Price calculation system

Abstract

To enable a correct travel distance to be grasped without using a vehicle speed pulse output from a vehicle side or a road map in a case where a vehicle travels in a section where radio waves from a satellite cannot be received.SOLUTION: An on-vehicle instrument 10 mounted on a vehicle includes: a position detection unit 21 that measures a current position based on radio waves received from a satellite such as a GPS; a first travel distance detection unit that grasps a travel distance of the vehicle based on the detected positional information; and a charge calculation unit that calculates a fare based on a charge scheme determined in advance. Further, a distance information holding unit that holds distance information between a plurality of spots measured in the past for various spots is utilized. The on-vehicle instrument 10 identifies a non-positioning state during positioning by the position detection unit 21, and in a section in the non-positioning state, specifies the travel distance of the vehicle based on the distance information held by the distance information holding unit, and reflects the distance in charge calculation. The distance information holding unit is provided on a server 31, and the on-vehicle instrument 10 acquires the distance information by communication.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fare calculation system, and more particularly to a technology that can be used for presenting taxi fares, for example.

Background Art

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a taxi management system that aims to ensure the consistency between the business records stored in the memory of a taxi and the actual business situation. That is, when a taxi vehicle is on its way to pick up a passenger in response to a dispatch instruction and the dispatch is cancelled, the cause of the insufficient pick-up fare can be identified as a record.

[0003] Also, Patent Document 2 discloses a taxi system that presents a confirmed fare corrected according to the actual driving state when the vehicle arrives at the destination, for the pre-determined fare predicted at the time of boarding.

[0004] Patent Document 3 discloses a fare calculation device that calculates the fare for a vehicle such as a taxi without depending on the driving pulse of the vehicle even during the rental period before the end point of the rental and the driving route are determined. Specifically, the position information of the taxi vehicle detected using a GPS receiver is obtained, and the calculated moving distance is obtained from the difference between two pieces of position information obtained before and after the sampling period. This moving distance is accumulated from the start of the rental of the taxi vehicle to identify the driving distance that serves as the basis for fare calculation.

[0005] Patent Document 4 discloses a vehicle dispatching system that collects the boarding and alighting history of a vehicle, including the locations where passengers boarded or alighted in a taxi or a vehicle of a delivery operator in the past. This boarding and alighting history is used to identify the recommended boarding locations where boarding the vehicle is recommended.

[0006] Patent Document 5 discloses a driving information recording device that has a vehicle speed measuring means for measuring the driving speed of a vehicle based on the received radio wave signal and a vehicle speed detecting means for detecting the driving speed of the vehicle based on the detected vehicle speed pulse, and switches the mode according to the driving speed.

Prior Art Documents

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-126915 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-154355 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-177456 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-89695 [Patent Document 5] Patent No. 4728904 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] Incidentally, standard taxi vehicles are equipped with a taxi meter as a device to display the fare to passengers. This taxi meter falls under the category of a specified measuring instrument subject to regulation under the Measurement Law, and technical standards are stipulated. Furthermore, in order to measure the actual distance, such a taxi meter measures the length by accumulating the circumference of rotating parts such as wheels. In actual vehicles, one vehicle speed pulse is output each time a certain amount of wheel rotation occurs, so the taxi meter measures the distance traveled by counting the number of vehicle speed pulses.

[0009] On the other hand, as in the fare calculation device described in Patent Document 3, it is also possible to calculate the distance based on location information identified using a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), such as GPS (Global Positioning System), and then determine the taxi fare based on that distance. Such fare calculation devices are often referred to as "soft meters." Currently, these "soft meters" do not fall under the category of specified measuring instruments under the Measurement Law, and are therefore clearly distinguished from ordinary taxi meters.

[0010] Even when using the above-mentioned software meter, it is possible to calculate the vehicle's mileage relatively accurately under certain conditions, and it may be usable for the same purposes as a regular taxi meter. However, in situations where radio waves from satellites cannot be received, such as when a taxi is traveling through a tunnel, the satellite positioning system cannot be used to determine the current location, and therefore the distance traveled cannot be calculated. For this reason, it is conceivable that vehicle speed pulse detection may also be used, as described in Patent Document 5, for example.

[0011] However, if distance is measured using vehicle speed pulses, it falls under the category of a specified measuring instrument and is subject to regulations under the Measurement Act, requiring compliance with the technical standards for taxi meters. Therefore, it is difficult to construct a practical and inexpensive software meter.

[0012] On the other hand, if a road map database is available, as in a typical car navigation system, it is possible to correct the location information by using the location of roads on the map as a reference when accurate location information cannot be obtained via GPS or other means. However, in order to always use the latest road map data, it is necessary to purchase new map data regularly, which will increase the operating costs of the in-vehicle device.

