Relay transport support system and program

Abstract

To reduce waiting times during transit. [Solution] The relay transport support system transmits relay transport information to each driver's user terminal and acquires location information transmitted from each driver's user terminal after they have viewed the relay transport information and started moving. The location information of other drivers moving to the relay point is transmitted to each user terminal and shared, and the relay transport information and each driver's location information can be confirmed from the relay transport information screen. The system then controls the system to allow the selection or input of changeable relay points, and transmits relay point change information including the selected or input relay point to each driver's user terminal, while receiving responses from each driver's user terminal regarding the relay point change. If each driver responds that they agree to the relay point change, the system updates the relay transport information by changing the relay point in the relay transport information to the selected relay point, and transmits the relay transport information including the changed relay point to each driver's user terminal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to relay transportation support technology.

Background Art

[0002] Since April 2024, regulations limiting the maximum overtime working hours for truck (freight vehicle) drivers have come into effect, and initiatives such as reducing drivers' working hours and shortening travel distances have been implemented. One of these initiatives is relay transportation. Relay transportation is a transportation mode in which long-distance truck operation is shared among a plurality of drivers, and by enabling day return work, it is expected to contribute to reducing labor burden and alleviating labor shortages.

[0003] Relay transportation mainly includes three modes: the trailer-tractor method, the cargo reloading method, and the driver changeover method. The trailer-tractor method is a method of exchanging the tractor head of a trailer: the trailer remains unchanged, and the tractor is replaced to relay the cargo. In the cargo reloading method, cargo is reloaded at a relay point. The driver changeover method is a method in which drivers change trucks to take over the shift.

Prior Art Literature

Patent Literature

[0004]

Patent Literature 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In relay transport, multiple trucks travel from a shipping base to a relay point, but the traffic conditions (congestion, restrictions, road closures, etc.) for each truck traveling to the relay point change in real time. As a result, in relay transport, each truck converging at the relay point cannot arrive at the scheduled time. For example, if one truck arrives at the relay point first, a waiting time occurs until the other truck arrives. This waiting time was a factor that reduced the efficiency of intermediate transport.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a relay transport support system that can reduce waiting times in relay transport. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] (1) The relay transport support system of the present invention includes a storage unit that stores relay transport information including relay points and driver information of each driver constituting the relay transport; an information provision unit that transmits the relay transport information to the user terminal of each driver; a location information management unit that acquires location information transmitted from the user terminal of each driver who has viewed the relay transport information and started moving, and transmits the location information of other drivers moving to the relay point to each user terminal; and a relay transport information management unit that displays a relay transport information screen including the relay transport information and the location information of each driver on a predetermined display device.

[0008] Furthermore, the relay transport information management unit can be configured to allow the selection or input of changeable relay points, and to transmit relay point change information, including the selected or input relay points, to each driver's user terminal. It can also be configured to receive responses from each driver's user terminal regarding the relay point change, and if each driver responds that they agree to the relay point change, it can update the relay transport information by changing the relay point in the relay transport information to the selected relay point, and transmit the relay transport information, including the changed relay point, to each driver's user terminal.

[0009] (2) The relay transport support system of the present invention includes a storage unit that stores relay transport information including relay points and driver information of each driver constituting the relay transport; an information provision unit that transmits the relay transport information to the user terminal of each driver; a location information management unit that acquires location information transmitted from the user terminal of each driver who has viewed the relay transport information and started moving, and transmits the location information of other drivers moving to the relay point to each user terminal; and a relay transport information management unit that displays a relay transport information screen including the relay transport information and the location information of each driver on a predetermined display device.

[0010] Furthermore, the relay transport information management unit can be configured to receive a relay point change request, including the changed relay point, transmitted from any driver's user terminal, and to transmit the received relay point change request as a relay point change request to the user terminals of other drivers who are moving to the relay point. It can also be configured to receive a response to the relay point change request from the other drivers' user terminals, and if the response is in agreement to the relay point change, it can update the relay transport information by changing the relay point in the relay transport information to the changed relay point included in the relay point change request, and transmit the relay transport information including the changed relay point to each driver's user terminal.

[0011] (3) In the above (1), the relay transport information management unit can receive responses from each driver's user terminal regarding changes to relay points, and if any driver responds that they do not agree to the change to a relay point, it can be configured to control the relay transport information so as not to change the relay point, and to enable the display of the reason for disagreement included in the response on the relay transport information screen in association with the relay transport information.

[0012] (4) In the above (1), the relay transport information management unit may be configured to display the time required to reach the relay point calculated based on the current location of the driver in transit and the relay point on the relay transport information screen, and to accept relay point change operations through the relay transport information screen and control the unit to allow the selection or input of a changeable relay point.

[0013] (5) In the above (2), the user terminal may be configured to include an application control unit that controls the user to select or input a change of relay point in response to relay transport information received from the relay transport support system, and generates a relay point change request including the changed relay point and the reason for the change, and transmits it to the relay transport support system. At this time, the relay transport information management unit may be configured to control the received relay point change request so that it can be displayed on the relay transport information screen in association with the relay transport information, and to transmit the received relay point change request as a relay point change request to the user terminal of another driver based on a transmission operation on the relay transport information screen.

[0014] (6) In the above (5), the relay transport information management unit can receive a response to the relay point change request from the user terminal that received the relay point change request, and if the response is that the user does not agree to the relay point change, it can be configured to control the system so as to not change the relay point in the relay transport information, and to enable the system to display the reason for disagreement included in the response on the relay transport information screen in association with the relay transport information.

[0015] (7) In (1) or (2) above, the relay transport information management unit can be controlled to display a location confirmation screen on the relay transport information screen, which plots the location information of relay points and each driver constituting the relay transport on a map provided by an external map information provider. The user terminal can also be configured to include an application control unit that controls the display of a location confirmation screen plotting relay points, the user's own location information, and the location information of other drivers constituting the relay transport provided by the relay transport support system on a map provided by an external map information provider.

