Information processing device, point notification system, point notification method, and program

Abstract

The aim is to increase the incentive for drivers with high parking skills to park in more challenging spaces, thereby leveling out the usage of each parking space. [Solution] The system includes a point calculation unit that calculates a parking point for a candidate parking space used by the user based on the difficulty of parking in that space and the user's parking level, and a point information transmission unit that transmits information including the parking point calculated by the point calculation unit.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a point notification system, a point notification method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, a system for guiding a user to park a vehicle in a parking space (compartment) of a parking lot and providing parking support has been known. Patent Document 1 discloses that when a driver's parking skill is lower than a predetermined level, a parking compartment that allows parking by forward movement is preferentially guided from among a plurality of parking compartments. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses guiding a driver who requires guidance (i.e., a beginner) to a parking area with a parking difficulty level corresponding to the driver's driving skill.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, according to the conventional technology, since guidance for a driver (user) with a high parking skill (parking level) is not considered, when a user with a high parking level uses a compartment with a low difficulty level, there is a problem that the vacancy of the compartment with a low difficulty level that should be guided to a user with a low parking level disappears.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to increase the incentive for a driver with a high parking level to park in a compartment with a high difficulty level and to level the usage status of each compartment.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, the present invention comprises a point calculation unit that calculates a parking point for a candidate parking space to be used by the user based on the difficulty of parking in the said parking space and the user's parking level, and a point information transmission unit that transmits information including the parking point calculated by the point calculation unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the incentive for drivers with a high level of parking skill to park in challenging parking spaces is increased, and the utilization of each parking space can be leveled out. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows an example of the system configuration of the point notification system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of the hardware configuration of a user terminal, information processing device, vehicle room management server, and user management server. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an example of the functional configuration of an information processing device. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an example of the functional configuration of the vehicle room management server according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an example of the layout of the train cars and the information stored in the difficulty database. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows an example of the functional configuration of a user management server according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows an example of the information stored in the registration-level database. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the point notification processing procedure according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows an example of the relationship between calculated points and parking points (PP). [Figure 10]FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure in which a vehicle compartment management server according to the first embodiment transmits the difficulty level of a vehicle compartment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure in which a user management server according to the first embodiment transmits a parking level. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of parking point information transmitted by a point information transmission unit. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a parking point screen displayed on a display unit of a user terminal. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a parking lot in which the vehicle compartments recommended by a recommendation are indicated by the color of illumination. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a recommendation setting screen. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a vehicle compartment management server according to the second embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in a vehicle compartment status database and vehicle compartment status. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure in which a vehicle compartment management server according to the second embodiment transmits the difficulty level of a vehicle compartment. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a vehicle compartment management server according to the third embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in a usage history database. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure for transmitting the difficulty level calculated using the usage history of candidate vehicle compartments. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of an information processing apparatus. [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a vehicle compartment management server according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in a parking evaluation database. [Figure 25] FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure for transmitting the difficulty level calculated using the usage history of the passenger compartment and the evaluation achievement value. [Figure 26] FIG. 26 is a diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a user management server according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 27] FIG. 27 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in the registration level database and the parking evaluation database. [Figure 28] FIG. 28 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure for a user management server according to the fifth embodiment to transmit a parking level. MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of an information processing apparatus, a point notification system, a point notification method, and a program will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0010] (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a system configuration of a point notification system 1 according to the first embodiment. The point notification system 1 of the present embodiment includes a user terminal 10, an information processing apparatus 20, a passenger compartment management server 30, and a user management server 40 connected to each other via a communication network 50 such as the Internet. Here, the user terminal 10 is a terminal used by the user 2, and is, for example, a mobile communication terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet, or a navigation terminal installed in the vehicle of the user 2. Further, the information processing apparatus 20, the passenger compartment management server 30, and the user management server 40 are, for example, computers such as a server, a notebook PC (Personal Computer), and a desktop PC.

[0011] The user 2 is a driver who uses a parking lot P having a plurality of parking spaces (passenger compartments) managed by the passenger compartment management server 30. The information processing apparatus 20 calculates the parking points to be given to the user 2 when parking in the passenger compartment based on information on candidate passenger compartments used by the user 2 and the driving skill (parking level) of the user 2.

[0012] Parking points are points that can be used for discounts on parking fees and various member benefits. Point notification system 1 notifies user 2 of the calculated parking points for each parking space. For example, by calculating higher parking points for drivers with a high parking skill level who park in a difficult parking space, the system increases the incentive to park in difficult spaces. This can increase the occupancy rate of difficult parking spaces, and as a result, the usage of each parking space can be leveled out.

[0013] Figure 2 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the user terminal 10, information processing device 20, vehicle room management server 30, and user management server 40. Note that the hardware elements of the user terminal 10, information processing device 20, vehicle room management server 30, and user management server 40 are not limited to the configuration exemplified in Figure 2, and may include other hardware elements (for example, input devices such as cameras and microphones, speakers, hard disks, etc.).

[0014] As shown in Figure 2, the user terminal 10, information processing device 20, vehicle room management server 30, and user management server 40 each include an MPU (Micro Processing Unit) 601, ROM (Read Only Memory) 602, RAM (Random Access Memory) 603, display unit 604, communication I / F (interface) unit 605, storage unit 606, and bus 610.

[0015] The MPU601 comprehensively controls the operation of the installed devices (user terminal 10, information processing device 20, vehicle room management server 30, or user management server 40) by executing programs, and realizes the various functions of the installed devices. The various functions of the user terminal 10, information processing device 20, vehicle room management server 30, and user management server 40 will be described later.

[0016] ROM 602 is a non-volatile memory that stores various information, including programs executed by the MPU 601. RAM 603 is a volatile memory that contains the working area for the MPU 601. Display unit 604 is a device that displays various information and may be, for example, a liquid crystal type display input device with touch panel functionality.

[0017] The communication interface unit 605 is an interface for connecting to the communication network 50. The storage unit 606 is a storage device such as flash memory or a hard disk. The MPU 601, ROM 602, RAM 603, display unit 604, communication interface unit 605, and storage unit 606 are all connected to each other via the bus 610 so that they can communicate with one another.

[0018] Next, the functions of the information processing device 20 will be described. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the information processing device 20. Note that Figure 3 only illustrates the functions necessary for explaining the main parts of this embodiment, but the functions of the information processing device 20 are not limited to these.

[0019] As shown in Figure 3, the information processing device 20 includes a vehicle compartment information acquisition unit 200, a difficulty level acquisition unit 210, a parking level acquisition unit 220, a point calculation unit 230, and a point information transmission unit 240. The functions of these functional units are realized by executing programs on the MPU 601. Note that the functions of these functional units may also be configured to be executed by computing devices such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), DSPs (Digital Signal Processors), and FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays).

