which the user B and the user H can move from places of the plans immediately before the extracted time period by the start date/time of the event. The server 4 determines, as a venue where all of the plurality of users can gather, a venue located in a range where the ranges 14, 15, and 16 in which the users can move overlap. Details of processing for determining the venue are explained below.

[0031] The server 4 pre-reserves a facility in the determined venue (3). The pre-reservation means securing the facility. For example, the server 4 pre-reserves a private room for eight people in which all of invited users can enter in a determined restaurant A. [0032] The server 4 outputs the number of people capable of using the pre-reserved facility to the user terminals 3 of the respective users (4). The number of people capable of using the pre-reserved facility indicates the number of people whose expression of intention of participation in the facility in the venue can be accepted.

[0033] The user terminal 3 transmits the expression of intention of participation to the server 4 according to operation of the user. The server 4 accepts the expression of intention of participation from the user terminal 3 (5).

[0034] The server 4 counts the number of accepted expressions of intention of participation. When the counted number of expression of intention of participation reaches a predetermined number of people, the server 4 properly reserves the facility (6). The predetermined number of people is, for example, a miriimum number of people for holding an event set by an organizer user or the server 4. The proper reservation means converting the pre-reservation to a reservation.

[0035] In this way, the server 4 pre-reserves the facility in the venue and properly reserves the facility according to the number of accepted expressions of intention of participation. Therefore, the server 4 can automatically decide the reservation without imposing a burden on the organizer user. That is, since the organizer user does not confirm the plurality of users about participation possibilities, it is possible to reduce a load of the entire server 4. Since the organizer user can omit a search for a venue for a reservation and processing of the reservation. Therefore, it is possible to further reduce the load of the server.

[0036] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the reservation system 1.

[0037] The reservation system 1 includes an organizer terminal 2, the user terminal 3, and the server 4. The organizer terminal 2 and the server 4 are connected to each other via a communication network, for example, connected to each other the Internet 5. A computer program executed by the organizer terminal 2 and a computer program executed by the server 4 perform communication using a communication protocol such as a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). The user terminal 3 and the server 4 are connected to each other via the communication network, for example, the Internet 5. A computer program executed by the user terminal 3 and the computer program executed by the server 4 perform communication using a communication protocol such as the Hypertext Transfer Protocol. Note that the reservation system 1 may include a plurality of user terminals 3.

[0038] FIG. 3A is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the organizer terminal 2.

[0039] The organizer terminal 2 includes a terminal communication section 21, a terminal storing section 22, an operation section 23, a display section 24, and a terminal processing section 25. The organizer user means a user, who is a responsible person who holds an event in which a plurality of users plan to participate. The event means a social event or a function held in a venue. The event is, for example, a company trip, a New Year party, an exchange meeting, a year-end party, a barbecue, a party, a social gathering, a class reunion, and a golf competition. As the organizer terminal 2, a multifunction mobile phone (a so-called "smartphone") is assumed. However, the organizer terminal 2 is not limited to this. The present invention only has to be applicable to the organizer terminal 2. The organizer terminal 2 may be, for example, a mobile phone (a so-called "feature phone"), a portable information terminal (PDA: Personal Digital Assistant), a tablet PC, and a personal computer.

[0040] The terminal communication section 21 includes a commumcation interface circuit including an antenna having a predetermined frequency bandwidth as a receiving bandwidth. The terminal communication section 21 connects the organizer terminal 2 to the Internet 5. The terminal communication section 21 transmits data supplied from the terminal processing section 25 to the server 4 and the like. The terminal communication section 21 supplies data received from the server 4 and the like to the terminal processing section 25.

[0041] The terminal storing section 22 includes at least any one of, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk device, and an optical disk device. The terminal storing section 22 stores an operating system program, driver programs, application programs, data, and the like used for processing in the terminal processing section 25. The terrninal storing section 22 stores, as the driver programs, for example, an input device driver program for controlling the operation section 23, and an output device driver program for controlling the display section 24. The terminal storing section 22 stores, as the application programs, for example, a computer program for executing transmission/reception of messages. The terrninal storing section 22 stores, as the data, the transmitted and received messages and data incidental to the messages. Further, the terminal storing section 22 may temporarily store temporary data related to predetermined processing.

[0042] The operation section 23 may be any device as long as the operation of the organizer terminal 2 is possible. The operation section 23 is, for example, a touch pad or a keyboard. The organizer user can input characters, numbers, and the like using the operation section 23. When the operation section 23 is operated by the organizer user, the operation section 23 generates a signal corresponding to the operation. The generated signal is supplied to the terrninal processing section 25 as an instruction of the organizer user.

[0043] The display section 24 may be any device as long as display of texts, images, and the like are possible. The display section 24 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display. The display section 24 displays transmitted and received messages and the like supplied from the terminal processing section 25.

[0044] The terminal processing section 25 includes an access section 251, a schedule managing section 252, and a message managing section 253. The terminal processing section 25 comprehensively controls the overall operation of the organizer terminal 2. The terminal processing section 25 is configured from one or a plurality of processors and peripheral circuits (e.g., a CPU (Central Processing Unit)) of the processors. The terminal processing section 25 controls the operations of the terminal communication section 21, the display section 24, and the like such that the computer programs stored in the terminal storing section 22 are executed in an appropriate procedure according to, for example, operation of the operation section 23. The teraiinal processing section 25 executes processing on the basis of the computer programs (the operating system program, the driver programs, the application programs, etc.) stored in the terminal storing section 22. The terminal processing section 25 can execute a plurality of computer programs (application programs, etc.) in parallel.

[0045] The access section 251, the schedule managing section 252, and the message managing section 253 are function modules realized by computer programs executed by a processor included in the terminal processing section 25. Alternatively, the access section 251, the schedule managing section 252, and the message managing section 253 may be implemented in the organizer terminal 2 as firmware.

[0046] The access section 251 accesses a Web (World Wide Web) and performs acquisition and display of display data. That is, the access section 251 transmits, according to an instruction from the organizer user, input, selection, or the like concerning an event to the server 4 via the terminal communication section 21. The access section 251 receives display data corresponding to a processing result for the input, the selection, or the like concerning the event from the server 4 via the terminal communication section 21 and displays a screen on the display section 24 on the basis of the received display data.

[0047] The schedule managing section 252 manages a schedule using a dedicated schedule management application downloaded in advance. The schedule managing section 252 displays a calendar on the display section 24 and displays, on the basis of screen information received from the server 4, registered plans and event icons on the calendar.

[0048] The message managing section 253 transmits and receives messages via the terminal communication section 21.

[0049] FIG. 3B is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the user terminal 3.

