Site display method

Abstract

The invention relates to a site display method. The present disclosure improves a technique for improving the convenience of a service for renting a mobile object. A terminal device (10) displays a plurality of sites serving as places where a mobile body is rented and returned on a screen of the terminal device (10). Next, the terminal device (10) identifies the group to which each of the plurality of stations belongs. Then, the terminal device (10) displays, on the plurality of sites displayed on the screen, each site belonging to a first group to which a first site selected by a user from among the plurality of sites belongs, in a first scheme, and displays, in a second scheme, each site belonging to a group other than the first group.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a site display method. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there are known technologies for improving the convenience of mobile rental services such as car sharing services. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that, when a user selects a station from among presented candidates for a location to rent or return a mobile, selection is restricted to stations other than the group to which the station belongs.

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-062636

[0006] There is room for improvement in the technology for improving the convenience of rental vehicle services. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present disclosure has been made in view of such circumstances and aims to improve the technology related to the service of renting a mobile object.

[0008] A site display method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a method performed by a terminal device that provides a service for renting a mobile body, wherein the site display method includes: displaying a plurality of sites that serve as places for renting and returning the mobile body on a screen of the terminal device; determining a group to which each of the plurality of sites belongs; and displaying, among the plurality of sites displayed on the screen, sites belonging to a first group in a first scheme, and displaying sites belonging to a group other than the first group in a second scheme, wherein the first group is a group to which a first site selected by a user from among the plurality of sites belongs.

[0009] Effects of the Invention

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a technology for improving the convenience of a service of renting a mobile body can be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Figure 1 This is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 2 This is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a terminal device.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information processing device.

[0014] Figure 4This is a flowchart showing the operation of the terminal device.

[0015] Description of reference numerals:

[0016] 1: system;

[0017] 10: terminal device;

[0018] 11: Ministry of Communications;

[0019] 12: output unit;

[0020] 13: Input unit;

[0021] 14: storage unit;

[0022] 15: Control department;

[0023] 16: Positioning unit;

[0024] 20: Information processing device;

[0025] 21: Ministry of Communications;

[0026] 22: storage unit;

[0027] 23: Control Department;

[0028] 30: Network. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described.

[0030] (Overview of Embodiments)

[0031] Reference Figure 1 , the outline of the system 1 of the embodiment of the present disclosure is described. The system 1 includes an information processing device 20 and a plurality of terminal devices 10. Each terminal device 10 and the information processing device 20 are connected to a network 30 including the Internet and a mobile communication network, for example, so as to be able to communicate.

[0032] The terminal device 10 is, for example, a computer such as a PC (Personal Computer), a smartphone, or a tablet terminal, but is not limited to these examples and may include various devices.

[0033] The information processing device 20 is, for example, a computer such as a server device. The information processing device 20 can communicate with a plurality of terminal devices 10 via the network 30. In the present embodiment, the information processing device 20 may be, for example, a server of a provider of a mobile vehicle rental service such as a car sharing service.

[0034] This embodiment can be used for an application that collectively displays sites owned by multiple providers of mobile rental services on one screen of a terminal device. Hereinafter, the "group" described below refers to a group of sites grouped according to the providers that own the sites.

[0035] First, the outline of the present embodiment is described, and the details will be described later. The terminal device 10 displays a plurality of sites that are places for renting and returning mobile objects on the screen of the terminal device 10. Next, the terminal device 10 determines the groups to which the plurality of sites belong. Then, the terminal device 10 displays the sites belonging to the first group in the first scheme among the plurality of sites displayed on the screen, and displays the sites belonging to the group other than the first group in the second scheme, wherein the first group is the group to which the first site selected by the user from among the plurality of sites belongs.

[0036] Thus, according to the present embodiment, when a user selects a site, the display scheme can be changed according to the group to which the site belongs. For example, when a user selects a site owned by provider A as a rental location when utilizing the mobile rental service, sometimes a site other than the site owned by provider A cannot be selected as a return location. In this case, only the selection of sites is restricted, and the user may find it difficult to understand the relationship between the selected site and other sites. However, according to the present embodiment, the relationship between the site selected by the user and other sites can be visually provided, so that the user can easily grasp the relationship between the sites. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the technology for improving the convenience of the mobile rental service is improved in that the user can easily grasp the relationship between the site selected by the user and other sites.

