Servers for providing passenger services and their operation methods

Abstract

The present invention relates to a server for providing passenger services and an operating method thereof. The server can include a registered location database configured to store location information and image information related to each of previously registered boarding and alighting locations, a registered location management module configured to receive image data photographed from a vehicle providing passenger services during travel and additional information including location information related to each of the image data, and update the image information based on the additional information by using the image data, and a service providing module configured to, upon receiving a service providing request including location information and destination information related to a user from a user terminal, select a boarding location and an alighting location from among the boarding and alighting locations based on the location information and the destination information related to the user, and transmit boarding and alighting information including image data of the boarding location to the user terminal.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0138556, filed on October 23, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to a server and method for providing passenger services. Background Technology

[0004] Ride-sharing services refer to passenger transport services that connect vehicles and drivers with passengers via the Internet or mobile applications. When a user requests a ride-sharing service, the driver of the selected vehicle provides the service by picking up the user at a pick-up location determined by the user's location and transporting the user to a drop-off location determined by the user's destination.

[0005] To provide ride-sharing services, users and drivers need to share information related to pick-up and drop-off locations. Therefore, when the pick-up and drop-off locations are determined, the server operating the ride-sharing service provides this information to both the user's terminal and the vehicle's terminal.

[0006] The information disclosed in this background section of the present invention is only intended to enhance the understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be construed as an admission that the information constitutes prior art known to those skilled in the art or as any form of implication. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Various aspects of the present invention relate to providing a server and method for providing passenger transport services, which has the advantage of providing intuitive information about boarding and alighting locations to users and drivers, increasing convenience for users and drivers.

[0008] The server for providing passenger transport services may include: a registration location database configured to store location information and image information associated with each of the previously registered boarding and alighting locations; a registration location management module configured to receive image data captured from the vehicle providing the passenger transport service during operation and additional information including location information associated with each image data, and to update the image information based on the additional information using the image data; and a service provision module configured to, upon receiving a service provision request from a user terminal including user-related location information and destination information, select a boarding and alighting location from the boarding and alighting locations based on the user-related location information and destination information, and send boarding and alighting information including image data of the boarding location to the user terminal. The service provision module may be configured to obtain the image data of the boarding location from the image information associated with the location selected as the boarding location from the boarding and alighting locations.

[0009] The registration location management module can be configured to: select a candidate group corresponding to each boarding / alighting location in the image data based on the location information associated with each image data in the image data; assign priority to each image data included in the candidate group based on the object information extracted from each image data included in the candidate group; select the image data with the highest priority among the image data included in the candidate group as the final candidate image data; and update the image information associated with the corresponding boarding / alighting location by using the final candidate image data.

[0010] Object information may include information about the ratio of obstacles or moving objects in the corresponding image data. The registration location management module can be configured to set a lower priority for the corresponding image data when the ratio of objects corresponding to obstacles or the ratio of moving objects is high.

[0011] The registration location management module can be configured to exclude image data from the candidate group where the ratio of obstacles or the ratio of moving objects in the image data exceeds a predetermined value.

[0012] The object information may include information about the identified facility within the corresponding image data. The registration location management module can be configured to set the priority of the corresponding image data to high when the identified facility is registered as a Point of Interest (POI) or when the identified facility is a predetermined type of facility.

[0013] Additional information may also include information about the vehicle's direction of travel at the time of capture for each image data in the image data. The registration location management module can be configured to select, from the multiple image data including image data corresponding to different shooting directions, the image data whose shooting direction corresponds to the travel direction of the final candidate image data as the object to be updated, and update the image data selected as the object to be updated using the final candidate image data.

[0014] When the image information related to the selected boarding / alighting location includes multiple image data corresponding to different shooting directions, the service providing module can be configured to: obtain the user's approach direction to the boarding location based on the user's location information; and select the image data whose shooting direction matches the approach direction from the multiple image data as the image data of the boarding location.

[0015] An exemplary server may also include a vehicle database containing vehicle information associated with each of the vehicles. The service providing module may be configured to perform the following operations based on user-related location and destination information, as well as the vehicle information: selecting a vehicle from the vehicles to provide service to the user; obtaining image data of the alighting location from image information related to the location selected as the alighting location from the pick-up and drop-off locations; and sending the pick-up and drop-off information, including the image data of the pick-up and drop-off locations, to the vehicle terminal of the selected vehicle.

[0016] The service delivery module can be configured to send information about at least one of the vehicle identification number, the driver's contact number, and the current location of the selected vehicle to the user terminal.

[0017] The registration location database can be configured to store location information and image information associated with each of the previously registered transfer locations. The service providing module can be configured to send the location information and image data of each of at least one transfer location in the path from the boarding location to the alighting location, which includes transfer locations, to the vehicle terminal.

[0018] The registration location management module can be configured to update the image information associated with each transit location in the transit locations based on additional information using image data.

[0019] A transfer point can be a location corresponding to a side road, intersection, complex road, or alley.

[0020] A method of operating a server for providing passenger transport services, the method comprising: storing location information and image information associated with each of the previously registered pick-up and drop-off locations; receiving image data captured during operation from a vehicle providing passenger transport services and additional information including location information associated with each of the image data; updating the image information associated with each of the previously registered pick-up and drop-off locations based on the additional information by using the image data; receiving a service provision request from a user terminal including location information and destination information associated with the user; selecting a pick-up location and a drop-off location from the pick-up and drop-off locations based on the location information and destination information associated with the user; obtaining image data of the pick-up location from the image information associated with the location selected as the pick-up location; and sending the pick-up and drop-off information including the image data of the pick-up location to the user terminal.

[0021] The update may include: selecting a candidate group corresponding to each boarding / alighting location in the image data based on location information associated with each image data in the image data; assigning priority to each image data included in the candidate group based on object information extracted from each image data included in the candidate group; selecting the image data with the highest priority among the image data included in the candidate group as the final candidate image data; and updating the image information associated with the corresponding boarding / alighting location by using the final candidate image data.