[0050] The user terminal 3 includes a terminal communication section 31, a terminal storing section 32, an operation section 33, a display section 34, and a terminal processing section 35. The user terminal 3 is a terminal of a plurality of invited users invited to an event. As the user terminal 3, a multifunction mobile phone is assumed. However, the user terminal 3 is not limited to this. The present invention only has to be applicable to the user terminal 3. The user terminal 3 may be, for example, a mobile phone, a portable information terminal, a tablet PC, or a personal computer.

[0051] The terminal communication section 31, the terminal storing section 32, the operation section 33, the display section 34, and the terminal processing section 35 included in the user terminal 3 are the same as the terminal communication section 21, the terminal storing section 22, the operation section 23, the display section 24, and the terminal processing section 25 included in the organizer terminal 2. The terminal processing section 35 includes a schedule managing section 352 and a message managing section 353. However, the access section 251 is not included in the terminal processing section 35.

[0052] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the server 4.

[0053] The server 4 includes a server communication section 41, a server storing section 42, and a server processing section 43. The server 4 is configured by a single device. Note that the server 4 may be configured by a plurality of devices.

[0054] The server communication section 41 includes a communication interface circuit for performing transmission/reception of data via the Internet 5 and performs communication with the user terminal 3.

[0055] The server storing section 42 is an example of the storing section of the present invention. The server storing section 42 includes, for example, at least one of a magnetic tape device, a magnetic disk device, and an optical disk device. The server storing section 42 stores an operating system program, driver programs, application programs, data, and the like used for processing in the server processing section 43. The server storing section 42 stores, as the data, a user management table (FIG. 5A) and a plan management table (FIG. 5B). The server storing section 42 stores, as the data, a venue management table (FIG. 6A), a plan management table (FIG. 6B), and an event management table (FIG. 6C). The server storing section 42 further includes a buffer for temporarily storing temporary data related to predetermined processing.

[0056] The server processing section 43 includes an extracting section 431, a determining section 432, a reserving section 433, an output section 434, an accepting section 435, a managing section 436, and a notifying section 437. The server processing section 43 comprehensively controls the overall operation of the server 4. The server processing section 43 is configured from one or a plurality of processors and peripheral circuits (e.g., a CPU) of the processors. Note that the extracting section 431, the determining section 432, the reserving section 433, the output section 434, the accepting section 435, the managing section 436, the notifying section 437, and the like may be configured from one or a plurality of processors and circuits included in peripheral circuits of the processors. The server processing section 43 controls the operations of the server communication section 41 and the like in an appropriate procedure on the basis of the computer programs (the operating system program, the driver programs, the application programs, etc.) stored in the server storing section 42. Further, the server processing section 43 may execute a plurality of programs (application programs, etc.) in parallel.

[0057] The extracting section 431, the determining section 432, the reserving section 433, the output section 434, the accepting section 435, the managing section 436, and the notifying section 437 are function modules executed by computer programs executed by a processor included in the server processing section 43. Note that the extracting section 431, the determining section 432, the reserving section 433, the output section 434, the accepting section 435, the managing section 436, and the notifying section 437 may be implemented in the server 4 as firmware.

[0058] The extracting section 431 extracts, referring to the plan management table, a time period when plans of all of the plurality of users are not set. Details of processing of the extracting section 431 are explained below.

[0059] The determining section 432 determines, referring to the venue management table and the plan management table, a venue in which all of the plurality of users can gather in the extracted time period. Details of processing of the determining section 432 are explained below.

[0060] The reserving section 433 pre-reserves a facility in the venue and stores the pre-reserved facility in the plan management table. When the number of expressions of intention of participation reaches a minimum number of people for holding an event in the facility, the reserving section 433 properly reserves the facility. Details of processing of the reserving section 433 are explained below.

[0061] The output section 434 transmits screen information to the user terminal 3 via the server communication section 41 to thereby output the screen information to the user terminal 3. Details of processing of the output section 434 are explained below.

[0062] The accepting section 435 accepts setting received from the user terminal 3 via the server communication section 41. Details of processing of the accepting section 435 are explained below.

[0063] The managing section 436 performs management of schedules. Details of processing of the managing section 436 are explained below.

[0064] The notifying section 437 transmits a message of a request for an expression of intention to the user terminal 3 via the server communication section 41 to thereby notify the message of the request for the expression of intention to the user terminal 3. Details of processing of the notifying section 437 are explained below.

[0065] FIG. 5A is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of the user management table.

[0066] The data structure shown in FIG. 5 A indicates a series of data associated with a user ID stored in the server storing section 42. The user ID is information for identifying an invited user. The series of data includes, for example, a user name, workplace information, permission information, and an E-mail address. The series of data is an example. The series of data may include other information concerning the user. The user name is a name of the invited user. The workplace information includes information for identifying a workplace where the invited user works and a name of the workplace where the invited user works. The permission information is information indicating whether output of a name of the user is permitted. The permission information indicates, for example, permission or non-permission.

[0067] FIG. 5B is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of the plan management table.

[0068] The plan management table is stored for each of users. The data structure shown in FIG. 5B indicates a series of data associated with the user ID stored in the server storing section 42. The series of data includes, for example, a plan ID, a plan name, a place, a start date/time, and an end date/time. The series of data is an example. The series of data may include other information concerning a plan. The plan ID is information for identifying the plan. The plan decides a function or a behavior of the invited user and is data managed by a schedule management application. The plan name is a name of the plan. The place is information indicating a point where the plan is performed. The place is, for example, an address or latitude and longitude. A date/time of the plan is a date when the plan is performed. For example, as the date/time of the plan, the start date/time and the end date/time of the plan are designated. As the date/time of the plan, only the start date/time when the plan is performed may be designated. As the date/time of the plan, a period for a predetermined time to elapse from the start date/time when the plan is performed may be designated. When a place is not set for the plan, as the place of the plan in a work time period, an address of the workplace of the user may be stored. As a place of the plan in a time period other than the work time period, an address of a home of the user may be stored.

[0069] FIG. 6A is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of the venue management table.

[0070] The data structure shown in FIG. 6 A indicates a series of data associated with a venue ID stored in the server storing section 42. The series of data includes, for example, a venue name, a place, and facilities. The venue name is a name of a venue. The series of data is an example. The series of data may include other information concerning the venue. The venue is a venue such as a restaurant or a meeting room where an event such as a drinking party is held. The venue ID is information for specifying the venue. The place is information indicating a point where the venue is located. The place is, for example, an address or latitude and longitude. The facilities are information concerning facilities in the venue. The facilities are facilities in which invited users can be accommodated in the venue. The facilities are, for example, a private room, a table, and the like. The facilities include, concerning the respective facilities in the venue, information for identifying the facility, a name of the facility, and a maximum number of people accommodated in the facility. Note that the data structure of the facility management table is not limited to a table format and may be a server structure in which data is pooled and accumulated.

