Vehicle dispatch support device, vehicle dispatch support method, and vehicle dispatch support system

Abstract

To provide a vehicle allocation support device, a vehicle allocation support method, and a vehicle allocation support system that reduce the possibility that a user who gets on a vehicle shared by a plurality of users receives damage.SOLUTION: A server device calculates, based information on the history that a user used a vehicle allocation service in the past, a delay predicted time that is the time by which arrival of a subsequent reserved user at a desired get-on place included in subsequent vehicle allocation request data is predicted to be delayed from a scheduled time (S7), based on the calculated delay predicted time, specifies, from one or more vehicles extracted from vehicles for which a vehicle allocation plan is determined, an available vehicle that can arrive, before a get-on start time when a preceding reserved user gets on a vehicle for which a vehicle allocation plan is determined, at a desired get-on place included in preceding vehicle allocation data at the get-on start time via at least the desired get-on place, of the desired get-on place and a desired get-off place of the subsequent reserved user (S9), and sets the specified available vehicle as a vehicle allocated to the subsequent reserved user (S10).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle dispatch support device, a vehicle dispatch support method, and a vehicle dispatch support system. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a technology in which, when multiple users reserve a vehicle for ride-sharing, a vehicle that has been previously reserved by another user and that has enough time to allow the user who boards the vehicle ahead of the other user to pass through the desired boarding location is allocated to the user who boards the vehicle ahead of the other user. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2014-045359 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the technology described in Patent Document 1, the boarding delay time that occurs when a user who boards ahead of the other user is late in arriving at the desired boarding location is not reflected in the calculation of the adjustment time. Therefore, if a user who boards ahead of the other user is late in arriving at the desired boarding location, the other user who boards behind the other user may be unable to board, have a delay in departure time, or have a delay in arrival at the desired disembarkation location, which may cause damage to the other user who boards behind the other user who is boarding the shared vehicle. The present invention aims to reduce the possibility of a user who boards a vehicle later than a group of users suffering damage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, vehicle dispatch request data is received from multiple users who use a vehicle dispatch service that dispatches vehicles for users' travel, the request including a desired boarding date and time for boarding the vehicle, a desired boarding location for boarding the vehicle, and a desired disembarking location for disembarking from the vehicle. A vehicle dispatch plan for dispatching vehicles is determined based on advance vehicle dispatch request data, which is vehicle dispatch request data received from advance reservation users who have booked the vehicle dispatch service earlier than the advance reservation users. Furthermore, one or more vehicles are extracted from the vehicles for which the vehicle dispatch plan has been determined based on the advance vehicle dispatch request data and subsequent vehicle dispatch request data, which is vehicle dispatch request data received from subsequent reservation users who have booked the vehicle dispatch service later than the advance reservation users and will board the vehicle earlier than the advance reservation users. Furthermore, a predicted delay time, which is the predicted delay in the arrival of the subsequent reservation user at the desired boarding location included in the subsequent vehicle dispatch request data, is calculated based on historical information of users' past use of the vehicle dispatch service. Then, based on the calculated predicted delay time, an available vehicle that can arrive at the desired boarding location included in the advance vehicle dispatch request data at the boarding start time via at least one of the desired boarding locations and desired disembarking locations of the subsequent booking user, before the boarding start time when the advance booking user boards the vehicle for which the dispatch plan has been determined, is identified from the one or more extracted vehicles. Furthermore, the identified available vehicle is set as the vehicle to be dispatched to the subsequent booking user. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, if it is impossible to extract an available vehicle that the advance reservation user can board while the subsequent reservation user is already in the vehicle, the vehicle that is to be allocated to the advance reservation user can be prevented from being allocated to the subsequent reservation user, thereby reducing the possibility that a user boarding a vehicle shared by multiple users will suffer damage. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1]1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an example of a vehicle dispatch support system according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the server device of FIG. 1; [Figure 3] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation when using a vehicle dispatch service. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, identical or similar parts are designated by identical or similar reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted. Each drawing is a schematic diagram and may differ from the actual product. The embodiments shown below exemplify devices and methods for embodying the technical concept of the present invention, and the technical concept of the present invention is not limited to the devices and methods exemplified in the following embodiments. The technical concept of the present invention can be modified in various ways within the technical scope described in the claims.

[0009] (composition) 1 is a schematic diagram of an example of a vehicle dispatch support system according to an embodiment. The vehicle dispatch support system 1 is a system that provides a vehicle dispatch service that dispatches a vehicle 3 used for a user's transportation. In this specification, the vehicle 3 provided for the vehicle dispatch service by the vehicle dispatch support system 1 is referred to as a "service vehicle." The vehicle dispatch support system 1 includes at least a server device 2 and a service vehicle 3. The first user terminal 4 is a terminal device used by one of the users (hereinafter referred to as the "advance booking user") who uses the vehicle dispatch service provided by the vehicle dispatch support system 1. The second user terminal 5 is a terminal device used by a user (hereinafter referred to as the "subsequent booking user") who is different from the advance booking user. The first user terminal 4 and the second user terminal 5 may be, for example, a portable information terminal that can be carried by the user or a small computer that is easy to carry. An advance reservation user is a user who makes an advance reservation for a vehicle dispatch service among a plurality of users who use the vehicle dispatch service. The subsequent reservation user is a user who gets into the service vehicle 3 before the advance reservation user, among multiple users who use the vehicle dispatch service.