[0022] Object information may include information about the ratio of obstacles or moving objects in the corresponding image data. Prioritization may include setting a lower priority for the corresponding image data when the ratio of objects or moving objects corresponding to obstacles is high.

[0023] Object information may include information about the identified facilities within the corresponding image data. Prioritization may include setting the priority of the corresponding image data to high when the identified facility is registered as a Point of Interest (POI) or when the identified facility is a predetermined type of facility.

[0024] Additional information may also include information about the vehicle's direction of travel at the time of capture for each image data in the image data. The update may include selecting, from the multiple image data including image data corresponding to different shooting directions, the image data whose shooting direction corresponds to the travel direction of the final candidate image data as the object to be updated, and updating the image data selected as the object to be updated using the final candidate image data.

[0025] The image data for obtaining the boarding location may include, when the image information related to the boarding / alighting location selected as the boarding location includes multiple image data corresponding to different shooting directions, obtaining the user's approach direction to the boarding location based on the user's location information; and selecting the image data whose shooting direction matches the approach direction from the multiple image data as the image data for the boarding location.

[0026] An exemplary operating method may further include: obtaining image data of the alighting location from image information related to the location selected as the alighting location from the pick-up and drop-off locations; selecting a vehicle from the vehicles that provides passenger transport services to the user based on location information and destination information related to the user and vehicle information related to each vehicle in the vehicle; and sending the pick-up and drop-off information, including the image data of the pick-up location and the image data of the alighting location, to the vehicle terminal of the selected vehicle.

[0027] An exemplary operating method may further include sending information about at least one of the vehicle identification number, the driver's contact number, and the current location of the selected vehicle to a user terminal.

[0028] An exemplary operating method may further include sending location information and image data of each of at least one of the transfer locations in the path from the boarding location to the alighting location, which includes previously registered transfer locations, to the vehicle terminal.

[0029] According to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, convenience for users and drivers can be increased by providing them with intuitive information about their pick-up and drop-off locations.

[0030] The methods and apparatus of the present invention have other features and advantages, which will be apparent or set forth in more detail from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 A passenger service system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0032] Figure 2 An operational server according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated schematically.

[0033] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for managing boarding and alighting locations by an operations server according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for managing transit locations by an operations server according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing passenger services by an operation server according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] It is understood that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and present slightly simplified representations of various features illustrating the basic principles of the invention. Specific design features of the invention included herein (including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, positions, and shapes) will be determined in part by the particular intended application and environment of use.

[0037] In the accompanying drawings, reference numerals refer to the same or equivalent parts of the invention throughout the various figures. Detailed Implementation

[0038] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. Although the invention will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that this description is not intended to limit the invention to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments that may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0039] In the following, various exemplary embodiments included in this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, the same or similar components will be represented by the same or similar reference numerals, and repeated descriptions will be omitted. The terms "module" and / or "unit" used for components in the following description are for ease of description only. Therefore, these terms do not have a meaning or function that distinguishes them from each other. In describing exemplary embodiments of this embodiment, detailed descriptions of well-known techniques associated with the invention may obscure the gist of the invention, and these are omitted. The accompanying drawings are provided only to facilitate understanding of the exemplary embodiments included in this embodiment and should not be construed as limiting the spirit included in this embodiment. It should be understood that the invention includes all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

[0040] Terms including ordinal numbers such as first, second, etc., will be used only to describe various components and should not be construed as limiting these components. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from other components.

[0041] It should be understood that when a component is referred to as "connected" or "coupled" to another component, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other component, or it can be connected or coupled to another component with another component in between. Furthermore, it should be understood that when a component is referred to as "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another component, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other component without another component in between.

[0042] It will be further understood that the terms “comprising” and “having” as used in this specification specify the presence of the said feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

[0043] In addition, the terms “-er”, “-or” and “module” described in the specification refer to a unit for processing at least one function and operation, and can be implemented by hardware components or software components and combinations thereof.

[0044] Figure 1 A passenger service system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0045] refer to Figure 1 The passenger transport service system is a system that provides passenger transport services in the form of ride-sharing, and may include an operation server 10, a user terminal 20, and a vehicle terminal 30.

[0046] The vehicle terminal 30 is installed in all vehicles that provide passenger transport services. Figure 1 The diagram shows n vehicles (which are natural numbers greater than 1) providing passenger transport services. Figure 1 Only one user terminal 20 is shown; however, the invention is not limited thereto. It will be understood that multiple user terminals may be used with the passenger service system.

[0047] Information is transmitted and received between user terminal 20 and operation server 10, and between vehicle terminals 301 to 30n and operation server 10, through communication network 40.

[0048] Users wishing to use the passenger service (hereinafter also referred to as passengers) can input destination-related information and user-related location information into user terminal 20, and user terminal 20 can send the input data to operation server 10. The user-related location information can be based on the currently identified location using the Global Positioning System (GPS) of user terminal 20. Optionally, the user-related location information can be information associated with a location specified by the user through user terminal 20.

[0049] User terminal 20 can receive information related to the boarding and alighting locations from the operation server 10. User terminal 20 can receive information from the operation server 10 such as vehicle identification number, vehicle driver contact information, expected arrival time of the vehicle at the boarding location (hereinafter referred to as expected boarding time), expected arrival time of the vehicle at the alighting location (hereinafter referred to as expected alighting time), and the boarding and alighting locations.

[0050] User terminal 20 can receive billing information for transportation service fees from operation server 10 and pay fees based on the billing information. User terminal 20 can also receive identification information for identifying passengers from operation server 10 and display the identification information on the display of user terminal 20.

[0051] User terminal 20 can be a smartphone, laptop computer, tablet PC, etc., and an application for using passenger transport services can be set up in user terminal 20. User terminal 20 can perform the aforementioned operations through the set application.

