Car sharing management system, car sharing management method, and computer program

Abstract

To provide a technique that supports equalization of a utilization rate of a plurality of shared vehicles in car sharing service.SOLUTION: A car sharing management system 12 identifies a designated area that includes a geographical location of a user from among a plurality of predetermined areas. The car sharing management system 12 calculates, on the basis of reservation information for a plurality of shared vehicles rented out in the designated area, a designated area utilization rate which is a utilization rate of a plurality of shared vehicles rented out in the designated area during a reservation period. The car sharing management system 12 sets, according to the designated area utilization rate, a standard fee per unit use time and / or per unit use distance for the shared vehicle rented out in the designated area. The car sharing management system 12 calculates, on the basis of the set standard fee and the use time or the use distance of the shared vehicle by the user, a use fee for the shared vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to data processing technology, and in particular to a car sharing management system, a car sharing management method, and a computer program. [Background technology]

[0002] The following Patent Document 1 proposes a technology for increasing the utilization rate of individual shared vehicles shared by multiple users in a car sharing service by setting a lower base fee for shared vehicles with low utilization rates. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-8659 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a car sharing service, it is desirable to equalize the utilization rates of multiple shared vehicles. One object of the present disclosure is to provide a technology that supports equalization of the utilization rates of multiple shared vehicles in a car sharing service. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, a car sharing management system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a memory unit that stores reservation information for multiple shared vehicles; a reception unit that receives the user's geographical location and the reservation period for the shared vehicle specified by the user; an operation rate calculation unit that identifies a designated area that is an area that includes the user's geographical location from among multiple predetermined areas and calculates a designated area operation rate, which is the operation rate of the multiple shared vehicles rented out in the designated area during the reservation period, based on the reservation information for the multiple shared vehicles rented out in the designated area; a setting unit that sets a standard fee per unit usage time and / or unit usage distance for the shared vehicles rented out in the designated area in accordance with the designated area operation rate; and a fee calculation unit that calculates the usage fee for the shared vehicle based on the standard fee set by the setting unit and the user's usage time or usage distance of the shared vehicle.

[0006] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a car sharing management method. This method includes the steps of: a computer including a storage unit that stores reservation information for multiple shared vehicles receiving a geographical location of a user and a reservation period for the shared vehicles designated by the user; identifying a designated area that includes the user's geographical location from among multiple predetermined areas and calculating a designated area utilization rate, which is the utilization rate of the multiple shared vehicles rented out in the designated area during the reservation period, based on the reservation information for the multiple shared vehicles rented out in the designated area; setting a base fee per unit usage time and / or per unit usage distance for the shared vehicles rented out in the designated area in accordance with the designated area utilization rate; and calculating a usage fee for the shared vehicles based on the base fee set in the setting step and the user's usage time or usage distance of the shared vehicles.

[0007] Any combination of the above components, or any conversion of the expression of the present disclosure between an apparatus, a computer program, a recording medium on which a computer program is recorded, etc., is also valid as an aspect of the present disclosure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The technology disclosed herein can help level out the utilization rates of multiple shared vehicles in a car sharing service. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an area. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a car sharing management system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing functional blocks of the management server of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of vehicle information. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the management server. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a rule for setting a standard charge in an embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a rule for setting a standard fee in a modified example. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of calculation of a designated area operating rate. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of calculation of a designated area operating rate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The subject of the device or method of the present disclosure includes a computer. The computer executes a computer program to realize the functions of the subject of the device or method of the present disclosure. The computer includes, as its main hardware configuration, a processor that operates according to the computer program. The type of processor is not important as long as it can realize the functions by executing the computer program. The processor is composed of one or more electronic circuits including semiconductor integrated circuits (IC, LSI, etc.). The computer program is recorded on a non-transitory recording medium such as a computer-readable ROM, optical disk, or hard disk drive. The computer program may be pre-stored on the recording medium or may be supplied to the recording medium via a wide area communication network including the Internet.

[0011] The technology of the present disclosure will be described below based on preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. The embodiments are illustrative and do not limit the invention, and all features and combinations thereof described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the invention. Identical or equivalent components, parts, and processes shown in each drawing are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions will be omitted where appropriate. The scale and shape of each part shown in each drawing are set for convenience to facilitate explanation and should not be interpreted as limiting unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, when terms such as "first" and "second" are used in this specification or claims, unless otherwise specified, they do not represent any order or importance, but are used to distinguish one configuration from another.