[0013] This invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and its purpose is to provide a toll calculation system that can determine the correct distance traveled even when a vehicle is traveling in an area where radio waves from satellites cannot be received, without using vehicle speed pulses output from the vehicle or road maps. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] The above objective according to the present invention is achieved by the following configuration.

[0015] Onboard devices installed in vehicles This in-vehicle device functions as a soft meter that determines the distance traveled based on location information obtained from radio waves received from a predetermined satellite positioning system and calculates the fare based on a predetermined fare system. and, On the vehicle, a position detection unit that measures the current position of the vehicle based on radio waves received from a predetermined satellite positioning system A first travel distance detection unit that grasps the travel distance of the vehicle based on the position information detected by the position detection unit A fare calculation unit that calculates the fare for a specific travel section of the vehicle based on the travel distance detected by the first travel distance detection unit and a predetermined fare system For each of various locations, the position information of the second vehicle obtained in the past based on radio waves received from the satellite positioning system on the second vehicle different from the vehicle, and the rotation of the wheels of the second vehicle A distance information holding unit that holds and associates the travel distance information of the second vehicle obtained in the past based on the vehicle speed pulses generated accordingly A second travel distance detection unit that identifies the positioning state and non-positioning state of the position detection unit, and specifies the travel distance of the vehicle based on the travel distance information of the second vehicle held by the distance information holding unit at least for a section in which the position detection unit is in a non-positioning state A travel distance correction unit that reflects the distance information specified by the second travel distance detection unit in the travel distance adopted by the fare calculation unit for a travel section in which the position detection unit is in a non-positioning state A fare calculation system comprising

Advantages of the Invention

[0016] According to the fare calculation system of the present invention, even when the vehicle travels in a section where radio waves from the satellite cannot be received, without using the vehicle speed pulses or road maps output from the vehicle side, the correct travel distance can be grasped and an appropriate fare can be calculated.

[0017] The present invention has been briefly described above. Further, the details of the present invention will be further clarified by reading through the embodiments (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments") for carrying out the invention described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a fare calculation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of main components for realizing the fare calculation system. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of past data registered on the server. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a specific example of the relationship between past data registered on the server and positions on the road. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the relationship between position information detected by a soft meter on a taxi vehicle and the actual road. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an overview of the operation of the soft meter. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing details of the operation of the soft meter. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the server.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the respective figures.

[0020] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a fare calculation system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The fare calculation system 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes a soft meter 10 mounted on a taxi vehicle 25 and a server 31 installed in a data center 30.

[0021] The soft meter 10 is a device capable of performing functions equivalent to those of a general taxi meter mounted on a taxi vehicle. However, while a taxi meter falls under the category of specific measuring instruments subject to the regulations of the Measurement Law, the soft meter 10 does not currently fall under the category of specific measuring instruments.

[0022] Specifically, a taxi meter measures distance by accumulating the circumference of rotating parts such as wheels to determine the actual distance. On the other hand, a soft meter 10, which does not fall under the category of a specified measuring instrument, calculates the distance based on the vehicle's location information determined using a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) such as GPS, and determines the taxi fare based on that distance.

[0023] The soft meter 10 in Figure 1 includes a control unit (CPU) 11, an interface (I / F) 12, a pricing information storage unit 13, an interface 14, an operation button unit 15, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 16, a memory unit 17, a touch panel 18, a display unit 19, and an interface 20.

[0024] Furthermore, the GPS receiver 21 is connected to the control unit 11 via interface 12, the ETC in-vehicle unit 22 is connected to the control unit 11 via interface 14, the external device input device 24 is connected to the control unit 11 via interface 20, and the LTE communication module 23 is connected to the control unit 11.

[0025] The control unit 11 is composed of electronic circuits, for example, a microcomputer, and performs control to realize the functions required of the soft meter 10 by executing a pre-prepared program.

[0026] The GPS receiver 21 can receive radio signals from multiple (three or more) GPS satellites and calculate the latitude / longitude representing the current location, i.e., perform positioning, based on the time of the received signals. Therefore, under normal conditions where radio waves from a predetermined number of satellites can be received simultaneously, the GPS receiver 21 can determine the correct current location. However, in situations where radio waves from satellites cannot be received, such as inside a tunnel, under an overpass, or in a location affected by tall buildings, the GPS receiver 21 will be unable to perform positioning.

[0027] The location information detected periodically (for example, every second) by the GPS receiver 21 is input to the control unit 11 via the interface 12. Information indicating whether or not the GPS receiver 21 is performing positioning is also input to the control unit 11 along with the location information.