[0010] When reserving a vehicle dispatch service, the advance reservation user accesses the server device 2 using the first user terminal 4. Before reserving a vehicle dispatch service, the advance reservation user may install dedicated application software for using the vehicle dispatch support system 1 in advance on the first user terminal 4 and make the reservation using the dedicated application software. In the following description, "application software" will be simply referred to as "software." The advance reservation user may also use the browser function of the first user terminal 4 to reserve a vehicle dispatch service on a website that accepts reservations for vehicle dispatch services over the Internet. When reserving a vehicle dispatch service, the following reservation user accesses the server device 2 using the second user terminal 5. Before reserving a vehicle dispatch service, the following reservation user may install dedicated software for using the vehicle dispatch support system 1 in advance on the second user terminal 5 and make the reservation using the dedicated software. Alternatively, the following reservation user may use the browser function of the second user terminal 5 to reserve a vehicle dispatch service on a website that accepts reservations for vehicle dispatch services over the Internet.

[0011] <First user terminal> The first user terminal 4 accepts input operations by the advance reservation user regarding reservations for the vehicle dispatch service. The first user terminal 4 generates advance vehicle dispatch request data for applying for a reservation for the vehicle dispatch service based on the information input by the advance reservation user, and transmits the advance vehicle dispatch request data to the server device 2. The advance vehicle dispatch request data includes information on the boarding location (desired boarding location) where the advance reservation user wishes to board the service vehicle 3 and the disembarking location (desired disembarking location) where the advance reservation user wishes to disembark from the service vehicle 3. In addition, the advance vehicle dispatch request data includes information on the date and time (desired boarding date and time) at which the advance reservation user wishes to board the service vehicle 3. The advance vehicle dispatch request data may also include, for example, information on the advance reservation user (for example, attributes and identification information of the advance reservation user). The attributes of the advance reservation user include, for example, the gender, age, health condition, family composition, etc. of the advance reservation user. The first user terminal 4 includes a positioning device 40, a communication device 41, a human-machine interface (HMI) 42, and a controller 43. The positioning device 40 measures the current location of the first user terminal 4 (i.e., the current location of the advance reservation user). The positioning device 40 may include, for example, a Global Navigation System (GNSS) receiver. The GNSS receiver may be, for example, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. The positioning device 40 may also include an inertial navigation system. The positioning device 50 outputs current location information of the first user terminal 4 to the controller 34. The communication device 41 provides a communication function between the first user terminal 4 and an external device. The communication method used by the communication device 41 may be, for example, wireless communication via a public mobile communication network, satellite communication, etc. The first user terminal 4 transmits and receives data to and from the server device 2 via the communication device 41. The HMI 42 is an interface device that exchanges information between the first user terminal 4 and the advance reservation user. The HMI 42 includes a display device that can be seen by the advance reservation user, and a speaker or buzzer that outputs alarm sounds, notification sounds, and audio information. The HMI 42 also includes controls and a voice input device that accept operational inputs from the advance reservation user to the first user terminal 4. The controls may be buttons, switches, levers, dials, keyboards, touch panels, etc.

[0012] The controller 43 is an electronic control unit (ECU) that controls the operation of the first user terminal 4. The controller 43 includes a processor 44 and peripheral components such as a storage device 45. The processor 44 may be, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) or a micro-processing unit (MPU). The storage device 45 may include non-transitory tangible storage media such as registers, cache memory, and memories such as read-only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM) used as main storage devices. The functions of the first user terminal 4 described below are realized by, for example, the processor 44 executing a computer program stored in the storage device 45.

[0013] <Second user terminal> The second user terminal 5 accepts input operations by the following booking user regarding reservations for the vehicle dispatch service. The second user terminal 5 generates following booking request data for applying for a reservation for the vehicle dispatch service based on the information input by the following booking user, and transmits the following booking request data to the server device 2. The following booking request data includes information on the boarding location (desired boarding location) where the following booking user wishes to board the service vehicle 3 and the disembarking location (desired disembarking location) where the following booking user wishes to disembark from the service vehicle 3. In addition, the following booking request data includes information on the date and time (desired boarding date and time) at which the following booking user wishes to board the service vehicle 3. The following booking request data may also include, for example, information about the following booking user (for example, attributes and identification information of the following booking user). The attributes of the following booking user include, for example, the gender, age, health condition, family composition, etc. of the following booking user. The second user terminal 5 includes a positioning device 50 , a communication device 51 , an HMI 52 , and a controller 53 . The positioning device 50 measures the current location of the second user terminal 5 (i.e., the current location of the subsequent booking user). The positioning device 50 may include, for example, a Global Navigation System (GNSS) receiver. The GNSS receiver may be, for example, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. The positioning device 50 may also include an inertial navigation system. The positioning device 50 outputs current location information of the second user terminal 5 to the controller 34.

[0014] The communication device 51 provides a communication function between the second user terminal 5 and an external device. The communication method used by the communication device 51 may be, for example, wireless communication via a public mobile communication network, satellite communication, etc. The second user terminal 5 transmits and receives data to and from the server device 2 via the communication device 51. The HMI 52 is an interface device that exchanges information between the second user terminal 5 and the subsequent booking user. The HMI 52 is equipped with a display device that can be seen by the subsequent booking user, as well as a speaker and buzzer that output alarm sounds, notification sounds, and audio information. The HMI 52 also has controls and audio input devices that accept operational inputs to the second user terminal 5 by the subsequent booking user. The controls may be buttons, switches, levers, dials, keyboards, touch panels, etc.

