Vehicle management device, vehicle management system, and vehicle management method

Abstract

To provide a vehicle management device, a vehicle management system and a vehicle management method capable of efficiently transporting a shared vehicle from a centralized storage place to a depopulated storage place.SOLUTION: According to one aspect of an embodiment, a vehicle management device is provided with a control part. The control part acquires storage state information showing states of a plurality of storage places for storing a plurality of shared vehicles. Also, the control part extracts a centralized storage place for storing a plurality of shared vehicles in a concentrated state and a depopulated storage place for storing shared vehicles in a depopulated state from among a plurality of storage places on the basis of acquired storage state information. Also, the control part executes matching processing for matching transportation request information for requesting transportation of a shared vehicle from the extracted centralized storage place to a depopulated storage place, and provider information on a provider of a service providable due to the transportation of the shared vehicle from the centralized storage place to the depopulated storage place.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle management device, a vehicle management system, and a vehicle management method.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, various technologies related to vehicle lending services such as car-sharing services that lend out a single vehicle (shared vehicle) to various users have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Shared vehicles are stored in storage locations such as parking lots, and lending and return of the shared vehicles are performed at such storage locations. Also, in vehicle lending services, so-called pick-up and drop-off use of shared vehicles is possible. In the case of such pick-up and drop-off use, the storage location where the shared vehicle is lent out and the storage location where the return is made are different. Therefore, among a plurality of storage locations, there may occur a concentrated storage location where the number of returned shared vehicles is larger than the number of lent shared vehicles and the shared vehicles are stored in a concentrated state, and a sparse storage location where the number of returned shared vehicles is smaller than the number of lent shared vehicles and the shared vehicles are stored in a sparse state.

[0005] ​

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide a vehicle management device, a vehicle management system, and a vehicle management method that can efficiently transport shared vehicles from a centralized storage location to a sparsely populated storage location. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems and achieve the objective, the present invention provides a vehicle management device comprising a control unit. The control unit acquires storage status information indicating the status of multiple storage locations where multiple shared vehicles are stored. The control unit also extracts from the multiple storage locations centralized storage locations where multiple shared vehicles are stored in a concentrated state, and sparsely stored locations where the shared vehicles are stored in a sparse state, based on the acquired storage status information. The control unit also performs a matching process that matches transportation request information requesting the transportation of the shared vehicles from the extracted centralized storage locations to the sparsely stored locations with provider information relating to providers of services that can be provided in connection with the transportation of the shared vehicles from the centralized storage locations to the sparsely stored locations. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, shared vehicles can be efficiently transported from centralized storage locations to sparsely populated storage locations. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of the vehicle management method according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of a vehicle management system including a vehicle management device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle management system. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an example of storage status information. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an example of provider information. [Figure 6]Figure 6 shows an example of transportation and delivery information. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows an example of the display on the provider terminal's display unit. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an in-vehicle device. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows an example of a processing sequence performed by a vehicle management system, including a vehicle management device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the vehicle management device, vehicle management system, and vehicle management method disclosed in this application will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

[0011] <Overview of Vehicle Management Methods> First, an overview of the vehicle management method according to this embodiment will be explained using Figure 1. Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the overview of the vehicle management method according to this embodiment.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle management method according to this embodiment is executed by the vehicle management device 10. The vehicle management device 10 is a server capable of executing various processes, such as managing the lending of shared vehicles C. The vehicle management device 10 is implemented as, for example, a cloud server, but is not limited to this.

[0013] Shared vehicle C is a shared car that is rented out to various users not shown in the diagram. In the following, shared vehicle C may be referred to as "vehicle C". Before being rented out and after being returned, vehicle C is stored in a storage location such as a parking lot. In the example in Figure 1, there are multiple storage locations (two in this case), and one of the two storage locations is shown as "storage location A" and the other as "storage location B".

[0014] In addition, in the lending service (car-sharing service) of vehicle C, it is possible to use the vehicle C in such a way that the storage location where the vehicle C is lent out is different from the storage location where the lent vehicle C is returned (so-called pick-up and drop-off use of vehicle C). Therefore, among the plurality of storage locations A and B, there are a concentrated storage location (storage location A in the example of FIG. 1) where the number of returned vehicles is larger than the number of lent vehicles and the vehicle C is stored in a concentrated state, and a sparse storage location (storage location B in the example of FIG. 1) where the number of returned vehicles is smaller than the number of lent vehicles and the vehicle C is stored in a sparse state.

[0015] In order to eliminate the bias of vehicle C that occurs between such a plurality of storage locations A and B, it is necessary to transport vehicle C from the concentrated storage location (storage location A) to the sparse storage location (storage location B).

[0016] By the way, in recent years, a delivery service for delivering products of a store E such as a restaurant has been spreading. In such a delivery service, an orderer Y places an order for a product with a store E such as a restaurant, and a delivery person X picks up the ordered product at the store E and delivers it to a delivery destination F designated by the orderer Y. Since the delivery person X is a provider who provides the delivery service, the delivery person X may be hereinafter described as "provider X" in some cases.

[0017] In the vehicle management device 10 according to the present embodiment, the above-described transportation of vehicle C and the delivery in the delivery service are appropriately combined so that vehicle C can be efficiently transported from the concentrated storage location (storage location A) to the sparse storage location (storage location B).

[0018] Specifically, first, the vehicle management device 10 acquires storage status information indicating the status of a plurality of storage locations A and B (step S1). The storage status information includes information indicating the number of vehicles C stored in the storage locations A and B.

[0019] As an example, the vehicle management device 10 detects the number of vehicles C stored at storage locations A and B using location information of vehicle C obtained from a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor or the like installed on vehicle C. In other words, if the location information of vehicle C is at storage location A, the vehicle management device 10 determines that vehicle C is stored at storage location A, and thereby can detect the number of vehicles C stored at storage location A.

[0020] Next, the vehicle management device 10 extracts from among the multiple storage locations a centralized storage location where multiple vehicles C are stored in a concentrated state, and a sparsely populated storage location where vehicles C are stored in a sparse state, based on the acquired storage status information (step S2).

