Transaction management apparatus and transaction management method

Abstract

To provide a carbon offset service by a simpler method.SOLUTION: A transaction management apparatus 1 is an apparatus 1 used for managing transactions of vehicles. The transaction management apparatus 1 is provided with an automobile sales management unit 10 for accepting input of selecting a carbon offset option in the transaction of a vehicle and input of vehicle conditions for the vehicle to be the subject of the transaction, and a carbon offset management unit 11 for calculating an option amount as the amount of the carbon offset option based on the vehicle conditions accepted by the automobile sales management unit 10 when the input of selecting the carbon offset option is accepted by the automobile sales management unit 10. The carbon offset option is a contract in which a trading partner of the vehicle pays an option amount to cover the cost of planting forests in proportion to the amount of greenhouse gases that the vehicle is estimated to emit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a transaction management device and a transaction management method. [Background technology]

[0002] Greenhouse gases emitted from vehicles that run on fossil fuels are considered to be one of the causes of global warming, and various efforts have been made to curb global warming. For example, carbon offsetting is known, in which the costs of greenhouse gas reduction activities are paid in proportion to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles to offset the amount of the emissions. As an example, Patent Document 1 discloses a road traffic system that can provide a carbon offset service by using information obtained from an on-board device installed in a vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2010-9393 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-mentioned road traffic system, the carbon offset process is executed when the vehicle actually runs, which can easily become complicated. Therefore, the transaction management device and transaction management method according to the present disclosure aim to provide a carbon offset service with a simpler procedure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A transaction management device (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a transaction management device (1) that manages vehicle transactions, and includes an automobile sales management unit (10) that accepts input of a carbon offset option selection in a vehicle transaction and input of vehicle conditions for the vehicle that is the subject of the transaction, and a carbon offset management unit (11) that, when the automobile sales management unit (10) accepts input of a carbon offset option selection, calculates an option amount, which is the amount of the carbon offset option, based on the vehicle conditions accepted as input by the automobile sales management unit (10).The carbon offset option is a contract in which the subject of the vehicle transaction pays the option amount as a forest cultivation cost that corresponds to the amount of greenhouse gases estimated to be emitted by the vehicle.

[0006] A transaction management method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a transaction management method for managing vehicle transactions, and includes a first step of accepting input of a selection of a carbon offset option in a vehicle transaction and input of vehicle conditions for the vehicle that is the subject of the transaction, and a second step of calculating an option amount, which is the amount of the carbon offset option, based on the vehicle conditions whose input was accepted in the first step, when the input of the selection of the carbon offset option is accepted in the first step, and the carbon offset option is a contract in which the subject of the vehicle transaction pays the option amount as a forest cultivation cost corresponding to the amount of greenhouse gas estimated to be emitted by the vehicle.

[0007] According to at least one of the transaction management device (1) and the transaction method, when a vehicle is traded, the selection of the carbon offset option is input and the vehicle conditions of the vehicle to be traded are input, and the option amount, which is the amount of the carbon offset option, is automatically calculated based on the vehicle conditions. Specifically, the option amount is calculated based on the cost of growing forests according to the amount of greenhouse gases estimated to be emitted by the vehicle. In this way, an appropriate option amount can be easily calculated without performing complicated manual calculations. In addition, since the option amount is calculated when the vehicle is traded, complicated processing such as calculating the amount to be paid each time the vehicle is driven is not required. Therefore, it is possible to provide carbon offset services through simpler procedures.

[0008] In the transaction management device (1) according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the vehicle conditions may include information on the vehicle's estimated mileage and fuel efficiency, and the carbon offset management unit (11) may calculate the option price based on the estimated mileage and fuel efficiency. This makes it possible to accurately estimate the amount of greenhouse gas emissions emitted by the vehicle based on the vehicle's estimated mileage and fuel efficiency, and therefore allows a more appropriate option price to be calculated.

[0009] In the transaction management device (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide, and the carbon offset management unit (11) may obtain a carbon dioxide emission coefficient related to the amount of carbon dioxide emitted per unit amount of fuel, and calculate the option price based on the expected mileage, fuel efficiency, and the carbon dioxide emission coefficient. This makes it possible to accurately estimate the amount of greenhouse gas emissions emitted by the vehicle based on the carbon dioxide emission coefficient in addition to the expected mileage and fuel efficiency of the vehicle, and therefore allows a more appropriate option price to be calculated.

[0010] In a transaction management device (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the automobile sales management unit (10) accepts input of a carbon offset option selection, the carbon offset management unit (11) may calculate the purchase price of the carbon offset option and record information including the calculated purchase price.

