Information processing device and information processing system

Abstract

To improve convenience for on-demand bus users.SOLUTION: An information processing device disclosed herein is configured to transmit user information regarding one or more first users planning to board a bus from a first point set as a boarding point for the bus operated on demand to one or more user devices associated with the one or more first users.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to on-demand buses. [Background technology]

[0002] On-demand buses are known that operate in response to requests from users. On-demand buses do not have fixed stops, but can pick up and drop off users at any point based on their requests. In this regard, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a system that sets the boarding and disembarking point to the point closest to the user from within a predetermined area. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-051431 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure aims to improve convenience for on-demand bus users. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure is an information processing device having a control unit that performs the process of transmitting user information, which is information about one or more first users who plan to board a bus operated on demand from a first point set as a boarding and disembarking point for the bus, to one or more user devices associated with the one or more first users.

[0006] One aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure is an information processing device associated with a user boarding a bus operated on demand, the information processing device having a control unit that receives user information, which is information about one or more first users who plan to board the bus from a first point set as a boarding and disembarking point for the bus, from a server device that manages the operation of the bus.

[0007] One aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure is an information processing system that includes a server device that manages the operation of a bus that operates on demand, and a user device associated with a user who will board the bus, wherein the user device sends a request to board the bus to the server device, and the server device generates user information that is information about one or more first users who plan to board the bus from a first location based on the boarding request, and sends the user information to the user device associated with the one or more first users.

[0008] Another aspect is a program for causing a computer to execute the method executed by the above-described device, or a computer-readable storage medium non-transitoryly storing the program. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to improve convenience for on-demand bus users. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a transportation system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing components of a user device 100. [Figure 3] 10 is an example of a boarding request sent from the user device 100. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing components of a server device 200. [Figure 5] An example of user data 202B. [Figure 6]An example of operation data 202C. [Figure 7] 10 shows an example of ride information generated by the server device 200. [Figure 8] 10 is an example of a screen provided to the user device 100. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing components of an in-vehicle device 300. [Figure 10] An example of vehicle data. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram of a process for making a ride reservation. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram of a process for setting an arrival flag. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram of a process for providing ride information to a user device. [Figure 14] 10 is an example of a screen provided to the user device 100. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a transportation system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 16] 10 is an example of a screen provided to the user device 100 in the second embodiment. [Figure 17] Sequence diagram of the process for changing the location of a bus stop. [Figure 18] 10 shows an example of a screen provided by the in-vehicle device 300. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] On-demand buses are known that operate based on requests from users. In such systems, bus stops are not set at fixed locations, and boarding and disembarking points are sometimes dynamically set based on requests from multiple users.

[0012] However, when waiting for a bus in a place without facilities for waiting for the bus, it is unclear what kind of people will gather, which can make users feel uneasy. For example, it is difficult to determine whether people gathered on the street are bus passengers or have some other purpose. The information processing device according to the present disclosure solves such a problem.

[0013] An information processing device according to a first aspect of the present disclosure has a control unit that executes transmitting user information, which is information about one or more first users who plan to board a bus operated on demand from a first point set as a boarding and disembarking point for the bus, to one or more user devices associated with the one or more first users.

[0014] The information processing device according to the first aspect is typically a server device that manages the operation of an on-demand bus. An on-demand bus is a public vehicle that operates in response to requests from users. In this embodiment, the boarding and disembarking points of the on-demand bus are not determined in advance, but are dynamically set in response to requests. The information processing device acquires user information, which is information about one or more users (referred to as first users) who plan to board a bus from a dynamically set first point, and transmits this information to one or more user devices associated with the first users. This allows a plurality of users boarding a bus from the first location to obtain information about who else will be boarding the same bus. In the following description, the boarding and disembarking points of on-demand buses are referred to as “bus stops.” In this embodiment, bus stops are virtually installed, and their locations are dynamically determined by the system.

