Shared vehicle support system, shared vehicle support method, and shared vehicle support program

Abstract

To provide a ride-sharing support system, a ride-sharing support method, and a ride-sharing support program capable of improving convenience of users who use ride-sharing services.SOLUTION: A ride-sharing support system 100 includes: an acquisition processing unit 112 that acquires information on a first destination from a first user who uses a ride-sharing vehicle; a notification processing unit 117 that notifies a second user belonging to the same group as the first user of an inquiry as to whether or not to visit the first destination using the ride-sharing vehicle by ride-sharing with the first user; an identification processing unit 113 that identifies a driver of the ride-sharing vehicle; and a vehicle allocation processing unit 116 that outputs a vehicle allocation request to the driver identified by the identification processing unit 113.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a ride-sharing support system, a ride-sharing support method, and a ride-sharing support program. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a ride-sharing system in which a vehicle driver takes a user who wishes to share a ride with him / her to a predetermined destination. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that improves the convenience of ride-sharing by enabling a vehicle driver to easily identify a user who uses the ride-sharing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-144994 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In recent years, the introduction of shuttle services based on the cooperation of local residents has been progressing. In the shuttle service, a resident who wishes to use the service applies for the service, and a local resident who can provide transportation is matched as a driver. The driver transports the resident to the destination by taking the resident in his / her private vehicle. The conventional shuttle service transports only users who have applied for the service, which reduces the utilization efficiency of the shuttle service. In addition, if multiple users ride together as in the conventional ride sharing, problems arise such as the time required for each user to reach their respective destination being longer and each user feeling uncomfortable.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a ride-sharing support system, a ride-sharing support method, and a ride-sharing support program that can improve the convenience of users of ride-sharing services. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A ride-sharing support system according to one aspect of the present invention includes an acquisition processing unit that acquires information about a first destination from a first user using a specific vehicle, a notification processing unit that notifies a second user belonging to the same group as the first user of an inquiry as to whether or not to visit the first destination using the specific vehicle in a ride-sharing arrangement with the first user, an identification processing unit that identifies the driver of the specific vehicle, and a dispatch processing unit that outputs a dispatch request to the driver identified by the identification processing unit.

[0007] According to the above configuration, since multiple users can ride together and be transported to their destination, the utilization efficiency of the shared ride service can be improved. In addition, since multiple users belonging to the same group can ride together, each user can use the shared ride service with peace of mind.

[0008] In the ride-sharing support system of the present invention, the identification processing unit identifies the driver corresponding to the first user and the second user when the second user responds that he or she will visit the first destination by sharing the specific vehicle with the first user.

[0009] This allows the driver who is suitable for the first user and the second user to be identified, allowing each user to use the shared ride service with peace of mind.

[0010] In the ride-sharing support system according to the present invention, the identification processing unit identifies the driver who has been used in the past by each of the first user and the second user. Also, in the ride-sharing support system according to the present invention, the identification processing unit identifies the driver based on evaluation values ​​by which each of the first user and the second user evaluated the driver when they used the service in the past. Also, in the ride-sharing support system according to the present invention, date and time information indicating the date and time when the driver can provide a service to transport users is registered in advance, and the identification processing unit further identifies the driver who can provide the service at the date and time desired by the first user.

[0011] In the shared ride support system according to the present invention, the group is a group to which a plurality of users who have the same destination registered in advance as a visiting destination belong, and the notification processing unit notifies the second user who has registered the same destination as the destination registered by the first user of the inquiry, so that the users can receive an inquiry from a user who has registered the same destination and visit the destination together.

[0012] In the shared vehicle support system according to the present invention, the group is a group including a plurality of users who have the same usage history of the specific vehicle, and the notification processing unit notifies the second user who has the same usage history as the first user of the inquiry. This allows users who have used a shared vehicle of the same driver to visit a destination together.

[0013] In the shared ride support system according to the present invention, the group is a group to which a plurality of users who have the same attributes belong, and the notification processing unit notifies the second user who has the same attributes as the first user of the inquiry. This allows users who have similar hobbies and tastes to visit a destination together.

[0014] In the ride-sharing support system according to the present invention, the dispatch processing unit outputs, to the driver specified by the identification processing unit, information on the positions where the first user and the second user will board the specific vehicle. Also, in the ride-sharing support system according to the present invention, the dispatch processing unit outputs, to the driver specified by the identification processing unit, information on the route connecting the position of the driver, the positions where the first user and the second user will board the specific vehicle, and the first destination.

[0015] This allows the driver to smoothly pick up each passenger and move them to their destination.

[0016] In the ride-sharing support system according to the present invention, information on a plurality of users who can use the ride-sharing service to be transported to a destination by boarding a specific vehicle, and information on one or more users among the plurality of users who are qualified to provide the ride-sharing service to other users as the driver are registered in advance. The specific vehicle may be a private vehicle owned by the user.

[0017] This will make it possible, for example, to provide a shuttle service based on mutual assistance among local residents.

[0018] A ride-sharing support method according to another aspect of the present invention is a method in which one or more processors execute an acquisition step of acquiring information about a first destination from a first user using a specific vehicle, a notification step of notifying a second user belonging to the same group as the first user of an inquiry as to whether or not they will visit the first destination using the specific vehicle in a ride-sharing arrangement with the first user, an identification step of identifying a driver of the specific vehicle, and a dispatch step of outputting a dispatch request to the driver identified by the identification step.

[0019] A ride-sharing assistance program according to another aspect of the present invention is a program for causing one or more processors to execute the following steps: an acquisition step of acquiring information about a first destination from a first user using a specific vehicle; a notification step of notifying a second user belonging to the same group as the first user of an inquiry as to whether or not to visit the first destination using the specific vehicle in a ride-sharing arrangement with the first user; an identification step of identifying a driver of the specific vehicle; and a dispatch step of outputting a dispatch request to the driver identified by the identification step. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, a ride-sharing support system, a ride-sharing support method, and a ride-sharing support program are provided that can improve the convenience of users who use ride-sharing services. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of a ride-sharing support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of user information used in the ride-sharing support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of driver information used in the ride-sharing support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of hospital group information used in the shared transportation support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of city hall group information used in the ride-sharing support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on a requester terminal in the ride-sharing support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on a requester terminal of the ride-sharing support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on the driver's terminal of the ride-sharing support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on the driver's terminal of the ride-sharing support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on a requester terminal of the ride-sharing support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on a requester terminal of the ride-sharing support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on the driver's terminal of the ride-sharing support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on the driver's terminal of the ride-sharing support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14]FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure of a ride-sharing assistance process executed in the ride-sharing assistance system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on a requester terminal of the ride-sharing support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings to facilitate understanding of the present invention. Note that the following embodiments are examples of the present invention and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0023] [Ride-sharing support system 100] As shown in Fig. 1, a ride-sharing support system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a ride-sharing support device 1 and one or more user terminals 2 (a requester terminal 2X, a driver terminal 2Y). The ride-sharing support device 1 and the user terminals 2 can communicate with each other via a communication network N1 such as the Internet, a LAN, a WAN, or a public telephone line.