[0011] In the transaction management device (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the carbon offset management unit (11) may record the purchase of the carbon offset option upon receipt of transaction completion information indicating that a vehicle transaction involving the purchase of a carbon offset option has been completed. This allows the carbon offset service to be provided promptly after the vehicle transaction is completed.

[0012] In a transaction management device (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a carbon offset management unit (11) calculates a forest cultivation cost according to the amount of greenhouse gas estimated to be emitted by a vehicle, and the forest cultivation cost may be a cost for cultivating a forest capable of absorbing the amount of greenhouse gas estimated to be emitted by the vehicle. This makes it possible to calculate an appropriate cultivation cost, and therefore an appropriate option price.

[0013] In the transaction management device (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the carbon offset management unit (11) acquires transaction completion information indicating that a vehicle transaction involving the purchase of a carbon offset option has been completed, and when the purchase of the carbon offset option is recorded, a payment process is performed in which the total cultivation cost of the newly added forest area is paid to the forestry business operator who operates the forest area when the remaining carbon dioxide absorption capacity falls to a predetermined threshold level, the threshold level being an amount close to the absorption limit amount of optional carbon dioxide emissions in the carbon offset option, and a forest area management unit (12) is provided that adds a record that is a record of the contents of the payment process to the forest area table and sets initial values ​​to the items included in the record. This allows the transaction management device (1) to achieve specific actions and effects.

[0014] Note that the reference symbols in parentheses above are intended to indicate the reference symbols of components in the embodiments described below as an example of the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the present disclosure to the aspects of the embodiments. Effect of the Invention

[0015] In this way, the transaction management device and transaction management method according to the present disclosure make it possible to provide carbon offset services through simpler procedures. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a transaction management device according to this embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of the transaction management device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the option selection screen. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram of the option amount calculation process executed by the transaction management device. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram of the registration confirmation process executed by the transaction management device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same or corresponding parts in each drawing are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0018] [Overall configuration] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a transaction management device 1 according to this embodiment. The transaction management device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a device that manages vehicle transactions. A "vehicle" is a movable body that can run, and may be, for example, a car or a motorcycle. A vehicle is equipped with an internal combustion engine that runs on fossil fuels such as gasoline or diesel, and emits greenhouse gases when running. A "transaction" may be, for example, a sale or lease contract for a vehicle. Here, the sale of a vehicle is taken as an example of a transaction, and a user on the side of a dealer selling a vehicle is called a seller, and a user on the side of a customer who purchases (or intends to purchase) a vehicle is called a buyer (transaction target).

[0019] The transaction management device 1 is used to input or output information for sales and to carry out various procedures for sales when a seller sells a vehicle to a purchaser. That is, the transaction management device 1 is used for sales management at an automobile dealership or the like. Specifically, the transaction management device 1 is a device for creating quotations and orders for vehicle sales and managing various information including customer information. The transaction management device 1 can be operated by a seller terminal 2 used by a seller, such as a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. The transaction management device 1 may be an application installed in the seller terminal 2, or may be a function on a server provided separately from the seller terminal 2. Here, the transaction management device 1 is assumed to be a function on a server provided separately from the seller terminal 2. The transaction management device 1 is configured to be capable of wired or wireless communication with the seller terminal 2 owned by each seller, and inputs and outputs information via the seller terminal 2.

[0020] In particular, the transaction management device 1 can manage the conclusion of a carbon offset contract when a seller sells a vehicle to a buyer. "Carbon offset" is an initiative to invest in things that offset the generation of greenhouse gases according to the amount of greenhouse gases emitted. Here, the buyer pays an optional fee for forest cultivation costs according to the amount of greenhouse gases estimated to be emitted by the vehicle. The "amount of greenhouse gases estimated to be emitted by the vehicle" may be, for example, an estimated value of the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted during the total period during which the vehicle is expected to be used by the buyer, or an estimated value of the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted during the lifetime of the vehicle (the total period during which the vehicle remains drivable, in other words, the period from when the vehicle is registered as a new vehicle to when it is scrapped).

[0021] A "greenhouse gas" is a gas that can cause global warming when released into the Earth's atmosphere. Here, carbon dioxide (CO2) is taken as an example of a greenhouse gas. That is, in the following description, the greenhouse gas is taken to be carbon dioxide that is generated when a vehicle burns fossil fuels using an internal combustion engine. Note that the greenhouse gas is not limited to carbon dioxide, and may be, for example, methane (CH4) or nitrous oxide (N2O), etc.

