Information processing device and program

Abstract

To provide a technology for more accurately estimating vehicle inspection fees for registered vehicles. [Solution] On the vehicle inspection cost estimate application screen 50, mileage, tire condition, name, address, telephone number, and email address are required input fields, and an image of the vehicle inspection certificate can be uploaded. The uploaded image of the vehicle inspection certificate is used to recognize the vehicle model, initial registration date, vehicle use, and vehicle weight listed on the vehicle inspection certificate. When estimating the vehicle inspection cost, an affiliated repair shop that will perform the vehicle inspection on your behalf is identified from the address, and it is assumed that maintenance will be performed at the identified affiliated repair shop. Maintenance items that are estimated to require maintenance are identified from the mileage, vehicle model, initial registration date, and vehicle use, and the maintenance fee is estimated. The vehicle inspection fee is estimated to include the maintenance fee.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In Japan, there is a motor vehicle inspection and registration system that applies to all motor vehicles (excluding miniature cars and small special motor vehicles) and motorcycles with an engine displacement of over 250cc. Under this registration system, motor vehicles and motorcycles are registered, and owners of registered motor vehicles or motorcycles are obligated to undergo periodic inspections to confirm whether or not they comply with safety standards for road transport vehicles.

[0003] Normally, "shaken" is used to mean a periodic inspection. For this reason, hereafter, unless otherwise specified, "shaken" will be used to mean a periodic inspection. Also, "registered vehicle" is used as a general term for registered automobiles and motorcycles. The automobile inspection certificate issued upon passing the shaken is abbreviated to "shakensho."

[0004] Owners of registered vehicles can undergo vehicle inspections themselves, but many owners usually outsource the inspection, including maintenance, to an agent for reasons such as not having the time to undergo the inspection or not having the skills to maintain their registered vehicles so that they pass the inspection.

[0005] The costs for vehicle inspections are roughly divided into statutory fees, basic vehicle inspection fees, and maintenance fees. Of these, the basic vehicle inspection fee and maintenance fees vary depending on the agent. For this reason, some owners request and confirm estimates of vehicle inspection costs before deciding which agent to entrust the service to.

[0006] For this reason, currently, there are provided vehicle inspection quotation services that allow an information processing device to automatically estimate the cost of vehicle inspections by inputting information about registered vehicles. The information that is required to be input is the manufacturer name, vehicle name, registration number (type), and vehicle weight. An estimated amount is associated with these. As a result, conventional vehicle inspection quotation services identify the estimated amount corresponding to the input information and present it to the requester (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-132247 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The condition of a registered vehicle that requires a vehicle inspection varies depending on how it is used. The type of maintenance required also changes depending on the condition of the registered vehicle, and the maintenance fee goes up or down. Owners who request estimates for vehicle inspection costs usually do not want there to be a large discrepancy between the actual inspection cost and the estimated amount. This is because in many cases the actual inspection cost is higher than the estimated amount. If the actual inspection cost is higher than the estimated amount, the owner who requested the estimate may feel some distrust. For this reason, it is important to estimate vehicle inspection costs with high accuracy.

[0009] The present invention aims to provide a technique for more accurately estimating vehicle inspection (periodical inspection) costs for registered vehicles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] An information processing device according to one aspect of the present invention includes an information acquisition unit that acquires vehicle type information, initial registration date information, mileage information, vehicle use information, and vehicle weight information as vehicle information related to a registered vehicle that is a target of a renewal inspection, and an estimate processing unit that uses the vehicle information acquired by the information acquisition unit to calculate an estimate of costs estimated to be required for the renewal inspection of the registered vehicle. The information acquisition unit further acquires address information representing the address of the storage location of the registered vehicle as the vehicle information, and the estimate processing unit assumes an agent to perform the periodic inspection from the address information, and calculates the estimated amount by referring to one of vehicle inspection history information representing the maintenance content previously performed by the assumed agent for the periodic inspection, and maintenance history information representing the cost required for maintenance by maintenance item. . [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, estimates for vehicle inspections of registered vehicles can be made with higher accuracy. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a vehicle inspection proxy service to which a vehicle inspection quotation service provided by an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention can be applied. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an information processing system constructed using an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and an application example of the information processing system. [Figure 3] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of an AP server that is an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration realized on an AP server that is an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a vehicle inspection cost estimate application screen. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an estimation process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a vehicle inspection proxy service to which a vehicle inspection quotation service provided by an information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention can be applied. Service provider 1 is a company that provides vehicle inspection services to owners 2 who own registered vehicles, performing periodic inspections (vehicle inspections) on their behalf. Registered vehicles are automobiles excluding minicars and small special-purpose vehicles, or motorcycles with an engine displacement of over 250cc. Owners 2 are individuals or corporations.

[0014] A service provider company 1 provides, for example, a nationwide vehicle inspection proxy service. To this end, the service provider company 1 utilizes a service outsourcing company 3. The service outsourcing company 3 is a company that has concluded service outsourcing contracts with numerous affiliated repair shops 4 as an agent. By entering into service outsourcing contracts with such service outsourcing companies 3, the service provider company 1 is able to provide a nationwide vehicle inspection proxy service. For this reason, applications for the vehicle inspection proxy service can be made via a network. Data transmission via the network is also assumed between the service provider company 1 and the service outsourcing company 3, and between the service outsourcing company 3 and each affiliated repair shop 4. Note that the number of service outsourcing companies 3 to which the service provider company 1 enters into a contract may be multiple. The service provider company 1 itself may have service outsourcing contracts with one or more affiliated repair shops 4. The agent to which the vehicle inspection proxy service is outsourced is not limited to a repair shop 4. The agent may also be a specialized vehicle inspection shop, a car accessory store, or the like.

