Parking lot management server, vehicle sharing service management server, and computer program

Abstract

To provide a technique for effectively using vehicle zones secured for service object vehicles to be used for a vehicle sharing service as a parking lot.SOLUTION: A parking lot management server includes: a parking lot management database for storing full / empty data of a parking lot; reservation data reception means for receiving reservation data of a parking lot; and reservation possibility determination means for determining whether reservation contents related to reservation data can be executed by using received reservation data and the full / empty data. Sharing vehicle zone data related to full / empty of a sharing vehicle zone is stored in a sharing vehicle zone database in a management server for performing data management of a vehicle sharing service. The reservation possibility determination means determines whether reservation contents can be executed by also using the sharing vehicle zone data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to information and communication technology for efficiently managing parking spaces for shared vehicles. [Background technology]

[0002] (Rental car business operation) In order for a car rental business to operate as a service industry, the following facilities are required: That is, it is a place where a large number of vehicles (vehicles to be serviced) are pooled and maintained, a service counter where the vehicles are handed over to users who rent them and where the vehicles are returned, etc. In some cases, the place of business can serve as both a service counter and a service center.

[0003] (Car sharing business operation) In order for car sharing to become a viable service industry, the following facilities are necessary: That is, it comprises a large number of vehicles (vehicles covered by the service), parking spaces for parking these vehicles, communication terminals installed in each vehicle, and a management server that communicates information with member users of the vehicles covered by the service and the communication terminals of each vehicle to manage data.

[0004] (Difference between rental cars and car sharing) The business concept of car sharing is to provide a short, convenient and cheap service compared to rental cars, and in order to realize this concept, companies often do not have a physical office in order to reduce the costs of operating their business. In the rental car business, cars are rented out to a wide range of users who hold a driver's license, and since it is a service that has been around for a longer period of time than car sharing, many operators do not require users to be registered members.

[0005] (Bringing the two services closer together) In the rental car business, too, efforts are being made to convert users into members through such measures as offering special benefits to members (differentiating them from non-members) in order to collect user data and diversify services based on that data. In the car sharing business, there is a trend for not only short-term users but also members who use the service for longer periods of time. For example, the number of users who use the service over multiple days and stay overnight at a tourist spot is also increasing. As a result, users are no longer faced with the distinction between using rental car services and car sharing services.

[0006] Patent Document 1 discloses information technology for sharing the vehicles required for car sharing services with rental car businesses.

[0007] Incidentally, for the target vehicles used in the car sharing business, the operator secures dedicated parking spaces (01, 02) for each target vehicle (shared cars 01, 02) in the parking lot (Y) and obtains a garage certificate (see Figure 1 (a)). In other words, the car sharing business is a business in which members take turns using the target vehicles parked in the garage certificated by the operator.

[0008] Car sharing operators operate a car sharing management server (S1) that is equipped with a membership database that stores attribute data of registered members and historical data on service usage, and a vehicle management database that stores data on vehicles that are eligible for the service (shared cars) (see Figure 1(b)).

[0009] On the other hand, in the case of a rental car business, it is sufficient for the operator to secure a parking lot near the business premises where all vehicles subject to the service can be parked, and it is not necessary to secure a separate parking space for each vehicle. The general parking spaces (03, 04) in the parking lot (Y) are managed by a parking lot management server (S2), which creates a parking lot management database and updates the data as needed (see FIG. 3).

[0010] In car sharing businesses, many operators either work with parking lot operators to secure parking spaces for target vehicles or also operate parking lot businesses.

[0011] In the parking lot business, an increasing number of operators are allowing reservations in order to operate more efficiently. To streamline the reservation process for parking lot users, these parking lot operators are providing parking lot search sites that can be browsed and reserved over the Internet. They also have reservation databases that accumulate data that can be viewed on the parking lot search sites. However, many of them do not require parking lot users to register as members. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0012] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6358583 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0013] As shown in Fig. 2(a), assume that shared car 01 installed in a dedicated parking space 01 for shared car 01 in parking lot Y is used by member M, and shared car 02 is reserved by member N. At this time, as shown in Fig. 2(b), the member database records that member M is using shared car 01 and that member N has reserved shared car 02. Although not shown in the figure, the member database also stores reservation data for shared cars.

[0014] The vehicle management database accumulates data regarding shared car 01, such as when member M started using it and where it was located, and data regarding shared car 02, such as when member M started using it and where it was located, and updates (adds data as needed).

