Vehicle dispatch management device and vehicle dispatch management method

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle dispatch management device that performs vehicle dispatch in response to a user's vehicle dispatch request. The device comprises: a vehicle dispatch plan creation unit that creates a vehicle dispatch plan of a vehicle selected on the basis of a vehicle dispatch request; a vehicle dispatch instruction unit that issues a vehicle dispatch instruction to the vehicle on the basis of the vehicle dispatch plan; a user position acquisition unit that acquires a user position related to the user; and a user travel progress calculation unit that calculates, on the basis of the user position and a stop where the user takes a ride indicated by the vehicle dispatch request, a user travel progress related to the travel of the user to the stop. The vehicle dispatch plan creation unit determines at least one intermediate point at which the vehicle can stand by between a departure point of the vehicle and the stop, and creates the vehicle dispatch plan of the vehicle so that the vehicle stands by at the intermediate point. The vehicle dispatch instruction unit instructs the vehicle, which is temporarily standing by at the intermediate point, to start in accordance with the user travel progress.

Description

Vehicle allocation management device and vehicle allocation management method

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle allocation management device and a vehicle allocation management method.

[0002] Fleet management is known as a method of managing vehicle dispatch to improve user convenience while increasing vehicle utilization rates. For example, when a user requests a vehicle to travel to a destination, a dispatch plan is created to specify a nearby bus stop as the boarding point.

[0003] The following Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for setting a boarding point where a user boards a vehicle based on user position information indicating the user's position and vehicle position information indicating the vehicle's position, calculating a user arrival time range indicating a predicted range of times when the user will arrive at the boarding point based on the user position information, and calculating a vehicle arrival time range indicating a predicted range of times when the vehicle will arrive at the boarding point based on the vehicle position information, and controlling the driving of a vehicle using an autonomous driving function so that the earliest arrival time of the vehicle within the vehicle arrival time range is later than the latest arrival time of the user within the user arrival time range.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-198013

[0005] However, with the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, if the user experiences a significant delay in arriving at the boarding point for some reason while the vehicle is heading to the boarding point in response to a dispatch request, the vehicle must wait at the boarding point for a long time until the user arrives. In such cases, there is a risk that the waiting vehicle will disrupt traffic flow, and it is desirable to shorten the waiting time at the boarding point as much as possible.

[0006] Furthermore, if the user cancels the vehicle dispatch request (ride) on the way to the boarding point, there is a risk that the vehicle's movement will be wasted.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention aims to propose a vehicle dispatch management device and a vehicle dispatch management method that enable the timing of a vehicle's arrival at a boarding point to be adjusted depending on the progress of the user's journey to the boarding point.

[0008] The present invention, which aims to solve the above problems, comprises the following invention-specifying matters and technical features.

[0009] According to one aspect, the present invention provides a vehicle dispatch management device that dispatches vehicles in response to a user's dispatch request. The device includes: a vehicle dispatch plan creation unit that creates a vehicle dispatch plan for a vehicle selected based on the dispatch request; a vehicle dispatch instruction unit that issues a dispatch instruction to the vehicle based on the vehicle dispatch plan; a user location acquisition unit that acquires a user location related to the user; and a user travel progress calculation unit that calculates a user travel progress rate for the user's travel to the bus stop based on the user location and the bus stop indicated in the dispatch request. The vehicle dispatch plan creation unit determines at least one waypoint where the vehicle can wait between the vehicle's departure point and the bus stop. Furthermore, the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit creates the vehicle dispatch plan so that the vehicle waits at the waypoint. Furthermore, the vehicle dispatch instruction unit instructs the vehicle, temporarily waiting at the waypoint, to depart according to the user travel progress rate.

[0010] 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.

[0011] According to the present invention, the timing of the vehicle's arrival at the boarding point can be adjusted depending on the progress of the user's journey to the boarding point, thereby making it possible to reduce the loss of vehicle travel associated with vehicle dispatch.