[0015] By using a service outsourcing company 3 that has concluded service outsourcing contracts with numerous affiliated repair shops 4, vehicle inspections requested by owners 2 are carried out by one of the affiliated repair shops 4. As a result, the service provider company 1 acts as a contact point for accepting applications for the vehicle inspection agency service, and through the service outsourcing company 3, it outsources the vehicle inspection agency to affiliated repair shops 4, which then carry out the vehicle inspection of registered vehicles. The vehicle inspection quotation service is a sub-service that helps owners decide whether or not to use the vehicle inspection agency service.

[0016] When each affiliated maintenance shop 4 performs maintenance for a vehicle inspection, it creates information indicating the details of the maintenance as vehicle inspection record information and transmits it to the service outsourcing company 3. The vehicle inspection record information includes, for example, maintenance item record information for each maintenance item, a shop ID (IDentification) which is identification information for the affiliated maintenance shop 4, the model of the registered vehicle (model information), the date of initial registration (date of initial inspection) (initial registration information), mileage (mileage information), vehicle use (vehicle use information), and vehicle weight (vehicle weight information). Maintenance item Achievements The information includes, for example, a maintenance item ID, replacement parts, part unit price, labor fee (technical fee), and maintenance category. The maintenance category is information indicating, for example, maintenance whose cost is included in the basic vehicle inspection fee, preliminary maintenance, or other maintenance.

[0017] The vehicle inspection performance information sent from each affiliated maintenance facility 4 is further sent to the service provider company 1 via the service outsourcing company 3. The service provider company 1 collects the vehicle inspection performance information created by each affiliated maintenance facility 4 via the service outsourcing company 3 and uses it to estimate the vehicle inspection costs. An information processing device is used to collect the vehicle inspection performance information and estimate the vehicle inspection costs. This information processing device corresponds to the information processing device according to this embodiment.

[0018] The actual vehicle inspection is performed by one affiliated repair shop 4. The area in which each affiliated repair shop 4 can perform vehicle inspections is limited. Also, depending on the region, the condition of registered vehicles may differ even if they have been used in the same way. For example, in areas with a sea, salt damage is often a factor affecting registered vehicles.

[0019] For this reason, in this embodiment, an affiliated maintenance facility 4 that is desirable for performing vehicle inspections on behalf of the owner 2 is identified based on the owner's place of residence (address), and vehicle inspection history information previously created by the identified affiliated maintenance facility 4 is referenced to estimate the vehicle inspection costs. The referenced vehicle inspection history information, for example, is information that matches the registered vehicle's model and vehicle use, and whose initial registration date and mileage match those of the registered vehicle within a predetermined range. If there is multiple pieces of vehicle inspection history information that meet such reference conditions, the information is virtual vehicle inspection history information that includes only maintenance items that have been performed with a predetermined probability or more. As a result, for example, if the rate at which the air filter has been replaced among the multiple vehicle inspection maintenance operations is clearly low, the virtual vehicle inspection history information is deemed to contain no maintenance item history information for replacing the air filter.

[0020] Statistically, vehicle inspection cost estimates based on such vehicle inspection record information will be the greatest common denominator. This maximizes the probability of obtaining an estimate that matches the condition of the registered vehicle. This increases the accuracy of vehicle inspection cost estimates, and reduces the probability that the actual vehicle inspection cost will exceed the estimated cost. It has been confirmed that the probability that the actual vehicle inspection cost will exceed the estimated cost is kept to around 1%. For this reason, Owner 2 can trust the estimate results and apply for the vehicle inspection proxy service.

[0021] It is possible that the identified affiliated maintenance facility 4 has not created vehicle inspection history information that meets the reference conditions. In such cases, vehicle inspection history information created by another affiliated maintenance facility 4 is referenced. The other affiliated maintenance facility 4 may be selected from those located close to the identified affiliated maintenance facility 4. When selecting such another affiliated maintenance facility 4, it is believed that an estimate of vehicle inspection costs can be made that takes into account the impact of regional characteristics on registered vehicles. Even for other affiliated maintenance facilities 4, the method of extracting vehicle inspection history information and the method of generating virtual vehicle inspection history information are the same.

[0022] For private passenger cars, the validity period for a new inspection is three years. Therefore, if the registered vehicle is a new model, it must be assumed that it will take three years from the time of its release until inspection record information is available. For registered vehicles purchased on the release date, there may not be inspection record information available to refer to.

[0023] For this reason, in this embodiment, for registered vehicles undergoing their first vehicle inspection (regular inspection), i.e., registered vehicles with a relatively short history of use, the vehicle inspection fee is estimated based on the number of years since initial registration and the mileage. This is because the condition of most of the parts that require replacement or maintenance on registered vehicles undergoing their first vehicle inspection is thought to depend on the number of years since registration or the mileage. For this reason, it is expected that vehicle inspection fee estimates can be made with high accuracy for registered vehicles undergoing their first vehicle inspection (regular inspection), even when focusing on the number of years since registration or the mileage. The figure that there is approximately a 1% probability that the actual vehicle inspection fee will exceed the estimated result includes the estimation of such vehicle inspection fees.

[0024] Since vehicle inspection costs can be estimated with high accuracy, in this embodiment, payment of all or part of the estimated vehicle inspection costs is requested when applying for the vehicle inspection service. As a result, the service provider company 1 accepts applications for the vehicle inspection service on the condition that the invoiced amount is paid. Therefore, as shown in Figure 1, most of the amount paid by the owner 2 is paid to the affiliated repair shop 4 via the service provider company 1 and the service outsourcing company 3.

[0025] In this embodiment, the estimate of the vehicle inspection fee includes picking up the registered vehicle, providing a loaner vehicle for the registered vehicle, and delivering the registered vehicle that has passed the vehicle inspection, and picking up the loaner vehicle. These services are provided by the affiliated maintenance facility 4 as services included in the basic vehicle inspection fee, for example. The reason for providing such services is to eliminate the hassle of identifying the location of the affiliated maintenance facility 4 and transporting the registered vehicle, allowing the owner 2 to use the vehicle inspection proxy service more conveniently.