[0015] The user information may include at least information about the gender and age of each of the first users. The user information may also include information about each of the first users who have arrived at the first location. The information may include at least information indicating whether or not This allows users to be notified, for example, of the attributes of people who have made reservations and how many of them have already arrived at the bus stop. For this reason, the control unit may acquire and manage location information from the user device.

[0016] In addition, "user information, which is information about one or more first users" may be information about all users (first users) who board the bus from the target location, or it may include information about only some of those users.

[0017] The control unit may also change the bus boarding and alighting point based on a change request sent from the user device. For example, a case may occur in which a bus stop is set at a point that is not suitable as a boarding and alighting point (for safety reasons, etc.). In such a case, the boarding and alighting point may be changed from a first point to a second point based on a request from the user. The second point may be, for example, a point within a predetermined range from the first point. The second point may also be set near a predetermined facility (e.g., a store). This allows the bus stop to be relocated closer to a crowded place.

[0018] When the boarding and alighting point is reset, the user device and the terminal installed on the bus may be notified of this, so that both the user and the bus can share the information that the boarding and alighting point has been reset.

[0019] An information processing device according to a second aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing device associated with users boarding a bus operated on demand, and has a control unit that receives user information, which is information about one or more first users who plan to board the bus from a first point set as a boarding and disembarking point for the bus, from a server device that manages the operation of the bus.

[0020] The information processing device according to the second aspect is a user device that can communicate with the information processing device (server device) according to the first aspect.

[0021] Specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the hardware configuration, module configuration, functional configuration, etc. described in each embodiment are not intended to limit the technical scope of the disclosure to those configurations.

[0022] (First embodiment) An overview of a transportation system according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The transportation system according to this embodiment includes a vehicle 10 equipped with an on-vehicle device 300, a user device 100, and a server device 200. The system may include multiple vehicles 10 (on-vehicle devices 300).

[0023] The vehicle 10 is an on-demand bus equipped with an on-vehicle device 300. An on-demand bus is a public bus that operates in response to boarding requests from users. The vehicle 10 may be a vehicle driven by a driver or an autonomous vehicle. The on-vehicle device 300 is configured to be able to wirelessly communicate with the server device 200. Hereinafter, the vehicle 10 will be referred to as an on-demand bus, or simply as a bus.

[0024] A user who wishes to board an on-demand bus transmits a boarding request to the server device 200 via the user device 100. The boarding request includes, for example, a desired boarding point, a desired boarding time, a desired disembarking point, and the like.

[0025] This information can be generated and transmitted, for example, by application software for using the transportation system that is installed on the user device 100. However, this information does not necessarily have to be generated using a mobile terminal. For example, this information may be generated using any terminal that can connect to a network (such as a smartphone, mobile phone, tablet terminal, personal digital assistant, or wearable computer) or a personal computer.

[0026] The server device 200 generates a bus operation plan based on the boarding request transmitted from the user device 100. The operation plan includes, for example, the route of the on-demand bus, the points where passengers board and disembark, and the times at which they board and disembark.

[0027] The point where a user gets on and off can be determined by the server device 200. For example, the server device 200 determines the point where a user gets on and off based on the point where the user wishes to get on and off and the roads on which the bus can travel. Furthermore, when multiple users wish to get on and off from multiple points that are close to each other and wish to travel in the same direction, the server device 200 may group the multiple users and have the multiple users get on and off from a single point. The server device 200 generates a route (and its schedule) that goes around the points where users get on and off, generates the operation plan described above, and transmits it to the target vehicle (on-board device 300).

[0028] The in-vehicle device 300 receives the operation plan from the server device 200. If the bus is a manned vehicle, the operation plan is provided to the driver. If the bus is an unmanned vehicle, the operation plan is transmitted to a device mounted on the bus that controls autonomous driving.

