Dispatch management device, dispatch management method, and information communication terminal device suited to dispatch management device

Abstract

The present invention is a dispatch management device comprising: a front-end processing unit for acquiring a dispatch request from an information communication terminal device of a user; and a dispatch plan creation unit that creates a dispatch plan for a vehicle on the basis of the dispatch request. The front-end processing unit includes: a display control unit that carries out control causing a user interface unit of the information communication terminal device to display a geographical map enabling the user to select a boarding / deboarding location; and a boarding / deboarding location acquisition unit that acquires a boarding / deboarding location in accordance with an action by the user with respect to the geographical map. The boarding / deboarding location acquisition unit infers a candidate stop-off place on the basis of activity history information or the like about the user, extracts a candidate boarding / deboarding location according to the boarding / deboarding area designation action with respect to the geographical map containing the candidate stop-off place, and acquires the boarding / deboarding location in response to a boarding / deboarding location selection action with respect to the geographical map containing the candidate boarding / deboarding location.

Description

Vehicle allocation management device, vehicle allocation management method, and information communication terminal device compatible with the vehicle allocation management device

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle allocation management device, a vehicle allocation management method, and an information communication terminal device compatible with the vehicle allocation management device.

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Vehicle allocation management systems are known that provide a vehicle allocation service that allocates an optimal vehicle in response to a vehicle allocation request from a user.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 listed below discloses a technology that, in response to a vehicle dispatch request from a user, calculates nearby candidate boarding and disembarking locations based on the location information of the departure and destination included in the vehicle dispatch request, calculates the total trip time for each candidate boarding and disembarking location, and determines a boarding and disembarking location from among the candidate boarding and disembarking locations based on the total trip time.

[0004] Special table 2019-220205 publication

[0005] However, although the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 extracts candidate boarding and disembarking locations around the location indicated by the user's ride request, it is not able to extract candidate boarding and disembarking locations related to places where the user may stop when boarding or disembarking due to the user's behavioral history or personal attributes.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to propose a vehicle dispatch management device and a vehicle dispatch management method that can extract candidate boarding and disembarking locations related to places that a user may stop at when boarding or disembarking based on the behavioral history and personal attributes of the person making the vehicle dispatch request, and present these to the user, as well as an information communication terminal device that is compatible with the vehicle dispatch management device.

[0007] The present invention, which aims to solve the above problems, comprises the following invention-specifying matters and technical features.

[0008] According to one aspect, the present invention provides a vehicle dispatch management device that manages vehicle dispatch in response to a vehicle dispatch request from a user. The vehicle dispatch management device includes a user information database that stores user information of the user, a front-end processing unit that performs processing to acquire the vehicle dispatch request from the user's information communication terminal device, and a vehicle dispatch plan creation unit that creates a vehicle dispatch plan for the vehicle based on the vehicle dispatch request acquired by the front-end processing unit. The front-end processing unit includes a display control unit that controls a geographical map to be displayed on a user interface unit of the information communication terminal device in response to the vehicle dispatch request transmitted from the information communication terminal device so that the user can select boarding and disembarking locations, and a boarding and disembarking location acquisition unit that acquires the boarding and disembarking locations selected in accordance with a predetermined action by the user on the geographical map displayed on the user interface unit. The boarding and alighting location acquisition unit then predicts at least one or more candidate stop-off locations that the user may stop at when boarding or alighting, based on the user information of the user, extracts at least one or more candidate boarding and alighting locations in response to a boarding and alighting area designation action by the user on the geographical map including the predicted candidate stop-off locations, and acquires the boarding and alighting locations in response to a boarding and alighting location selection action by the user on the geographical map including the extracted candidate boarding and alighting locations.

[0009] The present invention also provides a vehicle allocation management method using a vehicle allocation management device that manages vehicle allocation in response to a vehicle allocation request, a computer program for executing the method, and a recording medium on which the method is non-temporarily recorded.

[0010] According to the present invention, the user is presented with candidate boarding and disembarking locations related to places where the user may stop when boarding or disembarking based on the behavioral history and personal attributes of the user making the vehicle dispatch request, making it easier for the user to select the desired boarding and disembarking location.

[0011] Other technical features, objects, and operational effects or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The effects described in this specification are merely examples and are not intended to be limiting, and other effects may also be present.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a vehicle dispatch management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration model of a vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating details of a front-end processing unit in the vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration model of an information communication terminal device adapted to the vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5A is a flowchart illustrating an example of a vehicle dispatch request reception process in the vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5B is a flowchart illustrating an example of a vehicle dispatch request reception process in the vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed on a user interface unit of an information communication terminal device adapted to the vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed on a user interface unit of an information communication terminal device adapted to the vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed on a user interface unit of an information communication terminal device adapted to the vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed on a user interface unit of an information communication terminal device adapted to the vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on a user interface unit of an information communication terminal device compatible with the vehicle dispatch management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on a user interface unit of an information communication terminal device compatible with the vehicle dispatch management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on a user interface unit of an information communication terminal device compatible with the vehicle dispatch management device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments described below are merely examples, and are not intended to exclude various modifications or applications of techniques not explicitly described below. The present invention can be implemented in various modifications (e.g., by combining the various embodiments) without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, in the following description of the drawings, identical or similar parts are denoted by identical or similar reference numerals. The drawings are schematic and do not necessarily correspond to actual dimensions, ratios, etc. Parts in the drawings may have different dimensional relationships or ratios.

[0014] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a vehicle dispatch management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the vehicle dispatch management system 1 includes a vehicle dispatch management device 10, an information communication terminal device 20, and a vehicle V, which are interconnected via a communication network N so as to be able to communicate with each other. The vehicle dispatch management system 1 can also be connected via the communication network N to a road traffic information management system 30 that provides various traffic information in real time.