[0015] Vehicles (shared cars) used in the car sharing service are equipped with a GPS and communication devices for communicating with the car sharing management server (S1). Therefore, as shown in the upper part of Fig. 3, the vehicle data receiving means of the car sharing management server (S1) receives vehicle location data regarding the location of the shared cars (01, 02) used by the members. The received vehicle location data is then stored in the vehicle management database as shown in the lower part of Fig. 3.

[0016] During the hours when the service target vehicle (shared car 1) is being used, the corresponding parking space (shared parking space 1) will be vacant. If the car sharing business can effectively utilize the vacant parking space, that is, rent it out as a parking space, it may be possible to improve the service provided to parking users and increase the profits of the business.

[0017] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a technology for effectively utilizing, as a parking space, a vehicle space reserved for a service target vehicle used in a vehicle sharing service. [Means for solving the problem]

[0018] For example, by combining reservation data indicating whether a shared parking space (01) corresponding to a shared car used by a member and vacated from a parking lot (Y) is available and for how long it is planned to be used, it is possible to construct a shared parking space management database (shown by phantom lines in FIG. 3) that grasps the period during which the space is available. By managing the shared parking space, the following invention is provided to temporarily convert the shared parking space into a parking lot that can be used by vehicles other than the shared car.

[0019] (First Invention) The first invention relates to a parking lot management server (S2) that manages shared parking spaces reserved for service target vehicles used in a vehicle sharing service so that they can be used as parking spaces when vacant (see FIG. 4). The parking lot management server (S2) has a parking lot management database that stores vacancy data on the parking lots it manages, a reservation data receiving means for receiving reservation data for a parking lot including a desired parking location and a scheduled parking start time; a reservation availability determination means for determining whether or not the reservation content related to the reservation data can be fulfilled using the reservation data received by the reservation data receiving means and the vacancy data stored in the parking lot management database; and a reservation availability sending means for sending the availability of the reservation determined by the reservation availability determining means to a source of the reservation data. The shared vehicle space data on the vacancy status of the shared vehicle space is stored in a shared vehicle space database in a management server (car sharing management server (S1)) that manages data for the vehicle sharing service. The reservation availability determination means determines whether or not the reservation can be fulfilled by using the shared vehicle compartment data in addition to the vacancy data.

[0020] (Terminology) "Vehicle sharing services" are services provided by car sharing businesses and / or rental car businesses. Rental car businesses also secure designated parking spaces at their offices and have car pools for rental cars as back offices of their offices, so they can make effective use of those parking spaces. The relationship between a "parking lot" and a vehicle space includes both a parking lot that keeps track of only the number of vacant or full parking spaces for a plurality of parking spaces, and a parking lot that keeps track of the vacant or full space for each vehicle space. The "parking lot management database" generally manages multiple parking lots capable of sending and receiving data via a communications network, but may also manage other parking lots.

[0021] A "shared parking space" refers to each space that can accommodate the number of rental cars (vehicles covered by the service) if the vehicle sharing service is a rental car business, and each parking space that is assigned to each shared car (vehicle covered by the service) if the vehicle sharing service is a car sharing business. If the regulation on garage certificates in a car sharing business that requires one-to-one correspondence between each vehicle and each parking space is relaxed, the difference from the rental car business will be smaller from the operator's perspective.

[0022] (action) Vacancy data for the managed parking lots is stored in a parking lot management database (S2). Vacancy data for the shared parking spaces is stored in a shared parking space database in a management server (S1) that manages data for the vehicle sharing service. A reservation data receiving means receives reservation data for a parking lot including a desired parking location and a scheduled parking start time.

[0023] The reservation availability determination means determines whether or not the reservation content related to the reservation data can be fulfilled using the reservation data received by the reservation data receiving means and the vacancy data stored in the parking lot management database. This determination also uses the shared parking space data stored in the shared parking space database of the shared parking space database (S1). The reservation availability determining means determines whether the reservation can be completed or not, and the reservation availability determining means transmits the result to the source of the reservation data.

[0024] Operators providing vehicle sharing services (car sharing operators or rental car operators) can provide shared vehicle spaces as parking lots, which increases the likelihood of improving services and increasing profits. For those trying to reserve a parking spot, the chances of securing the desired parking spot are increased.

[0025] (Variation 1 of the first invention) The first invention can also provide the following variations. That is, a parking lot search site is provided which can be accessed from a communication terminal of a person who desires parking to search for a parking lot including a desired parking location and a scheduled parking start time, The parking search site will include the shared parking space data mentioned above (see Figure 5).

[0026] (Terminology) The "parking lot search site" is a database for browsing that can be accessed via a communication line and the Internet by a communication terminal related to a person wishing to park.

[0027] (action) A parking lot user who wants to find a parking lot accesses a parking lot search site using a communication terminal or the like related to the user. The parking lot search site includes shared parking space data. Therefore, the possibility that a shared parking space related to the shared parking space data will be used increases.