[0026] If it turns out that the actual vehicle inspection cost will exceed the estimated amount, or if it turns out that there is a high probability that this will happen, it is desirable for the affiliated maintenance facility 4 to contact the owner 2 directly, for example, to confirm how the owner 2 should respond. Based on this confirmation, the affiliated maintenance facility 4 may take measures to reduce the actual vehicle inspection cost by performing maintenance that omits relatively low-priority preliminary maintenance. The affiliated maintenance facility 4 may also be responsible for billing and receiving the amount exceeding the estimated amount (additional costs).

[0027] Maintenance that incurs maintenance fees can be broadly divided into those that are necessary to pass the vehicle inspection and those that are not. The latter is preparatory maintenance, which is intended to prepare in advance for maintenance that is expected to be required in the near future. Replacing consumable parts that are expected to need replacement in the near future in advance corresponds to preparatory maintenance. Since such preparatory maintenance is not necessary to pass the vehicle inspection, it can be performed after the vehicle has passed the inspection.

[0028] The service outsourcing company 3 also provides services that allow the owner 2 to use the vehicle inspection proxy service more comfortably. For example, the service outsourcing company 3 may provide services such as confirming the conditions of the loaner car desired by the owner 2, or contacting the owner 2 about a loaner car that is available for delivery. The confirmed information is shared with the affiliated repair shop 4. This allows the affiliated repair shop 4 to respond more appropriately to the owner 2.

[0029] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an information processing system constructed using an information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and an example of application of the information processing system. Note that both the example of the configuration and the example of application of the information processing system are merely examples and are not particularly limited. The information processing system shown in Fig. 2 is constructed by a service provider company 1 to provide a vehicle inspection proxy service. The information processing device according to this embodiment is used as an AP server 12. For this reason, the information processing device according to this embodiment will also be designated by the reference numeral "12" hereinafter. Although the information processing system is constructed within the service provider company 1, it may also be constructed using a cloud service.

[0030] 2, the information processing system includes an AP server 12, a Web server 11, and a DB (DataBase) server 13, which are connected to a network 14. The network 14 is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network). In addition to the network 14, the Web server 11 is connected to an external network 20. This network 20 is, for example, a composite network including the Internet.

[0031] An owner terminal 21 used by the owner 2, a factory terminal 41 used at each affiliated maintenance factory 4, and a web server 31 installed by the service outsourcing company 3 are connected or connectable to this network 20. The owner terminal 21 and the factory terminal 41 are information processing devices equipped with communication functions. Specifically, they are, for example, personal computers (PCs), smartphones, or tablet terminals.

[0032] The service outsourcing company 3 has constructed an information processing system that includes at least a web server 31 and a database server 32. This information processing system has been constructed to provide unique services using each affiliated maintenance facility 4, and to realize a vehicle inspection proxy service in cooperation with the service provider company 1. The vehicle inspection performance information sent from each affiliated maintenance facility 4 is saved and managed by the database server 32.

[0033] 3 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an AP server, which is an information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention. This hardware configuration is merely an example and is not particularly limited. For example, although only one CPU (Central Processing Unit) 121 and one GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) 124 are shown, multiple units of each may be installed.

[0034] 3, the AP server 12 has a configuration in which a CPU 121, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 122, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 123, a GPU 124, a NIC (Network Interface Card) 125, an auxiliary storage device 126, a media drive 127, and an I / FC (Interface Controller) group 128 are connected to a bus 129. A VRAM (Video RAM) 124A is connected to the GPU 124.

[0035] The NIC 125 enables communication via the network 14. The communication via the network 14 may be either wireless communication or wired communication. The NIC 125 may be compatible with multiple communication standards. Although only one NIC 125 is shown in FIG. 3, multiple NICs 125 compatible with different communication standards may be installed.

[0036] The auxiliary storage device 126 is a device capable of permanently storing data, such as a hard disk drive or a solid state drive (SSD). The media drive 127 is a device to which the media 127A, which is a recording medium, can be attached or detached. The media 127A is, for example, a compact disc (CD)-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a DVD-RAM, or the like.

[0037] The I / FC group 128 includes various I / FCs that enable communication with various peripheral devices or external devices, including an input device 128A and a display device 128B. The input device 128A and the display device 128B are temporarily connected to the I / FC group 128 as needed. The auxiliary storage device 126 stores, as programs, an operating system (OS) and various application programs that run on the OS. One of the various application programs is an application program that enables the provision of a vehicle inspection proxy service, including a vehicle inspection quotation service. Hereinafter, this application will be referred to as a "vehicle inspection proxy app."

[0038] The ROM 122 is also a device capable of permanently storing data, and stores, for example, firmware and various data. The CPU 121 reads the firmware stored in the ROM 122 into the RAM 123 and executes it. The firmware then reads the OS stored in the auxiliary storage device 126 into the RAM 123 and executes it. Various application programs, including the vehicle inspection proxy app, are read into the RAM 123 and executed by the OS. The GPU 124 can execute various application programs stored in the auxiliary storage device 126 and read into the VRAM 124A.

[0039] The vehicle inspection proxy app may be stored in medium 127A and distributed. If network 20 is a composite network including the Internet, the app may be distributed via network 20. When distributed via network 20, the vehicle inspection proxy app may be stored in a recording medium that can be directly or indirectly accessed by the information processing device that distributes the app. In other words, the storage medium may be one that can be directly or indirectly accessed by another information processing device that can communicate with the information processing device that distributes the app.

[0040] 4 is a diagram showing an example of a functional configuration realized on an AP server, which is an information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention. This functional configuration example is realized mainly by the CPU 121 executing the vehicle inspection proxy application. Note that the functional configuration is not particularly limited, and various modifications are possible.

[0041] As shown in Figure 4, the functional configuration realized on the CPU 121 of the AP server 12 includes a transmission / reception processing unit 1211, a DB update unit 1212, an information update unit 1213, a character recognition unit 1214, a natural language processing unit 1215, an estimate processing unit 1216, an application reception unit 1217, and a settlement processing unit 1218.