[0015] The controller 53 is an electronic control unit that controls the operation of the second user terminal 5. The controller 53 includes a processor 54 and peripheral components such as a memory device 55. The processor 54 may be, for example, a CPU or an MPU. The memory device 55 may include non-transitory tangible storage media such as registers, cache memory, and memories such as ROM and RAM used as main memory devices. The functions of the second user terminal 5 described below are realized by, for example, the processor 54 executing a computer program stored in the storage device 55.

[0016] <Server device> The server device 2 receives the preceding vehicle dispatch request data from the first user terminal 4 and receives the following vehicle dispatch request data from the second user terminal 5. Then, the server device 2 performs processing according to the preceding vehicle dispatch request data and the following vehicle dispatch request data. The server device 2 includes a processor 20, a storage device 21, a communication device 22, a registrant database (registrant DB) 23, a map database (map DB) 24, and a reservation database (reservation DB) 25. The processor 20 may be, for example, a CPU or an MPU. The storage device 21 may include a non-transitory tangible storage medium such as a register, a cache memory, or a memory such as a ROM or RAM used as a main storage device. The functions of the server device 2 described below are realized, for example, by the processor 20 executing a computer program stored in the storage device 21.

[0017] The communication device 22 provides a communication function between the server device 2 and an external device. The communication method used by the communication device 22 may be, for example, wired communication or wireless communication via a public mobile communication network, satellite communication, road-to-vehicle communication with the service vehicle 3, or the like. The server device 2 transmits and receives data to and from the service vehicle 3, the first user terminal 4, and the second user terminal 5 via the communication device 22.

[0018] The registrant DB23 is a database for registering users of the vehicle dispatch support system 1. In the following description, a person registered in the registrant DB23 will be referred to as a "registrant." For example, a user of a vehicle dispatch service is registered in the registrant DB23 as a person who uses the vehicle dispatch support system 1.

[0019] The map DB 24 stores map information of an area where the vehicle dispatch support system 1 provides a vehicle dispatch service. The map information may be, for example, map data for navigation (hereinafter simply referred to as a "navigation map"). The server device 2 calculates a driving route from the desired boarding location included in the vehicle dispatch request data to the desired disembarking location based on the map information stored in the map DB 24 in response to the vehicle dispatch request data received from the first user terminal 4 and the second user terminal 5. The server device 2 also predicts the disembarking date and time when the service vehicle 3 will depart at the desired boarding date and time included in the reservation information, travel along the driving route, and arrive at the desired disembarking location. The server device 2 stores the desired boarding location, desired boarding date and time, and desired disembarking location included in the dispatch request data, as well as the travel route and disembarking date and time calculated by the server device 2, in the reservation DB 25 as a travel plan for the service vehicle 3. In addition, the server device 2 transmits to the service vehicle 3 a travel plan including the desired boarding location, desired boarding date and time, desired disembarking location, disembarking date and time, and travel route.

[0020] <Service vehicle> The service vehicle 3 is a vehicle that operates in response to user requests (a so-called demand-based transportation vehicle), and may be, for example, a shared taxi or a robot taxi. The service vehicle 3 is an autonomously driven vehicle that automatically drives the service vehicle 3 by the controller 34 according to a driving plan transmitted from the server device 2 without the involvement of a driver (human). When the service vehicle 3 receives the travel plan from the server device 2, it travels to the boarding location so as to arrive by the desired boarding date and time included in the travel plan. Also, when the user boards the service vehicle 3 at the boarding location, it travels to the disembarking location along the travel route included in the travel plan. The service vehicle 3 includes a sensor 30, a positioning device 31, a map database (map DB) 32, a communication device 33, a controller , and an actuator . The sensors 30 include an object sensor that detects objects around the service vehicle 3, and a vehicle sensor that detects various information obtained from the service vehicle 3 (vehicle state). The object sensor detects the surrounding environment of the service vehicle 3, such as the relative position of the service vehicle 3 and an object present around the service vehicle 3, the distance between the service vehicle 3 and the object, and the direction in which the object is present. The object sensor may include, for example, a camera that captures the surrounding environment of the service vehicle 3. Furthermore, for example, the object sensor may include a distance measuring device such as a laser range finder (LRF), radar, or a laser radar of LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). The object sensor outputs surrounding environment information, which is information on the detected surrounding environment of the service vehicle 3, to the controller 34. The vehicle sensors may include, for example, a vehicle speed sensor that detects the traveling speed (vehicle speed) of the service vehicle 3, a wheel speed sensor that detects the rotational speed of each tire equipped on the service vehicle 3, a three-axis acceleration sensor (G sensor) that detects the acceleration (including deceleration) in three axial directions of the service vehicle 3, a steering angle sensor that detects the steering angle (including the turning angle), a gyro sensor that detects the angular velocity generated in the service vehicle 3, and a yaw rate sensor that detects the yaw rate. Furthermore, the vehicle sensors may include a seat belt sensor that detects whether a seat belt is fastened or unfastened, and a door sensor that detects whether a door is opened or closed. The vehicle sensors output vehicle state information to the controller 34.

[0021] The positioning device 31 measures the current position and attitude of the service vehicle 3. The positioning device 31 may include, for example, a Global Navigation System (GNSS) receiver. The GNSS receiver may be, for example, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. The positioning device 31 may also include an inertial navigation system. The positioning device 31 outputs current position information of the measured current position to the controller 34. The map DB 32 stores map information. The map information may include map data for navigation (hereinafter simply referred to as a "navigation map") and high-precision map data suitable as a map for automated driving (hereinafter simply referred to as a "high-precision map"). The communication device 33 provides a communication function between the service vehicle 3 and an external device. The communication method used by the communication device 33 may be, for example, wireless communication using a public mobile communication network, satellite communication, road-to-vehicle communication, or the like. The service vehicle 3 transmits and receives data to and from the server device 2 via the communication device 33 .