[0052] Each of vehicle terminals 301 to 30n is installed in each vehicle used in the passenger transport service. Each of vehicle terminals 301 to 30n can send the vehicle's current location to the operations server 10 in real time, and can receive from the operations server 10 information related to the boarding and alighting locations of each passenger using the vehicle, as well as information related to the expected boarding time at each boarding location and the expected alighting time at each alighting location. Each of vehicle terminals 301 to 30n can also receive identification information of each passenger using the vehicle from the operations server 10.

[0053] Each passenger's identification information can be sent from the operations server 10 to both the passenger's user terminal and the vehicle terminal of the vehicle the passenger is using.

[0054] The vehicle terminal 30 can be a smartphone, laptop computer, tablet PC, etc., and an application for providing passenger transport services can be installed in the vehicle terminal 30. The vehicle terminal 30 can perform the aforementioned operations through the installed application.

[0055] The operation server 10 receives destination and current location information from the user terminal 20, and can select the user's boarding and alighting locations corresponding to the information related to the current location and destination received from the user terminal 20. When selecting a user's boarding and alighting locations, the operation server 10 can select the vehicle to pass through the selected boarding and alighting locations.

[0056] The operations server 10 can send information related to the boarding and alighting locations, the expected boarding and alighting times, and passenger identification information to the vehicle terminal 30i (where i is a natural number from 1 to n) of the selected vehicle and the user terminal 20. Furthermore, the operations server 10 can also send the vehicle identification number, the driver's contact information, and fare information to the user terminal 20.

[0057] Furthermore, if applicable, user terminal 20 can also perform operations required to request passenger transport services. If applicable, vehicle terminal 30 can also perform operations required to provide passenger transport services. If applicable, operation server 10 can provide further services to user terminal 20 or vehicle terminal 30. The descriptions in the various exemplary embodiments of the present invention do not limit the application of technologies not described to the present invention. That is, new services can be provided by combining the present invention with currently known technologies, and the descriptions in the various exemplary embodiments of the present invention do not limit such variations.

[0058] In the following text, see references Figure 2 The configuration of the operation server 10 used to provide passenger services is described in detail.

[0059] Figure 2 An operational server according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated schematically.

[0060] refer to Figure 2 According to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the operation server 10 may include a vehicle database 11, a map database 12, a registration location database 13, a communication module 14, a traffic information receiving module 15, a registration location management module 16, a billing module 17, and a service provision module 18. Figure 2 The components shown are not necessarily essential to the various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and therefore the operating server 10 described in the various exemplary embodiments of the present invention may include more or fewer components than those described above.

[0061] The vehicle database 11 may include vehicle information related to each vehicle providing passenger transport services. The vehicle information related to each vehicle may include the vehicle identification number (VIN), driver contact information, current location information, vehicle travel information, passenger information, etc. Here, vehicle travel information may include whether the vehicle is in standby or in motion. Furthermore, vehicle travel information may also include vehicle-related movement path information, including information on boarding and alighting locations the vehicle will pass through when it is in motion. Passenger information may include information about passengers currently on board the vehicle (number of passengers, identity information, etc.).

[0062] Map database 12 can store map information in the form of digital maps. In the digital map information, each road can be divided into at least one link. The map information can include link information associated with each link. Here, link information can include link identification information, link characteristic information, link segment information (start point, end point), minimum / maximum speed information, road characteristic information (highway, expressway, etc.), point of interest (POI) information, etc. In addition, POI information is information about major facilities around each link (e.g., stations, airports, terminals, hotels, churches, schools, convenience stores, etc.), and can include identification information, location information, etc. of each facility.

[0063] The registration location database 13 can store information about each location registered as a boarding / alighting location in the passenger service (hereinafter referred to as boarding / alighting location information). Each boarding / alighting location information may include identification information, location information, image information, etc., of the boarding / alighting location. The image information associated with the boarding / alighting location may include image data taken around the boarding / alighting location. The image information associated with the boarding / alighting location may include multiple image data taken from different directions. For example, the image information associated with a boarding / alighting location located at an intersection may include multiple image data taken when approaching the boarding / alighting location from different side streets. When the image information associated with the boarding / alighting location includes multiple image data, the image information may also include information about the shooting direction (or approach direction) corresponding to each image data.

[0064] The registration location database 13 may also store information (hereinafter referred to as transfer location information) of each of the major transfer locations (or transit locations) traversed by vehicles providing passenger services during passenger transport. For example, the registration location database 13 may store locations requiring driver attention (such as side streets, intersections, highly complex roads, alleys, etc.) as transfer location information. Each transfer location information may include identification information, location information, image information, etc., of the transfer location. Image information associated with a transfer location may include image data taken around the transfer location. Image information associated with a transfer location may include multiple image data taken from different directions. For example, image information associated with a transfer location located at an intersection may include multiple image data taken when approaching the transfer location from different side streets. When image information associated with a transfer location includes multiple image data, the image information may also include information about the shooting direction (or approach direction) corresponding to each image data.

[0065] The communication module 14 can send and receive information with the user terminal 20 or the vehicle terminal 30 via the communication network 40. Furthermore, the communication module 14 can send and receive information with a traffic information providing server to receive traffic information.

[0066] The traffic information receiving module 15 can receive traffic information from the traffic information providing server via the communication module 14. Traffic information may include current speed information for each road, traffic event information, etc. Traffic events refer to various events occurring on similar roads, such as congestion, accidents, construction, etc., and traffic event information may include information about the type of traffic event, the section where the event occurred, etc.

[0067] The registration location management module 16 can manage the boarding / alighting location information and transfer location information stored in the registration location database 13.

[0068] The registration location management module 16 can receive image data captured by each vehicle terminal 30 during vehicle operation from each vehicle terminal 30 via the communication module 14.