[0021] Here, a centralized storage location is, for example, a storage location where the number of vehicles C stored is greater than a predetermined standard number set for each storage location. A sparsely populated storage location is, for example, a storage location where the number of vehicles C stored is less than a standard number. The standard number used to determine whether a location is a centralized storage location and the standard number used to determine whether a location is a sparsely populated storage location may be the same value or may be different values ​​(specifically, the standard number used to determine a location as a centralized storage location is greater than the standard number used to determine a sparsely populated storage location). Furthermore, the above-mentioned standard numbers may be values ​​with a certain range, such as 2 to 4 vehicles.

[0022] Furthermore, while the above example shows how to extract centralized and sparsely populated storage locations from among multiple storage locations based on a comparison of the number of stored units with the standard number, this is not the only method. Other methods may be used to extract centralized storage locations, etc., for example, by comparing the ratio of the number of stored units to the maximum number of units that can be stored at a storage location (storage rate) with the standard ratio.

[0023] In the example shown in Figure 1, the standard number of vehicles for storage location A is set to 3, and since the number of vehicles stored in storage location A (4) is greater than the standard number (3), the vehicle management device 10 identifies storage location A as a centralized storage location. Similarly, the standard number of vehicles for storage location B is set to 2, and since the number of vehicles stored in storage location B (1) is less than the standard number (2), the vehicle management device 10 identifies storage location B as a sparsely populated storage location.

[0024] Next, the vehicle management device 10 generates transportation request information requesting the transport of vehicle C from the centralized storage location to the sparsely populated storage location, based on the extracted information on the centralized storage location and the sparsely populated storage location (step S3). Here, the vehicle management device 10 generates transportation request information requesting the transport of one vehicle C from storage location A (centralized storage location) to storage location B (sparsely populated storage location). In Figure 1, the vehicle C to be transported is indicated as "vehicle C1".

[0025] Furthermore, either before or after the generation of the transportation request information, the vehicle management device 10 acquires provider information of provider X (step S4). Provider X is a provider (user) pre-registered with the vehicle management device 10, and the vehicle management device 10 acquires provider information from provider X's provider terminal 100. Note that in Figure 1, for the sake of simplicity, only one provider X is shown, but it is preferable that there are multiple providers X. Provider information includes, for example, information indicating provider X's current location, the range and time of day during which delivery is possible, etc.

[0026] In the above description, the vehicle management device 10 obtains provider information from the provider terminal 100, but it is not limited to this, and may also obtain it from other devices, such as the delivery service server 400 (see Figure 2) that manages the delivery service.

[0027] In this way, the vehicle management device 10 generates transportation request information and, having acquired provider information, waits for an order to be placed for the delivery service that matches the content of the transportation request information and provider information. For example, the vehicle management device 10 waits for an order from store E near a centralized storage location (storage location A) to deliver the goods from store E to delivery destination F near a sparsely populated storage location (storage location B).

[0028] Furthermore, the positional relationship between the centralized storage location (storage location A), the sparsely populated storage location (storage location B), store E, and delivery destination F in the above-mentioned order details is merely illustrative and not limiting. In other words, for example, store E and delivery destination F may be located near the centralized storage location, or store E and delivery destination F may be located near the sparsely populated storage location, or each location may be relatively far from each other.

[0029] Next, let's assume that customer Y has placed an order for goods from store E (step S5). For example, such an order is placed by customer Y through an input operation on customer terminal 300, and customer terminal 300 transmits the entered order information to delivery service server 400 (see Figure 2). The delivery service server 400 then transmits the order information to store E and vehicle management device 10. The order information includes, for example, the store name, product name, delivery address, and the desired delivery date and time requested by customer Y.

[0030] Next, the vehicle management device 10 performs a matching process to match the transportation request information with provider information that can deliver the ordered goods (step S6). Specifically, the vehicle management device 10 matches the transportation request information for the transportation of vehicle C from a centralized storage location to a sparsely populated storage location with a provider of services that can be provided in conjunction with such transportation (specifically, a provider that can pick up goods at store E on the way to transporting vehicle C1 from the centralized storage location to the sparsely populated storage location and deliver the picked-up goods to delivery destination F).

[0031] Then, the vehicle management device 10 transmits result information indicating the result of the matching process to the provider terminal 100 (step S7). Here, it is assumed that the transportation request information of vehicle C1 and the provider information of provider X have been matched (combined). Specifically, in the provider information, it is assumed that a centralized storage location (storage location A), a sparsely populated storage location (storage location B), store E, and delivery destination F exist within the delivery range of provider X, the desired delivery date and time are included within the delivery time of provider X, and provider X can board vehicle C1 at the centralized storage location and travel to the sparsely populated storage location via store E and delivery destination F, and that a match has been made.

[0032] In addition to results indicating a match, the results also include transportation and delivery information related to the transport of vehicle C1 and the delivery of goods. This transportation and delivery information includes various pieces of information necessary for the transport of vehicle C and the delivery of goods, such as the address of storage location A (i.e., centralized storage location), the name, address, and product name of store E (a transit point), the address of delivery destination F, the desired delivery date and time, and the address of storage location B (i.e., sparsely populated storage location), which is the destination.

[0033] Continuing the explanation of Figure 1, provider X of provider terminal 100, who received the result information, moves to storage location A (centralized storage location) based on the result information, boards vehicle C1, and starts transporting vehicle C1 as indicated by arrow D1 (step S8).

[0034] Next, provider X travels to store E in vehicle C1 (shown as a dashed line in Figure 1) and picks up the goods at store E (step S9). Then, provider X travels to delivery destination F in vehicle C1 (shown as a dashed line in Figure 1) and delivers the goods (step S10), in other words, delivers the goods to customer Y.

[0035] Next, provider X completes the transportation of vehicle C1 by moving it from delivery destination F to storage location B (sparsely populated storage location) and parking it, as indicated by arrow D2 (step S11).

[0036] In this embodiment, a matching process is performed to match transportation request information requesting the transportation of vehicle C (C1, a shared vehicle) from a centralized storage location to a sparsely populated storage location with provider information regarding providers of services that can be provided in connection with the transportation of vehicle C from the centralized storage location to the sparsely populated storage location.

[0037] This makes it possible to appropriately combine, for example, the transportation and delivery services of vehicle C, and as a result, to efficiently transport vehicle C from a centralized storage location (storage location A) to a less-traveled storage location (storage location B) while providing delivery services.

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since it is no longer necessary to transport vehicle C using a vehicle carrier as in the conventional technology, the burden on businesses providing vehicle rental services can be reduced.