[0071] FIG. 6B is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of the plan management table.

[0072] The plan management table is stored for each of the facilities in the venue. The data structure shown in FIG. 6B indicates a series of data associated with a facility ID stored in the server storing section 42. The series of data includes, for example, a reservation ID, a start date/time, an end date/time, and a pre-reservation flag. The series of data is an example. The series of data may include other information concerning a reservation. The facility ID is information for identifying the facility. The reservation ID is information for identifying the reservation. A date/time of the reservation is a date when the reservation is made. For example, as the date/time of the reservation, the start date/time and the end date/time of the reservation are designated. As the date/time of the reservation, a period until a predetermined time elapses from the start date/time of the reservation may be designated. The pre-reservation flag is information indicating true when the reservation is a pre-reservation and indicates false when the reservation is not the pre-reservation and is a decided reservation. Note that the data structure of the reservation management table is not limited to a table format and may be a server structure in which data is pooled and accumulated.

[0073] FIG. 6C is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of the event management table.

[0074] The data structure shown in FIG. 6C indicates a series of data associated with an event ID stored in the server storing section 42. The series of data includes, for example, an event name, a venue ID, a reservation ID, a facility, the number of people capable of using the facility, an invited user ID, and attendance information. The series of data is an example. The series of data may include other information concerning an event. The event name is a name of the event. The facility includes, concerning a facility in which the event is held, information for identifying the facility, a name of the facility, and a maximum number of people and a minimum number of people accommodated in the facility. The number of people capable of using the facility is the number of users who can express intention of participation in the facility in future. That is, the number of people capable of using the facility indicates vacancy information concerning usability of the facility by invited users. The invited user ID is information for identifying a user invited to the event. The attendance information includes an ID of the invited user and participation possibility information set by the invited user. The participation possibility information indicates, for example, participation or non-participation. Note that the date structure of the event management table is not limited to a table format and may be a server structure in which data is pooled and accumulated.

[0075] The venue management table, the reservation management table, and the event management table may be respectively configured from individual servers. Any two or more of the tables may be collectively configured from one or two servers.

[0076] FIGS. 7 A and 7B are diagrams showing an example of an operation sequence by the reservation system 1.

[0077] Note that the operation sequence explained below is executed mainly by the terminal processing section 25, the terminal processing section 35, and the server processing section 43 in cooperation with elements of the organizer terminal 2, the user terminal 3, and the server 4 on the basis of the computer programs stored in the terminal storing section 22, the terminal storing section 32, and the server storing section 42 in advance.

[0078] First, the access section 251 of the organizer terminal 2 logs in to the server 4 and transmits an event setting screen information acquisition request to the server 4 according to operation by the organizer user (step SI 00). The event setting screen information acquisition request is a request for acquiring event setting screen information. The event setting screen information is information for displaying an event setting screen explained below. The organizer user or the plurality of users can easily check, by checking the calendar display information and the event screen information, an event in which the users can participate.

[0079] Subsequently, when receiving the event setting screen information acquisition request from the organizer terminal 2, the output section 434 of the server 4 transmits the event setting screen information to the organizer terminal 2 (step S101). The output section 434 specifies, referring to the user management table, a user ID and a user name of the organizer user who has transmitted the event setting screen information acquisition request. The output section 434 specifies, referring to the user management table, user IDs and user names of invited users belonging to the same group as the specified organizer user. The group may be an organization such as a company or may be any group such as an exchange meeting. The output section 434 transmits the event setting screen information including the specified user name of the organizer user and the user IDs and the user names of the invited users belonging to the same group to the organizer terminal 2.

[0080] Subsequently, when receiving the event setting screen information from the server 4, the access section 251 of the organizer terminal 2 displays the event setting screen on the display section 24 on the basis of the received event setting screen information (step SI 02).

[0081] FIG. 8A is a diagram showing an example of the event setting screen displayed on the organizer terminal 2.

[0082] On the event setting screen, an organizer user name 800, an input box 801, a check box 802, pull-downs 803, 804, and 805, and a setting button 806 are displayed.

[0083] The organizer user name 800 is a user name of the organizer user. The input box 801 is an input region for inputting an event name. The check box 802 is a selection region for selecting a plurality of invited users invited to an event. In the check box 802, user names of invited users belonging to the same group as the organizer user are selectively displayed. In the pull-down 803, as a minimum number of people for holding the event, a minimum number of users who have expressed intention of participation in the event to be held is displayed to be able to be designated. In the pull-downs 804 and 805, as an event time period, a holding date, a start date/time, and an end date/time of the event are displayed to be able to be designated. The setting button 806 is a button for the organizer user to set the invited users, the minimum number of people for holding the event, and the event time period.

[0084] When an organizer user presses the setting button 806 using the operation section 23, the access section 251 transmits the event name designated on the event setting screen, the invited user IDs of the invited users, the minimum number of people for holding the event, and the event time periods to the server 4 (step SI 03). When receiving the respective kinds of information from the organizer terminal 2, the accepting section 435 of the server 4 stores the received information in the event management table.

[0085] The extracting section 431 of the server 4 extracts, from the plan management table, a time period when plans of all of the plurality of users are not set (step SI 04). First, the extracting section 431 extracts, referring to the plan management table, together with a date/time, a time period when plans of all of the invited users are not set in the event time periods received in step SI 03. The time period when plans of all of the plurality of users are not set is a candidate of the start date/time to the end date/time of the event. Note that, as when a work time is set as a plan, the time period when plans are not set may be a time period when the plan is not set from the end of the work time (after a set time).

[0086] Subsequently, the determining section 432 selects, on the basis of date/times and places of respective plans of all of the plurality of users who enter immediately before the extracted time period, a venue in which all of the plurality of users can gather in the extracted tine period (step SI 05). First, the determining section 432 specifies, referring to the plan management table, date/times and places of respective plans of all of the invited users set immediately before the extracted time period. Subsequently, the determining section 432 specifies, referring to the venue management table, on the basis of the specified date/times and places of the plans, ranges in which the invited users can move by the start date/time of the event. The determining section 432 specifies a station in a range in which all of the ranges in which the invited users can move overlap. The detenriining section 432 selects a venue having a highest recommendation degree within a predetermined distance (e.g., 500 m) from the specified station. The recommendation degree of the venue is acquired by the server 4 from an evaluation database (not shown in the figure) for the venue. Subsequently, the determining section 432 determines, referring to the plan management table, whether there is a facility in which a reservation is not made in the extracted time period and that can be used by all of the invited users among facilities of the selected venue. When determining that there is the facility in which a reservation is not made in the extracted time period and that can be used by all of the invited users, the determining section 432 selects the selected venue and the selected facility as a venue in which all of the invited users can gather in the extracted time period. On the other hand, when determining that there is no facility in which a reservation is not made in the extracted time period and that can be used by all of the invited users, the determining section 432 selects a facility having the next highest recommendation degree and repeats the series of processing.