[0022] The controller 34 is an electronic control unit that controls the service vehicle 3. For example, the controller 34 controls the autonomous driving of the service vehicle 3. The controller 34 includes a processor 36 and peripheral components such as a storage device 37. The processor 36 may be, for example, a CPU or an MPU. The storage device 37 may include non-transitory tangible storage media such as registers, cache memory, and memories such as ROM and RAM used as main storage devices. The functions of the controller 34 are realized, for example, by the processor 36 executing a computer program stored in the storage device 37. The controller 34 executes autonomous driving control to drive the service vehicle 3 according to the driving plan based on the surrounding environment information and vehicle state information from the sensor 30, the positioning results of the positioning device 31, and the map information in the map DB 32. For example, the controller 34 calculates a target driving trajectory for the service vehicle 3 based on the current position and attitude of the service vehicle 3, the driving route included in the driving plan, map information, and the surrounding environment of the service vehicle 3. In addition, the controller 34 generates, for example, a route space map that represents the route around the service vehicle 3 and the presence or absence of objects, and a risk map that quantifies the degree of risk during driving, and generates a target driving trajectory based on the motion characteristics of the service vehicle 3, the vehicle state information, the route space map, and the risk map. Then, the controller 34 drives the actuator 35 so that the service vehicle 3 drives along the generated target driving trajectory. The actuator 35 operates the steering device, drive device and braking device of the service vehicle 3 in response to control signals from the controller 34 to generate vehicle behavior of the service vehicle 3, thereby automatically driving the service vehicle 3. The actuator 35 includes a steering actuator, an accelerator opening actuator and a brake control actuator.

[0023] <Server device functional configuration> The following describes the functional configuration of the server device 2. Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the server device 2. The server device 2 includes a vehicle dispatch request data acquisition unit 60, a vehicle dispatch plan determination unit 61, a driving plan setting unit 62, an additional request data acquisition unit 63, a candidate route creation unit 64, and a ride-sharing vehicle extraction unit 65. In addition, the server device 2 includes a predicted delay time calculation unit 66, a driving plan correction unit 67, an available vehicle identification unit 68, a ride-sharing vehicle setting unit 69, and an additional vehicle dispatch unit 70.

[0024] When the vehicle dispatch request data acquisition unit 60 receives the advance vehicle dispatch request data from the first user terminal 4, it registers the information included in the advance vehicle dispatch request data (desired boarding location, desired disembarking location, desired boarding date and time) in the reservation DB 25. Then, it sets a reservation for the vehicle dispatch service for the advance reservation user.

[0025] The vehicle allocation plan determination unit 61 determines a vehicle allocation plan for allocating the service vehicles 3 by determining a service vehicle 3 to be provided to the advance booking user based on the desired boarding location included in the advance vehicle allocation request data and the current location of the service vehicle 3. For example, the vehicle allocation plan determination unit 61 determines the vehicle allocation plan by selecting multiple service vehicles 3 that are not currently being used by other users and that can arrive at the desired boarding location by the desired boarding date and time. Furthermore, the vehicle allocation plan determination unit 61 stores identification information of the selected service vehicles 3 in the reservation DB 25. Note that if it is not possible to select multiple service vehicles 3, the vehicle allocation plan may be determined by selecting one service vehicle 3, such as the service vehicle 3 located closest to the desired boarding location.

[0026] The trip plan setting unit 62 sets a trip route from the desired boarding location to the desired disembarking location included in the advance vehicle dispatch request data based on map information stored in the map DB 24. The trip plan setting unit 62 also predicts the disembarking date and time when the service vehicle 3 will depart at the desired boarding date and time, travel along the travel route, and arrive at the desired disembarking location. The trip plan setting unit 62 stores the calculated travel route and disembarking date and time in the reservation DB 25. As a result, the desired boarding location, desired boarding date and time, and desired disembarking location included in the advance vehicle dispatch request data, and the disembarking date and time and travel route set by the trip plan setting unit 62 are stored in the reservation DB 25 as a trip plan for the vehicle dispatch service to be provided to the advance booking user. Furthermore, the driving plan setting unit 62 transmits driving plan information regarding the driving plan to the service vehicle 3 selected by the vehicle allocation plan determination unit 61 (i.e., the service vehicle 3 to be provided to the advance reservation user) and the first user terminal 4.

[0027] When the additional request data acquisition unit 63 receives the following vehicle dispatch request data from the second user terminal 5, it registers the information included in the following vehicle dispatch request data (desired boarding location, desired disembarking location, desired boarding date and time) in the reservation DB 25.

[0028] The candidate route creation unit 64 creates a candidate route, which is a candidate route for the reserved vehicle (the service vehicle 3 selected by the dispatch plan determination unit 61) to travel, based on the driving plan set by the driving plan setting unit 62, the preceding vehicle dispatch request data, and the following vehicle dispatch request data. Specifically, among the one or more service vehicles 3 selected by the vehicle allocation plan determination unit 61, a travel route that can satisfy the following route condition I and route condition II is created as a candidate route.

[0029] Route condition I: A driving route that allows arrival at the desired boarding location included in the following vehicle dispatch request data by the desired boarding date and time included in the following vehicle dispatch request data. Route condition II: A driving route that allows the subsequent booking user to arrive at the desired boarding location included in the preceding vehicle dispatch request data by the desired boarding date and time included in the preceding vehicle dispatch request data after boarding. Furthermore, the candidate route creation unit 64 calculates the required time for the service vehicle 3 to travel the candidate route and the adjustment time to be secured for the service vehicle 3 to travel the candidate route. The adjustment time is, for example, the time required for stopping at the desired boarding location included in the preceding vehicle dispatch request data or the desired boarding location included in the following vehicle dispatch request data.