[0028] (Second Invention) The second invention is an invention that is a sub-combination of the first invention. That is, it relates to a vehicle sharing service management server (car sharing management server S1) that provides data on shared parking spaces reserved for vehicles to be used in the vehicle sharing service to a parking management server (S2) so that the shared parking spaces can be used as parking spaces. The vehicle sharing service management server includes a member database that accumulates management data on a member user when the person who wishes to use the service target vehicle becomes a member user by registering attribute data or the like in advance; A vehicle management database that accumulates data for managing vehicles to be serviced; a vehicle data receiving means for receiving vehicle position data stored in the vehicle management database from a vehicle to be serviced; a rental vehicle space extraction means for extracting vehicle spaces of the serviced vehicles that can be rented out using reservation data for the use of the serviced vehicles stored in the member database and vehicle position data of the serviced vehicles stored in the vehicle management database; A shared vehicle space database that accumulates data on available vehicle spaces extracted by the available vehicle space extraction means; and (See Figure 6.)

[0029] (Terminology) The "data for managing the serviced vehicle" includes location data of the serviced vehicle, rental reservation data of the serviced vehicle, record data of the rental of the serviced vehicle, etc. It also includes "extension request data", which will be described later.

[0030] (action) When a person who wishes to use a serviced vehicle becomes a member user by registering attribute data in advance, management data regarding the member user is stored in a member database. Data for managing the serviced vehicles is stored in a vehicle management database. Using reservation data for the serviced vehicles stored in the member database and vehicle location data for the serviced vehicles stored in the vehicle management database, a rental vehicle space extraction means extracts vehicle spaces for the serviced vehicles that can be rented out. The extracted rental vehicle space data is stored in a shared vehicle space database. The data is then used as a search target for use as a parking lot.

[0031] (Variation 1 of the second invention) The second invention is more preferably formed as follows. In other words, the rental vehicle space extraction means calculates the time periods during which the vehicle can be rented out by taking into account the probability of the vehicle being returned before the scheduled return time at the time of reservation from the usage history data in the member database (see Figure 7).

[0032] (Terminology and Functions) The member database accumulates usage history data of the members' use of the vehicles covered by the service. The usage history data includes reservation data such as the scheduled start time of use, the scheduled end time of use, the actual start time of use, and the end time of use (return time). The rental vehicle space extraction means calculates the probability of returning the vehicle before the scheduled return time from the scheduled end time of use and the actual end time of use, thereby calculating the time period during which the vehicle can be rented out. It is expected that the time period calculated in this manner will contribute to reducing the probability that another vehicle will be parked in the parking space at the time the serviced vehicle is returned.

[0033] (Variation 2 of the second invention) The second invention is more preferably formed as follows. In other words, the rental parking space extraction means can also access the parking lot management database which is provided in the parking lot management server and which stores data on whether the parking lots are occupied or not under management.

[0034] (action) By using the vacancy data in the parking lot management database, it is possible to expand the capacity to accommodate early returns of vehicles that are eligible for the service.

[0035] (Variation 3 of the second invention) The second invention is more preferably formed as follows. That is, the vehicle data receiving means receives extension request data from a vehicle to be serviced that is currently being rented out, requesting an extension of the rental time, The rental vehicle compartment extraction means extracts vehicle compartments of service target vehicles that can be rented out by using the extension request data as well.

[0036] (Terminology) "Extension request data" is data that is sent to the vehicle sharing service management server as a request to postpone the scheduled return time to a later time slot when the vehicle cannot be returned by the time registered as the return time at the time of reservation.

[0037] (action) When extension request data is transmitted from a vehicle to be serviced during rental, requesting an extension of the rental time, the extension request data is received by the vehicle data receiving means. The rental vehicle compartment extraction means extracts vehicle compartments of service target vehicles that can be rented even taking into account the shifted time period based on the extension request data.

[0038] (Third Invention) A third invention is an invention of a computer program for controlling the parking lot management server according to the first invention. In other words, it is a computer program for controlling a parking lot management server that manages shared parking spaces reserved for service target vehicles used in the vehicle sharing service so that they can be used as parking spaces when vacant. The parking lot management server is provided with a parking lot management database that stores vacancy data regarding the parking lots it manages, The shared vehicle space data regarding the occupancy status of the shared vehicle space is stored in a shared vehicle space database in a management server that manages data for the vehicle sharing service. The computer program is a reservation data receiving step for receiving reservation data for the parking lot including a desired parking location and a scheduled parking start time; a reservation availability determination step for determining whether or not the reservation content related to the reservation data can be fulfilled using the reservation data received in the reservation data reception step and the vacancy data stored in the parking lot management database; and a reservation availability transmission procedure for transmitting the availability of the reservation determined in the reservation availability determination procedure to a source of the reservation data. In the reservation availability determination procedure, the shared vehicle space data is used in addition to the vacancy data to determine whether the reservation can be fulfilled.