[0012] 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.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an example of a schematic configuration of a vehicle dispatch management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration model of a vehicle dispatch management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of details of a vehicle dispatch planning unit in a vehicle dispatch management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between vehicle waiting at waypoints and the progress of a user's movement in a vehicle dispatch management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining an example of processing related to a vehicle dispatch request in a vehicle dispatch management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an example of processing related to a vehicle dispatch instruction in a vehicle dispatch management device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] 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.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration 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 and communication terminal device 20, and a vehicle V, which are communicatively connected to each other via a communication network N. 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. The vehicle dispatch management system 1 provides, for example, a vehicle dispatch service using multiple vehicles V in response to a user's vehicle dispatch request for a certain area. In the present disclosure, the vehicle V is assumed to be an autonomously driven vehicle without a driver.

[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. The 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 executes the vehicle dispatch management server program under the control of a processor to realize the vehicle dispatch service. In particular, the vehicle dispatch management server program of the present disclosure includes a subprogram or module that controls the vehicle V to temporarily wait or stop at waypoints or checkpoints on the way to the bus stop (boarding point) where the user boards the vehicle V that has been dispatched in response to a vehicle dispatch request, so as to adjust the arrival time of the vehicle V at the bus stop, depending on the progress of the user's travel (hereinafter referred to as the "user travel progress") to that stop.

[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, the vehicle allocation management device 10 receives a vehicle allocation request from a user who requests a vehicle to be allocated to a destination, determines a driving route to the destination based on the received vehicle allocation request, references the vehicle information database 12c to select a vehicle V to be allocated to the user from among multiple vehicles V, creates a vehicle allocation plan for the selected 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 approval, and issues vehicle allocation instructions to the vehicle V in accordance with the confirmed vehicle allocation plan.

[0019] The vehicle dispatch plan includes a driving route that defines a route from the current location of the vehicle V (e.g., a waiting location serving as a starting point) to a waiting location serving as an end point (which may not necessarily be the same as the initial waiting location) via several locations (stops) along the way where the user boards or disembarks. In the present disclosure, the vehicle dispatch plan may include temporary waiting at one or more waiting locations (waypoints) where the vehicle V can wait between the current location of the vehicle V and the stop where the user boards. If the vehicle V is waiting for a dispatch request, the vehicle dispatch plan is newly created based on the received dispatch request. If the vehicle V is in operation with a user on board, the vehicle dispatch plan may be updated based on the dispatch request.

[0020] In the present disclosure, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 creates a vehicle dispatch plan to temporarily wait the vehicle V at a waypoint on the way to the bus stop so as to adjust the arrival time of the vehicle V at the bus stop where the user boards, according to the user travel progress. The user travel progress is calculated based on information indicating the user's location (hereinafter referred to as "user location information").

[0021] The vehicle V is a vehicle registered in the vehicle information database 12c and provided for use by users in the vehicle dispatch service. The vehicle V is an autonomous vehicle (unmanned vehicle) operated by an autonomous driving system, and the so-called autonomous driving level does not matter. Furthermore, the vehicle type of the vehicle V (e.g., sedan, minivan, SUV, etc.) does not matter.

[0022] 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 (see FIG. 2). Although not shown, the control device CTL includes a processor, memory, etc., and realizes various functions by executing a vehicle control program. Furthermore, under the control of the control device CTL, the vehicle V acquires driving management information necessary for autonomous driving from various cameras and sensors and transmits this information to the vehicle dispatch management device 10. The vehicle dispatch management device 10 can monitor and control the driving of the vehicle V in accordance with the driving management information transmitted from the vehicle V.