[0030] The ride-sharing vehicle extraction unit 65 extracts one or more vehicles from one or more service vehicles 3 selected by the vehicle allocation plan determination unit 61 based on the preceding vehicle allocation request data, the following vehicle allocation request data, and the candidate route created by the candidate route creation unit 64. Specifically, from among one or more service vehicles 3 selected by the vehicle allocation plan determination unit 61, a vehicle that can satisfy the following extraction conditions I and II is extracted as a service vehicle 3 that can be shared by an advance reservation user and a subsequent reservation user.

[0031] Extraction condition I: A vehicle that can arrive at the desired boarding location included in the following vehicle dispatch request data by the desired boarding date and time included in the following vehicle dispatch request data. Extraction condition II: A vehicle that can arrive at the desired boarding location included in the preceding vehicle dispatch request data by the desired boarding date and time included in the preceding vehicle dispatch request data after the subsequent booking user boards.

[0032] The predicted delay time calculation unit 66 calculates the predicted delay time based on history information of past use of the vehicle dispatch service by a user (a subsequent reservation user or another user with attributes similar to the subsequent reservation user). The predicted delay time is the time that the arrival of the subsequent reservation user at the desired boarding location included in the subsequent vehicle dispatch request data is predicted to be delayed from the scheduled time. The predicted delay time is calculated according to at least one of the following calculation conditions I to VIII.

[0033] Calculation condition I: The day of the week of the desired boarding date and time included in the subsequent vehicle dispatch request data. When calculating the predicted delay time according to calculation condition I, for example, the predicted delay time is calculated as being longer on holidays than on weekdays. Calculation condition II: The time period of the desired boarding date and time included in the subsequent vehicle dispatch request data. When calculating the predicted delay time according to calculation condition II, for example, the predicted delay time is calculated as being longer during commuting hours or school hours than during other times. Calculation condition III: Weather forecast for the desired boarding date and time included in the subsequent vehicle dispatch request data. When calculating the predicted delay time according to calculation condition III, for example, the predicted delay time is calculated as being longer for a forecast of stormy weather than for a forecast of fine weather. Calculation condition IV: Characteristics of the desired boarding location included in the following vehicle dispatch request data. When calculating the predicted delay time according to calculation condition IV, for example, the predicted delay time is calculated as being longer when the desired boarding location is a shopping district or a station than when the desired boarding location is a residential area.

[0034] Calculation condition V: An event that is held at least at the desired boarding location included in the following vehicle dispatch request data and in the vicinity of the desired boarding location included in the following vehicle dispatch request data. When calculating the predicted delay time according to calculation condition V, for example, the longer the predicted time required for the event (time to watch the event, time to participate in the event, etc.), the longer the predicted delay time is calculated to be. Calculation condition VI: At least one of the number of people riding in the service vehicle 3 together with the subsequent booking user and the amount of luggage the subsequent booking user will be loading in the service vehicle 3. When calculating the predicted delay time according to calculation condition VI, for example, the greater the number of people riding in the service vehicle 3 or the amount of luggage, the longer the predicted delay time will be calculated to be. Furthermore, the number of people riding in the service vehicle 3 together with the subsequent booking user and the amount of luggage the subsequent booking user will be loading in the service vehicle 3 are, for example, included in the subsequent vehicle dispatch request data and transmitted to the server device 2. Calculation condition VII: Attributes of the subsequent booking user. When calculating the predicted delay time according to calculation condition VII, for example, the older the subsequent booking user, the longer the predicted delay time is calculated to be. Also, for example, if the subsequent booking user has an attribute that is unfavorable for travel, such as a leg injury, the predicted delay time is calculated to be longer. Calculation condition VIII: History information of past use of the ride-hailing service by other users with similar attributes to the user who made a subsequent reservation. Note that when calculating the predicted delay time according to calculation condition VIII, the calculation is based on, for example, the time that other users with similar attributes to the user who made a subsequent reservation were delayed from the scheduled time to reach the desired boarding point when they used the ride-hailing service in the past. In addition, when calculating the predicted delay time according to calculation condition VIII, for example, the relationship between at least one of calculation conditions I to VII and the actual delay time when the user's arrival at the desired boarding location in the past was later than the scheduled time may be modeled.

[0035] The driving plan correction unit 67 corrects the driving plan set by the driving plan setting unit 62 based on the candidate route created by the candidate route creation unit 64 and the predicted delay time calculated by the predicted delay time calculation unit 66, thereby creating a candidate operation plan, which is a candidate plan for operating the reserved vehicle. Specifically, among the candidate routes, a route that can reach the desired drop-off location included in the preceding vehicle dispatch request data via the desired boarding location of the subsequent booking user and the desired boarding location included in the preceding vehicle dispatch request data, even taking into account the predicted delay time, is calculated.The calculated route is then created as a candidate operation plan.

[0036] The available vehicle identification unit 68 identifies available vehicles from one or more vehicles output by the carpool vehicle extraction unit 65 based on the predicted delay time calculated by the predicted delay time calculation unit 66 and the operation plan candidates created by the operation plan correction unit 67. An available vehicle is a vehicle that can arrive at the desired boarding location included in the advance dispatch request data at the boarding start time, via at least one of the desired boarding locations and desired disembarking locations of the subsequent booking user, before the boarding start time. The boarding start time is the time when the advance reservation user boards the vehicle for which the vehicle allocation plan has been decided.