[0012] In the car sharing service of the embodiment, multiple areas are defined in advance. FIG. 1 shows an example of an area. An area is a geographical range that serves as a unit for calculating the utilization rate of a shared vehicle. Each area includes multiple rental locations for shared vehicles 102 (hereinafter referred to as "car sharing stations"). One or more shared vehicles 102 are rented out at each car sharing station. In other words, multiple shared vehicles 102 belong to each area.

[0013] For example, area 1 includes car share station 100a, car share station 100b, and car share station 100c. Area 2 includes car share station 100d and car share station 100e. Area 3 includes car share station 100f, car share station 100g, and car share station 100h. Area 4 includes car share station 100i and car share station 100j.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1 , in this embodiment, the multiple areas are defined so that they do not overlap with each other. In other words, the multiple areas are defined so that each geographical point belongs to only one area. Each area may be centered around a predetermined landmark (such as a train station, a famous building, or a monument) or a car share station, and may be within a predetermined distance (e.g., 1 km or less) from the center. The multiple areas may also be defined in units of administrative districts. For example, the areas may be defined in units of states, prefectures, or cities, wards, towns, and villages.

[0015] In this embodiment, dynamic pricing is introduced into the fee structure of the car sharing service. Specifically, the base fee for a shared vehicle 102 in a certain area is determined based on the utilization rate of multiple shared vehicles 102 belonging to the area.

[0016] 2 shows the configuration of a car sharing management system 12 according to an embodiment. The car sharing management system 12 is an information processing system that supports the management of a car sharing service. The car sharing management system 12 includes a management server 14 and multiple on-board devices 16 installed in multiple shared vehicles 102.

[0017] Each of the multiple on-board devices 16 is an information processing device that measures the usage time and usage distance of the shared vehicle 102 by the user and notifies the management server 14 of the measured usage time and usage distance information. The management server 14 is an information processing device that works in cooperation with the multiple on-board devices 16 to manage reservation information and usage fees for the multiple shared vehicles 102. The management server 14 may be realized by a single computer, or may be realized by multiple computers communicating and working together.

[0018] The multiple user terminals 10 are information terminals operated by multiple users who use the car sharing service. The multiple user terminals 10 include user terminal 10a, user terminal 10b, and user terminal 10c. The user terminals 10 may be PCs, tablet terminals, or smartphones. The devices in FIG. 2 are connected via a communication network 18, which may include a LAN, a WAN, the Internet, etc.

[0019] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing functional blocks of the management server 14 of FIG. 2. The management server 14 includes a computer, which executes programs to realize the various functions shown in FIG. 3. The computer includes hardware such as a memory into which the programs are loaded, one or more processors that execute the loaded programs, auxiliary storage devices, and other LSIs. The processor is composed of multiple electronic circuits, including semiconductor integrated circuits and LSIs, and the multiple electronic circuits may be mounted on a single chip or multiple chips. The functional blocks shown in FIG. 3 are realized by cooperation between hardware and software. Therefore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that these functional blocks can be realized in various ways, using only hardware, only software, or a combination thereof.

[0020] The management server 14 includes a control unit 20, a memory unit 22, and a communication unit 24. The control unit 20 is implemented by a processor (such as a CPU) of the management server 14, and executes various information processing. The memory unit 22 is implemented by the memory or storage of the management server 14, and stores data referenced or updated by the control unit 20. The communication unit 24 communicates with external devices according to a predetermined communication protocol. The control unit 20 transmits and receives data to and from the user terminal 10 and the in-vehicle device 16 via the communication unit 24.

[0021] The storage unit 22 includes an area information storage unit 30 and a vehicle information storage unit 32. The area information storage unit 30 stores information about a plurality of predetermined areas (hereinafter also referred to as "area information"). The area information includes identification information (area ID) for each area and the geographical range of each area. The geographical range of each area may be information indicating the range of each area on a map, or may be information indicating locations on the map included in each area (for example, the location of a landmark or the location of a car share station).

[0022] The vehicle information storage unit 32 stores information (hereinafter also referred to as "vehicle information") about multiple shared vehicles 102 provided in the car sharing service. FIG. 4 shows an example of vehicle information. The vehicle information includes identification information (vehicle ID) of the shared vehicle 102, the belonging area ID, the belonging station ID, and reservation information. The belonging area ID is the ID of the area to which the shared vehicle 102 belongs, and the belonging station ID is the ID of the car sharing station to which the shared vehicle 102 belongs.

