Procedures and system for organizing carpools

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for organizing carpools, wherein in an established carpool a first person transports at least one other person in their vehicle, wherein a central computing device mediates between the first person and the at least one other person, and wherein the persons have stored contact details with the central computing device. The method according to the invention is characterized in that - the first person and at least one other person each have their own vehicle, and the vehicles each transmit journey information to the central computing facility, the journey information describing journeys carried out in the past with the respective vehicle, each journey being described by at least a starting point (1), a destination point (2), a starting time and an arrival time; - the central computing unit compares at least a subset of the received journey information with each other in order to determine at least partial overlap of the journeys of at least two persons; and - the central computing unit forwards the contact details of the first person to at least one other person and forwards the contact details of at least one other person to the first person if the central computing unit detects an overlap of journeys of the first person and at least one other person in the examined set of journey information.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for organizing carpools according to the type defined in more detail in the preamble of claim 1 and to a corresponding system for carrying out the method.

[0002] In a carpool, at least two people share the same means of transport, typically their own private car. This means that only one means of transport is on the road instead of two. The people can share the travel costs and thus save money. In addition, greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, which benefits the environment. The more people involved in the carpool, the greater the respective effect. Organizing carpools, however, is difficult because a group of people must be found who want to travel the same distance at the same time. Various organization portals are available for this purpose, although organizing carpools still involves a comparatively high level of manual effort.

[0003] The provision of transport services using mobile devices is known from DE 101 13 803 A1. This document describes the division of a group of people into so-called providers and passengers. The providers can inform a central computer about the time slot in which they plan to travel from a starting point to a destination. The passengers can submit a ride-sharing request to the central computer, i.e., inquire whether a provider has planned a corresponding trip from the desired starting point to the desired destination for a specific time slot. The central computer then mediates between the providers and passengers, allowing the respective passenger to book themselves as a passenger for the trip offered by the respective provider. The disadvantage, however, is that both the provider and the passenger must proactively inform the central computer about which trips are planned in the future.

[0004] In addition, DE 10 2020 111 475 A1 discloses a method and system for operating a mobility solution for a vehicle fleet. This document addresses the problem that people are reluctant to use carpooling because they do not want to travel with a stranger. Here, too, a central computing device mediates between different people to organize carpools. In addition to the planned trips, the people indicate their personal interests. The central computing device then assigns people to a carpool who share the same interests. This allows the ice to be broken more quickly, allowing the people to start talking to each other more quickly and develop a liking for one another. This increases acceptance for the use of carpooling. The disadvantage here, too, is the high effort involved for the people involved.In addition, the likelihood of carpooling decreases because the people involved must have common interests.

[0005] The present invention is based on the object of providing an improved method and system for organizing carpools, which reduces the user effort for organizing carpools.

[0006] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method for organizing carpools having the features of claim 1 and a corresponding system having the features of claim 8. Advantageous embodiments and further developments emerge from the dependent claims.

[0007] A generic method for organizing carpools, wherein in an established carpool a first person transports at least one other person in their vehicle, wherein a central computing device mediates between the first person and the at least one other person, and wherein the persons have stored contact details with the central computing device, is further developed according to the invention in that - the first person and the at least one further person each have their own vehicle, and the vehicles each transmit journey information to the central computing device, wherein the journey information describes journeys made in the past with the respective vehicle, wherein a respective journey is described at least by a starting location, a destination, a starting time and an arrival time; - the central computing device compares at least a subset of the received journey information in order to determine the at least partial overlap of the journeys of at least two persons; and - the central computing device forwards the contact details of the first person to the at least one further person and forwards the contact details of the at least one further person to the first person if the central computing device detects an overlap between journeys of the first person and the at least one further person in the examined set of journey information.

[0008] According to the invention, the central computing device thus takes on the task of locating people whose journeys at least partially overlap, so that the people can carpool. This eliminates the need for people to manually enter the relevant information, for example, in an online portal. This removes a barrier to carpooling, increasing acceptance. This also leads to more carpools, which benefits environmental protection and reduces the costs for the people involved in the carpooling.