[0015] The vehicle dispatch management system 1 of the present disclosure provides, for example, a vehicle dispatch service using a plurality of vehicles V for a certain area. The vehicle dispatch service may be either an "on-demand" system or a "reservation" system. Furthermore, the vehicles V may be either driverless or driverless vehicles.

[0016] The vehicle dispatch management device 10 is a computing device that comprehensively manages a vehicle dispatch service using multiple vehicles V in a target area of ​​the vehicle dispatch service (hereinafter referred to as the "service target area"). The service target area may be divided into several areas (sub-areas). The vehicle dispatch management device 10, for example, implements a vehicle dispatch management server program and realizes the vehicle dispatch service by executing the vehicle dispatch management server program under the control of a processor.

[0017] The vehicle dispatch management device 10 includes various databases 12 that accumulate and manage data necessary to realize the vehicle dispatch service. The databases 12 may include, for example, a user information database 12a, a road map information database 12b, a vehicle information database 12c, and a vehicle dispatch plan database 12d (see FIG. 2). The databases 12 may be configured as part of the vehicle dispatch management device 10, or all or part of the databases 12 may be configured separately from the vehicle dispatch management device 10.

[0018] In general, under normal circumstances, the vehicle allocation management device 10 receives a vehicle allocation request from a user who wishes to allocate a vehicle V to a destination, refers to the vehicle information database 12c based on the vehicle allocation request, extracts a vehicle V to be allocated to the user from among multiple vehicles V, creates a vehicle allocation plan for the vehicle, and proposes the created vehicle allocation plan to the user. The vehicle allocation management device 10 confirms the proposed vehicle allocation plan upon the user's consent to the proposed vehicle allocation plan, and issues a vehicle allocation instruction to the vehicle V in accordance with the confirmed vehicle allocation plan.

[0019] The dispatch plan includes a driving route that defines a location where the vehicle V is waiting (a starting waiting location), passing through several points (boarding and disembarking points) along the way where the user gets on and off, to a final waiting location (which is not necessarily the same as the initial waiting location). If the vehicle V is waiting, the dispatch plan is newly created based on the received dispatch request, and if the vehicle V is in operation, the dispatch plan can be updated based on the dispatch request.

[0020] In the present disclosure, in response to a user's vehicle dispatch request, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 creates a vehicle dispatch plan by having the user interactively select boarding and disembarking locations on a geographical map displayed on a user interface unit 230 (see FIG. 4 ) of the information communication terminal device 20. More specifically, in response to the user's vehicle dispatch request, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 predicts at least one or more candidate stop locations where the user may stop when getting on or off, based on the user information and user location information of the user, and controls to display a geographical map including the predicted candidate stop locations on the user interface unit 230 of the information communication terminal device 20. Subsequently, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 extracts at least one or more candidate stop locations in response to a user's action of specifying a boarding or disembarking area (boarding area or disembarking area) on the geographical map including the candidate stop locations. Furthermore, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 controls to display a geographical map including the extracted candidate boarding and alighting locations on the user interface unit 230, and acquires the boarding and alighting locations in response to a user's action of selecting a boarding or alighting location on the geographical map.The vehicle dispatch management device 10 then creates a vehicle dispatch plan based on the acquired boarding and alighting locations, and controls to display this on the user interface unit 230.

[0021] The vehicle V is a vehicle registered in the vehicle information database 12c and available for use by a user. The vehicle V may be a conventional manned vehicle. Alternatively, the vehicle V may be an unmanned vehicle capable of autonomous driving using an automated driving system, regardless of the level of automation. Furthermore, the vehicle V may be of any model (e.g., sedan, minivan, SUV, etc.). The vehicle V is equipped with a control device CTL that controls the vehicle V itself or its onboard equipment in accordance with dispatch instructions from the vehicle dispatch management device 10. Although not shown, the control device CTL includes a processor, memory, etc., and realizes various functions by executing a control program. For example, the control device CTL acquires geographical position information of the vehicle V (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle position information") via a GPS system and controls the transmission of this information to the vehicle dispatch management device 10. The control device CTL also receives dispatch instructions from the vehicle dispatch management device 10 and controls the operation of various devices or equipment of the vehicle V in accordance with the dispatch instructions.

[0022] The information and communication terminal device 20 is, for example, a computing device through which a user wishing to ride makes a vehicle dispatch request by operating a user interface unit. The information and communication terminal device 20 may be, for example, a smartphone, a pad computer, a laptop personal computer, a desktop computer, or the like, but is not limited to these. The information and communication terminal device 20 implements, for example, a vehicle dispatch management client application program (a so-called vehicle dispatch app). The information and communication terminal device 20 executes the vehicle dispatch app under the control of a processor, thereby enabling the user to use the vehicle dispatch service of the vehicle dispatch management device 10. Alternatively, instead of the vehicle dispatch app, the vehicle dispatch service may be enabled via a web browser. For example, a user may make a vehicle dispatch request via a vehicle dispatch request screen on the user interface unit 230 of the information and communication terminal device 20 and, in response, accept the vehicle dispatch plan created by the vehicle dispatch management device 10, thereby reserving a ride in the vehicle V.

[0023] The road traffic information management system 30 is an information and communication system that provides road traffic information in real time. For example, the road traffic information management system 30 collects road traffic data from vehicle sensors and cameras installed on roads, and also collects driving data from a control device CTL mounted on the vehicle V, and manages road traffic information that is integrated, processed, and edited from these. The edited road traffic information may include, for example, information on road closures and detour routes, and the required time between points via a specific route. The road traffic information management system 30 appropriately provides the road traffic information to the vehicle dispatch management device 10 and the vehicle V.