[0029] In the transportation system according to this embodiment, a plurality of user devices 100, a server device 200, and an in-vehicle device 300 are interconnected via a network. The network may be, for example, a wide area network (WAN), which is a global public communication network such as the Internet, or another communication network. The network may also include a telephone communication network such as a mobile phone network, or a wireless communication network such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0030] Each element that makes up the system will be explained. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the system configuration of the user device 100. As shown in FIG. The user device 100 is a small computer such as a smartphone, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant, a notebook computer, or a wearable computer (such as a smart watch). The user device 100 includes a control unit 101, a storage unit 102, a communication unit 103, an input / output unit 104, and a location information acquisition unit 105.

[0031] The control unit 101 is a computing device that controls the user device 100. The control unit 101 can be realized by a computing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). do. The control unit 101 is configured to have two types of functional modules: a request unit 1011 and a guide unit 1012. Each functional module may be realized by causing a CPU to execute a program stored in the storage unit 102, which will be described later.

[0032] The request unit 1011 acquires information necessary to make a reservation for an on-demand bus ride from the user of the device, and transmits a ride request to the server device 200. Specifically, the request unit 1011 acquires the user's identifier, desired boarding point, desired boarding time, desired disembarking point, etc. via the input / output unit 104, which will be described later. The acquired information is transmitted to the server device 200 as a ride request. FIG. 3 shows an example of a ride request generated by the request unit 1011. The request unit 1011 also communicates with the server device 200 to confirm the ride reservation. The process to determine this is performed.

[0033] After the boarding reservation is confirmed, the information unit 1012 acquires information about the boarding (hereinafter referred to as boarding information) from the server device 200 and provides it to the user. The boarding information is information for informing the user of the boarding point determined by the server device 200, the bus arrival time, etc. Furthermore, the boarding information includes information about multiple users boarding the same bus from the same bus stop. This will be described later.

[0034] The storage unit 102 is configured to include a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. The main storage device is a memory in which programs executed by the control unit 101 and data used by the control programs are expanded. The auxiliary storage device is a device in which programs executed by the control unit 101 and data used by the control programs are stored. The auxiliary storage device may store programs executed by the control unit 101 packaged as applications. It may also store an operating system for executing these applications. The programs stored in the auxiliary storage device are loaded into the main storage device and executed by the control unit 101, thereby performing the processing described below.

[0035] The main memory may include RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory). The auxiliary memory may include EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM) and hard disk. It may also include a disk drive (HDD, Hard Disk Drive). The data may include removable media, i.e., portable recording media, such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) memory or a disc recording medium such as a Compact Disc (CD) or a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD).

[0036] The communication unit 103 is a wireless communication interface for connecting the user device 100 to a network. The communication unit 103 provides access to the network via, for example, a wireless LAN or a mobile communication service such as 3G or LTE. The input / output unit 104 is a means for accepting input operations performed by the device user and presenting information. In this embodiment, it is made up of a single touch panel display. That is, it is made up of a liquid crystal display and its control means, and a touch panel and its control means.

[0037] Next, the configuration of the server device 200 will be described. The server device 200 can be configured as a computer having a processor such as a CPU or GPU, a main memory such as a RAM or ROM, and an auxiliary memory such as an EPROM, a hard disk drive, or removable media. The auxiliary memory stores an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, etc., and by executing the programs stored therein, various functions that meet predetermined purposes, as described below, can be realized. However, some or all of the functions may be realized by hardware circuits such as ASICs or FPGAs. The server device 20 may be configured as a single computer or as multiple computers that cooperate with each other.

[0038] 4 is a diagram showing the system configuration of the server device 200. The server device 200 includes a control unit 201, a storage unit 202, and a communication unit 203.

[0039] The control unit 201 is an arithmetic unit that controls the server device 200. The control unit 201 can be realized by an arithmetic processing unit such as a CPU. The control unit 201 is configured to have three types of functional modules: a request acquisition unit 2011, an operation management unit 2012, and an information provision unit 2013. Each functional module may be realized by a CPU executing a program stored in an auxiliary storage means.

