Information processor, terminal, rideshare control method, passenger reception method, rideshare request method, and program

Abstract

To promote ride-sharing according to requests of a driver of a vehicle and a hiker.SOLUTION: In an information processing device, communication means communicates with a plurality of terminals, and acquisition means acquires route information on a scheduled route of a vehicle on the basis of an input to a first terminal. The control means makes the route information browsable from a second terminal different from the first terminal, and transmits, to the first terminal, desire information including a point at which the user desires to get on and off the vehicle based on an input to the second terminal. The acquisition means acquires acceptance and refusal information related to the desire information based on an input to the first terminal, and the control means transmits the acceptance and refusal information to the second terminal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for facilitating ride sharing. [Background technology]

[0002] In the system described in Patent Document 1, vehicles that are actually traveling near the user's current location are displayed on the user's terminal based on vehicle information stored in a central computer, allowing the user to enjoy a virtual hitchhiking experience. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-208462 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present invention aims to provide a system that can promote ride sharing according to the wishes of vehicle drivers and hikers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The invention described in claim 1 is an information processing device comprising: a communication means for communicating with a plurality of terminals; an acquisition means for acquiring route information relating to a planned route of a vehicle based on input to a first terminal; and a control means for making the route information viewable from a second terminal different from the first terminal and transmitting preference information including desired boarding and disembarking points based on input to the second terminal to the first terminal, wherein the acquisition means acquires acceptance / rejection information relating to the preference information based on input to the first terminal, and the control means transmits the acceptance / rejection information to the second terminal. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1]1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a ride-sharing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an in-vehicle terminal; [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a server. [Figure 4] 10 shows examples of data stored in the driver DB and hiker DB. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart of a travel schedule information registration process. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart of a ride-sharing intermediation process. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart of an evaluation process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, an information processing device comprises a communication means for communicating with a plurality of terminals, an acquisition means for acquiring route information relating to a planned route of a vehicle based on input to a first terminal, and a control means for making the route information viewable from a second terminal different from the first terminal and transmitting preference information including desired boarding and disembarking points based on input to the second terminal to the first terminal, wherein the acquisition means acquires acceptance / rejection information relating to the preference information based on input to the first terminal, and the control means transmits the acceptance / rejection information to the second terminal.

[0008] In the above information processing device, the communication means communicates with multiple terminals, and the acquisition means acquires route information regarding a planned route of a vehicle based on input to a first terminal. The control means makes the route information viewable from a second terminal different from the first terminal, and transmits preference information including desired boarding and disembarking points based on the input to the second terminal to the first terminal. The acquisition means then acquires acceptance / rejection information related to the preference information based on the input to the first terminal, and the control means transmits the acceptance / rejection information to the second terminal. This makes it possible to transmit acceptance / rejection information arbitrarily determined by the user of the first terminal in response to the preference information from the second terminal to the second terminal.

[0009] In one aspect of the information processing device, the control unit transmits the vehicle identification information to the second terminal when the acceptance / rejection information indicates acceptance, thereby enabling a user of the second terminal to easily identify the vehicle.

[0010] In another aspect of the information processing device, if there is evaluation information about the user of the first terminal, the control means adds the evaluation information about the user of the first terminal to the route information so that the evaluation information about the user of the first terminal can be viewed from the second terminal, and if there is evaluation information about the user of the second terminal, adds the evaluation information about the user of the second terminal to the request information and transmits it to the first terminal. In this aspect, the user of the second terminal can transmit the request information taking into account the evaluation information, and the user of the first terminal can transmit acceptance / rejection information to the first terminal taking into account the evaluation information.

[0011] In another aspect of the information processing device, the control means acquires the number of passengers wishing to board or the amount of luggage desired to be loaded from the second terminal and transmits the information to the first terminal. In this aspect, the user of the first terminal can transmit acceptance / rejection information taking into consideration the number of passengers wishing to board or the amount of luggage desired to be loaded.

[0012] In another aspect of the information processing device, the acquisition means acquires the number of passengers or the amount of luggage that can be carried from the first terminal, and the control means makes the number of passengers or the amount of luggage that can be carried viewable from the second terminal. In this aspect, a user of the second terminal can transmit desired information taking into account the number of passengers or the amount of luggage that can be carried.