[0087] Note that, when specifying the station, the determining section 432 may specify a station closest to the center of the specified places where the invited users are scheduled to go. Alternatively, when specifying the station, the detemining section 432 may specify a station mostly available to a largest number of the invited users among the stations closest to the scheduled places for the invited users to go.

[0088] When specifying the range in which the invited users can move, the determining section 432 may set, as the range in which the invited users can move, stations to which the invited users can move by train from places of immediately preceding plans in train riding times from end date/times of the immediately preceding plans to the start date/time of the event.

[0089] The output section 434 transmits venue determination screen information to the organizer terminal 2 (step SI 06). The venue determination screen information is information for displaying a venue determination screen explained below. The output section 434 transmits the venue determination screen information including the time when the plan is not set (the candidate of the start date/time to the end date/time of the event) extracted in step SI 04 and the venue and the facility selected in step SI 05 to the organizer terminal 2. The organizer user and the plurality of users can easily check, by checking the calendar display information and the event screen information, an event that the users can participate.

[0090] Subsequently, when receiving the venue determination screen information from the server 4, the access section 251 of the organizer terminal 2 displays the venue determination screen on the display section 24 on the basis of the received venue determination screen information (step S 107).

[0091] FIG. 8B is a diagram showing an example of the venue determination screen displayed on the organizer terminal 2.

[0092] On the venue determination screen, event start date/time and end date/time, a venue name, facility names 810 and 811, a radio button 812, and a determination button 813 are displayed.

[0093] The event start date/time and end date/time and the venue name and the facility names 810 and 811 are information concerning candidates in which the event is held. The radio button 812 is a selection region for determining event start date/time and end date/time and a venue. The determination button 813 is a button for the organizer user to determine the event start date/time and end date/time and the venue.

[0094] When the organizer user presses the determination button 813 using the operation section 23, the access section 251 transmits the event start date/time and end date/time and a venue ID of the venue name and facility IDs of the facility names designated on the venue determination screen to the server 4 (step SI 08). [0095] Subsequently, when receiving the event start date/time and end date/time and the venue ID of the venue name and the facility IDs of the facility names from the organizer terminal 2, the determining section 432 determines a venue in which all of the plurality of users can gather (step SI 09). The determining section 432 deteraiines the venue having the received venue ID as the venue in which all of the plurality of users can gather.

[0096] Subsequently, the reserving section 433 pre-reserves a facility in the determined venue (step SI 10). The reserving section 433 allocates new reservation IDs to the facilities received in step SI 08 and stores the received facility IDs of the facilities and the received event start date/time and end date/time in the reservation management table in association with each other. The reserving section 433 specifies, referring to the user management table, the invited user IDs of the invited users received in step SI 03. The reserving section 433 allocates a new event ID to the allocated reservation ID and stores the event name, the venue ID, and the information concerning the facilities received in step SI 03 and the specified invited user IDs in the event management table in association with one another. Further, the reserving section 433 stores a maximum number of people accommodated in the received facility as the number of people capable of using the facility.

[0097] Subsequently, the notifying section 437 notifies a message for a request for expression of intention to the user terminals 3 of the invited users (step Sill). When receiving the message from the server 4, the message managing section 353 of the user terminal 3 displays the received message on the display section 34.

[0098] FIG. 8C is a diagram showing an example of the message displayed on the user terminal 3.

[0099] The message includes a sender 820, a destination 821, an event name

822, information 823 concerning an event, and a request text 824. As the sender 820, the user name of the organizer user is displayed. As the destination 821, the invited user names of the invited users are displayed. As the event name 822, an event name input in the input box 801 shown in FIG. 8 A is displayed. As the information 823 concerning the event, information concerning an event of the venue selected in the radio button 812 shown in FIG. 8B is displayed.

[0100] The schedule managing section 352 starts a schedule management application according to operation of the invited user (step S 112).

[0101] Subsequently, the schedule managing section 352 transmits a calendar display information acquisition request and an event screen information acquisition request to the server 4 (step S 113). The calendar display information acquisition request is a request for acquiring calendar display information. The event screen information acquisition request is a request for acquiring event screen information.

[0102] When receiving the calendar display information acquisition request and the event screen information acquisition request from the user terminal 3, the managing section 436 creates calendar display information and event screen information. The calendar display information is display data for displaying plans in a calendar format. The event screen information is display data for displaying a screen for accepting expression of intention of participation.

[0103] The managing section 436 specifies, referring to the event management table, an event name to which the invited user of the user terminal 3 that has transmitted the event screen information acquisition request is invited. The managing section 436 specifies, referring to the event management table and the venue management table, a venue name and a facility name of the event to which the invited user is invited. The managing section 436 specifies, referring to the event management table and the reservation management table, a start date/time and an end date/time of the event. The managing section 436 specifies, referring to the event management table, the number of people capable of using the facility.

[0104] The managing section 436 specifies, referring to the event management table and the user management table, when permission information of the invited users who have expressed intention of participation indicates permission, names of the invited users and workplace names of the invited users. Therefore, the managing section 436 performs control to output, for each of invited users who have expressed intention of participation, when permission information of the invited users indicates permission of output of names of the invited users, the names of the invited users.

[0105] On the other hand, the managing section 436 counts, referring to the event management table and the user management table, when the permission information of the invited users who have expressed intention of participation indicates non-permission, without specifying names of the invited users, the number of invited users whose permission information indicates non-permission among the invited users who have expressed intention of participation. The managing section 436 specifies the counted number. Therefore, the managing section 436 performs control not to output the names of the invited users when the permission information of the invited users indicates that output of the names of the invited users is not permitted.

[0106] The managing section 436 creates event screen information including the specified respective kinds of information. Note that, when the specified number of people capable of using the facility is zero, the managing section 436 does not create the event screen information. Therefore, an event icon 901 is not displayed in calendars of the users other than participating users who participate in the event. Consequently, when the number of people capable of using the facility is zero, the managing section 436 can perform control not to output the number of people capable of using the facility to the user terminals of the invited users who do not express intention of participation.

[0107] Subsequently, the managing section 436 specifies, referring to the plan management table, plans of the invited users who transmit the calendar information acquisition request and the event screen information acquisition request. The managing section 436 creates calendar display information including the specified plans of the invited users. The calendar display information is display data for displaying plans in a calendar format. The organizer user or the plurality of users can easily check, by checking the calendar display information and the event screen information, an event that the users can participate.

