Vehicle allocation planning device and vehicle allocation planning method

Abstract

To create a vehicle allocation plan indicating a combination of routes that can improve comfort of users.SOLUTION: A vehicle allocation plan device holds stop place information indicating a stop place corresponding to each passenger; generates a plurality of routes with one or more stop places; generates a combination of routes included in the plurality of routes via all stop places; for each generated combination, calculates a comfort level of a user on a route included in the combination based on the stop places included in the route; and generates information for outputting a vehicle allocation plan indicating the combination with the highest calculated comfort level among the generated combinations.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle allocation planning device and a vehicle allocation planning method. [Background technology]

[0002] JP 2019-086993 A (Patent Document 1) is a background technology in this technical field. This publication states that "a transportation support system 1 includes a memory 10 and a program 20. The memory 10 includes a care recipient information storage area 11, a boarding / alighting time storage area 12 that stores boarding / alighting time information for each care recipient, and a travel time storage area 13 that stores vehicle travel time information. The program 20 includes an extraction program 28 that extracts specific care recipient information, a route calculation program 22 that calculates a route based on the specific care recipient information, an arrival time calculation program 23 that calculates the arrival time at a transportation location on the route, a travel time calculation program 24 that calculates the vehicle's stop time and travel time based on the reception of an external signal, and an update program 25 that updates the boarding / alighting time information and travel time information" (see Abstract). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-086993 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The technology described in Patent Document 1 aims to reduce time loss in transporting care recipients by improving the accuracy of calculation of arrival times at the care recipient's pickup and drop-off locations, but does not consider creating a route that improves the comfort level of the care recipient while on board. Therefore, one aspect of the present invention creates a vehicle allocation plan consisting of a combination of routes that improves the user's comfort level. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above problem, one aspect of the present invention employs the following configuration: A vehicle dispatch planning device includes a processor and a memory, the memory holds stop location information indicating stops corresponding to each passenger, the processor generates a plurality of routes each passing through one or more of the stops, generates combinations of routes included in the plurality of routes that pass through all of the stops, calculates, for each of the combinations, a user comfort level for the route included in the combination based on the stops included in the route, and generates information for outputting a vehicle dispatch plan indicating the combination with the highest calculated comfort level among the generated combinations. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to create a vehicle allocation plan that indicates a combination of routes that improves the comfort level of users.

[0007] Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle allocation planning system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a vehicle allocation planning server according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 3 is an example of user information according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is an example of stop location information according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is an example of visit schedule information in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 3 is an example of vehicle usage information according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8]FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of an overall process performed by the vehicle allocation planning server in the first embodiment. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a route creation process according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a route shape condition in the first embodiment. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a vehicle allocation plan creation process according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a method for calculating a second evaluation value in the first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the same components are generally designated by the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations will be omitted. It should be noted that this embodiment is merely an example for realizing the present invention, and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention. [Example]

[0010] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle allocation planning system. The vehicle allocation planning system includes a vehicle allocation planning server 101 and one or more terminals 102 connected via a network 103 such as the Internet.

[0011] The terminal 102 is, for example, a terminal held by a facility that owns vehicles. The terminal 102 transmits various information, such as vehicle information and usage information input by a user of the terminal 102, to the vehicle allocation planning server 101. The vehicle allocation planning server 101 creates a vehicle allocation plan based on the vehicle information and usage information, and transmits the created vehicle allocation plan to the terminal 102.

[0012] In this embodiment, the vehicle dispatch plan server 101 creates a route and a vehicle dispatch plan for a vehicle to depart from a departure point, visit one or more stops where users (passengers) are present, pick up the users, and return to the departure point with the users (i.e., the destination coincides with the departure point).

[0013] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the vehicle allocation planning server 101. The vehicle allocation planning server 101 is configured by a computer having, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 201, an auxiliary storage device 202, a memory 203, a communication device 204, an input device 205, and an output device 206.