[0037] Specifically, T A -T B Vehicles for which the conditional expression ≧t0+t1+t2 is satisfied are identified as available vehicles. "T A " is the desired boarding date and time included in the advance dispatch request data, and "T B " is the desired boarding date and time included in the following vehicle dispatch request data. "t0" is the standard required time (the required time in a situation where there is no traffic congestion, etc.) for traveling from the desired boarding location included in the following vehicle dispatch request data to the desired boarding location included in the preceding vehicle dispatch request data. "t1" is the delay time from the standard required time estimated from traffic congestion, etc. for traveling from the desired boarding location included in the following vehicle dispatch request data to the desired boarding location included in the preceding vehicle dispatch request data. "t2" is the predicted delay time calculated by the predicted delay time calculation unit 66.

[0038] "t1" is a factor that is affected by, for example, the day of the week, the time of day, the weather, information about events in the vicinity, etc. A " to "T B " and traffic congestion information (congestion level, travel time) on the roads leading to "T A " to "T B This uses information from the driving history of the roads leading up to the destination. In addition, if the available vehicle identification unit 68 is unable to identify an available vehicle from one or more vehicles output by the ride-sharing vehicle extraction unit 65, it sends a message to the second user terminal 5 indicating that it is impossible to dispatch a ride-sharing service vehicle 3.

[0039] The ride-sharing vehicle setting unit 69 sets the available vehicle identified by the available vehicle identification unit 68 as the vehicle to be allocated to the subsequent reservation user.

[0040] The additional vehicle dispatch unit 70 transmits a driving plan to the service vehicle 3 set by the ride-share vehicle setting unit 69, based on the map information stored in the map DB 24, for arriving at the desired boarding location included in the following vehicle dispatch request data by the desired boarding date and time included in the following vehicle dispatch request data. In addition, the additional vehicle dispatch unit 70 transmits corrected route information related to the operation plan candidate created by the driving plan correction unit 67 to the service vehicle 3 set by the ride-share vehicle setting unit 69. The service vehicle 3 that has received the corrected route information travels along a driving route from the desired boarding location included in the following vehicle dispatch request data, via the desired boarding location included in the preceding vehicle dispatch request data, to the desired disembarking location included in the preceding vehicle dispatch request data.

[0041] (operation) FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation when using a vehicle dispatch service. In step S1, the dispatch request data acquisition unit 60 acquires the preceding dispatch request data received from the first user terminal 4. In step S2, the dispatch plan determination unit 61 determines a dispatch plan based on the preceding dispatch request data acquired in step S1. In step S3, the additional request data acquisition unit 63 acquires the following dispatch request data received from the second user terminal 5. In step S4, the driving plan of the advance reservation user is acquired by acquiring information on the driving plan set by the driving plan setting unit 62.

[0042] In step S5, the candidate route creation unit 64 creates a candidate route for the reserved vehicle (the service vehicle 3 selected by the vehicle allocation plan determination unit 61) according to the desired boarding location acquired in step S3 and the driving plan information acquired in step S4. In step S6, the candidate route creation unit 64 calculates the required time for the service vehicle 3 to travel the candidate route created in step S5 and the adjustment time to be secured for the service vehicle 3 to travel the candidate route. In step S7, the predicted delay time calculation unit 66 calculates the predicted delay time of the subsequent reserved user. In step S8, the driving plan correction unit 67 creates a candidate operation plan.

[0043] In step S9, the available vehicle identification unit 68 determines whether or not there is a reserved vehicle that can accept the following vehicle dispatch request data among the one or more vehicles extracted by the ride-sharing vehicle extraction unit 65. If there is a reserved vehicle that can accept the following vehicle dispatch request data (step S9: Y), the process proceeds to step S10. If there is no reserved vehicle that can accept the following vehicle dispatch request data (step S9: N), the process proceeds to step S11.

[0044] In step S10, the ride-sharing vehicle setting unit 69 sets the available vehicle identified by the available vehicle identification unit 68 as the vehicle to be allocated to the subsequent reservation user, thereby matching the subsequent reservation user with the reserved vehicle identified as the available vehicle. In step S11, the available vehicle identification unit 68 sends a message to the second user terminal 5 that it is not possible to allocate a ride-sharing service vehicle 3 (reserved vehicle).

[0045] (Effects of the embodiment) (1) A vehicle dispatch support device and a vehicle dispatch support method for providing a vehicle dispatch service that dispatches vehicles to be used for user transportation, the vehicle dispatch support system 1 receiving vehicle dispatch request data from a plurality of users who use the vehicle dispatch service, the vehicle dispatch request data including a desired boarding date and time at which the user wishes to board the vehicle, a desired boarding location at which the user wishes to board the vehicle, and a desired disembarking location at which the user wishes to disembark from the vehicle, determining a vehicle dispatch plan for dispatching a vehicle based on advance vehicle dispatch request data, which is vehicle dispatch request data received from an advance reservation user who has booked the vehicle dispatch service earlier than the advance reservation user among the plurality of users, and determining a subsequent vehicle dispatch request data, which is vehicle dispatch request data received from a subsequent reservation user who has booked the vehicle dispatch service later than the advance reservation user among the plurality of users and will board the vehicle earlier than the advance reservation user. Based on the advance vehicle dispatch request data, one or more vehicles are extracted from the vehicles for which a vehicle dispatch plan has been determined, and a predicted delay time, which is the predicted time that the arrival of the subsequent booking user at the desired boarding location included in the subsequent vehicle dispatch request data will be delayed from the scheduled time, is calculated based on historical information of the user's past use of the vehicle dispatch service, and based on the calculated predicted delay time, an available vehicle is identified from the one or more extracted vehicles that can arrive at the desired boarding location included in the advance vehicle dispatch request data at the boarding start time via at least one of the desired boarding location and desired disembarking location of the subsequent booking user before the boarding start time at which the advance booking user boards the vehicle for which a vehicle dispatch plan has been determined, and the identified available vehicle is set as the vehicle to be dispatched to the subsequent booking user. This makes it possible to not allocate a vehicle allocated to a user who has made an advance reservation to a user who has made a subsequent reservation if it is impossible to extract an available vehicle that the user who made an advance reservation can board while the user who made a subsequent reservation is already in the vehicle, thereby reducing the possibility that a user who boards a vehicle shared by multiple users will suffer damage.