[0013] In another aspect of the information processing device, the route information acquired by the acquisition means from the first terminal includes an estimated time of departure or an estimated time of arrival. In this aspect, the user of the second terminal can transmit desired information taking into account the estimated time of departure or the estimated time of arrival.

[0014] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a terminal device that communicates with an external information processing device comprises: a setting means for setting a departure point and a destination; a first transmission means for transmitting to the information processing device information relating to the departure point and the destination or route information from the departure point to the destination, the information being made viewable by the information processing device to another terminal device different from the terminal device; a presentation means for receiving and presenting desired information including desired boarding and disembarking points transmitted from the other terminal device to the information processing device; and a second transmission means for obtaining acceptance / rejection information relating to the desired information after presenting the desired information and transmitting the acceptance / rejection information to the information processing device.

[0015] The terminal device communicates with an external information processing device, and the setting means sets a departure point and a destination. The first transmission means transmits to the information processing device information about the departure point and the destination or route information from the departure point to the destination, which information is made viewable by the information processing device to another terminal device different from the terminal device. The presentation means receives and presents preference information, including desired boarding and disembarking points, transmitted from the other terminal device to the information processing device. The second transmission means, after presenting the preference information, acquires acceptance / rejection information related to the preference information and transmits the acceptance / rejection information to the information processing device. This makes it possible to transmit acceptance / rejection information arbitrarily determined by the user of the terminal device in response to preference information from another terminal device to the other terminal device.

[0016] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a terminal device that communicates with an external information processing device includes a first receiving means that receives route information regarding a planned route of a vehicle that has been set based on input to another terminal device different from the terminal device from the information processing device, a transmitting means that, after presenting the route information, acquires preference information including desired boarding and disembarking points and transmits the preference information to the information processing device, and a second receiving means that, after transmitting the preference information to the information processing device, receives from the information processing device acceptance / rejection information regarding the preference information transmitted by the other terminal device.

[0017] The terminal device communicates with an external information processing device, and the first receiving means receives route information regarding a planned route of a vehicle set based on input to another terminal device different from the terminal device from the information processing device. After presenting the route information, the transmitting means acquires preference information including desired boarding and disembarking points and transmits the preference information to the information processing device. Then, after transmitting the preference information to the information processing device, the second receiving means receives from the information processing device acceptance / rejection information related to the preference information transmitted by the other terminal device. This makes it possible to receive acceptance / rejection information arbitrarily determined by the user of the other terminal device in response to the preference information from the terminal device.

[0018] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a ride-along control method executed by an information processing device that communicates with multiple terminals includes an acquisition step of acquiring route information regarding a planned route of a vehicle based on input to a first terminal, and a control step of making the route information viewable from a second terminal different from the first terminal and transmitting preference information including desired boarding and disembarking points based on input to the second terminal to the first terminal, wherein the acquisition step acquires acceptance / rejection information related to the preference information based on input to the first terminal, and the control step transmits the acceptance / rejection information to the second terminal. This method also makes it possible to transmit acceptance / rejection information arbitrarily determined by the user of the first terminal in response to the preference information from the second terminal to the second terminal. Furthermore, the above-mentioned ride-along control method can be executed by a computer using a program.

[0019] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a passenger reception method executed by a terminal device that communicates with an external information processing device includes: a setting step of setting a departure point and a destination; a first transmission step of transmitting information about the departure point and the destination or route information from the departure point to the destination to the information processing device, the information being made viewable by the information processing device to another terminal device different from the terminal device; a presentation step of receiving and presenting preference information, including desired boarding and disembarking points, transmitted from the other terminal device to the information processing device; and a second transmission step of obtaining acceptance / rejection information related to the preference information after presenting the preference information and transmitting the acceptance / rejection information to the information processing device. This allows acceptance / rejection information arbitrarily determined by the user of the terminal device in response to the preference information from the other terminal device to be transmitted to the other terminal device. Furthermore, the above-described passenger reception method can be executed by a computer using a program.