[0014] The CPU 201 includes a processor and executes programs stored in the memory 203. The memory 203 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory), which is a non-volatile storage element, and a RAM (Random Access Memory), which is a volatile storage element. The ROM stores unchanging programs (e.g., a BIOS (Basic Input / Output System)). The RAM is a high-speed, volatile storage element such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), and temporarily stores programs executed by the CPU 201 and data used when the programs are executed.

[0015] The auxiliary storage device 202 is a large-capacity, non-volatile storage device such as a magnetic storage device (HDD (Hard Disk Drive)) or a flash memory (SSD (Solid State Drive)), and stores programs to be executed by the CPU 201 and data to be used when the programs are executed. That is, the programs are read from the auxiliary storage device 202, loaded into the memory 203, and executed by the CPU 201.

[0016] The input device 205 is a device such as a keyboard or mouse that receives input from an operator. The output device 206 is a device such as a display device or printer that outputs the results of program execution in a format that can be viewed by the operator.

[0017] The communication device 204 is a network interface device that controls communication with other devices in accordance with a predetermined protocol. The communication device 204 may also include a serial interface such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus).

[0018] Some or all of the programs executed by the CPU 201 may be provided to the vehicle dispatch planning server 101 from a removable medium (such as a CD-ROM or flash memory) that is a non-transitory storage medium, or from an external computer equipped with a non-transitory storage device via a network, and stored in the non-volatile auxiliary storage device 202 that is a non-transitory storage medium. For this reason, the vehicle dispatch planning server 101 should preferably have an interface for reading data from removable media. The same applies to the terminal 102.

[0019] The vehicle dispatch planning server 101 is a computer system that is configured on one physical computer or on multiple logically or physically configured computers, and may run on separate threads on the same computer, or may run on a virtual computer built on multiple physical computer resources. The same applies to the terminal 102.

[0020] The CPU 201 includes, for example, a terminal communication function 211, a route creation function 212, and a vehicle allocation plan creation function 213. The terminal communication function 211 communicates with the terminal 102, transmits and receives information, and, as necessary, displays the transmitted and received information on the output device 206 or transmits the transmitted and received information to another system. The route creation function 212 creates a route for the vehicle to take (a route that departs from a departure point, visits the user's stops in order to pick up the user, and returns to the departure point). The vehicle allocation plan creation function 213 generates a vehicle allocation plan based on the route created by the route creation function 212.

[0021] For example, the CPU 201 functions as a terminal communication function 211 by operating in accordance with a terminal communication program loaded into the memory 203, and functions as a route creation function 212 by operating in accordance with a route creation program loaded into the memory 203. The same relationship exists between the programs and the function units for the other function units included in the CPU 201. The same relationship exists between the programs and the function units for the function units included in the CPU 301 of the terminal 102, which will be described later.

[0022] In addition, some or all of the functions of the functional units included in CPU 201 and CPU 301 of terminal 102 may be realized by hardware such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array).

[0023] The auxiliary storage device 202 stores, for example, user information 221, stop location information 222, visit schedule information 223, and vehicle usage information 224. The user information 221 includes information about users who are the targets of vehicle pickup. The stop location information 222 indicates the locations where the vehicle will stop to pick up each user. The visit schedule information 223 indicates the desired time (time period) when the user will be at the stop location (i.e., when the vehicle will stop at the stop location). The vehicle usage information 224 indicates the available time period for each vehicle.

[0024] In addition, some or all of the information stored in the auxiliary storage device 202 and the auxiliary storage device 302 of the terminal 102 described below may be stored in memory 203 and memory 303, respectively, or may be stored in a database connected to the device.

[0025] In this embodiment, the information used by the data management system does not depend on the data structure and may be expressed in any data structure. In this embodiment, the information is expressed in a table format, but the information can be stored in an appropriately selected data structure from, for example, a list, a database, or a queue.

[0026] 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the terminal 102. The terminal 102 is configured by a computer having a CPU 301, an auxiliary storage device 302, a memory 303, a communication device 304, an input device 305, and an output device 306, for example.