[0016] (8) In (1) or (2) above, the user terminal may be configured to include an application control unit that controls the user terminal to enable input of actions related to relay transport in response to relay transport information received from the relay transport support system, and transmits location information acquired by the GPS device installed in the user terminal to the relay transport support system. Here, the actions may include at least departure, arrival, and completion, and the application control unit may transmit the input actions to the relay transport support system. The relay transport information management unit may be configured to store the actions received from the user terminal in association with the relay transport information as the transport status of each driver.

[0017] (9) The program of the present invention enables a computer to implement the following functions: a first function that stores relay transport information including relay points and driver information of each driver constituting the relay transport; a second function that transmits the relay transport information to each driver's user terminal; a third function that acquires location information transmitted from the user terminals of each driver who has viewed the relay transport information and started moving, and transmits the location information of other drivers moving to the relay point to each user terminal; and a fourth function that displays a relay transport information screen including the relay transport information and the location information of each driver on a predetermined display device.

[0018] The fourth function can be configured to allow users to select or input changeable relay points, transmit relay point change information including the selected or input relay points to each driver's user terminal, receive responses from each driver's user terminal regarding the relay point change, and if each driver responds that they agree to the relay point change, update the relay transport information by changing the relay point in the relay transport information to the selected relay point, and transmit the relay transport information including the changed relay point to each driver's user terminal.

[0019] (10) The program according to the present invention causes a computer to implement: a first function of storing relay transportation information including driver information of each driver that constitutes a relay point and relay transportation; a second function of transmitting the relay transportation information to the user terminal of each driver; a third function of acquiring position information transmitted from the user terminal of each driver who has started traveling after viewing the relay transportation information, and transmitting the position information of other drivers traveling to the relay point to each user terminal; and a fourth function of causing a predetermined display device to display a relay transportation information screen including the relay transportation information and the position information of each driver.

[0020] The fourth function may be configured to: receive a relay point change request including the changed relay point, which is transmitted from the user terminal of any driver; transmit the received relay point change request as a relay point change request to the user terminals of other drivers traveling to the relay point, and receive a response to the relay point change request from the user terminals of said other drivers; if the response indicates consent to the relay point change, update the relay transportation information by changing the relay point in the original relay transportation information to the changed relay point included in the received relay point change request, and transmit the updated relay transportation information including the changed relay point to the user terminal of each driver. Effects of the Invention

[0021] The present invention can provide a function of checking the current position of each driver (truck) that constitutes relay transportation and a function of allowing changes to the relay point, thereby reducing the occurrence of waiting time in relay transportation. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of the relay transportation support system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the relay transportation management device and user terminals of the relay transportation support system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the relay transportation information registration screen, relay point information, and driver information according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4]FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a relay transportation information management screen according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a relay transportation information detail screen according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a display mode of relay transportation information on a user terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a mode in which a relay point, a counterpart, and a user's own position are displayed on a map on the user terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow of the relay transportation support system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow of the relay transportation support system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of a relay transportation management device and user terminals of the relay transportation support system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a relay transportation information detail screen provided with a relay point changing function according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a relay point change notification transmitted to each user terminal according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a relay transportation information detail screen after changing a relay point according to the second embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow related to the relay point changing function in the relay transportation support system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 12 is a functional block diagram of a relay transportation management device and user terminals of the relay transportation support system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a relay point changing function based on a relay point change request according to the third embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a relay transportation information detail screen provided with a relay point changing function according to the third embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow related to the relay point changing function in the relay transportation support system according to the third embodiment. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0023] (First Embodiment) Figures 1 to 9 are diagrams illustrating the first embodiment. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the relay transport support system of this embodiment. Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of the relay transport management device 100 and user terminal 300 that constitute the relay transport support system.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, the relay transport support system centers around a relay transport management device 100 (hereinafter referred to as the management device), and user terminals 300 held by drivers of cargo vehicles such as trucks are connected via a network.

[0025] The control device 100 has the following functions: 1) A function to manage and store relay transport information, including driver information for each driver constituting the relay point and relay transport. 2) A function to transmit relay transport information to each driver's user terminal 300. 3) A function to acquire location information transmitted from the user terminal 300 of each driver who has viewed relay transport information and started moving, and to transmit the location information of other drivers moving to the relay point to each user terminal 300. 4) A function to display a relay transport information screen, including relay transport information and the location information of each driver, on a designated display device. The designated display device is, for example, an administrator terminal 400 operated by a worker on the operator's side who operates the relay transport support service.

[0026] The user terminal 300 is a portable mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet, and is equipped with wireless communication capabilities. As shown in Figure 2, the communication / call unit 310 controls data communication on mobile communication networks such as IP networks and 4G / 5G / LTE lines (mobile data communication via mobile phone lines), and controls calls based on telephone numbers. The user terminal 300 is equipped with Wi-Fi (wireless LAN) functionality and mobile data communication functionality using a SIM card.

[0027] Furthermore, the user terminal 300 includes a control unit 320, a GPS unit (GPS device) 330, a storage unit 340, and a touch panel display input unit 350.

[0028] The control unit 320 includes an application control unit 321. The application control unit 321 can be installed on the user terminal 300 by installing a program module downloaded from the management device 100 or a designated download site.

[0029] Furthermore, the GPS unit 330 is a known GPS device that acquires location information of the user terminal 300. The location of the user terminal 300 is transmitted to the management device 100 as location information of the driver moving toward the relay point, and location information of other drivers constituting the relay transport is also provided to the user terminal 300 through the management device 100.

[0030] The application control unit 321 can accept input of actions from the driver side, which will be described later. These actions are information indicating the status of each driver and include the transport statuses of not yet departed, departed, arrived, and completed. The application control unit 321 can transmit the transport status to the management device 100 and receive the transport statuses of other drivers constituting the relay transport from the management device 100 and display them on the user terminal 300.

[0031] As shown in Figure 2, the management device 100 includes a communication device 110, a control device 120, and a storage device 130. The management device 100 is a server device that provides relay transport support services and exchanges data with the user terminal 300 (application control unit 321). The management device 100 is configured to allow connection of an administrator terminal 400.