[0039] (Variation of the third invention) The third invention is more preferably formed as follows. That is, the parking lot management server is provided with a parking lot search site that can be accessed from a communication terminal of a person who desires to park and can search for a parking lot including a desired parking location and a scheduled parking start time, The parking lot search site will include the shared parking space data described above.

[0040] (Fourth Invention) A fourth aspect of the present invention is a computer program for controlling the vehicle sharing service management server according to the second aspect of the present invention. In other words, it is a computer program that controls a vehicle sharing service management server that provides data regarding shared parking spaces reserved for service target vehicles used in the vehicle sharing service to the parking management server, thereby enabling them to be used as parking spaces. The vehicle sharing service management server includes a member database that accumulates management data on a member user when the person who wishes to use the service target vehicle becomes a member user by registering attribute data, etc. in advance; and a vehicle management database that stores data for managing vehicles to be serviced. The computer program is a rental vehicle space extraction step of extracting vehicle spaces of the service target vehicles that can be rented out using reservation data for the use of the service target vehicles stored in the member database and vehicle position data of the service target vehicles stored in the vehicle management database; a rentable vehicle cabin data accumulation step for accumulating the rentable vehicle cabin data extracted in the rentable vehicle cabin extraction step in a shared vehicle cabin database; The vehicle sharing service management server executes the above.

[0041] (Variation 1 of the fourth invention) The fourth invention is more preferably formed as follows. In other words, in the procedure for extracting rental spaces, the time periods during which the vehicle can be rented are calculated by taking into account the probability of the vehicle being returned before the scheduled return time at the time of reservation from the usage history data in the member database.

[0042] (Variation 2 of the fourth invention) The fourth invention is more preferably formed as follows. That is, in the above-mentioned rental vehicle extraction procedure, It is also possible to access a parking lot management database that is provided in the parking lot management server and stores data on whether the parking lots are full or empty, which are managed by the parking lot management server.

[0043] (Variation 3 of the fourth invention) The fourth invention is more preferably formed as follows. That is, in the vehicle data receiving procedure, extension request data is received from a vehicle to be serviced that is currently being rented out, requesting an extension of the rental time, In the rental vehicle compartment extraction procedure, the extension request data is also used to extract rental vehicle compartments of the service target vehicles.

[0044] (Providing method of the third and fourth inventions) The computer programs according to the third and fourth aspects of the present invention may be provided by being stored in a recording medium. Here, a "recording medium" refers to a medium that can carry a program that does not occupy space by itself, such as a flexible disk, a hard disk, a CD-R, a CD-RW, an MO (magneto-optical disk), a DVD-R, a DVD-RW, or a flash memory. It is also possible to transmit the program according to the present invention from a computer storing the program to other terminal means via a communication line. Effect of the Invention

[0045] According to the first invention, it is possible to provide a parking lot management server that effectively utilizes, as a parking lot, a vehicle space reserved for a service target vehicle used in a vehicle sharing service. According to the second invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle sharing service management server that makes effective use of vehicle spaces reserved for service target vehicles used in the vehicle sharing service as parking spaces. According to the third invention, it is possible to provide a computer program for controlling a parking lot management server to effectively utilize, as a parking lot, parking spaces reserved for service target vehicles used in a vehicle sharing service. According to the fourth invention, it is possible to provide a computer program for controlling a vehicle sharing service management server to effectively utilize vehicle spaces reserved for service target vehicles used in the vehicle sharing service as parking spaces. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0046] [Figure 1] This is a conceptual diagram showing a shared car used for car sharing placed in part of the parking space in parking lot Y. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the use of parking lot Y. [Diagram 3] 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the relationship between parking lot Y, a parking lot management server, and a car sharing management server. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 13 is a table showing the algorithm of the rental vehicle compartment extraction means used in the third embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 13 is a table showing the algorithm of the rental vehicle compartment extraction means used in the fourth embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a conceptual diagram showing the relationship between parking lot users who reserve and use a shared parking space, the parking lot management server, and parking lot Y. [Figure 11] This is a conceptual diagram showing what to do when a shared car returns when the shared parking space is being used by a parking lot user. [Figure 12] 12 is a flowchart showing the countermeasures shown in FIG. 11. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0047] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings used here are Fig. 4 to Fig. 12. Fig. 1 to Fig. 3 showing a general parking lot and car sharing will also be referred to as necessary.