[0108] The output section 434 transmits the created calendar display information and event screen information to the user terminal 3 (step SI 14). [0109] When receiving the calendar display information and the event screen information from the server 4, the schedule managing section 352 of the user terminal 3 displays an event screen on the display section 34 on the basis of the received calendar display information and event screen information (step SI 15). First, the schedule managing section 352 displays a plan 900 of the invited user on a calendar according to the received calendar display information. Further, the schedule managing section 352 displays, according to the start date/time and the end date/time of the event included in the received event screen information, the event icon 901 on a calendar of the start date/time and the end date/time of the event.

[0110] FIG. 9A is a diagram showing an example of the event screen displayed on the user terminal 3.

[0111] On the event screen, the plan 900 of the invited user and the event icon 901 are displayed.

[0112] The plan 900 of the invited user is displayed according to the calendar display information. The event icon 901 is displayed according to the start date/time and the end date/time of the event included in the event screen information.

[0113] Subsequently, the schedule managing section 352 accepts input of expression of intention of participation (step SI 16). When the event icon 901 is designated by the invited user, the schedule managing section 352 displays a participation possibility setting window related to a corresponding event.

[0114] FIG. 9B is a diagram showing an example of a participation possibility setting window 910 displayed on the user terminal 3.

[0115] On the participation possibility setting window 910, a participation button 911, a non-participation button 912, information 913 concerning an event, a venue name 914, a facility name 915, the number of people capable of using a facility 916, and information 917 concerning participating users are displayed.

[0116] In the information 917 concerning the participating users, the number of participating users whose names are not permitted to be output and names and workplace names of participating users whose names are permitted to be output are displayed. The participating users are users who have expressed intention of participation among the invited users. Consequently, the invited users can view names and workplace names of the other participating users while protecting privacy of the participating users and determine whether the invited users should participate in the event.

[0117] Subsequently, when the participation button 911 is pressed according to operation of the invited user, the schedule managing section 352 transmits expression of intention of participation to the server 4 (step SI 17). When one of the participation button 911 and the non-participation button 912 is pressed according to the operation of the organizer user, the schedule managing section 252 transmits participation possibility information corresponding to the pressed button to the server 4. When the participation possibility information indicates participation, the schedule managing section 352 transmits expression of intention of participation to the server 4.

[0118] When receiving the expression of intention of participation from the user terminal 3, the accepting section 435 of the server 4 accepts the expression of intention of participation (step SI 18). The accepting section 435 specifies participation possibility information received from the user terminal 3. The accepting section 435 specifies, referring to the user management table, a user ID of the invited user who has transmitted the participation possibility information. The accepting section 435 stores the specified user ID and the received participation possibility information in the event management table in association with the event in which the invited user expresses intention of participation. The accepting section 435 decrements, referring to the event management table, the number of people capable of using the facility. The decrement means subtracting 1.

[0119] When the participation possibility information indicates participation, the accepting section 435 specifies, referring to the event management table, an event name of the event in which the invited user has expressed intention of participation. The accepting section 435 specifies a place of the venue of the event referring to the event management table and the venue management table. The accepting section 435 specifies a start date/time and an end date/time of the event referring to the event management table and the reservation management table. The accepting section 435 sets the specified various kinds of information as a plan of the invited user who has expressed intention of participation. The accepting section 435 registers the information in the reservation management table in association with the user ID of the invited user who has expressed intention of participation. Consequently, the invited user can register a plan by pressing the participation button even if a plan of the event is not registered.

[0120] Subsequently, the reserving section 433 properly reserves the facility in the venue (step SI 19). The reserving section 433 counts, referring to the event management table, the number of pieces of participation possibility information indicating participation to thereby count the number of accepted expressions of intention of participation. The reserving section 433 properly reserves the facility referring to the event management table when the number of expressions of intention of participation counted up to a day a predetermined period (e.g., two days) before the start date/time of the event reaches a minimum number of people for holding the event in the facility. That is, the reserving section 433 changes, referring to the reservation management table, a pre-reservation flag of the facility, for which the reservation is decided, from "true" to "false".

[0121] On the other hand, when the number of expressions of intention of participation counted up to the day the predetermined period before the start date/time of the event does not reach the minimum number of people for holding the event in the facility, the reserving section 433 cancels the pre-reservation of the facility in which the number of expressions of intention of participation does not reach the minimum number of people for holding the event in the facility. That is, the reserving section 433 deletes, from the reservation management table, the reservation of the facility in which the number of expressions of intention of participation does not reach the minimum number of people for holding the event in the facility. In that case, the reserving section 433 determines, referring to the event management table, whether there is the invited user who has already expressed intention of participation. When there is the invited user who has already expressed intention of participation, the reserving section 433 cancels the plan of the event of the invited user who has expressed intention of participation. That is, the reserving section 433 deletes, from the plan management table, the plan of the event of the invited user who has expressed intention of participation. Consequently, even if the invited user does not perform deletion of the plan of the event, when the event is cancelled, the reserving section 433 deletes the plan of the event in association with the cancellation of the event.

[0122] The operation sequence by the reservation system 1 ends as explained above. Note that the reservation system 1 may execute the processing in steps Sill to S 117 on the organizer terminal 2.

[0123] In this way, the server 4 pre-reserves the facility in the venue and properly reserves the facility according to the number of accepted expressions of intention of participation. Therefore, the server 4 can automatically decide the reservation without imposing a burden on the organizer user. That is, since the organizer user does not confirm the plurality of users about participation possibility, it is possible to reduce a load of the entire server. The organizer user can omit a search for a venue for a reservation and processing of the reservation. Therefore, it is possible to further reduce the load of the server.

[0124] Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 9. For example, the embodiment can be changed and corrected as explained below.

[0125] (1) The schedule managing section 352 may manage a schedule by accessing a Web server rather than managing the schedule using the schedule management application. In this case, in step SI 12 in FIG. 7B, instead of starting the schedule management application, the access section 251 accesses the server 4, which operates as the Web server, to thereby transmit the calendar display information and the event screen information acquisition request to the server 4. Consequently, the invited user does not have to download the dedicated schedule management application in advance.

[0126] (2) Rather than the organizer terminal 2, the server 4 may execute the processing for setting the event in steps SI 02 and SI 03 and the processing for determining the venues in steps SI 07 and SI 08 in FIG. 7A. In this case, the processing in steps SI 02, SI 03, SI 07, and SI 08 in FIG. 7A is automatically executed according to a predetermined computer program stored in the server storing section 42 of the server 4.

[0127] (3) The plurality of invited users invited to the event shown in FIG. 8A may be employee users in a company or employee users outside the company. Consequently, the participating users can grow friendship with the employee users in the company or the employee users outside the company.