[0069] Each vehicle terminal 30 can acquire image data of the surrounding environment (pedestrian area) of the road while the vehicle is in motion via a camera. For this purpose, the camera can be mounted in a position within the vehicle suitable for capturing the surrounding environment (e.g., on the side surface of the vehicle). Furthermore, the camera can be configured to face the surrounding environment and pedestrian area. The vehicle terminal 30 can acquire image data of the surrounding environment by capturing images via the camera while the vehicle is in motion. However, for efficiency, the vehicle terminal 30 can also acquire images of the surrounding environment only when a capture request is received from the driver or when passengers are boarding or alighting. Additionally, when the vehicle approaches a location registered as a boarding / alighting point or transfer point in the operation server 10, the vehicle terminal 30 can acquire images of the surrounding environment via the camera.

[0070] When the vehicle terminal 30 obtains image data of the road surrounding the vehicle through the camera, it can send the obtained image along with additional information (such as the vehicle's position and direction of travel when the image was taken, and records of getting in and out of the vehicle) to the operation server 10.

[0071] When the vehicle terminal 30 receives image data obtained in the manner described above and additional information about each image data, the registration location management module 16 can update the alighting and boarding location information stored in the registration location database 13 based on the received data and information.

[0072] The registration location management module 16 can select a candidate group of image data that can be selected as pick-up and drop-off locations from the image data received from the vehicle terminal 30 based on additional information associated with each image data. For example, when the location information associated with the image data of the vehicle at the time of shooting corresponds to a previously registered pick-up and drop-off location, the registration location management module 16 can include that image data in the candidate group of pick-up and drop-off locations.

[0073] When selecting a candidate group for each boarding / alighting location, the registration location management module 16 can extract objects corresponding to obstacles, moving objects, or facilities from each image data selected as a candidate group by executing object detection algorithms, moving object discrimination algorithms, and sign recognition algorithms. Here, the moving object discrimination algorithm can be implemented using camera-based image analysis techniques (such as deep learning).

[0074] The registration location management module 16 can obtain object information, including obstacle information, moving object information, and facility information, from each image data selected as a candidate group based on the type, quantity, and size of the objects extracted from each image data. Obstacle information may include information about the presence of objects (such as vehicles) designated as obstacles in the image data and the ratio of obstacles in the image data. Moving object information may include information about the presence of objects corresponding to moving objects such as vehicles, people, and motorcycles in the image data and the ratio of moving objects in the image data. Facility information may include information about the presence of identifiable facilities in the image data and the visibility of the identified facilities. The registration location management module 16 can extract identifiable facilities from the image data using a sign recognition algorithm and can determine the visibility of the corresponding facilities based on the extracted facility information (sign recognition information). When the facilities extracted from the image data are facilities registered as POIs in map information or are specific types of facilities that are easily identifiable by people (e.g., churches, schools, government offices, subway stations, convenience stores, etc.), the registration location management module 16 can identify such facilities with high visibility.

[0075] The registration location management module 16 can determine the priority of each image data based on object information extracted from each image data included in the candidate group. When an obstacle is present in the image data, and when the obstacle occupies a high percentage of the area in the image data, the registration location management module 16 can set the priority of the corresponding image data to be low. When a moving object is present in the image data, and when the moving object occupies a high percentage of the area in the image data, the registration location management module 16 can set the priority to be low. When an identifiable facility is present in the image data, and when the visibility of the identifiable facility is high, the registration location management module 16 can set the priority to be high.

[0076] The registration location management module 16 can exclude images from the candidate group whose area ratio of obstacles or moving objects in the image data is greater than a predetermined value. Therefore, when no image data is selected as a candidate group for a specific boarding / alighting location, the registration location management module 16 can use image data that the vehicle terminal 30 will later re-capture for that boarding / alighting location as a candidate group for updating the image information.

[0077] When determining the priority of each image data included in a candidate group, the registration location management module 16 can select the image data with the highest priority in each candidate group as the final candidate image data for that candidate group. When selecting the final candidate image data, the registration location management module 16 can update the image information related to the corresponding boarding / alighting location stored in the registration location database 13 using the final candidate image data. That is, when determining the final candidate image data in each candidate group, the registration location management module 16 can update the image information related to the corresponding boarding / alighting location in the image information stored in the registration location database 13 using the final candidate image data.

[0078] Updating image information related to the pick-up / drop-off location may be inefficient if the surrounding environment of the location does not change significantly. Therefore, the registration location management module 16 can update the image information related to the pick-up / drop-off location using image data received from the vehicle terminal 30, only for pick-up / drop-off locations where the surrounding environment has changed due to seasonal changes, facility changes, sign changes, road environment changes, etc. For this purpose, when determining the final candidate image data for the pick-up / drop-off location, the registration location management module 16 can compare the image data of that pick-up / drop-off location stored in the registration location database 13 with the final candidate image data, and can determine whether to update the image information related to the pick-up / drop-off location based on the comparison result. That is, the registration location management module 16 can extract feature points from both the final candidate image data and the image data of that pick-up / drop-off location stored in the registration location database 13, and when the difference between the feature points of the two image data is higher than a predetermined level, the image information related to the corresponding pick-up / drop-off location can be updated using the final candidate image data.

[0079] As described above, the image information related to the boarding / alighting positions stored in the registration location database 13 may include multiple image data corresponding to different shooting directions (or approach directions). In this case, the registration location management module 16 can identify the vehicle's driving direction when the final candidate image data was captured, along with the additional information received from the vehicle terminal 30. Furthermore, the registration location management module 16 can select the object to be updated from the multiple image data included in the image information related to the corresponding boarding / alighting positions based on the identified vehicle's driving direction. That is, the registration location management module 16 can select the image data in the image data of the corresponding boarding / alighting positions stored in the registration location database 13 where the identified vehicle's driving direction matches the shooting direction (i.e., approach direction) as the object to be updated. As described above, when selecting the object to be updated, the registration location management module 16 can replace the image data of the object to be updated with the final candidate image data based on the comparison results of feature points extracted from the final candidate image data and the image data of the object to be updated.

[0080] The registration location management module 16 can update the transit location information based on the image data received from the vehicle terminal 30.