[0042] While this functional configuration is realized on the CPU 121, on the auxiliary storage device 126, an estimate input information storage unit 1261, a vehicle inspection record information storage unit 1262, a maintenance record information storage unit 1263, a statutory fee information storage unit 1264, and a basic fee information storage unit 1265 are secured as data storage areas.

[0043] The information stored in each of the storage units 1261 to 1265 is, for example, as follows: The estimate input information stored in the estimate input information storage unit 1261 includes various information input by the owner 2 when requesting an estimate for the vehicle inspection fee.

[0044] 5 is a diagram showing an example of a vehicle inspection cost estimate application screen 50. This application screen 50 is a screen transmitted from Web server 11 when owner 2 causes owner terminal 21 to access the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the application screen 50.

[0045] The standards for passing vehicle inspections vary depending on the type of registered vehicle. For example, the maximum tire tread depth for highway driving is 1.6 mm for passenger cars, 2.4 mm for small trucks, and 3.6 mm for trucks and buses. Because the standards for passing vehicle inspections differ in part depending on the type of registered vehicle, a vehicle inspection cost estimate screen is provided for each type of registered vehicle. As a result, in this embodiment, although a detailed explanation is omitted, the owner 2 can select the type of registered vehicle and display the vehicle inspection cost estimate application screen 50 for the selected type of registered vehicle.

[0046] The various information entered on this application screen 50 is transmitted to the Web server 11 via the network 20, and is then transmitted by the Web server 11 to the AP server 12. The various information transmitted to the AP server 12 in this manner is compiled by the AP server 12 as quotation input information and stored in the quotation input information storage unit 1261.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 5, the vehicle inspection fee estimate application screen 50 requires input fields such as mileage, tire condition, name, address, telephone number, and email address, and allows uploading of an image of the vehicle inspection certificate. Uploading an image of the vehicle inspection certificate is also required, and the string "Upload vehicle inspection certificate image" is a button that allows selection of an image to upload, while the string "Delete" is a button that instructs deletion of the selected image file. The string "Upload vehicle inspection certificate image" is underlined. This underline indicates that image files can be uploaded, i.e., no image files to be uploaded have been selected. In this situation, there are no images to delete, and therefore the string "Delete" is not underlined. Note that selecting an image means selecting a file in which image information is stored (hereinafter referred to as an "image file").

[0048] The address is assumed to be the storage location of the registered vehicle. However, Owner 2 may store the registered vehicle at an address other than the address where he or she lives. The registered vehicle may be stored in a rented parking lot or in a place managed by an acquaintance. For this reason, if Owner 2 stores the registered vehicle at an address other than Owner 2's address, the address of the place where the registered vehicle is stored is required to be entered. The symbol "∨" is a button that commands the display of an input box for the address of the place where the registered vehicle is parked. Owner 2 who stores the registered vehicle at an address other than Owner 2's address must click on the symbol "∨" and enter the address of the place where the registered vehicle is stored.

[0049] The vehicle inspection proxy service, including the vehicle inspection estimate service, may be provided to owners 2 who have registered as members. If personal information such as name, address, telephone number, and email address is registered at the time of member registration, it may not be necessary to input personal information on the vehicle inspection cost estimate application screen 50. In other words, it may be possible to use personal information that has already been registered. The use of registered personal information can be made possible by logging in. Therefore, if membership registration is a prerequisite, the input of personal information is in effect performed automatically at the time of logging in.

[0050] The example of the vehicle inspection fee estimate application screen 50 shown in Figure 5 is for a small truck. As mentioned above, the maximum tire tread depth for small trucks when traveling at high speeds is 2.4 mm. Therefore, the tire condition is selected using radio buttons from among tread depth of 2.5 mm or more, tread depth of less than 2.5 mm, and one or more slip signs. Optional input items include "Not a modified vehicle or immobile vehicle" and "No overdue automobile tax payments," with check boxes provided for inputting whether or not to accept each option.

[0051] Owner 2 can request an estimate for vehicle inspection costs by entering all required information into all required fields, selecting an image file of the vehicle inspection certificate, and then clicking the "Check detailed estimate" button. When the button is clicked, all information entered on the vehicle inspection cost estimate application screen 50 is stored, for example, in a request for a vehicle inspection cost estimate and sent to Web server 11. As a result, all of this information is sent to AP server 12 via Web server 11. All of the information, including the image file, is stored.

[0052] The AP server 12 manages all information received from the Web server 11 as estimate input information. To manage the estimate input information, for example, an estimate ID is generated and added along with the IP address of the owner terminal 21, and a URL indicating the storage location of the image file is added to the estimate input information instead of the image file. In this way, the estimate input information is stored in the estimate input information storage unit 1261 as information of one record. The image file of the vehicle inspection certificate is stored in the estimate input information storage unit 1261, for example, separately from the estimate input information.

[0053] The vehicle inspection record information storage unit 1262 is a storage area reserved for storing the vehicle inspection record information. The inspection record information includes the above maintenance items. Achievements The maintenance record information stored in the maintenance record information storage unit 1263 includes information on maintenance items. Achievements This information is used to manage information individually and for each affiliated maintenance workshop 4. As a result, the maintenance history information includes information such as the workshop ID, vehicle model, maintenance item ID, replacement parts, part unit price, maintenance technical fee (labor fee), and interval between maintenance works. In the case of parts that are shared by multiple types of vehicle models, there are multiple types of vehicle models.

[0054] For example, the interval in tire maintenance history information indicates the elapsed time before a tire replacement is recommended. As a result, tires that have been used for more than that period of time may be subject to replacement regardless of tread depth. The interval in spark flag maintenance history information indicates the mileage that is the guideline for replacing the spark flag. The interval in battery maintenance history information indicates the estimated lifespan of the battery. As such, maintenance history information not only determines the maintenance cost, but also allows for the determination of whether or not the corresponding maintenance should be performed.