[0128] (4) A computer program for causing a computer to realize the functions of the terminal processing section 25, the terminal processing section 35, and the server processing section 43 may be provided in a form stored in a computer-readable storage medium such as a magnetic storage medium or an optical storage medium.

[0129] (5) The managing section 436 of the server 4 may acquire necessary data among the data stored in the plan management table from another server that performs schedule management. In this case, the managing section 436 notifies a change performed on the plan management table to the other server, which performs the schedule management, and synchronizes the data stored in the plan management table. Consequently, the server 4 can reduce a storage capacity of the server storing section 42.

[0130] (6) The reserving section 433 of the server 4 may acquire necessary data among the data stored in the reservation management table from another server that performs reservation of a facility of a venue. In this case, the reserving section 433 notifies a change performed on the reservation management table to the other server, which performs the reservation of the facility of the venue, and synchronizes the data stored in the plan management table. Consequently, the server 4 can reduce the storage capacity of the server storing section 42.

[0131] (7) In the venue in the processing in step SI 10 in FIG. 7B, the reserving section 433 may secure a facility in a venue by reserving the facility in the venue instead of pre-reserving the facility. In the processing in step SI 19 in FIG. 7B, the reserving section 433 may maintain the reservation of the facility in the venue to thereby decide the reservation instead of properly reserving the facility in the venue.

[0132] (8) The expression of intention of participation shown in FIG. 9B may be expressions of intention of participation of two or more people.

[0133] FIG. 1 OA is a diagram showing an example of a participation possibility setting window 1000 on which two or more people can express intention of participation.

[0134] On the participation possibility setting window 1000, a participation button 1001, a one person additional participation button 1002, a two people additional participation button 1003, and a non-participation button 1004 are displayed.

[0135] Subsequently, when the one person additional participation button 1002 is pressed according to operation of the invited user, the schedule managing section 352 transmits expressions of intention of participation of two people to the server 4. When the two people additional participation button 1003 is pressed according to operation of the invited user, the schedule managing section 352 transmits expressions of intention of participation of three people to the server 4. Consequently, the invited user can participate in the event together with friends of the invited user. The additional participation buttons 1002 and 1003 may be additional participation buttons for three or more people.

[0136] When receiving the expressions of intention of participation of two or three people from the user terminal 3, the accepting section 435 accepts the expressions of intention of participation of two or three people. As in step SI 18 in FIG. 7B, the accepting section 435 stores the specified user ID and the received participation possibility information in the event management table in association with the specified event ID. Further, the accepting section 435 stores the number of people who have expressed intention of participation in the event management table as the number of participating people. However, the event management table is an event management table shown in FIG. 10B instead of the event management table shown in FIG. 6C. Attendance information of the event management table includes an invited user ID, participation possibility information set by the invited user, and the number of participating people. [0137] (9) The reservation system 1 may not only manage a reservation of an event set by the organizer user who owns the organizer terminal 2 but also manage a reservation of an event set by a venue manager who owns and/or operates a venue. This modification is explained below with reference to FIG. 11.

[0138] The reservation system 1 includes the user terminal 3, the server 4, and a venue tenninal. The venue terminal is a computer or the like owned by a venue staff member. For example, when the venue is a restaurant, the venue terminal is set in a store or the like of the restaurant managed by a restaurant staff member.

[0139] First, in the venue terminal, a venue available time is input by the venue staff member ((1) of FIG. 11). The venue available time is a start date/time, an end date/time, and the like of an event. In an example shown in (1) of FIG. 11, 19:00 on August 24 is input as the start date/time of the event and 21:00 on August 24 is input as the end date/time of the event. For example, the venue terminal displays an input form same as the pull-downs 804 and 805 shown in the example of the event setting screen shown in FIG. 8 A. The venue staff member inputs the venue available time by operating the displayed input form.

[0140] When there is an upper limit in the number of people participating in the event related to the input venue available time, the number of people capable of using the facility in the event (a maximum number of people accommodated) is input by the venue staff member. In the example shown in (1) of FIG. 11, sixteen is input as the number of people capable of using the facility in the event. For example, the venue terminal displays an input form same as the pull-down 803 shown in the example of the event setting screen shown in FIG. 8A. The venue staff member operates the displayed input form to thereby input the number of people capable of using the facility. Note that the number of people capable of using the facility is an example of vacancy information.

[0141] In the above explanation, the venue available time is transmitted from the venue terminal. However, when the server 4 manages reservation information of the venue, the venue terminal may recognize a time period when a reservation is absent as the venue available time and proceed to the following processing. [0142] Subsequently, the venue terminal transmits the input venue available time to the server 4. The accepting section 435 of the server 4 receives, via the server communication section 41, the venue available time transmitted from the venue terminal and stores (registers) the received venue available time in the reservation management table ((2) of FIG. 11). Note that, in the venue terminal, when the number of people capable of using the facility in the event related to the venue available time is input, the number of people capable of using the facility is transmitted to the server 4 together with the venue available time. The server 4 stores the venue available time and the number of people capable of using the facility in the reservation management table in association with each other.

[0143] Subsequently, the notifying section 437 of the server 4 notifies, referring to a transmission destination and transmission timing, a message of a request for expression of intention including the registered venue available time to the user terminal 3 via the server communication section 41 ((3) of FIG. 11).

[0144] The transmission destination is a user or the like belonging to a group, which is a transmission destination of the registered venue available time. The server storing section 42 stores, in association with venue available times, users belonging to the group set as the transmission destination. For example, first, when the venue available time is registered, the accepting section 435 of the server 4 extracts, referring to the plan management table, a place associated with plans of the users set immediately before a start time of the registered venue available time. Subsequently, the accepting section 435 extracts, referring to the venue management table, a place of the venue related to the venue available time. Subsequently, the accepting section 435 specifies users of plans associated with places within a predetermined range from the place of the venue. The accepting section 435 sets, as the group at the transmission destination, a group in which the number of specified users has exceeded a predetermined lower limit number and stores the set group at the transmission destination received together with the venue available time in the server storing section 42 in association with the registered venue available time. Note that the lower limit number is equal to or larger than a first predetermined number explained below. Note that the group at the transmission destination is an example of the predetermined group.

[0145] Note that the place is an example of the area information. The plan is an example of the schedule. The area information located within the predetermined range from the area information where the venue is present is an example of the area information in the specific relation with the area information where the venue is present. The place associated with the plans of the users set immediately before the start time of the registered venue available time is an example of the area information related to the user.

[0146] For example, the venue terminal may input the group at the transmission destination together with the venue available time. In this case, the accepting section 435 stores the group at the transmission destination received together with the venue available time in the server storing section 42 in association with the registered venue available time.