[0039] Furthermore, while providers X in delivery services often use bicycles, cars, or motorcycles as their means of transportation, in this embodiment, by configuring the system as described above, delivery services can be provided using shared vehicles even if provider X does not have their own means of transportation.

[0040] <Overall configuration of the vehicle management system> Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of a vehicle management system 1 including a vehicle management device 10 according to an embodiment. Note that block diagrams such as Figure 2 only show the components necessary to explain the features of the embodiment, and descriptions of general components are omitted.

[0041] In other words, each component shown in block diagrams such as Figure 2 is a functional concept and does not necessarily need to be physically configured as shown. For example, the specific forms of distribution and integration of each block are not limited to those shown, and it is possible to configure all or part of them by functionally or physically distributing and integrating them in any unit according to various loads and usage conditions.

[0042] Furthermore, in the explanations from Figure 2 onward, components that have already been explained may be simplified or omitted.

[0043] As shown in Figure 2, the vehicle management system 1 according to this embodiment is a system that manages vehicle rental services and delivery services performed in conjunction with the transportation of vehicles. The vehicle management system 1 includes the vehicle management device 10 described above, a provider terminal 100, an in-vehicle device 200, a customer terminal 300, and a delivery service server 400.

[0044] The vehicle management device 10, the provider terminal 100, the in-vehicle device 200, the customer terminal 300, and the delivery service server 400 are connected to each other via a communication network N such as the Internet. In Figure 2, for the sake of simplicity, only one provider terminal 100, one in-vehicle device 200, one customer terminal 300, and one delivery service server 400 are shown, but there may be multiple such devices.

[0045] The vehicle management device 10 performs processes for managing vehicle lending and transportation. A detailed configuration of the vehicle management device 10 will be described later with reference to Figure 3.

[0046] The provider terminal 100 is a terminal device used by a provider of delivery services that transport vehicles and deliver goods from stores. The provider terminal 100 can be, but is not limited to, a smartphone, tablet, or PC (Personal Computer).

[0047] The provider terminal 100 is equipped with, for example, a GPS sensor to detect the location information of the provider terminal 100, in other words, the location information of the provider. The provider terminal 100 is also equipped with an input unit, such as a touch panel, and information indicating the range and time of delivery is input by the provider's operation on this input unit. The provider terminal 100 transmits the above-mentioned provider location information and information such as the range and time of delivery to the vehicle management device 10.

[0048] Furthermore, the provider terminal 100 is equipped with a display unit (not shown), such as a screen, to display various information transmitted from the in-vehicle device 200. For example, the display unit displays the result information (more specifically, result information including results indicating that a match has been made, and transportation / delivery information), which will be described later with reference to Figure 7.

[0049] The in-vehicle device 200 is a device installed in a vehicle (shared vehicle). The in-vehicle device 200 is equipped with, for example, a camera 203 (see Figure 8), and authentication processing of the provider is performed based on images captured by the camera 203, which will be described later. The configuration of the in-vehicle device 200 will be explained in detail later using Figure 8.

[0050] The customer terminal 300 is a terminal device used by customers who order goods from a store and request delivery. The customer terminal 300 can be, but is not limited to, a smartphone, tablet, or PC. The customer terminal 300 has an application related to the delivery service installed, and this application performs various processes, such as ordering goods. When ordering goods, order information such as the store name, product name, delivery address, and desired delivery date and time is entered, and the customer terminal 300 transmits this order information to the delivery service server 400. Alternatively, the customer terminal 300 may also transmit the order information to the vehicle management device 10.

[0051] The delivery service server 400 is a server capable of executing various processes, such as processes for managing delivery services. The delivery service server 400 can be implemented as, for example, a cloud server, but is not limited to this. The delivery service server 400 can receive order information from the customer terminal 300 and transmit the received order information to the store (more precisely, the store terminal installed in the store (not shown)) and the vehicle management device 10.

[0052] In addition, provider information may be pre-registered in the delivery service server 400, and in such cases, the delivery service server 400 can transmit the provider information to the vehicle management device 10 in response to a request from the vehicle management device 10.

[0053] Although Figure 2 shows an example where the vehicle management device 10 and the delivery service server 400 are separate components, the system is not limited to this configuration. For example, the vehicle management device 10 may be configured to also perform the functions of the delivery service server 400.

[0054] <Configuration of the vehicle management system> The configuration of the vehicle management device 10 will be described in detail with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the vehicle management device 10. As shown in Figure 3, the vehicle management device 10 comprises a communication unit 11, a control unit 20, and a storage unit 30.

[0055] The communication unit 11 is a communication interface that connects to the communication network N in a bidirectional manner, and transmits and receives information with the provider terminal 100, the in-vehicle device 200, the delivery service server 400, and the like.

[0056] The storage unit 30 is a storage unit composed of storage devices such as non-volatile memory, data flash, and hard disk drives. This storage unit 30 stores storage status information 31, transportation request information 32, order information 33, provider information 34, transportation and delivery information 35, special offer information 36, and various programs.

[0057] Storage status information 31 is information that shows the status of multiple storage locations where multiple vehicles (shared vehicles) are stored. Here, we will explain storage status information 31 using Figure 4. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of storage status information 31.

[0058] As shown in Figure 4, the storage status information 31 includes items such as "storage location ID," "storage location address," "standard number of units," "number of units stored," and "degree of concentration," and the data for each item is related to the others.

[0059] The "Storage Location ID" is identification information that identifies the storage location. The "Storage Location Address" is information indicating the address of the storage location; in other words, it is location information of the storage location, and it is set in advance. In the example shown in Figure 4, for convenience, the "Storage Location Address" is abstractly described as "H1," but "H1" will store specific information. Other information may also be described abstractly below.

[0060] As mentioned above, the "standard number of vehicles" is information that indicates the value used to determine whether a storage location is centralized or sparsely populated, and is set in advance for each storage location. The "number of vehicles stored" is information that indicates the number of vehicles stored at a storage location.