[0081] The registration location management module 16 can select candidate groups of image data that can be selected as transit locations from the received image data based on the image data received from the vehicle terminal 30 and additional information about each image data. When selecting a candidate group for each transit location, the registration location management module 16 can extract obstacle information, moving object information, facility information, etc., from each image data selected as a candidate group, and can determine the priority of each image data included in the candidate group based on the extracted information. In addition, the registration location management module 16 can select the image data with the highest priority in the candidate group of each transit location as the final candidate image data for that transit location, and can update the image information related to the corresponding transit location stored in the registration location database 13 by using the selected final candidate image data. Here, selecting the final candidate image data corresponding to each transit location from the image data received from the vehicle terminal 30 and updating the image information related to the transit location by using the selected final candidate image data can be performed in the same way as selecting the final candidate image data for each boarding / alighting location and updating the image information related to the boarding / alighting location by using the selected final candidate image data.

[0082] The billing module 17 can receive service usage information related to the user (information about boarding and alighting locations, travel distance, etc.) from the service providing module 18, and can determine the fare based on the received service usage information. For example, the billing module 17 can determine the fare based on the distance traveled by the user using the vehicle providing the passenger service. When the fare based on the user's service usage is determined, the billing module 17 can send billing information, including information about the determined fare, to the service providing module 18.

[0083] The service provision module 18 can receive service request information requesting passenger transport services from the user terminal 20 via the communication module 14. The service request information may include destination information and location information related to the user. After receiving the user-related service request information, the service provision module 18 can select the user's boarding and alighting locations based on the boarding and alighting location information stored in the registration location database 13. The service provision module 18 can select the most easily accessible (or closest to the location) boarding location from the previously registered boarding and alighting locations indicated by the user-related location information, based on the boarding and alighting location information stored in the registration location database 13. Furthermore, the service provision module 18 can select the most easily accessible boarding and alighting location from the previously registered boarding and alighting locations indicated by the user-related destination information, based on the boarding and alighting location information stored in the registration location database 13, as the user's alighting location. When selecting the user's boarding and alighting locations, the service provision module 18 can send information about the boarding and alighting locations to the user terminal 20.

[0084] Furthermore, the service provision module 18 can select vehicles that will pass through the selected pick-up and drop-off locations based on information about the selected pick-up and drop-off locations and vehicle information associated with each vehicle stored in the vehicle database 11. For example, the service provision module 18 can select vehicles that will pass through the user's pick-up and drop-off locations from the currently moving vehicles based on vehicle driving information included in the vehicle information associated with each vehicle, i.e., vehicles that provide transportation services to the user.

[0085] When a vehicle is selected to provide transportation services to a user, the service provision module 18 can send information about the pick-up and drop-off locations, as well as the expected pick-up and drop-off times, to the vehicle terminal 30 of the selected vehicle. Furthermore, the service provision module 18 can also send information about the expected pick-up and drop-off times, along with vehicle information related to the selected vehicle (vehicle identification number, driver contact information, current location, etc.), to the user terminal 20. The service provision module 18 can additionally send the same user identification information to both the user terminal 20 and the vehicle terminal 30 of the selected vehicle, enabling the driver of the selected vehicle to identify the user.

[0086] When sending boarding location information to user terminal 20, service providing module 18 can additionally send image data of the boarding location. When a user selects a boarding location, service providing module 18 can read image information corresponding to the selected boarding location from the registration location database 13, and can send the image data of the boarding location to user terminal 20 in this way.

[0087] When there are multiple image data included in the image information related to the selected boarding location, the service providing module 18 can identify the user's approach direction relative to the boarding location through the location information associated with the user. Furthermore, the service providing module 18 can send image data whose user's approach direction and shooting direction (i.e., approach direction) are matched in the image data identified in the image data related to the image information associated with the selected boarding location to the user terminal 20 as image data of the boarding location.

[0088] User terminal 20, which receives image data of the boarding location from operation server 10, can display this image data on its monitor. As described above, the image data of the boarding location is actual image data of the surrounding environment of the boarding location. Therefore, the image data of the boarding location provides the user with intuitive information about the boarding location, making it easier for the user to reach the boarding location and increasing user convenience. By providing image data of the boarding location taken along the user's approach direction as an image of the boarding location, the user can more easily identify the boarding location.

[0089] When sending the boarding and alighting location information to the vehicle terminal 30 of the transport vehicle selected as the user, the service providing module 18 can also additionally send image data of the boarding and alighting locations. When selecting a user's boarding and alighting locations, the service providing module 18 can read the image information corresponding to each of the selected boarding and alighting locations from the registration location database 13, and can send the image data of each of the boarding and alighting locations to the vehicle terminal 30 of the selected vehicle in this manner.

[0090] When there are multiple image data included in the image information related to the selected boarding location, the service providing module 18 can identify the approach direction of the vehicle relative to the boarding location based on the current location information related to the vehicle selected as the transport vehicle. Furthermore, the service providing module 18 can send image data whose approach direction and shooting direction (i.e., approach direction) are matched to each other in the image data identified in the image information related to the selected boarding location to the vehicle terminal 30 as image data of the boarding location.

[0091] When there are multiple image data included in the image information related to the selected drop-off location, the service providing module 18 can identify the approach direction of the vehicle relative to the drop-off location based on the vehicle driving information related to the selected vehicle. Furthermore, the service providing module 18 can send image data whose approach direction and shooting direction (i.e., approach direction) are matched in the image data identified in the image information related to the selected drop-off location to the vehicle terminal 30 as image data of the drop-off location.

[0092] When the vehicle approaches the boarding location within a predetermined distance, the vehicle terminal 30, which receives image data of the boarding location from the operation server 10, can display the received image data of the boarding location on its display. Similarly, when the vehicle approaches the alighting location within a predetermined distance, the vehicle terminal 30, which receives image data of the alighting location from the operation server 10, can display the received image data of the alighting location on its display. The image data of the boarding or alighting location displayed on the vehicle terminal 30 provides intuitive information about the boarding or alighting location, making it easier for the driver to reach the boarding or alighting location and increasing driver convenience. Image data of the boarding and alighting locations taken along the direction of vehicle approach are set as images of the boarding and alighting locations, facilitating easier identification of the boarding and alighting locations by the driver.