[0040] The request acquisition unit 2011 acquires a boarding request transmitted from the user device 100 and temporarily stores it as request data 202A in the storage unit 202. The acquired and stored boarding request is used by the operation management unit 2012. The operation management unit 2012 generates a bus operation plan based on a plurality of boarding requests collected from a plurality of user devices 100. The operation plan includes information on bus operation routes, operation schedules, and passengers to be boarded. The bus operation routes and operation schedules are generated based on the requests of passengers included in the plurality of boarding requests.

[0041] The information providing unit 2013 provides information about boarding (boarding information) to users who plan to board a bus. Specifically, in response to a request from the user device 100, the information providing unit 2013 generates information providing information about the boarding point, arrival time, etc. based on the generated operation plan and provides the information to the user device 100. Furthermore, the information providing unit 2013 generates information about multiple users (also referred to as "co-passengers") boarding the same bus from the same bus stop and provides the information to the user device 100.

[0042] The storage unit 202 is configured to include a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. The main storage device is a memory in which the programs executed by the control unit 201 and the data used by the control programs are expanded. The auxiliary storage device is a device in which the programs executed by the control unit 201 and the data used by the control programs are stored. The storage unit 202 stores request data 202A, user data 202B, and operation data 202C.

[0043] The request data 202A is a collection of ride requests received from a plurality of user devices 100, as illustrated in FIG. User data 202B is data related to multiple users registered in the system. FIG. 5 shows an example of user data 202B. As shown in the figure, user data 202B includes a user's identifier (user ID), personal information, payment information, etc. Note that personal information is information that passengers have given permission to disclose, such as gender and age (generation).

[0044] The operation data 202C is a set of bus operation plans generated by the operation management unit 2012 based on multiple boarding requests. 6 is an example of operation data 202C. As shown in the figure, the operation data 202C includes an identifier (operation ID) that uniquely identifies the operation, a vehicle identifier (vehicle ID), points the bus passes through, the times at which the bus passes, information about passengers who board the bus (user information), etc. The user information includes a user identifier, a boarding reservation identifier, a boarding point, a disembarking point, etc. The arrival flag will be described later.

[0045] The communication unit 203 is a communication interface for connecting the server device 200 to a network. The communication unit 203 includes, for example, a network interface board and a wireless communication circuit for wireless communication.

[0046] Here, the functions provided by the information providing unit 2013 will be explained in more detail. When a request is received from the user device 100, the server device 200 generates boarding information and transmits it to the user device 100. FIG. 7 is an example of boarding information provided by the information providing unit 2013 to the user device 100. In this example, the boarding information includes a boarding point, a boarding time, and a disembarking point. Furthermore, the boarding information includes information about users boarding the same bus from the same bus stop (fellow passenger information). The fellow passenger information includes the number, age, gender, etc. of users (fellow passengers) boarding the same bus from the same bus stop. The fellow passenger information may also include status information of the fellow passengers (for example, information indicating whether the fellow passengers have arrived at their destination bus stop). In addition, the passenger information may be information for all users boarding the same bus from the same bus stop, or it may include information for only some of those users (for example, excluding information for the user who requested boarding information). The boarding information can be generated based on information obtained by searching the operation data 202C and the user data 202B. Fig. 8 is an example of a screen generated by the user device 100 based on the boarding information exemplified in Fig. 7. Providing such information to users can give a sense of security to users waiting for a bus.

[0047] Next, the configuration of the in-vehicle device 300 will be described. The on-board device 300 is a computer installed on an on-demand bus. The on-board device 300 communicates with the server device 200 to exchange information related to operation. The in-vehicle device 300 may also serve as a device that provides information to bus crew or passengers. For example, the in-vehicle device 300 may be a device that provides guidance to passengers (hereinafter referred to as operation-related device). Examples of operation-related devices include devices that control destination displays and broadcasting devices on the bus. The in-vehicle device 300 may also be an electronic control unit (ECU) included in a vehicle platform, or a data communication module (DCM) having a communication function. The in-vehicle device 300 has a function of performing wireless communication with an external network, and may have a function of downloading traffic information, road map data, and the like by communicating with the external network.