[0061] "Concentration level" is an index value that indicates the degree of concentration of vehicles stored at a storage location. For example, it is indicated by the ratio of the number of stored vehicles to a standard number. In other words, if the number of stored vehicles is greater than the standard number and vehicles are concentrated, the concentration level is "high." If the number of stored vehicles is the same as the standard number, the concentration level is "medium." If the number of stored vehicles is less than the standard number and vehicles are not concentrated (in other words, sparsely populated), the concentration level is "low." As will be explained later, storage locations with a high concentration level are extracted as "concentrated storage locations," and storage locations with a low concentration level are extracted as "sparsely populated storage locations."

[0062] In the example of storage status information 31 shown in Figure 4, the storage location identified by storage location ID "G1" indicates that the storage location address is "H1", the standard number of units is "I1", the number of units stored is "J1", and the degree of concentration is "high".

[0063] Returning to the explanation of Figure 3, the transportation request information 32 is information requesting the transportation of vehicles from a centralized storage location to a sparsely populated storage location. For example, transportation request information 32 is generated when a centralized storage location and a sparsely populated storage location are selected from among multiple storage locations. Transportation request information 32 includes information such as the addresses of the centralized storage location and the sparsely populated storage location, and the number of vehicles to be transported. In addition, it may also include other information related to transportation, such as the type of vehicle and the period for which transportation is requested (for example, from 10:00 AM on April 1st to 6:00 PM on April 3rd).

[0064] Order information 33 is information that shows the details of an order to a store. Order information 33 includes information such as the store name, product name, delivery address, and the customer's preferred delivery date and time.

[0065] Provider information 34 is information about the provider of the delivery service, and more specifically, information about the provider that provides delivery services while transporting vehicles. Here, we will explain provider information 34 using Figure 5. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of provider information 34.

[0066] As shown in Figure 5, the provider information 34 includes items such as "Provider ID," "Provider Name," "Authentication Information," "Current Location," "Delivery Area," "Delivery Time," and "Priority Information," and the data for each item is related to the others.

[0067] "Provider ID" is identification information that identifies the provider. "Provider Name" is information indicating the provider's name.

[0068] "Authentication information" is information used to authenticate providers who transport vehicles (shared vehicles), and is pre-registered information. "Authentication information" includes, for example, a facial image of the provider, and the provider is authenticated by comparing this facial image with a facial image captured by a camera installed in the vehicle. This authentication process will be described later.

[0069] While the above example shows facial information as part of "authentication information," it is not limited to this. In other words, "authentication information" may be, for example, passwords, barcodes, or QR codes (registered trademarks), and the provider may be authenticated by inputting such authentication information into an authentication device installed in the vehicle and verifying it.

[0070] "Current Location" is information indicating the provider's current location. "Delivery Area" is information indicating the area within which the provider can deliver; in other words, it is information indicating the area (region) where the provider can deliver. "Delivery Time" is information indicating the time (specifically, time slot) during which the provider can deliver.

[0071] "Priority information" refers to information regarding the priority among providers. More specifically, "priority information" is used in the matching process when there are multiple candidate providers, to select and determine the provider that will actually provide the service with priority from among the multiple candidate providers. "Priority information" includes, for example, performance information regarding the service's track record, fee information regarding the service's provision cost, time information regarding the service's provision time, and distance information regarding the travel distance required for the candidate provider to provide the service.

[0072] Performance information includes, for example, the number of times a provider has provided a service in the past, and the satisfaction level (ratings) of users (specifically, customers, store staff, etc.) who have provided services to that provider. However, these are examples only and are not limited to such information. Pricing information includes, for example, the fees paid to the provider who provided the service. Pricing information can be set arbitrarily by each provider, but is not limited to this.

[0073] Time information includes, for example, the time it takes for the provider to travel from their current location to the storage location, get into a vehicle, and provide the service. Distance information includes, for example, the distance it takes for the provider to travel from their current location to the storage location, get into a vehicle, and provide the service.

[0074] The "priority information" may include some of the above-mentioned performance information, fare information, time information, and distance information, or it may include other information in addition to or instead of these pieces of information. The priority determination process using the above-mentioned priority information will be described later.

[0075] In the example of provider information 34 shown in Figure 5, the provider identified by provider ID "K1" indicates that the provider's name is "L1", authentication information is "M1", current location is "N1", delivery range is "P1", delivery time is "Q1", and priority information is "R1".

[0076] Returning to the explanation of Figure 3, the transportation and delivery information 35 is information regarding the transportation of vehicles and the delivery of goods. Here, we will explain the transportation and delivery information 35 using Figure 6. Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of the transportation and delivery information 35.

[0077] As shown in Figure 6, the transportation and delivery information 35 includes items such as "transportation and delivery information ID," "provider ID," "authentication information," "storage location address before delivery," "store name," "store address," "product name," "delivery address," "desired delivery date and time," and "storage location address after delivery," and the data for each item is linked to each other.

[0078] The "Transportation / Delivery Information ID" is identification information that identifies transportation and delivery information. The "Provider ID" is identification information that identifies the provider, as described above, and more specifically, it is identification information that identifies the provider of vehicle transportation and related services.

[0079] "Authentication information," as mentioned above, is information used to authenticate the provider who transports the vehicle (shared vehicle), and includes, for example, the provider's facial image. "Pre-delivery storage address" is the address of the storage location where the vehicle is stored before the goods are delivered; in other words, it is information indicating the address of the storage location where the vehicle transporting the goods is stored. Specifically, "pre-delivery storage address" is information indicating the address of the centralized storage location.

[0080] "Store Name" is information indicating the name of the store where the customer ordered the product. "Store Address" is the address of the store where the customer ordered the product. "Product Name" is information indicating the name of the product ordered by the customer.

[0081] "Delivery address" is information indicating the delivery address of the product, specifically the delivery address specified by the customer. "Desired delivery date and time" is information indicating the date and time the customer wishes the product to be delivered. "Post-delivery storage address" is the address of the storage location where the vehicle will be stored after the product has been delivered, or in other words, the address of the storage location where the transported vehicle will ultimately be stored after the product has been delivered. Specifically, "post-delivery storage address" is information indicating the address of the storage location.

[0082] In the example of transportation and delivery information 35 shown in Figure 6, the transportation and delivery information identified by transportation and delivery information ID "U1" indicates that the provider ID is "K1", the authentication information is "M1", the storage location address before delivery is "H1", the store name is "V1", the store address is "W1", the product name is "X1", the delivery destination address is "Y1", the desired delivery date and time is "Z1", and the storage location address after delivery is "H3".