[0020] The parking space information acquisition unit 200 acquires information (parking space information) about candidate parking spaces (candidate parking spaces) that user 2 may use. The parking space information includes, for example, parking IDs (identification) to identify each parking lot and parking space IDs to identify each parking space. For example, when user 2 accesses a parking lot P member site using user terminal 10 and the information processing device 20 acquires location information of user terminal 10, the parking space information acquisition unit 200 acquires parking space information for parking lots in the vicinity of the location indicated by that location information. Also, when the information processing device 20 acquires parking IDs for the vicinity of a destination entered by user 2 on the member site, the parking space information acquisition unit 200 acquires parking space information based on the acquired parking IDs.

[0021] The difficulty level acquisition unit 210 acquires the difficulty level of parking in each candidate parking space indicated by the acquired parking space information. The difficulty level of each parking space is managed by the parking space management server 30, as will be described later. The difficulty level acquisition unit 210 queries the parking space management server 30 for the difficulty level of each parking space using the parking space ID included in the parking space information, and acquires the difficulty level of each parking space transmitted from the parking space management server 30.

[0022] The parking level acquisition unit 220 acquires the parking level of user 2. User 2's parking level is managed by the user management server 40, as will be described later. The parking level acquisition unit 220 queries the user management server 40 for user 2's parking level and acquires user 2's parking level transmitted from the user management server 40.

[0023] The point calculation unit 230 calculates the parking points awarded to each parking space when user 2 parks in that space, based on the difficulty level of each parking space and user 2's parking level. As will be described later, the parking points are calculated so that drivers with a high parking level receive higher parking points when parking in a difficult parking space.

[0024] The point information transmission unit 240 transmits parking point information, including the parking points calculated for each candidate parking space. In addition to parking points, the parking point information may also include recommendation values, which will be described later. For example, the point information transmission unit 240 transmits the parking point information to the user terminal 10. In this case, the user 2 can check the transmitted parking point information for each parking space on the display unit 604 of the user terminal 10 and confirm the parking points that will be awarded when parking in each parking space.

[0025] The point information transmission unit 240 may transmit parking point information to a server such as the parking lot P's member site. User 2 can access the member site from user terminal 10 to check the parking points awarded when parking in each parking space. In this case, the information processing device 20 transmits the parking point information along with user 2's member ID to the server. The server that receives this information stores the parking point information in a data storage location accessible to user 2.

[0026] Parking point information may be provided to User 2 before User 2 starts driving, or to User 2 after User 2 has finished parking. In the former case, User 2 can know in advance which parking spaces have high parking points. In the latter case, User 2 can know which parking spaces will yield high parking points when parking in the future.

[0027] As a method for user 2 to receive parking point information after parking, for example, user terminal 10 may scan a 2D code displayed in the parking space to access the server to which the point information has been sent. In this case, the 2D code displayed in the parking space indicates the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the data storage location of the server to which the point information transmission unit 240 sends parking point information. Alternatively, user terminal 10 may send a member ID etc. via email, and user terminal 10 may receive the parking point information via a reply email. In this case, the 2D code displayed in the parking space indicates a command to start an application for sending the member ID etc. via email.

[0028] Next, the functions of the vehicle room management server 30 will be described. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the vehicle room management server 30 according to this embodiment. Note that Figure 4 only illustrates the functions necessary for explaining the main parts of this embodiment, but the functions of the vehicle room management server 30 are not limited to these.

[0029] As shown in Figure 4, the vehicle room management server 30 includes a difficulty database 300 and a difficulty transmission unit 330. Of these, the function of the difficulty transmission unit 330 is realized by executing a program on the MPU 601. This function may also be configured to be executed by an arithmetic device such as an ASIC, DSP, or FPGA.

[0030] The difficulty database 300 is implemented using the storage unit 606. The difficulty database 300 stores information on the difficulty level of each parking space. Figure 5 shows an example of the arrangement of parking spaces and the information stored in the difficulty database 300. Figure 5(a) shows an example of the arrangement of parking spaces S in parking lot P. The numbers assigned to the parking spaces are parking space IDs for identifying each parking space. Note that each parking space may also be identified by information combining a parking lot ID for identifying each parking lot and the parking space ID.

[0031] As shown in Figure 5(b), the difficulty database 300 stores the vehicle ID and difficulty level in association. In this example, the difficulty levels of vehicle IDs 001 and 004 (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle 001" and "vehicle 004") are set to a high value (90), while the difficulty levels of vehicle IDs 005 and 006 are set to a low value (10).

[0032] The difficulty level transmission unit 330 transmits the difficulty level of candidate train cars stored in the difficulty level database 300 to the information processing device 20 in response to an inquiry from the information processing device 20. For example, if the information processing device 20 inquires about the difficulty level of train car 003, the difficulty level transmission unit 330 transmits the difficulty level associated with train car 003, which is 60, to the information processing device 20.

[0033] Next, the functions of the user management server 40 will be described. Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the user management server 40 according to this embodiment. Note that Figure 6 only illustrates the functions necessary for explaining the main parts of this embodiment, but the functions of the user management server 40 are not limited to these.

[0034] As shown in Figure 6, the user management server 40 includes a registration level database 400, a parking level calculation unit 410, and a parking level transmission unit 420. Of these, the functions of the parking level calculation unit 410 and the parking level transmission unit 420 are realized by executing a program on the MPU 601. This function may also be configured to be executed by an arithmetic device such as an ASIC, DSP, or FPGA.

[0035] The registration level database 400 is implemented using the storage unit 606. The registration level database 400 stores information (registration level) indicating each user's parking level. The registration level is, for example, information indicating the parking level that each user has self-reported and registered on the member site.

[0036] Figure 7 shows an example of the information stored in the registration level database 400. Here, the registration level values ​​S, A, B, and C represent parking skills of "very high," "high," "standard," and "low," respectively. In this way, the registration level database 400 stores each user's user ID in association with the registration level registered by that user.

[0037] The parking level calculation unit 410 calculates the parking level of user 2 in response to an inquiry from the information processing device 20. The parking level calculation unit 410 calculates the parking level of candidate parking spaces by, for example, converting registered levels S, A, B, and C to parking levels 90, 80, 60, and 30, respectively.

[0038] The parking level transmission unit 420 transmits the parking level of the candidate parking space calculated by the parking level calculation unit 410 to the information processing device 20.

[0039] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the point notification processing procedure according to this embodiment. First, the parking space information acquisition unit 200 acquires information on candidate parking spaces (step S10). Then, the difficulty level acquisition unit 210 acquires the difficulty level of each candidate parking space from the parking space management server 30 (step S11), and the parking level acquisition unit 220 acquires the parking level of user 2 from the user management server 40 (step S12).