[0022] The physical configuration of the transaction management device 1 will be described. The transaction management device 1 is physically configured as a computer C (server) capable of communicating with the seller terminal 2 via a network. The transaction management device 1 includes a control arithmetic device, a storage device, and an input / output device. The control arithmetic device is configured by a controller such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and executes arithmetic processing and controls the storage device and the input / output device. The storage device includes, for example, a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. The main storage device includes, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory). The auxiliary storage device includes, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory). The input / output device includes, for example, an input device that receives data from the outside and transmits it to the storage device, and an output device that outputs to the outside the calculation results that are calculated by the control arithmetic device and stored in the storage device. The input / output device also includes a communication device that transmits and receives information to and from external devices.

[0023] The transaction management device 1 executes a predetermined process, for example, by loading a program stored in a ROM into a RAM and executing the program loaded into the RAM by a CPU. Specifically, the transaction management device 1 can execute an option amount calculation process and a registration confirmation process, which will be described later. Note that the transaction management device 1 may have a physical configuration different from the above-mentioned configuration.

[0024] Next, the functional configuration of the transaction management device 1 will be described. The transaction management device 1 includes a vehicle model database DB1, an automobile sales management database DB2, a forest management database DB3, an automobile sales management unit 10, a carbon offset management unit 11, and a forest area management unit 12. As an example, the automobile sales management unit 10, the carbon offset management unit 11, and the forest area management unit 12 may be physically configured by the control and arithmetic device of the transaction management device 1. Also, the vehicle model database DB1, the automobile sales management database DB2, and the forest management database DB3 may be physically configured by the storage device of the transaction management device 1. At least a part of the vehicle model database DB1, the automobile sales management database DB2, the forest management database DB3, the automobile sales management unit 10, the carbon offset management unit 11, and the forest area management unit 12 may be configured separately from the rest (i.e., as separate devices). For example, at least one of the vehicle model database DB1, automobile sales management database DB2, forest management database DB3, automobile sales management unit 10, carbon offset management unit 11, and forest area management unit 12 may be provided on a server that is capable of communicating via a network.

[0025] The vehicle model database DB1 is a database that stores information about vehicles that are the subject of transactions. Specifically, the vehicle model database DB1 stores information about each vehicle, such as the vehicle name, grade name, fuel type, fuel efficiency, and price list.

[0026] The automobile sales management database DB2 is a database that stores information about vehicle transactions with purchasers. Specifically, the automobile sales management database DB2 stores customer information, information about the status of transaction negotiations, information about various documents, and the like. Information about the status of transaction negotiations may include, for example, the name and grade name of the vehicle that the purchaser is considering purchasing, as well as the type of option selected (option ID). Information about various documents may include, for example, information about quotations, purchase orders, contracts, etc. that are being created or have been created. The "option ID" item in the carbon offset option table described later is an identification number linked to an option record that uniquely identifies each option record among the option records generated in the carbon offset option table.

[0027] The forest management database DB3 is a database that stores information about forests cultivated using the profits from the carbon offset option. Specifically, the forest management database DB3 stores a carbon dioxide emission coefficient table, a carbon offset option table, and a forest area table.

[0028] The records in the carbon dioxide emission coefficient table may be configured to include, for example, the following items. That is, the records in the carbon dioxide emission coefficient table may be configured to include items for the type of fuel in question (gasoline, diesel, LPG, CNG, etc.) and the carbon dioxide emission coefficient. The "carbon dioxide emission coefficient" is a numerical value related to the amount of carbon dioxide emitted per unit amount of fuel, and is, for example, the amount (mass or volume) of carbon dioxide emitted from a vehicle when a unit amount (mass or volume) of fuel is combusted in an internal combustion engine.

[0029] The records in the carbon offset option table include, for example, the following items. That is, the records in the carbon offset option table may include items such as the option ID of the carbon offset option, the option carbon dioxide emission amount, the option fee of the carbon offset option, the option status, and the registration completion date. An "option ID" is an individual option ID that has been registered or processed in a similar manner. An "option carbon dioxide emission amount" is the amount of carbon dioxide emission (mass or volume) that is offset by the carbon offset option. An "option fee" is an amount calculated as the fee for the carbon offset option corresponding to each option ID. An "option status" is set to "estimate" when an estimate is initially created, and to "registration completed" when registration is complete. In addition, a "registration completion date" is information on the completion date when the registration of the carbon offset option linked to each option ID was completed with the Land Transport Bureau registration of the automobile (new car registration for a new car, vehicle inspection certificate issuance for a used car).