[0048] In the following description, the vehicle sharing service will be described on the assumption that it is a car sharing business, not a rental car business, although as described above, the present invention also includes the rental car business.

[0049] (Figure 4) Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the relationship between car sharing users (and their associated communication terminals) who use the car sharing service to reserve a vehicle (shared car) that is the subject of the service, parking lot users (and their associated communication terminals) who wish to use a parking lot, a car sharing management server (S1) that performs the data management required for the car sharing business, and a parking lot management server (S2) that performs the data management required for the parking lot business.

[0050] A car sharing user who wishes to reserve a car using a car sharing service sends reservation data to the car sharing management server (S1) using his / her own communication terminal (a smartphone is shown in the figure). Normally, there is a procedure to inquire whether a reservation that meets the desired conditions such as boarding and alighting locations and time slots is possible, but this part is not shown in the figure.

[0051] The reservation data receiving means in the car sharing management server (S1) receives the reservation data and stores it in a member database. On the other hand, the car sharing management server (S1) acquires vehicle management data such as vehicle position data and engine on / off status of the shared car from the communication device installed in the service target vehicle (shared car) that is the subject of management. Such vehicle management data is received by a vehicle data receiving means. Then, the data is stored in a vehicle management database.

[0052] By using the reservation data and vehicle location data described above, data can be processed to determine what time periods the shared car spaces are available and what time periods the spaces are vacant. The processed data is then stored in a shared car space database.

[0053] A parking lot user who wishes to use a parking lot may go to the parking lot and park in an available parking space, or may reserve a parking space in advance. In this figure, a parking lot user who reserves a parking space in advance will be described.

[0054] The parking lot user transmits reservation condition data including the desired location and time period to the parking lot management server (S2) using his / her own communication terminal (notebook PC shown in the figure). The reservation data receiving means of the parking lot management server (S2) receives the reservation condition data. On the other hand, data on whether parking spaces are full or empty is stored in a parking management database. Some parking spaces are managed individually, while others only manage the number of vacant spaces.

[0055] The reservation availability determination means searches for parking lots that meet the reservation condition data received by the reservation data receiving means using the data in the parking management database, and determines whether or not the reservation can be made. At this time, the shared parking space data described above can also be used to determine whether or not the reservation can be made. In other words, it is possible to have a larger inventory of parking lots (parking spaces).

[0056] Returning to Figure 3 for further details, the parking management database stores information that the general parking space 03 is available during a certain time period. Also, the shared parking space database stores information that the shared parking space 01 is available during a certain time period. Conventionally, the reservation availability data would indicate that a parking lot user wishing to use parking lot Y could not reserve the parking lot if the time slot did not match the time slot when general parking lot 03 was available. However, with the new system, reservation availability data can be transmitted indicating that a parking lot user can reserve the parking lot if the time slot matches the time slot when shared parking lot 01 is available.

[0057] The result of the reservation availability determination by the reservation availability determination means is transmitted as reservation availability data to the communication terminal related to the parking lot user by the reservation availability transmission means. If a reservation is possible, the parking lot user will then transmit reservation confirmation data from the communication terminal to officially make the reservation, but this step is not shown in the figure.

[0058] (Figure 5) The embodiment shown in FIG. 5 differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 in that a parking lot search site is added to the parking lot management server (S2). The parking lot management server (S2) provides the data stored in the parking lot management database to a parking lot search site (a database that can be browsed and searched). Parking lot users can browse and search the data by accessing the parking lot search site with their own communication terminals.

[0059] The shared car space data provided by the car sharing management server (S1) is received by a shared car space data receiving means, stored in a parking lot management database, and provided to a parking lot search site. In other words, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the shared parking space data may be received by the shared parking space data receiving means and stored in the parking lot management database.

[0060] (Figure 6) The embodiment shown in Figure 6 differs from the embodiment shown in Figure 5 in that the data stored in the shared vehicle space database by the car sharing management server (S1) is limited to vehicle spaces that are available for rental. That is, the system is provided with a rental vehicle space extraction means for extracting rental vehicle spaces using the reservation data and usage history data stored in the member database and the vehicle position data stored in the vehicle management database.

[0061] (Figure 7) FIG. 7 is a table showing examples of data extracted by the rental vehicle compartment extraction means shown in FIG. Although the current time is 2019.11.25 15:37, the available rental cars are constantly changing. Therefore, the rental car extraction means also updates the data on the available rental cars periodically (for example, every 3 minutes).