[0093] The service provision module 18 can also additionally send information about at least one transfer location included in the path from the boarding location to the alighting location to the vehicle terminal 30 of the transport vehicle selected as the user. The service provision module 18 can identify transfer locations included in the path between the user's boarding location and alighting location based on transfer location information stored in the registration location database 13. Furthermore, when transfer location information stored in the registration location database 13 exists relative to at least one transfer location included in the path from the boarding location to the alighting location, this transfer location information can be sent to the vehicle terminal 30.

[0094] When multiple transfer location image data are included in transfer location information related to transfer locations on the path from the boarding location to the alighting location, the service providing module 18 can identify the approach direction of the vehicle relative to the transfer location based on vehicle driving information related to the vehicle selected as the transport vehicle. When the approach direction of the vehicle relative to the transfer location is identified, the service providing module 18 can send the image data in the image data included in the transfer location information related to that transfer location, where the approach direction of the vehicle matches the shooting direction (i.e., the approach direction), as the image data of that transfer location to the vehicle terminal 30.

[0095] When a vehicle approaches the corresponding transfer point within a predetermined distance, the vehicle terminal 30, which receives image data of the transfer point from the operation server 10, can display the received image data on its display. Therefore, the image of the transfer point displayed on the vehicle terminal 30 provides the driver with intuitive information about the transfer point, increasing driver convenience. Image data of the transfer point taken along the direction of the vehicle's approach is set as the image of the transfer point, allowing the driver to easily identify the vehicle's path on side roads, etc.

[0096] In addition, the service provision module 18 can send user-related service usage information (information about pick-up and drop-off locations, travel distance, etc.) to the billing module 17, and can receive corresponding billing information from the billing module 17. The travel distance information included in the service usage information corresponds to the travel distance of the vehicle from the pick-up location to the drop-off location, and can be determined based on map information stored in the map database 12. When the billing module 18 receives the billing information from the billing module 17, it sends the billing information to the user terminal 20 to request payment for the service fare.

[0097] Regarding the above-configured operation server 10, the functions of the traffic information receiving module 15, the registration location management module 16, the billing module 17, and the service provision module 18 can be executed by at least one processor, which is implemented by at least one central processing unit (CPU), other chipsets, or microprocessors.

[0098] In the following text, see references Figures 3 to 5 Describe the operation method of the operation server 10 that provides passenger transport services.

[0099] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for managing boarding and alighting locations by an operation server according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0100] refer to Figure 3In step S10, the operation server 10 can receive image data of the surrounding environment of the driving road from the vehicle terminal 30. In step S10, the operation server 10 can receive additional information related to each image data along with the image data, such as the vehicle's position and driving direction when the image data was captured, and records of getting on and off the vehicle.

[0101] In step S11, the operation server 10 selects a candidate group of image data that can be selected as previously registered boarding and alighting locations from the image data received in step S10. In step S11, the operation server 10 can select image data that corresponds to the vehicle position at the time of shooting and the previously registered boarding and alighting locations from the image data received in step S10 as the candidate group of the corresponding boarding and alighting locations.

[0102] When image data of the candidate group of boarding and alighting locations is selected through step S11, in step S12, the operation server 10 selects the final candidate image data of the boarding and alighting locations from the image data included in the candidate group.

[0103] In step S12, the operation server 10 can extract various information (obstacle information, moving object information, facility information, etc.) from each image data selected as a candidate group by executing object detection algorithms, sign recognition algorithms, etc., and can select the final candidate image data from the image data included in the candidate group based on the extracted information.

[0104] When the final candidate image data for the boarding / alighting location is selected in step S12, in step S13, the operation server 10 compares the image data of that boarding / alighting location stored in the registration location database 13 with the final candidate image data. Furthermore, when the difference between the two image data is higher than a predetermined level (S14-Yes), in step S15, the image information associated with that boarding / alighting location stored in the registration location database 13 is updated using the final candidate image data.

[0105] In step S13, the operation server 10 can extract feature points from the final candidate image data and the image data of the boarding / alighting location stored in the registration location database 13, and can compare the extracted feature points with each other.

[0106] Simultaneously, the image information related to the boarding / alighting locations stored in the registration location database 13 may include multiple image data corresponding to different shooting directions (or proximity directions). In this case, the operations server 10 can select one image data from the multiple image data included in the image information as the object to be updated, and in step S13, the image data of the selected object to be updated can be compared with the final candidate image data. Furthermore, in step S15, the operations server 10 can update the image data selected as the object to be updated from the image data included in the image information related to the boarding / alighting locations using the final candidate image data.

[0107] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for managing transit locations by an operations server according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0108] refer to Figure 4 In step S20, the operation server 10 can receive image data of the surrounding environment of the driving road from the vehicle terminal 30. In step S20, the operation server 10 can receive additional information related to each image data along with the image data, such as the vehicle's position and driving direction when the image data was captured, and records of getting on and off the vehicle.

[0109] In step S21, the operation server 10 selects a candidate group of image data that can be selected as previously registered transit locations from the image data received in step S20. In step S21, the operation server 10 can select image data from the image data received in step S20 that corresponds to the vehicle's position at the time of capture and a previously registered transit location as a candidate group for the corresponding transit location.

[0110] When a candidate group of image data for a transit location is selected in step S21, in step S22, the operations server 10 selects the final candidate image data for the transit location from the image data included in the candidate group.

[0111] In step S22, the operation server 10 can extract various information (obstacle information, moving object information, facility information, etc.) from each image data selected as a candidate group by executing object detection algorithms, sign recognition algorithms, etc., and can select the final candidate image data of the transit location from the image data included in the candidate group based on the extracted information.