[0032] The control device 120 is comprised of a relay transport information management unit 121, a location information management unit 122, and an information provision unit 123.

[0033] As mentioned above, relay transport is a method in which, instead of one driver transporting goods from the place of origin to the place of delivery (destination), the goods are transported to a relay point, where they are exchanged with other drivers through methods such as swapping tractors or other cargo beds, transshipment of goods, or even changing trucks themselves. This distributes the long-distance route and reduces the workload on drivers.

[0034] First, the relay transport information management unit 121 accepts input of relay transport information, including relay points and driver information for each driver constituting the relay transport, through the relay transport information registration screen. Figure 3 shows an example of the relay transport information registration screen.

[0035] The relay transport information registration screen allows input of relay date and time, relay point, and information of each driver constituting the relay transport. The relay date and time is the scheduled date and time when each driver will meet at the relay point. The relay point includes the name, address, and remarks of the relay point. These relay points can be registered in advance, and the system can be configured to select the appropriate relay point from the registered relay points. For example, as shown in Figure 3, the name, address, and remarks of the relay point can be registered for each relay point ID and stored in the storage device 130. The driver information includes name, mobile phone number, affiliated transport company, product name, delivery destination, and delivery destination address. As shown in Figure 3, the driver information is stored in the storage device 130 as driver information, and similar to the relay point information, the information of each driver can be registered in advance, and the system can be configured to allow selection of the appropriate driver on the relay transport information registration screen.

[0036] The relay transport information management unit 121 stores the relay transport information entered through the relay transport information registration screen in the storage device 130. Relay transport information can be registered via the administrator terminal 400.

[0037] Figure 4 shows an example of a relay transport information management screen. As shown in Figure 4, the relay transport information management screen displays relay transport information in a list. Relay transport information is managed by relay transport ID and includes status, relay date and time, relay point name, and driver information (drivers 1 and 2). The status is information that indicates the status of the entire relay transport information managed by the management device 100, and can include statuses such as not yet performed, in transit, arrived, and exchanged. The relay date and time includes planned and actual dates. The planned date and time is the relay date and time entered in the relay transport information registration screen, and the actual date and time is the date and time when work such as exchanging the cargo bed of a tractor, transferring cargo, or exchanging the truck itself was completed at the relay point with other drivers. Drivers 1 and 2 each have their own transport status included.

[0038] The status and transport status have the following relationship: For example, if both drivers' transport status is "Not Departed" (if the action button "Depart" is not selected), the status will be "Not Performed". If the drivers' transport status is a combination of "Not Performed" and "Departed", "Departed" and "Departed", or "Departed" and "Arrived", the status will be "In Transit". If both drivers' transport status is "Arrived", the status will be "Arrived". If both drivers' transport status is "Completed", the status will be "Exchanged". The relay transport information management unit 121 can control the display of the status on the relay transport information management screen based on each driver's transport status.

[0039] The location information management unit 122 receives location information from each driver's terminal 300 and transmits the received location information to the user terminals 300 of other drivers based on relay transport information. The received location information is stored in the storage device 130 in chronological order.

[0040] Figure 5 shows an example of the relay transport information details screen. As shown in Figure 5, the screen is divided into left and right sections. The left side displays the relay transport information, while the right side displays a map plotting the locations of the relay points, driver 1, and driver 2. In Figure 5, the icons for the relay points, driver 1, and driver 2 are plotted at their corresponding locations on the map.

[0041] The relay transport information management unit 321 acquires maps provided by an external map / route information providing device 500 and can control the relay transport information details screen to display a location confirmation screen (right side of the screen in Figure 5) on which the locations of relay points and each driver constituting the relay transport are plotted on the map.

[0042] The information provision unit 123 provides relay transport information to the user terminal 300 and receives the transport status (input action) transmitted from the user terminal 300, and outputs it to the relay transport information management unit 321. The relay transport information management unit 321 reflects the transport status in the relay transport information and updates the relay transport information. The information provision unit 123 transmits the received transport status to the user terminals 300 of other drivers based on the relay transport information.

[0043] Figure 6 shows the display configuration of relay transport information on the user terminal 300. The application control unit 321 displays the relay transport information received from the management device 100 on the screen as shown in Figure 6. The relay information displayed includes the relay transport ID, relay date and time (scheduled), name of the relay location (name of the relay point), and address of the relay location. In addition, information on the drivers constituting the relay transport is displayed, including the information of the relay partner and the driver themselves. The "status" included in the driver information is an item that displays the transport status.

[0044] The screen displaying relay transport information on the user terminal 300 is equipped with action buttons (action input section). The application control unit 321 can control the relay transport information received from the management device 100 to allow the input of actions related to relay transport. Actions can include departure, arrival, and completion, and the application control unit 321 transmits the input (selected) action to the management device 100. The management device 100 (information provision unit 123) stores the actions received from the user terminal 300, associating them with the relay transport information as the transport status of each driver. The application control unit 321 updates the "status" of its own driver's information based on the input action, and also updates the "status" of the other driver's information based on the transport status of other drivers received from the management device 100.

[0045] The application control unit 321 initially displays the action button "Departure". The driver selects the action button "Departure" when departing from the shipping location for a transit point. Upon the selection of the action button "Departure", the application control unit 321 begins acquiring and transmitting location information to the management device 100. The application control unit 321 then changes the action button to "Arrival". The application control unit 321 also begins receiving location information and transport status of other drivers provided by the management device 100. Note that the application control unit 321 may be configured to receive location information and transport status of other drivers before starting to acquire and transmit its own location information.

[0046] Next, we will describe the function of the user terminal 300 that displays relay points, the user's own location, and the locations of other drivers on a map. Figure 7 shows the user terminal 300 displaying relay points, the other party's location, and the user's own location on a map.

[0047] Since the user terminal 300 stores the locations of relay points, the user's own location, and the locations of other drivers, the locations of relay points, the user's own location, and the locations of other drivers can be plotted and displayed on a map, as shown in Figure 7. The application control unit 321 can control the display of a location confirmation screen that plots the locations of relay points, the user's own location, and the locations of other drivers constituting the relay transport, provided by the management device 100, on a map provided by the external map and route information providing device 500.

