Information processing system and information processing method, and computer program

Abstract

To provide an information processing system for searching for a taxi suitable for needs of a user.SOLUTION: An information processing system comprises a vehicle allocation processing section which includes a vehicle search section for searching for a vehicle satisfying a search condition within a predetermined range and a condition change section for changing the search condition according to the elapse of time, and which continues the search for a vehicle under the search condition changed according to the elapse of time within a predetermined vehicle search time. When the vehicle search section cannot find the vehicle under the search condition within a predetermined period of time after starting the search for the vehicle, the condition change section performs exclusion of the search condition or exclusion of at least a part of the plurality of search conditions as the change of the search condition.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification (hereinafter referred to as "the present disclosure") relates to an information processing system and method for processing orders for taxi dispatching, and a computer program.

Background Art

[0002] With the improvement and popularization of wireless technology and positioning technology, for example, it has become possible to efficiently manage the inventory and dispatch of taxis. In addition, the number of taxi orders using taxi dispatching apps on information terminals such as smartphones has been increasing.

[0003] For example, a dispatching request acquisition unit that acquires a dispatching request for a vehicle to transport a user and the boarding position of the user from the terminal of the user who requests the dispatching of the vehicle, a request time that is the time when the dispatching request acquisition unit acquires the dispatching request, identification information of the user who made the dispatching request, and a storage control unit that associates the boarding position and stores it in a storage unit as request order information, an available vehicle, and an available vehicle detection unit that detects the position of the available vehicle. When the available vehicle detection unit detects an available vehicle, a dispatching management device including a dispatching instruction unit that refers to the request order information and instructs the available vehicle to dispatch the user whose boarding position is within a predetermined range from the position of the available vehicle and whose request time is the earliest has been proposed (see Patent Document 1). In addition, a dispatching system that specifies conditions regarding a vehicle (such as vehicle type) and searches for vehicles to be dispatched has been proposed (see Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide an information processing system, an information processing method, and a computer program that perform processing to find a taxi that meets the user's needs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] This disclosure has been made in consideration of the above issues, and its first aspect is an information processing system for processing orders related to vehicle dispatch, This information processing system includes a vehicle search unit that searches for vehicles that meet the search criteria within a predetermined range, a condition change unit that changes the search criteria according to the passage of time, and a dispatch processing unit that continues searching for vehicles with the search criteria changed according to the passage of time within a predetermined search time.

[0007] However, the term "system" as used here refers to a logical collection of multiple devices (or functional modules that perform specific functions), without regard to whether each device or functional module resides within a single enclosure. In other words, both a single device consisting of multiple components or functional modules, and a collection of multiple devices, qualify as a "system."

[0008] The condition modification unit modifies the search conditions so that the vehicle search unit can find a vehicle within the vehicle search time. Specifically, the condition modification unit modifies the search conditions by excluding search conditions or excluding at least some of multiple search conditions. The vehicle search unit then continues searching for vehicles based on the search conditions modified by the condition modification unit from the time a predetermined period has elapsed since the start of the search until the end of the vehicle search time.

[0009] The information processing system relating to the first aspect further comprises a vehicle search time setting unit for setting the vehicle search time. The vehicle search time setting unit sets the vehicle search time based on at least one of the following: dispatch method, type of customer, customer designation, weather at the dispatch date and time, dispatch location, events held around the dispatch location, or the number of available vehicles within the predetermined area (ease of vehicle search).

[0010] Furthermore, the information processing system relating to the first aspect further includes a notification unit that notifies an external party of at least one of the following: information regarding the progress of the vehicle search or information regarding the results of the vehicle search. The notification unit may also notify the external party of information regarding the search conditions changed by the condition change unit while the vehicle search unit is performing a vehicle search. The notification unit may also notify the external party of whether or not the search conditions have been changed by the condition change unit, or information regarding the changed search conditions, along with information regarding the vehicle that has been decided to be dispatched.

[0011] Furthermore, a second aspect of this disclosure is an information method for processing orders relating to vehicle dispatch, This information processing method includes a vehicle search step that searches for vehicles that meet the search criteria within a predetermined area, and a condition change step that changes the search criteria according to the passage of time, and continues searching for vehicles with the changed search criteria within a predetermined search time.

[0012] Furthermore, the third aspect of this disclosure is, This is a computer program written in a computer-readable format so that the computer functions as a dispatch processing unit that includes a vehicle search unit that searches for vehicles that meet the search conditions within a predetermined range, and a condition change unit that changes the search conditions according to the passage of time, and continues searching for vehicles with the search conditions changed according to the passage of time within a predetermined search time.

[0013] The computer programs relating to the third aspect of this disclosure define computer programs written in a computer-readable format to perform predetermined processing on a computer. In other words, by installing the computer programs relating to the third aspect of this disclosure on a computer, collaborative effects can be achieved on the computer, resulting in similar effects and benefits to those of the information processing system relating to the first aspect of this disclosure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide an information processing system, an information processing method, and a computer program that perform processing to find a taxi that meets the user's needs while ensuring the quality of the service.

[0015] The effects described herein are merely illustrative, and the effects brought about by this disclosure are not limited to those described herein. Furthermore, this disclosure may produce additional effects beyond those described above.

[0016] Further purposes, features, and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent through a more detailed description based on the embodiments and accompanying drawings described below. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration example of a dispatch system 100 to which this disclosure applies. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows the functional configuration of the user terminal 101. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows the functional configuration of the crew terminal 102. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an example of the functional configuration of the dispatch management device 103. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows a schematic processing sequence for immediate dispatch in the dispatch system 100. [Figure 6]FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a schematic processing sequence at the time of reserved vehicle dispatch in the vehicle dispatch system 100. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a vehicle dispatch request screen (start screen of a taxi dispatch application). [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a vehicle dispatch request screen (at the time of option setting). [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a desired vehicle type selection screen 900. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a company designation screen 1000. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a crew member designation screen 1100. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a reservation order screen 1200 (before reservation time is specified). [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the reservation order screen 1200 (after reservation time is specified). [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a reservation order instruction screen 1400. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of screen transition of a user terminal. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram schematically showing a vehicle dispatch processing method implemented by a vehicle dispatch processing unit 411 in a basic vehicle dispatch management server 410. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing taxis found within a predetermined circle centered on a vehicle dispatch location on a map. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing the result of filtering taxis found within a predetermined circle (refer to FIG. 17) under specified option conditions. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing the transition of vehicle dispatch processing operations for a reservation vehicle dispatch order by a vehicle dispatch processing unit 411. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a detailed processing sequence example (first half) at the time of reserved vehicle dispatch in the vehicle dispatch system 100. [Figure 21]Figure 21 shows a detailed example of the processing sequence (second half) when a reservation is made in the dispatch system 100. [Figure 22] Figure 22 shows an example configuration of the information processing device 2000. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] The present disclosure will be described below in the following order, with reference to the drawings.

[0019] A. Overview B. System Configuration B-1. Overall configuration B-2. User Terminal Configuration B-3. ​​Configuration of crew terminals B-4. Configuration of the vehicle dispatch management system C. Dispatch Flow C-1. Basic Processing Procedures C-2. Operations on the user terminal C-2-1. User terminal operations when ordering immediate dispatch. C-2-2. User terminal operations when ordering a reserved vehicle. C-2-3. Screen transitions on the user terminal C-3. Vehicle Search Logic C-4. Detailed Processing Sequence D. Equipment configuration

[0020] A. Overview With the widespread use of portable multi-functional information terminals such as smartphones, the number of cases where taxis are ordered via taxi dispatch apps is increasing. Here, taxi dispatch orders are made in two ways: immediate dispatch, where the user can get into a taxi right away, and scheduled dispatch, where the taxi is dispatched at a time specified by the user. Users requesting taxis generally want to find a vehicle that is available quickly (or be dispatched at a specified time), but they may also have other requests, such as a vehicle-related condition (e.g., a wagon type (or vehicle with sliding doors) because they have a lot of luggage, or a vehicle with a large passenger capacity), or a driver-related condition (e.g., a driver with a long history (or high rating) who can be trusted for driving when transporting important clients, or a driver who can speak English when transporting foreigners).

[0021] The requests when requesting a taxi are not uniform and vary depending on the user's situation. On the other hand, it is a heavy burden for the taxi dispatch system to maintain an inventory large enough to meet all of the diverse requests of each user. Therefore, it is difficult to find a vehicle that simultaneously meets all the conditions specified by a user when requesting a taxi.

[0022] Therefore, this disclosure provides a dispatch system that can find a vehicle that meets the user's requirements as closely as possible, even when it is difficult to find a vehicle that simultaneously meets all the conditions specified by the user when requesting a taxi.

[0023] B. System Configuration B-1. Overall configuration Figure 1 shows a schematic configuration example of a dispatch system 100 to which this disclosure applies. The dispatch system 100 shown in Figure 1 consists of three components: a user terminal 101 operated by a user using a taxi, a driver terminal 102 operated by a taxi driver, and a dispatch management device 103.

[0024] For simplicity, Figure 1 only shows one user terminal 101 and one driver terminal 102. However, in reality, there are user terminals equal to the number of users using the taxi, and driver terminals equal to the number of taxis (or drivers) dispatched to users through the dispatch system 100. Specifically, the user terminal 101 is a portable multi-functional information terminal such as a smartphone owned by the user, and a taxi dispatch application can be installed on such an information terminal to function as a user terminal 101. The driver terminal 102 is a dedicated terminal installed in the vehicle, or a portable multi-functional information terminal such as a smartphone owned by the driver, and a driver's application can be installed on such an information terminal to function as a driver terminal 102.

[0025] Furthermore, although Figure 1 depicts the dispatch management device 103 as a single block for simplification, in reality, a single dispatch management device 103 may be composed of a combination of multiple physically independent devices. Also, the dispatch management device 103 may be configured by integrating multiple server functions. In this embodiment, the dispatch management device 103 includes a "basic dispatch management server" that processes dispatch requests, a "terminal-compatible server" that manages account information (such as email addresses and phone numbers) of each smartphone acting as a user terminal 101 and processes dispatch requests from the user terminal 101 (taxi dispatch app), and a "reservation management server" that accepts reservation orders from the user terminal 101 and issues a dispatch request a predetermined time before the reservation time (for example, 10 minutes before). Of course, the dispatch management device 103 may also have other server functions. Details of the server configuration included in the dispatch management device 103 will be described later.

[0026] The user terminal 101 dispatches a taxi based on the user's operations on the installed taxi dispatch application. In this embodiment, the taxi dispatch application can utilize two types of dispatch methods: immediate dispatch and scheduled dispatch. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when ordering immediate dispatch or scheduled dispatch using the taxi dispatch application, it is possible to specify vehicle conditions such as vehicle type and driver conditions. The user terminal 101 (or the taxi dispatch application) can make dispatch requests and reservation orders using an API (Application Programming Interface). In response, the dispatch management device 103 returns an API response.

[0027] The driver terminal 102 notifies the dispatch management device 103 of the vehicle's status, such as whether it is occupied or vacant. Conversely, the dispatch management device 103 notifies the driver terminal 102 of dispatch instructions and dispatch information. The driver terminal 102 and the dispatch management device 103 communicate with each other using a message method based on a publish / subscribe model, such as MQTT (Message Queue Telemetry Transport), but are not limited to this communication method. The driver terminal 102 also responds to dispatch instructions from the dispatch management device 103 by using, for example, an API (Driver API). In response, the dispatch management device 103 returns an API response.

