Vehicle reservation system

Abstract

To provide a ride reservation device for a vehicle sufficiently giving consideration to a person whose ride space should be preferentially secured.SOLUTION: A ride reservation device is configured to receive a reservation from a priority target passenger who is to take a ride with priority over other passengers, and checks whether or not a ride space for the priority target passenger is available in a vehicle reserved for a ride. When there is the ride space, the ride reservation device secures the ride space for the priority target passenger. When there is no ride space, the ride reservation device is configured to secure an empty space formed by getting-off of the passenger until the vehicle arrives at a planned ride place of the priority target passenger as the ride space for the priority target passenger.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a reservation device for making a ride reservation for a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle operation system. Specifically, the vehicle operation system creates an operation plan for a shared vehicle based on the demands of users, and performs vehicle operation according to the created operation plan. The vehicle operation system further includes a derivation means for periodically deriving reservation facilitation information for boarding and alighting locations of a shared vehicle due to demands of new users, and a presentation means for presenting the derivation result. [[ID=​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Upon receiving a reservation from a priority passenger who should be given priority boarding over other passengers, we check whether there is a boarding space for the priority passenger on the reserved vehicle. If there is space available for boarding, the boarding space will be reserved for priority passengers. If there is no available boarding space, the system is configured to reserve any empty space created by passengers disembarking before the vehicle reaches the designated boarding location for priority passengers as boarding space. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a passenger reservation system that allows priority passengers, including people with disabilities and the elderly, to board the train preferentially. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This diagram shows the configuration of the vehicle reservation system in this disclosure. [Figure 2] This disclosure shows the process for booking boarding for priority passengers. [Figure 3] This disclosure shows the temporary vehicle dispatch process. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the first specific example of securing passenger space in this disclosure. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram illustrating a second specific example of securing passenger space in this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the vehicle reservation system in this disclosure. The reservation system 1 is a cloud-based server managed by a service provider that provides bus services. The reservation system 1 can communicate with user terminals 4, each owned and used by multiple users. Furthermore, the reservation system 1 can communicate with multiple vehicles 5 under the management of the reservation system 1. In this disclosure, the vehicle 5 is a passenger vehicle shared by multiple people. Furthermore, the vehicle 5 may be an autonomous vehicle, a manually driven vehicle driven by a driver on board, or a remotely driven vehicle operated by a remote operator.

[0010] The reservation device 1 consists of one or more processors 2 (hereinafter referred to as processor 2) and one or more storage devices 3 (hereinafter referred to as storage device 3). Processor 2 performs various processes related to passenger reservations. Processor 2 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit). Storage device 3 stores various information necessary for processing by processor 2. Examples of storage device 3 include volatile memory, non-volatile memory, HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), etc. Processor 2 reads various information from storage device 3 and stores various information in storage device 3.

[0011] The storage device 3 stores the passenger reservation information 31. The passenger reservation information 31 includes, for example, information regarding the status of passenger reservations for multiple vehicles 5 under the management of the reservation device 1, information regarding the availability of reservations for multiple vehicles 5 under the management of the reservation device 1, and information regarding the boarding location where the user will board for each passenger reservation. If the passenger reservation includes information regarding the disembarking location where the passenger will alight, that information is also included in the passenger reservation information 31. Furthermore, the passenger reservation information 31 is updated each time the reservation device 1 receives a passenger reservation for a vehicle 5 from the user terminal 4.

[0012] Furthermore, the storage device 3 stores the operating schedules of each of the multiple vehicles 5 under the management of the reservation device 1 as vehicle operation information 32.

[0013] Furthermore, the storage device 3 stores the attributes of multiple users as user information 33. The user information 33 is transmitted when multiple users operate their respective user terminals 4 and send reservations for the vehicle 5 from their respective user terminals 4 to the reservation device 1. The user information 33 includes, for example, information about the user's attributes, such as whether the user who made the reservation using a particular user terminal 4 is a priority customer or a general customer. In addition, the information regarding priority customers in the user information 33 may include information about the size of the boarding space required for the priority customer when boarding.

[0014] The reservation device 1 transmits the passenger reservation information 31 to the vehicle 5. Specifically, whenever the passenger reservation information 31 is updated, the reservation device 1 transmits the latest passenger reservation information 31 to the vehicle 5. Based on the latest passenger reservation information 31, the vehicle 5 stops at the boarding or alighting location of the user who made the reservation.

[0015] The user can make a reservation for vehicle 5 by operating user terminal 4. Based on the user's operation, user terminal 4 transmits the reservation for vehicle 5 to reservation device 1.