[0048] In the example in Figure 7, you can select the relay point, the other party, and yourself, and you can display the three locations in any combination or display the three location information individually on the map. Figure 7 illustrates the plotting of the relay point and your own location on the map, the plotting of the relay point and the other party on the map, and the plotting of all locations: yourself, the other party, and the relay point on the map.

[0049] Figures 8 and 9 show the processing flow of the relay transport support system of this embodiment. Note that the processing is the same for each user terminal 300 of the multiple drivers (yourself and the other party) that constitute the relay transport, and the timing of the processing is arbitrary according to the operation of each driver.

[0050] The operator providing the relay transport support service registers relay transport information in the management device 100 (S102). At this time, the management device 100 can perform relay point registration control in advance via the administrator terminal 400 (S101), and can perform various controls on the relay transport information registration screen, including input of relay transport information and selection or input of relay points. Based on the input to the relay transport information registration screen, the management device 100 generates relay transport information and stores it in the storage device 130 according to the relay transport ID (S103).

[0051] The driver downloads and installs the application program to the user terminal 300 in advance (S301, S301a). The driver starts the application control unit 321, which performs the login process (S302, S302a). The login ID can be, for example, the driver's mobile phone number registered in the relay transport information on the management device 100. Authentication such as passwords can be performed using a one-time password function via SMS. The management device 100 can perform the login authentication process using the mobile phone number and predetermined authentication information (S104).

[0052] After login authentication, the management device 100 extracts relay transport information corresponding to the logged-in driver and transmits the extracted relay transport information to the user terminal 300 (S105). The user terminal 300 receives the relay transport information from the management device 100 and displays the relay transport information on the screen (S303, S303a), and also performs display control to display the action button "Depart" (S304, S304a).

[0053] When the action button "Depart" is selected on the user terminal 300 (YES in S311, YES in S311a), the GPS unit 330 starts the process of acquiring location information and also starts the transmission process to send the location information to the management device 100 (S312, S312a). It also sends the action "Depart" to the management device 100 (S313, S313a). At this time, the user terminal 300 changes the action button to "Arrive" (S314, S314a).

[0054] The management device 100 acquires location information transmitted from each driver's user terminal 300 and stores it in the storage device 130 in association with relay transport information (S111). The location information is transmitted from the user terminal 300 at predetermined time intervals. When the management device 100 receives an action from the user terminal 300, it updates the received action as the transport status of each driver in the relay transport information (S112).

[0055] When the management device 100 (location information management unit 122) receives the driver's location information, it transmits the received location information to the user terminals 300 of the other drivers constituting the relay transport (S113). The same applies to the transport status; when the management device 100 (information provision unit 123) receives the driver's action, it transmits the received transport status to the user terminals 300 of the other drivers constituting the relay transport (S113). The provision of location information and transport status to the user terminals 300 can be done at predetermined time intervals or at any arbitrary timing. Based on the transport status of the other drivers that it has received, the user terminal 300 can perform display update processing of relay transport information (S315, S315a).

[0056] The user terminal 300 can display the locations of the relay point, itself, and the other party on a map. If map display is selected (YES in S316, YES in S316a), it obtains map information from the map / route information provider 500 and displays a map plotting the icons of itself, the other party, and the relay point according to their locations (S317, S317a). Similarly, the management device 100 can also display the relay transport information details screen described above via the administrator terminal 300 (see Figure 5). If the relay transport information details screen is selected (S114), the management device 100 can obtain map information from the map / route information provider 500 and display a map plotting the icons of itself (driver 1), the other party (driver 2), and the relay point according to their locations (S115).

[0057] When the driver arrives at the relay point, he selects the "Arrived" action button on the relay transport information displayed on the user terminal 300 (YES in S318, YES in S318a). The user terminal 300 transmits the "Arrived" action to the management device 100 (S319, S319a) and stops acquiring location information and transmitting location information to the management device 100 (S320, S320a). Following the transmission of the "Arrived" action, the user terminal 300 changes the action button to "Completed" (S321, S321a).

[0058] Based on the action "arrival" received from the user terminal 300, the management device 100 updates the transport status of each driver in the relay transport information (S116), and transmits the updated transport status of the driver to the user terminals 300 of the other drivers constituting the relay transport (S117). Based on the transport status of the other drivers received, the user terminal 300 performs a display update process for the relay transport information (S322, S322a).

[0059] After the driver has completed the exchange of tractor beds, cargo transfers, or truck exchanges with other drivers at the relay point, the driver selects the "Complete" action button on the relay transport information displayed on the user terminal 300 (YES in S323, YES in S323a). The user terminal 300 transmits the "Complete" action to the management device 100 (S324, S324a).

[0060] Based on the action "Completed" received from the user terminal 300, the management device 100 updates the transport status of each driver in the relay transport information (S118), and transmits the updated transport status of the driver to the user terminals 300 of the other drivers constituting the relay transport (S119). Based on the transport status of the other drivers received, the user terminal 300 performs a display update process for the relay transport information (S325, S325a).

[0061] Thus, the relay transport support system of this embodiment includes a mechanism that allows multiple drivers constituting a relay transport to share the location and transport status of other drivers. In particular, since the current location of the other driver in the relay transport can be viewed on a map, it is possible to determine whether the other driver is delayed.

[0062] (Second Embodiment) Figures 10 to 14 are diagrams illustrating a second embodiment. This embodiment includes a relay point change function compared to the first embodiment. The relay point change function of this embodiment provides a mechanism for the operator of the relay transport support system to prompt each driver to change the relay point.

[0063] Figure 10 is a functional block diagram of the relay transport management device 100 and user terminal 300 of the relay transport support system of this embodiment, and the control device 120 of the management device 100 is equipped with a relay point changing unit 121a.