[0048] The in-vehicle device 300 can be configured as a computer having a processor such as a CPU or GPU, a main memory such as a RAM or ROM, and an auxiliary memory such as an EPROM, a hard disk drive, or removable media. The auxiliary memory stores an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, etc., and by executing the programs stored therein, various functions that match predetermined purposes, as described below, can be realized. However, some or all of the functions may be realized by hardware circuits such as ASICs or FPGAs.

[0049] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing in detail the components of the on-board device 300 mounted on the bus (vehicle 10). The in-vehicle device 300 includes a control unit 301 , a storage unit 302 , a communication unit 303 , and an input / output unit 304 .

[0050] The control unit 301 is a computing unit that executes predetermined programs to realize various functions of the in-vehicle device 300. The control unit 301 may be realized by, for example, a CPU or the like. The control unit 301 may realize its functions by causing the CPU to execute stored programs.

[0051] The control unit 301 acquires or generates data relating to bus operation and the vehicle itself (hereinafter referred to as vehicle data) at a predetermined timing, and transmits the data to the server device 200. The vehicle data includes, for example, route information (planned driving route), position information (current driving position), vehicle information, and the like.

[0052] FIG. 10 shows an example of vehicle data. The vehicle data includes fields for vehicle ID, date and time information, route information, location information, and vehicle information. The vehicle ID field stores an identifier that uniquely identifies the vehicle. The date and time information field stores the date and time when the vehicle data was generated. The route information field stores information about the bus route. The location information field stores the section where the bus is currently traveling. The location information may be expressed, for example, by latitude and longitude, or by a bus stop identifier. The location information may be, for example, information such as "traveling between bus stops X1 and X2." The location information may be acquired, for example, via a GPS module provided in the bus (vehicle 10) or from the operation-related equipment described above. For example, the section in which the bus is traveling may be determined based on data acquired from the operation-related equipment. The vehicle information field stores information about on-demand bus vehicles. The vehicle information may be, for example, information about the type of bus (e.g., low-floor bus) or the facilities the bus has (e.g., wheelchair spaces, wheelchair ramps, etc.).

[0053] The storage unit 302 is a means for storing information, and is configured with storage media such as RAM, a magnetic disk, a flash memory, etc. The storage unit 302 stores various programs executed by the control unit 301, data used by the programs, etc.

[0054] The communication unit 303 includes an antenna and a communication module for wireless communication. The antenna is an antenna element for inputting and outputting wireless signals. In this embodiment, the antenna is suitable for mobile communication (e.g., mobile communication such as 3G, LTE, or 5G). The antenna may be configured to include multiple physical antennas. For example, when performing mobile communication using radio waves in high frequency bands such as microwaves or millimeter waves, multiple antennas may be distributed and arranged to stabilize communication. The communication module is a module for performing mobile communication.

[0055] The input / output unit 304 is a means for accepting input operations and presenting information. In this embodiment, it is made up of a single touch panel display. That is, it is made up of a liquid crystal display and its control means, and a touch panel and its control means.

[0056] 2, 4, and 9 are merely examples, and all or part of the illustrated functions may be performed using dedicated circuits. Furthermore, programs may be stored or executed using a combination of a main memory device and an auxiliary memory device other than those illustrated.

[0057] Next, the processing executed by each device will be described. 11 is a sequence diagram of a process for accepting a ride reservation through interaction between the user device 100 and the server device 200. The illustrated process is started based on an operation by the user.

[0058] First, in step S11, the user device 100 (request unit 1011) generates a boarding request. In this step, the user inputs a desired boarding point, a desired disembarking point, a desired boarding time, etc. via a predetermined interface. The request unit 1011 transmits the generated boarding request to the server device 200 (request acquisition unit 2011).

[0059] The boarding requests acquired by the server device 200 are accumulated in the server device 200 until a predetermined trigger occurs. The trigger may be generated periodically (for example, every 10 minutes) or at a predetermined time. When a predetermined trigger occurs, the process of step S12 starts.