[0016] When the reservation device 1 receives a boarding reservation from a user terminal 4, it determines, based on the user information 33, whether the user who sent the boarding reservation from the user terminal 4 to the reservation device 1 is a priority passenger or a general passenger. Priority passengers include, for example, people with disabilities or the elderly who have difficulty moving their bodies freely. The reservation device 1 can switch the reservation method between a reservation method for general passengers and a reservation method for priority passengers depending on the result of the determination.

[0017] When it is determined that the ride reservation transmitted from the user terminal 4 is from a general customer, the reservation device 1 performs the following processing. First, the reservation device 1 makes a ride reservation for the vehicle 5 specified by the general customer based on the ride reservation from the general customer. Further, the reservation device 1 updates the ride reservation information 31 and stores the updated ride reservation information 31 in the storage device 3. Then, the reservation device 1 transmits a message indicating reservation completion to the user terminal 4 from which the ride reservation was transmitted. Note that ride reservations are accepted in the order of arrival. However, if a ride reservation from a general customer and a ride reservation from a priority target customer described below are made at the same timing, the ride reservation from the priority target customer takes precedence.

[0018] When the reservation device 1 determines that the ride reservation transmitted from the user terminal 4 is from a priority target customer, the reservation device 1 performs the ride reservation process shown in FIG. 2.

[0019] FIG. 2 shows the ride reservation process for priority target customers performed by the reservation device 1 in the present disclosure.

[0020] First, in step S100, the reservation device 1 determines whether there is a ride space for the priority target customer to board at the time when the reservation device 1 receives the ride reservation in the vehicle 5 for which the priority target customer has made a ride reservation. If the reservation device 1 determines that there is a ride space, the reservation device 1 proceeds to step S200.

[0021] In step S200, the reservation device 1 instructs the vehicle 5 for which the priority target customer has made a ride reservation to secure a ride space for the priority target customer to board. The vehicle 5 that receives the instruction notifies the passengers already on board that the priority target customer will board and secures a ride space for the priority target customer. Examples of the method of notifying the passengers include digital signage display, in-vehicle announcements, and notifications via an application installed on each passenger's user terminal. The reservation device 1 proceeds to step S300.

[0022] In step S300, the reservation device 1 updates the boarding reservation information 31 by overwriting it with the information that a boarding space has been secured in the vehicle 5 for which the priority passenger has made a boarding reservation. The reservation device 1 then proceeds to step S400.

[0023] In step S400, the reservation device 1 notifies the priority passenger who made the reservation that the boarding space has been secured, via the user terminal 4 operated by the priority passenger. At this time, the reservation device 1 may also notify the passenger of the vehicle 5 for which the boarding space has been secured and the vehicle 5's operating schedule. The reservation device 1 then proceeds to step S500.

[0024] In step S500, the reservation device 1 instructs vehicle 5 to stop in front of the lane where the priority passenger who has made a reservation is waiting, at the boarding / alighting area where the priority passenger will board. The reservation device 1 then proceeds to step S600.

[0025] Finally, in step S600, the reservation device 1 instructs the vehicle 5, for which boarding space is secured, to extend the ramp after stopping at the boarding / alighting area where priority passengers who have made reservations are waiting. The reservation device 1 then terminates the process.

[0026] In step S100, if the reservation device 1 determines that there is no boarding space available in vehicle 5 for the priority passenger, the reservation device 1 proceeds to step S110.

[0027] In step S110, the reservation device 1 confirms the boarding and alighting locations for priority passengers based on the boarding reservation information 31. The reservation device 1 then proceeds to step S111.

[0028] Next, in step S111, the reservation device 1 determines whether there are any passengers who will disembark from vehicle 5 before the vehicle 5, which has been reserved for the priority passenger, arrives at the boarding / alighting station where the priority passenger will board. Specifically, the reservation device 1 asks passengers who are currently on board vehicle 5 at the time of processing in step S111, or passengers who are scheduled to board at a boarding / alighting station where vehicle 5 will arrive before the priority passenger, about their respective disembarking locations. For example, for passengers who are currently on board vehicle 5 at the time of processing in step S111, the reservation device 1 instructs vehicle 5 to make an in-car announcement or display a digital signage message. Furthermore, at a boarding / alighting station where vehicle 5 will arrive before the boarding / alighting station where the priority passenger will board, the reservation device 1 sends a question about the disembarking location to the user terminal 4 operated by the passenger who is scheduled to board.