[0024] When a user sets a departure point and a destination as search conditions, the ride-sharing support device 1 presents route information on a route from the departure point to the destination and information (matching result) on a driver who will transport (pick up and drop off) the user to the destination, and provides the user with a ride-sharing service that requests a driver to dispatch a vehicle in response to the user's request. The ride-sharing support device 1 is an information processing device that can receive search conditions for searching a route and a ride-sharing request from a user terminal 2, and can provide the search result (route information) of the search process based on the search conditions and the matching result to the user terminal 2, and can make a vehicle dispatch request to a matched driver. Specifically, the ride-sharing support device 1 outputs display data corresponding to the route information and display data on the driver to the user terminal 2. The user terminal 2 is an information processing device that is operated by a user who requests (requests) a route search and a user who requests a ride-sharing, and presents the search result (route information) and the matching result from the ride-sharing support device 1. Specifically, the user terminal 2 displays the route based on the display data obtained from the ride-sharing support device 1, and displays information about the route and the driver based on the display data obtained from the ride-sharing support device 1.

[0025] In this embodiment, the user terminals 2 include a user terminal 2 (hereinafter referred to as a "requester terminal 2X") used by a user who is able to use the shared ride service, and a user terminal 2 (hereinafter referred to as a "driver terminal 2Y") used by a user who is able to use the shared ride service and who provides a shared ride service in which the user, as the driver, uses a shared vehicle such as a private vehicle to transport other users to a destination. The shared ride support system 100 includes a plurality of each of the requester terminals 2X and the driver terminals 2Y.

[0026] Here, the shared ride service is different from the passenger transportation business (taxi business) by taxis, and is a shuttle service by mutual help among local residents, and is realized by mutual assistance. That is, the shared ride service is a service in which a local resident acts as a driver and transports a user to a destination. For example, in the shared ride service, a resident A in a certain area may transport a resident B to a destination using his / her own vehicle, or a resident A may transport a resident B and a resident C to a destination together using his / her own vehicle. Also, in the shared ride service, unlike the taxi business that requires a second-class driver's license, a driver does not need a second-class driver's license. The qualification to provide the shared ride service is given to a resident among the local residents who has the ability and aptitude to safely drive a vehicle, for example.

[0027] In this embodiment, the ride-sharing support device 1 alone corresponds to the ride-sharing support system according to the present invention, but the ride-sharing support system according to the present invention may include one or more of the components of the ride-sharing support device 1 and the user terminal 2. For example, when the components of the ride-sharing support device 1, the requester terminal 2X, and the driver terminal 2Y cooperate to share and execute the ride-sharing support process (see FIG. 14) described below, a system including the components that execute the process may constitute the ride-sharing support system according to the present invention. For example, the ride-sharing support device 1, the requester terminal 2X, and the driver terminal 2Y may constitute the ride-sharing support system according to the present invention.

[0028] [Riding support device 1] As shown in FIG. 1, the ride-sharing support device 1 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, an operation display unit 13, a communication I / F 14, and the like. The ride-sharing support device 1 is an information processing device such as a personal computer. The ride-sharing support device 1 is not limited to a single computer, and may be a computer system in which multiple computers operate in cooperation with each other. In addition, various processes executed by the ride-sharing support device 1 may be executed in a distributed manner by one or multiple processors.

[0029] The communication I / F 14 is a communication interface for connecting the ride-sharing support device 1 to the communication network N1 via a wired or wireless connection, and for performing data communication in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol between the ride-sharing support device 1 and external devices such as the requester terminal 2X and the driver terminal 2Y via the communication network N1.

[0030] The operation display unit 13 is a user interface that includes a display unit, such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, that displays various information, and an operation unit, such as a mouse, a keyboard, or a touch panel, that accepts operations.

[0031] The storage unit 12 is a non-volatile storage unit including a semiconductor memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), or a solid state drive (SSD) that stores various information. For example, the storage unit 12 stores a control program such as a ride-sharing support program for causing the control unit 11 to execute a ride-sharing support process (see FIG. 14) described later. For example, the ride-sharing support program is non-temporarily recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a USB, a CD, or a DVD (all of which are registered trademarks), and is read by a reading device (not shown) such as a USB drive, a CD drive, or a DVD drive that is electrically connected to the ride-sharing support device 1 and stored in the storage unit 12. The ride-sharing support program may be downloaded from an external device via the communication network N1 and stored in the storage unit 12.

[0032] The storage unit 12 also includes a map information database 121 (hereinafter referred to as "map information DB121"), a user information database 122 (hereinafter referred to as "user information DB122"), a driver information database 123 (hereinafter referred to as "driver information DB123"), a hospital group information database 124 (hereinafter referred to as "hospital group information DB124"), and a city hall group information database 125 (hereinafter referred to as "city hall group information DB125"). The storage unit 12 may also include a road information database in which road information (traffic jam information, accident information, etc.) is stored.

[0033] The map information DB 121 stores map information such as bus stop data relating to bus stops, railway data relating to railways (railroad tracks, stations), road data relating to roads, intersection data relating to intersections, and facility data relating to the positions and appearances (shapes, etc.) of facilities.

[0034] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the user information DB 122. Information on users who can use the shared ride service is registered in the user information DB 122. For example, a user installs an application for the shared ride service in the user terminal 2, and registers information such as an ID, password, name, email address, destination, icon image, and qualifications for providing the shared ride service on a registration screen. The ID and password can be arbitrarily set by the user, and are used as login information when using the shared ride service. The email address is, for example, an email address for sending and receiving various information to and from the shared ride support device 1. The icon image is image information that can identify the user, for example, an image of the user's face.

[0035] The destination is a destination that the user wishes to visit using the shared ride service. For example, if user A1 frequently uses hospital H1 and wishes to be picked up and dropped off at hospital H1, user A1 registers hospital H1 as a destination. If user A2 frequently uses city hall C1 and wishes to be picked up and dropped off at city hall C1, user A2 registers city hall C1 as a destination. Each user registers one or more desired destinations in advance on the registration screen of user terminal 2. Note that users can also change the initially registered destination or add a new destination. Note that the destination is information corresponding to the attributes of a group, which will be described later, and is an example of the attributes of the group. For example, if the group is a regional group, regional information is registered in user information DB 122 for each user.

[0036] The qualification to provide the shared ride service is given to users who apply for the qualification and meet certain conditions among users registered in the user information DB 122. For example, the qualification is given to a user who has the ability and aptitude to safely drive a vehicle. The ability and aptitude are judged based on indicators such as the presence or absence of a driver's license (first-class driver's license), age, years of experience, track record, and health condition. A user who does not have the qualification can use the shared ride service, but is prohibited from becoming a driver and providing the shared ride service to other users. On the other hand, a user who has the qualification can use the shared ride service and can also become a driver and provide the shared ride service to other users. The status (presence or absence) of the qualification to provide the shared ride service is appropriately updated based on the user's application for qualification, application for cancellation of qualification, driving record (track record of providing the shared ride service), user (requester) evaluation, etc.

[0037] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the driver information DB123. The driver information DB123 registers information on users (drivers) who can provide the shared service, that is, users who have the qualifications to provide the shared service (see FIG. 2). Specifically, the driver information DB123 registers, for each driver, vehicle information on the shared vehicle used for the shared service, information on the date and time when the shared service can be provided, and the like. The shared vehicle may be the driver's private vehicle, or a shared vehicle used jointly by a plurality of drivers. Shared vehicles such as the private vehicle and the shared vehicle are examples of the specific vehicle of the present invention, but the specific vehicle of the present invention is not limited to these, and may be a vehicle used as part of regional mutual assistance. For example, a form in which a resident A transports a resident B to a destination using a private vehicle in a certain region is considered. The specific vehicle of the present invention is a vehicle (shared vehicle) used for a shared service in which a local resident transports a user to a destination, and is, for example, a user's private vehicle.