[0040] Next, the point calculation unit 230 calculates the parking points to be awarded for each candidate parking space when user 2 parks in one of the candidate spaces (step S13). The parking points PP are calculated using the difficulty level D, parking level L, coefficients cd and cl (all coefficients are constants) as shown in the following formula (1). However, the difficulty level D and parking level L are expressed as values ​​from 0 to 100, and the coefficients cd and cl are set to 0.01.

[0041] PP=f((D×cd)×(L×cl)×100) ···(1)

[0042] f(x) is a function for converting "(D×cd)×(L×cl)×100" (referred to as "calculated point x") from equation (1) into parking points PP. Figure 9 shows an example of the relationship between calculated point x and parking points PP. In this case, parking points PP are calculated using four numerical values ​​depending on the calculated point x. Alternatively, calculated point x can be used directly as parking points PP without using a conversion like the function f(x).

[0043] According to equation (1) and Figure 9, for a driver with a high parking skill level (e.g., L=90), when D=100, the calculated points x are 90 and the parking points PP are 100. Also, when D=90, the calculated points x are 81 and the parking points PP are 50. Therefore, a high-skilled driver will receive a high parking point when parking in a difficult parking space. On the other hand, for a driver with a low parking skill level (e.g., L=30), the parking points PP are 0 regardless of whether D=0 to 100, and the parking points are calculated to the same value regardless of the difficulty of parking.

[0044] Furthermore, the method for calculating parking points is not limited to the above; any method that calculates higher parking points for more difficult parking is acceptable, especially when the parking level is high.

[0045] Figure 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing procedure by which the vehicle room management server 30 according to this embodiment transmits the difficulty level of a vehicle room. First, the difficulty level transmission unit 330 obtains the difficulty level stored in the difficulty level database 300 in response to an inquiry from the information processing device 20 (step S100). Then, the difficulty level transmission unit 330 transmits the obtained difficulty level to the information processing device 20 (step S101).

[0046] Figure 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing procedure by which the user management server 40 transmits the parking level according to this embodiment. First, the parking level calculation unit 410 obtains the registration level of user 2 stored in the registration level database 400 in response to an inquiry from the information processing device 20 (step S150).

[0047] The parking level calculation unit 410 calculates the parking level based on the acquired registered level (step S151). Then, the parking level transmission unit 420 transmits the calculated parking level to the information processing device 20 (step S152).

[0048] Next, the parking point information notified to user 2 will be explained using Figures 12 to 15. Figure 12 shows an example of parking point information transmitted by the point information transmission unit 240.

[0049] In Figure 12(a), the parking point information shows that the parking point is associated with the parking space ID of the candidate parking space. In this example, the candidate parking spaces are parking space 001, parking space 003, parking space 004, and parking space 006, and the parking points for each parking space are shown to be 100, 30, 50, and 0, respectively.

[0050] In Figure 12(b), the parking point information includes a recommendation value (0 or 1) associated with the parking space ID of each candidate parking space, in addition to the parking points shown in Figure 12(a). The recommendation value indicates whether or not the parking space is recommended to user 2, with 1 indicating a recommendation and 0 indicating a non-recommendation. In this example, parking spaces 001 and 004, which have high parking points (50 or more), are recommended. Note that the threshold for determining whether or not the parking points are high may be other than 50, and user 2 may be able to change the threshold on a member site or similar.

[0051] Figure 13 shows an example of a parking point screen displayed on the display unit 604 of the user terminal 10.

[0052] In the example shown in Figure 13(a), the parking point screen 500 has a point display area 501 that displays the parking points for each candidate parking space. In this example, the parking points for candidate parking spaces 001, 003, 004, and 006 are displayed in their respective frames, while the frames for parking spaces 002 and 005, where other vehicles are already parked, display "Parked". User 2 can also scroll the screen to view the parking points for other parking spaces by operating the scroll bar 501A located on the right side of the point display area 501.

[0053] In Figure 13(b), in the same point display area 501 as in Figure 13(a), a recommendation display 502 is added with a thick border around the frame of the parking space recommended by the recommendation system. In this example, the recommendation display 502 is displayed around the frames indicating parking spaces 001 and 004, which have high parking points.

[0054] Figure 14 shows an example of a parking lot P where recommended parking spaces are indicated by the color of the lighting. In this example, the lighting colors of parking spaces 001 and 004, which are indicated by thick borders, are different from those of the other parking spaces (for example, the lighting in the parking spaces with thick borders is green, while the lighting in the other parking spaces is white). By changing the lighting color of the recommended parking spaces in this way, the location of parking spaces with high parking points can be notified to the user 2.

[0055] In the recommendation example described above, the recommended parking space was one with a high parking point, but user 2 may be allowed to select other conditions. Figure 15 shows an example of a recommendation settings screen. As shown in Figure 15, the recommendation settings screen 510 has a condition selection screen 511. User 2 can select the desired conditions for the recommended parking space by selecting one of the options using radio buttons or the like displayed on the condition selection screen 511. In this example, "easy to park" is selected as the condition, so for example, parking spaces with a low difficulty of parking will be recommended.

[0056] Thus, according to this embodiment, it is possible to calculate and notify drivers with a high level of parking skill that they will receive a higher parking point when parking in a difficult parking space, thereby increasing the incentive to park in difficult parking spaces and thus equalizing the usage status of each parking space. In the above, the functions of the information processing device 20 were explained using Figure 3, the functions of the parking space management server 30 were explained using Figure 4, and the functions of the user management server 40 were explained using Figure 6, but the functional configuration of this embodiment is not limited to these. For example, the information processing device 20 may have all the functional parts shown in Figures 3, 4, and 6 to realize the functions of this embodiment, or the parking space management server 30 or the user management server 40 may have all of these functional parts to realize the functions of this embodiment.

[0057] (Second Embodiment) This embodiment calculates the difficulty level used to determine a parking spot according to the condition of the surrounding parking spaces (nearby parking spaces) of the candidate parking space. For example, if there are vehicles parked in the parking spaces to the left and right of the candidate parking space, the difficulty level of the candidate parking space will be calculated as high, and if all the surrounding parking spaces are empty, the difficulty level of the candidate parking space will be calculated as low. In the following description of the second embodiment, the explanation of parts that overlap with the first embodiment will be omitted, and the parts that differ from the first embodiment will be explained.

[0058] Figure 16 shows an example of the functional configuration of the vehicle room management server 30 according to this embodiment. Note that Figure 16 only illustrates the functions necessary for explaining the main parts of this embodiment, but the functions of the vehicle room management server 30 are not limited to these. The difference from the first embodiment is that the vehicle room management server 30 further includes a vehicle room status database 301 and a difficulty calculation unit 320, and the difficulty transmission unit 330 transmits the difficulty calculated by the difficulty calculation unit 320. The function of the difficulty calculation unit 320 is realized by executing a program on the MPU 601. Note that this function may be configured to be executed by an arithmetic device such as an ASIC, DSP, or FPGA.