[0037] Next, each component of the system 1 will be described in detail.

[0038] (Terminal Device Configuration)

[0039] like Figure 2 As shown, the terminal device 10 includes a communication unit 11 , an output unit 12 , an input unit 13 , a storage unit 14 , a control unit 15 , and a positioning unit 16 .

[0040] The communication unit 11 includes one or more communication interfaces connected to the network 30. The communication interface corresponds to a mobile communication standard such as 4G (4th Generation: fourth generation mobile communication technology) or 5G (5th Generation: fifth generation mobile communication technology), but is not limited thereto. In the present embodiment, the terminal device 10 communicates with the information processing device 20 via the communication unit 11 and the network 30.

[0041] The output unit 12 includes one or more output devices for outputting information. The output device may be, for example, a display for outputting information through images, or a speaker for outputting information through sounds, but is not limited thereto. Alternatively, the output unit 12 may also include an interface for connecting to an external output device.

[0042] The input unit 13 includes one or more input devices for detecting input operations performed by the user. The input device may be, for example, a physical key, an electrostatic capacitance key, a mouse, a touch panel, a touch screen integrated with the display of the output unit 12, or a microphone, but is not limited thereto. Alternatively, the input unit 13 may also include an interface for connecting an external input device.

[0043] The storage unit 14 includes one or more memories. The memory is, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, or an optical memory, but is not limited thereto. Each memory included in the storage unit 14 may also function as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 14 stores any information used in the operation of the terminal device 10. For example, the storage unit 14 may also store system programs, application programs, and embedded software. Alternatively, the information stored in the storage unit 14 may be updated, for example, by information obtained from the network 30 via the communication unit 11.

[0044] The control unit 15 includes one or more processors, one or more programmable circuits, one or more dedicated circuits, or a combination thereof. The processor is, for example, a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor specifically used for specific processing, but not limited to this. The programmable circuit is, for example, an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), but not limited to this. The dedicated circuit is, for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), but not limited to this. The control unit 15 controls the overall operation of the terminal device 10.

[0045] The positioning unit 16 includes one or more devices for acquiring position information of the terminal device 10. Specifically, the positioning unit 16 includes, for example, a receiver corresponding to the GPS (Global Positioning System), but is not limited thereto and may include a receiver corresponding to any satellite positioning system.

[0046] (Configuration of Information Processing Device)

[0047] like Figure 3As shown, the information processing device 20 includes a communication unit 21 , a storage unit 22 , and a control unit 23 .

[0048] The communication unit 21 includes one or more communication interfaces connected to the network 30. The communication interface corresponds to, for example, a mobile communication standard, a wired LAN (Local Area Network) standard, or a wireless LAN standard, but is not limited thereto and may correspond to any communication standard. In the present embodiment, the information processing device 20 communicates with a plurality of terminal devices 10 via the communication unit 21 and the network 30.

[0049] The storage unit 22 includes one or more memories. Each memory included in the storage unit 22 may function as a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory, for example. The storage unit 22 stores any information used in the operation of the information processing device 20. For example, the storage unit 22 may also store system programs, application programs, embedded software, and databases. Alternatively, the information stored in the storage unit 22 may be updated by, for example, information obtained from the network 30 via the communication unit 21.

[0050] The control unit 23 includes one or more processors, one or more programmable circuits, one or more dedicated circuits, or a combination thereof. The processor is, for example, a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor specifically used for specific processing, but not limited to this. The programmable circuit is, for example, an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), but not limited to this. The dedicated circuit is, for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), but not limited to this. The control unit 23 controls the overall operation of the information processing device 20.

[0051] (Operation flow of terminal device)

[0052] Reference Figure 4 The operation of the terminal device 10 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0053] S100: The control unit 15 of the terminal device 10 displays a plurality of sites serving as places for renting and returning movable bodies on a screen which is one of the output units 12 of the terminal device 10.

[0054] Specifically, the control unit 15 receives information about a plurality of sites that are places for renting and returning the mobile body from the information processing device 20 via the communication unit 11 and the network 30. Then, the control unit 15 stores the information about the plurality of sites in the storage unit 14, and displays the plurality of sites on the screen of the terminal device 10 based on the information about the plurality of sites.