[0064] Figure 11 shows an example of a relay transport information details screen equipped with a relay point change function. The relay transport information management unit 121 can control the relay transport information details screen to display the estimated time to the relay point, calculated based on the driver's current location and the relay point. It also accepts relay point change operations through the relay transport information details screen and controls the system to allow selection or input of changeable relay points. In the example in Figure 11, a relay point change button is provided on the relay transport information details screen, and the operator can change the relay point by selecting the relay point change button via the administrator terminal 400.

[0065] The travel time from the current location to the relay point can be obtained, for example, from the map / route information providing device 500. The relay transport information management unit 121 transmits the driver's current location and the location of the relay point (address of the relay point, or location information based on the address of the relay point) to the map / route information providing device 500. Based on the received location information, the map / route information providing device 500 determines the route from the current location to the relay point and calculates the travel time from the current location to the relay point based on the determined route and traffic information such as congestion and traffic restrictions. The map / route information providing device 500 transmits the calculated travel time to the management device 100. Known navigation technologies can be applied to determine the route and calculate the travel time. The estimated arrival date and time can be calculated by adding the travel time to the current time, and may be calculated using the travel time obtained by the relay transport information management unit 121 from the map / route information providing device 500, or it may be configured so that the map / route information providing device 500 calculates it and provides it to the management device 100. Furthermore, the map and route information providing device 500 can provide the management device 100 with the distance from the current location to the relay point, which was used to calculate the required time, and the relay transport information management unit 121 can display the distance from the current location to the relay point along with the required time on the relay transport information details screen.

[0066] Although not shown in the example in Figure 11, the relay transport information management unit 121 may also be controlled to calculate the difference between the scheduled arrival date and time and the scheduled relay date and time, and to display this difference as the delay time on the relay transport information details screen.

[0067] As shown in Figure 11, the relay transport information details screen displays the estimated time required from the current location to the relay point and the estimated arrival date and time (current time + required time) for each driver, allowing the operator to understand the delay status of each driver. The operator can then change the relay point based on the delay status. If driver 1 is delayed in moving to the relay point, the operator can select and change to another relay point, taking into account driver 1's current location.

[0068] If driver 1's truck, which is delayed, heads to the current relay point, driver 2's truck will arrive at the relay point first, resulting in a significant waiting time. Therefore, if driver 2's truck moves closer to driver 1's current location, the waiting time can be reduced, and the relay point is changed to a location closer to driver 1's current location. In another example, if driver 1 heads to a different relay point than the current one, delays due to congestion or traffic restrictions may be reduced. In this case, driver 2's travel distance will be greater, but the difference in estimated arrival times between drivers 1 and 2 will be smaller, reducing driver 2's waiting time.

[0069] Figure 12 shows an example of a relay point change notification sent to each user terminal 300 in this embodiment. As shown in Figure 12, the operator can change the relay point on the relay transport information details screen via the administrator terminal 400. The operator's change of relay point is sent as a relay point change notification to the user terminal 300 of each driver constituting the relay transport. The relay transport information management unit 121 generates relay point change notification information including the current relay point and the changed relay point, and sends it to each user terminal 300.

[0070] The application control unit 321 of the user terminal 300 displays the received relay point change notification information. The display screen for the relay point change notification information includes the current relay point and the changed relay point, as shown in the example in Figure 12, along with an OK button to allow the relay point change, a NO button to deny it, and a reason for denial to be entered if the NO button is selected. When the reason for denial button is selected, an input field for the reason for denial is displayed.

[0071] Drivers 1 and 2 can decide whether to permit or deny the change of the relay point in response to the notification, taking into account the current travel situation, such as real-time traffic conditions and predictions of future traffic conditions. For example, if road conditions and experience indicate that congestion will clear up in a while, they can determine that it would be less time-wasting to go to the current relay point than to the changed one. In this case, driver 1 can select the NO button to deny the change and enter "Congestion is expected to clear up" in the reason for denial input field.

[0072] Furthermore, the traffic conditions for Driver 2 may also change. While the current route to the relay point is free from congestion, the route to the revised relay point may experience congestion or traffic restrictions, potentially resulting in a significant loss of time. Therefore, Driver 2 can select the "NO" button to deny permission and enter "Congestion is occurring on the route to the revised relay point" in the reason for denial input field.

[0073] In this embodiment, the relay point change function allows the relay transport information management unit 121 to select or input changeable relay points, and transmits a relay point notification (relay point change information) including the selected or input relay points to each driver's user terminal 300. Each driver's user terminal 300 transmits a response to the relay point change to the management device 100.

[0074] The relay transport information management unit 121 receives responses from each driver's user terminal 300 regarding changes to relay points. If each driver responds indicating that they permit the change to a relay point (agree to the change to a relay point), the unit updates the relay transport information by changing the current relay point set in the relay transport information to the selected relay point, and also transmits the relay transport information, including the changed relay point, to each driver's user terminal 300.

[0075] At this time, the relay transport information management unit 121 receives responses from each driver's user terminal 300 regarding the change of relay point. If any driver responds that they do not permit the change of relay point (do not agree to the change of relay point), the unit controls the system so as not to change the relay point set in the relay transport information, and stores the reason for refusal included in the response from the user terminal 300 in association with the relay transport information. The relay transport information management unit 121 can control the system so that the reason for refusal can be displayed on the relay transport information details screen.

[0076] Figure 13 shows an example of the relay transport information details screen after a relay point has been changed. The example in Figure 13 shows the configuration after a relay point change. As shown in Figure 13, the response (OK, NO) of each driver regarding the relay point change is displayed, and there is also a display field that shows the reason for refusal if the response is NO. In addition, the location confirmation screen in Figure 13 can be controlled to display a map plotting the changed relay point. As a note, a message indicating that the relay point has been changed can also be displayed. In the example in Figure 13, both the relay point before and after the change are plotted on the map, but it is possible to configure the system to plot only the changed relay point on the map.

[0077] Figure 14 is a diagram showing the processing flow related to the relay point change function in the relay transport support system of this embodiment.

[0078] The relay point change function is designed to reduce waiting times for other trucks in a relay transport system, which can occur when delays in a moving truck cause mismatches in merging times. Therefore, a hypothetical scenario is that the function is performed between the time the truck departs and its arrival at the relay point, as shown in Figure 9 of the first embodiment. Thus, Figure 14 illustrates, as an example, the processing steps of the relay point change function, which are executed after the truck departs and begins receiving location information transmitted from the user terminal 300.