[0027] The hardware description of CPU 301, auxiliary storage device 302, memory 303, communication device 304, input device 305, and output device 306 is omitted here because it is the same as the hardware description of CPU 201, auxiliary storage device 202, memory 203, communication device 204, input device 205, and output device 206.

[0028] The CPU 301 includes, for example, a server communication function 311. The server communication function 311 communicates with the vehicle dispatch planning server 101 to transmit and receive information, and, as necessary, displays the transmitted and received information on the output device 306 or transmits the transmitted and received information to another system. The auxiliary storage device 302 stores, for example, vehicle allocation plan information 321. The vehicle allocation plan information 321 indicates a vehicle allocation plan received from the vehicle allocation plan server 101.

[0029] 4 is an example of user information 221. The user information 221 includes, for example, a name field 2211, an address field 2212, a latitude field 2213, and a longitude field 2214. The name field 2211 holds information indicating the name of the user. The address field 2212 holds information indicating the address of the user. The latitude field 2213 holds information indicating the latitude of the user's address. The longitude field 2214 holds information indicating the longitude of the user's address.

[0030] FIG. 5 is an example of the stop location information 222. The stop location information 222 includes, for example, a user column 2221, a distance from departure column 2222, a latitude column 2223, and a longitude column 2224. The user column 2221 holds information indicating the name of the user. The distance from departure column 2222 holds information indicating the distance from the departure point of the vehicle to the stop location for picking up the user. The latitude column 2223 holds information indicating the latitude of the stop location for picking up the user. The longitude column 2224 holds information indicating the longitude of the stop location for picking up the user. Note that the stop location information 222 may further include information indicating the latitude and longitude of the departure point.

[0031] 6 is an example of the visit schedule information 223. The visit schedule information 223 includes, for example, a user column 2231 and a desired visit time period column 2232. The user column 2231 holds information indicating the name of the user. The desired visit time period column 2232 holds information indicating the time period (the time period desired by the user) when the vehicle will visit the stop to pick up the user.

[0032] 7 is an example of vehicle usage information 224. The vehicle usage information 224 includes, for example, a vehicle name column 2241 and an availability column 2242. The vehicle name column 2241 holds information indicating the vehicle name that identifies the vehicle. The availability column 2242 holds information indicating whether each vehicle is available for use for each time period (for example, the "7:00" column stores information indicating whether each vehicle is available for use between 7:00 and 7:15).

[0033] 8 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the overall processing by the vehicle allocation planning server 101. The overall processing shown in FIG. 8 is executed, for example, for each day on which a vehicle allocation plan is created. The server communication function 311 of the terminal 102 accepts input of user information, stop location information, visit schedule information, and vehicle use information from the user of the terminal 102 via, for example, the input device 305, and transmits the input user information (S801), stop location information (S802), visit schedule information (S803), and vehicle use information (S804) to the vehicle allocation planning server 101.

[0034] The terminal communication function 211 of the vehicle dispatch planning server 101 stores the received user information, stop location information, visit schedule information, and vehicle usage information in user information 221 (S805), stop location information 222 (S806), visit schedule information 223 (S807), and vehicle usage information 224 (S808), respectively.

[0035] The route creation function 212 executes a route creation process (S812) by referring to the user information 221 (S809), the stop information 222 (S810), and the visit schedule information 223 (S811). The route creation process in step S812 will be described in detail later.

[0036] The vehicle allocation plan creation function 213 executes a vehicle allocation plan creation process (S814) based on the vehicle usage information 224 (S813) and the route created in the route creation process of step S812. The vehicle allocation plan creation process of step S814 will be described in detail later. The terminal communication function 211 transmits the vehicle allocation plan created by the vehicle allocation plan creation function 213 in step S814 to the terminal 102 (S815).

