Price calculation device, price calculation method, and price calculation program

Abstract

To provide a fare calculation device etc. which allows even an elderly person after returning his / her driver's license to use transportation means such as a taxi, a public bus or a community bus at a low cost without anxiety, and can enhance the convenience of the transportation means.SOLUTION: A fare calculation device includes a fare calculation unit 2 that acquires, for each user such as an elderly person and each visiting site, action history data indicating a visit history from a home, for example, for each visiting site of the user, and calculates a use fee of a taxi used by the user to visit the visiting site, as an amount for a prescribed fixed period on the basis of the acquired action history data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the technical field of fare calculation devices, fare calculation methods, and fare calculation programs. More specifically, it belongs to the technical field of fare calculation devices and fare calculation methods for calculating fares required when using transportation means such as taxis, and fare calculation programs used in such fare calculation devices.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the number of accidents involving vehicles driven by the elderly has been increasing, and there is also a high level of social concern. Also, considering the risk of such accidents, the number of elderly people returning their driver's licenses is increasing. Here, when such license returners visit the places they visited by vehicle before the return again, possible means of transportation include trains, buses, or taxis. And considering that they are elderly, it is considered that they often use taxis because they do not need to go to a station or bus stop.

[0003] On the other hand, when using a taxi, a usage fee is incurred. Considering license returners who will use taxis frequently, it is preferable to be able to use taxis efficiently at a relatively low cost. As a prior art document that discloses the prior art made in view of such a demand, for example, the following Patent Document 1 can be cited.

[0004] In this Patent Document 1, when presenting a fare for a user who intends to share a ride, departure location information indicating the departure location and destination information indicating the destination are obtained from the information terminal possessed by the user, and before a taxi is dispatched to the user, based on the departure location and the destination, a discounted boarding fare that is lower than the standard boarding fare applicable when the user does not share a ride and is applicable when the user shares a ride is calculated, and the discounted boarding fare is displayed on the information terminal.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-6959 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] However, the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1 does not consider the mobility of elderly people after they have surrendered their driver's licenses as described above. Therefore, the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1 cannot solve the problem of enabling elderly people to use taxis safely and, as a result, promoting the use of taxis.

[0007] Therefore, this application was made in view of the above-mentioned requirements and problems, and one example of the issues addressed is to provide a fare calculation device and fare calculation method, as well as a fare calculation program used in said fare calculation device, that can be used more cheaply and safely even by elderly people who have surrendered their driver's licenses, and that can improve the convenience of means of transportation such as taxis, public buses or community buses. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the invention described in claim 1 comprises: acquisition means for acquiring history information showing the visit history for each place visited by a user; and calculation means for calculating a fixed usage fee for the means of transportation used by the user when visiting the place visited within a certain period of time, based on the acquired history information.

[0009] To solve the above problems, the invention described in claim 2 includes an acquisition means for acquiring history information indicating the visit history from a predetermined point for each of the user's visited locations, for each user and each of the visited locations, and a calculation means for calculating the usage fee for the means of transportation used by the user when visiting the visited locations as an amount for a predetermined period based on the acquired history information.

[0010] To solve the above problems, the invention described in claim 7 is a fare calculation method performed in a fare calculation device comprising an acquisition means and a calculation means, comprising: an acquisition step of acquiring history information indicating the visit history from a predetermined point for each of the user's visited places using the acquisition means for each user and each of the visited places; and a calculation step of calculating, based on the acquired history information, the fare for the means of transportation used by the user when visiting the visited places as an amount for a predetermined period using the calculation means.

[0011] To solve the above problems, the invention described in claim 8 enables the computer to function as an acquisition means for acquiring history information indicating the visit history from a predetermined point for each of the user's visited locations, for each of the user and each of the visited locations, and as a calculation means for calculating the usage fee for the means of transportation used by the user when visiting the visited locations as an amount for a predetermined period based on the acquired history information. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing the outline configuration of the fee calculation device according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the outline configuration of the fee calculation system in the example. [Figure 3] The following are block diagrams showing the detailed configuration of user terminals and other components that constitute the billing system of the embodiment; (a) is a block diagram showing the detailed configuration of the user terminal, and (b) is a block diagram showing the detailed configuration of the server that constitutes the billing system. [Figure 4] This figure illustrates the contents of the behavioral history data in the example. [Figure 5] This flowchart shows the fee calculation process for the example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Next, a mode for implementing the present application will be described with reference to FIG. 1. Note that FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of the fee calculation device of the embodiment.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the fee calculation device S of the embodiment includes an acquisition unit 1 and a calculation unit 2.