[0079] The management device 100 transmits the current location of the moving driver and the location information of the relay point to the map / route information providing device 500, and obtains from the map / route information providing device 500 the estimated time to the relay point calculated based on the current location of the moving driver and the relay point, and the estimated arrival date and time based on the estimated time and current time (S1101). The management device 100 displays the obtained estimated time and estimated arrival date and time on the relay transport information details screen (S1102).

[0080] The management device 100 accepts a relay point change operation via the relay transport information details screen (YES in S1103). When the changed relay point is selected or entered, the management device 100 sends a relay point notification including the selected or entered relay point to each driver's user terminal 300 (S1104).

[0081] Each driver's user terminal 300 displays the received relay point change notification information (S3101, 3101a). The driver selects either the OK button to permit the relay point change or the NO button to deny it (if the NO button is selected, the driver selects the reason for denial button and enters the reason for denial in the input field). The user terminal 300 sends a response to the management device 100 indicating permission for the relay point change or a response indicating denial (including the reason for denial) (S3102, S3102a).

[0082] The management device 100 receives responses from each driver's user terminal 300 regarding the change of relay point and stores them in the storage device 130 in association with the relay transport information (S1105). The management device 100 determines whether all drivers have given permission for the change of relay point (S1106). If it is determined that all drivers have given permission (YES in S1106), it updates the relay transport information by changing the current relay point set in the relay transport information to the selected relay point (S1107), and transmits the relay transport information, including the changed relay point, to each driver's user terminal 300 (S1108). The user terminal 300 updates the relay transport information with the received information (S3103, S3103a).

[0083] According to this embodiment, delays in the arrival date and time (arrival time) of trucks constituting relay transport at relay points can be reduced by changing relay points in real time, thereby reducing the waiting time at the point of merging.

[0084] In particular, in this embodiment, the driver can decide whether to permit or deny a change of the relay point, taking into consideration the circumstances on the truck (driver's) side, that is, the traffic conditions and weather conditions that the driver actually witnesses while traveling. Therefore, instead of the operator unilaterally changing the relay point, the driver can decide whether to change the relay point based on their experience, taking into consideration the traffic conditions and weather conditions that change in real time, and not changing the relay point can also be provided as an option. Depending on the traffic conditions, weather, as well as the type of truck, the cargo, and the driver's skill, it may actually be more difficult and time-consuming to travel, or the road to the new relay point may be narrow, requiring a detour and thus taking more time. In this embodiment, a relay point change function that takes into consideration the circumstances on the truck (driver's) side can be provided.

[0085] (Third embodiment) Figures 15 to 18 are diagrams illustrating a third embodiment. Similar to the second embodiment described above, this embodiment is equipped with a relay point changing function compared to the first embodiment, but the relay point changing function of this embodiment provides a mechanism for each driver to actively change the relay point.

[0086] Figure 15 is a functional block diagram of the relay transport management device 100 and user terminal 300 of the relay transport support system of this embodiment. The control device 120 of the management device 100 includes a relay point change unit 121b. The application control unit 321 of the user terminal 300 includes a relay point change control unit 321a.

[0087] Figure 16 is a diagram illustrating the relay point change function based on a relay point change request. When the application control unit 321 of the user terminal 300 receives a relay point change operation from the driver, the relay point change control unit 321a displays a relay point change request screen as shown in Figure 16. The relay point change request screen includes input fields for the current relay point (name, address), the new relay point (name, address), and the reason for the change, as well as a send button.

[0088] The current relay point (name, address) can be extracted from the relay transport information. The changed relay point (name, address) is information selected or entered by the driver. The relay point selection is performed by obtaining relay point information (relay point list) from the management device 100, which is pre-registered by the management device 100, and the relay point change control unit 321a can display the relay point list on the user terminal 300 and control the system to enable the selection of the changed relay point. The reason for the change can be entered as, for example, "because of traffic congestion due to traffic restrictions."

[0089] When the send button is selected, the relay point change control unit 321a sends a relay point change request, including the changed relay point and the reason for the change, to the management device 100.

[0090] Figure 17 shows an example of a relay transport information details screen equipped with a relay point change function according to this embodiment. When the relay point change unit 121b of the management device 100 receives a relay point change request from the user terminal 300, it associates the relevant relay transport information and displays the received relay point change request on the relay transport information details screen. In the example in Figure 17, the requester, the driver, and the changed relay point and reason for the change are displayed as the change request details. In addition, the remarks column of the relay transport information details screen indicates that a relay point change request was made by driver 1.

[0091] The operator can view the relay point change request on the relay transport information details screen and select the send button to send the relay point change request to the user terminal 300 of other drivers.

[0092] In this manner, the management device 100 (relay point change unit 121b) receives a relay point change request, including the changed relay point, transmitted from the user terminal 300 of any of the drivers constituting the relay transport, and transmits the received relay point change request as a relay point change request to the user terminal 300 of the other drivers who are moving to the relay point.

[0093] In the above explanation, the operator manually sends a relay point change request to driver 2 via the administrator terminal 400 by confirming and pressing the send button, but this is not the only example. For example, when a relay point change request is received from driver 1, the system may be configured to automatically send the received relay point change request to driver 2 as a relay point change request.

[0094] Furthermore, as information to assist in spontaneous requests from the driver to change the relay point, the application control unit 321 can obtain the time required from the current location to the relay point from the map / route information providing device 500 and control the user terminal 300 to display the time required, estimated arrival date and time, etc.

[0095] Returning to Figure 16, the driver 2's user terminal 300 (relay point change control unit 321a) receives a relay point change request and displays a relay point change confirmation screen. The relay point change confirmation screen includes the current relay point (name, address), the new relay point (name, address), the reason for the change, an OK button to allow the relay point change, a NO button to deny it, and a reason for denial to be entered if the NO button is selected. If the reason for denial button is selected, an input field for the reason for denial is displayed.