[0030] The records of the forest area table may be configured to include, for example, the following items. That is, the records of the forest area table may be configured to include items of forest area ID, forest area name, forest type, forest business operator ID, total carbon dioxide absorption amount, total business cost, unit carbon dioxide absorption cost, remaining carbon dioxide absorption amount, and registered carbon offset option list. "Forest area ID" is an identification number linked to each forest area. "Forest area name" is the name of each forest area (e.g., Nagano City Area 000001). "Forest type" is the type of trees growing in each forest (e.g., larch, cedar, cypress). "Forest business operator ID" is an identification number linked to an organization or group that manages and operates each forest area. The purchase price of the carbon offset option is paid to this forest business operator. "Total carbon dioxide absorption amount" is the amount of carbon dioxide (mass or volume) that can be absorbed in each forest area. "Total business cost" refers to the cumulative non-business cost over the entire life cycle of each forest area, and is also called the "total cultivation cost" of the forest. The total business cost is paid in advance in a lump sum by the system operator before using each forest area for carbon offsetting, and the carbon offset option fee is then used to pay for it. "Unit carbon dioxide absorption cost" refers to the business cost required to absorb a unit amount (mass or volume) of carbon dioxide, and may be calculated by dividing the total business cost by the total carbon dioxide absorption amount. "Remaining carbon dioxide absorption amount" refers to the remaining carbon dioxide absorption amount (mass or volume) that is available for carbon offset options in each forest area. "Registered carbon offset option list" refers to a list of carbon offset options (option IDs) that have been registered for each forest area through the registration of automobiles at the Land Transport Bureau, etc.

[0031] The automobile sales management unit 10 accepts input of a carbon offset option selection for vehicle transactions. A "carbon offset option" is an optional contract in which the purchaser pays money according to the amount of carbon dioxide estimated to be emitted by the vehicle. The automobile sales management unit 10 may accept input of a carbon offset option selection when, for example, the seller operates the seller terminal 2 to receive information transmitted from the seller terminal 2.

[0032] The automobile sales management unit 10 accepts input of vehicle conditions (estimated vehicle conditions) for a vehicle to be traded. The vehicle conditions are information about the vehicle, including information about the vehicle's specifications and information about how the vehicle is used. Specifically, the vehicle conditions include information about the vehicle's fuel efficiency as information about the vehicle's specifications. The vehicle conditions also include information about the vehicle's expected mileage as information about how the vehicle is used. The "expected mileage of the vehicle" may be, for example, the expected total mileage for the expected number of years that the purchaser will drive the vehicle, or the expected total mileage of the vehicle (the mileage from when the vehicle is manufactured or registered as a new vehicle until it is scrapped, etc.). The automobile sales management unit 10 may acquire at least a part of the vehicle conditions from the vehicle model database DB1.

[0033] When the automobile sales management unit 10 receives an input of a carbon offset option selection for a vehicle transaction, it makes an offset fee calculation request to the carbon offset management unit 11. The "offset fee calculation request" is a command requesting that the carbon offset fee be calculated, and that the option information be recorded and returned. The automobile sales management unit 10 may create an automobile quotation including the returned option fee information.

[0034] When the automobile sales management unit 10 receives an input of information indicating the completion of a vehicle transaction involving the purchase of a carbon offset option, the automobile sales management unit 10 transmits transaction completion information to the carbon offset management unit 11. The "transaction completion information" is information indicating that the vehicle transaction has been completed. The transaction completion information includes a registration confirmation request, which is a request to confirm the registration of the carbon offset option. In addition, "the vehicle transaction has been completed" may mean that the vehicle is registered at the Land Transport Bureau (new vehicle registration in the case of a new vehicle and issuance of a vehicle inspection certificate in the case of a used vehicle), or that the seller recognizes that the transaction has been completed. When the registration of the vehicle at the Land Transport Bureau means the completion of the transaction, the information indicating the completion of the transaction may be called automobile registration information. The automobile sales management unit 10 may transmit transaction completion information to the carbon offset management unit 11, for example, when the seller operates the seller terminal 2 to receive information indicating the completion of the transaction transmitted from the seller terminal 2.

[0035] The carbon offset management unit 11 calculates the option amount, which is the amount of the carbon offset option. Specifically, when the automobile sales management unit 10 accepts an input of the selection of the carbon offset option, the carbon offset management unit 11 calculates the option amount based on the vehicle conditions accepted by the automobile sales management unit 10. Here, the vehicle conditions used by the carbon offset management unit 11 for the option amount may be, for example, the expected mileage and fuel efficiency of the vehicle. In other words, the carbon offset management unit 11 may calculate the option amount based on the expected mileage and fuel efficiency. Note that the carbon offset management unit 11 may calculate the option amount based on the carbon dioxide emission coefficient in addition to the expected mileage and fuel efficiency. When the carbon offset management unit 11 calculates the option amount, it transmits information on the calculated option amount to the automobile sales management unit 10. The carbon offset management unit 11 may obtain necessary information from at least one of the vehicle model database DB1, the automobile sales management database DB2, and the forest management database DB3 to calculate the option amount. For example, the carbon offset management unit 11 may acquire the carbon dioxide emission coefficient from a carbon dioxide emission coefficient table in the forest management database DB3.