[0038] The vehicle information in the driver information DB123 includes, for example, the vehicle number, vehicle model, vehicle color, number of passengers, vehicle inspection information, driver's license information, and the like of the shared vehicle. The available date and time of the shared service is registered with information on the date and time when the driver can provide the shared service. For example, the driver A2 can provide the shared service from 12:00 to 15:00 on weekdays, and the driver A5 can provide the shared service from 10:00 to 16:00 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Note that instead of the available date and time of the shared service, the driver information DB123 may register the date and time when the shared service cannot be provided (unavailable date and time). The available date and time of the shared service can be changed by the driver as appropriate.

[0039] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the hospital group information DB124. In the hospital group information DB124, information of users who have registered the hospital H1 as a destination (see FIG. 2) is registered. Each user registered in the hospital group information DB124 belongs to a group (hospital group) with the same destination. The hospital group information DB124 includes ID, password, name, email address, and information of related users. The related users are users who have a relationship with the user, such as users who have previously shared a ride in the same shared vehicle, users who are friends with the user, users who have the same hobbies and tastes as the user, and relatives of the user. The information of the related users may be registered by the control unit 11 based on the use history of the shared vehicle service, user information (attribute information), etc., or may be registered in response to a user's registration operation. In the hospital group information DB124 shown in FIG. 4, information based on the use history of the user A1 and the user A4 who have previously shared a ride in the same shared vehicle to visit the hospital H1 is registered.

[0040] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the city hall group information DB125. In the city hall group information DB125, information on users who have registered city hall C1 as their destination (see FIG. 2) is registered. Each user registered in the city hall group information DB125 belongs to a group (city hall group) with the same destination. In the city hall group information DB125 shown in FIG. 5, information based on the usage history of users A2 and A6 who have previously boarded the same shared vehicle to visit city hall C1, and the usage history of users A2 and A10 who have previously boarded the same shared vehicle to visit city hall C1 is registered.

[0041] Although not shown in the figure, the storage unit 12 includes a group information DB for each destination, such as a supermarket SH1, a library L1, a station ST1, a bank B1, and the like.

[0042] At least one of the map information DB121, the user information DB122, the driver information DB123, the hospital group information DB124, and the city hall group information DB125 in the storage unit 12 may be stored in a data server (not shown) installed outside the ride-sharing support device 1. The data server may be configured as one physical server, or may be configured as a cloud server constructed of multiple physical servers.

[0043] The control unit 11 has control devices such as a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The CPU is a processor that executes various arithmetic processing. The ROM is a non-volatile storage unit in which control programs such as a BIOS and an OS for causing the CPU to execute various arithmetic processing are stored in advance. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile storage unit that stores various information, and is used as a temporary storage memory (work area) for various processes executed by the CPU. The control unit 11 controls the boarding assistance device 1 by executing various control programs stored in advance in the ROM or the storage unit 12 by the CPU.

[0044] Specifically, the control unit 11 includes various processing units such as a reception processing unit 111, an acquisition processing unit 112, a specific processing unit 113, a search processing unit 114, a presentation processing unit 115, a dispatch processing unit 116, and a notification processing unit 117. The control unit 11 functions as the various processing units by executing various processes according to the ride-sharing support program with the CPU. Some or all of the processing units included in the control unit 11 may be configured with electronic circuits. The ride-sharing support program may be a program for causing a plurality of processors to function as the various processing units.

[0045] The reception processing unit 111 receives an application to use the shared ride service from a user. For example, the user launches an application for the shared ride service on his / her own requester terminal 2X and inputs an ID and a password on a login screen. The reception processing unit 111 acquires the ID and the password from the requester terminal 2X. If the acquired ID and the password are registered in the user information DB 122 (see FIG. 2), the reception processing unit 111 authenticates the user and permits the use of the shared ride service. This allows the user to use the shared ride service. For example, the user is able to input search conditions on the requester terminal 2X.

[0046] The acquisition processing unit 112 acquires the search conditions from the requester terminal 2X. The search conditions include at least a destination. The search conditions may also include at least one of a departure date and time and an arrival date and time.

[0047] Here, as an example, the departure point, the destination, and the departure date and time are set as the search conditions. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the user inputs the departure point in an input field K1 on the operation screen of the requester terminal 2X. Note that the current location (current location P0) detected in the requester terminal 2X may be input as the departure point. The user also inputs the destination in an input field K2 on the operation screen of the requester terminal 2X. Here, hospital H1 is input as the destination. The user also inputs the departure date and time in an input field K3 on the operation screen of the requester terminal 2X. Here, "13:00", 30 minutes after the current time "12::30", is input as the departure date and time.

[0048] The acquisition processing unit 112 acquires each of the search conditions, that is, the departure place, the destination, and the departure date and time, inputted in the input fields K1 to K3. The search conditions may include the arrival date and time.

[0049] The acquisition processing unit 112 also acquires a request (search request) for searching a route based on the search conditions and searching (matching) a driver. The acquisition processing unit 112 also acquires a request (shared vehicle inquiry request) for an inquiry as to whether or not to visit the destination (hospital H1) in a shared vehicle with the user. For example, on the operation screen shown in Fig. 6, when the user presses the search button K4, the acquisition processing unit 112 acquires the search request, and when the user presses the shared vehicle inquiry button K5, the acquisition processing unit 112 acquires the shared vehicle inquiry request. The acquisition processing unit 112 is an example of the acquisition processing unit of the present invention.

[0050] When the acquisition processing unit 112 acquires the search request ("search button K4" in FIG. 6), the identification processing unit 113 searches (identifies) a driver who satisfies the search condition set by the user. Specifically, the identification processing unit 113 searches for a driver who is capable of providing the shared ride service during the period from the departure date and time to the arrival date and time, or a driver who is not unable to provide the shared ride service during the period from the departure date and time to the arrival date and time, from among the drivers registered in the driver information DB 123 shown in FIG. 3. In addition, the identification processing unit 113 may search for a driver based on the user's usage history. For example, the identification processing unit 113 searches for a driver who is capable of providing the shared ride service during the period and has transported a user in the past, from among the drivers registered in the driver information DB 123 shown in FIG. 3. In addition, when evaluation information of each driver is registered in the driver information DB 123, the identification processing unit 113 may search for a driver who has an evaluation value equal to or higher than the user's desired evaluation value. In this way, the identification processing unit 113 matches a user and a driver to identify a shared ride vehicle. The specific processing unit 113 is an example of the specific processing unit of the present invention.

[0051] The search processing unit 114 searches for a route (recommended route) using the shared vehicle identified by the identification processing unit 113. For example, when the shared vehicle of the driver A2 is identified by the identification processing unit 113, the search processing unit 114 searches for a route when the shared vehicle of the driver A2 is used from the departure point to the destination. Here, the search processing unit 114 searches for an optimal route (recommended route) according to the user's request by a well-known method, such as a route that requires the shortest time from the departure point to the destination, a route that requires the shortest distance to travel from the departure point to the destination, a route that requires the lowest travel fare from the departure point to the destination, or a route that requires the smallest amount of energy consumption to travel from the departure point to the destination.

[0052] The search processing unit 114 may also search for different routes depending on the type of public vehicle. For example, when the identification processing unit 113 identifies a public vehicle of a type with high high-speed driving performance, the search processing unit 114 searches for a route that minimizes the required time. In contrast, when the identification processing unit 113 identifies a public vehicle of a type with low fuel efficiency performance, the search processing unit 114 searches for a route that minimizes the energy consumption. The search processing unit 114 may also search for one route for each identified public vehicle, or may search for multiple routes. The search processing unit 114 may also search for a route that combines multiple public vehicles.