[0028] The fare system information storage unit 13 is composed of read-only memory (ROM) and other components, and stores predetermined fare system data. For example, the fare system information storage unit 13 stores data such as the predetermined base fare amount, unit distance traveled, additional fare per unit distance traveled, unit time length, and additional fare per unit time.

[0029] The ETC onboard unit 22 communicates wirelessly with roadside equipment (not shown) on expressways or toll roads, for example. Through this wireless communication, the ETC onboard unit 22 exchanges information necessary for toll payment with the roadside equipment (such as taxi vehicle type information, ETC card number, entrance toll gate, exit toll gate, toll amount, etc.).

[0030] The operation button section 15 is located on the front of the soft meter 10 and is equipped with buttons such as "vacant," "occupied," and "payment" that can be operated by the driver of the taxi vehicle 25. The control unit 11 reads the status of each button on the operation button section 15 and can understand the status and changes in status such as "vacant," "occupied," and "payment," as in the case of a typical taxi meter.

[0031] The inertial measurement unit 16 is an electronic device that incorporates a gyro sensor for detecting acceleration in three axes and a sensor for detecting rotational angular acceleration in three axes. The control unit 11 can use the results measured by the inertial measurement unit 16 to calculate the momentum of the vehicle. Therefore, for example, when the GPS receiver 21 is unable to determine its position, it is possible to obtain an estimated value of the vehicle's current position from the measurement results of the inertial measurement unit 16.

[0032] The memory unit 17 incorporates RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM. The RAM in the memory unit 17 is used by the control unit 11 to temporarily store various data. The ROM in the memory unit 17 holds pre-prepared programs, constant data, and pre-prepared tables that can be used by the control unit 11.

[0033] The touch panel 18 can be used by the control unit 11 to read touch inputs from users (drivers or passengers) on the touch buttons displayed on the screen of the display unit 19. The display unit 19 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) and can display information such as the taxi's status (e.g., "vacant," "occupied," "payment"), fare, and numbers and characters necessary for input operations, in a way that is visible to the driver and passengers. The display unit 19 is located on the front of the soft meter 10.

[0034] The LTE communication module 23 is a device that allows the control unit 11 of the soft meter 10 to connect with the server 31 using the LTE network 33 and communicate data. The external device input device 24 is an external terminal having, for example, a keypad, a magnetic card reader, or an IC card reader. This external terminal is used, for example, when settling fare payments using a credit card, electronic money card, etc.

[0035] Meanwhile, the server 31 located in the data center 30 is connected to the LTE network 33 via the internet 32. The soft meter 10 installed in the taxi vehicle 25 can connect to the server 31 wirelessly using the LTE communication module 23.

[0036] The server 31 shown in Figure 1 is equipped with functions to support the operation of the soft meter 10. Specifically, the soft meter 10 determines the distance traveled based on location information detected by the GPS receiver 21 and calculates the taxi fare based on the distance traveled. Therefore, in environments where radio waves such as GPS satellites cannot be received, the soft meter 10 alone may not be able to calculate the correct taxi fare. For this reason, the server 31 is designed to support the operation of the soft meter 10.

[0037] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing examples of the main components for realizing the fee calculation system 100. The taxi vehicle 25A shown in Figure 2 is equipped with a taxi meter 40, a GPS receiver 41, and an LTE communication module 42.

[0038] The taxi meter 40 installed in taxi vehicle 25A measures the distance traveled and calculates the fare by monitoring the vehicle speed pulse generated in conjunction with the rotation of the vehicle's wheels, similar to a typical taxi meter. Therefore, the taxi meter 40 can continuously and accurately determine the distance traveled, even inside a tunnel.

[0039] Furthermore, the taxi meter 40 continuously acquires latitude / longitude information representing its current location from the GPS receiver 41 in order to manage its operating performance by linking it with its location. The taxi meter 40 then periodically (for example, every second) generates operating performance data that links the accumulated distance traveled from a certain point in time to the present with the current location, and transmits it to the server 31 via the LTE communication module 42.

[0040] The server 31 shown in Figure 2 includes a sales performance receiving unit 31a, a sales performance database 31b, a sales performance search unit 31c, and a soft meter support unit 31d. The sales performance receiving unit 31a can receive and acquire sales performance data that each taxi vehicle 25A periodically transmits.

[0041] The sales performance database 31b can build a database of historical data by accumulating and storing sales performance data acquired by the sales performance receiving unit 31a from taxi vehicles 25A for a large number of vehicles. In other words, a database is obtained in which location and distance are linked for various points on the road. However, for locations where radio waves from GPS satellites cannot be received, the location data in the database will be inaccurate, and only the cumulative distance information for each point and the change in distance between points will be correct data.