[0024] In the vehicle dispatch management system 1 as described above, the vehicle dispatch management device 10, in response to a user's vehicle dispatch request, predicts at least one or more candidate stop-off locations where the user may stop when getting on or off, based on the user information and user location information of the user, displays a geographical map including the predicted candidate stop-off locations on the user interface unit 230 of the information communication terminal device 20, and, in response to a user's action to specify a boarding / disembarking area on the geographical map including the candidate stop-off locations, extracts at least one or more candidate boarding / disembarking locations, and controls the display of the geographical map including the extracted candidate boarding / disembarking locations on the user interface unit 230. This allows the user to select a boarding / disembarking location taking into account the places where the user planned to stop when getting on or off, thereby improving the convenience of the vehicle dispatch service.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration model of a vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 may be configured as a functional configuration model including functional components such as a front-end processing unit 110, a vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 120, and a vehicle communication unit 130. Furthermore, as described above, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 includes various databases 12. This functional model is realized by the vehicle dispatch management device 10 executing a vehicle dispatch management server program under the control of a processor, thereby cooperating with various hardware resources. The functional configuration model shown here is merely an example, and all or part of the functions of a certain functional component may be realized by other functional components. For ease of explanation, the figure also illustrates the user's information communication terminal device 20 and the control device CTL in the vehicle V.

[0026] The user information database 12a stores information about users who use the ride-hailing service (hereinafter referred to as "user information"). The user information includes, for example, a user ID and password, personal attributes (gender, age, place of work, hobbies, etc.), and information about service usage status. The user information is registered in the user information database 12a under the control of the ride-hailing management device 10, for example, when the user inputs predetermined information when the ride-hailing app is first launched. In addition, in the present disclosure, the user information includes behavior history information about the user's behavior history. The behavior history information is, for example, information obtained by tracking the location information of the information communication terminal device 20 carried by the user over time. The behavior history information may also be associated with road map information, which will be described later.

[0027] The road map information database 12b stores road map information for the target area of ​​the vehicle dispatch service. The road map information includes map data on addresses, place names, road networks (links and nodes), facilities, etc. The road map information also includes locations where passengers can board and disembark the vehicle V (boarding and disembarking points). Furthermore, the road map information may include information necessary for searching for a driving route, such as road information, feature information, and environmental information.

[0028] The vehicle information database 12c stores information (vehicle information) about the vehicle V available for use by the user. The vehicle information includes, for example, a vehicle ID, vehicle attributes (vehicle registration number, vehicle model, maximum number of occupants / maximum load capacity, whether the vehicle is driven by a driver or not, etc.), vehicle characteristics, other specifications, a current vehicle dispatch plan, a current location, and a current status (service status, remaining battery capacity (driving range), number of occupants, and usage status of transportation space, etc.). The vehicle information acquired from the vehicle V via the vehicle communication unit 130 can be updated as needed.

[0029] The vehicle allocation plan database 12d stores a vehicle allocation plan for each vehicle V, which is created by the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 120 based on a vehicle allocation request. As described above, the vehicle allocation plan includes a driving route from a waiting location serving as a starting point to a waiting location serving as a terminal point via several boarding and disembarking points (departure and arrival points), an estimated arrival time at each intermediate point, and the like.

[0030] The front-end processing unit 110 performs various processes with the user's information communication terminal device 20. As an example, the front-end processing unit 110 refers to the user information database 12a and performs login authentication processing in response to a login request from a vehicle dispatching app on the user's information communication terminal device 20. As another example, the front-end processing unit 110 communicates with the information communication terminal device 20 to respond to a vehicle dispatch request from the vehicle dispatching app on the user's information communication terminal device 20. More specifically, when the front-end processing unit 110 acquires a vehicle dispatch request, it passes the request to the vehicle dispatch request receiving unit 121, and in response, transmits a vehicle dispatch plan created by the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 120 to the information communication terminal device 20, causing the vehicle dispatch plan (candidate vehicles) to be displayed on the user interface unit 230 of the information communication terminal device 20. In response, the front-end processing unit 110 receives a notification of user acceptance or rejection transmitted from the information communication terminal device 20, and passes the notification to the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 120.

[0031] In the present disclosure, the front-end processing unit 110 controls the display of an appropriate geographical map on the user interface unit 230 of the information communication terminal device 20 based on the user's behavior history information, and allows the user to select a boarding or alighting location. For example, the front-end processing unit 110 predicts potential stop-off locations where the user may stop when boarding or alighting based on the user's behavior history information, and displays a geographical map including the predicted stop-off location candidates. Furthermore, in response to a user's action to specify a boarding or alighting area on the geographical map including the potential stop-off locations, the front-end processing unit 110 extracts potential boarding or alighting locations, and controls the display of the geographical map including the extracted potential boarding or alighting locations on the user interface unit 230, and allows the user to select a boarding or alighting location. Then, when the user selects a boarding or alighting location, the front-end processing unit 110 passes the selected boarding or alighting location to the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 129.

[0032] The vehicle allocation plan creation unit 120 extracts candidate vehicles V from among the vehicles V that can operate in the target area based on the allocation request delivered from the front-end processing unit 110, and creates and / or updates the vehicle allocation plan. The vehicle allocation plan creation unit 120 proposes the created or updated vehicle allocation plan to the user via the front-end processing unit 110. This allows the user to accept or reject (accept or reject) the proposed vehicle allocation plan. When the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 120 receives user acceptance of the proposed vehicle allocation plan, it finalizes the accepted vehicle allocation plan, stores the finalized vehicle allocation plan in the vehicle allocation plan database 12d, and issues a dispatch instruction to the vehicles V of the vehicle allocation plan.

[0033] The vehicle communication unit 130 exchanges various information with the vehicle V via the communication network N. For example, the vehicle communication unit 130 transmits a vehicle information transmission request to the vehicle V and receives vehicle information transmitted by the vehicle V in response to the request. The vehicle information includes, for example, location information of the vehicle V. The vehicle communication unit 130 also transmits driving instructions to the vehicle V according to the determined dispatch plan.