[0147] The transmission timing is a date/time when the registered venue available time is transmitted. The server storing section 42 stores the date/time set as the transmission timing in association with the venue available times. For example, when the venue available time is registered, the accepting section 435 of the server 4 sets, as the transmission timing, a date/time a predetermined time (e.g., six hours) before the start time of the registered venue available time and stores the set transmission timing in the server storing section 42 in association with the registered venue available time. For example, the venue terminal may input the date/time together with the venue available time and transmit the date/time to the server 4. In this case, the accepting section 435 sets, as the transmission timing, the date/time received together with the venue available time and stores the set transmission timing in the server storing section 42 in association with the registered venue available time.

[0148] Subsequently, when receiving a message transmitted from the server 4 via the terminal communication section 31, the message managing section 353 of the user terminal 3 displays the received message on the display section 34. Note that the message displayed on the display section 34 is a message same as the message in the example shown in FIG. 8C. However, as the sender 820, a name of the venue related to the venue available time included in the message is displayed. As the destination 821, a user name of the user belonging to the group at the transmission destination is displayed.

[0149] Subsequently, the message managing section 353 starts the schedule management application according to operation of the user and transmits a calendar display information acquisition request to the server 4 via the terminal communication section 31. Subsequently, when receiving the calendar display information acquisition request via the server communication section 41, the managing section 436 of the server 4 specifies, referring to the plan management table, a plan of the user who has transmitted the calendar display information acquisition request and creates calendar display information including the specified plan. The output section 434 of the server 4 transmits, via the server communication section 41, the created calendar display information to the user terminal 3 of the user who has transmitted the calendar display information acquisition request.

[0150] Subsequently, when receiving the calendar display information from the server 4 via the terminal communication section 31, the schedule managing section 352 of the user terminal 3 displays, on the display section 34, an event screen on the basis of the received calendar display information, the venue available time and the name of the venue included in the message, and the like. Note that the event screen displayed on the display section 34 is an event screen same as the event screen in the example shown in FIG. 9A. However, on the event screen, the event icon 901 corresponding to the venue available time is displayed. The name of the venue related to the venue available time is displayed in the event icon 901. The event screen is an example of the schedule management screen. The organizer user or the plurality of users can easily check, by checking the calendar display information and the event screen information, an event in which the user can participate.

[0151] Note that the schedule managing section 352 may display the event icon 901 only when a plan of the user who uses the user terminal 3 is not registered in a display region of the event icon 901 on the event screen. That is, when at least a part of the venue available time corresponding to the event icon 901 is included in the plan of the user who uses the user terminal 3, the event icon 901 is not displayed.

[0152] Subsequently, the schedule managing section 352 accepts input of expression of intention of participation. That is, when the event icon 901 or the name of the venue displayed in the event icon 901 is designated by the user, the schedule managing section 352 displays, on the display section 34, a participation possibility setting window related to a corresponding event. Note that the participation possibility window displayed on the display section 34 is a participation possibility setting window same as the participation possibility setting window in the example shown in FIG. 9B. A participating user displayed on the participation possibility setting window is a user who belongs to the same group as the user and has expressed intention of participation.

[0153] Subsequently, when one of the participation button 911 and the non-participation button 912 displayed on the participation possibility setting window is pressed according to operation of the invited user, the schedule managing section 252 transmits participation possibility information corresponding to the pressed button to the server 4. When the participation possibility information indicates participation, the schedule managing section 352 transmits expression of intention of participation to the server 4. Note that, as shown in FIG. 10A, participation possibility information indicating participation of a plurality of persons may be input and transmitted to the server 4.

[0154] Subsequently, when receiving, via the server communication section 41, the expression of intention of participation transmitted from the user terminal 3, the accepting section 435 of the server 4 accepts the received expression of intention of participation. The accepting section 435 specifies the participation possibility information received from the user terminal 3 and specifies, referring to the user management table, a user ID of the user who has transmitted the participation possibility information. The accepting section 435 stores the specified user ID and the received participation possibility information in the server storing section 42 in association with the event in which the user has expressed intention of participation and counts, for each of the groups, the number of users who have transmitted the participation possibility information indicating participation. Note that the participation possibility information indicating participation is an example of the participation registration. In the following explanation, the number of users who have transmitted the participation possibility information is referred to as the number of participation registrants.

[0155] Subsequently, the reserving section 433 specifies, as a using group, a group in which the number of participation registrants has exceeded a first predetermined number first and stores the specified using group in the server storing section 42. In an example shown in (4) of FIG. 11, the first predetermined number is twelve. Note that the first predetermined number is set to a number smaller than the number of people capable of using the facility. Note that, when the number of users who are included in the group specified as the using group and use the user terminals 3 that have transmitted the participation possibility information indicating participation has reached the number of people capable of using the facility, the accepting section 435 thereafter does not accept the participation possibility information indicating participation transmitted from the user terminals 3 of the other users belonging to the using group. Note that, when there is only one group at the transmission destination and when the group at the transmission destination is limited to one, the reserving section 433 only has to store the group at the transmission destination in the server storing section 42 when the number of participation registrants exceeds the first predetermined number first.

[0156] The reserving section 433 of the server 4 transmits, via the server communication section 41, participation guide information to the user terminal 3 that is used by the user included in the specified using group and has transmitted the participation possibility information ((5) of FIG. 11). The participation guide information is a message indicating that the event related to the venue available time is performed by the using group. Note that information related to an input form for reconfirming possibility of participation may be included in the participation guide information. [0157] As explained above, the management of the reservation of the event set by the venue administrator by the reservation system 1 ends.

[0158] Conventionally, when a user reserves a venue such as a store of a restaurant, the user makes contact with, using a telephone or the like, a venue administrator who owns and/or operates the venue and proposes a reservation. In recent years, the user can reserve the venue using a reservation page of a Web site of the venue via the Internet. However, in a reservation system in which the user reserves the venue using the reservation page, the venue administrator cannot perform customer attraction for a time period when there is no user of the venue such as the store. The reservation system 1 shown in FIG. 11 that manages a reservation of the event set by the venue administrator who owns and/or operates the venue has been devised in order to solve such a problem. An object of the reservation system 1 is to provide a control method, a control program, and a server that enables customer attraction for the time period when there is no user of the venue such as the store. With the reservation system 1 shown in FIG. 11 that manages a reservation of the event set by the venue admimstrator who owns and/or operates the venue, the venue administrator is capable of carrying out customer attraction for the time period when there is no users of the venue such as the store.