[0028] B-2. User Terminal Configuration Specifically, the user terminal 101 is a portable multi-functional information terminal such as a smartphone owned by the user, and it requests taxi dispatch and makes reservations based on the user's operations on the installed taxi dispatch app (as described above). Figure 2 schematically shows the functional configuration of the user terminal 101. The illustrated user terminal 101 includes a communication unit 210, a storage unit 220, a control unit 230, a display unit 240, an operation unit 250, and a location detection unit 260.

[0029] The communication unit 210 is a functional module for communicating with the dispatch management device 103 and other external devices via a wide-area network such as the Internet, using a mobile communication network such as 4G or 5G or other wireless communication network. The communication unit 210 performs tasks such as sending dispatch requests, receiving API responses, and receiving order information update notifications from the dispatch management device 103. The communication unit 210 also processes the reception of application programs to be installed on the user terminal 101, for example, from an application download site.

[0030] The memory unit 220 includes a large-capacity storage device consisting of a ROM (Read Only Memory) for non-volatile storage of essential program code and data, a RAM (Random Access Memory) used as a workspace for the control unit 230, and an SSD (Solid State Drive) for storing software programs such as the operating system (OS) and applications, as well as data files.

[0031] The control unit 230 is composed of a processor, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and executes programs stored in the memory unit 220. Specifically, the control unit 230 loads the installed program into RAM and executes it. In this embodiment, the control unit 230 launches a taxi dispatch application for ordering a taxi (including immediate dispatch requests and reservation orders) under the execution environment provided by the OS, and implements functions such as the dispatch request unit 231, the notification acquisition unit 232, and the display control unit 233 to process immediate taxi dispatch requests and reservation orders.

[0032] The display unit 240 consists of a display having a screen capable of displaying information, such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display. The operation unit 250 basically consists of a touch panel superimposed on the display screen that accepts operation from a human fingertip or the like. The operation unit 250 may also include mechanical controls such as buttons, or input devices that are externally connected to the user terminal 101.

[0033] The position detection unit 260 consists of a device capable of acquiring information about the current location of the user terminal 101, such as a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor.

[0034] The user terminal 101 may also include components other than the functional modules 210-260 shown in Figure 2.

[0035] Let me briefly explain the operation of the user terminal 101 when requesting a taxi.

[0036] When the taxi dispatch application is launched on the user terminal 101, the dispatch request unit 231 instructs the display control unit 233 to display the dispatch request screen on the display unit 240. Dispatch requests include both immediate taxi dispatch (dispatch request) and reserved taxi orders (reservation orders). On the dispatch request screen, the user can specify whether it is an immediate dispatch or a reserved taxi order by operating the operation unit 250, i.e., the touch panel. The user can also specify vehicle conditions and driver conditions when ordering an immediate or reserved taxi on the dispatch request screen. The dispatch request unit 231 may set these taxi search conditions each time a dispatch request is made (i.e., each time a dispatch request or reservation order is made), or it may set default taxi search conditions in advance (or store conditions that have been set once), and automatically apply the conditions set in advance (or previously set) when a dispatch request is made unless the settings are changed. Details of the screen configuration of the dispatch request screen will be described later.

[0037] Then, once the details of the dispatch request are confirmed on the dispatch request screen, the dispatch request unit 231 sends the dispatch request to the dispatch management device 103, along with the current location information of the user terminal 101 acquired by the location detection unit 260. In this embodiment, the dispatch request unit 231 adds specified conditions regarding the vehicle, crew, etc., to the dispatch request, such as immediate dispatch or reserved dispatch, and sends it to the dispatch management device 103.

[0038] On the dispatch management device 103 side, in response to an immediate dispatch order, it searches for a vehicle that can be dispatched within a predetermined time (for example, within 2 minutes) (for example, a vehicle within a predetermined area (such as a radius of 2 km) from the dispatch location). If the dispatch request specifies conditions regarding the vehicle, driver, taxi company, etc., the dispatch management device 103 further filters the search based on the specified conditions. The dispatch management device 103 then sends a dispatch instruction to a vehicle that meets the conditions within the predetermined area from the dispatch location. At this time, the dispatch management device 103 may send dispatch instructions to all vehicles that meet the conditions within the predetermined area from the dispatch location simultaneously, or it may send dispatch instructions in order of proximity to the dispatch location. After a dispatch response is received from a vehicle to which a dispatch instruction has been sent, the dispatch management device 103 notifies the requesting user terminal 101 of the dispatch information and then sequentially sends order information update notifications until the vehicle arrives at the dispatch location. Furthermore, for reserved dispatch orders, the dispatch management device 103 starts the same processing as for immediate dispatch when a predetermined time (for example, 10 minutes before) is scheduled for the reserved time. Details of the processing of dispatch requests such as immediate dispatch and reserved dispatch by the dispatch management device 103 will be described later.

[0039] The notification acquisition unit 232 acquires notifications from the dispatch management device 103, including dispatch information such as the success or failure of vehicle search for orders such as immediate dispatch and reserved dispatch, and order information update notifications when vehicle search is successful. The display control unit 233 then displays the notification content acquired by the notification acquisition unit 232 on the screen of the display unit 240. The display control unit 233 updates the dispatch request screen (described above) displayed by the dispatch request unit 231 according to the notification content. For example, each time an order information update notification is received, the dispatch request screen (for example, the displayed location of the taxi waiting on the map on the screen) is updated. Details of the screen configuration for displaying the information notified from the dispatch management device 103 will be described later.

[0040] B-3. ​​Configuration of crew terminals The driver terminal 102 may be, for example, a dedicated terminal installed in the taxi vehicle, a device built into the vehicle such as a car navigation system, a portable multi-function information terminal such as a smartphone carried by the taxi driver, or other types of devices. The driver terminal 102 notifies the dispatch management device 103 of dynamic information such as whether the taxi is occupied or vacant, and responds to dispatch instructions from the dispatch management device 103. Figure 3 schematically shows the functional configuration of the driver terminal 102. The illustrated driver terminal 102 includes a communication unit 310, a storage unit 320, a control unit 330, a display unit 340, an operation unit 350, and a position detection unit 360.

[0041] The communication unit 310 is a functional module for communicating with the dispatch management device 103 and other external devices via a wide-area network such as the Internet, using a mobile communication network such as 4G or 5G or other wireless communication network. The communication unit 310 communicates information with the dispatch management device 103 using a message method based on a publish / subscribe model such as MQTT. The communication unit 310 also sends dispatch responses to dispatch instructions from the dispatch management device 103, for example, using an API, and receives and processes API responses returned from the dispatch management device 103.

[0042] The memory unit 320 includes a large-capacity storage device consisting of a ROM for non-volatile storage of essential program code and data, RAM used as a workspace for the control unit 330, and an SSD or HDD (Hard Disk Drive) for storing software programs such as the OS and applications, as well as data files.

[0043] The control unit 330 is composed of a processor such as a CPU and executes programs stored in the memory unit 320. Specifically, the control unit 330 loads the installed program into RAM and executes it. In this embodiment, the control unit 330 launches the driver's app under the execution environment provided by the OS and implements functions such as the information acquisition unit 331 and the display control unit 332. The driver's app is an application program for a vehicle equipped with a driver terminal 102 to operate as a taxi, and it performs processes such as responding to dispatch instructions from the dispatch management device 103 and periodically notifying location information when accepting a dispatch instruction and picking up a vehicle.

[0044] The display unit 340 consists of a display having a screen capable of displaying information, such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. The operation unit 350 basically consists of a touch panel superimposed on the display screen that accepts operation by a human fingertip or the like. The operation unit 350 may also include mechanical controls such as buttons, or input devices that are externally connected to the crew terminal 102.

[0045] The position detection unit 360 consists of a device capable of acquiring information about the current location of the crew terminal 102, such as a GPS sensor.

[0046] The crew terminal 102 may also include components other than the functional modules 310-360 shown in Figure 3.

[0047] Let me briefly explain the operation of the driver terminal 102 when responding to dispatch instructions from the dispatch management device 103 and dispatching a vehicle.

[0048] When the driver's app is launched on the driver's terminal 102, the display control unit 332 displays a request information screen on the display unit 340 to present information regarding the dispatch request. The request information screen includes map information, including the current location of the vehicle, and an "acknowledge" button to indicate that the dispatch instruction from the dispatch management device 103 has been acknowledged. The dispatch location is, for example, the current location of the user terminal 101 that made the dispatch request. The configuration of the request information screen is not directly related to this disclosure, so a detailed description is omitted in this specification.

[0049] The information acquisition unit 331 acquires the location information of the vehicle detected by the location detection unit 360 and the vehicle's movement information, and transmits it to the dispatch management device 103 via the communication unit 310. The transmission of location information and movement information may be repeated at predetermined intervals, or it may be transmitted in response to a request from the dispatch management device 103. The movement information includes information such as the status of the vehicle, such as vacant, on call, occupied, and payment. Generally, the movement information is stored in the memory of a tablet (which may be the same as the driver terminal 102), and the vehicle's movement information is switched in response to the driver pressing a button on the tablet according to the status of the taxi meter. Alternatively, the tablet terminal may be electrically connected to the meter, and the movement information on the tablet may change in conjunction with the meter.

[0050] On the dispatch management device 103 side, in response to an immediate dispatch order, it searches for a vehicle that can be dispatched within a predetermined time (for example, within 2 minutes) (for example, a vehicle within a predetermined area (such as a radius of 2 km) from the dispatch location). If the dispatch request specifies conditions regarding the vehicle, driver, taxi company, etc., the dispatch management device 103 further filters the search based on the specified conditions. In addition, for a reserved dispatch order, the dispatch management device 103 starts the same processing as for a dispatch request when a predetermined time (for example, 10 minutes) before the reserved time. The dispatch management device 103 then sends a dispatch instruction to a vehicle that meets the conditions within the predetermined area from the dispatch location. At that time, the dispatch management device 103 may send dispatch instructions simultaneously to the driver terminals 102 of vehicles that meet the conditions within the predetermined area from the dispatch location, or it may send dispatch instructions in order of proximity to the dispatch location.

[0051] When the information acquisition unit 331 acquires a dispatch instruction along with the request information from the dispatch management device 103, it instructs the display control unit 332 to display the dispatch location and other request information on the request information screen. When the driver indicates their intention to acknowledge the dispatch instruction, such as by pressing the OK button on the request information screen, the information acquisition unit 331 transmits a dispatch response to the dispatch management device 103 via the communication unit 310. The dispatch management device 103 then notifies the requesting user terminal 101 of the dispatch information from the vehicle that sent the dispatch instruction.

[0052] Subsequently, until the vehicle arrives at the dispatch location, the information acquisition unit 331 acquires location information from the location detection unit 360 at predetermined time intervals (several seconds to tens of seconds) and transmits it sequentially to the dispatch management device 103 via the communication unit 310.

[0053] The dispatch management device 103 sends an order information update notification, including location information obtained from the driver's terminal 102 that is currently dispatching a taxi, to the user terminal 101 that made the dispatch request. On the user terminal 101 side, each time an order information update notification is received, the dispatch request screen (for example, the displayed location of the taxi currently dispatching on the map on the screen) is updated.