[0034] 3 is a block diagram showing details of a front-end processing unit in a vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the front-end processing unit 110 includes, for example, a user location information acquisition unit 111, a display control unit 112, a boarding and alighting point acquisition unit 113, and a behavior history information collection unit 114.

[0035] The user location information acquisition unit 111 acquires user location information indicating the current location of the user based on the user's vehicle dispatch request transmitted from the information communication terminal device 20. For example, the user location information acquisition unit 111 acquires user location information from the information communication terminal device 20 when the information communication terminal device 20 accesses the vehicle dispatch management device 10 to request a vehicle dispatch from the user. GPS information is an example of user location information.

[0036] The display control unit 112 controls the user interface unit 230 of the information communication terminal device 20 to display a predetermined screen. For example, in response to a user's ride dispatch request transmitted from the information communication terminal device 20, the display control unit 112 generates display control data for displaying a geographical map based on map data read from the road map information database 12b based on the acquired user position information, in order to allow the user to interactively select a boarding or alighting location. The display control unit 112 also generates various display control data in cooperation with the boarding or alighting location acquisition unit 113. After generating the display control data, the display control unit 112 transmits the generated display control data to the information communication terminal device 20. In response to this, a geographical map based on the display control data is displayed on the user interface unit 230 of the information communication terminal device 20. For example, potential stopover locations and potential boarding or alighting locations may be visually distinguished and superimposed on the geographical map. This makes it easier for the user to recognize the potential stopover locations and potential boarding or alighting locations on the geographical map.

[0037] The boarding and alighting location acquisition unit 113 acquires boarding and alighting locations (i.e., boarding locations and disembarking locations) for a ride-hailing request in accordance with various user operation actions on a geographical map displayed on the user interface unit 230 of the information communication terminal device 20. For example, when acquiring the user's boarding and alighting locations, the boarding and alighting location acquisition unit 113 estimates potential stop-off locations that the user may stop at when boarding and alighting (boarding and / or alighting), and transfers the estimated potential stop-off locations to the display control unit 112 so that the estimated potential stop-off locations are superimposed on the geographical map. Furthermore, when acquiring the user's boarding and alighting locations, the boarding and alighting location acquisition unit 113 extracts potential boarding and alighting locations within a boarding and alighting area specified by the user, and transfers the extracted potential boarding and alighting locations to the display control unit 112 so that the extracted potential boarding and alighting locations are superimposed on the geographical map. The boarding and alighting location acquisition unit 113 may calculate an estimated value for each potential stop-off location based on user information. Furthermore, the boarding and alighting location acquisition unit 113 acquires one of the potential boarding and alighting locations specified by the user as the boarding and alighting location. From this perspective, in this example, the boarding and alighting point acquisition unit 113 is configured to include a candidate stopover location prediction unit 1131, a candidate boarding and alighting point extraction unit 1132, a boarding and alighting point determination unit 1133, and a behavior history information collection unit 114.

[0038] The stop place candidate prediction unit 1131 predicts stop place candidates that the user may stop at when getting on or off the vehicle, based on the user information. For example, the stop place candidate prediction unit 1131 predicts stop place candidates that the user may stop at before getting on or off the vehicle, based on the current user location information and the behavior history information in the user information. The stop place candidate prediction unit 1131 may also predict stop place candidates by further considering personal attribute information in the user information. This allows stop place candidates to be predicted taking into account the user's personal behavior patterns, preferences, etc. The stop place candidate prediction unit 1131 passes the predicted stop place candidates to the display control unit 112 so that they are superimposed on the geographical map.

[0039] The stop-off place candidate estimation unit 1131 may calculate an estimated value for each stop-off place candidate that the user may stop at, based on user information. For example, the estimated value is calculated to be higher for a stop-off place candidate that the user has stopped at many times in the past based on behavior history information. The display control unit 112 generates display control data so that the stop-off place candidates are displayed in a visually distinct manner according to the calculated estimated values. For example, a stop-off place candidate with a high estimated value is displayed more prominently than a stop-off place candidate with a lower estimated value. This allows the user to intuitively grasp stop-off place candidates that are similar to their own behavior patterns.

[0040] The candidate boarding and alighting location extraction unit 1132 extracts candidate boarding and alighting locations within a boarding and alighting area specified by the user on a geographical map including the estimated candidate stop locations. For example, the user may tap or enclose a desired boarding and alighting location on the geographical map displayed on the user interface unit 230 of the information communication terminal device 20 as a boarding and alighting area designation action. This allows the user to intuitively select a desired boarding and alighting location while taking into consideration the candidate stop locations. The candidate boarding and alighting location extraction unit 1132 extracts, as candidate boarding and alighting locations, boarding and alighting locations based on the tapped point on the geographical map or within a range corresponding to the enclosed area. The candidate boarding and alighting locations are passed to the display control unit 112 so that the extracted candidate boarding and alighting locations are superimposed on the geographical map.

[0041] The boarding and alighting location determination unit 1133 receives and acquires boarding and alighting locations selected by the user on a geographical map including the extracted boarding and alighting location candidates. For example, the user may tap one of the boarding and alighting location candidates on the geographical map displayed on the user interface unit 230 of the information communication terminal device 20 as a boarding and alighting location selection action. The boarding and alighting location determination unit 1133 determines the boarding and alighting location candidate tapped on the geographical map as the boarding and alighting location. The boarding and alighting location determination unit 1133 passes the acquired boarding and alighting locations to the display control unit 112 so that they are reflected on the geographical map. Furthermore, the boarding and alighting location determination unit 1133 passes the acquired boarding and alighting locations to the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 120 so that a vehicle dispatch plan is created based on the acquired boarding and alighting locations.