[0042] The sales performance search unit 31c can obtain accurate distance information from location information by searching the database of past data held on the sales performance DB 31b.

[0043] The soft meter support unit 31d has a support function to provide correct distance information to the soft meter 10 on the taxi vehicle 25 when the soft meter 10 on the taxi vehicle 25 cannot estimate the correct distance traveled on its own.

[0044] The taxi vehicle 25 shown in Figure 2 is equipped with a soft meter 10, a GPS receiver 21, and an LTE communication module 23, similar to the fare calculation system 100 in Figure 1.

[0045] The soft meter 10 on the taxi vehicle 25 normally calculates the distance traveled by the taxi vehicle 25 based on position information obtained by positioning using radio signals received from GPS satellites by the GPS receiver 21, and determines the taxi fare from that distance. However, when radio waves from GPS satellites cannot be received, such as when driving in a tunnel, the correct current position cannot be determined, and therefore the soft meter 10 cannot estimate the correct distance traveled. In this case, the soft meter 10 communicates data with the server 31 and obtains correct distance traveled information using the functions of the soft meter support unit 31d.

[0046] Furthermore, if past sales performance data has already been stored in advance using the taxi vehicle 25A and the server 31 and exists in the sales performance DB 31b, there is no need to collect new data using the taxi vehicle 25A, and the sales performance receiving unit 31a is also unnecessary. In addition, if the past sales performance DB 31b data is loaded onto the taxi vehicle 25, the same functions as the server 31 can be performed on the soft meter 10 side, so even when the taxi vehicle 25 is driving through a tunnel, the soft meter 10 can independently obtain accurate mileage information.

[0047] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of historical data registered on server 31. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing a specific example of the relationship between historical data registered on server 31 and location on the road.

[0048] The historical data registered in the sales performance DB31b on server 31 is a collection of data managed with latitude La, longitude Lo, and distance (cumulative distance) di linked to each other, as shown in Figure 3. Furthermore, this historical data is arranged sequentially in the order in which it was detected when the taxi vehicle 25A was traveling on actual roads.

[0049] For example, the actual data detected sequentially at each point indicated by black and white circles along the trajectory of a taxi vehicle 25A traveling from one direction to the other on the road 26 shown in Figure 4 is registered in the business performance DB 31b in the order shown in Figure 3.

[0050] Therefore, for example, the distance between two adjacent data points D001 and D002 in Figure 3 can be calculated as the difference in the distance di of the corresponding data points (Ddi001-Ddi002). Similarly, the distance between two adjacent data points D002 and D003 can be calculated as the difference in the distance di of the corresponding data points (Ddi002-Ddi003).

[0051] However, the section of tunnel 26a shown in Figure 4 corresponds to a situation where the taxi vehicle 25A cannot receive radio waves from GPS satellites. Therefore, the actual data DA1 (indicated by a white circle) for this section is only correct in terms of distance di, while the latitude La and longitude Lo are inaccurate. The actual data DA (indicated by a black circle) for the section of travel where the taxi vehicle 25A enters tunnel 26a and the section of travel where it exits tunnel 26a corresponds to a situation where the taxi vehicle 25A can receive radio waves from GPS satellites and perform positioning, and therefore contains correct distance di, latitude La, and longitude Lo information.

[0052] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between location information detected by the soft meter 10 on the taxi vehicle 25 and the actual road conditions.

[0053] The black and white circles shown in Figure 5 represent location information detected by the soft meter 10 at various points on the taxi vehicle 25 traveling on the road 26. Such location information is detected periodically, for example, every second.

[0054] The black circles in Figure 5 represent location information detected while the GPS receiver 21 is performing positioning using radio signals received from GPS satellites, while the white circles in Figure 5 represent location information detected when the GPS receiver 21 is not performing positioning because it is unable to receive radio signals from GPS satellites.

[0055] As shown in Figure 5, at each point while the taxi vehicle 25 is traveling inside the tunnel 26a, the GPS receiver 21 cannot receive radio waves from GPS satellites. As a result, the soft meter 10 shows as "not positioning" and, as indicated by the white circles, determines the position as "not positioning" location information that deviates from the actual driving trajectory.

[0056] Furthermore, at each point before the taxi vehicle 25 enters the tunnel 26a and after it exits the tunnel 26a, the GPS receiver 21 can receive radio waves from GPS satellites, so the soft meter 10 enters positioning mode and determines the position as positioning information that matches the actual driving trajectory, as shown by the black circles.