[0020] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a ride-along request method executed by a terminal device that communicates with an external information processing device includes a first receiving step of receiving, from the information processing device, route information regarding a planned route of a vehicle set based on input to another terminal device different from the terminal device; a transmitting step of acquiring preference information including desired boarding and disembarking points after presenting the route information and transmitting the preference information to the information processing device; and a second receiving step of receiving, from the information processing device, acceptance / rejection information regarding the preference information transmitted by the other terminal device after transmitting the preference information to the information processing device. This allows the user of the other terminal device to receive acceptance / rejection information arbitrarily determined in response to the preference information from the terminal device. Furthermore, the ride-along request method can be executed by a computer using a program. [Example]

[0021] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. [System Configuration] (Overall composition) FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a ride-sharing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The ride-sharing system is a system that mediates ride-sharing (passenger sharing) between a driver of a vehicle 3 and a hiker (passenger), and as shown in the figure, includes an on-board terminal 100 mounted in the vehicle 3, a server 200, and a mobile terminal 5 carried by the hiker. The server 200 communicates with the on-board terminal 100 and the mobile terminal 5 via wireless communication. Note that, for the sake of convenience, the example in FIG. 1 shows one on-board terminal 100 and one mobile terminal 5, but in reality, many on-board terminals 100 and mobile terminals 5 are used in many vehicles 3.

[0022] (In-vehicle terminal) The in-vehicle terminal 100 is mounted on a vehicle and is typically a car navigation device. Fig. 2 shows the configuration of a car navigation device, which is a typical example of the in-vehicle terminal 100. As shown in the figure, the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 comprises an autonomous positioning device 10, a GPS receiver 18, a system controller 20, a disk drive 31, a data storage unit 36, a communication interface 37, a communication device 38, a display unit 40, an audio output unit 50 and an input device 60.

[0023] The stand-alone positioning device 10 includes an acceleration sensor 11, an angular velocity sensor 12, and a distance sensor 13. The acceleration sensor 11 is made of, for example, a piezoelectric element, and detects the acceleration of the vehicle and outputs acceleration data. The angular velocity sensor 12 is made of, for example, a vibration gyroscope, and detects the angular velocity of the vehicle when the vehicle turns, and outputs angular velocity data and relative direction data. The distance sensor 13 measures vehicle speed pulses, which are pulse signals generated in conjunction with the rotation of the vehicle's wheels.

[0024] The GPS receiver 18 receives radio waves 19 carrying downlink data including positioning data from multiple GPS satellites. The positioning data is used to detect the absolute position of the vehicle from latitude and longitude information, etc.

[0025] The system controller 20 includes an interface 21 , a CPU 22 , a ROM 23 , and a RAM 24 , and controls the entire in-vehicle terminal 100 .

[0026] The interface 21 acts as an interface with the acceleration sensor 11, angular velocity sensor 12, distance sensor 13, and GPS receiver 18. From these sensors, the interface 21 inputs vehicle speed pulses, acceleration data, relative direction data, angular velocity data, GPS positioning data, absolute direction data, etc. to the system controller 20. The CPU 22 controls the entire system controller 20. The ROM 23 includes a non-volatile memory (not shown) that stores a control program for controlling the system controller 20, etc. The RAM 24 readably stores various data, such as route data preset by the user via the input device 60, and provides a working area for the CPU 22.

[0027] The system controller 20, a disk drive 31 such as a CD-ROM drive or a DVD-ROM drive, a data storage unit 36, a communication interface 37, a display unit 40, an audio output unit 50 and an input device 60 are interconnected via a bus line 30.

[0028] The disc drive 31 reads and outputs content data such as music data and video data from a disc 33 such as a CD or DVD under the control of the system controller 20. The disc drive 31 may be either a CD-ROM drive or a DVD-ROM drive, or may be a CD and DVD compatible drive.

[0029] The data storage unit 36 ​​is configured by, for example, an HDD, and stores various data used in navigation processing, such as map data and facility data.

[0030] The communication device 38 is configured with, for example, an FM tuner, a beacon receiver, a mobile phone, or a dedicated communication card, and receives road traffic information such as congestion and traffic information and other information distributed from a VICS (Vehicle Information Communication System) (registered trademark) center via the communication interface 37. The communication device 38 also communicates with the server 200 via wireless communication.

[0031] The display unit 40 displays various display data on a display device such as a monitor under the control of the system controller 20. Specifically, the system controller 20 reads map data from the data storage unit 36. The display unit 40 displays the map data read from the data storage unit 36 ​​by the system controller 20 on a display screen such as a monitor. The display unit 40 includes a graphic controller 41 that controls the entire display unit 40 based on control data sent from the CPU 22 via the bus line 30, a buffer memory 42 such as a VRAM (Video RAM) that temporarily stores image information that can be displayed immediately, a display control unit 43 that controls the display 44 such as a liquid crystal display or a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) based on image data output from the graphic controller 41, and a display 44. The display 44 is, for example, a liquid crystal display device with a diagonal of approximately 5 to 10 inches and is mounted near the front panel inside the vehicle.