[0015] In this configuration, the acquisition unit 1 acquires, for each user and each visited location, history information indicating the visit history from a preset location for each visited location of the user.

[0016] And the calculation unit 2 calculates, based on the history information acquired by the acquisition unit 1, the usage fee of the transportation means used when the user visits the visited location as an amount for a preset fixed period.

[0017] As described above, according to the operation of the fee calculation device S of the embodiment, based on the history information for each visited location of the user, the usage fee of the transportation means used when the user visits the visited location is calculated as a fee for a preset fixed period.

[0018] Therefore, by enabling more inexpensive and secure use corresponding to the history information, the convenience of the transportation means can be enhanced. [[ID=2l]]

Example

[0019] Next, specific examples corresponding to the above-described embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5. The examples described below are examples when the present application is applied to a fee calculation system that executes a fee calculation process for calculating, for example, the taxi fare when an elderly person after license return uses a taxi to move, for each elderly person using it and for each visited location visited by the elderly person using the taxi, for example, on a monthly basis. In the following description, the elderly person after license return is simply referred to as "elderly person".

[0020] Further, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the general configuration of the fare calculation system of the embodiment, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the detailed configuration of a user terminal or the like constituting the fare calculation system, FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the content of the behavior history data of the embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the fare calculation process of the embodiment. At this time, in FIG. 3, for each constituent member of the embodiment corresponding to each constituent member in the fare calculation device S of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the same member number as that of each constituent member in the fare calculation device S is used.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the fare calculation system SS of the embodiment includes user terminals T1, T2, …, Tn (n is a natural number; the same applies hereinafter) that function as part of the fare calculation system SS while being provided for use by the elderly, a server SV that functions as part of the fare calculation system SS, and taxi terminals TX1, …, TXm (m is a natural number; the same applies hereinafter) provided in a taxi as an example of the means of transportation in the embodiment and providing various information to the driver of the taxi. The user terminals T1, T2, …, Tn, the taxi terminals TX1, …, TXm, and the server SV are connected to each other via a network NW such as the Internet so that information or data can be exchanged. At this time, the server SV may be provided, for example, in a taxi company to which the taxis used by the elderly belong, or may be provided in a company that provides the fare calculation system of the embodiment other than the taxi company. Also, in the following description, when explaining common matters among the user terminals T1, T2, …, Tn, these are collectively referred to as “user terminal T”. Also, when explaining common matters among the taxi terminals TX1, …, TXm, these are collectively referred to as “taxi terminal TX”.

[0022] In the above configuration, as part of the functions of the above-mentioned fee calculation system SS, each user terminal T transmits behavioral data indicating the manner of movement when the elderly person using the user terminal T moves to various locations (performs actions) to the server SV via the network NW for each such movement. The behavioral data transmitted at this time includes, for example, location data indicating the location of each user terminal T, time data indicating the time when the location indicated by the location data was detected, and terminal identification data for identifying the user terminal T that transmitted the behavioral data from other user terminals T. Here, the terminal identification data is usually user identification data for identifying the elderly person using the user terminal T. The server SV then associates the location data and time data transmitted from each user terminal T with the terminal identification data transmitted simultaneously and records them non-volatilely as behavioral history data for each elderly person as described in the embodiment. In the following description, the elderly person using the user terminal T will be referred to as the "terminal user" for that user terminal T.

[0023] On the other hand, for example, when a user makes a reservation on their terminal T, data indicating the details of the reservation is distributed to each taxi terminal TX via the server SV or other reservation server (not shown). This data indicating the details of the reservation includes information such as the name of the elderly user, the reservation location (i.e., the place where the elderly person is scheduled to board the taxi), and the reservation time. In response to the reservation, the server SV searches for available taxis driving near the reservation location and transmits the reservation data to the taxi terminal TX installed in the found available taxi. As a result, the driver of the taxi equipped with the taxi terminal TX (the available taxi) dispatches the taxi to the reservation location at the reservation time, picks up the elderly person who made the reservation, and drives the taxi to their destination.

[0024] Next, the detailed configuration and operation of the user terminal T and server SV, which constitute the fee calculation system SS of the embodiment, will be explained using Figures 2 to 5.

[0025] As shown in Figure 3(a), each user terminal T in the embodiment is composed of a processing unit 20 consisting of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), and RAM (Random Access Memory), a non-volatile recording unit 21 consisting of an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive), an operation unit 22 consisting of operation buttons, a microphone 23, a camera 24 consisting of a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) image sensor, a sensor unit 25 constituting a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) or autonomous navigation system, a display 26 consisting of a liquid crystal display, a speaker 27, and an interface 28.