[0046] (2) The predicted delay time is calculated based on the day of the week of the desired boarding date and time included in the subsequent vehicle dispatch request data. This makes it possible to reflect the behavior of users with subsequent reservations, which differ depending on the day of the week, in the calculation of the predicted delay time.

[0047] (3) The predicted delay time is calculated based on the time period of the desired boarding date and time included in the subsequent vehicle dispatch request data. This makes it possible to reflect the behavior of users with subsequent reservations, which differ depending on the time period, in the calculation of the predicted delay time.

[0048] (4) The predicted delay time is calculated based on the weather forecast for the desired boarding date and time included in the subsequent vehicle dispatch request data. This makes it possible to reflect the behavior of users with subsequent reservations, which varies depending on the weather, in the calculation of the predicted delay time.

[0049] (5) The predicted delay time is calculated based on the characteristics of the desired boarding location included in the subsequent ride request data. This makes it possible to reflect the behavior of subsequent reservation users, who differ depending on the location where they board the vehicle, in the calculation of the predicted delay time.

[0050] (6) The predicted delay time is calculated based on an event being held at least in the desired boarding location included in the subsequent vehicle dispatch request data and in the vicinity of the desired boarding location included in the subsequent vehicle dispatch request data. This makes it possible to reflect the behavior of subsequent reservation users, which differs depending on events being held at the location where the vehicle is boarded or events being held in the vicinity of the location where the vehicle is boarded, in the calculation of the predicted delay time.

[0051] (7) The predicted delay time is calculated based on at least one of the number of people who will be riding in the vehicle together with the subsequent reservation user and the amount of baggage that the subsequent reservation user will be loading onto the vehicle. This makes it possible to reflect the behavior of the subsequent booking user, which differs depending on the number of people riding in the vehicle with the subsequent booking user and the amount of luggage the subsequent booking user is loading into the vehicle, in the calculation of the predicted delay time.

[0052] (8) The predicted delay time is calculated according to the attributes of the user with the subsequent reservation. This makes it possible to reflect the behavior of users with subsequent reservations, which differ depending on their attributes, in the calculation of the predicted delay time.

[0053] (9) The predicted delay time is calculated based on the history information of the subsequent reservation user's past use of the vehicle dispatch service. This makes it possible to reflect the behavior of subsequent reservation users, which differ depending on the history information, in the calculation of the predicted delay time.

[0054] (10) The predicted delay time is calculated based on historical information on past use of the vehicle dispatch service by other users with attributes similar to the user who made a subsequent reservation. As a result, even if it is impossible to obtain the history information of the user who made a subsequent reservation, it is possible to calculate the predicted delay time by using the history information of another user whose attributes are similar to those of the user who made the subsequent reservation instead of the history information of the user who made the subsequent reservation. Furthermore, if it is possible to obtain the history information of the user who made the subsequent reservation and the history information of another user whose attributes are similar to those of the user who made the subsequent reservation, it is possible to reflect the behavior of the other user in the calculation of the predicted delay time. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 1...Vehicle dispatch support system, 2...Server device, 3...Service vehicle, 4...First user terminal, 5...Second user terminal, 20, 36, 44, 54...Processor, 21, 37, 45, 55...Storage device, 22, 33, 41, 51...Communication device, 23...Registrant database, 24, 32...Map database, 25...Reservation database, 30...Sensor, 31, 40, 50...Positioning device, 34, 43, 53...Controller, 35...Actuator, 42, 52...Human-machine interface, 60...Vehicle dispatch request data acquisition unit, 61...Vehicle dispatch plan determination unit, 62...Driving plan setting unit, 63...Additional request data acquisition unit, 64...Candidate route creation unit, 65...Ride-sharing vehicle extraction unit, 66...Delay prediction time calculation unit, 67...Driving plan correction unit, 68...Available vehicle identification unit, 69...Ride-sharing vehicle setting unit, 70...Additional vehicle dispatch unit