[0023] The information 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. The information 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 communication terminal device 20 implements, for example, a vehicle dispatch management client program (a so-called vehicle dispatch app). The information communication terminal device 20 executes the vehicle dispatch app under the control of a processor, thereby enabling a user to use the vehicle dispatch service of the vehicle dispatch management device 10. Alternatively, the information communication terminal device 20 may allow a user to use the vehicle dispatch service using a web-based browser instead of the vehicle dispatch app. For example, a user may make a vehicle dispatch request from a vehicle dispatch request screen (not shown) on the user interface of the information 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. In the present disclosure, the information communication terminal device 20 implements a GPS function for acquiring user location information. The information communication terminal device 20 can acquire user location information over time and transmit it to the vehicle dispatch management device 10. The vehicle dispatch management device 10 calculates the current location of the user based on the received user location information, and calculates the user's travel progress to a bus stop where the user will board according to the vehicle dispatch plan.

[0024] 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 various monitoring equipment installed on roads and from a control device CTL installed in the vehicle V, and manages road traffic information by processing and editing the data in an integrated manner. The monitoring equipment includes, but is not limited to, live cameras and vehicle sensors. The edited road traffic information may include, for example, information on road closures and detour routes, and the travel 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. In addition to weather information, traffic information, and road regulation information, the road traffic information management system 30 may provide the vehicle dispatch management device 10 with video information from live cameras, audio information from microphones, and sensor information from vehicle sensors obtained from the monitoring equipment as driving management information. This enables the vehicle dispatch management device 10 to appropriately monitor and guide the vehicle V in accordance with the driving management information.

[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 planning 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 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, address, etc.), and information about service usage. 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 first starts up the ride-hailing app and inputs predetermined information.

[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 related to addresses, place names, road networks (road links and nodes), various facilities (e.g., police stations, etc.), etc. The road map information also includes information necessary for searching for a driving route, such as road information, feature information, and environmental information. The road information includes road attribute information such as road type (e.g., community road or main road), road width, pedestrian / vehicle divider, median, and lanes. In the present disclosure, the road map information includes waiting place information related to waiting places where the vehicle V can temporarily wait. The waiting places are waypoints where the vehicle V waits on its way to a bus stop.

[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, level of autonomous driving, etc.), vehicle characteristics, other specifications (total length, total width, vehicle height, weight, etc.), a current vehicle dispatch plan, current location, and current status (service status, remaining battery capacity (travel range), number of occupants, etc.). Vehicle information such as location information acquired from the vehicle V via the communication control unit 140 can be updated as needed.

[0029] The vehicle allocation plan database 12d stores a vehicle allocation plan for each vehicle V created by the vehicle allocation planning 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 an end point via several points (bus stops and waypoints), an expected arrival time at each 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 accordance with a login request from a vehicle dispatching app on the user's information communication terminal device 20. The front-end processing unit 110 also accepts a vehicle dispatch request from the vehicle dispatching app on the user's information communication terminal device 20, passes it to the vehicle dispatch planning unit 120, and interacts with the information communication terminal device 20 to receive the user's approval or disapproval of the vehicle dispatch plan created by the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 126 in response to the vehicle dispatch request. The front-end processing unit 110 also receives user location information transmitted from the information communication terminal device 20 and passes it to the vehicle dispatch planning unit 120.

[0031] The vehicle allocation planner 120 extracts candidate vehicles (candidate vehicles) from among the vehicles V in the service area based on the given vehicle allocation request, and creates and executes a vehicle allocation plan. The vehicle allocation plan includes waiting at waypoints between the point where the vehicle V departs toward the bus stop where the user will be picked up and the bus stop. A vehicle allocation plan may be created for each of several different candidate driving routes. The vehicle allocation planner 120 proposes the created vehicle allocation plan to the user and confirms it upon receiving the user's consent. The vehicle allocation planner 120 then stores the confirmed vehicle allocation plan in the vehicle allocation plan database 12d and issues a dispatch instruction to the corresponding vehicle V via the vehicle communication unit 130. The vehicle allocation planner 120 also calculates a user travel progress based on the user position indicated by the user position information received from the information communication terminal device 20, and adjusts the departure timing of the vehicle V temporarily waiting at the waypoint according to the calculated user travel progress.