[0023] The reservation information is information relating to the reservation of a shared vehicle 102. The reservation information includes the identification information of the reservation (reservation ID), the identification information of the user who made the reservation (user ID), the reservation period, and the base fee. The reservation period is information indicating the period during which the user plans to use the shared vehicle. The reservation period includes the scheduled date and time when use of the shared vehicle will begin (reservation start date and time) and the scheduled date and time when use of the shared vehicle will end and the shared vehicle will be returned to the car share station (reservation end date and time). The base fee is a base fee for calculating the usage fee for the shared vehicle 102, and includes a fee per unit of usage time and a fee per unit of usage distance. As will be described later, the base fee for a certain shared vehicle 102 is determined according to the utilization rate of the area to which the shared vehicle 102 belongs.

[0024] 3, the control unit 20 includes a reservation reception unit 40, an availability calculation unit 42, a reference fee setting unit 44, a reservation information setting unit 46, a usage information acquisition unit 48, a fee calculation unit 50, and a billing unit 52. The functions of the multiple functional blocks included in the control unit 20 are implemented in a computer program, and this computer program may be installed in the storage of the management server 14. The processor of the management server 14 may perform the functions of these multiple functional blocks by reading this computer program into main memory and executing it.

[0025] The reservation reception unit 40 receives reservation information transmitted from the user terminal 10. The reservation information transmitted from the user terminal 10 includes information indicating the geographical location of the user and information indicating the reservation period for the shared vehicle 102 specified by the user.

[0026] The utilization rate calculation unit 42 identifies an area (hereinafter also referred to as a "designated area") that includes the geographical location of the user accepted by the reservation acceptance unit 40 from among the multiple areas based on the geographical ranges of the multiple areas stored in the area information storage unit 30. Based on reservation information for the multiple shared vehicles 102 to be rented in the designated area, the utilization rate calculation unit 42 calculates the utilization rate (hereinafter also referred to as a "designated area utilization rate") of the multiple shared vehicles 102 to be rented in the designated area during the reservation period of the user accepted by the reservation acceptance unit 40,

[0027] In the embodiment, the utilization rate calculation unit 42 calculates the designated area utilization rate based on the reservation information stored in the vehicle information storage unit 32 when the reservation reception unit 40 receives information indicating the reservation period designated by the user. In other words, the utilization rate calculation unit 42 calculates the designated area utilization rate based on the existing reservation status at the time of the user's reservation. Although the designated area utilization rate fluctuates over time, the utilization rate calculation unit 42 determines the maximum utilization rate of the multiple shared vehicles 102 rented out in the designated area during the user's reservation period as the designated area utilization rate.

[0028] The base fee setting unit 44 sets a base fee for the shared vehicle 102 rented out in the designated area according to the designated area utilization rate calculated by the utilization rate calculation unit 42. In the embodiment, the base fee setting unit 44 sets a base fee per unit usage time and a base fee per unit usage distance for the shared vehicle 102 rented out in the designated area. The unit usage time and the unit usage distance are determined in advance based on the developer's knowledge, setting values ​​in existing car sharing services, etc. The unit usage time may be, for example, 15 minutes. The unit usage distance may be, for example, 1 km.

[0029] The reservation information setting unit 46 stores reservation information for each shared vehicle 102 in the vehicle information storage unit 32. As described in relation to FIG. 4 , the reservation information includes a reservation ID, the ID of the user who made the reservation, the reservation period specified by the user, and the standard fee set by the standard fee setting unit 44.

[0030] The usage information acquisition unit 48 acquires user usage information transmitted from multiple on-board devices 16 mounted on multiple shared vehicles 102. The user usage information can also be said to be information indicating the usage history of the shared vehicle 102 by the user, and includes the ID of the user who used the shared vehicle 102, and the usage time and usage distance of the shared vehicle 102.

[0031] The fee calculation unit 50 calculates the usage fee for the shared vehicle 102 based on the standard fee set by the standard fee setting unit 44 and the usage time and distance of the shared vehicle 102 by the user acquired by the usage information acquisition unit 48.

[0032] The billing unit 52 executes processing to bill the user who used the shared vehicle 102 for the usage fee for the shared vehicle 102 calculated by the fee calculation unit 50. For example, the billing unit 52 may execute processing to withdraw the usage fee for the shared vehicle 102 from the user's bank account in cooperation with a system of a financial institution such as a credit card company.