[0060] In step S12, the operation management unit 2012 determines the boarding and alighting points and times for users based on multiple boarding requests in accordance with predetermined rules, and creates an operation plan including these points and times. When the operation plan is generated, the operation management unit 2012 generates boarding information and transmits it to the user device 100, and the request unit 1011 outputs it (step S13). The boarding information is information for providing guidance regarding boarding, and as described with reference to FIG. 7, includes information regarding the boarding point, boarding time, disembarking point, and fellow passengers. This allows the user to confirm that the boarding reservation has been made.

[0061] FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram of a process in which the user device 100 transmits location information to the server device 200. As shown in FIG. In this embodiment, when the time until the bus arrives falls below a predetermined time (e.g., 30 minutes), the user device 100 periodically starts transmitting location information to the server device 200. The server device 200 also collects location information from multiple user devices 100 and determines whether the corresponding user has already arrived at the destination bus stop.

[0062] In step S21, the guiding unit 1012 determines whether the time remaining until boarding is less than a predetermined value. If the time remaining until boarding is less than the predetermined value (e.g., 30 minutes), the process proceeds to step S22, where the guiding unit 1012 acquires the location information of the device via the location information acquisition unit 105. The acquired location information is transmitted to the server device 200.

[0063] In step S23, the server device 200 (information providing unit 2013) determines whether the corresponding user has already arrived at the bus stop based on the acquired location information. As indicated by reference numeral 601 in FIG. 6, the operation data 202C has a flag (arrival flag) for each user indicating whether the user has already arrived at the bus stop. The information providing unit 2013 reflects the result of the determination in the arrival flag. By referring to the arrival flag, the server device 200 can notify any user whether other users who will board the same bus have arrived at the bus stop.

[0064] After the ride reservation is established, the user device 100 can check the ride information at any time. Fig. 13 is a sequence diagram of a process in which the server device 200 provides ride information in response to a request from the user device 100. In step S31, the guiding unit 1012 requests the server device 200 to transmit boarding information. In this step, an identifier of the boarding reservation (reservation ID) is transmitted from the user device 100 to the server device 200, and the server device 200 (information providing unit 2013) identifies the boarding reservation based on the identifier and generates boarding information.

[0065] In step S32, the server device 200 acquires information about the operation of the bus that the target user plans to board (for example, the boarding point, the boarding time, etc.). The information can be extracted by searching the operation data 202C using the reservation ID as a key. In addition, in step S33, information about fellow passengers is acquired. Information about users (fellow passengers) who board the bus at the same time as a certain user can be extracted by searching the operation data 202C and the user data 202B. Here, information about the number, gender, and age of fellow passengers is extracted.

[0066] In step S34, it is determined whether an arrival flag has been set for the fellow passenger. If the arrival flag has not been set for the fellow passenger, the process proceeds to step S35, where boarding information is generated that does not include the fellow passenger's arrival status. If the arrival flag has been set for the fellow passenger, the process proceeds to step S36, where boarding information is generated that includes the fellow passenger's arrival status. The generated boarding information is transmitted to the user device 100 and output in step S37. Fig. 8 is an example of a screen generated based on boarding information that does not include the arrival status of fellow passengers, and Fig. 14 is an example of a screen generated based on boarding information that does include the arrival status of fellow passengers. This allows users who have made a reservation to know who will be boarding the bus at the same time as them. Also, as shown in the example in Figure 14, users can know whether the people who will be boarding the bus at the same time as them have already arrived at the bus stop.

[0067] As described above, in the transportation system according to the first embodiment, the server device 200 manages information about users boarding buses from dynamically set bus stops, and provides this information to the user in response to a request from the user device 100. With this configuration, a user boarding a bus can recognize the attributes of people who will be boarding the bus with him / her and whether or not the passengers have already arrived at the bus stop. In addition, the user can recognize whether or not people near the bus stop are bus users, which can reduce anxiety when waiting on the road.