Claims

1. A vehicle dispatch support device that provides a vehicle dispatch service for dispatching a vehicle used for transportation of a user, receiving, from a plurality of users using the vehicle dispatch service, vehicle dispatch request data including a desired boarding date and time at which the user wishes to board the vehicle, a desired boarding location at which the user wishes to board the vehicle, and a desired disembarking location at which the user wishes to disembark from the vehicle; A process of determining a vehicle allocation plan for allocating the vehicle based on advance vehicle allocation request data, which is the vehicle allocation request data received from an advance reservation user who has made an advance reservation for a vehicle allocation service among the plurality of users; extracting one or more vehicles from the vehicles for which the vehicle allocation plan has been determined, based on the preceding vehicle allocation request data and subsequent vehicle allocation request data received from subsequent booking users who book the vehicle allocation service after the advance booking user among the plurality of users and board the vehicle before the advance booking user; A process of calculating a predicted delay time, which is a time by which the arrival of the subsequent booking user at the desired boarding point included in the subsequent car dispatch request data is predicted to be delayed from the scheduled time, based on history information of the user's past use of the car dispatch service; a process of identifying, from the one or more extracted vehicles, an available vehicle that can arrive at the desired boarding location included in the advance vehicle dispatch request data at the boarding start time via at least one of the desired boarding locations and desired disembarking locations of the subsequent booking user, before the boarding start time at which the advance booking user boards the vehicle for which the vehicle dispatch plan is determined, based on the predicted delay time; A process of setting the identified available vehicle as a vehicle to be allocated to the subsequent reservation user; A vehicle dispatch assistance device comprising a computer that executes the above.

2. The vehicle dispatch support device according to claim 1 , wherein the predicted delay time is calculated based on the day of the week of the desired boarding date and time included in the subsequent vehicle dispatch request data.

3. The vehicle dispatch support device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the predicted delay time is calculated according to a time zone of a desired boarding date and time included in the subsequent vehicle dispatch request data.

4. The vehicle dispatch support device according to claim 1 , wherein the predicted delay time is calculated based on a weather forecast for a desired boarding date and time included in the subsequent vehicle dispatch request data.

5. The vehicle dispatch support device according to claim 1 , wherein the predicted delay time is calculated according to characteristics of a desired boarding location included in the subsequent vehicle dispatch request data.

6. A vehicle dispatch support device described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the predicted delay time is calculated based on an event being held at least in one of the desired boarding location included in the following vehicle dispatch request data and the vicinity of the desired boarding location included in the following vehicle dispatch request data.

7. A vehicle dispatch support device described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the predicted delay time is calculated based on at least one of the number of people riding in the vehicle with the subsequent reservation user and the amount of luggage that the subsequent reservation user will be loading into the vehicle.

8. The vehicle dispatch support device according to claim 1 , wherein the predicted delay time is calculated according to attributes of the user who has made a subsequent reservation.

9. The vehicle dispatch assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein the predicted delay time is calculated based on history information of past use of the vehicle dispatch service by the subsequent reservation user.

10. A vehicle dispatch support device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the predicted delay time is calculated based on historical information of other users with similar attributes to the subsequent reservation user having used the vehicle dispatch service in the past.

11. A vehicle dispatch support method for providing a vehicle dispatch service for dispatching a vehicle used for a user's transportation, comprising: Transmitting vehicle dispatch request data received from a plurality of users using the vehicle dispatch service, the vehicle dispatch request data including a desired boarding date and time at which the users wish to board the vehicle, a desired boarding location at which the users wish to board the vehicle, and a desired disembarking location at which the users wish to disembark from the vehicle, to a server device; The server device: determining a vehicle dispatch plan for dispatching the vehicle based on advance vehicle dispatch request data, which is the vehicle dispatch request data received from advance reservation users who have made advance reservations for the vehicle dispatch service among the plurality of users; extracting one or more vehicles from the vehicles for which the vehicle allocation plan has been determined based on the preceding vehicle allocation request data and subsequent vehicle allocation request data received from subsequent booking users who book the vehicle allocation service after the advance booking user among the plurality of users and board the vehicle before the advance booking user; calculate a predicted delay time, which is a predicted delay time for the subsequent booking user to arrive at the desired boarding point included in the subsequent booking request data, based on history information of the user's past use of the vehicle dispatch service; Based on the predicted delay time, an available vehicle is identified from the one or more extracted vehicles that can arrive at the desired boarding location included in the advance vehicle dispatch request data at the boarding start time via at least one of the desired boarding locations and desired disembarking locations of the subsequent booking user, before the boarding start time at which the advance booking user boards the vehicle for which the vehicle dispatch plan has been determined; A vehicle allocation support method for setting the identified available vehicle as a vehicle to be allocated to the subsequent reservation user.

12. A vehicle dispatch support system that provides a vehicle dispatch service for dispatching a vehicle used for a user's transportation, a server device that receives vehicle dispatch request data received from a plurality of users who use the vehicle dispatch service, the data including a desired boarding date and time at which the user wishes to board the vehicle, a desired boarding location at which the user wishes to board the vehicle, and a desired disembarking location at which the user wishes to disembark from the vehicle; The server device determining a vehicle dispatch plan for dispatching the vehicle based on advance vehicle dispatch request data, which is the vehicle dispatch request data received from advance reservation users who have made advance reservations for the vehicle dispatch service among the plurality of users; extracting one or more vehicles from the vehicles for which the vehicle allocation plan has been determined based on the preceding vehicle allocation request data and subsequent vehicle allocation request data received from subsequent booking users who book the vehicle allocation service after the advance booking user among the plurality of users and board the vehicle before the advance booking user; calculate a predicted delay time, which is a predicted delay time for the subsequent booking user to arrive at the desired boarding point included in the subsequent booking request data, based on history information of the user's past use of the vehicle dispatch service; Based on the predicted delay time, an available vehicle is identified from the one or more extracted vehicles that can arrive at the desired boarding location included in the advance vehicle dispatch request data at the boarding start time via at least one of the desired boarding locations and desired disembarking locations of the subsequent booking user, before the boarding start time at which the advance booking user boards the vehicle for which the vehicle dispatch plan has been determined; A vehicle allocation support system that sets the identified available vehicle as the vehicle to be allocated to the subsequent reservation user.

Images