[0037] 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a route creation process. The route creation function 212 calculates all permutations (no overlaps allowed) for extracting k users (k=1, . . . , n) from the total number of users n included in the visit schedule information 223, and creates a pickup order for the route corresponding to each calculated permutation (for example, an order in which the vehicle departs from the departure point, visits the stops in the order of the users indicated by the permutation, picks up each user, and returns to the departure point) (S901).

[0038] The route generation function 212 adopts a route corresponding to each permutation that selects one user from n users (i.e., a route in which a vehicle departs from a departure point, visits stops corresponding to only one user, picks up that one user, and returns to the departure point) (S902). The route generation function 212 sets k=2 (S903). The route generation function 212 selects one unselected permutation from the permutations that select k users from n users (S904).

[0039] The route generation function 212 sets i=2 (S905). The route generation function 212 determines whether the stop of the ith user in the selected permutation satisfies all of the route shape conditions (S906). Note that in step S906, the route generation function 212 does not need to make duplicate determinations of route shape conditions for overlapping users (for example, the route shape conditions for user 2 are the same for a route corresponding to permutation P1 of user 1, user 2, user 3, and user 4 and a route corresponding to permutation P2 of user 1, user 2, user 4, and user 3 (because both routes to reach the stop corresponding to user 2 are the same), so it is sufficient to determine the route shape conditions for user 2 for only one of the routes). The route shape conditions are described below.

[0040] Fig. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a route shape condition. The example in Fig. 10 is an example of checking the route shape condition for a route in which a vehicle departs from a departure point, visits stop A, stop B, stop C, and stop D in that order, and then returns to the departure point.

[0041] There are no route shape conditions for the first stop, stop A. The route shape conditions for the second and subsequent stops, stop B, stop C, and stop D, include, for example, that the stops are included in selectable area 1001.

[0042] In the example of FIG. 10, the selectable area 1001 has a shape formed by combining two rectangles (a shape resembling a T rotated 90 degrees to the right). One of the two rectangles is defined by a side of length 2W and a side of length L (where the length of a line segment (hereinafter also referred to as line segment l) connecting the departure point and stop A (the stop farthest from the departure point) is 2L) (the side is determined by the stop information 222). The midpoint of one side of length 2W (W is determined in advance, for example) is located at the departure point, and the midpoint of the other side of length 2W is located at the midpoint of line segment l. The other of the two rectangles is defined by a side of length 4W and a side of length L. The midpoint of one side of length 4W is located at the first stop A, and the midpoint of the other side of length 4W is located at the midpoint of line segment l.

[0043] In this way, the selectable area 1001 is defined so that, for example, the width perpendicular to the line segment l increases as the area moves away from the departure point. Therefore, for example, the selectable area 1001 may be an isosceles triangle, including the departure point as a vertex, with a line segment of length 2W perpendicular to the line segment l and a line segment of length 2L whose midpoint passes through the first stop location A as the opposite side of the vertex. By defining the selectable area 1001 in such a shape, the width (perpendicular to the line segment l) within which a vehicle can move narrows as the area gets closer to the departure point, thereby making the user feel that the vehicle is not making any unnecessary movements when the vehicle carrying the user is returning to the departure point. Note that the selectable area 1001 may be a predetermined area with a predetermined width perpendicular to the line segment l. That is, the selectable area 1001 may be defined so that, for example, the width perpendicular to the line segment l decreases as the area moves away from the departure point, or may be constant, or may be defined so that it repeatedly narrows and widens.

[0044] Furthermore, the route shape conditions for the second and subsequent stops, stop B, stop C, and stop D, may include that the distance of the stop from the departure point is shorter than the distance from the departure point of the previous stop (as shown in the distance from departure point field 2222 of stop information 222). This allows a route that gets closer to the departure point to be selected after at least one user has boarded the vehicle, making the user feel that the vehicle is not making any unnecessary travel when it is returning to the departure point with the user on board.