[0033] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the management server 14. The operation of the car sharing management system 12 will be described below with reference to Figure 5. As a premise, the area information storage unit 30 of the management server 14 stores area information relating to multiple areas predetermined by the car sharing service operator. The vehicle information storage unit 32 of the management server 14 stores vehicle information for each of the multiple shared vehicles 102 provided in the car sharing service. The vehicle information includes reservation information relating to confirmed reservations.

[0034] In response to a user's operation, the user terminal 10 accesses a website (hereinafter also referred to as a "reservation site") that accepts reservations for the car sharing service. On the reservation site, the user specifies a location (hereinafter also referred to as a "designated location") from which to start using the shared vehicle 102. The designated location may be a landmark on a map (such as a station or building) or a car sharing station, or any location on the map. In this case, the designated location is a geographical location related to the user. In response to a user's operation, the user terminal 10 transmits reservation information including the user ID, the designated location, and the reservation period to the reservation site, thereby transmitting the reservation information to the management server 14.

[0035] The reservation reception unit 40 of the management server 14 receives the reservation information transmitted from the user terminal 10 (Y in S10). The utilization rate calculation unit 42 of the management server 14 identifies a designated area that includes the designated location indicated by the received reservation information from among the multiple areas stored in the area information storage unit 30. The utilization rate calculation unit 42 calculates the designated area utilization rate for the reservation period indicated by the received reservation information, based on the reservation information (confirmed reservation information) of the multiple shared vehicles that belong to the designated area stored in the vehicle information storage unit 32 (S12).

[0036] The base fee setting unit 44 of the management server 14 sets a higher base fee per unit usage time and per unit usage distance for the shared vehicle 102 in the designated area as the designated area utilization rate calculated by the utilization rate calculation unit 42 increases (S14). Figure 6 shows rules for setting base fees in an embodiment. The base fee setting unit 44 of the embodiment changes the base fee nonlinearly according to the designated area utilization rate, and more specifically, changes the base fee in a stepped manner so that the base fee increases as the designated area utilization rate increases.

[0037] In Figure 6, α1 to α5 indicate the standard charges per unit of usage time, with α1 < α2 < α3 < α4 < α5. For example, if the designated area utilization rate is less than 20%, the standard charge will be α1. If the designated area utilization rate is 20% or more and less than 40%, the standard charge will be α2. If the designated area utilization rate is 40% or more and less than 60%, the standard charge will be α3. If the designated area utilization rate is 60% or more and less than 80%, the standard charge will be α4. If the designated area utilization rate is 80% or more, the standard charge will be α5. The standard charge setting unit 44 changes the standard charge per unit of usage distance in a stepped manner, just like the standard charge per unit of usage time.

[0038] 7 shows a rule for setting a base fee in a modified example. As a modified example, the base fee setting unit 44 may linearly change the base fee so that the higher the designated area operation rate, the higher the base fee.

[0039] FIG. 8 shows an example of calculating the designated area utilization rate. Here, five shared vehicles 102 (A to E) are rented out in a designated area based on a location specified by the user. In reservation case 1, three of the five shared vehicles 102 are rented out during the reservation period, so the designated area utilization rate is calculated as 3 / 5 (=60%). In reservation case 1, the base fee setting unit 44 sets a medium base fee.

[0040] In reservation case 2, the utilization rate during the reservation period fluctuates over time as follows: 3 / 5 (=60%), 2 / 5 (=40%), 3 / 5 (=60%), 4 / 5 (=80%), 5 / 5 (=100%), and 4 / 5 (=80%). The utilization rate calculation unit 42 determines the maximum utilization rate during the reservation period as the designated area utilization rate for setting the base fee. For example, the utilization rate calculation unit 42 may calculate the utilization rate for each unit of usage time (e.g., 15 minutes) during the reservation period, or may determine the maximum utilization rate among the utilization rates for each unit of usage time as the designated area utilization rate. This makes it possible to avoid losses for the car sharing service provider even if the designated area utilization rate fluctuates during the reservation period.

[0041] In reservation case 2, the designated area occupancy rate is determined to be 5 / 5 (=100%). In reservation case 2, the base charge setting unit 44 sets a relatively high base charge in accordance with the designated area occupancy rate of 5 / 5. When the setting rules shown in Figures 6 and 7 are applied, the maximum base charge is set.