[0032] The audio output unit 50 is configured to include a D / A converter 51 that performs D / A conversion of audio digital data sent from the disk drive 31 or RAM 24, etc. via the bus line 30 under the control of the system controller 20, an amplifier (AMP) 52 that amplifies the audio analog signal output from the D / A converter 51, and a speaker 53 that converts the amplified audio analog signal into audio and outputs it inside the vehicle.

[0033] The input device 60 is composed of keys, switches, buttons, a remote control, a voice input device, etc. for inputting various commands and data. The input device 60 is arranged on the front panel of the main body of the in-vehicle electronic system installed in the vehicle or around the display 44. In addition, if the display 44 is a touch panel type, the touch panel provided on the display screen of the display 44 also functions as the input device 60.

[0034] In the above configuration, the communication device 38 is an example of a communication means, a first transmission means, and a second transmission means of the present invention, the input device 60 is an example of a setting means of the present invention, and the display unit 40 is an example of a presentation means of the present invention.

[0035] (server) The server 200 mediates ride sharing between the in-vehicle terminal 100 and the mobile terminal 5. Fig. 3 shows the configuration of the server 200. As shown in the figure, the server 200 includes a communication unit 201, a driver database (DB) 202, a hiker DB 203, and a control unit 204.

[0036] The communication unit 201 communicates with the in-vehicle terminal 100 and the mobile terminal 5 via wireless communication. The driver DB 202 stores information about the drivers of the vehicles 3. The hiker DB 203 stores information about hikers who own the mobile terminal 5. The control unit 204 controls the entire server 200. In particular, the control unit 204 communicates with the in-vehicle terminal 100 and the mobile terminal 5 to execute a travel schedule information registration process, a ride-sharing mediation process, and an evaluation process, which will be described later.

[0037] Next, the driver DB 202 will be described in detail. The driver DB 202 stores information about the drivers of the vehicles 3. Fig. 4(A) shows an example of data stored in the driver DB 202. The driver DB 202 stores, for each driver, a driver ID, vehicle identification information, boarding availability information, route information, number of passengers, loadable luggage amount, driver evaluation, etc.

[0038] "Driver ID" is identification information assigned to each driver. Drivers who use this system register as users with the server 200 in advance by submitting their personal information. The driver ID is linked to the necessary personal information about the driver.

[0039] "Vehicle identification information" is identification information of the vehicle 3 used by the driver, and typically uses the vehicle registration number (license plate information). The vehicle identification information may further include information such as the vehicle model and color.

[0040] The "ride permission information" is information indicating whether the driver allows the hiker to ride in his / her vehicle 3. The ride permission information is set by the driver himself / herself, and is set to "yes" if the hiker is allowed to ride in, and is set to "no" if the hiker is not allowed to ride in.

[0041] "Route information" is information about a guided route set in the in-vehicle terminal 100. Specifically, when the driver of the vehicle 3 operates the in-vehicle terminal 100 to set a guided route to a destination, information about the guided route is stored in the driver DB. Note that the route information includes not only the guided route from the departure point to the destination, but also the scheduled times of passing through key points along the guided route. Furthermore, the route information may be information about the departure point and destination instead of the guided route itself.

[0042] "Number of passengers" indicates the number of passengers that the driver can have in the vehicle if the driver allows hikers to ride with them. The number of passengers that can ride with the driver is set by the driver. For example, if the driver's Vehicle 3 is a four-seater and the driver and one family member are planning to ride with the driver, the driver sets the number of passengers as "2 people."

[0043] "Load capacity" indicates the size and weight of luggage that a hiker can bring into the vehicle if the driver allows the hiker to ride with them. The load capacity is set by the driver. For example, the driver may set the load capacity to "the equivalent of three suitcases, 60 kg" depending on the available space in the vehicle.

[0044] The "driver rating" is a hiker's evaluation of the driver, and is set by the hiker who actually rode in the driver's vehicle. The driver rating may be a multi-level rating such as good, average, or bad, or may be a score out of 100. The driver rating is basically set by the hiker each time the driver takes a hiker for a ride, so multiple past driver ratings are accumulated in the driver DB 202. When a large number of driver ratings have been accumulated, it is preferable to store the average value and other information to provide to the hiker.