[0045] Furthermore, the route shape condition for each stop (excluding the second and subsequent stops) may include the angle between the stop, the previous stop, and the next stop being equal to or greater than a predetermined value (but not greater than 180 degrees). In other words, in the example of FIG. 10, the angle ABC for the second stop B and the angle BCD for the third stop C must each be equal to or greater than the predetermined value to satisfy the route shape condition. The predetermined value may be, for example, 100 degrees or an obtuse angle. By including the angle equal to or greater than the predetermined value in the route shape condition, a route returning to a position close to a stop that has already been visited is not selected, allowing the user to feel that the vehicle is not making unnecessary trips when the vehicle is returning to the starting point.

[0046] Furthermore, the route shape conditions for stop B, stop C, and stop D, which are the second and subsequent stops, include satisfying the desired visit time slot indicated in the visit schedule information 223. For stop B, the route creation function 212 may confirm whether the route shape conditions are satisfied by determining whether the travel time calculated from the positions of the first stop A and the second stop B (specified by the latitude and longitude indicated in the stop information 222) and a predetermined speed, added to the user's desired visit time slot corresponding to the first stop A indicated in the visit schedule information 223, overlaps with the user's desired visit time slot corresponding to the second stop B indicated in the visit schedule information 223. As a result, for each route, the time slot (time) at which the vehicle stops at each stop, the time slot (time) at which the vehicle departs from the departure point, and the time slot (time) at which the vehicle arrives at (returns to) the departure point are specified.

[0047] Returning to the explanation of Figure 9, if the route generation function 212 determines that the ith user stop location in the selected sequence satisfies all of the route shape conditions (S906: Yes), it determines whether i = k (S907). If the route generation function 212 determines that i = k does not hold (S907: No), it sets i = i + 1 (S908) and returns to step S906.

[0048] If the route creation function 212 determines that the stop location of the i-th user in the selected permutation does not satisfy any of the route shape conditions (S906: No), it determines that the stop location of the i-th user in the selected permutation is to be deleted from the route corresponding to the permutation (S909), and transitions to step S907.

[0049] If the route generation function 212 determines that i=k (S907: Yes), it adopts the route that has been regenerated by deleting the users corresponding to the stops determined to be deleted from the selected permutation (S910). The route generation function 212 determines whether all permutations for extracting k users from n users have been selected (S911). If the route generation function 212 determines that there is an unselected permutation for extracting k users from n users (S911: No), it returns to step S904.

[0050] When the route creation function 212 determines that all permutations for extracting k users from n users have been selected (S911: Yes), it determines whether k=n (S912). When the route creation function 212 determines that k=n is not true (S912: No), it sets k=k+1 (S913) and returns to step S904. When the route creation function 212 determines that k=n is true (S912: Yes), it ends the route creation process.

[0051] 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a vehicle allocation plan creation process. The vehicle allocation plan creation function 213 calculates an evaluation value for each route adopted in step S910 (S1101). The vehicle allocation plan creation function 213 may calculate one of a first evaluation value or a second evaluation value described below as the evaluation value in step S1101, or may calculate a value obtained by combining the first evaluation value and the second evaluation value as the evaluation value in step S1101. The first evaluation value and the second evaluation value are indexes that indicate the comfort level of the user.

[0052] The first evaluation value is a value that increases as the user's riding time on the route decreases. Specifically, for example, the first evaluation value is determined by a decreasing function that decreases as the user's maximum riding time on the route (i.e., the user's riding time at the stop farthest from the departure point) increases. The vehicle allocation plan creation function 213 can calculate the user's maximum riding time (i.e., the user's riding time at the stop farthest from the departure point) using, for example, the positions of each stop on the route (specified by the latitude and longitude indicated by the stop information 222), the distance from the departure point to the position of the last stop, and a predetermined speed. Furthermore, for example, the first evaluation value may be calculated by a decreasing function that decreases as the total riding time of all users on the route increases.

[0053] By having the dispatch plan creation function 213 create a dispatch plan based on the first evaluation value, it becomes easier to generate a dispatch plan that shortens the user's ride time, thereby reducing user discomfort caused by a long ride time.