[0029] Subsequently, the reservation device 1 collects the answers to the questions and determines whether there are any passengers who will disembark from the vehicle 5 before the boarding / alighting point where the priority passenger will board. If the boarding reservation information 31 includes information on the planned disembarking location, the reservation device 1 can also determine whether there are any passengers who will disembark before the priority passenger boards, based on the planned disembarking locations of passengers currently on the vehicle 5 and passengers who board the vehicle 5 before the priority passenger. If there are passengers who will disembark, the reservation device 1 proceeds to step S200 after the passengers who were scheduled to disembark have disembarked.

[0030] In step S200, the reservation device 1 instructs the vehicle 5, for which a priority passenger has made a reservation, to reserve a boarding space for the priority passenger. The boarding space to be reserved is the space that becomes available when the passengers who were already on board disembark. The reservation device 1 instructs the vehicle 5 to reserve a boarding space within the vehicle 5 by displaying a digital signage message, making an in-vehicle announcement, or notifying passengers already on board via an application. The reservation device 1 then proceeds to step S300. The processing from step S300 onward is as described above.

[0031] If no passengers are disembarking as determined in step S111, the reservation device 1 returns to step S100. In step S100, the reservation device 1 determines whether there is space available for boarding in the following vehicle that will arrive at the boarding / alighting area where the priority passenger will board after the vehicle 5 for which the priority passenger has made a reservation. If the reservation device 1 determines that there is space available for boarding in the following vehicle, it proceeds to step S200. If the reservation device 1 determines that there is no space available for boarding in the following vehicle, it proceeds to step S110. Thereafter, the reservation device 1 repeatedly performs steps S100, S110, and S111 until boarding space is secured for the priority passenger.

[0032] The reservation processing of the reservation device 1 in this disclosure ensures that priority is given to securing boarding spaces for persons requiring special consideration, such as persons with disabilities, the elderly, pregnant women, and injured persons, in a vehicle 5 shared by multiple people.

[0033] On the other hand, as a consequence of prioritizing passengers for boarding space, some passengers may not be able to board vehicle 5. For such passengers, the reservation device 1 will dispatch an extra vehicle under predetermined conditions. Figure 3 shows the extra vehicle dispatch process performed by the reservation device 1 in this disclosure.

[0034] First, in step S310, the reservation device 1 determines whether there is space for other passengers to board the vehicle 5 on which the priority passenger is to board. Specifically, the reservation device 1 determines whether other passengers can board the vehicle 5 based on the boarding reservation information 31. If there is space for other passengers to board the vehicle 5, the reservation device 1 terminates the process. If there is no space for other passengers to board the vehicle 5, the reservation device 1 proceeds to step S410.

[0035] In step S410, the reservation device 1 determines whether the number of other passengers waiting for vehicle 5 on which the priority passenger will board exceeds a certain number. Specifically, the reservation device 1 counts passengers who have made a reservation for vehicle 5 based on the boarding reservation information 31 but for whom it has been determined that it is impossible to secure a boarding space in vehicle 5, and these passengers are counted as other passengers waiting for vehicle 5. The reservation device 1 then determines whether the number of other passengers waiting for vehicle 5 exceeds a certain number. If the number of other passengers waiting for vehicle 5 does not exceed a certain number, the reservation device 1 terminates the process. If the number of other passengers waiting for vehicle 5 exceeds a certain number, the reservation device 1 proceeds to step S510.

[0036] In step S510, the reservation device 1 determines whether there are any vehicles available for dispatch in vehicle 5 other than the vehicle 5 on which the priority passenger will be riding (hereinafter referred to as "available vehicles"). If there are no available vehicles, the reservation device 1 terminates the process. If there are available vehicles, the reservation device 1 proceeds to step S610.

[0037] In step S610, the reservation device 1 assigns one of the available vehicles as an extra service. The reservation device 1 then proceeds to step S710.

[0038] Next, in step S710, the reservation device 1 distributes the schedule for the extra service to other passengers who were unable to board vehicle 5, which is reserved for priority passengers. The reservation device 1 then proceeds to step S810.

[0039] In step S810, the reservation device 1 accepts a reservation for the extra flight. After that, the reservation device 1 terminates the process.

[0040] According to the temporary vehicle dispatching process of reservation device 1 in this disclosure, it becomes possible to provide a vehicle that can be used by other passengers who have difficulty boarding due to securing boarding space for priority passengers.

[0041] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a first specific example of securing passenger space in this disclosure.

[0042] In Figure 4, vehicle 5 travels sequentially through boarding / alighting areas 6, 7, and 8. Each of the boarding / alighting areas 6-8 is equipped with a general passenger waiting area 9 where general passengers wait and a priority passenger waiting area 10 where priority passengers wait.