[0053] The presentation processing unit 115 presents the search result in response to the user's search request to the user. Specifically, the presentation processing unit 115 presents the search result including information on the driver and the shared vehicle identified by the identification processing unit 113 and route information on the recommended route searched by the search processing unit 114 to the user. For example, the presentation processing unit 115 transmits display data including information on the shared vehicle, the required time to the destination, and map information representing the route to the requester terminal 2X. In addition, the presentation processing unit 115 transmits information on the driver who can provide the shared service to the requester terminal 2X with reference to the driver information DB 123. The requester terminal 2X displays the route and the shared vehicle information based on the information acquired from the shared vehicle support device 1. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the requester terminal 2X displays vehicle information D1 corresponding to the shared vehicle identified as the recommended route and map information M1 representing the route R1 corresponding to the recommended route. The vehicle information D1 displays information such as the name and face image of the driver A2 of the bus, the vehicle information SC2 of the bus, and the time required for the bus to arrive at the current location P0 of the user A1.

[0054] When the user checks the search results on the operation screen shown in Fig. 7, he / she selects either "Decide (request for dispatch)", "Inquire about a shared ride", or "Go to next candidate". When the user selects "Decide (request for dispatch)", the dispatch processing unit 116 acquires the dispatch request from the requester terminal 2X and executes dispatch processing.

[0055] Also, when the user selects "Joint Inquiry", the acquisition processing unit 112 acquires the joint inquiry request from the requester terminal 2X. In this way, the user can make the joint inquiry request on both the search screen shown in Fig. 6 and the search result screen shown in Fig. 7. The process when the acquisition processing unit 112 acquires the joint inquiry request will be described later.

[0056] Furthermore, when the user selects "Next candidate" (see FIG. 7), the presentation processing unit 115 presents to the user, for example, a search result corresponding to a public vehicle identified as the second candidate.

[0057] When a route using a shared vehicle specified by the identification processing unit 113 is selected by a user, the vehicle allocation processing unit 116 outputs a vehicle allocation request to the driver of the shared vehicle. The vehicle allocation processing unit 116 is an example of the vehicle allocation processing unit of the present invention. Specifically, when a route using a shared vehicle of the driver A2 specified by the identification processing unit 113 is selected, the vehicle allocation processing unit 116 outputs a vehicle allocation request to the driver A2 of the shared vehicle. For example, the vehicle allocation processing unit 116 outputs the vehicle allocation request to a driver who can provide the shared service on the date and time when the user wishes to use the shared service, or a driver who is not unable to provide the shared service on the date and time when the user wishes to use the shared service. The vehicle allocation request includes information such as user information (name, face image, contact information, etc.), request contents (starting point, destination, date and time of use, route information, etc.), and an inquiry as to whether or not to permit the vehicle allocation request.

[0058] FIG. 8 shows a display screen of the dispatch request acquired by the driver's terminal 2Y of the driver A2 of the shared vehicle. The map information M3 in FIG. 8 includes the route information and information on the current position (current location P2) of the driver A2 (driver's terminal 2Y). For example, when the driver A2 performs an operation to permit the dispatch request (selecting the "Dispatch permission" button K6) in response to the dispatch request shown in FIG. 8, the dispatch processing unit 116 acquires a response permitting the dispatch request from the driver's terminal 2Y, and presents the driver A2 with route information regarding the route from the current position (current location P2) of the shared vehicle to the boarding position (current location (current location P0) here) where the user (user A1) who uses the shared service boards. As a result, for example, as shown in FIG. 9, the driver's terminal 2Y displays the request content and map information M4 indicating the route R3 from the current position (current location P2) of the shared vehicle to the boarding position (current location P0) of the user A1. FIG. 9 also displays information indicating that there is one user riding in the public vehicle ("Individual").

[0059] In response to the dispatch request shown in Fig. 8, when the driver A2 performs an operation to reject the dispatch request (selecting the "Dispatch Reject" button K7), for example, the identification processing unit 113 identifies a second candidate shared vehicle, the search processing unit 114 searches for a route that uses the shared vehicle, and the presentation processing unit 115 presents the search results to the user (see Fig. 7). In this case, the user may select the second candidate shared vehicle or change the search conditions.

[0060] In response to this, when the user presses the share inquiry button K5 on the operation screen shown in Fig. 6, the acquisition processing unit 112 acquires the share inquiry request. When the acquisition processing unit 112 acquires the search request, the notification processing unit 117 notifies (e.g., by email) users who belong to the same group as the user of a share inquiry about whether or not to visit the destination in a share vehicle with the user. In this case, since the user A1 belongs to a hospital group, the notification processing unit 117 notifies the users registered in the hospital group information DB 124 (see Fig. 4) of the share inquiry. The notification processing unit 117 may notify all users (except the user A1) registered in the hospital group information DB 124 of the share inquiry, or may notify only users registered as related users among the users registered in the hospital group information DB 124 of the share inquiry. For example, if user A1 and user A4 have previously visited hospital H1 in a shared vehicle driven by driver A2, the notification processing unit 117 notifies only user A4 associated with user A1 of the shared vehicle inquiry. The notification processing unit 117 is an example of the notification processing unit of the present invention.

[0061] The group is not limited to a group of multiple users who have the same destination registered in advance as a visiting destination by each user. For example, the group may be a group of residents (users) living in the same area, a group of users with the same hobbies and interests, a group of users who belong to the same organization (neighborhood association, school, circle, club), or a group of users of the same age and gender. In this way, the group may be a group of multiple users who have the same attributes.

[0062] Fig. 10 shows a display screen of the ride-sharing inquiry acquired by the requester terminal 2X of user A4. In response to the ride-sharing inquiry shown in Fig. 10, for example, if user A4 agrees to share a ride with user A1 to visit the destination (hospital H1) using a shared vehicle, user A4 selects the "request a ride-sharing" button K8. When user A4 selects the "request a ride-sharing" button K8, the acquisition processing unit 112 acquires a ride-sharing request from the requester terminal 2X of user A4. On the other hand, if user A4 does not agree to share a ride with user A1 to visit the destination (hospital H1) using a shared vehicle, user A4 selects the "do not request a ride-sharing" button K9.

[0063] When the acquisition processing unit 112 acquires a shared ride request from the requester terminal 2X of the user A4, the identification processing unit 113 identifies a driver who satisfies the search conditions set by the user A1. Specifically, the identification processing unit 113 searches for a driver who satisfies the search conditions from among the drivers registered in the driver information DB 123 shown in FIG. 3 to identify a shared ride vehicle. Here, the identification processing unit 113 identifies a driver corresponding to the user A1 and the user A4. For example, the identification processing unit 113 identifies a driver who can provide the shared ride service during the period from among the drivers registered in the driver information DB 123 and who has been used by both the user A1 and the user A4 in the past. In addition, the identification processing unit 113 may identify a driver based on an evaluation value that the user A1 and the user A4 evaluated the driver when they used the service in the past. In this way, the identification processing unit 113 matches the requester, the shared ride passenger, and the driver to identify a shared ride vehicle. Here, it is assumed that the identification processing unit 113 has identified a driver A5 who has been used by both the user A1 and the user A4 in the past.

[0064] When the identification processing unit 113 identifies (matches) a driver and a shared vehicle in response to the shared vehicle inquiry of the user A1 and the shared vehicle request of the user A4, the search processing unit 114 searches for a route (recommended route) using the shared vehicle identified by the identification processing unit 113, and the presentation processing unit 115 presents route information (search result) related to the route searched by the search processing unit 114 to the user (user A1). As shown in FIG. 11, the requester terminal 2X of the user A1 displays vehicle information D1 corresponding to the shared vehicle identified as the recommended route. The vehicle information D1 displays information such as route information of the route connecting the current location P0 of the user A1, the current location P1 of the user A4, and the hospital H1, the name and face image of the driver A5 of the shared vehicle, vehicle information SC5 of the shared vehicle, and the time required for the shared vehicle to arrive at the current location P0.