[0055] The legal fee information storage unit 1264 is a storage area used to store legal fee information that enables identification of legal fees required at the time of vehicle inspection. Legal fees include automobile weight tax, compulsory automobile liability insurance premiums, and stamp duty. The amount varies depending on the vehicle model, vehicle weight, and number of years since initial registration. For this reason, multiple legal fee information sets are prepared according to the vehicle model, vehicle weight, and number of years since initial registration.

[0056] The basic fee differs depending on the affiliated maintenance facility 4. The basic fee information storage unit 1265 is a storage area reserved for storing basic fee information that enables the basic fee that differs depending on the affiliated maintenance facility 4 to be identified. The basic fee information includes, for example, a workshop ID, a basic fee, as well as information such as an address, a service area, a telephone number, and an email address. As a result, the basic fee information not only identifies the basic fee, but also makes it possible to identify affiliated repair workshops 4 that can handle vehicle inspection applications from the owner 2.

[0057] Various information including image files stored in any of the storage units 1261 to 1265 is actually read out to the RAM 123 and processed. The CPU 121 communicates with the Web server 11 via the NIC 125. For convenience, these are ignored in Fig. 4. This also applies to the following explanation.

[0058] The units 1211 to 1218 implemented on the CPU 121 have the following functions, for example. The transmission / reception processing unit 1211 performs processing for transmitting and receiving various data, including requests, to and from the Web server 11. The estimate results are presented to the owner terminal 21 by transmitting a request to the Web server 11. The estimate input information is stored in the estimate input information storage unit 1261 by, for example, the transmission / reception processing unit 1211. This transmission / reception processing unit 1211 corresponds to the information acquisition unit in this embodiment.

[0059] As described above, each affiliated maintenance shop 4 creates vehicle inspection record information by performing vehicle inspections on behalf of the customer. The created vehicle inspection record information is stored in the DB server 32 managed by the service outsourcing company 3. As a result, the vehicle inspection record information managed by the DB server 32 is updated as needed. The DB update unit 1212 is used to update the vehicle inspection record information managed by the DB server 13 to the latest information as needed.

[0060] The vehicle inspection record information is stored in the vehicle inspection record information storage unit 1262 and is referenced for estimating vehicle inspection costs. The vehicle inspection record information stored in the vehicle inspection record information storage unit 1262 also needs to be updated to the latest state as needed. The information update unit 1213 realizes this updating. To achieve this, for example, the information update unit 1213 acquires the vehicle inspection record information managed by the DB server 13 and performs a process of saving the acquired vehicle inspection record information in the vehicle inspection record information storage unit 1262.

[0061] As described above, it is possible to upload an image file of the vehicle inspection certificate (motor vehicle inspection certificate) on the vehicle inspection fee estimate application screen 50. The character recognition unit 1214 and the natural language processing unit 1215 are used to process the uploaded image file. The character recognition unit 1214 recognizes characters present in the image of the vehicle inspection certificate represented by the image file. The character recognition result is passed to the natural language processing unit 1215 together with the position information of the recognized characters.

[0062] The natural language processing unit 1215 refers to the location information to identify character strings, which are strings of characters, and to identify the type of information represented by the character strings. The natural language processing unit 1215 then identifies and extracts character strings representing the vehicle model, the date of initial registration (date of initial inspection), vehicle use, and vehicle weight from the image of the vehicle inspection certificate. The character recognition unit 1214 and the natural language processing unit 1215 are used to recognize the vehicle inspection certificate and extract necessary character strings as information from the image of the vehicle inspection certificate. The vehicle type, the date of first registration, the vehicle use, and the vehicle weight are all vehicle information in this embodiment, along with the mileage, the tire condition, and the address. Since the image file of the vehicle inspection certificate represents this information, the image file also corresponds to the vehicle information in this embodiment.

[0063] It is believed that some owners 2 do not know how to read a vehicle inspection certificate. It is unlikely that all the information necessary for estimating vehicle inspection costs can be properly obtained from owners 2 who do not know how to read a vehicle inspection certificate. For this reason, in this embodiment, an image file of the vehicle inspection certificate is uploaded, so that even owners 2 who do not know how to read a vehicle inspection certificate can more reliably obtain the necessary information written on the vehicle inspection certificate. The information extracted by the natural language processing unit 1215 is passed to the estimate processing unit 1216.

[0064] The estimate processing unit 1216 performs processing corresponding to a request for an estimate of the cost of vehicle inspection. The character recognition unit 1214 and the natural language processing unit 1215 function under the control of the estimate processing unit 1216. The transmission / reception processing unit 1211 stores the estimate input information in the estimate input information storage unit 1261, for example, and then notifies the estimate processing unit 1216 of the reception of a request for estimate. In response to this notification, the estimate processing unit 1216 reads out the estimate input information stored in the estimate input information storage unit 1261 and causes the character recognition unit 1214 to perform character recognition on the image file saved in the location indicated by the URL in the read estimate input information. As a result, the estimate processing unit 1216 obtains the necessary information written on the vehicle inspection certificate from the natural language processing unit 1215.

[0065] The estimate processing unit 1216 refers to the basic fee information stored in the basic fee information storage unit 1265, and identifies the affiliated maintenance facility 4 whose service area is the address in the estimate input information, and the basic fee information of that affiliated maintenance facility 4. This address is the address of the owner 2 or the address of the storage location of the registered vehicle.

[0066] Next, the estimate processing unit 1216 uses the vehicle model and vehicle weight acquired from the natural language processing unit 1215 to extract corresponding statutory fee information from the statutory fee information storage unit 1264, and specifies the statutory fee. After that, the estimate processing unit 1216 extracts, for example, the factory ID of the affiliated maintenance factory 4 and vehicle inspection record information including the vehicle model acquired from the natural language processing unit 1215 from the vehicle inspection record information storage unit 1262. The estimate processing unit 1216 further extracts, from the extracted vehicle inspection record information, information that matches the initial registration year and mileage within a set range.