[0068] (Second embodiment) In the first embodiment, the server device 200 determines the points where the user gets on and off the bus. However, depending on the country or region, there may be cases where it is not appropriate to continue waiting for the bus at the designated point due to security or other reasons. The second embodiment is an embodiment that assumes such a case and allows the bus boarding and disembarking points to be changed after the fact based on a request from a user.

[0069] FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a transportation system according to the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, after a reservation is confirmed, the user device 100 can transmit a request to change the location of the bus stop (change request) to the server device 200. Upon receiving the change request, the server device 200 changes the location of the bus stop according to a predetermined procedure and transmits the changed location of the bus stop to both the user device 100 and the in-vehicle device 300.

[0070] In the second embodiment, the guidance unit 1012 is configured to be able to output a user interface for sending a change request. Fig. 16 is an example of a screen output by the guidance unit 1012. This screen can be displayed, for example, when the time until the bus arrival time falls below a predetermined time.

[0071] 17 is a flowchart of the process for changing the location of a bus stop. The process shown in the figure starts when a user presses button 1601 to request a change in the location of a bus stop. When a user presses a button to request a change in the location of a bus stop (step S41), the request is sent to the server device 200, and the operation control unit 2012 executes a process to change the location of the bus stop (step S42).

[0072] The bus stop location is changed according to the following procedure. (1) Identify a specified range centered on the previous position The predetermined range may be, for example, a range that can be traveled on foot. (2) Select facilities within a specified range For example, facilities that are safer than roadside facilities, such as facilities where people gather, are extracted. If multiple facilities are extracted, one of them may be selected based on the number of people or the size of the facility. (3) Set the new bus stop near the selected facility. The new bus stop is set near the extracted facility (for example, within 30 m of the main entrance).

[0073] When the location of the bus stop is changed, data notifying the change is transmitted from the server device 200 to the user device 100 (step S43A). In addition, similar data is transmitted from the server device 200 to the in-vehicle device 300 (step S43B). In this embodiment, an example is given in which the server device 200 automatically selects the new bus stop location, but if there are multiple candidates, those locations may be sent to the user device 100 so that the user can select one.

[0074] The control unit 301 of the in-vehicle device 300 receives the notification sent from the server device 200 and notifies the bus driver of the "changed bus stop location" via the input / output unit 304. The notification may be made visually or by audio or the like. The input / output unit 304 is a unit that outputs information, and includes, for example, a display device and an audio output device. If operation-related equipment is installed on the bus, the input / output unit 304 may output images, audio, or the like in cooperation with the equipment.

[0075] 18 is an example of a screen output by operation-related equipment. The operation-related equipment includes, for example, a monitor device installed near the driver's seat. The monitor device usually outputs information about operation (current time, bus stops to be reached, estimated arrival time, etc.). In this example, a message indicating that the bus stop location has changed is output to the area corresponding to the bus stop (X3) where the target passenger is scheduled to board. The control unit 301 may also output a detailed map showing the new bus stop location. This allows the bus driver to recognize where to stop the bus.

[0076] In the present embodiment, an example has been given in which the location of a bus stop is changed at the request of a user, but the server device 200 may also voluntarily suggest a change in the location of a bus stop. For example, when making a reservation for a ride, the server device 200 may suggest a change in the location of a bus stop if certain conditions are met, such as "there are no fellow passengers," "the boarding point is a place with little foot traffic," or "the boarding time is at night." Furthermore, even if the predetermined conditions are not met, if there are facilities with high crime prevention capabilities in the vicinity, a proposal may be made to set up a bus stop near the facility.

[0077] In addition, if there are other passengers boarding at the same bus stop, the bus stop location may be changed based on the result of interaction between the passenger and the user device carried by the passenger. Furthermore, the bus stop location may be changed only when there are no other passengers boarding at the same bus stop.

[0078] (Variation) The above-described embodiment is merely an example, and the present disclosure can be modified and implemented as appropriate within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the disclosure. For example, the processes and means described in this disclosure can be freely combined and implemented as long as no technical contradiction occurs.

[0079] Furthermore, in the description of the embodiment, gender and age are exemplified as information about the passengers, but other information may be used as long as it can be recognized from appearance.

