Information providing method and information providing apparatus

An information providing apparatus comprising:

• a communicator that receives a first current location at which a first user is located and a first time at which the first current location is detected and that transmits a first message to a first information terminal of the first user, the first information terminal displaying the first message;
• a memory that stores destination information indicating association between users including the first user and destinations including the first destination, type information indicating association between current locations including the first current location and types including a first type, and visiting duration information indicating association between the types and visiting durations including a first visiting duration;
• a visiting duration determiner that determines, on the basis of the type information and the visiting duration information, the first visiting duration corresponding to the first current location;
• a traveling duration calculator that calculates, on the basis of the first current location and the first destination, a first traveling duration that is necessary for the first user to travel from the first current location to the first destination;
• an expected arrival time calculator that calculates, on the basis of the first time, the first visiting duration, and the first traveling duration, a first expected arrival time;
• a difference calculator that calculates, on the basis of the first expected arrival time and a first scheduled delivery time at which a first package is to be delivered to the first destination, a first difference;
• and
• a message selector that determines a first message in accordance with the first difference.

An information providing method performed by a computer in an information providing system that provides information to a user, the method comprising:

• acquiring, via a network, a current location of the user and a first time at which the current location is detected;
• reading, from a memory, a destination of a package addressed to the user, type information indicating a type of the current location, visiting durations associated with the type information, and a scheduled delivery time;
• determining, on the basis of the type information and the visiting durations, the visiting durations corresponding to the current location;
• calculating, on the basis of the current location and the destination, a traveling duration that is necessary for the user to travel from the current location to the destination;
• calculating, on the basis of the first time, the visiting durations corresponding to the current location, and the traveling duration, expected arrival times;
• determining whether the scheduled delivery time is between the expected arrival times;
• transmitting, if the scheduled delivery time is between the expected arrival times, a message regarding delivery of the package to an information terminal of the user;
• and
• causing the information terminal to display the message.

An information providing method performed by a computer in an information providing system that provides information to a user, the method comprising:

• acquiring, via a network, a current location of the user and a time at which the current location is detected;
• reading, from a memory, a destination of a package addressed to the user, a traveling route of the user, a traveling history of the user, type information indicating a type of a location via which the user may travel to arrive at the destination, visiting durations associated with the type information, and a scheduled delivery time;
• extracting the location on the basis of the current location, the traveling route of the user, and the traveling history of the user;
• determining, on the basis of the type information and the visiting durations, the visiting durations corresponding to the extracted location;
• calculating, on the basis of the current location, the location, and the destination, a traveling duration that is necessary for the user to travel from the current location to the destination via the location;
• calculating, on the basis of the time, the visiting durations corresponding to the extracted location, and the traveling duration, expected arrival times;
• determining whether the scheduled delivery time is between the expected arrival times;
• transmitting, if the scheduled delivery time is between the expected arrival times, a message regarding delivery of the package to an information terminal of the user;
• and
• causing the information terminal to display the message.

An information providing method performed by a computer in an information providing system that provides information to a user, the method comprising:

• acquiring, via a network, a first current location of the user, a first time at which the first current location is detected, a second current location of a delivery person of a package addressed to the user, a second time at which the second current location is detected, and traffic information;
• reading, from a memory, a destination of the package, type information indicating a type of the first current location, and visiting durations associated with the type information;
• determining, on the basis of the type information and the visiting durations, the visiting durations corresponding to the first current location;
• calculating, on the basis of the first current location and the destination, a first traveling duration that is necessary for the user to travel from the first current location to the destination;
• calculating, on the basis of the first time, the visiting durations corresponding to the first current location, and the first traveling duration, an earliest first expected arrival time and a latest second expected arrival time;
• calculating, on the basis of the second current location, the traffic information, and the destination, a shortest second traveling duration and a longest third traveling duration that are necessary for the delivery person to travel from the second current location to the destination;
• calculating, on the basis of the second time and the second traveling duration, an earliest first expected delivery time;
• calculating, on the basis of the second time and the third traveling duration, a latest second expected delivery time;
• determining whether the first expected delivery time or the second expected delivery time is between the first expected arrival time and the second expected arrival time;
• transmitting, if the first expected delivery time or the second expected delivery time is between the first expected arrival time and the second expected arrival time, a message encouraging the user to arrive at the destination to an information terminal of the user;
• and
• causing the information terminal to display the message.