[0042] The behavior history information collection unit 114 collects user behavior history information from the information communication terminal device 20 and stores it in the user information database 12a. For example, the behavior history information collection unit 114 may collect the user's stopover locations and times as behavior history information based on user location information transmitted from the user's information communication terminal device 20. The behavior history information collection unit 114 may also associate the frequency of the user's visits to stopover locations and the length of time spent there with the behavior history information. This makes it possible to collect behavior history information for each user and use it to predict candidate stopover locations.

[0043] 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration model of an information communication terminal device adapted to a vehicle dispatch control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the example shown in the figure, the functional configuration model of the information communication terminal device 20 includes a storage unit 210, a control unit 220, a user interface unit 230, and a communication interface unit 240.

[0044] The storage unit 210 stores various software resources, such as device drivers, an operating system (OS) program, one or more application programs, and various data. The application programs include a vehicle dispatch management client application program and a web browser application program that are executed on the OS of the information communication terminal device 20 under the control of the control unit 220.

[0045] The control unit 220 comprehensively controls and executes various processes (tasks) in the information communication terminal device 20. The main processor is an example of the control unit 220. That is, the control unit 220 executes a vehicle dispatch application program stored in the storage unit 210, and causes the information communication terminal device 20 to realize a user interface environment for requesting a vehicle dispatch.

[0046] The user interface unit 230 includes, for example, a touch panel 231 and a speaker 232, and provides the user with an interactive operating environment. Under the control of the control unit 220, the user interface unit 230 displays a screen depicting a geographical map on the touch panel 231, and accepts various operation actions from the user via the touch panel 231.

[0047] The communication interface unit 240 controls communication so that the information communication terminal device 20 can access the vehicle dispatch management device 10 via the communication network N. For example, under the control of the control unit 220, the communication interface unit 240 controls the transmission of a vehicle dispatch request to the vehicle dispatch management device 10 to request a vehicle dispatch. Also, for example, the communication interface unit 240 receives display control data transmitted from the vehicle dispatch management device 10 in response to the vehicle dispatch request, and passes it on to the control unit 220. In response to this, under the control of the control unit 220, a geographical map based on the display control data is displayed on the touch panel 231 of the user interface unit 230.

[0048] 5A and 5B are flowcharts illustrating an example of a process for accepting a dispatch request in a vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This process is realized by the vehicle dispatch management device executing a vehicle dispatch management server program under the control of a processor, in cooperation with various hardware resources.

[0049] As shown in Fig. 1A, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 waits for a new vehicle dispatch request from a user (S501). Meanwhile, for example, a user wishing to ride operates a vehicle dispatch app on the user interface unit 230 of the information communication terminal device 20 to access the vehicle dispatch management device 10. At this time, the information communication terminal device 20 transmits user position information based on a GPS system to the vehicle dispatch management device 10.

[0050] When the vehicle dispatch control device 10 receives an access from a user requesting a vehicle dispatch (Yes in S501), the vehicle dispatch control device 10 refers to the road map information database 12b based on the acquired user location information and reads out map data (S502). Furthermore, the vehicle dispatch control device 10 extracts, as candidate vehicles, vehicles V that are available for dispatch and are waiting or moving near the user's current location based on the user location information (S503).

[0051] Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 estimates potential stopover locations that the user may visit before boarding the vehicle based on the user location information and behavior history information of the user who accessed the vehicle dispatch request (S504). In this case, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 may estimate the potential stopover locations by taking into account the user's personal attribute information. Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 controls the user interface unit 230 of the information communication terminal device 20 to display a geographical map including the estimated potential stopover locations (S505). That is, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 generates display control data based on the read map data and the estimated potential stopover locations and transmits the data to the information communication terminal device 20. In response to the data, the information communication terminal device 20 displays the geographical map based on the display control data on the user interface unit 230.

[0052] The user performs a boarding area designation action on the geographical map including candidate stopover locations before boarding, displayed on the user interface unit 230, by, for example, tapping or surrounding the area / location where the user wants to board. The surrounding operation does not have to form a completely closed figure, but may form an incomplete figure with a missing part that can be recognized as a closed figure. In response to this, the information communication terminal device 20 transmits the boarding area designation information designated by the boarding area designation action to the vehicle dispatch management device 10.

[0053] When the vehicle dispatch management device 10 receives the boarding area designation information from the information communication terminal device 20 (S506), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 then refers to the road map information database 12b and extracts candidate boarding locations based on the received boarding area designation information (S507). Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 controls the user interface unit 230 of the information communication terminal device 20 to display a geographical map including the extracted candidate boarding locations (S508). That is, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 generates display control data based on the extracted candidate boarding locations and map data and transmits this to the information communication terminal device 20. In response to this, the information communication terminal device 20 displays the geographical map based on the display control data on the user interface unit 230.

[0054] As a boarding location selection action, the user selects a boarding location candidate at which the user wants to board by, for example, tapping with a finger on a geographical map including the boarding location candidates displayed on the user interface unit 230. In response to this, the information communication terminal device 20 transmits the boarding location selected by the boarding location selection action to the vehicle dispatch management device 10, and the vehicle dispatch management device 10 receives and acquires the boarding location from the information communication terminal device 20 (S509).

[0055] Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 predicts potential stopover locations where the user may stop after disembarking based on the user's behavior history information, similar to the selection of the boarding location (S510). In this case, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 may predict the potential stopover locations taking into account the user's personal attribute information. Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 controls the display of a geographical map including the predicted potential stopover locations after disembarking on the user interface unit 230 of the information communication terminal device 20 (S511). At this time, the range of map data read from the road map information database 12b may be expanded so that the boarding location and the potential stopover locations after disembarking fit on a single screen of the user interface unit 230. The vehicle dispatch management device 10 generates display control data based on the predicted potential stopover locations and the read map data and transmits it to the information communication terminal device 20. In response to this, the information communication terminal device 20 displays a geographical map based on the display control data on the user interface unit 230. In other words, the geographical map here can be zoomed out according to a predetermined scale so that the boarding location and the candidate stop-off locations after disembarking are simultaneously displayed on one screen. This allows the user to get an overview of the geographical map from the boarding location to the destination, making it easier for the user to select a disembarking location while taking into account the candidate stop-off locations.