[0067] The vehicle inspection history information finally extracted in this way is used to estimate the maintenance items that are considered necessary to pass the vehicle inspection. If only one vehicle inspection history information is extracted, it is estimated that all maintenance items indicated by the maintenance item history information in that vehicle inspection history information are required. As a result, a maintenance fee is estimated assuming that all maintenance items represented by that vehicle inspection history information will be performed. On the other hand, if multiple vehicle inspection history information are extracted, the probability that the maintenance item represented by that maintenance item history information will be performed is calculated for each maintenance item history information present in any of the vehicle inspection history information. As a result, a maintenance fee is estimated assuming that only maintenance items for which the calculated probability is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold will be performed. The maintenance fee is an amount added to the statutory fee and basic fee, and corresponds to an additional fee on top of the minimum vehicle inspection fee. The maintenance item record information in the vehicle inspection record information may be for preliminary maintenance. Therefore, the estimated maintenance fee will take into account the fact that preliminary maintenance will be performed.

[0068] For private passenger cars, the validity period of the initial vehicle inspection certificate is three years. Therefore, for a new model vehicle, it takes about three years from the time of release until vehicle inspection record information can be obtained. For this reason, in this embodiment, for a registered vehicle undergoing its first vehicle inspection (renewal inspection), the maintenance fee is estimated by referring to maintenance record information rather than vehicle inspection record information.

[0069] As described above, the maintenance history information includes the replacement interval, which is a guideline for replacement. As described above, this replacement interval is information that represents the elapsed time or mileage. Therefore, maintenance history information is extracted in which, for example, the elapsed time or mileage since initial registration is equal to or exceeds the replacement interval, or either of these is within a set range determined as the replacement interval. The maintenance content represented by the extracted maintenance history information is considered to be the maintenance necessary to pass the vehicle inspection, and a maintenance fee is estimated. The extracted maintenance record information may be for preventive maintenance, and therefore the estimated maintenance fee will also take into account the need to perform preventive maintenance.

[0070] In this embodiment, the owner 2 is required to input the condition of the tires. If the condition of the tires does not pass the vehicle inspection, the tires must be replaced. In this embodiment, the necessity of tire replacement is determined based on the input tire condition, and the maintenance fee required for tire replacement is added to the maintenance fee estimate depending on the determination result.

[0071] The estimate processing unit 1216 estimates the maintenance fee as described above, and calculates the vehicle inspection fee by adding the estimate result, the basic fee, and statutory fees. The estimate result obtained in this manner is passed to the transmission / reception processing unit 1211, which instructs it to be sent to the owner terminal 21. In response, the transmission / reception processing unit 1211 sends a request to the Web server 11 to display the estimate result on the owner terminal 21. As a result, the Web server 11 generates a screen on which the estimate result is arranged, and sends the generated screen to the owner terminal 21. This allows the owner 2 to check the estimate result on the screen displayed by the owner terminal 21.

[0072] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of quotation processing. This quotation processing is executed upon receiving a request for an estimate of vehicle inspection costs. The quotation processing unit 1216 is realized on the CPU 121 by the CPU 121 executing this processing. Here, the quotation processing will be further explained with reference to FIG. 6. The processing is executed by the quotation processing unit 1216. When the quotation processing is executed, quotation input information is stored in the quotation input information storage unit 1261.

[0073] First, in step S1, the estimate processing unit 1216 causes the character recognition unit 1214 to perform character recognition on the image file saved at the location indicated by the URL in the estimate input information, and then causes the natural language processing unit 1215 to perform vehicle inspection certificate recognition using the character recognition results. After obtaining the necessary information from the natural language processing unit 1215 in this way, the process proceeds to step S2, where the estimate processing unit 1216 extracts basic fee information using the address in the estimate input information and identifies the affiliated maintenance shop 4 to be considered in the estimate of vehicle inspection fees. Furthermore, the estimate processing unit 1216 uses the vehicle model and vehicle weight obtained from the natural language processing unit 1215 to extract corresponding statutory fee information from the statutory fee information stored in the statutory fee information storage unit 1274.

[0074] Depending on the address in the estimate input information, there may be multiple affiliated maintenance facilities 4 that can perform vehicle inspections. In such cases, for example, the affiliated maintenance facility 4 that is closest to the address or that takes the shortest travel time may be selected as the target affiliated maintenance facility 4. The vehicle inspection performed by the target affiliated maintenance facility 4 does not necessarily end as planned. For some reason, such as injury or illness of a mechanic, the vehicle inspection may be delayed from the planned schedule due to reasons on the part of the target affiliated maintenance facility 4. The target affiliated maintenance facility 4 may also decline to perform the vehicle inspection. For this reason, the vehicle inspection facility may be outsourced to a different facility when certain conditions are met, such as when it becomes certain that the vehicle inspection will be delayed by a relatively large amount compared to the planned schedule. If it is possible to change the facility outsourcer, the other affiliated maintenance facilities 4 that were not selected may be managed as candidates for the new facility outsourcer.

[0075] If it becomes necessary to change the vehicle inspection agency, the service outsourcing company 3 may be allowed to select a new agency. In anticipation of such a change in agency, a system may be established to reduce fluctuations in the estimated amount by the affiliated repair shop 4, or to reduce the difference between the actual vehicle inspection fee and the estimated amount. By establishing such a system, an environment can be realized in which the owner 2 can use the vehicle inspection agency service with greater peace of mind. For this reason, there may be multiple affiliated repair shops 4 that are expected to be outsourced to the vehicle inspection agency.