[0026] In the above configuration, the recording unit 21 non-volatilely records programs and data necessary for the user terminal T to perform functions as part of the functions of the fare calculation system SS of the embodiment, and reads them out by the processing unit 20 as needed. The microphone 23, under the control of the processing unit 20, collects the sound of the terminal user's speech and outputs sound data corresponding to the sound collection result to the processing unit 20. Furthermore, the camera 24, under the control of the processing unit 20, outputs image data corresponding to the imaging result of the area around the user terminal T to the processing unit 20. In addition, the sensor unit 25, under the control of the processing unit 20, uses the GNSS or the like to detect the current position, speed, and direction of travel of the user terminal T, generates detection data indicating the detection result and outputs it to the processing unit 20.

[0027] Meanwhile, the display 26, under the control of the processing unit 20, displays images or maps necessary for the functions that the user terminal T is supposed to perform. The speaker 27, under the control of the processing unit 20, emits sounds necessary for the functions that the user terminal T is supposed to perform. Furthermore, the interface 28, under the control of the processing unit 20, controls the exchange of information or data necessary for the functions that the user terminal T is supposed to perform between the user terminal T and the server SV via the network NW. Furthermore, when an instruction operation is performed on the user terminal T by the terminal user, the operation unit 22 generates an operation signal corresponding to that instruction operation and outputs it to the processing unit 20. Based on these operation signals, the processing unit 20 controls the performance of the functions that the user terminal T is supposed to perform, while controlling each component of the user terminal T, such as the sensor unit 25 and the interface 28.

[0028] Here, the above functions to be performed by the user terminal T will be explained using the example of a case where the terminal user uses a taxi to travel from home to a desired destination and then returns home. In this case, the processing unit 20 of each user terminal T first acquires location data indicating the starting point of the user terminal T's movement (in other words, the terminal user's home) and time data indicating the time when the terminal user of the user terminal T departed from home, triggered, for example, by the operation unit 22 for taxi dispatch reservation processing, from the sensor unit 25. Subsequently, the processing unit 20 associates the acquired location data and time data with user identification data (terminal identification data) to distinguish the terminal user from other elderly people, and transmits it to the server SV via the interface 28 and the network NW. Next, when the terminal user arrives at the destination, the processing unit 20 obtains location data from the sensor unit 25 indicating the location of the user terminal T at the time of arrival (i.e., the location of the destination) and time data indicating the time when the terminal user of the user terminal T arrived at the destination. The processing unit 20 then associates the obtained location data and time data with destination identification data and user identification data used to distinguish the destination visited by the terminal user from other destinations, and transmits them to the server SV via the interface 28 and the network NW.

[0029] Next, when the terminal user leaves the visited location and returns home, the processing unit 20 obtains time data from the sensor unit 25 indicating the time the terminal user of the user terminal T left the visited location, associates the obtained time data with the user identification data, and transmits it to the server SV via the interface 28 and the network NW. Finally, when the terminal user returns home, the processing unit 20 obtains time data from the sensor unit 25 indicating the time of their return home, associates the obtained time data with the user identification data, and transmits it to the server SV via the interface 28 and the network NW.

[0030] Based on these, the server SV records the location data and time data transmitted from the user terminal T as described above at each of the following times: when leaving home, when arriving at the destination, when leaving the destination, and when returning home. This data is recorded in the server SV's recording unit 11, described later, as behavior history data AH, as illustrated in the embodiment shown in Figure 4, in a mutually identifiable and non-volatile manner, for each terminal user, each visit day, and each movement (visit). At this time, the server SV's processing unit 10, described later, records stay time data indicating the duration of stay at the destination, based on the time data at arrival at the destination and the time data at departure from the destination, associating it with the user identification data. In addition, the processing unit 10 records distance data indicating the distance traveled during the visit (either round-trip distance or one-way distance), based on each location data, associating it with the user identification data.

[0031] Furthermore, each user terminal T also sends request information to the server SV via interface 28 and network NW, requesting the calculation of the monthly taxi usage fee using the fare calculation process described in the embodiment below. This request information includes the terminal identification data (user identification data) and destination data indicating the destinations to which the monthly usage fee applies.