[0056] The user performs a drop-off area designation action on the geographical map including candidate drop-off locations displayed on the user interface unit 230, for example, by tapping or surrounding the desired drop-off location with a finger. In response to this, the information communication terminal device 20 transmits the drop-off area designation information specified by the drop-off area designation action to the vehicle dispatch management device 10. Note that the user can move the display range of the geographical map by moving (e.g., sliding or swiping) up, down, left, or right on the geographical map displayed on the user interface unit 230, or can zoom in or out by pinching in or pinching out. For example, if the current destination is a location unrelated to the predicted candidate drop-off locations, the user can display a geographical map including the desired destination by moving (e.g., sliding or swiping) the current geographical map up, down, left, or right and pinching out.

[0057] When the vehicle dispatch management device 10 receives the drop-off area designation information from the information communication terminal device 20 (S512), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 then refers to the road map information database 12b and extracts candidate drop-off locations based on the received drop-off area designation information (S513). Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 controls the user interface unit 230 of the information communication terminal device 20 to display a geographical map including the extracted candidate drop-off locations (S514). That is, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 generates display control data based on the extracted candidate drop-off locations and map data and transmits this to the information communication terminal device 20. In response to this, the information communication terminal device 20 displays the geographical map based on the display control data on the user interface unit 230.

[0058] As a drop-off location selection action, the user selects a drop-off location candidate at which the user wants to get off, for example, by tapping with a finger on a geographical map including the drop-off location candidates displayed on the user interface unit 230. In response to this, the information communication terminal device 20 transmits information indicating the drop-off location selected by the drop-off location selection action to the vehicle dispatch management device 10, and the vehicle dispatch management device 10 receives the information indicating the drop-off location from the information communication terminal device 20 (S515).

[0059] Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines a travel route based on the boarding and disembarking locations selected by the user, assigns the vehicle V to the determined travel route, and creates and updates a vehicle dispatch plan (S516). For example, when multiple vehicles V are extracted as candidate vehicles in S503, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 can create and update a vehicle dispatch plan for each vehicle V.

[0060] Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 proposes the contents of the created / updated vehicle dispatch plan to the user (S517). That is, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 transmits the contents of the created / updated vehicle dispatch plan to the information communication terminal device 20, and in response, the information communication terminal device 20 displays the contents on the user interface unit 230 and prompts the user to accept or reject the proposed vehicle dispatch plan.

[0061] The vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines whether the proposed vehicle dispatch plan has been accepted by the user (S518). If the proposed vehicle dispatch plan has been accepted by the user (Yes in S518), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 confirms the current vehicle dispatch plan (S519). The vehicle dispatch management device 10 stores the confirmed vehicle dispatch plan in the vehicle dispatch plan database 12d. Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 transmits a notification of confirmation of the vehicle dispatch reservation to the information communication terminal device 20, and transmits a dispatch instruction based on the vehicle dispatch plan to the vehicle V (S520).

[0062] On the other hand, if the vehicle dispatch management device 10 receives a non-acceptance (rejection) from the user in response to the proposed vehicle dispatch plan (No in S518), it cancels the current vehicle dispatch plan based on the user's vehicle dispatch request (S521). In this case, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 returns the temporarily held vehicle dispatch plan used to recreate the vehicle dispatch plan to the original held vehicle dispatch plan. If the user desires a different vehicle dispatch service, the user will make a new vehicle dispatch request.

[0063] Specific Example Next, the above-mentioned vehicle dispatch request acceptance process will be described using example screens. Figures 6 to 12 are diagrams showing examples of screens displayed on the user interface unit of an information communication terminal device that is compatible with the vehicle dispatch management device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0064] For example, a user operates a vehicle dispatching app on the user interface unit 230 of the information communication terminal device 20 to access the vehicle dispatch management device 10. At this time, the information communication terminal device 20 transmits user location information based on a GPS system to the vehicle dispatch management device 10. In response to this, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 references the road map information database 12b based on the user location information, reads corresponding map data, and estimates the user's potential stop-off places based on the behavior history information in the user information database 12a. Furthermore, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 generates display control data based on the read map data and the estimated potential stop-off places and transmits this to the information communication terminal device 20. In response to this, the information communication terminal device 20 displays a geographical map, for example, as shown in FIG. 6 , on the user interface unit 230 based on the display control data. The screen showing the geographical map is configured by superimposing a layer showing the map on a layer including the user's current location P and estimated potential stop-off places S1 and S2. In this example, the stop-off place candidate S1 is shown with a solid line because its estimated value is higher than that of the area S2.

[0065] The user can move the display range of the geographical map including the candidate stop locations as shown in the figure by performing a movement operation (e.g., sliding or swiping) up, down, left, or right on the geographical map. For example, if the user wants to get on near the candidate stop location area S1, the user performs a downward swipe operation on the geographical map as shown in FIG. 7 to scroll the geographical map up. In response to this, the information communication terminal device 20 communicates with the vehicle dispatch management device 10 as necessary to obtain new display control data and updates the display of the geographical map on the user interface unit 230.