[0059] The parking space status database 301 stores information indicating the status of each parking space (parking space status). This information includes, for example, whether or not a vehicle is parked in each parking space, the license plate number of the parked vehicle, and the time of entry.

[0060] Figure 17 shows an example of the status of parking spaces and the information stored in the parking space status database 301. Figure 17(a) shows that two vehicles are parked in parking space P shown in Figure 5(a). When vehicles are parked in parking spaces 002 and 005, the parking space status database 301 stores the parking space status as shown in Figure 17(b). In Figure 17(b), the parking space ID of each space, the license plate information of the parked vehicle, and the time of entry are linked and stored. A hyphen (-) indicates that the parking space is vacant.

[0061] The difficulty calculation unit 320 calculates the difficulty level of a candidate parking space using the difficulty level stored in the difficulty database 300 (hereinafter referred to as the standard difficulty level) and information indicating the condition of surrounding parking spaces when parking in the candidate parking space (surrounding information). The surrounding information is obtained from the parking space conditions stored in the parking space condition database 301.

[0062] For example, in the case of car 004 in Figure 17, since the surrounding car 003 is empty, the difficulty calculation unit 320 calculates a value lower than the standard difficulty (60) for car 004 as the difficulty of car 004. Also, in the case of car 001 in Figure 17, since vehicles are parked in the surrounding car 002 and car 005, the difficulty calculation unit 320 calculates a value higher than the standard difficulty (90) for car 001 as the difficulty of car 001.

[0063] The difficulty level D of a candidate vehicle is calculated, for example, using the standard difficulty level D0, the surrounding difficulty level Dn, and the coefficients w0 and wn (each coefficient being a constant) as shown in equation (2) below.

[0064] D = w0 × D0 + wn × Dn ... (2)

[0065] The surrounding difficulty level Dn is represented by a value from 0 to 100 according to the surrounding information. The surrounding difficulty level Dn is set to 0, for example, when all the surrounding passenger compartments are empty, and set to 100 when all the surrounding passenger compartments are parked. Also, the coefficients w0 and wn are set so that w0 = 0.8 and wn = 0.2 and their sum is 1. Therefore, the difficulty level D is calculated to be in the range from 0 to 100 points by Equation (2). Note that the settings of Dn, w0, and wn are not limited to the above. For example, Dn = A (A > 0) when all the surrounding passenger compartments are empty, and Dn = B (A < B < 100) when all the surrounding passenger compartments are parked may be set.

[0066] In addition, the difficulty level calculation unit 320 can also obtain the surrounding information by using an image (an image including the surrounding passenger compartments) acquired by a camera installed, for example, behind the candidate passenger compartment or the surrounding passenger compartments, instead of the passenger compartment situation stored in the passenger compartment situation database 301. Note that the installation position of the camera is not limited to the rear, such as the diagonal rear or the upper front of the passenger compartment.

[0067] The difficulty level calculation unit 320 recognizes the parking situation of the vehicle in the surrounding passenger compartments by image recognition to obtain the surrounding information, and calculates the surrounding difficulty level Dn by using the obtained surrounding information. The surrounding difficulty level Dn is calculated to be higher, for example, as the position of the parked vehicle in the surrounding passenger compartments is closer to the candidate passenger compartment.

[0068] FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing procedure for the passenger compartment management server 30 according to the present embodiment to transmit the difficulty level of the passenger compartment. The difference from the first embodiment is that steps S201 for obtaining the surrounding information and step S202 for calculating the difficulty level of the candidate passenger compartment are added. Since the processing of step S200 in FIG. 18 is the same as the processing of step S100 in FIG. 10, the description thereof is omitted.

[0069] The difficulty level calculation unit 320 obtains the surrounding information (step S201). As described above, the difficulty level calculation unit 320 can obtain the surrounding information by referring to the passenger compartment situation stored in the passenger compartment situation database 301, performing image recognition on an image including the surrounding passenger compartments, and so on.

[0070] The difficulty level calculation unit 320 calculates the difficulty level of the candidate vehicle (step S202). As described above, the difficulty level calculation unit 320 calculates the difficulty level of the candidate vehicle using the surrounding information and the standard difficulty level obtained from the difficulty level database 300. Then, the difficulty level transmission unit 330 transmits the calculated difficulty level to the information processing device 20 (step S203).

[0071] Thus, according to this embodiment, drivers with a high level of parking skill can be given a higher parking point when parking in a difficult parking space and notified accordingly, thereby increasing the incentive to park in difficult parking spaces and thus equalizing the usage status of each parking space. Furthermore, since the difficulty level is calculated using the conditions of the surrounding parking spaces of the candidate parking space, a more appropriate difficulty level can be used to calculate the parking point. In the above description, the parking space management server 30 is assumed to calculate the difficulty level, but the configuration of this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the information processing device 20 or the user management server 40 may be used to calculate the difficulty level.

[0072] (Third embodiment) This embodiment calculates the difficulty level used to determine the parking point based on the usage history of the candidate parking spaces. For example, it is presumed that parking spaces with a high occupancy rate are easy to park in, and parking spaces with a low occupancy rate are not easy to park in, so it is conceivable to reflect the usage history of each parking space in the calculation of the difficulty level. In the following description of the third embodiment, the explanation of parts that overlap with the second embodiment will be omitted, and the parts that differ from the second embodiment will be explained.

[0073] Figure 19 shows an example of the functional configuration of the vehicle room management server 30 according to this embodiment. Note that Figure 19 only illustrates the functions necessary for explaining the main parts of this embodiment; however, the functions of the vehicle room management server 30 are not limited to these. The difference from the second embodiment is that the vehicle room management server 30 further includes a usage history database 302 and a difficulty level update unit 310. The function of the difficulty level update unit 310 is realized by executing a program on the MPU 601. Note that this function may be configured to be executed by an arithmetic device such as an ASIC, DSP, or FPGA.

[0074] The usage history database 302 stores usage history information that shows the usage history of each compartment. This usage history information may include, for example, the occupancy rate of each compartment.

[0075] Figure 20 shows an example of the information stored in the usage history database 302. In this example, the usage history information includes the occupancy rate of each train car, linked to the train car ID of each car.

[0076] The difficulty level update unit 310 updates the standard difficulty level of each carriage using usage history information. For example, the updated standard difficulty level is obtained by multiplying the original standard difficulty level by a coefficient U corresponding to the occupancy rate. The coefficient U is set to three levels, for example, 0.9 if the occupancy rate is 70% or more, 1.0 if the occupancy rate is less than 70% but 30% or more, and 1.1 if the occupancy rate is less than 30%. In this case, the standard difficulty level of carriage 001 in Figure 5(b) is updated to 90 × 1.1 = 99 using the occupancy rate in Figure 20. However, if the result of multiplying the standard difficulty level by the coefficient U exceeds 100, the standard difficulty level is updated to 100. Note that the coefficient U may be set to two or four or more levels depending on the occupancy rate.