[0054] B-4. Configuration of the vehicle dispatch management system In Figure 1, for simplification, the dispatch management device 103 is depicted as a single block; however, in this embodiment, it is assumed that the dispatch management device 103 is composed of a combination of multiple server functions. Figure 4 shows an example of the functional configuration of the dispatch management device 103. The illustrated dispatch management device 103 is composed of multiple server functions, including a basic dispatch management server 410, a terminal support server 420, and a reservation management server 430. It is assumed that each server function is operated and maintained by a different business entity; however, it is certainly possible for one business entity to operate and maintain two or more of the servers 410 to 430. Furthermore, the server configuration shown in Figure 4 is just an example and can be changed according to the needs of the taxi dispatch business. In addition, each server may be physically composed of a single device, or one server may be realized through the cooperation of multiple devices.

[0055] The terminal-compatible server 420 is a server that corresponds to the user terminal 101 on which the taxi dispatch application is installed. It manages account information (such as email address and phone number) of the multi-functional information terminal, such as a smartphone, that operates as the user terminal 101, and processes dispatch requests from the user terminal 101 (taxi dispatch application). In the configuration example shown in Figure 4, the terminal-compatible server 420 includes a dispatch request processing unit 421, an account management unit 422, an order information storage unit 423, and an account information storage unit 424.

[0056] The account management unit 422 stores and manages the account information of users who use the dispatch system 100 (for example, personal information including the email address and phone number of the user terminal 101 on which the taxi dispatch app is installed) in the account information storage unit 424.

[0057] The dispatch request processing unit 421 processes dispatch requests (immediate dispatch orders) from the user terminal 101. Specifically, when the dispatch request processing unit 421 receives a dispatch request from the user terminal 101, it instructs the account management unit 422 to authenticate the account information of the requesting user or the user terminal 101. The dispatch request processing unit 421 then forwards the dispatch request that has been successfully authenticated to the basic dispatch management server 410. The dispatch request processing unit 421 also stores the information of the received dispatch request in the order information storage unit 423.

[0058] Furthermore, the dispatch request processing unit 421 also processes dispatch requests for reserved dispatch orders. When a predetermined time (for example, 10 minutes before) has passed since the reservation time, the reservation management server 430 issues a dispatch request to the terminal-compatible server 420 on behalf of the user terminal 101 that placed the order. In this case as well, the dispatch request processing unit 421 performs the same processing as for dispatch requests from the user terminal 101 (orders for immediate dispatch) (as described above).

[0059] The reservation management server 430 is a server that manages taxi reservation orders. It receives reservation orders from user terminals 101 and issues a dispatch request to terminal-compatible server 420 a predetermined time before the reservation time (for example, 10 minutes before). In the configuration example shown in Figure 4, the reservation management server 430 includes an order acceptance processing unit 431, a dispatch request issuance unit 432, and a reservation order information storage unit 433.

[0060] The order acceptance processing unit 431 accepts taxi reservation orders from the user terminal 101. That is, when the order acceptance processing unit 431 receives a taxi reservation order from the user terminal 101, it registers it in the reservation list in the reservation order information storage unit 433. The order acceptance processing unit 431 may also return the number of available slots to the user terminal 101 when it receives a reservation order. The available slots are set within a range of available slots (for example, up to one week in advance) and at predetermined time intervals (for example, in 5-minute increments). The order acceptance processing unit 431 may also return the reservation result to the user terminal 101 that placed the order when it has registered it in the reservation list. The dispatch request issuance unit 432 issues a dispatch request to the terminal-compatible server 420 on behalf of the user terminal 101 when a reservation order registered in the reservation list is due a predetermined time before the reservation time (for example, 10 minutes before).

[0061] The basic dispatch management server 410 performs basic processing for dispatch requests. In this embodiment, in both the case of immediate dispatch and reserved dispatch orders, the basic dispatch management server 410 receives dispatch requests via the terminal-compatible server 420 and performs processing to arrange a taxi that meets the conditions specified by the user. In the configuration example shown in Figure 4, the basic dispatch management server 410 includes a dispatch processing unit 411, a change notification processing unit 412, a payment processing unit 413, a history information management unit 414, and a master registration information management unit 415.

[0062] The dispatch processing unit 411 processes dispatch requests received through the terminal-compatible server 420. As described above, the terminal-compatible server 420 forwards both dispatch requests from the user terminal 101 (immediate dispatch orders) and dispatch requests sent from the reservation management server 430 before the reservation time to the basic dispatch management server 410. The dispatch processing unit 411 processes all dispatch requests in the same manner.

[0063] The dispatch processing unit 411 searches for a vehicle that can be dispatched within a predetermined time (for example, within 2 minutes) in response to the dispatch request (for example, a vehicle within a predetermined area (such as a radius of 2 km) from the dispatch location). Location information and movement information are sent from each vehicle, so the dispatch processing unit 411 searches for a vehicle that is "available" within the predetermined area.

[0064] Furthermore, if the received dispatch request specifies conditions regarding the vehicle, driver, taxi company, etc., the dispatch processing unit 411 further filters the search within the specified area based on the specified conditions. The master registration information management unit 415 manages company information, driver information, vehicle information such as vehicle type and specifications for each vehicle. The dispatch processing unit 411 queries the master registration information management unit 415 for vehicles found within the specified area to obtain company information, driver information, and vehicle information, and checks whether they match the conditions attached to the dispatch request. If no vehicle matching all the specified conditions is found within the specified area, the dispatch processing unit 411 removes (or relaxes) some or all of the specified conditions and repeatedly performs the search process within the specified area.

[0065] The dispatch processing unit 411 then sends dispatch instructions to vehicles that meet the conditions within a predetermined range from the dispatch location. At this time, the dispatch processing unit 411 may send dispatch instructions to all vehicles that meet the conditions within a predetermined range from the dispatch location simultaneously, or it may send dispatch instructions to vehicles in order of proximity to the dispatch location. After a dispatch response is received from a vehicle to which a dispatch instruction has been sent, the dispatch processing unit 411 notifies the requesting user terminal 101 of the dispatch information. The dispatch processing unit 411 also has the history information management unit 414 manage the order information, including the details of the processed dispatch request.

[0066] The change notification processing unit 412 sequentially sends order information update notifications to the user terminal 101, including the location information of the vehicle currently being dispatched, based on the location information of the vehicle that has acknowledged the dispatch instruction and is arriving at the dispatch location. Furthermore, if the dispatch processing unit 411 changes the search conditions, such as removing some or all of the specified conditions or extending the search time, because a vehicle that matches all the specified conditions cannot be found within a predetermined area, the change notification processing unit 412 notifies the user terminal 101 of these changes.

[0067] The payment processing unit 413 processes the service fees charged to the requesting and ordering users for the dispatch processing unit 411's dispatch processing and reservation order processing, and performs the payment processing to the payment agency system 440. The payment agency system 440 is operated and maintained by, for example, a credit card company. In the example shown in Figure 4, the payment agency system 440 may include a payment processing unit 441 that performs payment processing in cooperation with the payment processing unit 413 on the basic dispatch management server 410, a payment information storage unit 442 that stores the processed payment information, and a console including a management screen 443 for operators or managers involved in taxi dispatch to view the status of payment processing and the content of payment processing results. However, since payment processing is not directly related to this disclosure, further detailed explanation is omitted.

[0068] The history information management unit 414 manages past order information, including the details of dispatch requests processed by the dispatch processing unit 411. When the dispatch processing unit 411 succeeds or fails in the search for a vehicle, or when the processing of the dispatch request is completed, it saves history information such as the search result (success or failure), the option conditions applied to the search, and the time taken for the search to the history information management unit 414.

[0069] The Master Registration Information Management Unit 415 manages company information of the taxi company to which each vehicle belongs, driver information including the driving history, foreign language skills, age, gender, and other attribute information of the drivers who operate each vehicle, and vehicle information such as vehicle type and specifications.

[0070] Each taxi company's operation management system 450 can register and edit its own company information, driver information of its employees, and vehicle information of its owned vehicles in the master registration information management unit 415. Furthermore, each taxi company's operation management system 450 can obtain order information related to dispatch requests undertaken by its taxis from the history information management unit 414. The operation management system 450 includes a console consisting of a management screen 451 and other components for operators or managers involved in taxi dispatch to register and edit company information, driver information, and vehicle information, and to view obtained order information. However, since the operation management system 450 is not directly related to this disclosure, further detailed explanation is omitted.

[0071] C. Dispatch Procedure Section C describes the procedure for dispatching a taxi in the dispatch system 100 in response to the user's operation of the user terminal 101.

[0072] C-1. Basic Processing Procedures Figure 5 shows a schematic processing sequence in the dispatch system 100 when dispatching a taxi to a user in response to a dispatch request (immediate dispatch order) from the user terminal 101.

[0073] When the taxi dispatch application is launched on the user terminal 101, the dispatch request screen is displayed on the display unit 240 (step S501). The user requests a taxi by operating the dispatch request screen (step S502). The dispatch request is sent to the terminal-compatible server 420, which is linked with the taxi dispatch application. Details of the screen operations for issuing a dispatch request on the dispatch request screen will be described later.

[0074] When the terminal-compatible server 420 receives a dispatch request from the user terminal 101, it processes the request (step S503), performing authentication of the requesting user or the account information of the user terminal 101, and storing the received dispatch request information in the order information storage unit 423. Then, the terminal-compatible server 420 sends the dispatch request to the basic dispatch management server 410 (step S504).

[0075] When the basic dispatch management server 410 receives a dispatch request from the terminal-compatible server 420, it processes the request (step S505) and stores the order information in, for example, the history information management unit 414.

[0076] Next, the dispatch processing unit 411 of the basic dispatch management server 410 searches for a vehicle that can be dispatched within a predetermined time (for example, within 2 minutes) in response to the received dispatch request (for example, a vehicle within a predetermined area (such as a radius of 2 km) from the dispatch location) (step S506). Although not shown in Figure 5, location information and movement information are sent from the driver terminal 102 of each vehicle. Based on the location information and movement information of each vehicle, the basic dispatch management server 410 searches for a vehicle that is "available" within the predetermined area. Furthermore, if the received dispatch request specifies conditions regarding the vehicle, driver, taxi company, etc., the basic dispatch management server 410 further filters the search based on the specified conditions. Then, the basic dispatch management server 410 sends a dispatch instruction to a vehicle that matches the conditions within the predetermined area from the dispatch location (step S507). In this case, the basic dispatch management server 410 may send dispatch instructions simultaneously to all vehicles that meet the conditions within a predetermined range from the dispatch location, or it may send dispatch instructions in order of proximity to the dispatch location.

[0077] The driver terminal 102, which is running the driver's app, displays a request information screen that shows information related to the dispatch request. When the driver terminal 102 receives a dispatch instruction from the basic dispatch management server 410, it notifies the driver that a dispatch instruction has been received on the request information screen (step S508). In addition, to make it easier for drivers who are driving the vehicle to notice, the dispatch instruction may also be notified by sound.

[0078] In Figure 5, for the sake of simplicity, it is assumed that the driver acknowledges the dispatch instruction by pressing the OK button on the request information screen. In this case, the driver terminal 102 returns the dispatch response to the basic dispatch management server 410 (step S509).

[0079] When the basic dispatch management server 410 receives a dispatch response from the driver terminal 102 (step S510), it sends necessary information for pickup, such as the customer's name and address, to the driver terminal 102 (step S511). The driver terminal 102 displays the information such as the customer's name and address received from the basic dispatch management server 410 on the request information screen and starts processing corresponding to the pickup (S512). If a car navigation system is used, the driver terminal 102 starts navigation to the pickup location.