[0065] When user A1 checks the search results on the operation screen shown in FIG. 11, he / she selects either "Decide (request vehicle dispatch)" or "Next candidate". When user A1 selects "Decide (request vehicle dispatch)", the vehicle dispatch processing unit 116 outputs a vehicle dispatch request to driver A5 of the shared vehicle. In addition, the vehicle dispatch processing unit 116 outputs information on the positions where each of user A1 and user A4 will board the shared vehicle to driver A5 identified by the identification processing unit 113. In addition, the vehicle dispatch processing unit 116 outputs information on the route connecting the position of driver A5, the positions where each of user A1 and user A4 will board the shared vehicle, and the destination (hospital H1) to driver A5.

[0066] 12 shows a display screen of the dispatch request acquired by the driver's terminal 2Y of the driver A5 of the public vehicle. The dispatch request includes information on the users A1 and A4 (such as names, facial images, and email addresses), the request contents (starting point (current location P0), destination (hospital H1), departure date and time (today at 13:00), route information, and an inquiry as to whether or not to permit the dispatch request). In addition, the map information M3 includes information on the current location P0 of the user A1, the current location P1 of the user A4, and the current position (current location P2) of the driver A5 (driver's terminal 2Y), as well as the route information. For example, when the driver A5 performs an operation to permit the dispatch request (selecting the "dispatch permission" button K6) in response to the dispatch request shown in FIG. 12, the dispatch processing unit 116 acquires a response permitting the dispatch request from the driver's terminal 2Y, and presents the driver A2 with route information regarding the route from the current position (current position P2) of the shared vehicle to the boarding position (current position P0) where the user A1 who uses the shared service boards, and the route from the current position P0 to the boarding position (current position P1) where the user A4 boards. As a result, for example, as shown in FIG. 13, the driver's terminal 2Y displays the request content and map information M4 representing the route R3 corresponding to the route information. Also, in FIG. 13, information indicating that there are multiple users boarding the shared vehicle ("shared vehicle") is displayed.

[0067] In addition, the dispatch processing unit 116 notifies the requester terminal 2X and the driver terminal 2Y of each of the users A1 and A4 of dispatch establishment information. For example, the dispatch processing unit 116 notifies the requester terminal 2X of the user A1 of information indicating that the dispatch request has been approved and information including the scheduled arrival time of the shared vehicle (e.g., a countdown display).

[0068] In addition to the above-mentioned processes, the control unit 11 may store history information such as the user's (requester's) usage history of the shared service (history of requests for shared vehicles) and the user's (driver's) history of the provision of the shared service in the storage unit 12. The control unit 11 may also obtain evaluations of the shared service (evaluations of the driver, etc.) from users (requesters) who have used the shared service and store them in the storage unit 12. The control unit 11 may also include evaluation information such as the driver's evaluation status and ranking in the dispatch request based on the evaluations.

[0069] [User terminal 2] As shown in FIG. 1, the user terminal 2 (requester terminal 2X, driver terminal 2Y) includes a control unit 21, a memory unit 22, an operation display unit 23, a communication I / F 24, a GPS receiver unit 25 (GPS: Global Positioning System, registered trademark), and the like. The requester terminal 2X is a mobile terminal carried by a user who uses the shared ride service, and is an information processing device such as a smartphone, a mobile phone, or a tablet terminal. Similarly, the driver terminal 2Y is a mobile terminal carried by a user who will be a driver, and is an information processing device such as a smartphone, a mobile phone, or a tablet terminal. The driver terminal 2Y may be an in-vehicle device mounted on a shared ride vehicle. Hereinafter, when describing functions common to the requester terminal 2X and the driver terminal 2Y, they are referred to as user terminals 2.

[0070] The GPS receiver 25 receives signals (GPS signals) transmitted from multiple GPS satellites (not shown) via an antenna (not shown) and detects positioning data (latitude, longitude, altitude) indicating the position of the user terminal 2 and the current time.

[0071] The communication I / F 24 is a communication interface for connecting the user terminal 2 to the communication network N1 via a wired or wireless connection, and for performing data communication in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol between the user terminal 2 and external devices such as the passenger assistance device 1 via the communication network N1.

[0072] The operation display unit 23 is a user interface that includes a display unit, such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, that displays various information, and an operation unit, such as a mouse, a keyboard, or a touch panel, that accepts operations.

[0073] The storage unit 22 is a non-volatile storage unit such as a flash memory that stores various types of information. For example, various control programs are stored in the storage unit 22. The control programs are non-temporarily recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a USB, CD, or DVD (all of which are registered trademarks), and are read by a reading device (not shown) such as a USB drive, CD drive, or DVD drive that is electrically connected to the user terminal 2 and stored in the storage unit 22. The control programs may be downloaded from an external device via the communication network N1 and stored in the storage unit 22.

[0074] The control unit 21 has control devices such as a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The CPU is a processor that executes various arithmetic operations. The ROM is a non-volatile storage unit in which control programs such as a BIOS and an OS for causing the CPU to execute various processes are stored in advance. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile storage unit that stores various information, and is used as a temporary storage memory (work area) for various processes executed by the CPU. The control unit 21 controls the user terminal 2 by executing, by the CPU, various control programs stored in advance in the ROM or the storage unit 22.

[0075] Specifically, the control unit 21 includes various processing units such as a reception processing unit 211, a position detection processing unit 212, and a display processing unit 213. The control unit 21 functions as the various processing units by executing various processes according to the control program with the CPU. Some or all of the processing units included in the control unit 21 may be configured with electronic circuits. The control program may be a program for causing a plurality of processors to function as the various processing units.

[0076] The reception processing unit 211 acquires operation information operated by the user on the operation display unit 23 of the user terminal 2. For example, the user starts the application for the ride-sharing service on his / her own requester terminal 2X and inputs an ID and a password on a login screen. When the reception processing unit 211 of the requester terminal 2X acquires the ID and the password, it transmits them to the ride-sharing support device 1. In addition, the reception processing unit 211 of the requester terminal 2X accepts various operations from the user on an operation screen (see Figs. 7, 10, and 11) displayed on the requester terminal 2X. In addition, the reception processing unit 211 of the driver's terminal 2Y accepts various operations from the driver on an operation screen (see Figs. 8, 9, 12, and 13) displayed on the driver's terminal 2Y.

[0077] The position detection processing unit 212 detects the current position of the user based on the positioning data detected by the GPS receiving unit 25. For example, the position detection processing unit 212 of each of the requester terminals 2X of the users A1 and A4 detects their respective current positions (current positions P0, P1) and transmits position information including the current positions and the current time to the ride-sharing support device 1. Also, for example, the position detection processing unit 212 of the driver terminal 2Y of the driver A5 detects the current position (current position P2) of the driver or the ride-sharing vehicle and transmits position information including the current position and the current time to the ride-sharing support device 1.