[0036] More specifically, the carbon offset management unit 11 may calculate the option amount according to the following formulas (1) and (2). Optional carbon dioxide emissions (t) = expected driving distance (km) ÷ fuel efficiency (km / L) × carbon dioxide emission coefficient (kg / L) ÷ 1000 ……(1) Option price (yen) = unit carbon dioxide absorption cost (yen / t) × optional carbon dioxide emissions (t) ……(2)

[0037] The carbon offset management unit 11 records the purchase of the carbon offset option when it acquires transaction completion information indicating that the vehicle transaction involving the purchase of the carbon offset option has been completed (registration confirmation process). The carbon offset management unit 11 may record the purchase of the carbon offset option by adding information related to the option ID to a list of registered carbon offset options in the forest management database DB3.

[0038] Furthermore, the carbon offset management unit 11 calculates the cost of cultivating a forest according to the amount of greenhouse gas estimated to be emitted by the vehicle, and reduces the remaining carbon dioxide absorption capacity of the target forest area. The "forest cultivation cost" is the cost for cultivating a forest capable of absorbing the amount of greenhouse gas estimated to be emitted by the vehicle involved in the transaction, and more specifically, the "forest cultivation cost" related to the reduction in the remaining carbon dioxide absorption capacity of the target forest area may be the cost for cultivating a forest capable of absorbing the amount of greenhouse gas estimated to be emitted by the vehicle involved in the transaction. Note that this cultivation cost is the option amount calculated by the carbon offset management unit 11 as described above.

[0039] When the remaining carbon dioxide absorption capacity reaches a certain low level just before it is no longer able to absorb the optional carbon dioxide emissions of the carbon offset option (in other words, when the remaining carbon dioxide absorption capacity falls to a specified threshold level), the forest area management unit 12 adds a corresponding record to the forest area table and sets initial values ​​for each item of the record in order to ensure that the system operator pays the total business cost of the newly added forest area to the forest business operator. At this point, the remaining carbon dioxide absorption capacity is equal to the total carbon dioxide absorption capacity. The area of ​​the newly contracted forest area may be in units of 1 hectare.

[0040] When the automobile sales management unit 10 accepts an input of a carbon offset option selection, the carbon offset management unit 11 calculates the purchase price of the carbon offset option and records information including the calculated purchase price.

[0041] The carbon offset management unit 11 records the purchase of the carbon offset option upon receipt of transaction completion information indicating that a vehicle transaction involving the purchase of a carbon offset option has been completed.

[0042] The carbon offset management unit 11 calculates the forest cultivation cost according to the amount of greenhouse gas estimated to be emitted by the vehicle. Here, the forest cultivation cost is the cost for cultivating a forest capable of absorbing the amount of greenhouse gas estimated to be emitted by the vehicle.

[0043] When the carbon offset management unit 11 acquires transaction completion information indicating that the transaction of the vehicle involving the purchase of the carbon offset option has been completed, and when the purchase of the carbon offset option is recorded, when the remaining carbon dioxide absorption capacity falls to a predetermined threshold level, a payment process is performed in which the total cultivation cost of the newly added forest area is paid to the forestry business operator who operates the forest area. Here, the above-mentioned threshold level is an amount close to the absorption limit amount of optional carbon dioxide emissions in the carbon offset option. The "absorption limit amount" is the amount of carbon dioxide absorption equivalent to the optional carbon dioxide emissions in the carbon offset option. The "close amount" may be an amount whose difference falls within a preset amount range. At this time, the forest area management unit 12 adds a record that is a record of the contents of the payment process to the forest area table and sets initial values ​​to the items included in the record.

[0044] [Display screen] An example of a display screen displayed on the display by the transaction management device 1 is shown. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen by the transaction management device 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an option selection screen. First, when a seller negotiates with a buyer regarding the sale of a vehicle, etc., the display screen shown in FIG. 2 is displayed. The display screen shown in FIG. 2 is a main screen of the transaction management device 1, and link buttons to individual pages for executing each function of the transaction management device 1 are displayed. Examples of individual pages include creation and management of estimates, creation and management of orders, contract procedures, price lists, downloading contracts, management of advance payment information, management of contract and vehicle inspection information, delivery procedures, management of lease information, and management of optional insurance. Next, if there is a vehicle that the buyer is considering purchasing, the buyer specifies the vehicle and transitions to a page for creating and managing estimates. The page for creating and managing estimates is, for example, a display screen as shown in FIG. 3. In this page, information on customer information, vehicle information, accessories / special specifications, taxes / insurance premiums, various expenses, recycling, trade-in vehicles, payments, special notes, etc. are managed. Here, as shown in FIG. 3, when the accessories / special features tab is selected, option selection can be input. When selecting options, manufacturer options, dealer options, and other options can be selected. In the transaction management device 1, the carbon offset option can be selected as one of the other options. Therefore, when a purchaser wishes to purchase the carbon offset option, he or she can select the carbon offset option from the other options shown in FIG. 3. In other words, in the transaction management device 1, the carbon offset option can be selected in a vehicle transaction by operating the display portion for option selection displayed on the display. At this time, the option fee for the carbon offset option is also automatically calculated and displayed, as described below.