[0080] Furthermore, when the basic dispatch management server 410 receives a dispatch response from the driver terminal 102 (step S510), it transmits information about the dispatched taxi, such as vehicle information (company name, radio number, license plate, vehicle type, color, etc.) and driver information (name, brief profile, thumbnail image, etc.) to the terminal-compatible server 420 (step S513). The terminal-compatible server 420 then transmits the taxi information received from the basic dispatch management server 410 to the user terminal 101 (step S514). The user terminal 101 displays the dispatched taxi information received from the basic dispatch management server 410 on its screen (step S515).

[0081] The driver terminal 102 repeatedly transmits the vehicle's location information to the basic dispatch management server 410 at predetermined time intervals (several seconds to tens of seconds) until it arrives at the dispatch location (step S516). The basic dispatch management server 410 transmits the vehicle's location information received from the driver terminal 102 to the terminal-compatible server 420 (step S517), and the terminal-compatible server 420 further transmits it to the requesting user terminal 101 (step S518). The user terminal 101 then updates the location information of the taxi currently being dispatched on its screen each time it receives the vehicle's location information (step S519).

[0082] Figure 6 also shows a general processing sequence in the dispatch system 100 when dispatching a taxi to a user at the reserved time in response to a reservation order (reservation order) from the user terminal 101. The detailed processing sequence for reservation dispatch will be explained later.

[0083] When the taxi dispatch app is launched on the user terminal 101, the dispatch request screen is displayed on the display unit 240 (step S601). The user places a taxi reservation order by operating the reservation order screen (step S602). When placing a reservation order, the user can specify conditions regarding the vehicle, driver, taxi company, etc., on the reservation order screen. The reservation order is sent to the reservation management server 430, which is linked with the taxi dispatch app. Details of the screen operations for placing a reservation order on the reservation order screen will be described later.

[0084] When the reservation management server 430 receives a reservation order from the user terminal 101, it processes the order (step S603) and registers it in the reservation list (step S604). The reservation management server 430 may also return the number of available slots to the user terminal 101 when it receives a reservation order. The available slots are set at predetermined time intervals (for example, in 5-minute increments) within a range of available slots (for example, up to one week in advance). The reservation management server 430 may also return the reservation result to the user terminal 101 that placed the order when it registers the order in the reservation list. When a reservation order in the reservation list is a predetermined time away from the reservation time (for example, 10 minutes before), the reservation management server 430 issues a dispatch request to the terminal-compatible server 420 on behalf of the user terminal 101 that placed the order (step S605).

[0085] When the terminal-compatible server 420 receives a dispatch request from the reservation management server 430, it processes the request (step S606), including authenticating the account information of the ordering user or user terminal 101, and storing the received dispatch request information in the order information storage unit 423. Then, the terminal-compatible server 420 sends the dispatch request to the basic dispatch management server 410 (step S607).

[0086] When the basic dispatch management server 410 receives a dispatch request from the terminal-compatible server 420, it processes the request (step S608) and stores the order information in, for example, the history information management unit 414. Next, the dispatch processing unit 411 of the basic dispatch management server 410 searches for available vehicles within a predetermined area (such as a radius of 2 km) from the dispatch location in response to the received dispatch request (step S609). Furthermore, if the received dispatch request specifies conditions regarding vehicles, drivers, taxi companies, etc., the basic dispatch management server 410 further filters the search based on the specified conditions. Then, the basic dispatch management server 410 sends dispatch instructions to vehicles that meet the conditions within the predetermined area from the dispatch location (step S610). At this time, the basic dispatch management server 410 may send dispatch instructions to all vehicles that meet the conditions within the predetermined area from the dispatch location simultaneously, or it may send dispatch instructions in order of proximity to the dispatch location.

[0087] The driver terminal 102, which is running the driver's app, displays a request information screen that shows information related to the dispatch request. When the driver terminal 102 receives a dispatch instruction from the basic dispatch management server 410, it notifies the driver that a dispatch instruction has been received on the request information screen (step S611). In addition, to make it easier for drivers who are driving the vehicle to notice, the dispatch instruction may also be notified by sound. For the sake of simplicity, let's assume that the driver acknowledges the dispatch instruction by pressing the OK button on the request information screen. In this case, the driver terminal 102 returns a dispatch response to the basic dispatch management server 410 (step S612).

[0088] When the basic dispatch management server 410 receives a dispatch response from the driver terminal 102 (step S613), it further transmits necessary information for pickup, such as the customer's name and address, to the driver terminal 102 (step S614). The driver terminal 102 displays the information such as the customer's name and address received from the basic dispatch management server 410 on the request information screen and starts processing corresponding to the pickup (S615). If a car navigation system is used, the driver terminal 102 starts navigation to the pickup location.

[0089] Furthermore, when the basic dispatch management server 410 receives a dispatch response from the driver terminal 102 (step S613), it transmits information about the taxi whose dispatch has been confirmed to the terminal support server 420 (step S616). The terminal support server 420 then transmits the taxi information received from the basic dispatch management server 410 to the user terminal 101 (step S617). The user terminal 101 displays the information about the taxi whose dispatch has been confirmed, received from the basic dispatch management server 410, on its screen (step S618).

[0090] Furthermore, the driver terminal 102 repeatedly transmits the vehicle's location information to the basic dispatch management server 410 at predetermined time intervals (several seconds to tens of seconds) until it arrives at the dispatch location (step S619). The basic dispatch management server 410 transmits the vehicle's location information received from the driver terminal 102 to the terminal-compatible server 420 (step S620), and the terminal-compatible server 420 further transmits it to the requesting user terminal 101 (step S621). Then, each time the user terminal 101 receives the vehicle's location information, it updates the location information of the taxi currently being dispatched on its screen (step S622).

[0091] C-2. Operations on the user terminal Section C-2 describes the operation method for dispatching a taxi on the user terminal 101. In this embodiment, it is assumed that two types of dispatch methods, immediate dispatch and scheduled dispatch, can be used using the taxi dispatch application. The operation mode when the taxi dispatch application performs immediate dispatch is referred to as "immediate dispatch" mode, and the operation mode when performing scheduled dispatch is referred to as "scheduled dispatch" mode.

[0092] C-2-1. User terminal operations when ordering immediate dispatch. As already mentioned, when the taxi dispatch app is launched on the user terminal 101, it enters "instant dispatch" mode, and the dispatch request screen is displayed on the display unit 240. The user can basically place an instant dispatch order by operating the touch panel.

[0093] Figure 7 shows an example of the screen configuration when the taxi dispatch app is launched on the user terminal 101 (and in "instant dispatch" mode). For example, the taxi dispatch app is launched by tapping the taxi dispatch app icon (not shown) on the standby screen of the user terminal 101. The shown startup screen 700 consists of a map area 710 that occupies about two-thirds of the top of the screen 700 and the remaining input operation area 720 that occupies about one-third of the bottom of the screen 700.

[0094] The map area 710 displays the map at the default scale so that the current location of the user terminal 101, detected by the location detection unit 260, is approximately in the center. A pin 711 indicating the current location of the user terminal 101 is also displayed on the map area 710. The display range of the map can be moved by swiping the map area 710. The scale of the displayed map can be continuously changed by pinching the map area 710. Even if the display range of the map is moved and the scale of the map is changed, the pin 711 approximately in the center of the map area 710 does not move, and the location indicated by the pin 711 on the map is the taxi dispatch location when a ride request is made.

[0095] The input operation area 720 has a different configuration depending on the mode of the taxi dispatch app. The taxi dispatch app has two modes: "instant dispatch" mode for ordering an immediate taxi dispatch, and "reserved dispatch" mode for reserving a taxi dispatch at a specified time. The taxi dispatch app is set to start in "instant dispatch" mode, and the input operation area 720 of the startup screen 700 shown in Figure 7 has the configuration for "instant dispatch" mode, i.e., the dispatch request screen.

[0096] The button placement area 726 at the bottom of the input operation area 720 contains the "Call Now" button and the "Reserve" button. Tapping the "Call Now" button sets the taxi dispatch app to "Instant Dispatch" mode and displays the dispatch request screen 700 under "Instant Dispatch" mode, as shown in Figure 7. Tapping the "Reserve" button switches the taxi dispatch app to "Reserved Dispatch" mode, and the dispatch request screen also transitions to the reserved order screen (described later) under "Reserved Dispatch" mode. Then, tapping the "Call Now" button under "Reserved Dispatch" mode returns to "Instant Dispatch" mode and transitions to the dispatch request screen 700.

[0097] The input operation area 720 has, from top to bottom, a slider 721, a dispatch location display area 722, a destination display area 723, a fare method selection unit 724, and a payment method setting unit 725.

[0098] Slider 721 displays the message, "Slide to call a taxi." When slider 721 is swiped from left to right, a dispatch request (ordering an immediate dispatch) is executed with the content specified in the current input area 720. In this case, the taxi dispatch app sends the dispatch request to the terminal-compatible server 420, and the dispatch system 100 then performs the immediate dispatch processing procedure shown in Figure 5.

[0099] The pickup location display area 722 displays the address of the pickup location. As mentioned above, the pickup location is the position indicated by the pin 711, which is approximately in the center of the map area 710. When the position of the pin 711 moves on the map due to operations such as swiping the map area 710, the pickup location address displayed in the pickup location display area 722 is also updated. Also, tapping the pickup location display area 722 switches to the pickup location input screen (not shown). On the pickup location input screen, you can search for the pickup location address by address or search word, or input the pickup location using the map. Once you have entered a pickup location, you can register it as a favorite and select a pickup location from your favorites when ordering an immediate pickup or reserved pickup in the future. Tapping the "Back" button (not shown) on the pickup location input screen returns you to the pickup request screen 700 shown in Figure 7.

[0100] The destination display area 723 shows the address of the destination of the dispatched taxi. When the taxi dispatch app is launched, the destination is not specified, as shown in Figure 7, and it is possible to request a dispatch without specifying a destination. Tapping the destination display area 723 switches to the destination input screen (not shown). The configuration of the destination input screen is the same as the dispatch location input screen described above, and you can search for the destination address by address or search word, or input the destination using a map. You can register destinations you have entered once as favorites, and when ordering an immediate dispatch or reserved dispatch in the future, you can select the destination from your favorites. Tapping the "Back" button (not shown) on the destination input screen returns you to the dispatch request screen 700 shown in Figure 7.

[0101] Tapping the fare method selection section 724 switches to the fare method selection screen (not shown), where you can select and switch fare methods. For example, you can set either the "metered fare" method or the "pre-confirmed fare" method. Specifying a destination is required to select the "pre-confirmed fare" method. The fare method selection section 724 on the dispatch request screen 700 displays the currently selected "metered fare" method.

[0102] Tapping the payment method setting section 725 switches to the payment method setting screen (not shown), where you can specify, select, and change the card to be used for fare payment. The payment method setting screen 725 on the dispatch request screen 700 displays the information of the credit card currently set for payment. Tapping the "Back" button (not shown) on the driving method setting screen or the payment method setting screen returns you to the dispatch request screen 700 shown in Figure 7.

[0103] In this embodiment, optional conditions can be specified when ordering an immediate dispatch. When the handle 727 near the upper end of the input operation area 720 is swiped upward, the input operation area 720 expands upward as shown in Figure 8, and the option setting area 800 appears between the fare method selection area 724, the payment method setting area 725 and the button display area 726. When the handle 727 is swiped downward, the option setting area 800 retracts, and the dispatch request screen returns to the state shown in Figure 7.