[0055] "Site information" includes, for example, arbitrary information indicating the location of the site, such as the address, latitude and longitude, and information on the group to which the site belongs, but is not limited to this. For example, it may also include arbitrary information related to the site, such as the scale of the site, the cost of using the site, the number of mobile bodies owned by the site, the number of mobile bodies that can be used at the site, the types of mobile bodies owned by the site, customers, and the customer loyalty of each customer.

[0056] "Group" refers to a group of sites that are gathered based on arbitrary conditions, such as the provider that owns the site, or the area divided by prefecture, city, town, or village. "Information on the group to which the site belongs" includes information that can identify which group each site belongs to, such as information on the provider that owns the site. The conditions of the group are changeable.

[0057] Furthermore, for example, the control unit 15 may limit the stations to be displayed on the screen of the terminal device 10 by causing the positioning unit 16 to display stations located near the terminal device 10 on the screen.

[0058] In addition, for example, the control unit 15 may display a table on the screen of the terminal device 10 in which the user can input the conditions of the sites to be displayed, and limit the multiple sites displayed on the screen of the terminal device 10 based on the conditions input by the user. For example, when the user inputs the vehicle type that the user wants to use as a condition on the screen of the terminal device 10, the control unit 15 may display on the screen only the sites whose vehicle type information input by the user is included in the site information, among the multiple site information stored in the storage unit 14.

[0059] The condition for the site to be displayed may be any condition other than the above-mentioned vehicle type.

[0060] S101: The control unit 15 determines the group to which each of the plurality of sites belongs.

[0061] Specifically, the control unit 15 specifies the group to which each of the plurality of stations belongs, using information on the group to which each station belongs, which is included in the information on the plurality of stations stored in the storage unit 14 .

[0062] S102: The control unit 15 displays, among the plurality of sites displayed on the screen, sites belonging to a first group in a first scheme and sites belonging to a group other than the first group in a second scheme, wherein the first group is the group to which the first site selected by the user from among the plurality of sites belongs.

[0063] Specifically, the control unit 15 determines a site selected by the user from a plurality of sites as the first site. Next, for example, when the provider that owns the first site selected by the user is set to A, the control unit 15 may display the sites owned by A (belonging to the first group) in green, which gives a sense of security, and display the sites owned by providers other than A (belonging to groups other than the first group) in gray, which gives a low-key impression.

[0064] The "scheme" can be, for example, a scheme based on colors such as red, blue, and yellow as described above, or a scheme based on shapes such as circles and double circles, or a scheme based on numbers or symbols, but a variety of schemes not limited to these schemes can also be used.

[0065] Furthermore, the control unit 15 may display the first site in the first scheme, or may display the first site in a scheme different from the first scheme and the second scheme.

[0066] Furthermore, after the user selects the first site, the control unit 15 can select whether to select the first site as a rental site or a return site. The method for allowing the user to select the first site as a rental site or a return site may be, for example, displaying a message box on the screen of the terminal device 10, but is not limited thereto, and any method may be used. Alternatively, the screen for selecting a site as a rental site and the screen for selecting a site as a return site may be different screens.

[0067] Furthermore, the control unit 15 may allow the user to reselect the site selected by the user on the screen.

[0068] As described above, the terminal device 10 displays a plurality of sites that are places for renting and returning a mobile body on the screen of the terminal device 10. Next, the terminal device 10 determines the groups to which the plurality of sites belong. Then, among the plurality of sites displayed on the screen, the terminal device 10 displays sites belonging to a first group in a first scheme and displays sites belonging to a group other than the first group in a second scheme, wherein the first group is the group to which the first site selected by the user from among the plurality of sites belongs.

[0069] According to such a configuration, when a user selects a site, the display scheme can be changed according to the group to which the site belongs. For example, when a user selects a site owned by provider A as a rental location when utilizing the mobile rental service, sometimes a site other than the site owned by provider A cannot be selected as a return location. In this case, only the selection of sites is restricted, and the user may find it difficult to understand the relationship between the selected site and other sites. However, according to this embodiment, the relationship between the site selected by the user and other sites can be visually provided, so that the user can easily understand the relationship between the sites. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the technology for improving the convenience of the mobile rental service is improved in that the user can easily understand the relationship between the site selected by the user and other sites.