[0045] [Option price calculation process] A description will be given of the option amount calculation process executed by the transaction management device 1. FIG.

[0046] In step S10, the forest area management unit 12 of the transaction management device 1 sets a carbon dioxide emission coefficient for each type of fuel in the forest management database DB3. The forest area management unit 12 sets the carbon dioxide emission coefficient based on information disclosed by a public institution, for example. The option amount calculation process then proceeds to step S12. However, if the carbon dioxide emission coefficient has been set in advance, the transaction management device 1 may proceed to step S12 without executing step S10.

[0047] In step S12, the forest area management unit 12 of the transaction management device 1 sets forest information in the forest management database DB3. The forest information is, for example, information recorded in a forest area table of the forest management database DB3. The forest area management unit 12 may set forest information for a forest owned by a forest business operator, for example, after concluding a contract with the forest business operator. Thereafter, the option amount calculation process proceeds to step S14. However, if the forest information has been set in advance, the transaction management device 1 may proceed to step S14 without executing step S12.

[0048] In step S14, the automobile sales management unit 10 of the transaction management device 1 accepts input of a carbon offset option selection for a vehicle transaction (first step). The automobile sales management unit 10 may accept input of a carbon offset option selection, for example, when the seller operates the seller terminal 2 to receive information transmitted from the seller terminal 2 (see FIG. 3). After that, the option price calculation process proceeds to step S16.

[0049] In step S16, the automobile sales management unit 10 of the transaction management device 1 accepts input of vehicle conditions (estimated vehicle conditions) for the vehicle to be traded (first step). The automobile sales management unit 10 may obtain at least a part of the vehicle conditions from the vehicle model database DB1. After that, the option price calculation process proceeds to step S18.

[0050] In step S18, the automobile sales management unit 10 of the transaction management device 1 transmits an option amount calculation request requesting calculation of the option amount of the carbon offset option to the carbon offset management unit 11. At this time, the automobile sales management unit 10 transmits to the carbon offset management unit 11 a message indicating that the input of the carbon offset option selection for the vehicle transaction has been accepted, and the vehicle conditions (estimated vehicle conditions) for the vehicle that is the subject of the transaction. After that, the option amount calculation process proceeds to step S20.

[0051] In step S20, the carbon offset management unit 11 of the transaction management device 1 calculates the option amount, which is the amount of the carbon offset option (second step). Specifically, the carbon offset management unit 11 calculates the option amount based on the vehicle conditions input and accepted by the automobile sales management unit 10. The carbon offset management unit 11 may calculate the option amount by acquiring necessary information from at least one of the vehicle model database DB1, the automobile sales management database DB2, and the forest management database DB3. Thereafter, the option amount calculation process proceeds to step S22.

[0052] In step S22, the carbon offset management unit 11 of the transaction management device 1 transmits information about the calculated option amount to the automobile sales management unit 10. In the following step S24, the automobile sales management unit 10 of the transaction management device 1 creates an estimate using the information about the option amount received from the carbon offset management unit 11. Thereafter, the option amount calculation process proceeds to step S26.

[0053] In step S26, the carbon offset management unit 11 of the transaction management device 1 records the carbon offset option information by recording the information of the purchaser and the vehicle in the forest management database DB3. At this time, the carbon offset management unit 11 may generate a corresponding record in the carbon offset option table for the carbon offset option, issue and set an option ID, set the option carbon dioxide emission amount, option fee, and forest area ID calculated when calculating the option amount described above, and set the option status to "estimate." After that, the option amount calculation process proceeds to step S28.

[0054] In step S28, the carbon offset management unit 11 of the transaction management device 1 transmits the issued option ID to the automobile sales management unit 10. In the following step S30, the automobile sales management unit 10 of the transaction management device 1 records the option ID received from the carbon offset management unit 11 in the automobile sales management database DB2. This completes the current option amount calculation process.

[0055] [Registration confirmation process] A description will be given of the registration confirmation process executed by the transaction management device 1. FIG.