[0062] The car sharing spaces to be managed are spaces 01 and 02 (see Figures 1 to 3) in parking lot Y and spaces 07 and 08 in parking lot Z (not shown). In other words, the objects to be managed are not limited to parking lot Y, but include all spaces corresponding to shared cars used in the car sharing business.

[0063] Based on the reservation data, the reservation start time and reservation end time are displayed for each parking space. Also, based on the vehicle position data, the distance from the parking lot is calculated and displayed. If the distance from the parking lot is 0 km, it means that the vehicle is in the parking lot.

[0064] By going back through the usage history of the member user and checking the scheduled return time at the time of reservation and the actual return time after actual use, the "rate of return before the scheduled time" is calculated. For example, if a member user with a high rate of "75%" makes a reservation, the member user is not only strict in adhering to the scheduled return time, but also tries not to go over it, so there is a high possibility that the member user will return the shared car earlier than the scheduled return time. Therefore, the end time of the time period during which the car can be rented is set earlier than the scheduled return time (for example, 60 minutes before).

[0065] When a member user with a low "rate of return before the scheduled time" such as "10%" or "20%" has made a reservation, the time is set, for example, 30 minutes before the scheduled return time.

[0066] (Figure 8) The embodiment shown in FIG. 8 illustrates a case where extension request data is transmitted from the shared car 01 together with vehicle position data. The vehicle data receiving means of the car sharing management server (S1) receives the extension request data together with the vehicle position data. The "extension request data" is data that indicates a request to postpone the scheduled return time to a later time slot if the car cannot be returned by the time registered as the return time at the time of reservation. In most cases, extension requests are accepted, so a detailed explanation of data communication between the shared car 01 and the car sharing management server (S1) will be omitted.

[0067] The rental space extraction means revises the rental time period based on the extension data and rewrites the corresponding data in the shared space database. Then, the parking space data with the revised rental time period is sent to the parking lot management server (S2). The data communication between the parking lot management server (S2) and the terminal related to the parking lot user is the same as described above, so the explanation is omitted.

[0068] (Fig. 9) Fig. 9 is a table showing an example of the data extracted by the rental car space extraction means shown in Fig. 8. Suppose that 7 minutes after the time shown in Fig. 7, a 1-hour extension request was made from Share Car 01 and a 30-minute extension request was made from Share Car 08.

[0069] The time slots during which parking spaces can be rented out extracted at 15:37 are "tentative," and the time slots during which parking spaces can be rented out for Parking Space 01 and Parking Space 08 are revised to "revised" based on the extension request. The revised time slots are sent to the parking lot management server (S2) and used to manage the parking spaces.

[0070] (Figure 10) FIG. 10 conceptually illustrates the process from when a parking lot user transmits reservation condition data from his / her communication terminal, to reserving a shared parking space, and actually parking the reserved vehicle in parking space 01. The process up to reception of the reservation availability data by the communication terminal related to the parking lot user is as shown in FIG. 4, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0071] The parking lot user who has received the reservation availability data indicating that the reservation is possible transmits confirmed reservation data confirming the reservation contents from the communication terminal. The confirmed reservation data is received by the confirmed reservation receiving means in the parking lot management server (S2) and is stored in the parking lot management database.

[0072] The parking space reserved by the parking lot user is space 01 in parking lot Y, and is the space where the shared car 01 is parked during the time period when it is not being used by the car share user. The parking lot user parks the reserved vehicle 05, which is his / her own vehicle, in that space 01.

[0073] Parking lot Y periodically transmits parking lot data, which indicates whether parking spaces 01, 02, 03, and 04 in parking lot Y are actually in use or vacant, to the parking lot management server (S2). The parking lot data is received by parking lot data receiving means in the parking lot management server (S2) and stored in the parking lot management database.

[0074] (Fig. 11) Figure 11 conceptually illustrates the procedure for dealing with the situation when a parking space 01 is provided to a parking lot user in Figure 10 and a reserved vehicle 05 returns to the parking space during the time period when the reserved vehicle 05 is parked in the parking space.

[0075] In the car sharing management server (S1), the vehicle data receiving means periodically receives the vehicle position data of the shared car. When it is determined that the vehicle position data indicates that the vehicle is approaching the parking lot Y to which the vehicle should be returned (and in many cases, the shared car user also transmits an indication of intention to return the vehicle), the parking space 01 for the shared car 01 has been rented out to the parking lot user.

[0076] The car sharing management server (S1) is equipped with a vacant car space extraction means for searching for vacant car spaces to deal with such situations, and the vacant car space extraction means searches for an alternative car space from the data stored in the shared car space database. If an alternative parking space cannot be found using the data stored in the shared parking space database, a vacant parking space is searched for using the data stored in the parking space management database of the parking space management server (S2).