[0009] At least two people travel in each vehicle. The maximum number of people depends on the number of available seats in the vehicle and can therefore be greater than two.

[0010] The persons involved in the process according to the invention have previously consented to the use of their personal data within the scope of the process. This ensures proper compliance with data protection regulations.

[0011] The journey information can be transmitted to the central computing device in various ways. For example, the central computing device is a server or server network. The server can be connected to the internet and, in this context, also referred to as a cloud server. The vehicles can be equipped with communication devices such as a telecommunications unit. The telecommunications unit can enable a mobile data connection via cellular network or, if a hotspot is within range, via Wi-Fi.

[0012] For the central processing unit to consider two journeys to overlap, they do not necessarily have to coincide exactly in terms of location and time. In particular, there may be a tolerance limit regarding the respective location and time period. If the first person and at least one other person depart from different starting points or arrive at different destinations that are geographically close to each other, for example, within a radius of 5 kilometers, 10 kilometers, or even fractions or multiples thereof, they can be considered to coincide. This applies accordingly to the respective times / time periods, which may differ by, for example, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, or even fractions or multiples thereof.It is also conceivable to initially set narrower limits for this spatial and / or temporal tolerance, and then gradually increase the tolerance limits if no matching trips between multiple people are found. This increases the likelihood of corresponding carpooling arrangements.

[0013] User interaction for using the method according to the invention is possible in many ways. For example, human-machine interfaces installed in the vehicles can be used. For example, a corresponding functionality for organizing carpools can be implemented in the infotainment system of a respective vehicle. Corresponding programs can be operated, for example, via a touch-sensitive display device or by voice command. The respective person's vehicle can also have a unique identification that is linked to the person's personal user account. The user can be logged in with this user account, for example, to an app running on a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet computer. This means that contact requests for entering into carpools can also be answered on the mobile device.Instead of a mobile device, a desktop computer can also be used, which allows communication with the central computing device, for example via an Internet browser.

[0014] The contact data exchanged can be diverse. For example, names, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, or similar items can be exchanged. In the simplest case, however, the central computing device merely establishes a communication channel between the first person and the at least one other person, via which the first person and the at least one other person can exchange messages. For example, the first person and the at least one other person can chat with each other via the infotainment system of their own vehicle, the app running on the mobile device, and / or the internet browser. In this case, no sensitive personal data is exchanged, which further improves data protection.

[0015] It may be necessary that, once the central computing device has identified at least two people or vehicles suitable for carpooling, the respective people must first proactively agree to forward their contact details to the other person. This allows the respective person to change their minds at the last minute before the contact details are shared.

[0016] A further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention further provides that the trip information additionally contains at least one stopover location and time included in the respective trip. This increases the flexibility and functionality when implementing the method according to the invention. Carpools can also be formed for situations in which stopovers are made during a trip. A respective stopover can also serve as the starting point or destination for another person. This increases the total number of potential overlaps between trips.

[0017] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method, the trip information contains the route traveled during the respective trip. In general, it is possible for different routes to be used for a trip from a starting point to a destination. By including the actually selected route in the trip information, the central computing device receives even more information characterizing a respective trip and can therefore more reliably locate actually overlapping trips. In particular, this makes it possible to form carpools for trips that also have different starting and destination locations, but have completely or approximately overlapping sections of a respective route. This also increases the total number of overlapping trips, so that even more carpools can be formed.

[0018] A further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention further provides that the vehicles retransmit at least a subset of the trip information to the central computing device, at the earliest as soon as a respective vehicle has completed at least one new trip. This ensures that all trips made with the respective vehicle can be taken into account for the method according to the invention. If new trips are made, these can be taken into account accordingly by the central computing device to find matches. Trip information corresponding to the respective trip is transmitted to the central computing device at the earliest when the respective trip has been completed. It is also possible to aggregate trips made over a longer period of time, for example the trips made on a specific day, or the trips made in a specific week or month.The entirety of these newly completed trips can then be transmitted to the central processing unit as a compilation. Instead of fixed transmission times, an event-based transmission to the central processing unit can also occur, for example, every time the vehicle is started. The subset of trip information transmitted to the central processing unit will then contain at least the newly completed trips. However, trip information about trips already transmitted to the central processing unit can also be retransmitted.