[0056] In step S50, the automobile sales management unit 10 of the transaction management device 1 acquires the automobile registration information. The automobile sales management unit 10 may acquire information indicating the automobile registration information transmitted from the seller terminal 2, for example, by the seller operating the seller terminal 2. After that, the registration confirmation process proceeds to step S52.

[0057] In step S52, the automobile sales management unit 10 of the transaction management device 1 transmits transaction completion information including a registration confirmation request to the carbon offset management unit 11. Thereafter, the registration confirmation process proceeds to step S54.

[0058] In step S54, the carbon offset management unit 11 of the transaction management device 1 records that the carbon offset option has been purchased by adding the option ID to the list of registered carbon offset options in the forest management database DB3. It also sets the option status to "registered" and sets the registration completion date. This finalizes the registration of the purchased carbon offset option. This completes the current registration confirmation process.

[0059] [Action and Effects] As described above, the transaction management device 1 is a transaction management device 1 that manages vehicle transactions, and is equipped with an automobile sales management unit 10 that accepts input of a carbon offset option selection in a vehicle transaction and input of vehicle conditions for the vehicle that is the subject of the transaction, and a carbon offset management unit 11 that calculates an option amount, which is the amount of the carbon offset option, based on the vehicle conditions accepted by the automobile sales management unit 10 when the input of a carbon offset option selection is accepted by the automobile sales management unit 10, and the carbon offset option is a contract in which the purchaser of the vehicle pays the option amount as a forest cultivation cost according to the amount of greenhouse gas estimated to be emitted by the vehicle.

[0060] The transaction management method is a transaction management method for managing vehicle transactions, and includes a first step of accepting input of a carbon offset option selection in a vehicle transaction and input of vehicle conditions for the vehicle that is the subject of the transaction, and a second step of calculating an option amount, which is the amount of the carbon offset option, based on the vehicle conditions whose input was accepted in the first step, when the input of the carbon offset option selection is accepted in the first step, and the carbon offset option is a contract in which the purchaser of the vehicle pays the option amount as a forest cultivation cost corresponding to the amount of greenhouse gas estimated to be emitted by the vehicle.

[0061] According to at least one of the transaction management device 1 and the transaction method, when a vehicle is traded, the selection of the carbon offset option is input and the vehicle conditions of the vehicle to be traded are input, and the option amount, which is the amount of the carbon offset option, is automatically calculated based on the vehicle conditions. Specifically, the option amount is calculated based on the cost of growing forests according to the amount of greenhouse gas estimated to be emitted by the vehicle. In this way, an appropriate option amount can be easily calculated without cumbersome manual calculations. In addition, since the option amount is calculated when the vehicle is traded, there is no need for complex processing such as calculating the amount to be paid each time the vehicle is driven. Therefore, it is possible to provide carbon offset services through simpler procedures.

[0062] In the transaction management device 1, the vehicle conditions include information on the vehicle's estimated mileage and fuel efficiency, and the carbon offset management unit 11 calculates the option price based on the estimated mileage and fuel efficiency. This makes it possible to accurately estimate the amount of greenhouse gas emissions emitted by the vehicle based on the vehicle's estimated mileage and fuel efficiency, making it possible to calculate a more appropriate option price.

[0063] In the transaction management device 1, the greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide, and the carbon offset management unit 11 acquires a carbon dioxide emission coefficient related to the amount of carbon dioxide emitted per unit amount of fuel, and calculates the option price based on the expected mileage, fuel efficiency, and carbon dioxide emission coefficient. This makes it possible to accurately estimate the amount of greenhouse gas emitted by the vehicle based on the carbon dioxide emission coefficient in addition to the vehicle's expected mileage and fuel efficiency, so that a more appropriate option price can be calculated.

[0064] In the transaction management device 1, when the automobile sales management unit 10 accepts input of a carbon offset option selection, the carbon offset management unit 11 calculates the purchase price of the carbon offset option and records information including the calculated purchase price.

[0065] In the transaction management device 1, the carbon offset management unit 11 records the purchase of the carbon offset option upon receipt of transaction completion information indicating that the vehicle transaction involving the purchase of the carbon offset option has been completed. This allows the carbon offset service to be provided promptly after the vehicle transaction has been completed.

[0066] In the transaction management device 1, the carbon offset management unit 11 calculates the forest cultivation cost according to the amount of greenhouse gas estimated to be emitted by the vehicle, and the forest cultivation cost is the cost for cultivating a forest capable of absorbing the amount of greenhouse gas estimated to be emitted by the vehicle. This makes it possible to calculate an appropriate cultivation cost, and therefore an appropriate option price.