[0083] Returning to the explanation of Figure 3, reward information 36 is information about rewards. More specifically, reward information 36 is information about rewards granted to providers who transport vehicles (shared vehicles) and provide services. An example of a reward is points that can be used for payments at general stores, but it is not limited to this; other types of rewards such as coupons usable at stores may also be offered.

[0084] Furthermore, the reward information 36 may be modified depending on factors such as the distance the vehicle is transported. In other words, in the reward information 36, the reward may be improved (specifically, the number of points may increase) as the transport distance increases.

[0085] The control unit 20 includes an acquisition unit 21, an extraction unit 22, a matching unit 23, a notification unit 24, and an assignment unit 25, and includes, for example, a computer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), input / output ports, and various circuits.

[0086] The computer's CPU functions as the acquisition unit 21, extraction unit 22, matching unit 23, notification unit 24, and assignment unit 25 of the control unit 20, for example, by reading and executing a program stored in ROM. Alternatively, at least one part or all of the acquisition unit 21, extraction unit 22, matching unit 23, notification unit 24, and assignment unit 25 of the control unit 20 can be configured with hardware such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0087] The acquisition unit 21 of the control unit 20 acquires storage status information indicating the status of multiple storage locations where vehicles (shared vehicles) are stored. For example, the acquisition unit 21 acquires vehicle location information obtained from a GPS sensor mounted on the vehicle via the communication unit 11, uses the acquired vehicle location information to detect the number of vehicles stored at the storage location, and stores the information indicating the detected number of vehicles stored as storage status information 31 (see Figure 4) in the storage unit 30.

[0088] In the above example, the acquisition unit 21 detects the number of stored vehicles based on the location information of the vehicles, but it is not limited to this. That is, the acquisition unit 21 may, for example, acquire images of the storage location captured by a camera (surveillance camera) installed at the storage location and analyze the storage location images to detect the number of stored vehicles, or it may detect the number of stored vehicles by other methods, such as acquiring the output of a sensor such as an infrared sensor or a weight sensor that detects the presence or absence of vehicles at the storage location and using the sensor output to detect the number of stored vehicles.

[0089] Furthermore, the acquisition unit 21 acquires provider information. For example, the acquisition unit 21 acquires provider information entered by the provider through the operation of the provider terminal 100 via the communication unit 11, and stores the acquired information as provider information 34 (see Figure 5) in the storage unit 30.

[0090] The extraction unit 22 extracts centralized storage locations and sparsely populated storage locations from among multiple storage locations. For example, the extraction unit 22 reads the storage status information 31 from the memory unit 30, and if the number of vehicles stored at a storage location is greater than a predetermined standard number for each storage location, it sets the degree of concentration in the storage status information 31 to "high" and extracts that storage location as a centralized storage location.

[0091] Furthermore, if the number of vehicles stored at a storage location is less than the standard number, the extraction unit 22 sets the concentration level of the storage status information 31 to "low" and extracts the storage location as a sparsely populated storage location. If the number of vehicles stored at a storage location is the same as the standard number, the extraction unit 22 sets the concentration level of the storage status information 31 to "medium" and does not extract the storage location as either a concentrated or sparsely populated storage location.

[0092] Furthermore, the extraction unit 22 generates transportation request information requesting the transport of vehicles (shared vehicles) from the extracted centralized storage location to a sparsely populated storage location, and stores the generated information as transportation request information 32 in the storage unit 30.

[0093] The matching unit 23 waits (stands) for an order to be placed with the delivery service that matches the contents of the transportation request information and provider information, once the transportation request information has been generated and the provider information has been acquired.

[0094] Then, when the matching unit 23 receives an order from a customer for products at a store, it receives the order information from the delivery service server 400 (see Figure 2) and stores the received information as order information 33 in the storage unit 30.

[0095] Next, the matching unit 23 performs a matching process to match the transportation request information with the provider information that can deliver the ordered goods. For example, the matching unit 23 reads the transportation request information 32, the order information 33, and the provider information 34 from the storage unit 30 and performs the matching process. More specifically, the matching unit 23 performs a matching process to match the transportation request information 32 with the provider information 34 that can deliver the ordered goods included in the order information 33.

[0096] More specifically, the matching unit 23 matches the request for the transportation of vehicle C from a centralized storage location to a sparsely populated storage location, as contained in the transportation request information 32, with providers of services (delivery services) that can be provided in conjunction with such transportation (specifically, providers who can pick up goods at a store on the way to transporting the vehicle from the centralized storage location to the sparsely populated storage location and deliver the picked-up goods to the delivery address specified by the customer).

[0097] By performing this matching process, it becomes possible to appropriately combine, for example, vehicle transportation with services other than transportation (in this case, delivery services), and as a result, vehicles can be efficiently transported from centralized storage locations to less-traveled storage locations while providing services. Specifically, since the service described above is a delivery service that delivers goods ordered by customers from stores, vehicles can be efficiently transported from centralized storage locations to less-traveled storage locations while providing delivery services (delivering goods).

[0098] Furthermore, the matching unit 23 may perform the matching process using provider information that includes authentication information used to authenticate providers who transport vehicles (shared vehicles). Conversely, the matching unit 23 will not subject provider information that does not include authentication information to the matching process.

[0099] Thus, in this embodiment, by performing a matching process using provider information that includes authentication information, it becomes possible to request vehicle transportation and product delivery from, for example, providers whose authentication information is registered and who are relatively reliable.

[0100] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the authentication information is the facial image of the provider, which is registered in advance. More specifically, the authentication information includes the facial image of the provider, which is matched with the image of the provider captured by the camera 203 (see Figure 8 described later) installed in the vehicle (shared vehicle).

[0101] Thus, by including the provider's facial image in the authentication information, this embodiment allows for reliable and easy verification of the provider transporting the vehicle (more specifically, verification that the person riding in the vehicle and transporting and delivering is the legitimate provider).

[0102] Incidentally, in delivery services, there are cases where a product is delivered to multiple destinations. That is, there are cases where multiple customers specify different delivery destinations for the product, or where one customer specifies multiple delivery destinations. In such cases where there are multiple delivery destinations for the product, the matching unit 23 performs a matching process so that the vehicle (shared vehicle) is transported by the provider from the central storage location to the sparsely populated storage location via the multiple delivery destinations.