[0078] The display processing unit 213 displays various information on the operation display unit 23. For example, when the display processing unit 213 of the requester terminal 2X of the user A1 receives display data corresponding to the search result from the ride-sharing support device 1, the display processing unit 213 displays the route information (see FIG. 7 and FIG. 11) on the operation display unit 23. For example, when the display processing unit 213 of the requester terminal 2X of the user A4 receives a ride-sharing inquiry (email reception) from the ride-sharing support device 1, the display processing unit 213 displays the ride-sharing inquiry information (see FIG. 10) on the operation display unit 23. For example, when the display processing unit 213 of the driver terminal 2Y of the driver A5 receives the vehicle dispatch request from the ride-sharing support device 1, the display processing unit 213 displays the vehicle dispatch request on the operation display unit 23 (see FIG. 8, FIG. 9, FIG. 12, FIG. 13). When the display processing unit 213 acquires route guidance information from the ride-sharing support device 1, the display processing unit 213 displays a route guidance screen (navigation screen) on the operation display unit 23.

[0079] [Ride-sharing support processing] Hereinafter, the ride-sharing support processing executed by the control unit 11 of the ride-sharing support device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 14. The control unit 11 starts the execution of the ride-sharing support program in response to a user's operation, for example, an operation of inputting the ID and the password on a login screen of the ride-sharing service application displayed on the requester terminal 2X, thereby starting the execution of the ride-sharing support processing. In addition, the control unit 11 can execute the ride-sharing support processing in parallel for each requester terminal 2X in response to access from each requester terminal 2X. Note that the ride-sharing support processing may be terminated midway in response to a predetermined operation on the requester terminal 2X.

[0080] The present invention can be regarded as an invention of a ride-sharing assistance method that executes one or more steps included in the ride-sharing assistance processing.

[0081] In addition, one or more steps included in the ride-sharing support processing described here may be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, the steps in the ride-sharing support processing may be executed in a different order as long as the same action and effect is achieved. Furthermore, although an example is described here in which the control unit 11 executes each step in the ride-sharing support processing, in other embodiments, multiple processors may execute each step in the ride-sharing support processing in a distributed manner. Here, the ride-sharing support processing will be described using the above-mentioned example.

[0082] First, in step S11, the control unit 11 judges whether or not an application for use of the shared ride service has been accepted from a user. For example, when the control unit 11 acquires and authenticates the ID and password from the requester terminal 2X of the user A1, it judges that the application for use has been accepted. The control unit 11 waits until the application for use is accepted.

[0083] Next, in step S12, the control unit 11 acquires search conditions from the requester terminal 2X. For example, when the user A1 inputs search conditions on the search screen (see FIG. 6) of the requester terminal 2X, the control unit 11 acquires the departure point (current location P0), destination (hospital H1), and departure date and time (today 13:00) from the requester terminal 2X as the search conditions. Step S12 is an example of an acquisition step of the present invention.

[0084] Next, in step S13, the control unit 11 judges whether or not a search request has been received from the user A1. Specifically, when the user A1 presses the search button K4 after inputting the search conditions on the search screen (see FIG. 6) of the requester terminal 2X, the control unit 11 receives the search request. For example, the user A1 presses the search button K4 when he / she wants to visit the destination (hospital H1) alone, that is, when he / she does not want to visit the destination by carpooling with other users. When the control unit 11 receives a search request from the user A1 (S13: Yes), the process proceeds to step S14. On the other hand, when the control unit 11 does not receive a search request from the user A1 (S13: No), the process proceeds to step S31.

[0085] In step S31, the control unit 11 judges whether or not a request for an inquiry (shared inquiry request) as to whether or not to visit the destination (hospital H1) by using a shared vehicle with the user A1 has been acquired from the user A1. Specifically, when the user A1 inputs the search conditions on the search screen (see FIG. 6) of the requester terminal 2X and then presses the shared inquiry button K5, the control unit 11 acquires the shared inquiry request. For example, the user A1 presses the shared inquiry button K5 when he or she wants to visit the destination (hospital H1) together with another user or when he or she may visit the destination (hospital H1) together with another user. When the control unit 11 acquires the shared inquiry request, the process proceeds to step S32. On the other hand, when the control unit 11 does not acquire the shared inquiry request (S31: No), the process returns to step S12, and the control unit 11 acquires, for example, search conditions changed by the user A1. The process from step S32 onward will be described later.

[0086] In step S14, the control unit 11 identifies (matches) a driver who satisfies the search conditions set by the user A1. Specifically, the control unit 11 searches for a driver who is capable of providing the shared ride service during the period from the departure date and time to the arrival date and time, or a driver who is not unable to provide the shared ride service during the period from the departure date and time to the arrival date and time, from among the drivers registered in the driver information DB 123 (see FIG. 3). The control unit 11 may also search for a driver who corresponds to the user's usage history, a driver who has an evaluation value equal to or higher than the user's desired value, etc. The control unit 11 identifies a driver and a shared ride vehicle. Step S14 is an example of a identifying step of the present invention.

[0087] Next, in step S15, the control unit 11 searches for a route (recommended route) using the identified shared vehicle. For example, when the control unit 11 identifies the shared vehicle of the driver A2, it searches for a route from the departure point (current location P0) to the destination (hospital H1) when using the shared vehicle. The control unit 11 searches for an optimal route (recommended route) according to information such as the user's request (required time, travel fee, energy consumption, etc.) and the type of shared vehicle.

[0088] Next, in step S16, the control unit 11 presents the search result in response to the search request of the user A1 to the user A1. Specifically, the control unit 11 presents the search result, including information on the identified driver A2 and the bus, and route information of the recommended route searched, to the requester terminal 2X of the user A1. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the requester terminal 2X displays vehicle information D1 corresponding to the bus identified as the recommended route and map information M1 showing the route R1 corresponding to the recommended route. The vehicle information D1 displays information such as the name and face image of the bus driver A2, vehicle information SC2 of the bus, and the time required for the bus to arrive at the current location P0.

[0089] Next, in step S17, the control unit 11 determines whether or not a vehicle dispatch request has been acquired from the user A1. Specifically, when the user A1 selects "Decide (vehicle dispatch request)" on the operation screen shown in FIG. 7, the control unit 11 acquires the vehicle dispatch request. Note that the user A1 can also select "Go to next candidate" and select "Decide (vehicle dispatch request)" for another route and public vehicle. When the control unit 11 acquires a vehicle dispatch request (S17: Yes), the process proceeds to step S18. When the control unit 11 does not acquire a vehicle dispatch request (S17: No), the process proceeds to step S171.

[0090] In step S171, the control unit 11 determines whether or not a request for a shared inquiry (shared inquiry request) has been acquired from the user A1, as in step S31, as to whether or not to visit the destination (hospital H1) by using a shared vehicle with the user A1. Specifically, when the user A1 presses the "shared inquiry" button on the search result screen (see FIG. 7) of the requester terminal 2X, the control unit 11 acquires the shared inquiry request. In this way, the user A1 can make the shared inquiry request even after the driver has been identified. When the control unit 11 acquires the shared inquiry request, the process proceeds to step S32. When the control unit 11 does not acquire a shared inquiry request (S171: No), the process returns to step S12, and the control unit 11 acquires, for example, search conditions changed by the user A1.

[0091] In step S18, the control unit 11 outputs a vehicle dispatch request to the driver of the shared vehicle corresponding to the recommended route selected by the user A1. Here, the control unit 11 outputs the vehicle dispatch request to the driver terminal 2Y of the shared vehicle driver A2. As a result, the vehicle dispatch request screen is displayed on the driver terminal 2Y (see FIG. 8). The vehicle dispatch request includes information such as the user A1's information (name, face image, email address, etc.), request contents (starting point (current location P0), destination (hospital H1), departure date and time (13:00), route information, etc.), and an inquiry as to whether or not to approve the vehicle dispatch request.