[0077] The vacant vehicle space extraction means has determined from the data in the parking lot management database that vehicle space 03 is vacant. Therefore, the return vehicle space communication means transmits instruction data for the return vehicle space to the communication terminal installed in the shared car 01 (and the mobile communication terminal associated with the shared car user). In this case, the instruction data for the return vehicle space is data to the effect that "return the vehicle to vehicle space 03 in parking lot Y, not vehicle space 01."

[0078] (Fig. 12) Figure 12 is a flow chart showing the situation conceptually shown in Figure 11. The following will explain. A reserved vehicle 05 belonging to a parking lot user is parked in a parking space 01 in parking lot Y (T1) (regardless of whether the reservation procedure has been completed).

[0079] A user (member user) of a shared car 01 heads to parking lot Y earlier than the scheduled return time set forth in the reservation. The car sharing management server (S1) becomes aware of this by receiving vehicle position data or the like (T2).

[0080] The user of the shared car 01 uses the shared car 01 with the assumption that the shared car 01 will be returned to the parking lot Y, so the user checks whether there are any vacant spaces other than the space 01 in the parking lot Y (T3). At this time, if no vacant spaces are found in the shared space database, data from the parking lot management database is also used.

[0081] If no parking space is found in parking lot Y, a vacant parking space is extracted near parking lot Y (T4). In this case, if no vacant parking space is found in the shared parking space database, data from the parking lot management database is also used.

[0082] Whether the answer in T3 is "Yes" or "No," the parking space to which the shared car 01 should be returned is always extracted. Then, the parking space to which the shared car 01 should be returned is notified to the communication terminal installed in the shared car 01 and the mobile communication terminal of the member user who is the user of the shared car 01 (T5). Using the example shown in Fig. 9, the communication would be made to the effect that the shared car 01 should be returned to the general parking space 03 in the parking lot Y.

[0083] The fact that the shared car 01 has been returned to the parking space 03 to which it is to be returned is confirmed via the parking lot Y management device (shown in FIG. 9) (T6), and the process ends (T7).

[0084] (Supplementary explanation for the embodiment) 11 and 12, a case has been described in which a parking space to which the shared car 01 is to be returned is available in the same parking lot Y. In addition, if a parking space is not available in the same parking lot, it has been explained to the car sharing user that a parking lot near the parking lot where the car is to be returned will be searched for. However, a car sharing business operator can instruct an employee to drive an unreserved shared car (for example, 02) in parking lot Y to a nearby parking lot, freeing up parking space 02. To enable such a response, a parking lot management database and a shared parking space database are useful.

[0085] According to the embodiment described above, a technology has been provided for effectively utilizing vehicle spaces (shared vehicle spaces) reserved for service-recipient vehicles (shared cars) used in a car sharing business as parking spaces. [Industrial Applicability]

[0086] The present invention has applicability in car sharing or rental car businesses, parking lot management service businesses, data communication businesses that manage data for car sharing, rental cars, parking lots, etc., and software development businesses related to data communication. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] S1; Car sharing management server S2: Parking lot management server Y ; Parking lot

Claims

1. A parking lot management server that manages a shared parking space reserved for a service target vehicle used in a vehicle sharing service so that the shared parking space can be used as a time-share parking space when the shared car leaves the shared parking space and the shared parking space is vacant, A parking management database that accumulates vacancy data regarding managed parking lots; and a reservation data receiving means for receiving reservation data for a parking lot including a desired parking location and a scheduled parking start time; a reservation availability determination means for determining whether or not the reservation content related to the reservation data can be fulfilled using the reservation data received by the reservation data receiving means and the vacancy data stored in the parking lot management database; a reservation availability sending means for sending the availability of the reservation determined by the reservation availability determining means to a source of the reservation data, The shared vehicle space data on the vacancy status of the shared vehicle space is stored in a shared vehicle space database in a management server that executes data management of the vehicle sharing service, The parking lot management server is configured so that the reservation availability determination means determines whether or not the reservation details related to the reservation data can be fulfilled by using the shared parking space data in addition to the vacancy data.

2. a parking lot search site that can be accessed from a communication terminal of a person who desires parking to search for a parking lot including a desired parking location and a scheduled parking start time; 2. The parking lot management server according to claim 1, wherein the parking lot search site includes the shared parking space data.