[0077] The method for updating the standard difficulty level is not limited to the above. For example, it may be updated by adding or subtracting a value based on the utilization rate, or by creating a table that calculates the updated standard difficulty level from the original standard difficulty level and the utilization rate, and then updating it by referencing that table.

[0078] The difficulty level update unit 310 periodically updates the standard difficulty level of each train car compartment. The update frequency may be, for example, every month, every three months, or every year. Each update will use the standard difficulty level initially set based on the layout and area of ​​the train car compartment, as well as the latest usage history information.

[0079] The procedure by which the vehicle room management server 30 transmits the difficulty level of a candidate vehicle room to the information processing device 20 according to this embodiment is the same as in the second embodiment. However, the standard difficulty level obtained by the difficulty level calculation unit 320 from the difficulty level database 300 is the latest standard difficulty level updated by the difficulty level update unit 310.

[0080] Alternatively, instead of updating the standard difficulty level for each parking space, the parking space management server 30 may calculate the difficulty level each time it transmits the difficulty level of a candidate parking space, using the usage history of that candidate parking space. In this case, the parking space management server 30 shall not have a difficulty level update unit 310.

[0081] Figure 21 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure for transmitting the difficulty level calculated using the usage history of candidate parking spaces. The difference from the second embodiment is the addition of step S302 for acquiring usage history information, and the calculation of the difficulty level using the usage history information in step S303. The processing in steps S300, S301, and S304 in Figure 21 is the same as the processing in steps S200, S201, and S203 in Figure 18, so the explanation is omitted.

[0082] The difficulty level calculation unit 320 obtains usage history information for candidate parking spaces from the usage history database 302 (step S302), and calculates the difficulty level of the candidate parking spaces using the obtained usage history information (step S303). The usage history information is, for example, the occupancy rate of the candidate parking spaces.

[0083] The difficulty level D of a candidate vehicle is calculated using, for example, standard difficulty level D0, surrounding difficulty level Dn, usability difficulty level Du, and coefficients w0, wn, and wu (all coefficients are constants) as shown in equation (3) below.

[0084] D=w0×D0+wn×Dn+wu×Du (3)

[0085] The difference from equation (2) used in the second embodiment is the addition of the term wu × Du. The difficulty level Du is expressed as a value from 0 to 100 according to the usage history information. For example, the difficulty level Du is set to 0 when the utilization rate is 70% or higher, 50 when the utilization rate is 30% or higher but less than 70%, and 100 when the utilization rate is less than 30%. In addition, each coefficient is set so that it adds up to 1, such as w0=0.8, wn=0.1, and wu=0.1. Therefore, the difficulty level D is calculated using equation (3) to be in the range of 0 to 100. Note that the settings of Du and each coefficient are not limited to the above, and for example, Du may be set as Du = 100 - utilization rate (%).

[0086] In addition, although the above describes an example in which the method for calculating difficulty levels according to usage history information is applied to the second embodiment, this embodiment may also be realized by applying the same calculation method to the first embodiment.

[0087] Thus, according to this embodiment, drivers with a high level of parking skill can be given higher parking points when parking in a difficult parking space and notified accordingly, thereby increasing the incentive to park in difficult parking spaces and thus equalizing the usage status of each parking space. Furthermore, since the difficulty level is calculated using the usage history information of candidate parking spaces, parking points can be calculated using a more appropriate difficulty level. In the above description, the parking space management server 30 is assumed to calculate the difficulty level, but the configuration of this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the information processing device 20 or the user management server 40 may obtain the usage history information of candidate parking spaces from the usage history database 302 and calculate the difficulty level.

[0088] (Fourth embodiment) In this embodiment, the difficulty level used to calculate parking points is calculated according to the actual values ​​(evaluation performance values) of the parking evaluation described later. For example, candidate parking spaces with high evaluation performance values ​​are presumed to be easy to park in, and candidate parking spaces with low evaluation performance values ​​are presumed to be difficult to park in. Therefore, it is conceivable to reflect the evaluation performance values ​​of each parking space in the calculation of the difficulty level. In the following description of the fourth embodiment, the explanation of parts that overlap with the third embodiment will be omitted, and the parts that differ from the third embodiment will be explained.

[0089] In this embodiment, the information processing device 20 analyzes data from the process of User 2's vehicle parking (parking process) and the result of parking (parking result), and uses the difficulty level of parking in the parking space where User 2's vehicle parks (target parking space) to calculate a parking evaluation and transmits it to the parking space management server 30. The parking space management server 30 stores the received parking evaluations to obtain evaluation performance values ​​and uses them to calculate the difficulty level of candidate parking spaces. The information processing device 20 may also provide the calculated parking evaluation to User 2. In this case, User 2 can check the provided parking evaluation on the user terminal 10, etc., and understand their own parking skills. Furthermore, if User 2 is a member of the operator of the parking lot P, they can log in to the member site using the user terminal 10, etc., to check and search the history of parking evaluations calculated so far.

[0090] Figure 22 shows an example of the functional configuration of the information processing device 20. Note that Figure 22 only illustrates the functions necessary for explaining the main parts of this embodiment; however, the functions of the information processing device 20 are not limited to these. The difference from the third embodiment is that the information processing device 20 further includes an image acquisition unit 250, an evaluation calculation unit 260, and an evaluation transmission unit 270, and the difficulty acquisition unit 210 acquires the difficulty level of the target parking space for which the parking evaluation is calculated. Furthermore, the evaluation calculation unit 260 includes a parking process analysis unit 261 and a parking result analysis unit 262. The functions of these functional units are realized by executing a program on the MPU 601. Note that this function may be configured to be executed by an arithmetic device such as an ASIC, DSP, or FPGA.

[0091] The image acquisition unit 250 acquires images of user 2's vehicle parking in the parking space. The image acquisition unit 250 can acquire such images using cameras installed at the rear of each parking space, etc. The image acquisition unit 250 may acquire multiple images, for example, from the start to the completion of parking. Note that the camera installation location is not limited to the rear, but is also possible at the diagonal rear or front upper part of the parking space.

[0092] The evaluation calculation unit 260 calculates a parking evaluation, which indicates the evaluation of parking, using the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 250 and the difficulty level of the target parking space acquired by the difficulty level acquisition unit 210. As described below, the evaluation calculation unit 260 calculates the parking evaluation using the analysis results from the parking process analysis unit 261 and the parking result analysis unit 262, and the difficulty level of the target parking space.