[0045] Among the data stored in the driver DB202, the driver ID and vehicle identification information are always stored after the driver registers as a user in the system. On the other hand, the boarding availability information is set when the driver travels toward a destination. That is, if the driver is willing to allow a hiker to ride with them and sets the boarding availability information to "yes" and inputs the number of passengers, the boarding availability information, route information, and number of passengers are transmitted to the server 200 and stored in the driver DB202. On the other hand, if the driver is not willing to allow a hiker to ride with them and sets the boarding availability information to "no," the boarding availability information is transmitted to the server 200 and stored in the driver DB202, and the route information, number of passengers, and load capacity are not set (empty). Furthermore, if a past driver evaluation exists, it is always stored.

[0046] Next, the hiker DB 203 will be described in detail. The hiker DB 203 stores information about hikers who own the mobile terminal 5. Fig. 4(B) shows an example of data stored in the hiker DB 203. The hiker DB 203 stores, for each hiker, a hiker ID, boarding / disembarking points, the number of people wishing to board, the amount of luggage desired to be carried, a hiker evaluation, and the like.

[0047] A "Hiker ID" is identification information assigned to each hiker. Hikers who use this system register as users with the server 200 by providing their personal information in advance. The hiker ID is linked to the necessary personal information about the hiker.

[0048] "Pick-up / Drop-off point" is information indicating the points where hikers wishing to ride will board and disembark from the driver's vehicle, i.e., the points where the driver will pick them up and drop them off, and is set by the hiker. "Number of people wishing to ride" is the number of people the hiker wishes to ride with and is set by the hiker. "Desired amount of luggage to carry" is the amount of luggage the hiker wishes to bring with them and is set by the hiker.

[0049] A "hiker rating" is a driver's rating of a hiker, and is set by the driver who actually takes the hiker on a ride. The hiker rating may be a multi-level rating such as good, average, or bad, or may be a score out of 100. The hiker rating is basically set by the driver who takes the hiker on a ride each time the hiker takes a ride, so multiple past hiker ratings are accumulated in the hiker DB 203. When a large number of hiker ratings have been accumulated, it is preferable to store the average value and other information to provide to the driver.

[0050] Of the data stored in the hiker DB 203, the hiker ID is always stored after the hiker registers as a user in this system. Meanwhile, the pick-up / drop-off points, number of passengers, and desired amount of luggage are set when the hiker requests to ride in a vehicle with a driver. Furthermore, if a hiker has a past rating, that rating is always stored.

[0051] In the above configuration, the communication unit 201 is an example of the communication means and acquisition means of the present invention, and the control unit 204 is an example of the control means of the present invention.

[0052] [Ride-sharing control methods] Next, a description will be given of a method for controlling ride sharing between the in-vehicle terminal 100 and the mobile terminal 5. Specifically, the control of ride sharing by this system is performed by a travel schedule information registration process, a ride sharing mediation process, and an evaluation process.

[0053] (Driving schedule information registration process) 5 is a flowchart of the travel schedule information registration process, which is realized by the CPU 22 of the in-vehicle terminal 100 and the control unit 204 of the server 200 executing a program prepared in advance.

[0054] First, the in-vehicle terminal 100 sets a route to the destination based on the driver's input (step S101). The driver may also set the route by specifying the scheduled departure time or scheduled arrival time. Next, the in-vehicle terminal 100 acquires the driver's boarding availability input by the driver, the set route information, and the number of passengers input if boarding is available, associates them with the driver ID, and transmits them to the server 200 as travel schedule information (step SS102). The travel schedule information is an example of route information of the present invention. If the scheduled departure time or scheduled arrival time is specified in step S101, the in-vehicle terminal 100 may include them in the travel schedule information.

[0055] The server 200 receives the travel schedule information from the in-vehicle terminal 100 and registers it in the driver DB 202 (step S103). As a result, the driver DB 202 of the server 200 stores various pieces of information as shown in FIG. 4(A).

[0056] (Rideshare intermediary processing) 6 is a flowchart of the ride sharing mediation process. This process is realized by the CPU 22 of the in-vehicle terminal 100, the control unit 204 of the server 200, and the computer of the mobile terminal 5 executing a program prepared in advance.