[0054] The second evaluation value is a value that increases as the stops along the route are closer to each other. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a method for calculating the second evaluation value. For example, the vehicle allocation plan creation function 213 generates perpendicular lines that pass through positions obtained by dividing a line connecting the departure point and the first stop A into predetermined equal parts (four equal parts in the example of FIG. 12). Scores are predetermined for each group divided by these perpendicular lines (the closer the group to the first stop, the higher the score is set), and the vehicle allocation plan creation function 213 calculates the second evaluation value by adding up the scores of the groups to which each stop belongs. In the route in the example of FIG. 12, stop A and stop B belong to group 4, and stop A and stop B also belong to group 4, so the second evaluation value is 8 + 8 + 4 + 4 = 24.

[0055] Furthermore, for example, the second evaluation value may be calculated using an increasing function that assumes a higher value as the radius of the smallest circle that includes all the stops on the route (which may be a predetermined percentage or more of the stops on the route) increases.Also, for example, the second evaluation value may be calculated using a decreasing function that assumes a lower value as the proportion of the time from when a user corresponding to the first stop boards until when a user corresponding to the last stop boards in the boarding time of the user corresponding to the first stop increases.

[0056] By the vehicle dispatch plan creation function 213 creating a vehicle dispatch plan based on the second evaluation value, stopping locations tend to be concentrated in a nearby area, so that users feel that the vehicle is not making detours (not taking a long route), which in turn reduces the discomfort users feel while riding.

[0057] In addition, when the vehicle dispatch plan creation function 213 calculates the evaluation value as the integrated value of the first evaluation value and the second evaluation value in step S1101, it may, for example, calculate the evaluation value by simply adding or multiplying the first evaluation value and the second evaluation value, or it may calculate the evaluation value as a weighted sum of the first evaluation value and the second evaluation value, or it may use a predetermined statistical quantity, such as calculating the average of the standard deviation of the first evaluation value and the standard deviation of the second evaluation value.

[0058] Returning to the explanation of Figure 11, the vehicle allocation plan creation function 213 searches for a combination of routes using available vehicles indicated by the vehicle usage information 224 (S1102). Specifically, for each route, the vehicle allocation plan creation function 213 refers to the vehicle usage information 224 to identify vehicles that are available from the time of departure from the departure point to the time of return to the departure point (hereinafter also simply referred to as available vehicles). Furthermore, the vehicle allocation plan creation function 213 identifies a combination of routes (consisting of one or more routes) that includes all of the users' stopping locations without overlapping and to which available vehicles can be assigned without overlapping.

[0059] The vehicle allocation plan creation function 213 selects the combination of routes identified in step S1102 that has the highest total value of the evaluation values ​​calculated in step S1101 for the routes included in the combination (S1103), and terminates the vehicle allocation plan creation process.

[0060] 8, the vehicle allocation plan creation function 213 generates a vehicle allocation plan including the route combination selected in step S1103, the vehicles to be used for each route included in the combination, and the time at which the vehicle departs from the departure point, the time at which the vehicle stops at each stop, and the time at which the vehicle returns to the departure point for each route included in the combination, and the terminal communication function 211 transmits the generated vehicle allocation plan to the terminal 102. The server communication function 311 of the terminal 102 stores the received vehicle allocation plan in, for example, vehicle allocation plan information 321 and displays it on the output device 306.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an example has been described in which the vehicle dispatch planning server 101 generates a vehicle dispatch plan (also called a pick-up vehicle dispatch plan) in which a vehicle departs from a departure point, goes to a stop to pick up a user, picks up the user, and finally returns to the departure point. However, the vehicle dispatch planning server 101 may also generate a vehicle dispatch plan (also called a drop-off vehicle dispatch plan) in which a vehicle carrying a user departs from a departure point, goes to a stop to drop off the user, and returns to the departure point once all passengers have been dropped off.