[0093] The parking process analysis unit 261 of the evaluation calculation unit 260 analyzes the parking process from images of the parking process acquired by the image acquisition unit 250. The parking process analysis unit 261 outputs analysis results such as the number of times user 2's vehicle approached the parking space lines of the surrounding parking spaces during the parking process, and the number of times the vehicle made reversals from the start to the completion of parking. The analysis results may also include the degree of approach to the parking space lines of the surrounding parking spaces and the time required for reversals.

[0094] Furthermore, the analysis results may include information such as the starting position of the parking maneuver (whether the vehicle is parked close enough, etc.) and whether it is a front-parking or rear-parking maneuver. The analysis results may also include information on whether the center of the vehicle (center of the rear of the vehicle, etc.) passed through the position where the center of the vehicle should pass if it were parked correctly.

[0095] The parking result analysis unit 262 of the evaluation calculation unit 260 analyzes the parking result from the image of the parking result acquired by the image acquisition unit 250. The parking result analysis unit 262 outputs analysis results such as whether the vehicle of user 2, which has completed parking, is located in the center of the target parking space, and whether the long axis of the vehicle is parallel to the long axis of the target parking space. The analysis results may also include the amount of deviation from the center position of the target parking space and the amount of inclination of the target parking space with respect to the long axis of the target parking space.

[0096] The parking evaluation E is calculated, for example, using the parking process evaluation E1, the parking result evaluation E2, difficulty level D, coefficients α1, α2, and β, and an offset γ (each coefficient and offset are constants) as shown in equation (4) below.

[0097] E=(α1×E1+α2×E2)×(β×D)+γ (4)

[0098] The parking process evaluation E1 is an evaluation based on the analysis results by the parking process analysis unit 261 and is expressed as a score from 0 to 100 points. For example, the parking process evaluation E1 is calculated to be higher the fewer times the vehicle approaches the parking space lines and the fewer times it has to maneuver, and the shorter the time required for parking.

[0099] The parking result evaluation E2 is an evaluation based on the analysis results by the parking result analysis unit 262 and is expressed as a score from 0 to 100 points. For example, the parking result evaluation E2 is calculated to be higher the smaller the amount of deviation of the vehicle from the center position of the target parking space, and the smaller the amount of inclination of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction relative to the longitudinal direction of the target parking space.

[0100] Difficulty level D is the difficulty level acquired by the difficulty level acquisition unit 210, and is expressed as a value between 0 and 100. For example, if coefficients α1 and α2 are 0.5, coefficient β is 0.01, and offset γ is 0, then equation (4) becomes equation (5) below.

[0101] E=(0.5×E1+0.5×E2)×(0.01×D) ···(5)

[0102] In this case, the parking evaluation E is calculated on a scale from 0 to 100 points. For example, in a parking space with D=100 (maximum difficulty), if E1=E2=100 (highest scores for both the parking process and the parking result), then E=100 (highest score). In a parking space with D=50, if E1=E2=100, then E=50. In a parking space with D=100, if E1=10 and E2=100, then E=55.

[0103] Note that the values ​​of α1, α2, β, and γ may be other than those listed above. For example, if you want to avoid setting the minimum value of E to 0, you may set γ to a small value such as 5 or 10. Also, if you want to calculate an evaluation that emphasizes the parking process, you may set α1 to a value greater than α2. Furthermore, the parking evaluation E should be calculated such that the higher E1, E2, and D are, the higher E will be, and it may be calculated using an equation other than equation (4).

[0104] The evaluation transmission unit 270 transmits the parking evaluation calculated by the evaluation calculation unit 260 to the vehicle management server 30. The evaluation transmission unit 270 may also transmit the parking evaluation to user terminal 10 of user 2. In this case, the information processing device 20 recognizes the vehicle number from the image of user 2's vehicle acquired by the image acquisition unit 250 and identifies user 2 by comparing it with the vehicle number registered on the parking lot P's member site. Furthermore, if the operator of parking lot P also operates a car-sharing service T, the information processing device 20 recognizes the vehicle number from the image of user 2's vehicle acquired by the image acquisition unit 250 and identifies user 2 by comparing it with the vehicle number in the reservation information of the car-sharing service T.

[0105] The information processing device 20 sends a parking evaluation to the email address of user 2, which is registered in the reservation information of the member site or car-sharing service T, linked to the verified vehicle number. However, the method of sending the parking evaluation is not limited to email. For example, the parking evaluation may be sent via SMS (Short Message Service) using the phone number linked to the verified vehicle number. Alternatively, the parking evaluation may be sent via push notification or the like by a parking evaluation application installed on the user terminal 10.

[0106] The evaluation transmission unit 270 may also transmit the parking evaluation to a server such as the parking lot P's member site. User 2 can check the parking evaluation by, for example, accessing the member site. In this case, the information processing device 20 verifies the vehicle number in the same manner as described above and transmits the parking evaluation along with the member ID associated with the verified vehicle number. The server that receives this information stores the parking evaluation data in a data storage location accessible to User 2.

[0107] Alternatively, the user terminal 10 may read a 2D code displayed in the target parking space, allowing the evaluation transmission unit 270 to access the server from which the parking evaluation was sent. In this case, the 2D code displayed in the target parking space may indicate, for example, the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the data storage location of the server from which the evaluation transmission unit 270 sends the parking evaluation, or a command to launch an application for accessing the server where the parking evaluation information is stored. Alternatively, the user terminal 10 may send the identification number of the target parking space via email, and the user terminal 10 may receive the parking evaluation via a reply email. In this case, the 2D code displayed in the target parking space may indicate, for example, a command to launch an application for sending the identification number of the target parking space via email.

[0108] Figure 23 shows an example of the functional configuration of the parking space management server 30 according to this embodiment. Note that Figure 23 only illustrates the functions necessary for explaining the main parts of this embodiment, but the functions of the parking space management server 30 are not limited to these. The difference from the third embodiment is that the parking space management server 30 further has a parking evaluation database 303, and the difficulty level update unit 310 updates the standard difficulty level of each parking space using evaluation results.

[0109] The parking evaluation database 303 stores the evaluation performance values ​​for each parking space transmitted from the evaluation transmission unit 270. The evaluation performance values ​​are, for example, the average value of the parking evaluation (average parking evaluation).

[0110] Figure 24 shows an example of the information stored in the parking evaluation database 303. In this example, the average parking evaluation is stored as an evaluation performance value, linked to the parking space ID of each parking space. The average parking evaluation is, for example, the average of the past 10 parking evaluations. Alternatively, the median of multiple past parking evaluations or the mode obtained from a histogram can also be used as the evaluation performance value.