[0096] Driver 2, similar to the second embodiment described above, can decide whether to permit or deny a change of relay point in response to a request for change of relay point from Driver 1, taking into account the travel situation, such as real-time traffic conditions and predictions of future traffic conditions. Driver 2 then inputs whether to permit or deny (including the reason for denial) into the user terminal 300. The relay point change control unit 321a of the user terminal 300 transmits the response to the relay point change request (permit or deny (including the reason for denial)) to the management device 100.

[0097] The relay point change unit 121b of the management device 100 receives a response to a relay point change request from the driver's 2 user terminal 300 and stores it in association with the corresponding relay transport information. If the response permits the relay point change (agrees to the relay point change), the relay point in the relay transport information is changed to the new relay point included in the relay point change request, and the relay transport information, including the new relay point, is sent to each driver's user terminal 300.

[0098] Furthermore, the relay transport information management unit 321 receives a response to the relay point change request from the user terminal 300 that received the relay point change request, determines whether the response permits the relay point change, and if the response is not permitted (not agreed to), controls the system to prevent the relay point in the relay transport information from being changed, and can also control the system to display the reason for not permitted (not agreed to) included in the response on the relay transport information screen in association with the relay transport information. In addition, the management device 100 can send the response results from other drivers to the user terminal 300 that made the relay point change request. For example, if permitted, it can send a message such as "Your relay point change request has been accepted," or if not permitted, it can send a message such as "Your relay point change request was not accepted" along with the reason for not permitted.

[0099] Figure 18 is a diagram showing the processing flow related to the relay point change function in the relay transport support system of this embodiment.

[0100] Similar to the second embodiment described above, the relay point change function of this embodiment is also a function to reduce the waiting time that other trucks in the relay transport constituting the relay transport may experience due to delays in the moving truck, which could cause mismatches in merging times. In this case, the expected scenario is that the function is performed between the time the truck departs and the time it arrives at the relay point, as shown in Figure 9 of the first embodiment above. In the example in Figure 18, as an example, the processing steps of the relay point change function are shown, which are executed after the truck departs and begins receiving location information transmitted from the user terminal 300.

[0101] The user terminal 300 accepts the relay point change operation (YES in S3201). When the user terminal 300 selects or enters the new relay point and reason for the change (S3202) and the send button is selected, it sends a relay point change request including the selected or entered relay point and reason for the change to the management device 100 (S3203).

[0102] The management device 100 receives a relay point change request, including the changed relay point, from the user terminal 300 (S1201), displays the received relay point change request on the relay transport information details screen (S1202), and transmits the received relay point change request as a relay point change request to the user terminal 300 of other drivers moving to the relay point (S1203).

[0103] The driver's user terminal 300 displays the received relay point change request (S3201a). The driver selects either the OK button to permit the relay point change or the NO button to deny it (if the NO button is selected, the driver selects the reason for denial button and enters the reason for denial in the input field). The user terminal 300 sends a response to the management device 100 indicating that the relay point change is permitted or denied (including the reason for denial) (S3202a).

[0104] The management device 100 receives responses from the drivers' user terminals 300 regarding the change of relay point and stores them in the storage device 130 in association with the relay transport information (S1204). The management device 100 determines whether all drivers have given permission for the change of relay point (S1205). If it is determined that all drivers have given permission (YES in S1205), it updates the relay transport information by changing the current relay point set in the relay transport information to the requested relay point (S1206), and transmits the relay transport information, including the changed relay point, to each driver's user terminal 300 (S1207). The user terminal 300 updates the relay transport information with the received information (S3204, S3204a).

[0105] According to this embodiment, in response to delays in the arrival date (arrival time) of trucks constituting relay transport at relay points, the driver can proactively change the relay point, thereby reducing waiting time at the merging point.

[0106] In particular, in this embodiment, the driver can request a change of the relay point, taking into account the circumstances on the truck (driver's) side, that is, the traffic conditions and weather conditions that the driver actually witnesses while traveling. Therefore, the driver can decide whether to change the relay point based on their experience, etc., taking into account the traffic conditions and weather conditions that are changing in real time. In addition, the driver who receives the relay point change request is also given the option not to change the relay point, so a relay point change function that takes into account the circumstances on the truck (driver's) side can be provided.

[0107] In addition to the mechanism by which each driver in this embodiment voluntarily changes the relay point, the system can also be configured to include a mechanism by which the operator of the relay transport support system described in the second embodiment above prompts each driver to change the relay point.

[0108] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the number of trucks constituting relay transport is not limited to two. For example, it also includes cases where three or four trucks merge at a single relay point to carry out relay transport, and the relay transport support system described in each of the above embodiments can be applied to provide support in such cases.

[0109] Furthermore, the control device and storage device that constitute the relay transport management device 100 can be implemented using one or more computer devices, and can also be constructed by arbitrarily distributing each processing unit among multiple computer devices.

[0110] Furthermore, each function of the relay transport management device 100 can be implemented by program. Computer programs prepared in advance to implement each function are stored in auxiliary storage, and a control unit such as a CPU reads the program stored in the auxiliary storage into the main memory. The control unit then executes the program read into the main memory, thereby enabling the operation of each function. The same applies to the application control unit 321 in the user terminal 300.

[0111] Furthermore, the above program can also be provided to a computer in a state where it is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. A known recording medium can be used as the computer-readable recording medium. [Explanation of symbols]

[0112] 100 Relay transport management device 110 Communication equipment 120 Control device 121 Relay Transportation Information Management Department 121a Relay point change section 122 Location information management department 123 Information Provision Department 130 Storage device 300 user terminals 310 Communications and Telephone Department 320 Control Unit 321 Application Control Unit 321a Relay point change control unit 330 GPS section 340 Storage section 340 Touch panel display / input section 500 Map and route information provision device (external service)

Claims

1. It is a relay transport support system, A storage unit that stores relay transport information, including relay points and driver information of each driver constituting the relay transport, An information provision unit that transmits the aforementioned relay transport information to the user terminal of each driver, A location information management unit acquires location information transmitted from the user terminals of each driver who has started moving after viewing the relay transport information, and transmits the location information of other drivers moving to the relay point to each user terminal. It includes a relay transport information management unit that displays a relay transport information screen, including the relay transport information and the location information of each driver, on a predetermined display device. The aforementioned relay transport information management unit, The system controls the selection or input of changeable relay points, and transmits relay point change information, including the selected or input relay points, to each driver's user terminal. The aforementioned relay transport information management unit, The system receives responses from each driver's user terminal regarding changes to the relay points, and if each driver responds that they agree to the change, it updates the relay points in the relay transport information by changing them to the selected relay points, and also transmits the relay transport information, including the changed relay points, to each driver's user terminal. A relay transport support system characterized by the following features.