[0032] Next, the detailed configuration and functions of the server SV of the above embodiment will be described using Figures 3(b) to 5. As shown in Figure 3(b), the server SV of the embodiment consists of a processing unit 10 consisting of a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., a non-volatile recording unit 11 consisting of an HDD or SSD, etc., an operation unit 12 consisting of a keyboard and mouse, etc., a display 13 consisting of a liquid crystal display, etc., and an interface 1.

[0033] Furthermore, the processing unit 10 is configured to include a charge calculation unit 2. In this case, the charge calculation unit 2 may be implemented by hardware logic circuits constituting the processing unit 10, or it may be implemented in software by the processing unit 10 reading and executing a program corresponding to the flowchart showing the charge calculation process of the embodiment from the recording unit 11. Interface 1 corresponds to an example of acquisition means 1 of the embodiment, and charge calculation unit 2 corresponds to an example of calculation means 2 of the embodiment.

[0034] In the above configuration, the recording unit 11 non-volatilely records the behavior history data AH illustrated in Figure 4. At this time, the behavior history data AH is generated and recorded by the processing unit 10 using the location data, time data, and user identification information, etc., received from one of the user terminals T via the interface 1, as described above.

[0035] In addition, the recording unit 11 non-volatilely stores the above-mentioned programs and data necessary for the server SV to perform the functions that the server SV should perform as part of the functions of the fee calculation system SS of the embodiment, and reads them out by the processing unit 10 as needed. The administrator of the server SV also inputs instructions necessary for the fee calculation process of the embodiment as described above using the operation unit 12. The operation unit 12 then generates an instruction signal corresponding to the instruction and outputs it to the processing unit 10. The processing unit 10 (fee calculation unit 2) then comprehensively controls the processing as the server SV based on the instruction signal. At this time, information that should be presented to the administrator is presented to the administrator, for example, by displaying an image using the display 13.

[0036] Next, the fare calculation process of the embodiment, which is executed mainly by the processing unit 10, will be described in detail. The fare calculation process of the embodiment is a process in which a taxi company to which a taxi used by an elderly person belongs calculates a fixed monthly usage fee for that elderly person for each destination, and is started, for example, at predetermined intervals. In the following description, the fixed monthly usage fee for each destination will be simply referred to as the "monthly usage fee".

[0037] When the fare calculation process of the embodiment is started, the processing unit 10 monitors whether the above request information requesting the calculation of the monthly taxi usage fee according to the fare calculation process of the embodiment has been transmitted from any user terminal T used by a terminal user (elderly person) in association with the terminal identification data (step S1). If, in the monitoring in step S1, the above request information has not been transmitted (step S1: NO), the processing unit 10 proceeds to step S4, which will be described later. On the other hand, if, in the monitoring in step S1, the above request information has been transmitted from any user terminal T (step S1: YES), the fare calculation unit 2 of the processing unit 10 calculates a fixed usage fee for each elderly person and each visited location for the following month or for subsequent months as the monthly usage fee of the embodiment, based on the terminal identification data (in other words, user identification data to distinguish the elderly person using that user terminal T from other elderly people) and visited location data included in the transmitted request information, as well as the behavior history data AH recorded in the recording unit 11 for the elderly person at that time (step S2). Subsequently, the processing unit 10 transmits monthly usage fee data, which shows the calculated monthly usage fee for each visited location, to the user terminal T that sent the request information, using the terminal identification data as a clue (step S3). Subsequently, the processing unit 10 determines whether or not to terminate the fee calculation process of the embodiment, for example, if the instruction signal from the operation unit 12 of the server SV indicates that the fee calculation process of the embodiment should be terminated (step S4). If the determination in step S4 indicates that the fee calculation process of the embodiment should be terminated (step S4: YES), the processing unit 10 terminates the fee calculation process of the embodiment. On the other hand, if the determination in step S4 does not indicate that the fee calculation process of the embodiment should be terminated (step S4: NO), the processing unit 10 returns to step S1 and continues the series of fee calculation processes described above for new request information. It is preferable that the calculated monthly usage fee be billed by credit card on a monthly or multi-monthly basis.

[0038] Next, the calculation process for the monthly usage fee in step S2 described above will be explained in detail. Specifically, in this calculation process, the monthly usage fee is calculated based on the terminal identification data, the visited location data, and the activity history data AH, for example, according to the following rules (I) to (III). (I) For a single visit location, the monthly usage fee will be reduced as the number of visits within a predetermined one-month period increases. In this case, it is preferable that visits below a predetermined threshold in a month are excluded from the monthly usage fee as described in the example. (II) For each destination, the shorter the distance traveled by taxi during the visit (round trip or one-way distance), the lower the monthly usage fee will be. (III) For each destination, the monthly usage fee will be set higher, for example, during rainy seasons (in other words, seasons when the opportunity to use taxis is expected to increase).