[0062] However, when the vehicle dispatch plan server 101 generates a drop-off vehicle dispatch plan, it differs from when it generates a pick-up vehicle dispatch plan in the following respects. First, each permutation calculated in step S901 indicates a route in which a vehicle carrying users included in the permutation departs from the departure point, visits stops in the order of the users indicated by the permutation, drops off each user, and returns to the departure point. Also, the condition that the distance from the departure point of the second or subsequent stop, which may be included in the route shape condition for generating a pick-up vehicle dispatch plan, is shorter than the distance from the departure point of the previous stop, needs to be interpreted as a condition that the distance from the departure point of the current stop is longer than the distance from the departure point of the previous stop.

[0063] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those including all of the described configurations. Furthermore, it is possible to replace part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, or to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, it is possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations.

[0064] Furthermore, the above-described configurations, functions, processing units, processing means, etc. may be partially or entirely implemented in hardware, for example, by designing them as integrated circuits. The above-described configurations, functions, etc. may also be implemented in software, with a processor interpreting and executing a program that implements each function. Information such as the programs, tables, and files that implement each function can be stored in a memory, a recording device such as a hard disk or SSD (Solid State Drive), or a recording medium such as an IC card, SD card, or DVD.

[0065] In addition, the control lines and information lines shown are those that are considered necessary for the explanation, and do not necessarily show all the control lines and information lines in the product. In reality, it can be assumed that almost all components are interconnected. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 101 vehicle allocation planning server, 102 terminal, 201 CPU, 202 auxiliary storage device, 203 memory, 204 communication device, 205 input device, 206 output device, 211 terminal communication function, 212 route creation function, 213 vehicle allocation planning function, 221 user information, 222 stop location information, 223 visit schedule information, 224 vehicle usage information, 301 CPU, 302 auxiliary storage device, 303 memory, 304 communication device, 305 input device, 306 output device, 311 server communication function, 321 vehicle allocation planning information

Claims

1. A vehicle dispatch planning device, a processor and a memory, The memory stores stop information indicating stop locations corresponding to each passenger, The processor: generating a plurality of routes, each of which passes through one or more of said stops; generating a combination of routes included in the plurality of routes that passes through all of the stops; For each of the combinations, calculate a user's comfort level for the route included in the combination based on the stops included in the route; generating information for outputting a vehicle allocation plan indicating a combination with the highest calculated comfort level among the generated combinations; A vehicle allocation planning device that generates each of the plurality of routes such that an angle defined by three stops that are passed through in order on each of the plurality of routes is equal to or greater than a predetermined value and is equal to or less than 180 degrees.

2. A vehicle dispatch planning device, a processor and a memory, The memory stores stop information indicating stop locations corresponding to each passenger, The processor: generating a plurality of routes, each of which passes through one or more of said stops; generating a combination of routes included in the plurality of routes that passes through all of the stops; For each of the combinations, calculate a user's comfort level for the route included in the combination based on the stops included in the route; generating information for outputting a vehicle allocation plan indicating a combination with the highest calculated comfort level among the generated combinations; each of the plurality of routes is a route that departs from a departure point, passes through one or more of the stops, and returns to the departure point; the stop information indicates a distance between the departure point and each of the stop locations, The processor refers to the stop information and generates each of the plurality of routes so that all stops on each of the plurality of routes, excluding the stop farthest from the departure point, are included in a predetermined area having a predetermined width in the perpendicular direction to a line segment connecting the departure point and the stop farthest from the departure point.

3. A vehicle dispatch planning device according to claim 2, The predetermined area is an area whose width in the direction perpendicular to the line segment increases as the area becomes farther from the departure point.

4. A vehicle dispatch planning device according to claim 2, each of the plurality of routes is a route for a vehicle that does not have a passenger on board to depart from the departure point, pass through each of the one or more stops, pick up a passenger corresponding to the stop, and return to the departure point; The processor refers to the stop information and generates each of the plurality of routes so that the later a stop is passed through, the closer it is to the departure point.