[0076] In the next step S3, the estimate processing unit 1216 extracts and identifies the vehicle inspection basic fee from the extracted basic fee information and the statutory fees from the extracted statutory fee information. In the next step S4, the estimate processing unit 1216 determines whether or not this is the first vehicle inspection for the registered vehicle. For example, if the period since the initial registration date acquired from the natural language processing unit 1215 is not longer than the statutory period by a set period, the determination in step S4 is YES and the process proceeds to step S6. Otherwise, the determination in step S4 is NO and the process proceeds to step S5.

[0077] The reason why the initial vehicle inspection is determined to be one that is not longer than the legal period, for example, one year or more, since there is a possibility that an owner 2 may decide to have the vehicle inspected after the legal period has elapsed for some reason, such as an unexpected expense that makes it impossible to pay the inspection fee, or an injury or illness that prevents the registered vehicle from being used for a period of time, may be the reason why an owner 2 may decide to have the vehicle inspected after the legal period has elapsed.

[0078] In step S5, the estimate processing unit 1216 extracts the vehicle inspection record information generated by the target affiliated maintenance workshop 4 that satisfies the reference conditions, and identifies the vehicle inspection record information to be referenced for estimating the vehicle inspection cost. Then, the process proceeds to step S7. On the other hand, in step S6, the estimate processing unit 1216 refers to maintenance history information related to the registered vehicle using the elapsed time since the initial registration date and the mileage, and extracts from the maintenance history information information that indicates maintenance that is estimated to be required for the registered vehicle. Then, the process proceeds to step S7.

[0079] By identifying the vehicle inspection record information or extracting the maintenance record information, maintenance items that are estimated to be required for registered vehicles can be identified. Therefore, an estimate of the maintenance fees included in the vehicle inspection fee, excluding tire replacement, can be made by adding up the costs required for maintenance of the identified maintenance items.

[0080] In step S7, the estimate processing unit 1216 determines whether or not tire replacement is necessary based on the input tire condition. If the input tire condition is at a level that would not pass vehicle inspection, the determination in step S7 is YES, and the process proceeds to step S8. Otherwise, the determination in step S7 is NO, and the process proceeds to step S9. Note that a tire condition at a level that would allow it to pass vehicle inspection is, for example, when the registered vehicle is a light truck, a tread depth of 2.4 mm or more.

[0081] In step S8, the estimate processing unit 1216 adds tire replacement as a required maintenance item. In the following step S9, the estimate processing unit 1216 calculates the maintenance fee, assuming that all required maintenance items will be performed. After estimating the maintenance fee in this way, the process proceeds to step S10, where the estimate processing unit 1216 totals the maintenance fee, the basic vehicle inspection fee, and statutory fees to calculate the estimated amount. In the subsequent step S11, the estimate processing unit 1216 passes the calculated estimated amount to the transmission / reception processing unit 1211 and instructs it to be sent to the owner terminal 21. After issuing this instruction, the estimate processing ends. As a result of this instruction, the Web server 11 generates a screen on which the estimate results are displayed and sends it to the owner terminal 21.

[0082] The tires to be replaced are predetermined depending on the vehicle model. There is a relatively high possibility that the tires will not be the tires desired by Owner 2. For this reason, it is preferable to confirm Owner 2's preference regarding the tires to be replaced. This confirmation can be made, for example, by affiliated repair shop 4. Additional costs may be incurred when changing to tires desired by Owner 2. Service provider 1 can handle such additional costs.

[0083] In this embodiment, the screen on which the estimate results are displayed is an application screen (not shown) on which an application for the vehicle inspection proxy service can be made. Therefore, after confirming the estimate results, the owner 2 can then apply for the vehicle inspection proxy service. The estimate results are associated with an estimate ID. Therefore, an application for the vehicle inspection proxy service can be made by entering necessary information in addition to the information entered when requesting an estimate for the vehicle inspection fee. The necessary information here is, for example, a desired date and time for picking up the registered vehicle. Therefore, the application screen has multiple pairs of two input boxes for entering the desired date and time for picking up the registered vehicle. Furthermore, each pair of input boxes has a display area for displaying the scheduled delivery date and time if the registered vehicle is picked up at the entered desired date and time. The scheduled delivery date and time displayed in this display area is automatically determined, for example, according to the entered desired date and time.

[0084] The application acceptance unit 1217 handles applications for the vehicle inspection proxy service. When applying for this service, the owner 2 enters multiple desired dates and times for picking up the registered vehicle on the application screen, and then clicks, for example, a button to confirm the application details. This click operation causes each entered desired date and time to be sent to the Web server 11, which checks, for example, whether each desired date and time is valid. After such confirmation, the Web server 11 generates an application details confirmation screen that reflects the confirmation results and sends it to the owner terminal 21. Therefore, the owner 2 can check on the screen whether there are any defects in the application details and whether the application details are appropriate, and then, for example, clicks on a button to apply for the service.

[0085] By this click operation, a request for application for use, including each desired date and time input by the owner 2, is transmitted from the owner terminal 21. The request is transmitted to the AP server 12 via the Web server 11, and is passed to the application receiving unit 1217 via the transmission / reception processing unit 1211.

[0086] The service outsourcing company 3 knows, for example, the dates and times when each affiliated maintenance facility 4 can pick up the registered vehicle. Therefore, the application receiving unit 1217, for example, uses a Web API (Application Programming Interface) to check which of the desired dates and times the affiliated maintenance facility 4 selected in the estimate for the vehicle inspection fee is available for. If there is an available date and time among the desired dates and times, the application receiving unit 1217 identifies the most desired date and time by the owner 2 among the available dates and times, passes this to the transmission / reception processing unit 1211, and instructs it to notify the provisionally reserved date and time of pick-up. As a result, the owner terminal 21 displays a screen on which the provisionally reserved date and time of pick-up is displayed.

[0087] In this embodiment, when applying for use, the owner 2 is requested to pay the estimated amount. The estimated amount is paid by the owner 2 specifying payment information and instructing the execution of payment. The payment processing unit 1218 handles various types of payment. When applying for the vehicle inspection agency service, the payment processing unit 1218 executes payment to receive payment of the estimated amount from the owner 2, as well as payment of the amount received from the owner 2 that should be paid to the service outsourcing company 3. The execution result of such payment is notified to the application receiving unit 1217.