[0057] Furthermore, if road map information is available, for example, it is easy to correct the "non-positioning location information" to align with the location on the road. However, the soft meter 10 shown in Figure 1 does not have a road map database, for example, to reduce costs, so even when using the inertial measurement unit 16, there is a possibility of relatively large errors in the "non-positioning location information".

[0058] The soft meter 10 determines the distance traveled based on the positioning information obtained by the GPS receiver 21, and calculates the taxi fare according to this distance traveled and the predetermined fare system. Therefore, it is expected that there will be a large error in the taxi fare calculated by the soft meter 10 in sections where the GPS receiver 21 is not in position. However, the soft meter 10 shown in Figure 1 can calculate a taxi fare with less error even in sections where the GPS receiver 21 is not in position by utilizing the support function of the server 31.

[0059] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the soft meter 10. The operation shown in Figure 6 is realized, for example, by a program executed by the computer in the control unit 11. The operation shown in Figure 6 will be explained below.

[0060] The control unit 11 repeatedly acquires the latest location information (latitude / longitude) from the GPS receiver 21 at regular intervals (for example, every second) (S11).

[0061] The control unit 11 transmits the location information acquired in S11 and the cumulative distance information to the server 31 at regular intervals (for example, every second) (S12). This cumulative distance is the accumulated distance traveled from the time the in-vehicle device, the soft meter 10, was installed in the taxi vehicle 25 to the present.

[0062] In S13, the control unit 11 identifies whether the vehicle has switched to the "operating" state due to the driver's button operation. When the vehicle enters the "operating" state, the control unit 11 proceeds to the next process in S14 and starts displaying the fare using the display unit 19.

[0063] The displayed fare is determined by the fare system information stored in the fare system information storage unit 13, as well as the amount corresponding to the distance traveled, travel time, etc. Since the distance traveled and travel time are initially 0, the base fare is displayed on the display unit 19.

[0064] On the other hand, the location information output by the GPS receiver 21 also includes positioning status information indicating whether or not the GPS receiver 21 is performing positioning. For example, if no radio waves from GPS satellites can be received at all, or if the number of satellites from which radio waves can be received is two or less, or if the radio wave reception level is below an acceptable value, the GPS receiver 21 outputs a positioning status indicating "not positioning".

[0065] The control unit 11 extracts and obtains the positioning status from the location information acquired from the GPS receiver 21 (S15).

[0066] In S16, the control unit 11 performs special processing to obtain the correct mileage of the taxi vehicle 25 for sections where the GPS receiver 21 is "not positioning". The details of the processing in S16 will be explained later.

[0067] If the entire driving section from when the soft meter 10 switches to the "actual vehicle" state to the current location includes a "non-positioning" section, the control unit 11 obtains the driving distance of the "non-positioning" section from the server 31 during processing S16. Then, in S17, the control unit adds the driving distance calculated from the position information for the "positioning" section and the driving distance of the "non-positioning" section obtained from the server 31 in S16 to determine the total distance of the driving section.

[0068] The control unit 11 calculates the latest fare in S18 based on the fare system information held by the fare system information holding unit 13, the total distance traveled acquired in S17, and the elapsed time since switching to the "actual vehicle" state.

[0069] The control unit 11 outputs the latest fare calculated in S18 to the display unit 19 in S19 and updates the display content. As long as the soft meter 10 remains in the "occupied" state, the control unit 11 repeats the processes from S11 to S20. When the taxi vehicle 25 arrives at its destination and the soft meter 10 switches to a state other than "occupied" due to the driver's button operation, the control unit 11 proceeds to the processes from S20 to S21 and terminates the fare display operation.

[0070] Figure 7 is a flowchart detailing the operation of the soft meter 10. In other words, Figure 7 shows the detailed contents of S16 in Figure 6. The process in Figure 7 will be explained below.

[0071] The control unit 11 repeatedly compares and identifies, for example every second, in S31 whether the positioning status of the latest location information acquired from the GPS receiver 21 matches "not positioning". It also saves the positioning status information acquired this time to internal memory so that it can be referenced in the next processing.

[0072] If the positioning status of the latest location information matches "not positioning", the control unit 11 proceeds to processing S31 to S32. If the positioning status is "positioning in progress", the control unit 11 proceeds to processing S31 to S35.

[0073] The control unit 11 reads the previously acquired positioning status from its internal memory and determines, by comparison in S32, whether it matches "positioning in progress". If the previously acquired positioning status is "positioning in progress", the control unit 11 proceeds from S32 to S33; otherwise, it terminates the process shown in Figure 7.

[0074] The control unit 11 reads the location information acquired from the GPS receiver 21 at the point immediately preceding the point where the "non-positioning" state began (corresponding to the non-positioning start point Ps in Figure 5) (for example, the point 1 second prior) from its internal memory and stores it in S33. Furthermore, the control unit 11 transmits the location information of the point immediately preceding the non-positioning start point (the content stored in S33) to the server 31 in S34.