[0066] Next, as a boarding area designation action, the user moves their finger on the geographical map to surround the area where they want to board, as shown in FIG. 8 . In response, the information communication terminal device 20 transmits boarding area designation information to the vehicle dispatch management device 10. The vehicle dispatch management device 10 extracts boarding location candidates based on the boarding area designation information and transmits the extracted boarding location candidates to the information communication terminal device 20. In response, the information communication terminal device 20 displays a geographical map including boarding location candidates O1 and O2, as shown in FIG. 9 . In this example, boarding location candidate O1 is closer to the user's current location and is therefore highlighted for recommendation. Furthermore, the user can display various information about the boarding location candidates O1 and O2 by tapping information icons (not shown) near them. In this example, a balloon or pop-up indicates that boarding location candidate O1 has an access time of 5 minutes and is uncovered, while a balloon or pop-up indicates that boarding location candidate O2 has an access time of 10 minutes and is covered. Photos of each boarding location candidate may also be displayed.

[0067] A user may select a desired candidate boarding location from a geographical map including several candidate boarding locations. For example, as shown in FIG. 10 , the user single-tap on a boarding location O1 as a boarding location selection action. In response, the information communication terminal device 20 transmits the boarding location corresponding to the icon O1 to the vehicle dispatch management device 10. After acquiring the boarding location, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 subsequently estimates candidate post-disembarkation stops based on the behavior history information to allow the user to select a disembarkation location. The vehicle dispatch management device 10 reads map data including the selected boarding location and the estimated candidate post-disembarkation stops, generates display control data, and transmits the data to the information communication terminal device 20. In response, the information communication terminal device 20 displays a geographical map including the boarding location O1 and candidate post-disembarkation stops S3, as shown in FIG. 11 , for example. In other words, if the boarding location and the candidate stop-off place after disembarking are far apart, the original scale of the geographical map (see Figure 10) cannot fit within a single screen, so the geographical map is zoomed out and displayed at a predetermined scale so that the boarding location O1 and the candidate stop-off place S3 after disembarking fit within a single screen.

[0068] The user can move the display range of the geographical map including the candidate drop-off locations as shown in the figure by moving the map up, down, left, or right (e.g., sliding or swiping). Although not shown, for example, if the user wants to board the vehicle near candidate drop-off location S3, the user scrolls the geographical map up in the same way as when selecting the boarding location, and then moves their finger on the geographical map to surround the area where the user wants to board as a drop-off area designation action. This displays a geographical map including several candidate drop-off locations, and the user can select their desired drop-off location. The user can select their desired drop-off location from several candidate drop-off locations on the geographical map including the candidate drop-off locations. The information communication terminal device 20 transmits the drop-off location selected by the user through the drop-off location selection action to the vehicle dispatch management device 10, and the vehicle dispatch management device 10 receives and acquires the drop-off location.

[0069] The vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines a driving route based on the acquired boarding and disembarking locations, creates a vehicle dispatch plan for the vehicle V, and transmits the created vehicle dispatch plan to the information communication terminal device 20 in order to propose the vehicle dispatch plan to the user. In response to this, the information communication terminal device 20 displays a vehicle dispatch plan such as that shown in FIG. 12 . The user selects whether or not to accept the proposed vehicle dispatch plan. If the user accepts the proposed vehicle dispatch plan, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 issues a dispatch instruction to the vehicle V in accordance with the confirmed vehicle dispatch plan.

[0070] As described above, according to this embodiment, the vehicle dispatch management device 10, in response to a user's vehicle dispatch request, presents the user with candidate boarding and disembarking locations related to locations where the user may stop when boarding or disembarking, making it easier for the user to select a desired boarding or disembarking location. In particular, according to this embodiment, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 predicts candidate stop-off locations where the user may stop when boarding or disembarking based on the user's behavioral history information and personal attribute information, and displays the candidate stop-off locations superimposed on a geographical map on the user interface unit 230 of the user's information communication terminal device 20, allowing the user to select a desired boarding or disembarking location based on their own behavior.

[0071] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when the vehicle dispatch management device 10 predicts potential stopover locations after disembarking, it controls the display to zoom out according to a predetermined scale so that the boarding location and the potential stopover locations after disembarking are displayed simultaneously on one screen, allowing the user to get an overview of the geographical map from the boarding location to the destination, making it easier for the user to select a disembarking location while taking into consideration the potential stopover locations.

[0072] The above-described embodiments are merely examples for explaining the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention to these embodiments. The present invention can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0073] For example, in the methods disclosed herein, steps, operations, or functions may be performed in parallel or in a different order unless the results are inconsistent. The steps, operations, and functions described are provided merely as examples, and some of the steps, operations, and functions may be omitted or combined into one, or other steps, operations, or functions may be added, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0074] Furthermore, although various embodiments are disclosed in this specification, specific features (technical matters) in one embodiment can be added to or substituted for specific features in other embodiments, with appropriate modifications, and such forms are also included in the spirit of the present invention.

[0075] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Vehicle dispatch management system 10... Vehicle dispatch management device 110... Front-end processing unit 111... User position information acquisition unit 112... Display control unit 113... Boarding and alighting location acquisition unit 1131... Stop-off location candidate estimation unit 1132... Boarding and alighting location candidate extraction unit 1133... Boarding and alighting location determination unit 114... Action history information collection unit 120... Vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 130... Vehicle communication unit 12... Database 12a... User information database 12b... Road map information database 12c... Vehicle information database 12d... Vehicle dispatch plan database 20... Information communication terminal device 30... Road traffic information management system N... Communication network V... Vehicle CTL... Control device

Claims

1. A vehicle dispatch management device that manages vehicle dispatch in response to a user's vehicle dispatch request, comprising: a user information database that stores user information of the user; a front-end processing unit that performs processing to acquire the vehicle dispatch request from the user's information communication terminal device; and a vehicle dispatch plan creation unit that creates a vehicle dispatch plan based on the vehicle dispatch request acquired by the front-end processing unit, wherein the front-end processing unit includes: a display control unit that controls a geographical map to be displayed on a user interface unit of the information communication terminal device in response to the vehicle dispatch request transmitted from the information communication terminal device, to allow the user to select boarding and disembarking locations; and a boarding and disembarking location acquisition unit that acquires the boarding and disembarking locations selected in accordance with a predetermined action by the user on the geographical map displayed on the user interface unit, wherein the boarding and disembarking location acquisition unit: predicts at least one or more candidate stop-off locations that the user may stop at when getting on or off, based on the user information of the user; and extracts at least one or more candidate stop-off locations in response to a boarding and disembarking area designation action by the user on the geographical map including the predicted candidate stop-off locations, and acquiring the boarding and alighting locations in response to a boarding and alighting location selection action by the user on the geographical map including the extracted boarding and alighting location candidates.