[0088] The application receiving unit 1217 receives this notification, changes the tentative reservation pick-up date and time to the reserved pick-up date and time, and requests the change from the service outsourcing company 3. For example, at the time of the request, the various information input by the owner 2 is passed on. Thereby, the service outsourcing company 3 and the affiliated maintenance shop 4 that handles the vehicle inspection will be able to provide the service to the owner 2.

[0089] The application acceptance unit 1217 generates an email to notify the owner 2, for example, that payment of the estimated amount has been received, that the application for the vehicle inspection agency service has been officially accepted, and the reserved date and time of pickup, and causes the transmission / reception processing unit 1211 to send the email. This allows the owner 2 to check the details by email.

[0090] In this embodiment, the vehicle inspection is outsourced to an affiliated maintenance facility 4, but the vehicle inspection may also be performed by a maintenance facility or store operated by the service provider company 1. In other words, the service provider company 1 itself may be the agent. The affiliated maintenance facility 4 that will actually perform the vehicle inspection is automatically selected from the address entered by the owner 2 (the address where the owner 2 lives or the address where the registered vehicle is kept), but candidate affiliated maintenance facilities 4 may also be presented and the owner 2 may select the desired affiliated maintenance facility 4 from among them.

[0091] Furthermore, all maintenance items that require maintenance, including preliminary maintenance, are automatically estimated, but it is also possible to allow the owner 2 to specify the maintenance that he or she thinks is necessary. For example, in the case of tire replacement, the owner 2 may be allowed to specify the type of tire to be replaced. It is also possible to allow the owner 2 to specify the maintenance that he or she thinks is not necessary due to repairs, etc. In this case, for example, the owner 2 who has replaced the battery relatively recently can specify that the battery does not need to be replaced.

[0092] The level of maintenance required varies depending on the owner 2. For example, some owners 2 may simply want to pass the vehicle inspection, while others may want to avoid having to make repairs for a certain period of time after the inspection, or may want to avoid having to make repairs until the next inspection as much as possible. This may allow the owner 2 to specify (input) the level of maintenance required. This specification can be accommodated by changing the method for selecting maintenance item history information in the vehicle inspection history information or the method for extracting maintenance history information.

[0093] In this embodiment, the vehicle inspection fee is estimated by the service providing company 1 itself. However, the estimation may be performed by another company. For example, the service outsourcing company 3 may estimate the vehicle inspection fee. In this case, the service providing company 1 may use a Web API or the like to have the service outsourcing company 3 estimate the vehicle inspection fee, including the selection of an affiliated maintenance shop 4.

[0094] The mileage assumed in this embodiment is the total mileage. The mileage until the next vehicle inspection is the total mileage for the first vehicle inspection. However, for maintenance for the second or subsequent vehicle inspections, the mileage between inspections is also important information. For this reason, it is possible to estimate maintenance items that require maintenance taking into account the mileage for a set period, such as a year or a month, as well as the mileage or the total mileage. Estimating vehicle inspection costs taking into account the mileage for a set period can be achieved, for example, by storing the mileage in the vehicle inspection record information.

[0095] The vehicle inspection cost is estimated by referencing vehicle inspection history information or maintenance history information and estimating maintenance items that are likely to require maintenance, but other methods may be used. For example, maintenance items that are likely to require maintenance may be identified from a combination of the vehicle model, initial registration date information, mileage information, and vehicle use. Such identification of maintenance items may be performed, for example, by referencing a table or using AI (artificial intelligence). Various modifications are possible to the method of estimating vehicle inspection costs, including the above. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 1 Service provider, 2 Owner, 3 Service outsourcing company, 4 Affiliated repair shop, 11 Web server, 12 AP server (information processing device), 13 DB server, 21 Owner terminal, 41 Factory terminal, 50 Vehicle inspection cost estimate application screen.

Claims

1. an information acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information, such as vehicle type information, initial registration date information, mileage information, vehicle use information, and vehicle weight information, as vehicle information related to a registered vehicle that is the subject of a renewal inspection; an estimate processing unit that uses the vehicle information acquired by the information acquisition unit to calculate an estimated cost required for the renewal inspection of the registered vehicle; The information acquisition unit further acquires address information representing an address of a storage location of the registered vehicle as the vehicle information, The estimate processing unit assumes an agent to perform the periodic inspection on behalf of the vehicle from the address information, and calculates the estimated amount from the address information and the vehicle information excluding the vehicle weight information by referring to one of vehicle inspection history information indicating the maintenance content previously performed by the assumed agent for the periodic inspection and maintenance history information indicating the cost required for maintenance by maintenance item. Information processing device.

2. The information acquisition unit is capable of acquiring image information representing an image of the motor vehicle inspection certificate of the registered vehicle, and when the image information is acquired, recognizes the motor vehicle inspection certificate using the image represented by the image information, and identifies the vehicle type information, the initial registration date information, the vehicle use information, and the vehicle weight information. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. the information acquisition unit is capable of further acquiring, as the vehicle information, status information representing a status of tires of the registered vehicle; The estimate processing unit calculates the estimated amount reflecting the status information. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

4. In the information processing device, Acquire vehicle information relating to the registered vehicle that is the subject of a renewal inspection, including vehicle type information, initial registration date information, mileage information, vehicle use information, vehicle weight information, and address information indicating the address of the storage location of the registered vehicle; Using the vehicle information, calculate an estimated cost required for a renewal inspection of the registered vehicle; The estimated amount is calculated by assuming an agent to perform the periodic inspection from the address information, and by referring to the address information and the vehicle information excluding the vehicle weight information, either vehicle inspection history information indicating the maintenance content that the assumed agent has performed in the past for the periodic inspection, or maintenance history information indicating the cost required for maintenance by maintenance item. A program that executes a process.

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