[0042] 5, the reservation information setting unit 46 of the management server 14 calculates the estimated usage time and estimated usage distance of the shared vehicle 102 based on the user's reservation period. The reservation information setting unit 46 calculates the estimated usage fee (which can also be considered a guideline for the usage fee) of the shared vehicle 102 by multiplying the standard fee for the shared vehicle 102 set in S14 (standard fee per unit usage time and standard fee per unit usage distance) by the estimated usage time and estimated usage distance. The reservation information setting unit 46 transmits the standard fee and estimated usage fee for the shared vehicle 102 to the user terminal 10 and causes them to be displayed.

[0043] In response to the user's consent operation, the user terminal 10 transmits information to the management server 14 indicating that the base fare and estimated usage fee for the vehicle 102 are accepted. When the reservation information setting unit 46 receives the information indicating that the base fare and estimated usage fee for the vehicle 102 are accepted, it stores the reservation information for the shared vehicle 102 in the vehicle information storage unit 32 (S16). If reservation information is not accepted from the user terminal 10 (N in S10), the processes of S12 to S16 are skipped.

[0044] Each of the multiple on-board devices 16 mounted on the multiple shared vehicles 102 transmits usage information including the ID of the user who used the shared vehicle 102, and the usage time and usage distance of the shared vehicle 102 to the management server 14. The usage information acquisition unit 48 of the management server 14 acquires the usage information transmitted from the multiple on-board devices 16 (Y of S18).

[0045] The fee calculation unit 50 of the management server 14 detects reservation information linked to the user ID indicated by the usage information (hereinafter also referred to as "corresponding reservation information") from the reservation information stored in the vehicle information storage unit 32. The fee calculation unit 50 calculates an hourly fee by multiplying the standard fee per unit usage time indicated by the corresponding reservation information by the usage time indicated by the usage information. The fee calculation unit 50 calculates a distance fee by multiplying the standard fee per unit usage distance indicated by the corresponding reservation information by the usage distance indicated by the usage information. The fee calculation unit 50 calculates the sum of the hourly fee and the distance fee as the usage fee for the shared vehicle 102 (S20).

[0046] Note that even if the designated area utilization rate at the time of using the shared vehicle 102 is lower than the designated area utilization rate at the time of reserving the shared vehicle 102, the usage fee for the shared vehicle 102 is calculated using the standard fee based on the designated area utilization rate at the time of reservation, because the user's consent to the standard fee was obtained at the time of reservation.

[0047] The billing unit 52 of the management server 14 executes a process of billing the user identified by the user ID indicated in the usage information for the usage fee for the shared vehicle 102 calculated in S20 (S22). If the usage information is not received from the in-vehicle device 16 (N in S18), the processes of S20 and S22 are skipped.

[0048] The car sharing management system 12 (management server 14) of the embodiment can support the equalization of the utilization rates of the shared vehicles 102 across multiple areas, and can support the equalization of the utilization rates of multiple shared vehicles provided in the car sharing service. Furthermore, the car sharing management system 12 defines multiple areas so that they do not overlap with each other, eliminating overlap of shared vehicles 102 across areas. This prevents a large change in the designated area utilization rate and a large change in the base fee when the user slightly changes the location designated.

[0049] Furthermore, the car sharing management system 12 changes the base fee in a stepped manner according to the designated area utilization rate, thereby realizing a fee system that is easy to apply to an actual car sharing business. Furthermore, the car sharing management system 12 calculates the designated area utilization rate based on the reservation information stored in the vehicle information storage unit 32 when the user's reservation period is accepted. This provides an incentive to the user to make a reservation early, which contributes to improving the utilization rate of the shared vehicle 102.

[0050] The calculation of the usage fee for the shared vehicle 102 in the embodiment will be supplemented below. The usage fee may be calculated using the following formula. Usage fee = time fee + distance fee = (standard fee per unit of usage time × usage time × discount rate based on usage time) + (standard fee per unit of usage distance × usage distance) The discount rate based on the usage time increases as the usage time increases, that is, it is intended to make long-term usage more economical. At the time of reservation, the distance charge may be 0 yen, or the usage charge at the time of reservation may be the same as the hourly rate. This is because the distance traveled varies depending on the user and is difficult to estimate. After use, the distance traveled may be confirmed and a distance charge calculated, and the usage charge may be calculated as the sum of the time charge and the distance charge. Alternatively, after use, the actual usage time from the start date and time of use at the time of reservation may be confirmed and the time charge may be recalculated using the confirmed usage time.