[0112] When the final candidate image data for the transit location is selected in step S22, in step S23, the operations server 10 compares the image data of the transit location stored in the registration location database 13 with the final candidate image data. Furthermore, when the difference between the two image data is higher than a predetermined level (S24-Yes), in step S25, the image information associated with the transit location stored in the registration location database 13 is updated using the final candidate image data.

[0113] In step S23, the operation server 10 can extract feature points from the final candidate image data and the image data of the transit location stored in the registration location database 13, respectively, and can compare the extracted feature points with each other.

[0114] Simultaneously, the image information related to the transit location stored in the registration location database 13 may include multiple image data corresponding to different shooting directions (or proximity directions). In this case, the operations server 10 can select one image data from the multiple image data included in the image information as the object to be updated, and in step S23, the image data of the selected object to be updated can be compared with the final candidate image data. Furthermore, in step S25, the operations server 10 can update the image data selected as the object to be updated from the image data included in the image information related to the transit location using the final candidate image data.

[0115] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing passenger services by an operation server according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0116] refer to Figure 5 In step S30, the operation server 10 receives service request information requesting passenger transport services from the user terminal 20. Here, the service request information may include destination information and location information related to the user.

[0117] After receiving the service request information from the user terminal 20, in step S31, the operation server 10 selects the user's boarding and alighting locations based on the boarding and alighting location information stored in the registration location database 13. Furthermore, in step S32, the operation server 10 sends boarding and alighting information, including image data of the selected boarding location, to the user terminal 20.

[0118] In step S31, the operation server 10 can select the most easily accessible (or closest to the user) pick-up / drop-off location from the previously registered pick-up / drop-off locations, based on the pick-up / drop-off location information stored in the registration location database 13. Similarly, the operation server 10 can select the most easily accessible pick-up / drop-off location from the previously registered destination information, based on the pick-up / drop-off location information stored in the registration location database 13.

[0119] In step S32, the boarding and alighting information may include identification information and location information associated with each of the selected boarding and alighting locations, as well as image data of the selected boarding location. When a boarding and alighting location is selected, the operation server 10 can obtain the boarding and alighting location information corresponding to the selected boarding and alighting locations from the registration location database 13, and can generate boarding and alighting information to be sent to the user terminal 20 based on this.

[0120] When a pick-up and drop-off location is selected, in step S33, the operations server 10 selects vehicles that will pass through the selected pick-up and drop-off locations based on information about the selected pick-up and drop-off locations and vehicle information associated with each vehicle stored in the vehicle database 11. In step S33, the operations server 10 may select vehicles from the currently moving vehicles that will pass through the user's pick-up and drop-off locations—that is, vehicles providing transportation services to the user—based on vehicle driving information included in the vehicle information associated with each vehicle.

[0121] When a vehicle is selected to provide transportation services to the user in step S33, the operation server 10 sends vehicle information related to the selected vehicle to the user terminal 20 in step S34, and sends boarding and alighting information, including image data of boarding and alighting locations, to the vehicle terminal 30 of the selected vehicle in step S35.

[0122] In step S34, the vehicle information may include the vehicle identification number, the driver's contact information, and the vehicle's current location information, and can be obtained from the vehicle database 11. In step S34, the operations server 10 may also send information about the expected pick-up and drop-off times, as well as the vehicle information.

[0123] In step S35, the boarding and alighting information may include identification information and location information associated with each of the selected boarding and alighting locations, as well as image data of each of the selected boarding and alighting locations. When a boarding and alighting location is selected, the operation server 10 obtains the boarding and alighting location information corresponding to the selected boarding and alighting locations from the registration location database 13, and can generate boarding and alighting information to be sent to the vehicle terminal 30 based on this.

[0124] When the user terminal 20 receives service usage information from the operation server 10, such as information about the selected boarding and alighting locations and vehicle information about the selected vehicle, the user terminal 20 can display the received service usage information on the screen. After confirming this, the user can move to the selected boarding location and wait to board, and when the selected vehicle arrives at the boarding location, the user can board and use the passenger service.

[0125] In addition, when the vehicle terminal 30 receives boarding and alighting information from the operation server 10, it moves to the selected boarding location to allow the designated user to board and to the selected alighting location to allow the user to alight, thereby providing passenger transport services to the user.

[0126] In the exemplary embodiments described above, the operation method of the operating server can be implemented as computer-readable code recorded on a medium. The computer-readable medium includes all types of recording devices that store data that can be read by a computer system. Examples of computer-readable media include hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), silicon disk drives (SDDs), ROMs, RAMs, CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, etc., and may also include those implemented in carrier wave form (e.g., via the Internet). Furthermore, the computer may include a controller for the terminal.

[0127] For purposes of illustration and description, the foregoing description of specific exemplary embodiments of the invention has been presented. These descriptions are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and many modifications and variations will be apparent from the foregoing teachings. Exemplary embodiments were chosen and described to explain certain principles of the invention and its practical application, so that others skilled in the art can make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the invention and their various alternatives and modifications. The scope of the invention is intended to be defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A server for providing a passenger service, the server comprising: a registered location database configured to store location information and image information related to each of previously registered boarding and alighting locations; a registered location management module configured to receive image data photographed during travel from a vehicle providing the passenger service and additional information including location information related to each of the image data, and to update the image information by using the image data based on the additional information; and a service providing module configured to, upon receiving a service providing request including location information and destination information related to a user from a user terminal, select a boarding location and an alighting location from among the boarding and alighting locations based on the location information and the destination information related to the user, and transmit boarding and alighting information including image data of the boarding location to the user terminal, wherein the service providing module is configured to obtain image data of the boarding location from image information related to a location selected as the boarding location from among the boarding and alighting locations, and wherein, when the image information related to the boarding and alighting location selected as the boarding location includes a plurality of image data corresponding to different photographing directions, the service providing module is configured to: obtain an approaching direction of the user to the boarding location based on the location information related to the user; and select, as the image data of the boarding location, image data in which a corresponding photographing direction matches the approaching direction among the plurality of image data.