[0103] As a result, in this embodiment, even when there are multiple delivery destinations for a product, the delivery service can be efficiently provided by performing a matching process that goes through multiple delivery destinations, while also enabling the transport of vehicles from a centralized storage location to a less-traveled storage location.

[0104] Furthermore, in the matching process, there may be multiple potential providers who are candidates for providing a service (delivery service). In other words, there may be multiple providers (candidate providers) who can get into a vehicle at a centralized storage location and transport that vehicle from the centralized storage location to a sparsely populated storage location via the delivery destination.

[0105] In this embodiment, if there are multiple candidate providers, the matching unit 23 determines the priority among the multiple candidate providers and, based on the priority determination result, selects a provider from among the multiple candidate providers to provide the service.

[0106] For example, if there are two candidate providers, X1 and X2, the matching unit 23 obtains priority information included in the provider information for both candidate provider X1 and candidate provider X2. Then, based on the obtained priority information, the matching unit 23 determines the priority among the multiple candidate providers (in this case, candidate provider X1 and candidate provider X2).

[0107] As an example, the matching unit 23 determines priority based on performance information regarding the service's track record, which is priority information. Specifically, the matching unit 23 determines that the provider candidate X1 and provider candidate X2 with better performance information (for example, the one with a higher number of service deliveries or a higher evaluation value (satisfaction level)) has a higher priority. This is because the provider candidate with better performance information is more likely to provide the service and transport the vehicle reliably and accurately.

[0108] As another example, the matching unit 23 determines priority based on priority information, which is price information regarding the service provision fee. Specifically, the matching unit 23 determines that the provider candidate X1 and provider candidate X2 with the lower price in the price information has a higher priority. This is because the provider candidate with the lower price can provide the service and transport the vehicle at a lower cost.

[0109] As another example, the matching unit 23 determines priority based on priority information, specifically time information regarding the service provision time. More specifically, the matching unit 23 determines that the provider candidate X1 and provider candidate X2 with the shorter service provision time has a higher priority. This is because the provider candidate with the shorter service provision time can provide the service or transport the vehicle sooner.

[0110] As another example, the matching unit 23 determines priority based on distance information, which is priority information relating to the travel distance of the service provider candidates required to provide the service. Specifically, the matching unit 23 determines that the provider candidate X1 and provider candidate X2 with the shorter travel distance in the distance information has a higher priority. This is because the provider candidate with the shorter travel distance can provide the service or transport the vehicle sooner.

[0111] It should be noted that the priority determination described above is merely an example and not an exhaustive one. Furthermore, if there are multiple types of priority information, such as performance information and pricing information, the priority may be determined by pre-weighting the multiple pieces of information, for example. That is, if, for example, performance information is weighted to be more important than pricing information, and provider candidate X1 is determined to have a higher priority in terms of performance information, and provider candidate X2 is determined to have a higher priority in terms of pricing information, the matching unit 23 may ultimately determine that provider candidate X1 has the highest priority according to the weighting.

[0112] Then, the matching unit 23 determines which provider will provide the service from among the multiple candidate providers based on the priority determination results described above. In other words, it determines which candidate provider has been determined to have a high priority to be the provider that will actually provide the service (in this case, the delivery service).

[0113] As a result, in this embodiment, even if there are multiple potential providers, for example, a provider candidate determined to have a high priority can be selected as the provider, thereby enabling efficient provision of delivery services and transportation of vehicles.

[0114] Furthermore, the matching unit 23 according to this embodiment acquires at least one piece of information from among performance information, price information, time information, and distance information as priority information for each of the multiple candidate providers, and determines the priority based on the acquired priority information. As a result, in this embodiment, it becomes possible to determine the priority with high accuracy, for example.

[0115] The notification unit 24 notifies (transmits) result information indicating the result of the matching process in the matching unit 23 to the provider terminal 100. The result information includes the result indicating that a match was made, as well as transportation and delivery information. The notification unit 24 also notifies (transmits) the transportation and delivery information to the in-vehicle device 200.

[0116] The provider terminal 100 then displays (outputs) the result information notified by the notification unit 24. Figure 7 shows an example of the display on the display unit 101 of the provider terminal 100. As shown in Figure 7, the display unit 101 of the provider terminal 100 displays information in display field 101a indicating that a match has been made through the matching process and that there is a request for the provision of vehicle (shared car) transportation and delivery services. In addition, the display unit 101 displays transportation and delivery information in display field 101b. Therefore, the provider will provide vehicle transportation and delivery services based on the information displayed on the display unit 101 of the provider terminal 100.

[0117] Returning to the explanation of Figure 3, the granting unit 25 grants benefits to providers. Specifically, the granting unit 25 reads the benefit information 36 from the storage unit 30 and, according to the result of the matching process, grants benefits to providers who transport vehicles (shared vehicles) from centralized storage locations to sparsely populated storage locations and provide services (in this case, delivery services).

[0118] Thus, in this embodiment, by providing the above-mentioned benefits, it becomes possible to encourage providers, for example, to input (register) their provider information into the provider terminal 100 and apply for the provision of vehicle transportation and delivery services.

[0119] <Configuration of in-vehicle equipment> Next, the configuration of the in-vehicle device 200 will be described with reference to Figure 8. Figure 8 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the in-vehicle device 200. As shown in Figure 8, the in-vehicle device 200 includes a communication unit 201, a GPS sensor 202, a camera 203, a control unit 210, and a storage unit 220.

[0120] The communication unit 201 is a communication interface that connects to the communication network N in a bidirectional manner, and transmits and receives information with the vehicle management device 10, the provider terminal 100, the delivery service server 400, and the like.

[0121] The GPS sensor 202 detects the position of the vehicle (shared vehicle) and outputs position information indicating the detected vehicle's location to the control unit 210. The camera 203 captures images of the area around the vehicle (shared vehicle). For example, the camera 203 captures images of a provider who has come close to the vehicle to board it, and outputs the captured image of the provider (more precisely, an image including the provider's face) to the control unit 210.

[0122] The storage unit 220 is a storage unit composed of storage devices such as non-volatile memory, data flash, and hard disk drives. Transportation and delivery information 221 and various programs are stored in this storage unit 220.