[0043] In the first specific example, regular passenger P1 sends a reservation to board vehicle 5 at boarding / alighting area 6 from regular passenger P1's user terminal 4 to reservation device 1, and priority passenger P2 sends a reservation to board vehicle 5 at boarding / alighting area 8 from priority passenger P2's user terminal 4 to reservation device 1. In the first specific example, it is assumed that the reservation made from the user terminal 4 operated by priority passenger P2 is sent to reservation device 1 before the reservation made from the user terminal 4 operated by regular passenger P1.

[0044] The reservation table 51 shown in Figure 4 is a table that shows the availability of seats or passenger spaces in vehicle 5. The reservation table 51 is part of the passenger reservation information 31 and is stored in the storage device 3.

[0045] The reservation device 1 manages reservation tables 51 for all vehicles 5 under its control. A reservation table 51 is created for each vehicle 5 under the control of the reservation device 1, and may be different depending on the number of seats or capacity of each vehicle 5.

[0046] The reservation device 1 manages the reservation table 51 by classifying seats or boarding spaces that are already occupied by passengers as occupied spaces 511, seats or boarding spaces that are not reserved and are available as empty spaces 512, and seats or spaces where priority passengers P2 will be boarding as priority passenger spaces 513.

[0047] In the first specific example, the reservation device 1 first receives a reservation for vehicle 5 from a user terminal 4 operated by a priority passenger P2. The reservation device 1 refers to the reservation list 51 for vehicle 5 and determines whether there are any available spaces 512. If there are available spaces 512 in the reservation list 51, the reservation device 1 changes one of the available spaces 512 to a priority passenger space. The reservation list 51 modified by the operation of the reservation device 1 overwrites the reservation list 51 before the reservation was made and is stored in the storage device 3 as part of the reservation information 31.

[0048] Next, the reservation device 1 notifies the user terminal 4 operated by the priority passenger P2 that the reservation is complete. Furthermore, the reservation device 1 instructs the vehicle 5 on which the priority passenger P2 will be riding to stop in front of the priority passenger waiting area 10 at the boarding / alighting area 8 and extend the ramp.

[0049] Next, the reservation device 1 receives a reservation for vehicle 5 from the user terminal 4 operated by general passenger P1. The reservation device 1 refers to the reservation list 51 for vehicle 5 and determines whether there are any available spaces 512. If there are available spaces 512 in the reservation list 51, the reservation device 1 designates one of the available spaces 512 as a occupied space 511. At this time, regardless of the boarding and alighting points of general passenger P1 and priority passenger P2, the reservation device 1 does not determine that the priority passenger space 513 secured by the priority passenger P2's reservation is available, and treats it the same as an occupied space 511. As a result, the priority passenger space 513 is not reserved by other passengers.

[0050] Next, the reservation device 1 notifies the user terminal 4 operated by the general passenger P1 that the reservation is complete. Furthermore, the reservation device 1 instructs the vehicle 5 on which the general passenger P1 will board to stop in front of the general passenger waiting area 9 at the boarding / alighting area 6. In the specific example shown in Figure 4, the vehicle 5 on which the general passenger P1 will board and the vehicle 5 on which the priority passenger P2 will board are the same, and the reservation device 1 instructs vehicle 5 each time a boarding reservation is made by the general passenger P1 or the priority passenger P2. Although not disclosed in Figure 4, if the general passenger P1 and other priority passengers are waiting at the boarding / alighting area 6 at the same time, the reservation device 1 instructs vehicle 5 to stop in front of the priority passenger waiting area 10.

[0051] Vehicle 5 will visit boarding / alighting areas 6, 7, and 8 in that order based on instructions transmitted from the reservation device 1.

[0052] In the first specific example, vehicle 5 stops in front of the general passenger waiting area 9 at boarding / alighting platform 7. Furthermore, since the reservation device 1 has not instructed vehicle 5 to stop at boarding / alighting platform 7, vehicle 5 may pass through boarding / alighting platform 7. In addition, vehicle 5 stops in front of the priority passenger waiting area 10 at boarding / alighting platform 8 and extends the ramp. Priority passenger P2 boards using the ramp.

[0053] In this way, the reservation device 1 can accept the boarding reservation of priority passenger P2 without neglecting to consider the priority passenger P2, and priority passenger P2 can board the vehicle 5 smoothly.

[0054] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a second specific example of securing passenger space in this disclosure.

[0055] In Figure 5, vehicle 5 travels sequentially through boarding / alighting areas 6, 7, and 8. Each of the boarding / alighting areas 6-8 is equipped with a general passenger waiting area 9 where general passengers wait and a priority passenger waiting area 10 where priority passengers wait.