2. The vehicle dispatch management device according to claim 1, wherein the boarding / alighting location acquisition unit extracts the candidate boarding / alighting locations within an area enclosed on the geographical map by the boarding / alighting area designation action.

3. The vehicle dispatch management device of claim 1, wherein the boarding and disembarking location acquisition unit predicts the candidate stopover locations based on the user location information of the user obtained from the information communication terminal device, and behavioral history information regarding the user's behavioral history associated with the user information and / or personal attribute information regarding the user's personal attributes.

4. The vehicle dispatch management device according to claim 3, wherein the display control unit controls the display of the stop-off place candidates on the geographical map so that they are visually distinguishable.

5. The vehicle dispatch management device of claim 4, wherein the display control unit controls the display of the candidate stop-off locations that the user may stop at after disembarking on the geographical map when the boarding location among the boarding and disembarking locations is acquired by the boarding and disembarking location acquisition unit.

6. The vehicle dispatch management device of claim 5, wherein the display control unit controls the geographical map to be zoomed out according to a predetermined scale in order to simultaneously display on the user interface unit the boarding location selected by the user and the potential stop-off locations that the user may visit after disembarking.

7. The vehicle dispatch management device described in claim 4, wherein the boarding and disembarking location acquisition unit calculates an estimated value for each of the candidate stop-off locations where the user may stop based on the user information, and the display control unit controls the display of the candidate stop-off locations to be visually distinguished from one another in accordance with the calculated estimated values.

8. The vehicle dispatch management device described in claim 3, wherein the front-end processing unit further includes a behavior history information collection unit that collects the user's behavior history information from the information communication terminal device and stores it in the user information database, and the behavior history information collection unit collects the user's stopover locations and times as the behavior history information based on the user location information transmitted from the user's information communication terminal device.

9. The vehicle dispatch management device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit creates the vehicle dispatch plan including a driving route from the boarding location to the disembarking location based on the acquired boarding and disembarking locations.

10. An information and communication terminal device configured to be compatible with a vehicle dispatch management device, comprising: a control unit; a location information acquisition unit that acquires user location information of the information and communication terminal device under the control of the control unit; a user interface unit that provides an interactive operating environment for the user under the control of the control unit; and a communication interface that communicates with the vehicle dispatch management device under the control of the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to execute the following processes: a control process to control the display on the user interface unit of a geographical map including candidate stop-off places inferred based on behavior history information regarding the user's behavior history based on the user location information in response to the user's vehicle dispatch request; a control process to control the display on the geographical map of at least one or more candidate stop-off locations extracted in response to a boarding and alighting area designation action by the user on the geographical map including the candidate stop-off places; and a control process to control the display on the user interface unit of a vehicle dispatch plan created based on the boarding and alighting locations acquired in response to a boarding and alighting location selection action by the user on the geographical map including the candidate stop-off locations.

11. A vehicle dispatch management method for managing vehicle dispatch in response to a user's vehicle dispatch request, comprising: storing user information of the user in a user information database; acquiring the vehicle dispatch request from an information communication terminal device of the user; and creating a vehicle dispatch plan for the vehicle based on the acquired vehicle dispatch request, wherein acquiring the vehicle dispatch request comprises: controlling a geographical map to be displayed on a user interface unit of the information communication terminal device in response to the vehicle dispatch request transmitted from the information communication terminal device, so that the user can select boarding and disembarking locations; acquiring the boarding and disembarking locations selected in accordance with a predetermined action by the user on the geographical map displayed on the user interface unit; and acquiring the boarding and disembarking locations comprises: predicting, based on the user information of the user, at least one or more candidate stop-off locations that the user may stop at when getting on or off; and extracting at least one or more candidate stop-off locations in response to a boarding and disembarking area designation action by the user on the geographical map including the predicted candidate stop-off locations. acquiring the boarding and alighting locations in response to a boarding and alighting location selection action by the user on the geographical map including the extracted candidate boarding and alighting locations.

12. A computer program causing a computing device to execute, under the control of a processor, a method for managing vehicle dispatch in response to a user's dispatch request, the method comprising: storing user information of the user in a user information database; acquiring the dispatch request from an information communication terminal device of the user; and creating a dispatch plan for the vehicle based on the acquired dispatch request, wherein acquiring the dispatch request comprises: controlling a geographical map to be displayed on a user interface unit of the information communication terminal device in response to the dispatch request transmitted from the information communication terminal device, so that the user can select boarding and disembarking locations; acquiring the boarding and disembarking locations selected in accordance with a predetermined action by the user on the geographical map displayed on the user interface unit; and acquiring the boarding and disembarking locations comprises: predicting, based on the user information of the user, at least one or more candidate stop-off locations that the user may stop at when getting on or off; and extracting at least one or more candidate stop-off locations in response to a boarding and disembarking area designation action by the user on the geographical map including the predicted candidate stop-off locations. acquiring the boarding and alighting location in response to a boarding and alighting location selection action by the user on the geographical map including the extracted boarding and alighting location candidates.

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