3. A vehicle sharing service management server that provides data on a shared vehicle space reserved for a vehicle to be used in a vehicle sharing service to a parking lot management server, thereby enabling the vehicle to be used as a time-share parking lot, a member database for storing management data relating to a member user when the person who wishes to use the service target vehicle becomes a member user by registering attribute data or the like in advance; A vehicle management database that accumulates data for managing vehicles to be serviced; a vehicle data receiving means for receiving vehicle position data stored in the vehicle management database from a vehicle to be serviced; a rental vehicle space extraction means for extracting a shared vehicle space for the service target vehicle that is available for rental for hourly parking when the service target vehicle leaves the parking lot, using reservation data for the service target vehicle stored in the member database and vehicle position data for the service target vehicle stored in the vehicle management database; A shared vehicle space database that accumulates data on available vehicle spaces extracted by the available vehicle space extraction means; A vehicle sharing service management server comprising:

4. The rental vehicle space extraction means calculates the time period during which the vehicle can be rented out by taking into consideration the probability of returning the vehicle before the scheduled return time at the time of reservation from the usage history data in the member database. The vehicle sharing service management server according to claim 3 .

5. The rental vehicle compartment extraction means includes: The parking management server is also provided with a parking management database that stores data on whether parking lots are full or empty, and is managed by the server. The vehicle sharing service management server according to claim 3 or 4.

6. The vehicle data receiving means receives extension request data indicating a request for an extension of the rental time from a vehicle to be serviced that is being rented out, The rental vehicle compartment extraction means extracts vehicle compartments of the service target vehicles that can be rented out using the extension request data. The vehicle sharing service management server according to any one of claims 3 to 5.

7. A computer program for controlling a parking lot management server that manages a shared parking space reserved for a service target vehicle used in a vehicle sharing service so that the shared parking space can be used as a parking space when the shared car leaves the shared parking space and the shared parking space becomes vacant, The parking lot management server is provided with a parking lot management database that stores vacancy data regarding the parking lots it manages, The shared vehicle space data on the vacancy status of the shared vehicle space is stored in a shared vehicle space database in a management server that executes data management of the vehicle sharing service, The computer program is a reservation data receiving step for receiving reservation data for the parking lot including a desired parking location and a scheduled parking start time; a reservation availability determination step for determining whether or not the reservation content related to the reservation data can be fulfilled using the reservation data received in the reservation data reception step and the vacancy data stored in the parking lot management database; and a reservation availability transmission procedure for transmitting the availability of the reservation determined in the reservation availability determination procedure to a source of the reservation data. In the reservation availability determination procedure, the shared vehicle space data is used in addition to the vacancy data to determine whether the reservation content related to the reservation data can be fulfilled. Computer program.

8. The parking lot management server is provided with a parking lot search site that can be accessed from a communication terminal of a person who desires to park and can search for a parking lot including a desired parking location and a scheduled parking start time, The parking lot search site will include the shared parking space data mentioned above.

8. A computer program according to claim 7.

9. A computer program for controlling a vehicle sharing service management server that provides data on a shared vehicle space reserved for a vehicle to be used in a vehicle sharing service to the parking lot management server, thereby enabling the shared vehicle space to be used as a time-shared parking space, The vehicle sharing service management server includes a member database that accumulates management data on a member user when the person who wishes to use the service target vehicle becomes a member user by registering attribute data, etc. in advance; A vehicle management database that accumulates data for managing vehicles to be serviced; The computer program is a vehicle data receiving step of receiving vehicle position data from the vehicle to be serviced for managing the vehicle to be serviced; a data storage step of storing the vehicle position data received in the vehicle data receiving step in the vehicle management database; a rental space extraction step of extracting a shared space for the service target vehicle that is available for rental for hourly parking when the service target vehicle leaves the parking lot, using reservation data for the use of the service target vehicle stored in the member database and vehicle position data of the service target vehicle stored in the vehicle management database; a rentable vehicle cabin data accumulation step for accumulating the rentable vehicle cabin data extracted in the rentable vehicle cabin extraction step in a shared vehicle cabin database; A computer program that causes a vehicle sharing service management server to execute the above.

10. In the procedure for extracting a rental car space, the time slot during which the car can be rented is calculated by taking into account the probability of returning the car before the scheduled return time at the time of reservation from the usage history data in the member database.

10. A computer program according to claim 9.

11. In the above rental vehicle extraction procedure, The parking management server is also provided with a parking management database that stores data on whether parking lots are full or empty, and is managed by the server. A computer program according to claim 9 or 10.

12. In the vehicle data receiving procedure, extension request data is received from the vehicle being serviced that is currently being rented out, requesting an extension of the rental time, In the procedure for extracting a rental vehicle space, the vehicle space of the service target vehicle that can be rented out is extracted using the extension request data. A computer program according to any one of claims 9 to 11.

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