[0057] First, the hiker operates the portable terminal 5 and inputs search conditions to search for available vehicles. That is, the portable terminal 5 receives the search conditions input by the hiker and transmits them to the server 200 to search for available vehicles (step S201). Here, the search conditions include at least the hiker's "boarding / dropping off points" and "number of people wishing to board." Note that information such as vehicle type may be added at the hiker's request. Also, the current location of the hiker's portable terminal 5 may be set instead of the boarding point.

[0058] The server 200 accesses the driver DB 202 to search for vehicles of drivers who match the search criteria received from the mobile terminal 5 (hereinafter referred to as "relevant vehicles") and transmits a list of such vehicles (hereinafter referred to as "relevant vehicle list information") to the mobile terminal 5 (step S202). Specifically, the server 200 selects vehicles of drivers who have route information including the "boarding / drop-off points" included in the search criteria and who have a capacity for passengers equal to or greater than the "desired number of passengers" also included in the search criteria. If the route information stored in the driver DB 202 includes a scheduled time of passing through a key point, the server 200 takes this into consideration. Furthermore, the server 200 preferably includes information such as the capacity for passengers, a driver evaluation for each driver, and vehicle type in the relevant vehicle list information.

[0059] The relevant vehicle list information transmitted from the server 200 is displayed on the mobile terminal 5, and the hiker selects the vehicle they wish to board from the relevant vehicle list information by referring to the driver evaluation, etc. The mobile terminal 5 transmits to the server 200 information on the vehicle selected by the hiker, as well as boarding / drop-off points, the number of people wishing to board, and other boarding preference information (step S203). The boarding preference information is an example of preference information of the present invention.

[0060] When the server 200 receives the boarding request information from the terminal device 5, it stores it in the hiker DB 203 and transmits it to the on-board terminal 100 of the vehicle selected by the boarding request information (step S204). At this time, the server 200 preferably includes the hiker's hiker evaluation stored in the hiker DB 203 in the boarding request information and transmits it to the on-board terminal 100. In addition, the server 200 changes the status of the on-board terminal 100 for which a certain hiker has made a boarding request to "adjusting" on the server 200 to prevent duplicate boarding requests from other hikers.

[0061] The in-vehicle terminal 100 receives and displays the ride request information (step S205). The ride request information includes the hiker's "pick-up / drop-off location" and "number of people wishing to ride" as well as hiker evaluation information. The driver refers to the ride request information displayed on the in-vehicle terminal 100 and inputs into the in-vehicle terminal 100 whether or not to accept the hiker's ride, i.e., whether or not to accept the ride. The in-vehicle terminal 100 transmits ride request information including the ride request input by the driver to the server 200 (step S206). Note that if the driver refuses to accept the hiker's ride, the in-vehicle terminal 100 may require the driver to input the reason. The ride request information is an example of the acceptance / rejection information of the present invention.

[0062] If the driver agrees to board, the in-vehicle terminal 100 sets and displays the route to the boarding / dropping off point and the names of the fellow hikers included in the boarding request information (step S207).

[0063] The server 200 transmits the boarding acceptance / rejection information received from the in-vehicle terminal 100 to the portable terminal 5 of the hiker who transmitted the boarding request information (step S208). Specifically, if the driver accepts the boarding, the server 200 transmits the boarding acceptance / rejection information to the portable terminal 5, including the estimated time of arrival at the boarding point, the vehicle identification information stored in the driver DB 202, and the like. If the driver accepts the ride, the server 200 sets the driver's status to "adjusted" and prevents other hikers from selecting the ride. Furthermore, the server 200 may transmit current location information of the hiker's mobile terminal 5 to the in-vehicle terminal 100 and also transmit current location information of the in-vehicle terminal 100 to the hiker's mobile terminal 5, so that the driver and the hiker can confirm each other's current locations. On the other hand, if the driver rejects the ride, ride acceptance / rejection information including the rejection and the reason for the rejection is transmitted to the hiker's mobile terminal 5.

[0064] The mobile terminal 5 receives and displays the boarding approval / disapproval information (step S208). This allows the hiker who sent the boarding request information to know whether or not their ride has been approved. If the ride is approved, the hiker can know the estimated arrival time of the driver's vehicle at the boarding point, vehicle identification information, etc., and can therefore easily go to the boarding point and board the driver's vehicle. If the ride is not approved, the hiker can simply send boarding request information to another driver's vehicle.