[0123] Transportation and delivery information 221 is information relating to the transportation of vehicles and the delivery of goods, and is information notified (transmitted) from the vehicle management device 10. Since transportation and delivery information 221 is the same as transportation and delivery information 35 (see Figure 6) stored in the storage unit 30 of the vehicle management device 10 described above, its explanation is omitted here.

[0124] The control unit 210 comprises a processing unit 211 and an authentication unit 212, and includes, for example, a computer and various circuits having a CPU, ROM, RAM, input / output ports, etc. The computer's CPU functions as the processing unit 211 and authentication unit 212 of the control unit 210 by, for example, reading and executing a program stored in ROM. Alternatively, at least one part or all of the processing unit 211 and authentication unit 212 of the control unit 210 can be configured with hardware such as an ASIC or FPGA.

[0125] The processing unit 211 of the control unit 210 performs various processes in the in-vehicle device 200. Specifically, the processing unit 211 acquires location information of the vehicle (shared vehicle) output from the GPS sensor 202 and transmits the acquired location information to the vehicle management device 10 via the communication unit 201.

[0126] Furthermore, the processing unit 211 acquires transportation and delivery information transmitted from the vehicle management device 10 via the communication unit 201 and stores the acquired information as transportation and delivery information 221 in the storage unit 220.

[0127] The authentication unit 212 performs authentication processing for the provider based on, for example, an image captured by the camera 203. More specifically, when the provider receives matching processing result information from the vehicle management device 10 to the provider terminal 100 and requests the provision of vehicle transportation and delivery services, the provider moves to the storage location (i.e., centralized storage location) where the vehicle is stored based on the transmitted information. Upon arrival at the storage location (centralized storage location), the provider requests authentication from the on-board device 200 of the stored vehicle via the provider terminal 100.

[0128] When an authentication request is made, the authentication unit 212 acquires an image of the provider captured by, for example, the camera 203, specifically, the facial image of the provider when they approach the vehicle. The authentication unit 212 also reads the transportation and delivery information 221 from the storage unit 220 and compares the authentication information in the transportation and delivery information 221 (more precisely, the facial image of the provider that has been registered in advance) with the facial image of the provider captured by the camera 203 to perform provider authentication processing.

[0129] As an example of the authentication process, the authentication unit 212 analyzes the provider's face image in the authentication information and the provider's face image captured by the camera 203 to extract facial feature points (for example, the position and shape of feature points such as the eyes (inner corner, outer corner, etc.), nose, and mouth) from each face image. The authentication unit 212 then compares the facial feature points in each extracted face image, and if the facial feature points in each face image are similar enough to be estimated to belong to the same person, it authenticates the provider captured by the camera 203 (i.e., the provider who came near the vehicle) as a legitimate provider.

[0130] The authentication process described above is merely an example and not limited to it. For example, authentication information such as the password, barcode, or QR code (registered trademark) may also be used.

[0131] When the authentication unit 212 authenticates that the provider is legitimate through the authentication process, it outputs the authentication result to a vehicle control device (not shown) that controls the vehicle. Upon receiving the authentication result, the vehicle control device executes processes that, for example, authorize the provider to unlock and lock the vehicle doors, start the vehicle, or drive the vehicle.

[0132] This allows providers to offer vehicle transportation and delivery services by having them travel to stores in a vehicle from a storage location (centralized storage location), pick up goods at the stores, then travel to the delivery destination to deliver the goods, and finally travel from the delivery destination back to a storage location (sparsely populated storage location) and park the vehicle.

[0133] <Control processing of the vehicle management system according to the embodiment> Next, the processing procedure executed by the vehicle management system 1, including the vehicle management device 10 according to the embodiment, will be explained with reference to Figure 9. Figure 9 is a diagram showing an example of a processing sequence executed by the vehicle management system 1, including the vehicle management device 10 according to the embodiment.

[0134] As shown in Figure 9, first the vehicle management device 10 acquires storage status information indicating the status of multiple storage locations (step S100). Next, based on the acquired storage status information, the vehicle management device 10 performs a process to extract centralized storage locations and sparsely populated storage locations from among the multiple storage locations (step S101).

[0135] Next, the vehicle management device 10 generates transportation request information requesting the transport of vehicles from the centralized storage location to the sparsely populated storage location, based on the extracted information on the centralized storage location and the sparsely populated storage location (step S102).

[0136] Furthermore, the vehicle management device 10 obtains provider information from the provider terminal 100 (step S103). In the example shown in Figure 9, the vehicle management device 10 obtains provider information after generating the transportation request information, but it is not limited to this, and may obtain provider information before generating the transportation request information.

[0137] Next, the vehicle management device 10 generates transportation request information and, having acquired provider information, waits for an order that matches the content of the transportation request information and provider information. Then, it is assumed that an order has been placed by the customer for goods at the store via the customer terminal 300 (step S104).

[0138] The vehicle management device 10 obtains order information from the delivery service server 400 that received the order (step S105). The delivery service server 400 also transmits the order information to the store (not shown).

[0139] Next, the vehicle management device 10 performs a matching process to match the transportation request information with provider information that can deliver the ordered goods (step S106). Then, based on the results of the matching process, the vehicle management device 10 transmits transportation and delivery information regarding the transportation of the vehicle and the delivery of the goods to the provider terminal 100 and the in-vehicle device 200 (step S107). Specifically, the vehicle management device 10 transmits the results of the matching process, including the transportation and delivery information, to the provider terminal 100 of the provider that was matched in the matching process. As a result, the provider moves the vehicle to the storage location where it is stored (i.e., the centralized storage location) based on the transmitted information.

[0140] When the provider arrives at the storage location (centralized storage location), the in-vehicle device 200 performs authentication processing of the provider based on images captured by the camera 203 (step S108). For example, the in-vehicle device 200 performs authentication processing of the provider by comparing the authentication information (more precisely, a pre-registered facial image of the provider) in the transport and delivery information 221 (see Figure 6) of the storage unit 220 with the facial image of the provider captured by the camera 203.

[0141] If the authentication process in step S108 authenticates that the provider captured by the camera 203 is a legitimate provider, the in-vehicle device 200 performs an initiation process to start transportation and delivery, such as outputting the authentication result to a vehicle control device (not shown) (step S109).