[0159] Note that, in the transmission of the message of the request for the expression of intention including the registered venue available time shown in (3) of FIG. 11, when the number of users whose schedules are not registered in the venue available time among the plurality of users included in the group at the transmission destination exceeds the predetermined lower limit number, the message of the request for the expression of intention including the registered venue available time may be transmitted to the user terminals 3 of the users who are included in the group at the transmission destination and whose plans are not registered in the venue available time. Note that the predetermined lower limit number is equal to or larger than the first predetermined number and is an example of the second predetermined number. Consequently, it is possible to prevent the venue available time from being transmitted to a group including a small number of users capable of using the facility. [0160] In the transmission of the message of the request for the expression of intention including the registered venue available time shown in (3) of FIG. 11, when the number of users whose plans are registered before the venue available time among the plurality of users included in the group at the transmission destination exceeds the predetermined lower limit number, the message of the request for the expression of intention including the registered venue available time may be transmitted to the user terminals 3 of the users who are included in the group at the transmission destination, whose plans are not registered in the venue available time, and whose plans are registered before the venue available time.

[0161] In the transmission of the message of the request for the expression of intention including the registered venue available time shown in (3) of FIG. 11, a predetermined condition may be applied to the setting processing for the group at the transmission destination. For example, in the transmission of the participation guide information shown in (5) of FIG. 11, the reserving section 433 of the server 4 stores a history of the user who uses the user terminal 3 that has transmitted the participation guide information in the server storing section 42 in association with the using group. In the transmission of the message of the request for the expression of intention including the registered venue available time shown in (3) of FIG. 11, the notifying section 437 of the server 4 transmits the message more preferentially to a group in which the number of histories of users stored in the server storing section 42 is larger. Note that the preferentially transmitting the message is, for example, transmitting the message at transmission timing earlier than the other groups set as the group at the transmission destination and adding specific coupon information to the message.

[0162] A predetermined limitation may be set for the transmission of the message of the request for the expression of intention including the registered venue available time shown in (3) of FIG. 11. For example, before transmitting the message of the request for the expression of intention including the registered venue available time to the user terminals 3 of the users belonging to the group at the transmission destination, the notifying section 437 of the server 4 determines whether the number of transmissions to the user terminals 3 of other messages including venue available time on a day same as a date of the venue available time included in the message exceeds a predetermined upper limit number of transmissions. The notifying section 437 may not transmit the message to the user terminal 3 determined as having transmitted messages exceeding the predetermined upper limit number of transmissions in the past. Note that the upper limit number of transmissions is an example of the third predetermined number. For example, when end time of a last plan on the day same as the date of the venue available time among plans of the users who use the user terminals 3 is registered before the venue available time, the notifying section 437 discriminates, on the basis of the venue available time and a place where the venue is present and the end time of the last plan and places where the users are present at the end time (places of the last plan), whether the users who use the user terminals 3 can arrive at the place where the venue is present by the venue available time. The notifying section 437 may transmit the message of the request for the expression of intention including the registered venue available time to only the user terminal 3 used by the user discriminated as being able to arrive at the place where the venue is present by the venue available time.

[0163] A predetermined limitation may be set for the transmission of the expression of intention of participation by the schedule managing section 352 of the user terminal 3. For example, after the transmission of the participation guide information to the user terminal 3, the reserving section 433 of the server 4 deletes the participation registration of the user terminal 3 corresponding to the participation guide information stored in the server storing section 42. The reserving section 433 counts the number of participation registrations of the stored participation registrations for each of the user terminals 3 and transmits the number of participation registrations to the user terminals 3 at predetermined timing via the server communication section 41. Subsequently, the user terminal 3 stores the number of participation registrations transmitted from the server 4 in the terminal storing section 22. Before the transmission of the expression of intention of participation, the schedule managing section 352 of the user terminal 3 determines whether the number of participation registrations exceeds an upper limit number of registrations. When the number of participation registrations exceeds the upper limit number of registrations, the schedule managing section 352 may not transmit the participation registration. Note that the upper limit number of registrations is an example of the fourth predetermined number.

[0164] The venue terminal is connected to the server 4 via the Internet 5 (FIG.

2) and performs communication with the server 4. As the venue terminal, a personal computer (PC) is assumed. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention only has to be applicable to the venue terminal. The venue terminal may be an information processing device such as a multifunction mobile phone (a so-called smartphone), a mobile phone (a so-called feature phone), a PDA, a portable game machine, a portable music player, a tablet terminal, a tablet PC, or a notebook PC. The venue terminal may be a menu terminal or the like set in a restaurant and handled by staff members and the like of the restaurant.

[0165] Finally, other aspects of the present invention are explained below.

[0166] A control method according to an aspect of the present invention is a control method for a server including a storing section, the control method including: storing, for each of a plurality of users, date/times and places of plans of the users in the storing section in association with each other; storing, for each of a plurality of venues, places of the venues in the storing section; extracting a time period when plans of all of the plurality of users are not set; determining, on the basis of date/times and places of respective plans of all of the plurality of users set immediately before the extracted time period, a venue in which all of the plurality of users can gather in the extracted time period; pre-reserving a facility in the determined venue; outputting the number of people capable of using the pre-reserved facility to respective user terminals of the plurality of users; accepting expressions of intention of participation from the respective user terminals of the plurality of users; counting the number of the accepted expressions of intention of participation; and properly reserving the facility when the counted number of the expressions of intention of participation reaches a predetermined number of people.

[0167] A server according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a storing section configured to store, for each f a plurality of users, date/times and places of plans of the users in association with each other and store, for each of a plurality of venues, places of the venues; an extracting section configured to extract a time period when plans of all of the plurality of users are not set; a determining section configured to determine, on the basis of date/times and places of respective plans of all of the plurality of users set immediately before the extracted time period, a venue in which all of the plurality of users can gather in the extracted time period; a pre-reserving section configured to pre-reserve a facility in the determined venue; an output section configured to output the number of people capable of using the pre-reserved facility to respective user terminals of the plurality of users; an accepting section configured to accept expressions of intention of participation from the respective user terminals of the plurality of users; and a reserving section configured to count the number of the accepted expressions of intention of participation and properly reserve the facility when the counted number of the expressions of intention of participation reaches a predetermined number of people.

[0168] A control program for a terminal according to an aspect of the present invention causes a server to execute: storing, for each of a plurality of users, date/times and places of plans of the users in the storing section in association with each other; storing, for each of a plurality of venues, places of the venues in the storing section; extracting a time period when plans of all of the plurality of users are not set; determining, on the basis of date/times and places of respective plans of all of the plurality of users set immediately before the extracted time period, a venue in which all of the plurality of users can gather in the extracted time period; pre-reserving a facility in the determined venue; outputting the number of people capable of using the pre-reserved facility to respective user terminals of the plurality of users; accepting expressions of intention of participation from the respective user terminals of the plurality of users; counting the number of the accepted expressions of intention of participation; and properly reserving the facility when the counted number of the expressions of intention of participation reaches a predetermined number of people. [0169] Those skilled in the art should understand that it is possible to add various changes, substitutions, and corrections to the present invention without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.