[0111] The difficulty level update unit 310 updates the standard difficulty level of each parking space using the performance evaluation value. For example, the updated standard difficulty level is obtained by multiplying the original standard difficulty level by a coefficient A corresponding to the performance evaluation value. For example, coefficient A is set to 0.9 if the performance evaluation value is 70 points or more, 1.0 if the performance evaluation value is less than 70 points but 30 points or more, and 1.1 if the performance evaluation value is less than 30 points. In this case, the standard difficulty level of parking space 002 in Figure 5(b) is updated to 60 × 0.9 = 54 using the performance evaluation value (average parking evaluation) in Figure 24. However, if the result of multiplying the standard difficulty level by coefficient A exceeds 100, the standard difficulty level is updated to 100. Note that coefficient A may be set to two or four or more levels depending on the occupancy rate.

[0112] The method for updating the standard difficulty level is not limited to the above. For example, it may be updated by adding or subtracting a value according to the evaluation performance value, or by creating a table that calculates the updated standard difficulty level from the original standard difficulty level and the evaluation performance value, and then updating it by referring to that table.

[0113] The difficulty level update unit 310 periodically updates the standard difficulty level of each vehicle compartment. The update frequency may be, for example, every month, every three months, or every year. Each update will use the standard difficulty level initially set based on the layout and area of ​​the vehicle compartment, as well as the latest evaluation performance value.

[0114] The procedure by which the vehicle room management server 30 in this embodiment transmits the difficulty level of a vehicle room (candidate vehicle room or target vehicle room) to the information processing device 20 is the same as in the third embodiment. However, the standard difficulty level obtained by the difficulty level calculation unit 320 from the difficulty level database 300 is the latest standard difficulty level updated by the difficulty level update unit 310. Furthermore, as described in the third embodiment, the difficulty level may be calculated using the standard difficulty level updated using the usage history information, or the difficulty level calculation unit 320 may calculate the difficulty level using the usage history information without updating the standard difficulty level using the usage history information.

[0115] Alternatively, instead of updating the standard difficulty level for each parking space, the parking space management server 30 may calculate the difficulty level each time it transmits the difficulty level of a parking space, using the usage history and evaluation performance values ​​of the parking space. In this case, the parking space management server 30 shall not have a difficulty level update unit 310.

[0116] Figure 25 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure for transmitting the difficulty level calculated using the vehicle usage history and evaluation performance values. The difference from the third embodiment is the addition of step S403 for acquiring evaluation performance values, and the calculation of the difficulty level using the usage history information and evaluation performance values ​​in step S404. The processing in steps S400 to S402 and S405 in Figure 25 is the same as the processing in steps S300 to S302 and S304 in Figure 21, so the explanation is omitted.

[0117] The difficulty calculation unit 320 obtains the evaluation performance value of a parking space from the parking evaluation database 303 (step S403), and calculates the difficulty level of the parking space using the usage history information and the evaluation performance value (step S404). The usage history information and evaluation performance value are, for example, the occupancy rate and average parking evaluation of the parking space.

[0118] The difficulty level D of a vehicle compartment is calculated using, for example, standard difficulty level D0, surrounding difficulty level Dn, usability difficulty level Du, actual difficulty level De, and coefficients w0, wn, wu, and we (all coefficients are constants) as shown in equation (6) below.

[0119] D=w0×D0+wn×Dn+wu×Du+we×De...(6)

[0120] The difference from equation (3) used in the third embodiment is the addition of the term we × De. The performance difficulty De is expressed as a value from 0 to 100 depending on the performance evaluation value. For example, the performance difficulty De is set to 0 when the average parking evaluation is 70 points or more, to 50 when the average parking evaluation is 30 points or more but less than 70 points, and to 100 when the average parking evaluation is less than 30 points. In addition, each coefficient is set so that it adds up to 1, such as w0=0.7, wn=0.1, wu=0.1, and we=0.1. Therefore, the difficulty D is calculated using equation (6) to be in the range of 0 to 100. Note that the setting of De and each coefficient is not limited to the above, and for example, De = 100 - average parking evaluation may also be set.

[0121] In addition, although the above describes an example in which the method for calculating difficulty level according to evaluation performance values ​​is applied to the third embodiment, this embodiment may also be realized by applying the calculation method to the first or second embodiment.

[0122] Thus, according to this embodiment, drivers with a high level of parking skill can be given higher parking points when parking in a difficult parking space and notified accordingly, thereby increasing the incentive to park in difficult parking spaces and thus equalizing the usage status of each parking space. Furthermore, since the difficulty level is calculated using the actual parking evaluation values ​​of the candidate parking spaces, parking points can be calculated using a more appropriate difficulty level. In the above description, the information processing device 20 calculates the parking evaluation and the parking space management server 30 calculates the difficulty level, but the configuration of this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the information processing device 20 may obtain the actual evaluation values ​​of candidate parking spaces from the parking evaluation database 303 and calculate the difficulty level. Alternatively, the parking space management server 30 may have an image acquisition unit 250 and an evaluation calculation unit 260 to calculate the parking evaluation.

[0123] (Fifth embodiment) In this embodiment, the parking level used to calculate parking points is calculated according to the actual value of User 2's parking evaluation (evaluation performance value). For example, if User 2's evaluation performance value is high, the parking level is presumed to be high, and if the evaluation performance value is low, the parking level is presumed to be low, so it is conceivable to reflect User 2's evaluation performance value in the calculation of the parking level. In the following description of the fifth embodiment, the explanation of parts that overlap with the fourth embodiment will be omitted, and the parts that differ from the fourth embodiment will be explained.

[0124] Figure 26 shows an example of the functional configuration of the user management server 40 according to this embodiment. Note that Figure 26 only illustrates the functions necessary for explaining the main parts of this embodiment, but the functions of the user management server 40 are not limited to these. The difference from the fourth embodiment is that the user management server 40 further has a parking evaluation database 401, and the parking level calculation unit 410 calculates the parking level using evaluation results. In addition, in this embodiment, the evaluation transmission unit 270 of the information processing device 20 also transmits the parking evaluation to the user management server 40.

[0125] The parking evaluation database 401 stores the evaluation performance values ​​for each user transmitted from the evaluation transmission unit 270. The evaluation performance value is, for example, the average value of each user's parking evaluation (average parking evaluation).

[0126] Figure 27 shows an example of the information stored in the registration level database 400 and the parking evaluation database 401.

[0127] Figure 27(a) is an example of registration levels stored in the registration level database 400, similar to Figure 7. The difference from Figure 7 is that, as indicated by the hyphen (-), there are user IDs whose registration level is not registered.

[0128] Figure 27(b) shows an example of the average parking rating for each user stored in the parking rating database 401. As shown, the parking rating database 401 stores each user's user ID and their average parking rating. A hyphen (-) indicates that no parking rating has been calculated for that user yet. The average parking rating is, for example, the average of the last 10 parking ratings. Alternatively, the median of multiple past parking ratings or the mode obtained from a histogram can be used as the rating value.