[0104] The option setting unit 800 is equipped with selection buttons corresponding to the number of option items for which conditions can be specified. Tapping any of these selection buttons switches to an option selection screen where the corresponding option conditions can be selected, allowing the conditions to be set and changed. The availability of option items depends on the operation of the dispatch system 100, and the available option items may change or the number of option items may increase or decrease over time. In this embodiment, it is assumed that three types of option items can be specified: vehicle, driver, and taxi company. Therefore, in the example shown in Figure 8, the option setting unit 800 includes three selection buttons: "Desired Vehicle Type" button 801, "Company Specification" button 802, and "Driver Specification" button 803.

[0105] Tapping the "Desired Vehicle Type" button 801 in the option setting unit 800 switches to the desired vehicle type selection screen 900, as shown in Figure 9. The desired vehicle type selection screen 900 displays a list of selectable vehicle types, and you can select a vehicle by tapping the checkbox in the row of the desired vehicle type. In the example shown in Figure 9, only one type of vehicle, "Tall Type," can be selected, but if a taxi company offers three or more types of vehicles, the desired vehicle type selection screen 900 may be configured to allow selection of three or more types. Furthermore, instead of having only two options for each desired vehicle type, such as "Specify" and "Do not specify," there may be three options for specifying the desired vehicle type: "Required," "Preferably," and "Do not specify." It may also be possible to specify the priority of other option conditions (company, driver, etc.). Finally, tapping the "Confirm Changes" button at the bottom of the desired vehicle type selection screen 900 confirms the selections or changes made on this screen, and returns to the dispatch request screen 700 shown in Figure 7. Additionally, tapping the "Back" button at the top of the desired vehicle selection screen 900 will return you to the dispatch request screen 700 shown in Figure 7 without changing the vehicle type.

[0106] Furthermore, tapping the "Specify Company" button 802 in the option setting unit 800 switches to the company specification screen 1000 as shown in Figure 10. In the example shown in Figure 10, a list is displayed consisting of the company name, logo (not shown in Figure 10), and switch for each taxi company available in the dispatch system 100. By sliding the switch at the far right of each taxi company's row to the "on" position, the corresponding taxi company can be added to the selection. Instead of a two-option choice of "Specify" or "Do not specify" for the taxi company, there may be a three-option choice of "Required," "Preferably," and "Do not specify," or it may be possible to specify the priority of other option conditions (desired vehicle type, driver, etc.). Then, tapping the "Confirm Changes" button at the bottom of the company specification screen 1000 confirms the selection or change made on this screen and returns to the dispatch request screen 700 shown in Figure 7. Alternatively, tapping the "Back" button at the top of the company specification screen 1000 returns to the dispatch request screen 700 shown in Figure 7 without changing the taxi company.

[0107] Furthermore, tapping the "Specify Crew" button 803 in the option setting unit 800 switches to the crew specification screen 1100, as shown in Figure 11. In the example shown in Figure 11, two options are displayed: whether or not to specify a good crew member. By tapping the checkbox in the row of the desired option, you can choose whether or not to specify a good crew member. Then, tapping the "Confirm Changes" button at the bottom of the crew specification screen 1100 confirms the selection or change made on this screen and returns to the dispatch request screen 700 shown in Figure 7. Alternatively, tapping the "Back" button at the top of the crew specification screen 1100 returns to the dispatch request screen 700 shown in Figure 7 without changing the crew specification.

[0108] In the example shown in Figure 11, there are two options: whether or not to designate a good driver. However, depending on the operation of the dispatch system 100, the number of selection items may be increased to include attributes such as fluency in English (or other languages), gender, and age. Furthermore, it may be possible to specify whether or not the driver smokes and whether or not smoking is permitted inside the vehicle on the driver selection screen. The definition of "good" driver is not particularly limited; it may be determined by the dispatch system 100 or individual taxi companies' own criteria, such as long driving experience or customer survey results. Also, instead of a two-option choice of "designate" or "do not designate" a good driver, there may be three options: "required," "preferred," and "do not designate." Additionally, it may be possible to specify the priority of good driver designations compared to other options (desired vehicle type, company, etc.). Similarly, if the number of driver selection items is increased, each selection item may also be given three options: "required," "preferred," and "do not designate."

[0109] If a user specifies option conditions via the option setting unit 800 on the screen of the user terminal 101, the system may display only vehicles that match the specified option conditions in the map area (see, for example, Figure 18), or it may display the number of vehicles that match the specified option conditions.

[0110] C-2-2. User terminal operations when ordering a reserved vehicle. As explained in section C-2-1 above, when the "Reserve" button is tapped in the button placement area 726 at the bottom of the input operation area 720 in the dispatch request screen 700, which is the startup screen, the taxi dispatch app switches to "Reserved Dispatch" mode, and the dispatch request screen also transitions to the reservation order screen under "Reserved Dispatch" mode.

[0111] Figure 12 shows an example of the configuration of the reservation order screen under "reserved dispatch" mode. The illustrated reservation order screen 1200 consists of a map area 1210 that occupies approximately two-thirds of the top of the screen 1200, and the remaining input operation area 1220 that occupies approximately one-third of the bottom of the screen 1200. The configuration and operation of the map area 1210 are the same as those of the map area 710 of the dispatch request screen 700, and are therefore omitted from this explanation.

[0112] In the "Reservation Dispatch" mode, the bottom row of the input operation area 1220, in the button placement area 1224, contains the "Call Now" button and the "Reservation" button. Tapping the "Call Now" button in this "Reservation Dispatch" mode returns the user to the "Instant Dispatch" mode and transitions them to the dispatch request screen 700.

[0113] The input operation area 1220 has, from top to bottom, a message display area 1221, a vehicle dispatch location display area 1222, and a reservation time specification area 1223.

[0114] The message display unit 1221 shows the message "Please specify the date and time of boarding" prompting the user to set a reservation time. The message display unit 1221 also has a "Next" button. When the date and time of boarding has not been specified, the "Next" button is disabled (grayed out) and cannot be tapped. Once the date and time of boarding is specified in this input operation area 1220, the "Next" button becomes enabled (normally displayed), and tapping it will take the user to the reservation order instruction screen (described later).

[0115] The configuration and operation of the dispatch location display area 1222 are the same as those of the dispatch location display area 722 on the dispatch request screen 700, and therefore will not be explained here. The reservation time specification area 1223 has multiple (five in the illustrated example) pick-up date and time selection buttons that allow users to select a pick-up date and time in order slots of 5 minutes, such as 25 minutes, 30 minutes, 35 minutes, 40 minutes, and 45 minutes from the current time, and a "Specify Date and Time" button that allows users to freely specify a pick-up date and time. For example, each pick-up date and time selection button is displayed based on the order slot information returned from the reservation management server 430. When any pick-up date and time selection button is tapped, the date and time displayed on that button is set as the reservation time. Also, when the "Specify Date and Time" button is tapped, a date picker pops up, and by scrolling through the list, the pick-up date and time can be specified in a wide range of ranges and with fine granularity. The date picker is a control for selecting a date, time, or date and time simultaneously, but it is well known in this industry, so it will not be illustrated here. The range of dates and times that can be specified for a ride (i.e., how many days or months in advance reservations can be accepted) depends on the operation of the taxi dispatch business. For example, it may be possible to differentiate users by allowing subscribers to make reservations for a longer period than general users.

[0116] Then, once the boarding date and time are specified in the input operation area 1220, the "Next" button in the message display unit 1221 is activated (normally displayed) as described above. Figure 13 shows the activation of the "Next" button in the message display unit 1221 after tapping the boarding date and time selection button "17:25 25 minutes later" in the reservation time specification area 1223. Tapping the "Next" button in this state will take you to the reservation order instruction screen.

[0117] Figure 14 shows an example of the configuration of the reservation order instruction screen. The illustrated reservation order instruction screen 1400 shares many parts with the dispatch request screen 700 shown in Figure 7. The reservation order instruction screen 1400 consists of a map area 1410 that occupies approximately two-thirds of the top of the screen 1400, and the remaining input operation area 1420 that occupies approximately one-third of the bottom of the screen 1400. The configuration and operation of the map area 1410 are the same as those of the map area 710 of the dispatch request screen 700, and will not be explained here.

[0118] The input operation area 1420 has, from top to bottom, a slider 1421, a dispatch location display area 1422, a destination display area 1423, a fare method selection unit 1424, a payment method setting unit 1425, and a button arrangement area 1426. The configuration and operation of the dispatch location display area 1422, the destination display area 1423, the fare method selection unit 1424, the payment method setting unit 1425, and the button arrangement area 1426 are the same as the corresponding parts of the dispatch request screen 700, and therefore will not be explained here.

[0119] In this embodiment, option conditions can be specified when ordering a reserved ride, just as they can when ordering an immediate ride. By swiping the handle 1427 near the top of the input operation area 1420 upwards, the input operation area 1420 expands upwards, revealing the option setting section, where one or more option conditions can be specified. The configuration and operation of the option setting section are as described above with reference to Figure 8, and therefore, the illustration and explanation of the option setting section are omitted here.

[0120] Slider 1421 displays the message "Slide to order". Sliding (swiping) slider 1421 from left to right executes the process of ordering a reserved taxi based on the specified date and time of ride, payment method, and optional conditions shown on the reservation order screen 1200 in Figure 12. In this case, the taxi dispatch app sends the reservation order to the reservation management server 430, and the dispatch system 100 then performs the reserved taxi dispatch processing procedure shown in Figure 6. On the other hand, tapping the back button 1411 in the map area 1410 returns to the reservation order screen 1200 shown in Figure 12, where the date and time of ride can be specified again.

[0121] C-2-3. Screen transitions on the user terminal Sections C-2-1 and C-2-2 above described the screen operations when ordering immediate and scheduled taxi dispatch using the taxi dispatch application on the user terminal 101, respectively. Section C-2-3 summarizes the sections C-2-1 and C-2-2 above and describes the screen transitions on the user terminal 101 while the taxi dispatch application is running, referring to the screen transition diagram shown in Figure 15.

[0122] For example, when the user taps the taxi dispatch app icon on the standby screen of the user terminal 101, the taxi dispatch app starts in "instant dispatch" mode, and the dispatch request screen shown in Figure 7 is displayed on the display unit 240.

[0123] On the ride request screen, tapping the pickup location display area will take you to the pickup location input screen, where you can search for the pickup location using an address or search term, or input the pickup location using a map. Similarly, tapping the destination display area on the ride request screen will take you to the destination input screen, where you can search for the destination address using an address or search term, or input the destination using a map. Furthermore, tapping the fare method selection area on the ride request screen will take you to the fare method selection screen, where you can set the fare method. Finally, tapping the payment method setting area on the ride request screen will take you to the payment method setting screen, where you can specify the credit card, electronic money, or QR code payment method to be used for payment. Tapping the "Back" button on each of these screens—the pickup location input screen, destination input screen, fare method setting screen, and payment method setting screen—will take you back to the original ride request screen.

[0124] On the dispatch request screen, swiping upwards on the handle near the top of the input area will reveal the option settings section, as shown in Figure 8. Conversely, swiping downwards on this handle will retract the option settings section and return to the original dispatch request screen.