[0051] The present disclosure has been described above based on examples. These examples are merely illustrative, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible in the combination of each component or each treatment process, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0052] A first modified example will be described. Like FIG. 8, FIG. 9 shows an example of calculation of the designated area utilization rate. In reservation case 1, one shared vehicle 102 out of five shared vehicles 102 is rented out during the reservation period, so the designated area utilization rate is calculated to be 1 / 5 (=20%). In reservation case 1, the base fee setting unit 44 sets a relatively low base fee. In reservation case 2, the reservation time is only 30 minutes longer than in reservation case 1, but in reservation case 2, five shared vehicles 102 out of five shared vehicles 102 are rented out during the reservation period, so the designated area utilization rate is calculated to be 5 / 5 (=100%). In reservation case 2, the base fee setting unit 44 sets a relatively high base fee. Hereinafter, the designated area utilization rate and base fee based on the reservation period initially designated by the user will also be referred to as the "pre-adjustment designated area utilization rate" and the "pre-adjustment base fee."

[0053] In the first modified example, the utilization rate calculation unit 42 may further calculate the designated area utilization rate (referred to as the "adjusted designated area utilization rate") when the user's reservation period is shortened by a predetermined period (for example, 30 minutes). The base fee setting unit 44 may further set a base fee (referred to as the "adjusted base fee") based on the adjusted designated area utilization rate. The management server 14 may further include a notification unit. If the adjusted designated area utilization rate is lower than the pre-adjustment designated area utilization rate by a predetermined threshold or more, or if the post-adjustment base fee is lower than the pre-adjustment base fee by a predetermined threshold or more, the notification unit may transmit to the user terminal 10 and display information indicating that the usage fee will be lower by shortening the reservation period by the predetermined period. This allows the user to benefit from reduced usage fees.

[0054] A second modification will be described. At least two of the multiple areas may have overlapping ranges. In other words, a specific geographical point may belong to multiple areas.

[0055] A third modified example will be described. The utilization rate calculation unit 42 of the management server 14 may dynamically determine an area including the geographical position of the user. For example, the user terminal 10 may transmit reservation information to the management server 14 including the location of the user terminal 10 measured by a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) or a global positioning system (GPS) as the geographical position of the user. Alternatively, the user terminal 10 may transmit reservation information to the management server 14 including a location arbitrarily designated by the user on a map as the geographical position of the user. The utilization rate calculation unit 42 of the management server 14 may determine an area within a predetermined range (for example, within a radius of 1 km) from the above-mentioned geographical position of the user as the designated area. The utilization rate calculation unit 42 may identify multiple stations (in other words, multiple shared vehicles 102) included in the designated area based on positional information of multiple car share stations stored in advance.

[0056] A fourth modified example will be described. In the above embodiment, the base fee setting unit 44 of the management server 14 sets both a base fee per unit usage time and a base fee per unit usage distance. However, as a modified example, the base fee setting unit 44 may set either a base fee per unit usage time or a base fee per unit usage distance. When the base fee setting unit 44 sets only a base fee per unit usage time, the fee calculation unit 50 of the management server 14 may calculate the usage fee for the shared vehicle 102 by multiplying the base fee per unit usage time by the usage time as the actual usage. Furthermore, when the base fee setting unit 44 sets only a base fee per unit usage distance, the fee calculation unit 50 of the management server 14 may calculate the usage fee for the shared vehicle 102 by multiplying the base fee per unit usage distance by the usage distance as the actual usage.

[0057] A fifth modified example will be described. The management server 14 may calculate the usage fee by accumulating a base fee corresponding to the utilization rate of the shared vehicle 102 for each unit utilization time (e.g., 15 minutes) multiplied by the utilization time. For example, if the total utilization time of the shared vehicle 102 is 5.5 hours, the usage fee may be calculated by calculating the base fee corresponding to a utilization rate of 2 / 5 × 0.5 hour + the base fee corresponding to a utilization rate of 3 / 5 × 3 hours + the base fee corresponding to a utilization rate of 4 / 5 × 1 hour + the base fee corresponding to a utilization rate of 5 / 5 × 1 hour. This configuration maximizes the profits of the car sharing service provider while reducing user expenses. In another aspect, the management server 14 may calculate the average value of the utilization rates of the shared vehicle 102 for each of multiple unit utilization times included in the total utilization time as the designated area utilization rate for setting the base fee.

[0058] A sixth modified example will be described. The utilization rate calculation unit 42 of the management server 14 may calculate the utilization rate per predetermined period in the past in a specified area based on a location specified by the user. The base fee setting unit 44 of the management server 14 may set the base fee for the shared vehicle 102 based on the utilization rate per predetermined period in the past in the specified area. The predetermined period may be, for example, one month, six months, or one year. The base fee may be updated, for example, every month, six months, or one year.