[0142] The provider then transports the vehicle from the centralized storage location to the sparsely populated storage location, and picks up goods from stores along the way and delivers them to the destination. After delivery, when the vehicle arrives at the sparsely populated storage location and transportation and delivery are complete, the on-board device 200 performs a completion process to indicate that transportation and delivery are complete (step S110). In this completion process, for example, completion information indicating that transportation and delivery have been completed is transmitted from the on-board device 200 to the vehicle management device 10 or the delivery service server 400.

[0143] Next, when the vehicle management device 10 obtains completion information, it transports the vehicle from the central storage location to the sparsely populated storage location and grants a reward (e.g., points) to the provider who provided the delivery service (step S111). At this time, the service fee may be paid to the provider by the delivery service server 400 (or the vehicle management device 10).

[0144] As described above, the vehicle management device 10 according to this embodiment includes a control unit 20. The control unit 20 acquires storage status information indicating the status of multiple storage locations where multiple shared vehicles are stored. Based on the acquired storage status information, the control unit 20 extracts from the multiple storage locations centralized storage locations where multiple shared vehicles are stored in a concentrated state, and sparsely populated storage locations where shared vehicles are stored in a sparse state. The control unit 20 also performs a matching process that matches transportation request information requesting the transportation of shared vehicles from the extracted centralized storage locations to the sparsely populated storage locations with provider information regarding providers of services that can be provided in connection with the transportation of shared vehicles from the centralized storage locations to the sparsely populated storage locations. This enables the efficient transportation of shared vehicles from centralized storage locations to sparsely populated storage locations.

[0145] While the above example illustrates the application of the embodiment to a car-sharing service, it is not limited to this. It may also be applied to other types of services, such as car rental services, as long as they involve lending out vehicles.

[0146] Furthermore, while the above example illustrates the application of the embodiment to a service that delivers goods from a store, it is not limited to this and may be applied to other types of services, such as a service that delivers packages from a collection point to a delivery destination.

[0147] Further effects and modifications can be readily derived by those skilled in the art. Therefore, broader aspects of the present invention are not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments expressed and described above. Accordingly, various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the overall concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0148] 1. Vehicle Management System 10. Vehicle management system 20 Control Unit 100 provider terminals 200 On-vehicle equipment 300 Customer terminals 400 Delivery Service Servers

Claims

1. A vehicle management device equipped with a control unit, The control unit, We obtain storage status information that shows the status of multiple storage locations where multiple shared vehicles are stored. Based on the acquired storage status information, centralized storage locations where multiple shared vehicles are stored in a concentrated manner and sparsely stored locations where shared vehicles are stored in a sparse manner are extracted from among the multiple storage locations. Based on the extracted transportation request information requesting the transportation of the shared vehicle from the centralized storage location to the sparsely populated storage location, and provider information including delivery conditions indicating the time and area in which the delivery service provider can deliver goods or packages, a matching process is performed to match the shared vehicle in the transportation request information with the provider whose time and area for transporting the shared vehicle meets the delivery conditions and who can deliver goods or packages en route to transporting the shared vehicle from the centralized storage location to the sparsely populated storage location. Vehicle management system.

2. The aforementioned delivery service is This is a delivery service in which products ordered by a customer are delivered from the store. The vehicle management device according to claim 1.

3. The control unit, If there are multiple delivery destinations for the aforementioned product, the matching process is performed so that the shared vehicle is transported by the provider from the centralized storage location to the sparsely populated storage location via the multiple delivery destinations. The vehicle management device according to claim 2.

4. The control unit, The matching process is performed using the provider information, which includes authentication information used to authenticate the provider who transports the shared vehicle. The vehicle management device according to claim 1.

5. The aforementioned authentication information is A facial image of the provider that is registered in advance, including a facial image of the provider that is matched with an image of the provider captured by a camera mounted on the shared vehicle, The vehicle management device according to claim 4.

6. The control unit, Depending on the results of the matching process, the provider who transported the shared vehicle from the centralized storage location to the sparsely populated storage location and provided the delivery service will be granted a benefit. The vehicle management device according to claim 1.

7. The control unit, In the matching process, if there are multiple candidate providers who are candidates for providing the delivery service, a priority is determined among the multiple candidate providers, and based on the result of the priority determination, the provider who will provide the delivery service is selected from among the multiple candidate providers. The vehicle management device according to claim 1.

8. The control unit, For each of the multiple candidate providers, at least one of the following is obtained as priority information: performance information regarding the delivery service, fee information regarding the delivery service fee, time information regarding the delivery service provision time, and distance information regarding the travel distance of the candidate provider required to provide the delivery service. Based on the obtained priority information, the priority is determined. The vehicle management device according to claim 7.

9. A vehicle management system including a vehicle management device and a terminal device used by a delivery service provider, The aforementioned vehicle management device is We obtain storage status information that shows the status of multiple storage locations where multiple shared vehicles are stored. Based on the acquired storage status information, centralized storage locations where multiple shared vehicles are stored in a concentrated manner and sparsely stored locations where shared vehicles are stored in a sparse manner are extracted from among the multiple storage locations. Based on the extracted transportation request information requesting the transportation of the shared vehicle from the centralized storage location to the sparsely populated storage location, and provider information including delivery conditions indicating the time and area in which the delivery service provider can deliver goods or packages, a matching process is performed to match the shared vehicle in the transportation request information with the provider whose time and area for transporting the shared vehicle meets the delivery conditions and who can deliver goods or packages on the way to transporting the shared vehicle from the centralized storage location to the sparsely populated storage location. The result information indicating the result of the matching process is transmitted to the terminal device. The aforementioned terminal device is Outputting the result information transmitted from the vehicle management device, Vehicle management system.

10. A vehicle management method performed by a vehicle management device, We obtain storage status information that shows the status of multiple storage locations where multiple shared vehicles are stored. Based on the acquired storage status information, centralized storage locations where multiple shared vehicles are stored in a concentrated manner and sparsely stored locations where shared vehicles are stored in a sparse manner are extracted from among the multiple storage locations. Based on the extracted transportation request information requesting the transportation of the shared vehicle from the centralized storage location to the sparsely populated storage location, and provider information including delivery conditions indicating the time and area in which the delivery service provider can deliver goods or packages, a matching process is performed to match the shared vehicle in the transportation request information with the provider whose time and area for transporting the shared vehicle meets the delivery conditions and who can deliver goods or packages en route to transporting the shared vehicle from the centralized storage location to the sparsely populated storage location. Vehicle management methods.

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