[0019] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, a person programs a navigation route into their vehicle, the vehicle includes the navigation route in the form of a trip in the trip information, and the vehicle transmits at least the part of the trip information supplemented by the navigation route to the central computing device before the vehicle ends the trip corresponding to the navigation route, in particular before the vehicle begins the trip. This allows a person to find a carpool for a planned trip. In particular, if the planned trip is an unusual route, i.e. a trip that has never been undertaken with the respective vehicle before, carpools can also be formed for such a trip.It is therefore particularly advantageous if the driving information supplemented by the planned navigation route is transmitted to the central computer before the vehicle has even started the journey.

[0020] A further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention further provides that a local tolerance, taken into account by the central computing device for detecting the correspondence of journeys, by which the starting location, destination, stopover location and / or at least one section of a route between a journey completed by the first person and the at least one further person correspond with one another, and / or a temporal tolerance by which the starting time, arrival time, stopover time and / or a time window in which a respective section of a route was completed correspond with one another, is individually determined by a respective person. This makes it possible to accommodate the preferences of the respective persons using the method according to the invention.The first person, for example, works at set times, for example from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and must arrive at and leave their workplace accordingly. At least one other person can work at the same workplace but work flexitime. The first person can then enter comparatively low tolerance limits, while at least one other person, due to the option of working flexitime, can specify a higher tolerance limit, such as ± two hours. Since the at least one other person has more time available, they can also specify a correspondingly larger radius as the local tolerance. For example, the at least one other person can drive to a neighboring town in the morning to carpool with the first person.

[0021] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, a respective vehicle uses presence detection means to detect seat occupancy during a respective trip and includes this in the trip information. If a sufficiently high number of trip overlaps are found, the central computing device forwards to the first person a number of contact details of additional persons corresponding to the number of free seats in the vehicle. This allows optimal utilization of the seat occupancy of the vehicle used to provide the ride-sharing service and prevents overcrowding. For example, if the vehicle has five seats, four additional people can be assigned if sufficient trip overlaps are found.The individual travel costs are reduced accordingly, and the reduction in energy consumption and thus the emission of pollutants such as CO2 is particularly high.

[0022] Each vehicle may have various presence detection devices, such as pressure sensors integrated into the vehicle seats, one or more vehicle interior cameras that use image recognition algorithms to detect seat occupancy, and the like. If, for example, the first person has a private car with five seats, they can take four other people with them. The contact details of four additional people are assigned to them accordingly. Of these four people, for example, three people can agree to form the carpool and one person can decline or ignore the contact request. In this case, the central computing device can forward the contact details of a substitute person to the first person. This means that a fifth person for the carpool can be found later.

[0023] In a system for organizing carpooling, comprising at least two vehicles and a central computing device, according to the invention, the vehicles and the central computing device are configured to carry out a method described above. The vehicles are capable of determining their respective positions, for example, with the aid of a global navigation satellite system such as GPS, Galileo, or the like. This makes it possible to determine the starting point, destination, and / or stopover location. Other positioning methods are also possible, such as recognizing characteristic environmental features, for example, using machine vision, or performing triangulation, for example, by evaluating the mobile phone signal strength of the mobile phone towers within communication range.The vehicles can be part of a vehicle manufacturer's fleet or manufactured by multiple vehicle manufacturers. The central computing facility can be operated by one of the vehicle manufacturers or by a service provider.

[0024] Further advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention for organizing carpools also emerge from the exemplary embodiment which is described in more detail below with reference to the figure.

[0025] This shows Fig. 1 a schematic representation of the routes travelled by two vehicles in everyday life and which partially overlap.