5. A vehicle dispatch planning device according to claim 2, each of the plurality of routes is a route for a vehicle carrying passengers corresponding to each of the one or more stops to depart from the departure point, pass through each of the one or more stops, drop off the passengers corresponding to the stop, and return to the departure point; The processor refers to the stop information and generates each of the plurality of routes so that the later a stop is passed through on each of the plurality of routes, the farther the distance from the departure point is.

6. A vehicle dispatch planning device, a processor and a memory, The memory stores stop information indicating stop locations corresponding to each passenger, The processor: generating a plurality of routes, each of which passes through one or more of said stops; generating a combination of routes included in the plurality of routes that passes through all of the stops; For each of the combinations, calculate a user's comfort level for the route included in the combination based on the stops included in the route; generating information for outputting a vehicle allocation plan indicating a combination with the highest calculated comfort level among the generated combinations; each of the plurality of routes is a route that departs from a departure point, passes through one or more of the stops, and returns to the departure point; the stop information indicates a distance between the departure point and each of the stop locations, The processor calculates, for each of the combinations, a ride time of the user corresponding to a stop farthest from the departure point on a route included in the combination by referring to the stop information; A vehicle allocation planning device that calculates the comfort level based on the calculated travel time.

7. A vehicle dispatch planning device, a processor and a memory, The memory stores stop information indicating stop locations corresponding to each passenger, The processor: generating a plurality of routes, each of which passes through one or more of said stops; generating a combination of routes included in the plurality of routes that passes through all of the stops; For each of the combinations, calculate a user's comfort level for the route included in the combination based on the stops included in the route; generating information for outputting a vehicle allocation plan indicating a combination with the highest calculated comfort level among the generated combinations; each of the plurality of routes is a route that departs from a departure point, passes through one or more of the stops, and returns to the departure point; The processor calculates the comfort level for each of the combinations based on a range that includes stops that are passed through on routes included in the combination.

8. A vehicle dispatch planning device according to claim 7, the stop information indicates a distance between the departure point and each of the stop locations, The processor, for each of the combinations, groups the stops included in the routes included in the combination based on the distance from the departure point, and calculates the comfort level based on a predetermined score that is higher for groups that are farther away from the departure point, and the number of stops belonging to each group.

9. A vehicle dispatch planning method using a vehicle dispatch planning device, the vehicle dispatch planning device includes a processor and a memory; The memory stores stop information indicating stop locations corresponding to each passenger, The vehicle allocation planning method includes: the processor generating a plurality of routes, each of which passes through one or more of the stops; the processor: generating a combination of routes included in the plurality of routes that passes through all of the stops; the processor calculates, for each of the combinations, a user's comfort level for a route included in the combination based on the stops included in the route; the processor generates information for outputting a vehicle allocation plan indicating a combination with the highest calculated comfort level among the generated combinations; A vehicle allocation planning method in which the processor generates each of the plurality of routes so that an angle defined by three stops that are passed through in sequence on each of the plurality of routes is greater than or equal to a predetermined value and less than or equal to 180 degrees.

10. A vehicle dispatch planning method using a vehicle dispatch planning device, comprising: the vehicle dispatch planning device includes a processor and a memory; The memory stores stop information indicating stop locations corresponding to each passenger, The vehicle allocation planning method includes: the processor generating a plurality of routes, each of which passes through one or more of the stops; the processor: generating a combination of routes included in the plurality of routes that passes through all of the stops; the processor calculates, for each of the combinations, a user's comfort level for a route included in the combination based on the stops included in the route; the processor generates information for outputting a vehicle allocation plan indicating a combination with the highest calculated comfort level among the generated combinations; each of the plurality of routes is a route that departs from a departure point, passes through one or more of the stops, and returns to the departure point; the stop information indicates a distance between the departure point and each of the stop locations, The vehicle allocation planning method includes: A vehicle allocation planning method in which the processor refers to the stop information and generates each of the plurality of routes so that stops on each of the plurality of routes, excluding the stop farthest from the departure point, are included in a predetermined area having a defined width in the perpendicular direction to a line segment connecting the departure point and the stop farthest from the departure point.

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