[0092] Next, in step S19, the control unit 11 judges whether the vehicle dispatch request has been permitted. For example, when the driver A2 performs an operation to permit the vehicle dispatch request (selecting the "Vehicle Dispatch Permit" button K6) for the vehicle dispatch request shown in Fig. 8, the control unit 11 judges that the vehicle dispatch request has been permitted (S19: Yes), and the process proceeds to step S20. On the other hand, when the driver A2 performs an operation to reject the vehicle dispatch request (selecting the "Vehicle Dispatch Reject" button K7) for the vehicle dispatch request shown in Fig. 8, the control unit 11 judges that the vehicle dispatch request has been rejected (S19: No), and the process proceeds to step S12.

[0093] In step S20, the control unit 11 notifies the requester terminal 2X and the driver terminal 2Y of vehicle dispatch establishment information. For example, the control unit 11 notifies the requester terminal 2X of the user A1 of information indicating that the vehicle dispatch request has been approved and information including the scheduled arrival time of the shared vehicle (e.g., a countdown display). The control unit 11 also notifies the driver terminal 2Y of the driver A2 of route information (see FIG. 9) regarding the route from the current position of the shared vehicle (current location P2) to the current position of the user A1 (current location P0). Steps S18 to S20 are an example of a vehicle dispatch step of the present invention.

[0094] In contrast, when the control unit 11 acquires a ride-sharing inquiry request from user A1 as to whether or not to use a shared vehicle to visit hospital H1 with user A1 (S31: Yes or S171: Yes), in step S32, the control unit 11 notifies users who belong to the same group as user A1 (here, the hospital group) of the ride-sharing inquiry as to whether or not to use a shared vehicle to visit hospital H1 with user A1. For example, the control unit 11 notifies user A4, who is registered as a related user among users registered in the hospital group information DB124 (see FIG. 4), of the ride-sharing inquiry. Step S32 is an example of a notification step of the present invention.

[0095] FIG. 10 shows a display screen of the ride-sharing inquiry acquired by the requester terminal 2X of user A4 from the ride-sharing support device 1. The display screen of FIG. 10 displays ride-sharing inquiry information D2. In response to the ride-sharing inquiry shown in FIG. 10, for example, if user A4 agrees to share a ride with user A1 to visit the destination (hospital H1) using a shared vehicle, user A4 selects a button K8 for "request a ride-sharing." If user A4 does not agree to share a ride with user A1 to visit the destination (hospital H1) using a shared vehicle, user A4 selects a button K9 for "do not request a ride-sharing." The control unit 11 acquires a response to the ride-sharing inquiry notice ("request a ride-sharing" or "do not request a ride-sharing").

[0096] In step S33, the control unit 11 determines whether or not a ride-sharing request ("Request a ride-sharing") has been received from the user A4. If the control unit 11 receives a ride-sharing request from the user A4 (S33: Yes), the process proceeds to step S34. If the control unit 11 does not receive a ride-sharing request from the user A4 (S33: No), the process returns to step S12.

[0097] In step S34, the control unit 11 identifies (matches) a driver who satisfies the search conditions set by user A1. For example, the control unit 11 searches for a driver who is able to provide the shared ride service during the period of the search conditions from among the drivers registered in the driver information DB 123, and who has been used by both user A1 and user A4 in the past. In this manner, the control unit 11 matches the requester, the shared ride passenger, and the driver to identify a shared ride vehicle. Here, it is assumed that the control unit 11 has identified driver A5 who has been used by both user A1 and user A4 in the past. Step S34 is an example of an identification step of the present invention.

[0098] Next, in step S35, the control unit 11 searches for a route (recommended route) using the identified shared vehicle. For example, when the control unit 11 identifies the shared vehicle of the driver A5, it searches for a route from the departure point (current location P0) via the current location P1 of the user A4 to the destination (hospital H1) when using the shared vehicle. The control unit 11 searches for an optimal route (recommended route) according to information such as the user's request (required time, travel fee, energy consumption, etc.) and the type of shared vehicle.

[0099] Next, in step S36, the control unit 11 presents the search result for the search request of the user A1 to the user A1. Specifically, the control unit 11 presents route information (search result) related to the searched route to the user (user A1). As shown in FIG. 11, the requester terminal 2X displays vehicle information D1 corresponding to the shared vehicle identified as the recommended route. The vehicle information D1 displays information such as route information of the route connecting the current location P0 of the user A1, the current location P1 of the user A4, and the hospital H1, the name and face image of the shared vehicle driver A5, vehicle information SC5 of the shared vehicle, and the time required for the shared vehicle to arrive at the current location P0.

[0100] Next, in step S37, the control unit 11 outputs a vehicle dispatch request to the driver of the shared vehicle corresponding to the recommended route selected by the user A1. Here, the control unit 11 outputs the vehicle dispatch request to the driver terminal 2Y of the shared vehicle driver A5. As a result, the screen of the vehicle dispatch request is displayed on the driver terminal 2Y (see FIG. 12). The vehicle dispatch request includes information on each of the users A1 and A4 (such as names, face images, and email addresses), the request contents (starting point (current location P0), destination (hospital H1), departure date and time (13:00), route information, and the like), an inquiry as to whether or not to permit the vehicle dispatch request, and the like. The map information M3 in FIG. 12 also includes information on the current location P0 of the user A1, the current location P1 of the user A4, the current position (current location P2) of the driver A5 (driver terminal 2Y), and the route information.

[0101] Next, in step S38, the control unit 11 judges whether the vehicle dispatch request has been permitted. For example, in the case where the driver A5 performs an operation to permit the vehicle dispatch request (selecting the "Vehicle Dispatch Permit" button K6) in response to the vehicle dispatch request shown in Fig. 12, the control unit 11 judges that the vehicle dispatch request has been permitted (S38: Yes), and the process proceeds to step S20. On the other hand, in the case where the driver A2 performs an operation to reject the vehicle dispatch request (selecting the "Vehicle Dispatch Reject" button K7) in response to the vehicle dispatch request shown in Fig. 12, the control unit 11 judges that the vehicle dispatch request has been rejected (S38: No), and the process proceeds to step S12. Steps S37 and S38 are examples of vehicle dispatch steps of the present invention.

[0102] In step S20, the control unit 11 notifies the requester terminal 2X and the driver terminal 2Y of the dispatch establishment information. For example, the control unit 11 notifies the requester terminal 2X of each of the users A1 and A4 of information indicating that the dispatch request has been approved and information including the scheduled arrival time of the shared vehicle (e.g., a countdown display). The control unit 11 also notifies the driver terminal 2Y of the driver A5 of route information (see FIG. 13) regarding the route from the current position of the shared vehicle (current position P2) to the current position of the user A1 (current position P0) and the current position of the user A4 (current position P1).

[0103] In the above manner, the control unit 11 of the ride-sharing support device 1 executes the ride-sharing support process. The control unit 11 executes the ride-sharing support process every time an application for the ride-sharing service is received from a user.

[0104] As described above, the ride-sharing support system 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention acquires information on a first destination from a first user who uses a shared vehicle, and notifies a second user who belongs to the same group as the first user of an inquiry as to whether or not the second user will visit the first destination by sharing the shared vehicle with the first user. The ride-sharing support system 100 also identifies a driver of the shared vehicle, and outputs a dispatch request to the identified driver. Specifically, the ride-sharing support system 100 identifies (matches) a driver corresponding to the first user and the second user, for example, a driver who the first user and the second user have used in the past.