[0026] Carpooling offers a variety of benefits, including reduced travel costs for those involved and reduced energy consumption, which conserves resources and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. However, people are reluctant to organize carpools because they have to find people who are traveling a similar distance at roughly the same time.

[0027] To fulfill this task, a method according to the invention for organizing carpools is used. The core idea is the evaluation of the usage and travel behavior of the vehicles in a vehicle fleet by a central computing device. The vehicles transmit travel information describing the journeys completed with the vehicles to the central computing device, which then identifies any temporal and spatial overlap between the respective routes 3 traveled. Fig. Figure 1 shows the daily routes 3.1 and 3.2 traveled by a first and a second vehicle, respectively. For example, these are commuters who work at the same workplace but live in two different locations. Each trip begins at a starting location 1 and ends at destination 2, which is the workplace.

[0028] The central computer analyzes the travel information transmitted by the vehicles in the fleet for such Fig. 1. The central computing device then initiates the exchange of contact information between the corresponding people. This allows the people to meet at a meeting point 4 and travel the remainder of the journey together to destination 2. On the return journey, carpooling from destination 2 to meeting point 4 can also be used, after which the two people return individually to their respective starting points 1.

[0029] Fig.Figure 1 shows a variant in which a section of route 3.1 and route 3.2 overlap. Furthermore, both people travel to the same destination 2. It would also be conceivable to consider trips that begin at different starting points and end at different destinations as overlapping. Furthermore, the respective trips can also begin or end at different times. Corresponding tolerance limits can be individually defined by the respective people involved in the method according to the invention.

[0030] The method according to the invention organizes carpools for the relevant people through the central computer. This results in more carpools, even for people who would not otherwise use carpools. This allows the people involved to save money, and the environment is protected. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 101 13 803 A1

[0003] DE 10 2020 111 475 A1

[0004]

Claims

[1] A method for organizing carpools, wherein in an established carpool a first person carries at least one other person in his vehicle, wherein a central computing device mediates between the first person and the at least one other person, and wherein the persons have stored contact data with the central computing device, characterized by , that - the first person and the at least one further person each have their own vehicle, and the vehicles each transmit journey information to the central computing device, wherein the journey information describes journeys made in the past with the respective vehicle, wherein a respective journey is described at least by a starting location (1), a destination location (2), a starting time and an arrival time; - the central computing device compares at least a subset of the received journey information in order to determine the at least partial overlap of the journeys of at least two persons; and - the central computing device forwards the contact details of the first person to the at least one further person and forwards the contact details of the at least one further person to the first person if the central computing device detects an overlap between journeys of the first person and the at least one further person in the examined set of journey information. [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by that the journey information additionally contains at least one stopover location and stopover time made on the respective journey. [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the journey information contains the route (3) taken during the respective journey. [4] Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the vehicles transmit at least a subset of the journey information to the central computing device again, at the earliest as soon as a respective vehicle has completed at least one new journey. [5] Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that a person programs a navigation route into his or her vehicle, the vehicle includes the navigation route in the form of a journey in the journey information and the vehicle transmits at least part of the journey information supplemented by the navigation route to the central computing device before the vehicle ends the journey corresponding to the navigation route, in particular before the vehicle begins the journey. [6] Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized bythat a local tolerance taken into account by the central computing device for detecting the correspondence of journeys, to which the starting location (1), destination (2), stopover location and / or at least one section of a travel route (3) between a journey completed by the first person and the at least one further person correspond with one another, and / or a temporal tolerance to which the starting time, arrival time, stopover time and / or a time window in which a respective section of a travel route (3) was completed correspond with one another, is individually determined by a respective person. [7] Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized bythat a respective vehicle uses presence detection means to record the seat occupancy present during a respective journey and includes it in the journey information, and the central computing device, if a sufficiently high number of journey overlaps are found, forwards to the first person a number of contact details of other persons corresponding to the number of free seats in the vehicle. [8] System for organizing carpooling, comprising at least two vehicles and a central computing device, characterized by that the vehicles and the central computing device are designed to carry out a method according to one of claims 1 to 7.

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