[0125] Tapping the "Desired Vehicle Type" button in the Options Settings section will take you to the Desired Vehicle Type Selection screen shown in Figure 9, where you can select the vehicle type you wish to be dispatched. Tapping the "Specify Company" button in the Options Settings section will take you to the Company Specification screen shown in Figure 10, where you can specify the taxi company from which you wish to be dispatched. Tapping the "Specify Driver" button in the Options Settings section will take you to the Driver Specification screen shown in Figure 11, where you can specify whether or not the taxi driver must be "excellent". On each of these screens—Desired Vehicle Type, Company Specification, and Driver Specification—tapping the "Confirm Changes" button will confirm the selections or changes made on that screen, and tapping the "Back" button will return you to the original dispatch request screen.

[0126] The slider at the top of the input area on the dispatch request screen displays the message "Slide to call a taxi." Sliding (swiping) the slider from left to right executes a dispatch request (ordering an immediate dispatch) with the dispatch location and option conditions specified in the current input area. In this case, the taxi dispatch app sends the dispatch request to the terminal-compatible server 420, and the dispatch system 100 then performs the immediate dispatch processing procedure shown in Figure 5.

[0127] Tapping the "Reserve" button at the bottom of the dispatch request screen switches the taxi dispatch app to "Reserved Dispatch" mode and transitions to the reservation order screen shown in Figure 12. Furthermore, tapping the "Call Now" button at the bottom of the reservation order screen returns the taxi dispatch app to "Instant Dispatch" mode and transitions to the dispatch request screen.

[0128] The input area within the reservation order screen includes a reservation time selection area where the desired boarding date and time are specified. The reservation time selection area contains multiple boarding date and time selection buttons for specifying each boarding date and time candidate corresponding to the order slot provided by the reservation management server 430, as well as a "Specify Date and Time" button. By tapping any of the boarding date and time selection buttons, the corresponding boarding date and time can be specified as the reservation time. Alternatively, by tapping the "Specify Date and Time" button, a date picker will appear, allowing for the selection of boarding dates and times with broad and fine-grained precision.

[0129] When you specify a reservation time in the input area on the reservation order screen, the "Next" button in the message display area at the top of the input area becomes active, as shown in Figure 13. Tapping this "Next" button will take you to the reservation order instruction screen shown in Figure 14. Tapping the back button on the reservation order instruction screen will take you back to the reservation order screen shown in Figure 12, where you can specify the date and time of travel again.

[0130] The reservation order instruction screen has a similar screen layout to the dispatch request screen. The input operation area within the reservation order instruction screen includes a dispatch location display area, a destination display area, a fare method selection section, and a payment method setting section. As with the dispatch request screen, users can transition from the reservation order instruction screen to the dispatch location input screen, destination input screen, fare method selection screen, and payment method setting screen, where they can specify, select, or change the dispatch location, destination, fare method, and payment method on each of the subsequent screens.

[0131] Furthermore, similar to the dispatch request screen, the reservation order instruction screen allows you to make the option settings section appear and disappear by swiping up or down on the handle near the top of the input area. And, as with the dispatch request screen, the option settings section allows you to set and change option conditions by tapping the "Desired Vehicle Type" button, the "Specify Company" button, and the "Specify Driver" button, respectively, which take you to the desired vehicle type selection screen, the company selection screen, and the driver selection screen.

[0132] The slider at the top of the input area on the reservation order instruction screen displays the message "Slide to order." Sliding (swiping) the slider from left to right executes the process of ordering a reserved taxi based on the reservation time, pickup location, and optional conditions specified on the reservation order screen and reservation order instruction screen. In this case, the taxi dispatch app sends the reservation order to the reservation management server 430, and the dispatch system 100 then performs the processing procedure for reserved taxis as shown in Figure 6.

[0133] C-3. Vehicle Search Logic Section C-3 describes the vehicle search logic applied to the dispatch process in the basic dispatch management server 410.

[0134] Figure 16 schematically shows the dispatch processing method performed by the dispatch processing unit 411 within the basic dispatch management server 410. In response to an immediate dispatch order (dispatch request), the dispatch processing unit 411 performs a basic vehicle search and searches for vehicles that can pick up within a predetermined time (for example, within 2 minutes) and are located within a predetermined area (such as a radius of 2 km) centered on the dispatch location.

[0135] Furthermore, the dispatch processing unit 411 searches for vehicles within a predetermined area and filters the vehicles found using the optional conditions specified in the dispatch request. Above, specific examples of optional conditions were given as vehicle (type), driver, and taxi company, but in Figure 16, these are abstracted and shown as option specifications 1 to 3. As shown in the figure, each optional condition can be specified in three ways: "required," "preferably," and "off." For optional conditions specified as "required," the vehicle search must be conducted in a way that satisfies that condition. On the other hand, for optional conditions specified as "preferably," it is permissible not to satisfy the condition if no vehicle is found during the search (in other words, the condition is removed and the vehicle search is prioritized).

[0136] Furthermore, it may be possible to specify priorities among multiple option conditions. For example, if multiple vehicles are found that only partially meet several conditions specified as "preferably," the system may select the vehicle that meets the higher-priority option conditions.

[0137] While users primarily want to find a vehicle that can be picked up quickly (or to be picked up at a specified time), specifying optional conditions allows them to search for a vehicle that best suits their specific needs in each situation. For example, they can specify vehicle-related conditions such as wanting a wagon-type vehicle (or one with sliding doors) because they have a lot of luggage, or wanting a vehicle with a large passenger capacity. They can also accommodate individual user needs such as wanting a vehicle driven by a reliable and experienced (or highly-rated) driver because they are transporting an important client, or wanting a vehicle driven by an English-speaking driver because they are transporting a foreigner.

[0138] On the other hand, specifying option conditions presents the problem of making it more difficult to find a vehicle. Figure 17 shows taxis found within a predetermined area centered on the pickup location on a map. Figure 18 shows the results of filtering the taxis found within the predetermined area using the specified option conditions. Comparing Figure 17 and Figure 18, it can be seen that filtering reduces the number of taxis available for pickup. When a user specifies option conditions via the option setting unit 800 on the screen of the user terminal 101, the screen may be configured to display only vehicles that match the specified option conditions in the map area, or to display the number of vehicles that match the specified option conditions.

[0139] By searching for a taxi with optional conditions, it becomes possible to dispatch a taxi that better meets the user's needs, thereby improving the quality of service. However, as can be seen by comparing Figures 17 and 18, the number of taxis that can be dispatched decreases, so even if a vehicle can be dispatched, it is possible that no taxi will be dispatched at the time of the user's reservation because none of the vehicles meet the optional conditions. If no taxi is dispatched at the specified time of the user's reservation despite having made a reservation in advance, it is understandable that the service would be considered poor. Therefore, in order to guarantee a minimum level of service quality, the situation of a failed taxi search should be avoided as much as possible. In other words, it is strongly desirable that a vehicle be dispatched at the time of the user's reservation, regardless of whether it meets the optional conditions or not.

[0140] Therefore, the dispatch processing unit 411 may extend the search time to find a taxi that meets the optional conditions. For a typical dispatch request, the system searches for a taxi within a reasonable distance that can accommodate the requesting user within about 1 to 2 minutes. In contrast, by searching for 5 minutes or more, for example 10 minutes, it is possible to find a larger number of potential taxis.

[0141] Furthermore, for reserved ride requests, the dispatch processing unit 411 starts searching for a larger number of potential taxis by beginning the search process earlier than the specified pick-up time, for example, 10 minutes beforehand. In addition, the dispatch processing unit 411 imposes optional conditions during the first half of the given search time, but if it cannot find a vehicle that meets the optional conditions, it removes the optional conditions during the second half of the search time to minimize the chance of a failed search and ensure a minimum level of service quality.

[0142] Figure 19 schematically shows the transition of dispatch processing operations in response to a reserved dispatch order by the dispatch processing unit 411. Here, the given vehicle search time is assumed to be a maximum of 10 minutes.

[0143] The dispatch processing unit 411 searches for a taxi while imposing optional conditions during the first 5 minutes of the given 10-minute search time. While the dispatch processing unit 411 is searching for a taxi, the user terminal 101 may display the optional conditions imposed on the search screen. If the dispatch processing unit 411 finds a vehicle that meets the optional conditions within a predetermined area, the dispatch processing unit 411 notifies the user terminal 101 that placed the order of the taxi information via the terminal-compatible server 420 and terminates the dispatch process.

[0144] On the other hand, if a vehicle meeting the option conditions is not found during the first 5 minutes of the 10-minute vehicle search time, the dispatch processing unit 411 will cancel the option conditions and restart the search within the designated area during the latter 5 minutes of the search time. If the user has specified multiple option conditions when placing an order, the system may cancel only some of the option conditions during the latter 5 minutes of the search time, rather than canceling all of them. If the user has specified a priority for each option condition, the system may cancel multiple option conditions in stages according to the priority.

[0145] Furthermore, the dispatch processing unit 411 may, during the vehicle search, notify the user terminal 101 of the order via the terminal-compatible server 420 that option conditions have been removed or that the removed option conditions have been removed. In this case, the user terminal 101 may, during the vehicle search, display on its screen that the option conditions specified at the time of ordering have been removed, or the removed option conditions (or the applied option conditions), to the user for information.

[0146] Furthermore, when the dispatch processing unit 411 successfully searches for a taxi and notifies the user of information about a taxi whose dispatch has been confirmed, it may also include information such as the option conditions applied during the search and whether the taxi was searched for after removing those options. The user terminal 101 may also display information such as the option conditions applied during the search and whether the taxi was searched for after removing those options.

[0147] If no vehicle is found within the designated area within the last 5 minutes, the dispatch processing unit 411 terminates the dispatch process, deeming the vehicle search a failure. The dispatch processing unit 411 also notifies the user terminal 101 that the vehicle search failed (or that the search will be conducted with the option conditions removed for the remaining search time) via the terminal-compatible server 420. The vehicle search failure notification may include information about alternative means for the failed order. The user terminal 101 may also be presented with alternative means, such as tapping the "Call Now" button to switch to "Instant Dispatch" mode (dispatch request), or calling the call center directly to order a taxi.

[0148] If the maximum taxi search time is long, users may not be able to wait until the search time is up. For example, a user terminal 101 may not receive a taxi dispatch notification, but several empty taxis may pass by, or the user may become impatient and want to use another taxi dispatch service, or the user may give up on using a taxi altogether. For such cases, the taxi dispatch app and dispatch system 100 may have a cancellation function for orders. When an order is canceled, the dispatch processing unit 411 cancels the corresponding taxi search process. In addition, measures may be taken to prevent the cancellation function from being abused or misused, such as imposing a penalty such as a cancellation fee, or limiting the use of the cancellation function to premium members only.

[0149] When the dispatch processing unit 411 completes the processing of a dispatch request, such as when the vehicle search is successful or unsuccessful, it stores historical information in the history information management unit 414, including the results of the vehicle search (whether it was successful or unsuccessful, or whether the order was canceled), the option conditions applied to the vehicle search, and the time taken for the vehicle search.

[0150] Here, let's also explain the vehicle search time. In the above explanation, the maximum vehicle search time was described as 10 minutes, but the maximum vehicle search time may be a fixed value set in the dispatch system 100 or the basic dispatch management server 410, or it may be a variable value that can be changed.

[0151] The dispatch processing unit 411 may, for example, allocate different maximum search times depending on the dispatch method (such as immediate dispatch or scheduled dispatch) and the type of requesting user (whether a regular member or a premium member). The dispatch processing unit 411 may also dynamically and adaptively adjust the maximum search time according to the weather at the time of dispatch, the dispatch location, any events taking place around the dispatch location, and the number of available taxis in the search area (ease of finding a taxi).