[0070] The present disclosure is described based on the drawings and embodiments, but it should be noted that those skilled in the art can also make various deformations and changes based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these deformations and changes are included in the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the functions included in each component or each step can be reconfigured in a logically non-contradictory manner, and multiple components or steps can be combined into one, or divided.

[0071] For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, an embodiment in which the configuration and operation of the terminal device 10 are distributed to a plurality of computers that can communicate with each other may be adopted. In addition, for example, an embodiment in which a part or all of the components of the terminal device 10 are provided in the information processing device 20 may also be adopted. For example, the information processing device 20 may also have a part or all of the components of the terminal device 10.

[0072] In addition, for example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the group is set to a site group obtained by grouping the providers that own the site, but the grouping may be performed based on other factors. For example, the group may be set to a site group that is gathered based on arbitrary conditions such as the area to which the site belongs (for example, prefecture, city, town, village), the type of service for renting a mobile body (for example, car rental, car sharing), etc.

[0073] In addition, for example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, after the user selects the first site as the rental site, the user may further select the second site as the return site. Here, the control unit 15 may redisplay the second site and sites belonging to the second group to which the second site belongs in the third scheme when the second site further selected by the user from among the plurality of sites belongs to the second group in a state where the first site has been determined.

[0074] Specifically, the control unit 15 determines a site further selected by the user from the plurality of sites as the second site when the first site is determined. Then, for example, when provider A owns the first site and provider B owns the second site, the control unit 15 redisplays the second site and the site owned by B (belonging to the second group) in black.

[0075] For example, the rental location and the return location may be the same location. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first site and the second site may also be the same.

[0076] It should be noted that the control unit 15 may also be configured to perform different subsequent processing when the second station belongs to the first group and when the second station belongs to a group other than the first group. For example, the control unit 15 may adopt any of the following different processing: when the second station belongs to the first group, display the next screen, and when the second station belongs to a group other than the first group, display a message, etc.

[0077] Furthermore, for example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the control unit 15 may display the sites belonging to the third group among the sites belonging to the groups other than the first group in the fourth scheme. For example, when provider A owns the first site, the control unit 15 may display the sites owned by A (belonging to the first group) in green, display the sites owned by provider C (belonging to the third group) in yellow, and display the other sites (neither belonging to the first group nor the third group) in gray.

[0078] In addition, for example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the control unit 15 may display the sites that satisfy the first predetermined condition among the sites belonging to the group other than the first group in the first scheme. For example, the control unit 15 may display the sites that pay an extra fee among the sites belonging to the group other than the first group in the first scheme.

[0079] The first specified condition may also be set to any condition other than the above-mentioned payment of the additional fee. For example, the first specified condition may also be set to any condition such as the user's customer loyalty to the site is high (when customer loyalty is expressed as a numerical value, it is greater than or equal to a specified value (e.g., 5)), the site is owned by the associated provider D of the provider A that owns the first site, etc. It should be noted that the first specified condition is changeable.

[0080] In addition, for example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the control unit 15 may display the sites that satisfy the second specified condition among the sites that belong neither to the first group nor to the third group in the third scheme. The second specified condition may be set to any condition, similar to the first specified condition. It should be noted that the first specified condition and the second specified condition may be the same or different. In addition, the second specified condition may also be changeable.

[0081] In addition, for example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the control unit 15 may display each of the multiple sites in a manner that can distinguish the recommendation degree of each of the multiple sites. Specifically, the control unit 15 sets the recommendation degree of each of the multiple sites. Then, for example, in the case where colors are used in the first scheme and the second scheme, the control unit 15 displays the site whose recommendation degree is higher than the specified value in a dark color, and displays the site whose recommendation degree is less than or equal to the specified value in a light color. It should be noted that the method of displaying each site in a distinguishable manner is the same as the scheme, and may not be a color-based scheme, but a scheme based on shapes such as circles and double circles, or a scheme based on numbers or symbols, but is not limited to these schemes, and various schemes different from the schemes used in the first scheme and the second scheme may also be used.