[0129] In this embodiment, the parking level calculation unit 410 calculates the user 2's parking level based on the registered level stored in the registered level database 400 and the evaluation performance value stored in the parking evaluation database 401.

[0130] The parking level calculation unit 410 calculates user 2's parking level by, for example, converting the registered levels S, A, B, and C to parking levels 90, 80, 60, and 30 respectively, and then averaging the average parking evaluation value. However, if either the registered level or the evaluation value does not exist, the other value is used to calculate the parking level. In this case, the parking level for each user in Figure 27 is calculated as follows.

[0131] User ID=001: Parking level=(90+80) / 2=85 User ID=002: Parking Level=60 User ID=003: Parking Level=60 User ID=004: Parking level=(30+50) / 2=40 User ID=005: Parking level=(80+90) / 2=85 User ID=006: Parking Level=95

[0132] In this way, using the evaluation performance value allows for the calculation of a more appropriate parking level. Furthermore, even if one of the values, the registered level or the evaluation performance value, is unavailable, the parking level can be calculated using the other value. Note that the method for calculating the parking level is not limited to the above. For example, the parking level may be calculated as a weighted average of the value obtained by converting the registered level to a parking level and the average parking evaluation value, the larger of the two values, or the smaller of the two values.

[0133] Figure 28 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing procedure by which the user management server 40 transmits the parking level according to this embodiment. The difference from Figure 11 is the addition of step S551, in which evaluation performance values ​​are obtained, and the calculation of the parking level using evaluation performance values ​​in step S552. The processing in steps S550 and S553 in Figure 28 is the same as the processing in steps S150 and S152 in Figure 11, so the explanation is omitted.

[0134] The parking level calculation unit 410 obtains the user 2's evaluation performance value from the parking evaluation database 401 (step S551), and calculates the user 2's parking level using the obtained registered level and evaluation performance value (step S552). The evaluation performance value is, for example, the average parking evaluation value of user 2.

[0135] Thus, according to this embodiment, drivers with a high parking level can be given higher parking points when parking in a difficult parking space and notified accordingly, thereby increasing the incentive to park in difficult parking spaces and making it possible to equalize the usage status of each parking space. Furthermore, since the parking level is calculated using each user's evaluation performance value, parking points can be calculated using a more appropriate parking level. In the above description, the user management server 40 is assumed to calculate the parking level, but the configuration of this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the information processing device 20 or the parking space management server 30 may obtain the registered level and evaluation performance value from the registered level database 400 and the parking evaluation database 401 and calculate the parking level.

[0136] In addition, although the above describes an example in which a method for calculating the parking level according to the evaluation performance value is applied to the fourth embodiment, this embodiment may also be realized by applying the calculation method to the first to third embodiments together with the parking evaluation calculation method described in the fourth embodiment.

[0137] Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These novel embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. Furthermore, components from different embodiments and modifications may be combined as appropriate.

[0138] The apparatus described in each embodiment represents only one of several computing environments for carrying out the embodiments disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the information processing device 20, the vehicle room management server 30, and the user management server 40 include multiple computing devices, such as a server cluster. The multiple computing devices are configured to communicate with each other via any type of communication link, including a network or shared memory, and perform the processing disclosed herein.

[0139] In each embodiment, the information processing device 20, the vehicle room management server 30, and the user management server 40 are not limited to servers, notebook PCs, desktop PCs, etc., as long as they are devices equipped with communication functions. The information processing device 20, the vehicle room management server 30, and the user management server 40 may be, for example, smartphones or tablet terminals.

[0140] The program executed by the MPU601 in this embodiment is provided as an installable or executable file recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, an SSD (Solid State Drive), or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk).

[0141] Furthermore, the program executed on the MPU601 of this embodiment may be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and provided by downloading it via the network. Alternatively, the program executed on the MPU601 of this embodiment may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

[0142] Alternatively, the program to be executed by the MPU601 in this embodiment may be pre-installed and provided in ROM or the like.

[0143] The program executed by the MPU601 in this embodiment is a module configuration that includes the above-mentioned functional units (vehicle interior information acquisition unit 200, difficulty level acquisition unit 210, parking level acquisition unit 220, point calculation unit 230, point information transmission unit 240, difficulty level update unit 310, difficulty level calculation unit 320, difficulty level transmission unit 330, parking level calculation unit 410, parking level transmission unit 420, etc.). In actual hardware, the MPU601 (processor) reads the program from the recording medium and executes it, thereby loading and generating the above-mentioned functional units on the main memory. [Explanation of symbols]

[0144] 1. Point notification system 2 users 10 User terminals 20 Information Processing Devices 30. Parking space management server 40 User Management Server 50 Communication Networks 200 Vehicle interior information acquisition section 210 Difficulty level acquisition part 220 Parking level acquisition unit 230 Point Calculation Unit 240-point information transmission unit 250 Image acquisition unit 260 Evaluation Calculation Unit 270 Evaluation Transmission Unit 300 Difficulty Database 301 Parking Space Status Database 302 Usage History Database 303 Parking Evaluation Database 310 Difficulty level update part 320 Difficulty Calculation Unit 330 Difficulty level transmission unit 400 registration level databases 401 Parking Evaluation Database 410 Parking level calculation unit 420 Parking Level Transmitter

Claims

1. A point calculation unit calculates the parking point for a parking space based on the difficulty of parking in a candidate parking space used by the user and the user's parking level. A point information transmission unit transmits information including the parking points calculated by the point calculation unit, An information processing device characterized by comprising:

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the difficulty level is calculated using surrounding information indicating the conditions of surrounding parking spaces when parking in the parking space.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the surrounding information is acquired using an image including the surrounding vehicle compartment.

4. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the difficulty level is calculated using usage history information indicating the usage history of the vehicle compartment.

5. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the difficulty level is calculated using the actual value of the parking evaluation of the vehicle compartment.

6. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the parking level is calculated using the actual value of the user's parking evaluation.

7. An information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, A user terminal that receives the parking point from the information processing device, A vehicle management server that manages the aforementioned difficulty level, A user management server that manages the parking evaluation of the aforementioned users, A point notification system equipped with the following features.

8. A point notification method performed in a point notification system, A point calculation step that calculates the parking point for a candidate parking space used by the user, based on the difficulty of parking in that space and the user's parking level. A point information transmission step that transmits information including the parking points calculated by the point calculation step, A point notification method characterized by including the following.

9. Computers, A point calculation means that calculates the parking point for a parking space based on the difficulty of parking in a candidate parking space used by the user and the user's parking level. A point information transmission means that transmits information including the parking point calculated by the point calculation means, A program characterized by being designed to function as such.

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