[0056] The second specific example shows the operation of the reservation device 1 when priority passenger P2 makes a reservation for vehicle 5, but vehicle 5 is already fully booked.

[0057] Reservation device 1 accepts a reservation for vehicle 5 from a user terminal 4 operated by a priority passenger P2. Reservation device 1 refers to the reservation list 52 for vehicle 5 and determines whether there are any available spaces 522. In the second specific example, the reservation list 52 for vehicle 5 is filled with occupied spaces 521. Therefore, reservation device 1 determines that there are no available spaces 522.

[0058] Next, the reservation device 1 confirms where the priority passenger P2 will board. The boarding location of the priority passenger P2 is transmitted to the reservation device 1 when the priority passenger P2 makes a reservation from the user terminal 4 operated by the priority passenger P2. In the second specific example, the reservation device 1 confirms that the priority passenger P2 will board from boarding / alighting area 8.

[0059] Next, the reservation device 1 asks the passengers currently on board vehicle 5 about their disembarking location. Specifically, the reservation device 1 instructs vehicle 5 to ask the current passengers about their disembarking location via in-vehicle announcements or digital signage displays. The current passengers on vehicle 5 answer the question from their respective user terminals 4 and send the answers to the reservation device 1. The reservation device 1 then compiles the answer results.

[0060] In the second specific example, the results of the survey revealed that passenger P3 disembarks at boarding / alighting station 7, where vehicle 5 arrives before boarding / alighting station 8, where priority passenger P2 boards.

[0061] Next, after passenger P3 disembarks, the reservation device 1 reserves a priority passenger space 523 within the vehicle 5. Specifically, in the reservation schedule 52, after passenger P3 disembarks, the empty space 522 where passenger P3 was sitting is immediately changed to the priority passenger space 523. The reservation schedule 52 modified by the operation of the reservation device 1 overwrites the reservation schedule 52 from before passenger P3 disembarked and is stored in the storage device 3 as part of the boarding reservation information 31.

[0062] Next, the reservation device 1 notifies the user terminal 4 operated by the priority passenger P2 that the reservation is complete. Furthermore, the reservation device 1 instructs the vehicle 5 on which the priority passenger P2 will be riding to stop in front of the priority passenger waiting area 10 at the boarding / alighting area 8 and extend the ramp.

[0063] Vehicle 5 patrols boarding / alighting areas 6, 7, and 8 based on instructions transmitted from the reservation device 1. In the second specific example, vehicle 5 passes boarding / alighting area 6, stops at boarding / alighting area 7, and passenger P3 disembarks. Furthermore, vehicle 5 stops in front of the priority passenger waiting area 10 at boarding / alighting area 8 and extends the ramp. Priority passenger P2 boards using the ramp.

[0064] In this way, the reservation device 1 can accept the boarding reservation of priority passenger P2 without neglecting to consider the priority passenger P2, and priority passenger P2 can board the vehicle 5 smoothly. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0065] 1. Reservation device, 2. Processor, 3. Storage device, 4. User terminal, 5. Vehicle, 6-8. Boarding / alighting area, 9. General passenger waiting area, 10. Priority passenger waiting area

Claims

1. A passenger reservation device for reserving a ride on a vehicle shared by multiple people, Upon receiving a reservation from a priority passenger who should be given priority boarding over other passengers, the system checks whether there is a boarding space available for the aforementioned priority passenger on the reserved vehicle. If such a boarding space exists, the boarding space shall be reserved for the priority passengers. If there is no boarding space, the vehicle shall reserve the empty space created by passengers disembarking before the vehicle arrives at the designated boarding location for the priority passenger as the boarding space for the priority passenger. If the aforementioned passenger space is reserved for the priority passengers, making it impossible for other passengers to board the vehicle, the system is configured to arrange a separate vehicle for multiple passengers, provided that predetermined necessary dispatching conditions are met. A passenger reservation device characterized by the following features.

2. If there is no available boarding space, the system is configured to check the passenger's intended disembarking location and determine whether a space will become available by the time the vehicle arrives at the priority passenger's intended boarding location, based on the intended disembarking location. The passenger reservation device according to feature 1.

3. If there is no available boarding space and no space becomes available by the time the vehicle arrives at the designated boarding location for the priority passenger, the system is configured to check whether there is available boarding space for the priority passenger in the next vehicle carrying multiple passengers that arrives at the designated boarding location for the priority passenger. The passenger reservation device according to feature 2.

4. The system is configured to notify the priority passengers that a boarding space has been secured once that space is available. A passenger reservation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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