[0059] A seventh modified example will be described. When the time difference between the time when a user reserves a shared vehicle 102 and the time when the user uses the shared vehicle 102 is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, the base fee setting unit 44 of the management server 14 may set the base fee for the shared vehicle 102 applicable to the user to be lower than the original base fee based on the designated area utilization rate. The threshold for the time difference may be, for example, 2 hours, 1 hour, or 30 minutes. The discount may also be, for example, 10%, 20%, or 30% off the original base fee based on the designated area utilization rate. The smaller the time difference, the greater the discount may be. According to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the shared vehicle 102 from being idle, thereby improving the utilization rate of the shared vehicle 102.

[0060] An eighth modified example will now be described. The utilization rate calculation unit 42 of the management server 14 may calculate the utilization rate of the shared vehicle 102 for each car share station corresponding to the geographical location of the user. For example, the utilization rate of the shared vehicle 102 at the car share station specified by the user or at the car share station closest to the location specified by the user may be calculated. The base fee setting unit 44 of the management server 14 may calculate the base fee for the shared vehicle 102 based on the utilization rate of the shared vehicle 102 for each car share station calculated by the utilization rate calculation unit 42.

[0061] Any combination of the above-described examples and modifications is also useful as an embodiment of the present disclosure. A new embodiment resulting from a combination will have the combined effects of the combined examples and modifications. It will also be understood by those skilled in the art that the functions to be performed by each constituent element described in the claims can be realized by each component shown in the examples and modifications alone or in combination.

[0062] The techniques described in this disclosure can also be expressed as follows: [Item 1] a storage unit (32) for storing reservation information for a plurality of shared vehicles (102); a receiving unit (40) for receiving a geographical location of a user and a reservation period for a shared vehicle (102) designated by the user; an operation rate calculation unit (42) that identifies a designated area that is an area that includes a geographical location of the user from among a plurality of predetermined areas, and calculates a designated area operation rate that is an operation rate of a plurality of shared vehicles (102) rented out in the designated area during the reservation period based on reservation information of a plurality of shared vehicles (102) rented out in the designated area; a setting unit (44) for setting a standard fee per unit use time and / or per unit use distance of the shared vehicle (102) rented in the designated area according to the designated area utilization rate; a fee calculation unit (48) that calculates a usage fee for the shared vehicle (102) based on the standard fee set by the setting unit (44) and the usage time or usage distance of the shared vehicle (102) by the user; A car sharing management system (12) comprising: This car sharing management system can help equalize the utilization rate of shared vehicles across multiple areas. [Item 2] The setting unit (44) changes the base fee in a stepped manner in accordance with the designated area operation rate. Item 1. A car sharing management system (12) according to item 1. This car sharing management system makes it possible to realize a fee structure that is easy to apply to actual car sharing businesses. [Item 3] The plurality of areas are defined so as not to overlap each other. A car sharing management system (12) according to item 1 or 2. This car sharing management system eliminates overlap of shared vehicles (in other words, overlap of car sharing stations) between areas, preventing a large change in the designated area utilization rate and a large change in the standard fee when the user makes a slight change to the location specified. [Item 4] the utilization rate calculation unit (48) calculates the designated area utilization rate based on the reservation information stored in the storage unit (32) when the reservation period of the user is accepted; A car sharing management system (12) according to any one of items 1 to 3. This car sharing management system can provide users with an incentive to make reservations early, which can help improve the utilization rate of shared vehicles. [Item 5] The utilization rate calculation unit (48) determines the maximum utilization rate of the multiple shared vehicles (102) rented in the designated area during the reservation period as the designated area utilization rate. A car sharing management system (12) according to any one of items 1 to 4. This car sharing management system can prevent losses for the car sharing service provider even if the designated area utilization rate fluctuates during the reservation period. [Item 6] A computer (14) having a storage unit that stores reservation information for a plurality of shared vehicles (102), accepting a geographic location for a user and a reservation period for a shared vehicle (102) specified by the user; A step of identifying a designated area that is an area that includes a geographical location of the user from among a plurality of predetermined areas, and calculating a designated area utilization rate that is the utilization rate of a plurality of shared vehicles (102) rented out in the designated area during the reservation period based on reservation information of a plurality of shared vehicles (102) rented out in the designated area; setting a standard fee per unit of usage time and / or per unit of usage distance for the shared vehicle (102) rented in the designated area according to the designated area utilization rate; a step of calculating a usage fee for the shared vehicle (102) based on the standard fee set in the setting step and the usage time or distance of the shared vehicle (102) by the user; A car sharing management method that implements the above. This car sharing management method can help level out the utilization rate of shared vehicles across multiple areas. [Item 7] A computer (14) having a storage unit for storing reservation information for a plurality of shared vehicles (102), accepting a geographic location for a user and a reservation period for a shared vehicle (102) specified by the user; A step of identifying a designated area that is an area that includes a geographical location of the user from among a plurality of predetermined areas, and calculating a designated area utilization rate that is the utilization rate of a plurality of shared vehicles (102) rented out in the designated area during the reservation period based on reservation information of a plurality of shared vehicles (102) rented out in the designated area; setting a standard fee per unit of usage time and / or per unit of usage distance for the shared vehicle (102) rented in the designated area according to the designated area utilization rate; a step of calculating a usage fee for the shared vehicle (102) based on the standard fee set in the setting step and the usage time or distance of the shared vehicle (102) by the user; A computer program that executes the following: This computer program allows a computer to execute a process for supporting the equalization of utilization rates of shared vehicles among a plurality of areas. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 12 Car sharing management system, 14 Management server, 30 Area information storage unit, 32 Vehicle information storage unit, 40 Reservation reception unit, 42 Utilization rate calculation unit, 44 Standard fee setting unit, 46 Reservation information setting unit, 48 Usage information acquisition unit, 50 Fee calculation unit.