[0067] In the transaction management device 1, when the carbon offset management unit 11 acquires transaction completion information indicating that a vehicle transaction involving the purchase of a carbon offset option has been completed, and when the purchase of the carbon offset option is recorded, a payment process is performed in which the total cultivation costs of the newly added forest area are paid to the forest business operator who operates the forest area when the remaining carbon dioxide absorption capacity falls to a predetermined threshold level, the threshold level being an amount close to the absorption limit of optional carbon dioxide emissions in the carbon offset option, and the transaction management device 1 is equipped with a forest area management unit 12 that adds a record that is a record of the contents of the payment process to the forest area table and sets initial values ​​to the items included in the record. This allows the action and effect of the transaction management device 1 to be specifically achieved.

[0068] [Variations] The above-described embodiment can be implemented in various forms that are modified or improved based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[0069] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the greenhouse gases that are the subject of the carbon offset option are those that are emitted when the vehicle is running. However, the greenhouse gases may be those that are emitted in a manner other than when the vehicle is running. For example, the greenhouse gases may be those that are emitted when the vehicle is manufactured or transported.

[0070] In the above-described embodiment, a sale is exemplified as a transaction type. However, the transaction type is not limited to a sale, and may be, for example, a lease contract. In this case, a user who lends a vehicle to a customer under a lease contract may be called a lender, and a user who receives (or is about to receive) the vehicle under the lease contract may be called a borrower (transaction target). [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1. Transaction management device 2. Merchant terminal 10 Automobile Sales Management Department 11 Carbon Offset Management Department 12 Forest Area Management Division C. Computer DB1 Vehicle Database DB2 Auto Sales Management Database DB3 Forest Management Database

Claims

1. A transaction management device for managing vehicle transactions, comprising: an automobile sales management unit that receives an input of a carbon offset option selection for the transaction of the vehicle and an input of vehicle conditions for the vehicle that is the subject of the transaction; a carbon offset management unit that, when the input of the carbon offset option selection is accepted by the automobile sales management unit, calculates an option price, which is the amount of the carbon offset option, based on the vehicle conditions accepted by the automobile sales management unit; A transaction management device, wherein the carbon offset option is a contract in which a trading target of the vehicle pays the option amount as a forest cultivation cost corresponding to the amount of greenhouse gas estimated to be emitted by the vehicle.

2. The vehicle conditions include information on an expected mileage and fuel efficiency of the vehicle, The transaction management device according to claim 1 , wherein the carbon offset management unit calculates the option price based on the estimated mileage and the fuel efficiency.

3. the greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide; The carbon offset management unit: Obtain a carbon dioxide emission factor for carbon dioxide emissions per unit amount of fuel; The transaction management device according to claim 2 , wherein the option price is calculated based on the assumed driving distance, the fuel efficiency, and the carbon dioxide emission coefficient.

4. The carbon offset management unit A transaction management device as described in claim 1, which calculates the purchase price of the carbon offset option and records information including the calculated purchase price when the automobile sales management department accepts input of the selection of the carbon offset option.

5. The transaction management device of claim 4, wherein the carbon offset management unit records the purchase of the carbon offset option upon obtaining transaction completion information indicating that the transaction of the vehicle involving the purchase of the carbon offset option has been completed.

6. The carbon offset management unit calculates the cultivation cost of the forest according to the amount of the greenhouse gas estimated to be emitted by the vehicle, 2. The transaction management device according to claim 1, wherein the cultivation cost of the forest is a cost for cultivating the forest capable of absorbing the amount of the greenhouse gas estimated to be emitted by the vehicle.

7. When the carbon offset management unit acquires transaction completion information indicating that the transaction for the vehicle involving the purchase of the carbon offset option has been completed, and the purchase of the carbon offset option is recorded, when the remaining carbon dioxide absorption capacity falls to a predetermined threshold level, a payment process is performed in which the total cultivation cost of the newly added forest area is paid to the forest business operator who operates the forest area, the threshold level is close to the carbon dioxide absorption limit of the option carbon dioxide emissions in the carbon offset option; 2. The transaction management device according to claim 1, further comprising a forest area management unit which adds a record which is a record of the contents of the payment processing to a forest area table and sets initial values ​​to items contained in the record.

8. A transaction management method for managing vehicle transactions, comprising: A first step of receiving an input of a carbon offset option selection for the transaction of the vehicle and an input of vehicle conditions for the vehicle that is the subject of the transaction; a second step of calculating an option price, which is the price of the carbon offset option, based on the vehicle conditions inputted and accepted in the first step when an input of the selection of the carbon offset option is accepted in the first step; The carbon offset option is a contract in which a trading partner of the vehicle pays the option amount as a forest cultivation cost corresponding to the amount of greenhouse gas estimated to be emitted by the vehicle.

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