2. It is a relay transport support system, A storage unit that stores relay transport information, including relay points and driver information of each driver constituting the relay transport, An information provision unit that transmits the aforementioned relay transport information to the user terminal of each driver, A location information management unit acquires location information transmitted from the user terminals of each driver who has started moving after viewing the relay transport information, and transmits the location information of other drivers moving to the relay point to each user terminal. It includes a relay transport information management unit that displays a relay transport information screen, including the relay transport information and the location information of each driver, on a predetermined display device. The aforementioned relay transport information management unit, The system receives a relay point change request, including the changed relay point, from the user terminal of any driver, and sends the received relay point change request as a relay point change request to the user terminal of another driver who is moving to the relay point. The aforementioned relay transport information management unit, Upon receiving a response to a request to change the relay point from the user terminal of the other driver, and if the response is in agreement to the change of the relay point, the relay point in the relay transport information is changed to the changed relay point included in the relay point change request, the relay transport information is updated, and the relay transport information including the changed relay point is transmitted to each driver's user terminal. A relay transport support system characterized by the following features.

3. The aforementioned relay transport information management unit, The system receives responses from each driver's user terminal regarding changes to the relay point, and if any driver responds that they do not agree to the change, it controls the system to prevent the relay point in the relay transport information from being changed, and also controls the system to display the reason for disagreement included in the response on the relay transport information screen, in association with the relay transport information. The relay transport support system according to feature 1.

4. The aforementioned relay transport information management unit, The relay transport support system according to claim 1, characterized in that it displays the time required to reach a relay point calculated based on the current location of the driver in transit and the relay point on the relay transport information screen, and accepts relay point change operations through the relay transport information screen and controls the system to allow the selection or input of a changeable relay point.

5. The user terminal includes an application control unit that controls the relay transport information received from the relay transport support system to enable the selection or input of a change in relay point, generates a relay point change request including the changed relay point and the reason for the change, and transmits it to the relay transport support system. The relay transport information management unit controls the received relay point change request to be displayed on the relay transport information screen in association with the relay transport information, and transmits the received relay point change request as a relay point change request to the user terminal of the other driver based on a transmission operation to the relay transport information screen, characterized in that the relay transport support system according to claim 2.

6. The aforementioned relay transport information management unit, The system receives a response from the user terminal that received the relay point change request, and if the response is one of disagreement with the relay point change, it controls the system to prevent the relay point in the relay transport information from being changed, and also controls the system to display the reason for disagreement included in the response on the relay transport information screen, in association with the relay transport information. The relay transport support system according to feature 5.

7. The relay transport information management unit controls the relay transport information screen to display a location confirmation screen on which the location information of relay points and each driver constituting the relay transport is plotted on a map provided by an external map information providing device. The relay transport support system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the user terminal includes an application control unit that controls the display of a location confirmation screen plotting relay points, the user's own location information, and the location information of other drivers constituting the relay transport provided by the relay transport support system on a map provided by an external map information providing device.

8. The user terminal includes an application control unit that controls the user terminal to enable input of actions related to relay transport in response to the relay transport information received from the relay transport support system, and transmits location information acquired by the GPS device installed in the user terminal to the relay transport support system. The aforementioned actions include at least departure, arrival, and completion. The application control unit transmits the input action to the relay transport support system. The relay transport support system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the relay transport information management unit stores the actions received from the user terminal in association with the relay transport information as the transport status of each driver.

9. A program executed by a computer, wherein the computer, A first function that stores relay transport information, including relay points and driver information of each driver constituting the relay transport, A second function that transmits the aforementioned relay transport information to the user terminal of each driver, A third function that acquires location information transmitted from the user terminals of each driver who has viewed the aforementioned relay transport information and started moving, and transmits the location information of other drivers moving to the relay point to each user terminal, A fourth function is implemented which displays a relay transport information screen, including the relay transport information and the location information of each driver, on a predetermined display device. The fourth function described above is The system controls the selection or input of changeable relay points, and transmits relay point change information, including the selected or input relay points, to each driver's user terminal. The fourth function described above is The system receives responses from each driver's user terminal regarding changes to the relay points, and if each driver responds that they agree to the change, it updates the relay points in the relay transport information by changing them to the selected relay points, and also transmits the relay transport information, including the changed relay points, to each driver's user terminal. A program characterized by the following features.

10. A program executed by a computer, wherein the computer, A first function that stores relay transport information, including relay points and driver information of each driver constituting the relay transport, A second function that transmits the aforementioned relay transport information to the user terminal of each driver, A third function that acquires location information transmitted from the user terminals of each driver who has viewed the aforementioned relay transport information and started moving, and transmits the location information of other drivers moving to the relay point to each user terminal, A fourth function is implemented which displays a relay transport information screen, including the relay transport information and the location information of each driver, on a predetermined display device. The fourth function described above is The system receives a relay point change request, including the changed relay point, from the user terminal of any driver, and sends the received relay point change request as a relay point change request to the user terminal of another driver who is moving to the relay point. The fourth function described above is Upon receiving a response from the user terminal of the other driver regarding the request to change the relay point, and if the response is in agreement to the change of the relay point, the relay point in the relay transport information is changed to the changed relay point included in the relay point change request, the relay transport information is updated, and the relay transport information including the changed relay point is transmitted to each driver's user terminal. A program characterized by the following features.

Images