[0065] (Evaluation process) 7 is a flowchart of the evaluation process, which is realized by the CPU 22 of the in-vehicle terminal 100, the control unit 204 of the server 200, and the computer of the mobile terminal 5 executing a program prepared in advance.

[0066] First, when the hiker gets off the vehicle they were riding in at the scheduled drop-off point, they input a message to the mobile terminal 5 that they have gotten off. The mobile terminal 5 receives this (step S301) and prompts the hiker to rate the driver by, for example, displaying a driver evaluation screen. Next, when the hiker inputs the driver evaluation into the mobile terminal 5, the mobile terminal 5 transmits the driver evaluation to the server 200 (step S302). The server 200 stores the driver evaluation received from the mobile terminal 5 in the driver DB 202 in association with the corresponding driver ID (step S303).

[0067] Next, when the vehicle arrives at the scheduled destination, the driver inputs that fact into the in-vehicle terminal 100. The in-vehicle terminal 100 receives this (step S304) and prompts the driver to rate the hiker by, for example, displaying a hiker rating screen. Next, when the driver inputs the hiker rating into the in-vehicle terminal 100, the in-vehicle terminal 100 transmits the hiker rating to the server 200 (step S305). The server 200 stores the hiker rating received from the in-vehicle terminal 100 in the hiker DB 203 in association with the corresponding hiker ID (step S306).

[0068] As described above, in the ride-sharing system of this embodiment, route information set in the vehicle is disclosed to hikers only if the vehicle driver agrees to allow the hiker to ride with them. Furthermore, the driver can decide whether or not to allow the hiker to ride with them after confirming the desired information of the hiker. In other words, in this embodiment, the driver has the right to decide whether or not to disclose the set route and whether or not to allow a hiker to ride with them, thereby increasing the driver's freedom. As a result, by lowering the psychological hurdle for drivers to offer ride-sharing, it is expected that ride-sharing will be promoted and environmental impact will be reduced.

[0069] In addition, in this embodiment, the driver can freely choose whether or not to permit ride sharing when setting up a route. The driver can individually decide whether or not to permit ride sharing depending on the circumstances at the time, such as the destination and whether or not there are passengers. In other words, because the availability of ride sharing is set when setting up a route on the in-vehicle terminal, the operation for providing ride sharing services can be integrated into the normal operations of traveling, which can increase the number of vehicles registered in this system.

[0070] Furthermore, by using an in-vehicle terminal 100 such as a navigation device in the vehicle, the connection between the driver and the vehicle can be ensured. Furthermore, by linking with the navigation device, the accuracy of information such as route setting to the hiker's boarding point and estimated arrival time at the boarding point can be improved, and information can be seamlessly shared between the driver and the hiker.

[0071] [Variations] (Variation 1) In the above embodiment, an in-vehicle terminal such as a navigation device is used in the vehicle, but the vehicle may also use a mobile terminal (smartphone, tablet, etc.) for navigation and communication functions. In this case, to ensure the link between the vehicle and the mobile terminal, it is preferable that vehicle identification information (vehicle model, vehicle registration number, etc.) is registered in advance in the mobile terminal, and the server associates the vehicle identification number with the mobile terminal ID, etc. and stores it. In addition, the navigation function on the mobile terminal may be a type of navigation (so-called communication navigation) that, when a departure point and destination are input, transmits them to a server and receives the results of a route search on the server from the server.

[0072] (Variation 2) By applying this embodiment to taxis, for example, when a taxi that has transported a passenger outside of its service area returns to its base, it will be able to pick up passengers who want to go a long distance, thereby making effective use of vehicle energy. Also, this embodiment can be applied not only to systems that transport people, but also to systems that transport goods. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 3 vehicles 100 Navigation Device 200 servers 202 Driver DB 203 Hiker DB 204 Control Unit

Claims

[Claim 1] A communication means for communicating with a plurality of terminals; an acquisition means for acquiring route information relating to a planned route of the vehicle based on an input to the first terminal; a control means for making the route information viewable from a second terminal different from the first terminal, and for transmitting desired information including desired boarding and disembarking points based on input to the second terminal to the first terminal; Equipped with the acquiring means acquires acceptance / rejection information related to the desired information based on an input to the first terminal; The information processing device is characterized in that the control means transmits the acceptance / rejection information to the second terminal.

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