[0075] Meanwhile, in S35, the control unit 11 reads the previously acquired positioning status from internal memory and compares it with "not positioning" to determine if it matches. If the previously acquired positioning status is "not positioning", the control unit 11 proceeds from S35 to S36; otherwise, it proceeds to S39.

[0076] The control unit 11 reads the location information acquired from the GPS receiver 21 at the location immediately preceding the current location where the "non-positioning" state ended (corresponding to the non-positioning end point Pe in Figure 5) (for example, the location 1 second prior) from its internal memory and stores it in S36. Furthermore, the control unit 11 transmits the location information of the location immediately preceding the non-positioning end point (the information stored in S36) to the server 31 in S37.

[0077] Meanwhile, the server 31 returns distance information for the non-positioning section in response to the position information transmitted by the control unit 11 in S34 and S37, so the control unit 11 receives and acquires the distance information transmitted by the server 31 in S38.

[0078] On the other hand, if the positioning status of both the current and previous location information is "positioning in progress," the control unit 11 executes the process in S39. In this case, since correctly positioned location information is continuously obtained from the GPS receiver 21, the control unit 11 calculates the distance traveled using a normal method, for example, the method disclosed in Patent Document 3.

[0079] Specifically, the control unit 11 acquires location information of the taxi vehicle from the GPS receiver 21 at each sampling period. Then, using the distance actually traveled by the taxi vehicle during each unit period, which is calculated from the difference between the two location pieces acquired in the previous and current sampling periods, the control unit 11 detects the calculated mileage of the taxi vehicle at each unit period (S39). Furthermore, the calculated mileage of the taxi vehicle detected at each unit period is accumulated from the start of the ride, and the calculated mileage of the taxi vehicle from the start point of the ride is updated to the latest value at each unit period while the taxi vehicle is in operation. Then, by applying the fare system of the fare system information holding unit 13 to the calculated mileage of the taxi vehicle accumulated from the start point of the ride, the fare for the taxi vehicle during the ride is calculated.

[0080] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of server 31. The operation shown in Figure 8 is described below. The soft meter support unit 31d of the server 31 obtains position information from the soft meter 10 on the taxi vehicle 25 at the point immediately preceding the non-positioning start point Ps (S41).

[0081] The soft meter support unit 31d of the server 31 acquires location information at the non-positioning termination point Pe from the soft meter 10 on the taxi vehicle 25 (S42).

[0082] The sales performance search unit 31c of server 31 searches the sales performance DB 31b and extracts past data for the entire range (extraction range Dx) that includes both the location information acquired in S41 (starting position P1 shown in Figure 3) and the location information acquired in S42 (ending position P2 shown in Figure 3) (S43).

[0083] The soft meter support unit 31d of the server 31 calculates the difference distance in S44 between the cumulative mileage at the starting position P1 (Ddi102) and the cumulative mileage at the ending position P2 (Ddi1x2), based on the past data within the range extracted by the sales performance search unit 31c in S43. The soft meter support unit 31d then transmits the difference distance, that is, the mileage during the "non-positioning" section, to the soft meter 10 on the taxi vehicle 25 (S45).

[0084] Here, the historical data for the starting position P1 is accurate actual data DA with both distance and position, so it is consistent with the distance and position on the soft meter 10 before it changed from "positioning" to "not positioning". Similarly, the historical data for the ending position P2 is accurate actual data DA with both distance and position, so it is consistent with the distance and position on the soft meter 10 after it changed from "not positioning" to "positioning". In other words, the mileage transmitted by the server 31 in S45 is information that ensures consistency and continuity with the distance and position that the soft meter 10 has grasped during the "positioning" section. Therefore, the soft meter 10 can determine the correct mileage by replacing the mileage of the taxi vehicle 25 during the "not positioning" section with the distance obtained from the server 31.

[0085] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified, improved, etc., as appropriate. In addition, the material, shape, dimensions, number, placement, etc. of each component in the embodiments described above are arbitrary and not limited, as long as they can achieve the present invention.

[0086] For example, the process of periodically sending operational data, including location information and cumulative mileage, to the server 31, as shown in S11-S13 in Figure 6, can also be performed in a typical taxi meter 40. If the server 31 has already accumulated historical operational data collected using such a taxi meter 40, this historical data can be effectively utilized to support the calculation of distances in "non-positioning" sections in the soft meter 10.

[0087] Furthermore, new roads may be constructed over time. Initially, there will be no operational data for taxis traveling on new roads. However, even in such cases, as shown in Figure 2, by operating a taxi vehicle 25A equipped with a taxi meter 40, the necessary operational data can be collected and stored on the server 31.