[0082] For example, when colors are used in the first and second scenarios, the control unit 15 displays the site in a darker color as the recommendation degree is higher, and displays the site in a lighter color as the recommendation degree is lower.

[0083] As for the recommendation degree set for each site, for example, the larger the scale of the site, the higher the recommendation degree is set. As for the recommendation degree set for each site, for example, the cheaper the fee for using the site, the higher the recommendation degree is set. As for the recommendation degree set for each site, for example, the more the number of mobile bodies owned by the site, the higher the recommendation degree is set. As for the recommendation degree set for each site, for example, the more the number of mobile bodies that can be used in the site, the higher the recommendation degree is set. As for the recommendation degree set for each site, for example, the more the types of mobile bodies owned by the site, the higher the recommendation degree is set. As for the recommendation degree set for each site, for example, the more the number of actual usage performances of the site, the higher the recommendation degree is set. However, the recommendation degree set for each site is not limited to this, and the recommendation degree can also be set for each of the one or more places based on various conditions.

[0084] The conditions used for setting the recommendation degree are changeable and can be changed by the user.

[0085] In addition, for example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, when a site is selected by a user from a plurality of sites, the control unit 15 determines a site whose recommendation degree is changed among the plurality of sites, and based on the changed recommendation degree, redisplays each of the sites whose recommendation degree is changed in a manner that can distinguish the recommendation degrees of each of the sites whose recommendation degrees are changed.

[0086] Specifically, for example, when the recommendation degree is preset based on the fee when using the site, and the user uses the first site as the rental site, the fee may be different depending on the second site that becomes the return site. In this case, when the first site is determined, the control unit 15 resets the recommendation degree for each of the plurality of sites based on whether the site can be selected as the return site, whether an additional fee is incurred, and the additional fee incurred. Then, the control unit 15 displays each of the sites whose recommendation degrees have been reset based on the reset recommendation degrees in a manner that allows the recommendation degrees of the sites whose recommendation degrees have been reset to be distinguished.

[0087] It should be noted that the conditions for resetting the recommendation level for each station after the first station is determined may be the same or different. For example, when the recommendation level is pre-set based on the fee for using the station and the user uses the first station as a return location, the control unit 15 may set the recommendation level for each station after the first station is determined based on the scale of each station.

[0088] After the user selects a site from a plurality of sites, the recommendation degree conditions set for each site are changeable and can be changed by the user.

[0089] In addition, for example, a general-purpose computer may be used as the terminal device 10 of the above-mentioned embodiment to perform the functions. Specifically, a program describing the processing contents of each function of the terminal device 10 of the above-mentioned embodiment is stored in the memory of a general-purpose computer, and the program is read and executed by a processor. Therefore, the present disclosure may also be implemented as a program executable by a processor, or a non-temporary computer-readable medium storing the program.

Claims

1. A site display method, executed by a terminal device providing a mobile body rental service, wherein: The site display method comprises: Displaying a plurality of sites as places for renting and returning the movable body on a screen of the terminal device; determining the group to which each of the plurality of sites belongs; and Among the plurality of sites displayed on the screen, sites belonging to a first group are displayed in a first scheme, and sites belonging to a group other than the first group are displayed in a second scheme, wherein the first group is a group to which a first site selected by a user from among the plurality of sites belongs.

2. The site display method according to claim 1, further comprising: In a state where the first site is determined, if a second site further selected by the user from among the plurality of sites belongs to a second group, the second site and sites belonging to the second group to which the second site belongs are redisplayed in a third scheme.

3. The site display method according to claim 1, further comprising: Among the sites belonging to a group other than the first group, sites that satisfy a predetermined condition are displayed in the first scenario.

4. The site display method according to claim 1, further comprising: Each of the plurality of sites is displayed in a manner that allows the recommendation degree of each of the plurality of sites to be distinguished.

5. The site display method according to claim 4, further comprising: When the first site is selected by the user, determining a site among the plurality of sites for which the recommendation degree is reset; as well as Based on the reset recommendation degree, each of the sites for which the recommendation degree has been reset is redisplayed in a manner that allows the recommendation degree of each site to be distinguished.

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