2. The server of claim 1, wherein, the registered location management module is configured to: select a candidate group corresponding to each of the boarding and alighting locations among the image data based on the location information related to each of the image data; assign a priority to each of the image data included in the candidate group based on object information extracted from each of the image data included in the candidate group; select, as final candidate image data, image data having the highest priority among the image data included in the candidate group; and update the image information related to the corresponding boarding and alighting location by using the final candidate image data. 3.The server of claim 2, the object information includes information on a ratio of an obstacle or a ratio of a moving object in corresponding image data; and wherein wherein the registered location management module is configured to set a lower priority for the corresponding image data when a ratio of an object corresponding to the obstacle or a ratio of the moving object is higher. the registered location management module is configured to exclude, from the candidate group, image data in which a ratio of an obstacle in the image data or a ratio of a moving object in the image data is higher than a predetermined value.

4. The server of claim 3, wherein, 5.The server of claim 2, the object information includes information on an identified facility within corresponding image data; and wherein ​ wherein the registered location management module is configured to set a priority of the corresponding image data to be high when the identified facility is a facility registered as a point of interest or when the identified facility is a facility of a predetermined type.

6. The server of claim 2, wherein the additional information further includes information of a driving direction of the vehicle at the time of photographing for each of the image data; and wherein the registered location management module is configured to, for image information including a plurality of image data corresponding to different photographing directions, select, among the plurality of image data included in the image information, image data of which photographing direction corresponds to the driving direction of the final candidate image data as an object to be updated, and update the image data selected as the object to be updated by using the final candidate image data.

7. The server of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle database including vehicle information related to each of the vehicles, wherein, the service providing module is configured to perform the following operations based on the location information and the destination information related to the user and the vehicle information: selecting a vehicle from among the vehicles to provide the passenger service to the user; obtaining image data of the drop-off location from image information related to a location selected as the drop-off location from among the boarding and drop-off locations; and transmitting boarding and drop-off information including the image data of the boarding location and the image data of the drop-off location to a vehicle terminal of the selected vehicle.

8. The server of claim 7, wherein, the service providing module is configured to transmit information on at least one of a vehicle identification number, a contact number of a driver, and a current location of the selected vehicle to the user terminal.

9. The server of claim 7, wherein the registered location database is configured to store location information and image information related to each of previously registered transfer locations; and wherein the service providing module is configured to transmit, to the vehicle terminal, location information and image data of each of at least one transfer location included in a path from the boarding location to the drop-off location among the transfer locations.

10. The server of claim 9, wherein, the registered location management module is configured to update the image information related to each of the transfer locations based on the additional information by using the image data.

11. The server of claim 9, wherein, the transfer location is a location corresponding to a branch, an intersection, a high-complexity road, or an alley.

12. An operating method of a server for providing a passenger service, the operating method comprising the steps of: storing location information and image information related to each of previously registered boarding and drop-off locations; receiving image data photographed from a vehicle providing the passenger service during driving and additional information including location information related to each of the image data; updating the image information related to each of the previously registered boarding and drop-off locations by using the image data based on the additional information; receiving a service providing request including location information and destination information related to a user from a user terminal; selecting a boarding location and an alighting location from among the boarding and alighting locations based on the location information and the destination information related to the user; obtaining image data of the boarding location from image information related to a location selected as the boarding location from among the boarding and alighting locations; and transmitting boarding and alighting information including the image data of the boarding location to the user terminal, wherein the obtaining of the image data of the boarding location includes the steps of: when the image information related to the boarding and alighting locations selected as the boarding location includes a plurality of image data corresponding to different photographing directions, obtaining an approaching direction of the user to the boarding location based on the location information related to the user; and selecting, among the plurality of image data, image data in which a corresponding photographing direction matches the approaching direction as the image data of the boarding location.

13. The method of operation of claim 12, wherein, the updating includes the steps of: selecting a candidate group corresponding to each of the boarding and alighting locations among the image data based on the location information related to each of the image data; assigning a priority to each of the image data included in the candidate group based on object information extracted from each of the image data included in the candidate group; selecting, among the image data included in the candidate group, image data having the highest priority as final candidate image data; and updating the image information related to the corresponding boarding and alighting location by using the final candidate image data.

14. The operation method according to claim 13, the object information includes information on a ratio of an obstacle or a ratio of a moving object in corresponding image data; and wherein, wherein the assigning of the priority includes the step of setting a lower priority to the corresponding image data when the ratio of the object corresponding to the obstacle or the ratio of the moving object is higher.

15. The operation method according to claim 13, the object information includes information on an identified facility within corresponding image data; wherein, wherein the assigning of the priority includes the step of setting a high priority to the corresponding image data when the identified facility is a facility registered as a point of interest or when the identified facility is a facility of a predetermined type.

16. The operation method according to claim 13, the additional information further includes information on a driving direction of the vehicle at the time of photographing for each of the image data; and wherein wherein the updating includes the steps of: for image information including a plurality of image data corresponding to different photographing directions, selecting, among the plurality of image data included in the image information, image data in which a photographing direction corresponds to a driving direction of the final candidate image data as an object to be updated; and updating the image data selected as the object to be updated by using the final candidate image data.

17. The operation method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of: ​ obtaining image data of the drop-off location from image information related to a location selected as the drop-off location among the boarding and drop-off locations; selecting a vehicle that provides the passenger service to the user from among the vehicles based on the location information and the destination information related to the user and vehicle information related to each of the vehicles; and transmitting boarding and drop-off information including image data of the boarding location and image data of the drop-off location to a vehicle terminal of the selected vehicle.

18. The method of operation of claim 17, further comprising the step of: transmitting information on at least one of a vehicle identification number, a driver's contact number, and a current location of the selected vehicle to the user terminal.

19. The method of operation of claim 17, further comprising the step of: transmitting location information and image data of each of at least one transfer location included in a path from the boarding location to the drop-off location among previously registered transfer locations to the vehicle terminal.

Images