[0105] According to the above configuration, since a plurality of users can ride together (share a ride) and be transported to a destination, the efficiency of using the shared ride service can be improved. In addition, since a plurality of users belonging to the same group can ride together, each user can use the shared ride service with peace of mind. For example, if the group is a group of users with the same destination, or a group of users who are friendly with each other, users with the same purpose, hobbies, tastes, and personalities (values) can ride together in the same shared vehicle, so each user can use the shared ride service with peace of mind. Therefore, it is possible to improve the convenience of users who use the shared ride service.

[0106] The ride-sharing support system 100 of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and may be the following embodiment.

[0107] In the above embodiment, the ride-sharing support system 100 identifies (matches) a driver of a ride-sharing vehicle when the user A4 makes a ride-sharing request (see FIG. 10) in response to the ride-sharing inquiry request of the user A1 ("ride-sharing inquiry" in FIG. 6). In another embodiment, the ride-sharing support system 100 may identify (match) a driver corresponding to the user A1 when the user A1 makes a search request ("search" in FIG. 6), and then accept a ride-sharing inquiry request from the user A1. Then, when the ride-sharing support system 100 acquires a ride-sharing inquiry request from the user A1, it notifies the users belonging to the same group as the user A1 of the ride-sharing inquiry. In this case, for example, the user who acquires the ride-sharing inquiry determines whether or not to make a ride-sharing request based on information such as who the users who will ride-sharing are and who the driver is. In this way, the driver matching process may be performed after the users who will participate in the ride-sharing are confirmed, or may be performed immediately after the user A1 makes a search request.

[0108] As another embodiment of the present invention, the ride-sharing support system 100 may search for multiple candidates for drivers of a ride-sharing vehicle when user A4 makes a ride-sharing request in response to a ride-sharing inquiry request from user A1. When there are multiple candidates for drivers, the ride-sharing support system 100 displays a selection screen shown in Fig. 15 on the requester terminals 2X of users A1 and A4. When the drivers selected by users A1 and A4 match, the ride-sharing support system 100 determines the driver to be requested to dispatch.

[0109] In addition, the ride-sharing support system 100 may specify an optimal driver from among a plurality of candidate drivers based on information such as the usage history and evaluation of the drivers of each of the users A1 and A4.

[0110] In addition, the ride-sharing support system 100 of the present invention may include other means of transportation (taxi, bus, train, etc.) as well as ride-sharing vehicles as a means of transporting users. In this case, the ride-sharing support system 100 may display search results (see FIG. 7) including searched routes by other means of transportation (in order of required time and fare).

[0111] As another embodiment of the present invention, one or more processing units included in the control unit 11 of the ride-sharing support device 1 may be included in the control unit 21 of the user terminal 2. The information stored in the memory unit 22 may be acquired from an external device. The control unit 21 may download the ride-sharing support program to the memory unit 22 via the Internet and execute the ride-sharing support processing, or may execute the ride-sharing support program stored in an external server to execute the ride-sharing support processing. The ride-sharing support system of the present invention may be configured with the ride-sharing support device 1, may be configured with the user terminal 2, or may be configured with the ride-sharing support device 1 and the user terminal 2. [Explanation of symbols]

[0112] 1:Riding support device 2: User terminal 2X: Client terminal 2Y: Driver's terminal 100: Joint transportation support system 111: Reception department 112: Acquisition processing unit 113: Specific processing unit 114: Search processing unit 115: Presentation processing unit 116: Vehicle dispatch processing unit 117: Notification processing unit 121: Map information database 122: User information database 123: Driver information database 124:Hospital Group Information Database 125: City Hall Group Information Database 211: Reception department 212: Position detection processing unit 213: Display processing unit

Claims

1. an acquisition processing unit that acquires information on a first destination from a first user who uses a specific vehicle; a notification processing unit that notifies a second user belonging to the same group as the first user of an inquiry as to whether or not the second user will visit the first destination by sharing the specific vehicle with the first user; An identification processing unit that identifies a driver of the specific vehicle; a vehicle dispatch processing unit that outputs a vehicle dispatch request to the driver identified by the identification processing unit; Equipped with The ride-sharing support system, when the second user responds that he / she will visit the first destination using the specific vehicle in a carpooling arrangement with the first user, searches for multiple candidate drivers of the specific vehicle, displays a selection screen including the search results on each of the operation terminals of the first user and the second user, and, when the drivers selected by the first user and the second user respectively among the multiple candidates on the selection screen of each operation terminal match, identifies the driver as the driver to whom a ride-sharing request will be made.

2. On the selection screen, a departure time of the specific vehicle and an estimated arrival time at the current location of the first user are displayed for each of the drivers. The ride-sharing support system according to claim 1 .

3. Displaying the remaining time during which the driver can be selected on the selection screen. The ride sharing support system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The dispatch processing unit, when the driver gives permission to the dispatch request, notifying the operation terminals of the first user and the second user of information indicating that the vehicle dispatch request has been permitted and information on an estimated arrival time of the specific vehicle; notifying an operation terminal of the driver of information on a location where each of the first user and the second user gets on the specific vehicle and information on a route connecting each of the locations and the first destination; The ride-sharing support system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The group is a group including a plurality of users each having the same destination registered in advance as a visiting destination by each user, The notification processing unit notifies the second user who has registered the same destination as the destination registered by the first user of the inquiry. The ride-sharing support system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. the group includes a plurality of users each having the same usage history of the specific vehicle, The notification processing unit notifies the second user who has the same usage history as the first user of the inquiry. The ride-sharing support system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

7. The group is a group to which a plurality of users, each of whom has the same attribute, belong; The notification processing unit notifies the second user having the same attribute as the first user of the inquiry. The ride-sharing support system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

8. Information on a plurality of users who can use a shared ride service to be transported to a destination by boarding a specific vehicle, and information on one or more users among the plurality of users who are qualified to provide the shared ride service to other users as the driver are registered in advance. The ride-sharing support system according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The specific vehicle is a private vehicle owned by the user. The ride-sharing support system according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. One or more processors an acquisition step of acquiring information of a first destination from a first user who uses a specific vehicle; a notification step of notifying a second user belonging to the same group as the first user of an inquiry as to whether or not the second user will visit the first destination by sharing the specific vehicle with the first user; An identification step of identifying a driver of the specific vehicle; a dispatch step of outputting a dispatch request to the driver identified by the identification step; A method for supporting a ride-sharing In the identification step, if the second user responds that he or she will visit the first destination using the specific vehicle in a carpooling arrangement with the first user, a search is performed for multiple candidate drivers of the specific vehicle, and a selection screen including the search results is displayed on each of the operation terminals of the first user and the second user.If the drivers selected by the first user and the second user respectively among the multiple candidates on the selection screen of each operation terminal match, the driver is identified as the driver to whom a car dispatch request will be made.

11. an acquisition step of acquiring information of a first destination from a first user who uses a specific vehicle; a notification step of notifying a second user belonging to the same group as the first user of an inquiry as to whether or not the second user will visit the first destination by sharing the specific vehicle with the first user; An identification step of identifying a driver of the specific vehicle; a dispatch step of outputting a dispatch request to the driver identified by the identification step; A ride-sharing support program for causing one or more processors to execute the above, A ride-sharing support program that, in the identification step, when the second user responds that he or she will visit the first destination using the specific vehicle in a carpooling manner with the first user, searches for multiple candidate drivers of the specific vehicle, displays a selection screen including the search results on each of the operation terminals of the first user and the second user, and, when the drivers selected by the first user and the second user respectively among the multiple candidates on the selection screen of each operation terminal match, identifies the driver as the driver to whom a ride-sharing request will be made.

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