[0032] The vehicle communication unit 130 exchanges various types of information with the vehicle V via the communication network N. For example, the vehicle communication unit 130 acquires vehicle information including the location information of the vehicle V and passes it to the vehicle allocation planning unit 120, and also transmits to the vehicle V a vehicle allocation instruction in accordance with the vehicle allocation plan made by the vehicle allocation planning unit 120.

[0033] 3 is a block diagram showing an example of details of a vehicle dispatch planning unit in a vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the vehicle dispatch planning unit 120 includes, for example, a vehicle dispatch request acquisition unit 121, a user position acquisition unit 122, a driving route determination unit 123, a vehicle information acquisition unit 124, a vehicle selection unit 125, a vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 126, a vehicle dispatch instruction unit 127, and a user travel progress calculation unit 128.

[0034] The vehicle dispatch request acquisition unit 121 acquires a vehicle dispatch request from a user via the front-end processing unit 110. The time when the vehicle dispatch request acquisition unit 121 acquires the vehicle dispatch request becomes the time when timing of various limit times (such as a boarding limit time and a disembarking limit time, which are the limit times by which a user should board or disembark at a bus stop) for creating a vehicle dispatch plan starts.

[0035] The user position acquisition unit 122 acquires the user position based on user position information transmitted from the information communication terminal device 20. For example, the user position acquisition unit 122 acquires the user position 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 position information. Furthermore, the user position acquisition unit 122 acquires the user position information from the information communication terminal device 20 after the user has accepted the vehicle dispatch plan created by the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 126 (described later) until the user boards the vehicle V at a bus stop, for example. This makes it possible to calculate the user movement progress of the user heading towards the boarding point for the vehicle V.

[0036] The travel route determination unit 123 determines an optimal travel route based on the dispatch request. For example, the travel route determination unit 123 determines a travel route from the stop where the user boards (boarding point) to the stop where the user disembarks (disembarking point) by using a route search engine that references the road map information database 12b based on the bus stops where the user boards and disembarks, as indicated in the dispatch request. Furthermore, when a vehicle V is selected in accordance with the dispatch request, the travel route determination unit 123 determines a travel route from the current position of the selected vehicle V to the bus stop where the user boards.

[0037] The vehicle information acquisition unit 124 acquires vehicle information from each vehicle V via the vehicle communication unit 130 at a predetermined timing. The vehicle information may include vehicle position information and remaining energy amount of the vehicle V. For example, the vehicle information acquisition unit 124 may acquire vehicle information transmitted from each vehicle V periodically, or may request a specific vehicle V to transmit vehicle information periodically or irregularly, and acquire vehicle information transmitted from the specific vehicle V in response to the request. The vehicle information acquisition unit 124 stores the acquired vehicle information of each vehicle V in the vehicle information database 12c. The vehicle position information may be used when extracting a vehicle V to be dispatched to a user based on its positional relationship with the vehicle V's driving route.

[0038] The vehicle selection unit 125 extracts and selects a specific vehicle adapted to the travel route based on the dispatch request from among multiple vehicles V. For example, the vehicle selection unit 125 refers to the vehicle information database 12c, etc., and extracts vehicles V near bus stops where the user boards, as indicated in the dispatch request, and based on vehicle position information indicated by the vehicle information. Next, the vehicle selection unit 125 selects a vehicle V adapted to the travel route from the extracted vehicles V, taking into consideration constraints such as various limit allowable times. As described above, when a vehicle V is selected, the travel route determination unit 123 determines a travel route from the current position of the vehicle V to the bus stop, thereby determining the entire travel route.

[0039] The vehicle allocation plan creation unit 126 creates a vehicle allocation plan for the selected vehicle V based on the determined travel route. For a vehicle V currently in operation, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 126 updates the vehicle allocation request. For example, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 126 may create a vehicle allocation plan for the vehicle V in response to a user's travel request, and then update the vehicle allocation plan in response to a different user's travel request so that the user is dropped off at a bus stop at the user's destination and then the different user is picked up at another bus stop. In the present disclosure, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 126 determines one or more waypoints where the vehicle V can temporarily wait or stop between the current location of the selected vehicle V and the bus stop where the user boards. Accordingly, the travel route determination unit 123 may update the travel route from the departure point of the vehicle V to the bus stop via the waypoints. Subsequently, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 126 creates a vehicle allocation plan in which the vehicle V temporarily waits at the waypoints. For example, the number of waypoints and / or waiting times thereat are determined based on the expected arrival time of the user who has made the vehicle dispatch request at the bus stop, and a vehicle dispatch plan is created.