Claims

1. a storage unit that stores reservation information for a plurality of shared vehicles; a receiving unit that receives a geographical location of a user and a reservation period for a shared vehicle designated by the user; an operation rate calculation unit that identifies a designated area that is an area that includes a geographical location of the user from among a plurality of predetermined areas, and calculates a designated area operation rate that is an operation rate of the plurality of shared vehicles rented out in the designated area during the reservation period based on reservation information of the plurality of shared vehicles rented out in the designated area; a setting unit that sets a standard fee per unit usage time and / or per unit usage distance of the shared vehicle rented in the designated area according to the designated area utilization rate; a fee calculation unit that calculates a usage fee for the shared vehicle based on the standard fee set by the setting unit and the usage time or usage distance of the shared vehicle by the user; A car sharing management system equipped with the above.

2. The setting unit changes the base fee in a stepped manner in accordance with the designated area operation rate. The car sharing management system according to claim 1 .

3. The plurality of areas are defined so as not to overlap each other. The car sharing management system according to claim 1 .

4. the utilization rate calculation unit calculates the designated area utilization rate based on reservation information stored in the storage unit when the reservation period of the user is accepted; The car sharing management system according to claim 1 .

5. the utilization rate calculation unit determines the maximum utilization rate of a plurality of shared vehicles rented out in the designated area during the reservation period as the designated area utilization rate; The car sharing management system according to claim 1 .

6. A computer including a storage unit that stores reservation information for a plurality of shared vehicles, accepting a geographic location for a user and a reservation period for a shared vehicle specified by the user; a step of identifying a designated area that is an area that includes a geographical location of the user from among a plurality of predetermined areas, and calculating a designated area utilization rate that is the utilization rate of a plurality of shared vehicles rented out in the designated area during the reservation period based on reservation information of a plurality of shared vehicles rented out in the designated area; setting a standard fee per unit usage time and / or per unit usage distance for the shared vehicle rented in the designated area according to the designated area utilization rate; a step of calculating a usage fee for the shared vehicle based on the standard fee set in the setting step and the usage time or distance of the shared vehicle by the user; A car sharing management method that implements the above.

7. A computer having a storage unit that stores reservation information for a plurality of shared vehicles, accepting a geographic location for a user and a reservation period for a shared vehicle specified by the user; a step of identifying a designated area that is an area that includes a geographical location of the user from among a plurality of predetermined areas, and calculating a designated area utilization rate that is the utilization rate of a plurality of shared vehicles rented out in the designated area during the reservation period based on reservation information of a plurality of shared vehicles rented out in the designated area; setting a standard fee per unit usage time and / or per unit usage distance for the shared vehicle rented in the designated area according to the designated area utilization rate; a step of calculating a usage fee for the shared vehicle based on the standard fee set in the setting step and the usage time or distance of the shared vehicle by the user; A computer program that executes the following:

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