[0088] Furthermore, some taxi companies may consider simultaneously employing both taxi vehicles 25A equipped with taxi meters 40 and taxi vehicles 25 equipped with soft meters 10. In that case, it would be possible to use taxi vehicles 25A equipped with taxi meters 40 to accumulate new road-related operational data on server 31 while also utilizing taxi vehicles 25 equipped with soft meters 10.

[0089] Furthermore, even in "non-positioning" sections of the GPS receiver 21, it is possible to estimate the position of the taxi vehicle 25 to some extent using, for example, the inertial measurement unit 16. Also, if road map information is available, for example, the accuracy of the position information can be improved by correcting the position information through matching the estimated position with the road. If such a function is incorporated into the soft meter 10, the server 31 may process the position information and distance information transmitted by the soft meter 10 as valid actual data, even in "non-positioning" sections.

[0090] Furthermore, the fare display on the soft meter 10's display unit 19 during non-positioning sections of the GPS receiver 21 is expected to be changed as needed. For example, when switching from "positioning" to "non-positioning," the fare displayed at the end of the "positioning" period will be maintained, and when switching from "non-positioning" to "positioning," the display on the display unit 19 will be updated to the correct fare.

[0091] Herein, the features of the fee calculation system according to the embodiment of the present invention described above are briefly summarized and listed below in [1] to [5]. [1] An in-vehicle device (soft meter 10) installed in the vehicle (taxi vehicle 25), The vehicle includes a position detection unit (GPS receiver 21) that measures the current position of the vehicle based on radio waves received from a predetermined satellite positioning system, A first mileage detection unit (S17) determines the mileage of the vehicle based on the position information detected by the position detection unit, A fare calculation unit (S18) calculates the fare for a specific section of travel in the vehicle based on the travel distance detected by the first travel distance detection unit and a predetermined fare system, A distance information storage unit (sales performance DB31b) that stores distance information between multiple points measured in the past for various locations, A second mileage detection unit (S16) identifies the positioning state and non-positioning state of the position detection unit and determines the mileage of the vehicle based on the distance information held by the distance information holding unit for at least the section in which the position detection unit is in a non-positioning state, For the section of travel in which the position detection unit is in a non-positioning state, the distance correction unit reflects the distance information identified by the second distance detection unit into the distance used by the fare calculation unit (S17), A pricing system (100) equipped with the following.

[0092] According to the fare calculation system with the configuration described in [1] above, even when a vehicle is traveling through a section where the on-board unit cannot receive radio waves from satellites and positioning is not possible, such as inside a tunnel, the system can display the correct fare to the passenger by using distance information between multiple points measured in the past. Moreover, since it does not require a road map database to correct the location information, the running costs required to operate the on-board unit can be reduced.

[0093] [2] The distance information storage unit (sales performance DB31b) is located on a server (31) outside the vehicle, The in-vehicle unit (soft meter 10) includes a wireless communication unit (LTE communication module 23) for communicating with the server. The second distance detection unit connects to the server via the wireless communication unit and obtains distance information from the server. The fee calculation system described in [1] above.

[0094] According to the fare calculation system with the configuration described in [2] above, there is no need to mount the distance information storage unit on the vehicle. Therefore, even when managing a large number of taxi vehicles simultaneously, such as a taxi company, the distance information database (sales performance DB31b) can be centrally managed on a single server. Consequently, data management becomes easier, and any newly added or updated data can be quickly reflected in the fare calculation operation of the in-vehicle device.

[0095] [3] The mileage correction unit detects the point at which the position detection unit switches from a positioning state to a non-positioning state as the non-positioning start point (non-positioning start point Ps), and detects the point at which the position detection unit switches from a non-positioning state to a positioning state as the non-positioning end point (non-positioning end point Pe), The fare calculation unit calculates the cumulative distance of the entire travel section by replacing the travel distance of the section connecting the non-positioning start position and the non-positioning end position with the distance information identified by the second travel distance detection unit. The fee calculation system described in [1] or [2] above.

[0096] According to the fare calculation system with the configuration described in [3] above, the system actually detects the point where the section for which correct location information cannot be obtained begins and the point where it ends, and the second distance traveled by the vehicle within these ranges is determined by the second distance traveled detection unit, so that the correct distance traveled can be obtained without being affected by errors in location information.

[0097] [4] The server receives data wirelessly transmitted from each of the multiple vehicles (taxi vehicles 25A), and stores the location information and distance information for each point in the distance information storage unit, with the locations and distance information linked together. The fee calculation system described in [2] above.