[0039] Furthermore, each of the above rules may be used individually to calculate the monthly usage fee, or two or more rules may be superimposed (or superimposed with weighting) to calculate the monthly usage fee. In addition, when calculating the monthly usage fee over a predetermined number of months, the monthly fees for all months may be the same (uniform monthly fee), or they may be calculated differently for each month. Alternatively, an annual fee system with a fixed fee for the year may be used.

[0040] As explained above, according to the fare calculation process in the fare calculation system SS of the embodiment, the fare for the taxi used by the terminal user when visiting a destination is calculated as a predetermined fare for a fixed period (e.g., monthly usage fee) based on the behavioral history data AH for each destination visited by the terminal user, who is an elderly person. By making taxis cheaper and more reliable to use in accordance with the behavioral history data AH, the convenience of taxis themselves can be increased and their usage can be increased.

[0041] Furthermore, since the visit history shown by the behavioral history data AH indicates the distance traveled from home or the date of past visits for each location visited by the user, it is possible to appropriately calculate the usage fee for each terminal user and each location visited.

[0042] Furthermore, if the monthly usage fee is calculated as the same amount for multiple months, it becomes possible to make taxi use cheaper from the perspective of the terminal user. On the other hand, if the monthly usage fee is calculated on a monthly basis, it becomes possible to calculate the usage fee more appropriately based on the visit history.

[0043] In the above-described embodiment, we explained the case where the terminal user travels by taxi and the departure point is their home. However, it is also possible to apply the embodiment to calculating fares when using a taxi to travel between locations other than the home. In this case, it is preferable to configure the system to record new behavioral history data for each departure point and / or each visited location, in addition to the behavioral history data AH, where the departure point is a location other than the home and the destination is another location other than the home.

[0044] Furthermore, while the above-described example explains the calculation of taxi fares, it is also possible to apply the fare calculation process described in the example to other cases, such as calculating fares for shared buses or local community buses.

[0045] Furthermore, it is possible to record a program corresponding to the flowchart shown in Figure 5 on a recording medium such as an optical disc or hard disk, or to obtain it via a network such as the Internet, and then read and execute it on a general-purpose microcomputer, thereby making the microcomputer function as the processing unit 10 according to the embodiment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0046] 1. Acquisition means (interface) 2. Calculation means (price calculation unit) 10, 20 Processing Units SS Price Calculation System AH behavioral history data T, T1, T2, Tn User Terminals TX1, TXm Taxi Terminal

Claims

1. A means for acquiring historical information showing the visit history for each location visited by the user, A calculation means that calculates a fixed usage fee for the means of transportation used by the user when visiting the destination within a certain period, based on the acquired history information, A fare calculation device characterized by being equipped with the following features.

2. A means for acquiring historical information showing the visit history from a pre-set point for each of the user's visited locations, for each user and each of the visited locations, A calculation means that calculates the cost of using the means of transportation used by the user when visiting the destination, based on the acquired history information, as an amount for a predetermined period, A fare calculation device characterized by being equipped with the following features.

3. In the charge calculation device according to claim 2, The aforementioned pre-set location is the user's home. The fare calculation device is characterized in that the visit history is an activity history showing the distance traveled from the user's home or the date of past visits for each of the visited locations.

4. In the charge calculation device according to claim 2 or claim 3, The calculation means is a fee calculation device characterized by calculating the usage fees for multiple specified periods as being the same amount.

5. In the charge calculation device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, The calculation means is a fee calculation device characterized by calculating the amount of the usage fee at regular intervals.

6. In the charge calculation device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, A fare calculation device characterized in that the means of transportation is a taxi.

7. A fee calculation method performed in a fee calculation device comprising acquisition means and calculation means, An acquisition step in which historical information showing the visit history from a predetermined point for each of the user's visited locations is acquired for each user and each of the visited locations by the acquisition means, A calculation step in which, based on the acquired history information, the calculation means calculates the cost of the means of transportation used by the user when visiting the destination as an amount for a predetermined period, A method for calculating fees that includes the following features.

8. Computers, A means for acquiring historical information showing the visit history from a pre-set point for each of the user's visited locations, for each user and each of the visited locations, and A calculation means that calculates the cost of using the means of transportation used by the user when visiting the destination, based on the acquired history information, as an amount for a predetermined period. A fee calculation program characterized by its function as such.

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