[0152] Additionally, users may be allowed to specify a maximum search time when registering as a member or placing an order. A fee may be charged for longer search times. For example, the first two minutes could be free, and for searches longer than two minutes, a pay-per-minute system could be implemented, such as an additional charge of X yen per X minutes.

[0153] C-4. Detailed Processing Sequence Section C-1 above described the general processing sequence for reserved vehicle dispatch with reference to Figure 6. Section C-4 describes the detailed processing sequence when the vehicle search logic described in Section C-3 above (logic that removes option conditions in the latter half of the vehicle search time) is adopted, with reference to Figures 20 and 21.

[0154] When the taxi dispatch application on the user terminal 101 transitions to "reserved dispatch" mode, it requests order slots from the reservation management server 430 (step S2001). In response, the reservation management server 430 returns to the user terminal 101 the number of available order slots within the available reservation range (step S2002). Order slots are set within the available reservation range (for example, up to one week in advance) at predetermined time intervals (for example, in 5-minute increments). The user terminal 101 then displays a reservation order screen with a date and time selection button and a "specify date and time" button corresponding to each of the predetermined number of available order slots (5 in the example shown in Figure 12) (step S2003).

[0155] On the reservation order screen displayed on the user terminal 101, the user specifies the date and time of ride (step S2004), and further specifies optional conditions such as selecting the desired vehicle type (step S2005), specifying the taxi company to dispatch (step S2006), and specifying the driver (step S2007), if necessary. After specifying the date and time of ride, the user transitions to the reservation order instruction screen (see Figure 13) and gives instructions to place a reservation order (step S2008).

[0156] When the reservation management server 430 receives a reservation order from the user terminal 101, it registers it in the reservation list (step S2009) and returns the reservation result to the user terminal 101 (step S2010). The user terminal 101 then displays the reservation result received from the reservation management server 430 on its screen and completes the reservation order.

[0157] Steps S2001 to S2010 in Figure 20 correspond to steps S601 to S604 in the processing sequence shown in Figure 6.

[0158] When a reservation order in the reservation list is a predetermined time (for example, 10 minutes before) before the reservation time, the reservation management server 430 issues a dispatch request to the terminal support server 420 on behalf of the user terminal 101 that placed the order (step S2012). When the terminal support server 420 receives the dispatch request from the reservation management server 430, it processes the request, including authenticating the account information of the user or user terminal 101 that placed the order, and storing the received dispatch request information in the order information storage unit 423. Then, the terminal support server 420 sends the dispatch request to the basic dispatch management server 410 (step S2013). Steps S2011 to S2013 in Figure 20 correspond to steps S605 to S607 in the processing sequence shown in Figure 6.

[0159] When the basic dispatch management server 410 receives a dispatch request from the terminal-compatible server 420, it processes the request and stores the order information in, for example, the history information management unit 414. The dispatch processing unit 411 of the basic dispatch management server 410 then searches for available vehicles within a predetermined area (e.g., within a radius of 2 km) from the dispatch location in response to the received dispatch request (step S2014). If the received dispatch request specifies conditions regarding the vehicle, driver, taxi company, etc., the basic dispatch management server 410 further filters the search based on the specified conditions. The basic dispatch management server 410 then sends dispatch instructions to vehicles that meet the conditions within the predetermined area from the dispatch location (step S2015). At this time, the basic dispatch management server 410 may send dispatch instructions to all vehicles that meet the conditions within the predetermined area from the dispatch location simultaneously, or it may send dispatch instructions in order of proximity to the dispatch location.

[0160] The driver terminal 102, which is running the driver's app, displays a request information screen that shows information related to the dispatch request. When the driver terminal 102 receives a dispatch instruction from the basic dispatch management server 410, it notifies the driver that a dispatch instruction has been received on the request information screen (step S2016). In addition, to make it easier for drivers who are driving the vehicle to notice, the dispatch instruction may also be notified by sound. The driver checks the contents of the dispatch instruction on the request information screen, and if dispatch is possible, responds to the dispatch by pressing the OK button on the request information screen (step S2017).

[0161] The basic dispatch management server 410 waits for a dispatch response from the driver terminal 102 (step S2018). If it receives a dispatch response from the driver terminal 102 (Yes in step S2018), it sends further information necessary for the pickup, such as the customer's name and address, to the driver terminal 102 (step S2019). The driver terminal 102 displays the information such as the customer's name and address received from the basic dispatch management server 410 on the request information screen and starts processing corresponding to the pickup (S2020). If a car navigation system is used, the driver terminal 102 starts navigation to the pickup location.

[0162] Furthermore, when the basic dispatch management server 410 receives a dispatch response from the driver terminal 102 (Yes in step 2018), it transmits information about the dispatched taxi, such as vehicle information (company name, radio number, license plate, vehicle type, color, etc.) and driver information (name, brief profile, thumbnail image, etc.) to the terminal-compatible server 420 (step S2021). The terminal-compatible server 420 then transmits the taxi information received from the basic dispatch management server 410 to the user terminal 101 (step S2022). The user terminal 101 displays the dispatched taxi information received from the basic dispatch management server 410 on its screen (step S2023).

[0163] The basic dispatch management server 410 may, in step S2021, notify the user of information including the option conditions applied during the vehicle search and the fact that the taxi was searched for with those options removed. In this case, the user terminal 101 may, in step S2023, also display information on the screen including the option conditions applied during the vehicle search and the fact that the taxi was searched for with those options removed.

[0164] While the driver terminal 102 is dispatching a taxi, that is, until it arrives at the dispatch location, it repeatedly transmits the location information of the vehicle to the basic dispatch management server 410 at predetermined time intervals (several seconds to tens of seconds) as a process corresponding to the dispatch (step S2024). The basic dispatch management server 410 transmits the location information of the vehicle received from the driver terminal 102 to the terminal-compatible server 420 (step S2025), and the terminal-compatible server 420 further transmits it to the requesting user terminal 101 (step S2026). Then, each time the user terminal 101 receives the location information of the vehicle, it updates the location information of the taxi being dispatched on its screen (step S2027).

[0165] The basic dispatch management server 410 waits for a dispatch response from the driver terminal 102 until the maximum dispatch time (e.g., 10 minutes) has elapsed (step S2018). At this time, until a predetermined time (e.g., the first 5 minutes) of the maximum dispatch time has elapsed (No. in step S2028), the server continues to search for a vehicle while imposing the optional conditions specified in the dispatch request.

[0166] Then, if the basic dispatch management server 410 does not receive a dispatch response (No in step S2018), it continues searching for a vehicle by imposing optional conditions. After a predetermined time (for example, the first 5 minutes) has elapsed (Yes in step S2028), it removes the optional conditions (No in step S2029) and continues searching for a vehicle for the remaining 5 minutes of the vehicle search period (i.e., the last 5 minutes of the vehicle search period) (No in step S2029). At this time, the basic dispatch management server 410 may notify the user terminal 101 that placed the reservation order via the terminal support server 420 that it is searching for a vehicle without the optional conditions. The user terminal 101 may also display information about the optional conditions applied during the vehicle search on its screen based on the notification from the basic dispatch management server 410.

[0167] Subsequently, if no dispatch response is received (No in step S2018) and the vehicle search time ends (Yes in step S2029), the vehicle search for the reservation order will result in a failure to find a vehicle. In this case, the basic dispatch management server 410 sends a vehicle search failure notification to the terminal support server 420 (step S2031). The terminal support server 420 then transmits the vehicle search failure notification received from the basic dispatch management server 410 to the user terminal 101 (step S2032). The user terminal 101 displays the vehicle search failure notification on its screen (step S2033). The vehicle search failure notification may also include information about alternative means of reserved vehicle dispatch. The user terminal 101 may also present the user with alternative means, such as tapping the "Call Now" button to switch to "Instant Dispatch" mode (dispatch request) or calling the call center directly to order a taxi.

[0168] Furthermore, the basic dispatch management server 410 may receive a cancellation of a reservation order from the user terminal 101 that placed the order while it is still searching for a vehicle, that is, before the vehicle search time ends. In this case, the basic dispatch management server 410 may also issue a notification of vehicle search failure, similar to when a vehicle search fails within the vehicle search time.

[0169] Furthermore, when the basic dispatch management server 410 completes processing for a reserved dispatch order, such as when the vehicle search is successful or unsuccessful, it saves historical information such as the search result (whether it was successful or unsuccessful, or whether the order was canceled), the option conditions applied to the vehicle search, and the time taken for the vehicle search to the history information management unit 414.

[0170] Steps S2014 to S2033 in Figure 21 correspond to steps S609 to S622 in the processing sequence shown in Figure 6. In particular, the "vehicle search" process in step S609 of Figure 6 at the basic vehicle dispatch management server 410 corresponds to steps S2014 to S2018 and S2028 to S2031 in Figure 21.

[0171] D. Equipment configuration Figure 22 shows an example configuration of the information processing device 2000 applied to the dispatch management device 103. The information processing device 2000 may be configured so that one device is assigned to each server function of the basic dispatch management server 410, the terminal support server 420, and the reservation management server 430. Alternatively, one information processing device 2000 may implement two or more server functions. Alternatively, one information processing device 2000 may implement one functional module of one server function (for example, the dispatch processing unit 411 within the basic dispatch management server 410).

[0172] The information processing device 2000 shown in Figure 22 includes a CPU 2001, a ROM 2002, a RAM 2003, a host bus 2004, a bridge 2005, an expansion bus 2006, an interface unit 2007, an input unit 2008, an output unit 2009, a storage unit 2010, a drive 2011, and a communication unit 2013.

[0173] The CPU2001 functions as both an arithmetic processing unit and a control unit, controlling the overall operation of the information processing unit 2000 according to various programs. The ROM2002 non-volatilely stores programs (such as the basic input / output system) and arithmetic parameters used by the CPU2001. The RAM2003 is used to load programs used in the execution of the CPU2001 and to temporarily store parameters such as work data that change as needed during program execution. Programs loaded into RAM2003 and executed by the CPU2001 include, for example, various application programs and the operating system.

[0174] The CPU2001, ROM2002, and RAM2003 are interconnected by a host bus 2004, which consists of a CPU bus and other components. Through the collaborative operation of ROM2002 and RAM2003, the CPU2001 can execute various application programs within the execution environment provided by the OS, thereby realizing a variety of functions and services. Furthermore, the application programs include server applications that implement one of the following server functions: the basic dispatch management server 410, the terminal support server 420, or the reservation management server 430, or applications that implement a part of the server functions.

[0175] The host bus 2004 is connected to the expansion bus 2006 via the bridge 2005. The expansion bus 2006 is, for example, a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus or PCI Express, and the bridge 2005 is based on the PCI standard. However, the information processing device 2000 does not need to be configured in a way that isolates its circuit components by the host bus 2004, the bridge 2005, and the expansion bus 2006; it may be an implementation in which almost all circuit components are interconnected by a single bus (not shown).

[0176] The interface unit 2007 connects peripheral devices such as the input unit 2008, output unit 2009, storage unit 2010, drive unit 2011, and communication unit 2013 in accordance with the expansion bus 2006 standard. However, not all peripheral devices shown in Figure 22 are necessarily required, and the information processing device 2000 may include additional peripheral devices not shown. Furthermore, the peripheral devices may be built into the main body of the information processing device 2000, or some peripheral devices may be externally connected to the main body of the information processing device 2000.