[0098] According to the fare calculation system configured as described in [4] above, it is possible to accumulate actual data showing the relationship between changes in location and changes in distance at various points on the roads that the vehicle has actually traveled. Therefore, taxi companies that actually manage a large number of taxi vehicles can secure the necessary data internally, eliminating the need to purchase data such as road maps from other companies that are sold for a fee.

[0099] [5] The distance information storage unit (sales performance DB31b) is located on a server (31) outside the vehicle, The in-vehicle unit (soft meter 10) includes a wireless communication unit (LTE communication module 23) for communicating with the server. The server calculates the distance between the non-positioning start position and the non-positioning end position detected by the mileage correction unit from the data of the distance information holding unit (S44) and transmits it to the in-vehicle unit (S45). The fee calculation system described in [3] above.

[0100] According to the fare calculation system configured as described in [5] above, the onboard unit on each vehicle only needs to transmit information on the non-positioning start and end locations to the server, and can obtain information on the correct distance traveled in sections where the correct position cannot be determined from the server. Furthermore, since there is no need to mount a distance information storage unit on the vehicle, even when managing a large number of taxi vehicles simultaneously, such as a taxi company, the distance information database (sales performance DB31b) can be centrally managed on a single server. As a result, data management becomes easier, and additional data and the latest updated data can be quickly reflected in the fare calculation operation of the onboard unit. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0101] 10 Soft Meter 11 Control Unit 12,14,20 Interface 13. Fee-based information storage unit 15 Operation button section 16. Inertial Measurement Unit 17 Memory Units 18 Touch panel 19 Display 21 GPS receivers 22 ETC on-board device 23 LTE communication module 24 External device input device 25,25A Taxi vehicles 26 Road 26a Tunnel 30 data centers 31 Servers 31a Sales Performance Receiving Unit 31b Sales Performance Database 31c Sales Performance Search Department 31d Soft Meter Support Unit 32 Internet 33 LTE network 40 Taxi meter 41 GPS receiver 42 LTE communication modules 100 Price Calculation System D0 Past sales performance data DA,DA1 Performance Data Dx Extraction Range P1 starting position P2 End position Ps Non-positioning start point PE Non-Positioning End Point

Claims

1. An in-vehicle device installed in a vehicle, which functions as a soft meter that determines the distance traveled based on location information obtained based on radio waves received from a predetermined satellite positioning system and calculates the fare based on a predetermined fare system, The vehicle includes a position detection unit that measures the current position of the vehicle based on radio waves received from a predetermined satellite positioning system, A first mileage detection unit that determines the mileage of the vehicle based on the position information detected by the position detection unit, A fare calculation unit calculates the fare for a specific section of travel in the vehicle based on the distance traveled detected by the first distance travel detection unit and a predetermined fare system. For each of various locations, a distance information holding unit stores, in association with the following: the position information of the second vehicle obtained in the past based on radio waves received from the satellite positioning system on a second vehicle different from the aforementioned vehicle, and the mileage information of the second vehicle obtained in the past based on vehicle speed pulses generated as the wheels of the second vehicle rotate. A second mileage detection unit identifies the positioning state and non-positioning state of the position detection unit, and determines the mileage of the vehicle based on the second mileage information of the vehicle held by the distance information holding unit for at least the section in which the position detection unit is in a non-positioning state, For a section of travel where the position detection unit is in a non-positioning state, the distance correction unit reflects the distance information identified by the second distance detection unit into the distance used by the fare calculation unit. A pricing system equipped with the following features.

2. The distance information storage unit is located on a server outside the vehicle. The in-vehicle unit includes a wireless communication unit for communicating with the server, The second distance detection unit connects to the server via the wireless communication unit and obtains distance information from the server. The fee calculation system according to claim 1.

3. The distance correction unit detects the point at which the position detection unit switches from a positioning state to a non-positioning state as the non-positioning start position, and detects the point at which the position detection unit switches from a non-positioning state to a positioning state as the non-positioning end position. The fare calculation unit calculates the cumulative distance of the entire travel section by replacing the travel distance of the section connecting the non-positioning start position and the non-positioning end position with the distance information identified by the second travel distance detection unit. A fee calculation system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

4. The server receives data wirelessly transmitted from multiple vehicles and stores it in the distance information storage unit, linking the location information and distance information for each point with each other. The fee calculation system according to claim 2.

5. The distance information storage unit is located on a server outside the vehicle. The in-vehicle unit includes a wireless communication unit for communicating with the server, The server calculates the distance between the non-positioning start position and the non-positioning end position detected by the mileage correction unit from the data of the distance information holding unit and transmits it to the in-vehicle device. The fee calculation system according to claim 3.

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