[0080] Furthermore, a process described as being performed by one device may be shared and executed by multiple devices. Alternatively, a process described as being performed by different devices may be executed by a single device. In a computer system, the hardware configuration (server configuration) by which each function is realized can be flexibly changed.

[0081] The present disclosure can also be realized by supplying a computer program that implements the functions described in the above embodiments to a computer, and having one or more processors in the computer read and execute the program. Such a computer program can be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that can be connected to the system bus of the computer. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may be provided to a computer via a network, etc. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable storage media include any type of disk, such as a magnetic disk (e.g., a floppy disk, a hard disk drive (HDD), etc.), an optical disk (e.g., a CD-ROM, a DVD disk, a Blu-ray disk), a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an EPROM, an EEPROM, a magnetic card, a flash memory, an optical card, and any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 10. Vehicle 100...User device 200 Server device 300...In-vehicle equipment 101, 201, 301...Control unit 102,202,302...Storage section 103,203,303···Communications Department 104,304...Input / output section 105...Location information acquisition unit

Claims

1. Transmitting user information, which is information about one or more first users who plan to board the on-demand bus from a first location set as a boarding and disembarking location of the bus, to one or more user devices associated with the one or more first users. a control unit that executes An information processing device, wherein the user information includes at least information indicating whether each of the one or more first users has arrived at the first location.

2. the user information further includes information regarding the gender of each of the one or more first users; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. the control unit acquires location information from the one or more user devices, and determines, based on the location information, whether each of the one or more first users has arrived at the first location; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

4. the control unit changes the bus boarding and alighting point from the first point to a second point within a predetermined range from the first point based on the change request transmitted from the user device; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

5. The control unit transmits information about the second location to the user device. The information processing device according to claim 4 .

6. the control unit transmits information about the second location to the user device and a mobile terminal associated with the bus; The information processing device according to claim 4 .

7. The control unit sets the second point to a location near a predetermined facility. The information processing device according to claim 4 .

8. the control unit, when a predetermined facility is located near the first location, suggests setting the second location near the predetermined facility. The information processing device according to claim 4 .

9. An information processing device associated with a user who rides on an on-demand bus, Receiving user information, which is information about one or more first users who plan to board the bus from a first point set as a boarding and disembarking point of the bus, from a server device that manages the operation of the bus. a control unit that executes the control unit transmits location information to the server device; an information processing device that receives, from the server device, the user information including at least information indicating whether each of the one or more first users has already arrived at the first location;

10. the control unit transmits a boarding request including attribute information of the user to the server device, and acquires, from the server device, information about the first location set based on the boarding request and the user information; The information processing device according to claim 9 .

11. The attribute information includes at least information regarding gender, the user information further includes information regarding the gender of each of the one or more first users; The information processing device according to claim 10.

12. Whether each of the one or more first users has arrived at the first location is determined by the server device based on a plurality of pieces of location information. The information processing device according to claim 9 .

13. the control unit transmits to the server device, based on a request from the user, a change request to change the bus boarding and alighting point from the first point to a second point within a predetermined range from the first point; The information processing device according to any one of claims 9 to 12.

14. the control unit receives, from the server device, information regarding the second location determined by the server device; The information processing device according to claim 13.

15. a server device that manages the operation of buses that are operated on demand; a user device associated with a user boarding the bus; An information processing system comprising: The user device Sending a bus boarding request to the server device; The server device generating user information, which is information about one or more first users who plan to board the bus from a first location, based on the boarding request; transmitting the user information to the user devices associated with the one or more first users; The user device further transmits location information to the server device; The server device, based on the location information received from one or more of the user devices, determining whether each of the one or more first users has arrived at the first location; Information processing system.

16. The ride request includes attribute information of the user, the server device generates the user information based on the attribute information.

16. The information processing system according to claim 15.

17. the server device transmits the user information to the one or more user devices, the user information including at least information indicating whether each of the one or more first users has arrived at the first location; 16. The information processing system according to claim 15.

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