Resource management apparatus, resource management system, and resource management method

A resource management system comprising:

• a communication terminal;
• and
• a resource management apparatus to manage a resource, the resource management apparatus including one or more memories storing a resource information management table in which resource name, usage status, positional relation, and number of reservations in surroundings are in association with each of a plurality of resources, and
• circuitry configured to:
• receive reservation information of the resource among the plurality of resources;
• update the usage status of the resource in the resource information management table based on the received reservation information of the resource;
• in response to receiving a usage start request of a user for starting a use of the resource from the communication terminal, determine that the resource is not secured based on the usage status of the resource in the resource information management table;
• determine whether one or more resources in surroundings is secured based on the reservation information and the positional relation in the resource information management table;
• identify the resource as an available resource based on a determination that the one or more resources in the surroundings are not secured;
• transmit usage information regarding the use of the available resource to the communication terminal;
• the communication terminal including circuitry configured to display on a display, the usage information received from the resource management apparatus;
• and
• manage reservation of the resource by informing the user via the communication terminal whether the resource is available or not based on the usage information regarding the use of the available resource,
• wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
• store in the one or more memories, priority information indicating priority in identifying the available resource;
• and
• identify the available resource based on the priority information,
• wherein the priority information includes the number of reservations in the surroundings and a distance between the resources, and the circuitry is further configured to identify the resource as the available resource based on a determination that the number of reservations in the surroundings is equal to or less than a threshold value and the distance between the resources is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

A resource management method executed by a resource management apparatus, the method comprising:

• storing in one or more memories, a resource information management table in which resource name, usage status, positional relation, and number of reservations in surroundings are in association with each of a plurality of resources;
• receiving reservation information of a resource among the plurality of resources;
• updating the usage status of the resource in the resource information management table based on the received reservation information of the resource;
• in response to receiving a usage start request of a user for starting a use of the resource from a communication terminal, determine that the resource is not secured based on the usage status of the resource in the resource information management table;
• determining whether one or more resources in surroundings are secured based on the reservation information and the positional relation;
• identifying the resource as an available resource based on a determination that the one or more resources in the surroundings are not secured;
• storing in the one or more memories, priority information indicating priority in identifying the available resource;
• and
• identifying the available resource based on the priority information,
• transmitting usage information regarding the use of the available resource to the communication terminal;
• and
• manage reservation of the resource by informing the user via the communication terminal whether the resource is available or not based on the usage information regarding the use of the available resource,
• wherein the priority information includes the number of reservations in the surroundings and a distance between the resources, and the circuitry is further configured to identify the resource as the available resource based on a determination that the number of reservations in the surroundings is equal to or less than a threshold value and the distance between the resources is equal to or greater than a threshold value.