[0177] The input unit 2008 consists of an input control circuit that generates an input signal based on user input and outputs it to the CPU 2001. If the information processing device 2000 is a personal computer, the input unit 2008 may include a keyboard, mouse, touch panel, and may also include a camera and microphone. The output unit 2009 may include, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, an organic EL display device, and an LED (Light Emitting Diode) display device, as well as a printer, a speaker, and the like.

[0178] The storage unit 2010 stores files such as programs (applications, OS, etc.) and various data executed by the CPU 2001. The data stored in the storage unit 2010 may include a corpus of normal speech and whispers (as mentioned above) for training neural networks. The storage unit 2010 is composed of a large-capacity storage device such as an SSD or HDD, but may also include an external storage device.

[0179] The removable storage medium 2012 is a storage medium configured in a cartridge format, such as a microSD card. The drive 2011 performs read and write operations on the inserted removable storage medium 113. The drive 2011 outputs data read from the removable storage medium 2012 to the RAM 2003 or storage unit 2010, and writes data on the RAM 2003 or storage unit 2010 to the removable storage medium 2012.

[0180] The communication unit 2013 is a device that performs wireless communication such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), and cellular communication networks such as 4G and 5G. Furthermore, the communication unit 2013 may be equipped with terminals such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) and HDMI (registered trademark) (High-Definition Multimedia Interface), and may also have the functionality to perform HDMI (registered trademark) communication with USB devices such as scanners and printers, or displays. [Industrial applicability]

[0181] The present disclosure has been described in detail above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it will be obvious that those skilled in the art can modify or substitute these embodiments without departing from the gist of the present disclosure.

[0182] While this specification has primarily described embodiments of the disclosure applied to taxi dispatch management, the gist of the disclosure is not limited thereto. The disclosure can also be similarly applied to dispatch management in car-sharing or car-rental services, as well as in moving and light cargo transportation companies. Furthermore, the disclosure can be applied to inventory management of various goods and products other than vehicles.

[0183] In short, this disclosure has been explained in the form of examples, and the contents of this specification should not be interpreted restrictively. The claims should be considered in order to determine the gist of this disclosure.

[0184] Furthermore, this disclosure may also take the following form.

[0185] (1) An information processing system for processing orders related to vehicle dispatch, An information processing system comprising a vehicle search unit that searches for vehicles that meet search conditions within a predetermined range, a condition change unit that changes the search conditions according to the passage of time, and a dispatch processing unit that continues searching for vehicles with the search conditions changed according to the passage of time within a predetermined search time.

[0186] (2) The condition changing unit changes the search conditions so that the search unit can find a vehicle within the search time. The information processing system described in (1) above.

[0187] (3) The condition change unit changes the search conditions when it fails to find a vehicle with the search conditions within a predetermined period after starting the search. The vehicle search unit continues the vehicle search based on the search conditions changed by the condition change unit during the period from the start of the search to the end of the search time. The information processing system described in either (1) or (2) above.

[0188] (4) The condition modification unit may, as a modification of the search conditions, exclude search conditions or exclude at least some of the multiple search conditions. An information processing system as described in any one of the above (1) to (3).

[0189] (5) The search conditions are included in the order, An information processing system as described in any one of the above (1) to (4).

[0190] (6) The search criteria include conditions relating to at least one of the following: desired vehicle type, company dispatching the vehicle, and vehicle crew. An information processing system as described in any one of the above (1) to (5).

[0191] (7) The search conditions include multiple conditions, and the priority of each condition is specified. The condition modification unit modifies the search conditions according to the passage of time based on priority. An information processing system as described in any one of the above (1) to (6).

[0192] (8) The vehicle search time setting unit further comprises a vehicle search time setting unit for setting the vehicle search time. An information processing system as described in any one of the above (1) through (7).

[0193] (9) The vehicle search time setting unit sets the vehicle search time based on at least one of the following: the dispatch method, the type of customer, the customer's designation, the weather at the dispatch date and time, the dispatch location, the holding of an event around the dispatch location, or the number of available vehicles within the predetermined area (ease of vehicle search). The information processing system described in (8) above.

[0194] (10) The vehicle search time setting unit charges a fee according to the length of the vehicle search time specified by the customer. The information processing system described in (9) above.

[0195] (11) The system further comprises a notification unit that notifies an external party of at least one of the following: information regarding the progress of the vehicle search or information regarding the results of the vehicle search. An information processing system as described in any one of the above (1) through (10).

[0196] (12) The notification unit notifies the vehicle search unit of information regarding the search conditions that the condition change unit has changed while the vehicle search unit is searching for a vehicle. The information processing system described in (11) above.

[0197] (13) The notification unit notifies the vehicle to be dispatched, along with information on whether or not the search conditions have been changed by the condition change unit, or information regarding the changed search conditions. An information processing system as described in either (11) or (12) above.

[0198] (14) The notification unit notifies the vehicle search unit of information relating to a vehicle that matches the search conditions within the predetermined area while the vehicle search unit is searching for a vehicle. An information processing system as described in any one of the above (11) to (13).

[0199] (15) The notification unit notifies the vehicle search unit of the vehicle search failure, including information regarding alternative means. An information processing system as described in any one of the above (11) to (14).

[0200] (16) The dispatch processing unit terminates the vehicle search in response to the cancellation of the order while the vehicle search unit is continuing to search for a vehicle. An information processing system as described in any one of the above (1) through (15).

[0201] (17) When processing of the order is completed, the dispatch processing unit stores historical information including at least one of the following: the result of the vehicle search (whether it was successful or unsuccessful, or whether the order was canceled), the conditions applied to the vehicle search, and the time taken for the vehicle search. An information processing system as described in any one of the above (1) through (16).

[0202] (18) Information method for processing orders relating to vehicle dispatch, An information processing method comprising a vehicle search step for searching for vehicles that meet search conditions within a predetermined range, and a condition change step for changing the search conditions according to the passage of time, and continuing the search for vehicles with the changed search conditions according to the passage of time within a predetermined search time.

[0203] (19) A computer program written in a computer-readable format so that the computer functions as a dispatch processing unit that includes a vehicle search unit that searches for vehicles that meet the search conditions within a predetermined area and a condition change unit that changes the search conditions according to the passage of time, and continues to search for vehicles with the search conditions changed according to the passage of time within a predetermined search time. [Explanation of symbols]

[0204] 100... Dispatch system, 101... User terminal, 102... Driver terminal 103... Dispatch management system 210...Communication unit, 220...Storage unit, 230...Control unit 231... Vehicle dispatch request unit, 232... Notification acquisition unit, 233... Display control unit 240...Display unit, 250...Operation unit, 260...Position detection unit 310...Communication unit, 320...Storage unit, 330...Control unit 331...Information acquisition unit, 332...Display control unit 340...Display unit, 350...Operation unit, 360...Position detection unit 410...Basic dispatch management server, 411...Dispatch processing unit 412...Change notification processing unit, 413...Settlement processing unit 414…History Information Management Department, 415…Master Registration Information Management Department 420...Terminal support server, 421...Vehicle dispatch request processing unit 422...Account Management Department, 423...Order Information Storage Department 424... Account Information Storage Department 430...Reservation management server, 431...Order acceptance processing unit 432... Vehicle dispatch request issuance department, 433... Reservation order information storage department 440...Payment processing system, 441...Payment processing unit 442...Payment information storage unit, 443...Management screen (console) 450... Operation management system, 451... Management screen (console) 2000…Information Processing Equipment, 2001…CPU, 2002…ROM 2003…RAM, 2004…Host bus, 2005…Bridge 2006…Expansion bus, 2007…Interface section 2008…Input section, 2009…Output section, 2010…Storage section 2011…Drive, 2012…Removable recording medium 2013... Communications Department

Claims

1. An information processing system for processing orders related to vehicle dispatch, An information processing system comprising a vehicle search unit that searches for vehicles that meet search conditions within a predetermined range, a condition change unit that changes the search conditions according to the passage of time, and a dispatch processing unit that continues searching for vehicles with the search conditions changed according to the passage of time within a predetermined search time.

2. The condition change unit changes the search conditions when the search unit fails to find a vehicle with the specified search conditions within a predetermined period after starting the search. The information processing system according to claim 1.

3. The vehicle search unit continues the vehicle search based on the search conditions changed by the condition change unit during the period from the start of the search to the end of the search time. The information processing system according to claim 2.

4. The condition modification unit modifies the search conditions by either canceling the search conditions or canceling at least some of the multiple search conditions, thereby allowing the vehicle search unit to search for vehicles within a predetermined range even if the search conditions are not met. The information processing system according to claim 1.

5. The aforementioned search conditions are included in the aforementioned order. The information processing system according to claim 1.

6. The aforementioned search criteria include conditions relating to at least one of the following: desired vehicle type, the company that dispatches the vehicle, and the vehicle's crew. The information processing system according to claim 1.

7. The aforementioned search criteria include multiple conditions, and the priority order of each condition is specified. The condition modification unit modifies the search conditions according to the passage of time based on priority. The information processing system according to claim 1.

8. The system further includes a vehicle search time setting unit for setting the vehicle search time. The information processing system according to claim 1.

9. The vehicle search time setting unit sets the vehicle search time based on at least one of the following: the dispatch method, the type of customer, the customer's designation, the weather at the dispatch date and time, the dispatch location, the holding of events around the dispatch location, or the number of available vehicles within the predetermined area (ease of vehicle search). The information processing system according to claim 8.

10. The vehicle search time setting unit charges a fee according to the length of the vehicle search time specified by the customer. The information processing system according to claim 9.

11. The system further includes a notification unit that notifies an external party of at least one of the following: information regarding the progress of the vehicle search or information regarding the results of the vehicle search. The information processing system according to claim 1.

12. The notification unit notifies the vehicle search unit of information regarding the search conditions that have been changed by the condition change unit while the vehicle search unit is searching for a vehicle. The information processing system according to claim 11.

13. The notification unit notifies the user of information regarding the vehicle to be dispatched, as well as whether or not the search conditions have been changed by the condition change unit, or information regarding the changed search conditions. The information processing system according to claim 11.

14. The notification unit notifies the vehicle search unit of information regarding vehicles that match the search conditions within the predetermined range while the vehicle search unit is searching for vehicles. The information processing system according to claim 11.

15. The notification unit notifies the vehicle detection unit of the vehicle detection failure, including information regarding alternative means. The information processing system according to claim 11.

16. The vehicle dispatch processing unit terminates the vehicle search in response to the cancellation of the order while the vehicle search unit is continuing its vehicle search. The information processing system according to claim 1.

17. The dispatch processing unit, upon completion of processing for the order, stores historical information including at least one of the following: the result of the vehicle search (whether it was successful or unsuccessful, or whether the order was canceled), the conditions applied to the vehicle search, and the time taken for the vehicle search. The information processing system according to claim 1.

18. Information method for processing orders related to vehicle dispatch, An information processing method comprising a vehicle search step for searching for vehicles that meet search conditions within a predetermined range, and a condition change step for changing the search conditions according to the passage of time, and continuing the search for vehicles with the changed search conditions according to the passage of time within a predetermined search time.

19. A computer program written in a computer-readable format so that a computer functions as a vehicle dispatch processing unit that includes a vehicle search unit that searches for vehicles that meet search conditions within a predetermined range, and a condition change unit that changes the search conditions according to the passage of time, and continues searching for vehicles with the search conditions changed according to the passage of time within a predetermined search time.

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