[0040] For example, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 126 calculates the estimated travel time for the vehicle V selected based on the vehicle allocation request from the departure point of the vehicle V to the bus stop where the user boards the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the "vehicle estimated travel time"), and also calculates the estimated travel time for the user who made the vehicle allocation request from their current location to the bus stop (hereinafter referred to as the "user estimated travel time"). Next, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 126 calculates the difference between the user estimated travel time and the vehicle estimated travel time (where the user estimated travel time > the vehicle estimated travel time) as the maximum waiting time. Then, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 126 determines the waiting time at each waypoint within a range that does not exceed the maximum waiting time.

[0041] Furthermore, when the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 126 determines that the user location indicated by the user location information at the time of the vehicle dispatch request and the bus stop where the user boards are separated by a predetermined distance or more, the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 126 can create a vehicle dispatch plan for the vehicle V so that the vehicle V will temporarily wait at a waypoint. In other words, when the bus stop is close to the user location at the time of the vehicle dispatch request, the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 126 does not include waiting at the waypoint in the vehicle dispatch plan. This makes it possible to prevent a delay in the arrival at the bus stop due to the vehicle V unnecessarily waiting at the waypoint when the user who made the vehicle dispatch request can arrive at the bus stop immediately.

[0042] The vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 126 can determine a plurality of waypoints between the user's departure point at the time of the vehicle dispatch request and the user's stop based on the positional relationship between the stop where the user boards based on the user's vehicle dispatch request and the stop based on the vehicle dispatch request of the other user. This allows the user to wait at a waypoint close to the stop where the other user boards, even if the user cancels the ride, and efficiently go directly from the waypoint where the user is waiting to the stop where the other user boards.

[0043] Furthermore, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 126 proposes the created 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 126 receives approval from the user for 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 vehicle allocation instructions to the vehicles V in accordance with the vehicle allocation plan.

[0044] The dispatch instruction unit 127 issues a dispatch instruction to the corresponding vehicle V according to the confirmed dispatch plan. Furthermore, if there is a change in the dispatch plan, the dispatch instruction unit 127 notifies the corresponding vehicle V of the changed dispatch plan. The control device CTL of the vehicle V that has received the dispatch instruction determines, for example, a detailed actual driving route according to the driving route in the dispatch plan, and performs control so that autonomous driving is performed along the actual driving route. For example, the dispatch instruction unit 127 issues a dispatch instruction to the vehicle V to pick up the user at the bus stop where the user is to board and drive to the bus stop where the user is to disembark.

[0045] Furthermore, the vehicle dispatch instruction unit 127 instructs a vehicle temporarily waiting at a waypoint according to the vehicle dispatch plan to depart, depending on the user travel progress. Specifically, when the vehicle V is temporarily waiting at a waypoint according to the vehicle dispatch plan, the vehicle dispatch instruction unit 127 instructs the vehicle V of the timing of departure based on the user travel progress calculated based on the user's position information and the vehicle driving progress indicated by the driving distance from the departure point of the vehicle V to the waypoint relative to the driving distance from the departure point of the vehicle V to the bus stop at the time of the dispatch request. Typically, the vehicle dispatch instruction unit 127 instructs the vehicle V to depart when the user travel progress reaches the vehicle driving progress. For example, when the vehicle V is temporarily waiting at a waypoint located approximately 40% of the driving distance from the departure point to the bus stop (driving progress 40%), the vehicle dispatch instruction unit 127 instructs the vehicle V to depart when the user travel progress reaches 40%. This allows the vehicle V to adjust its expected arrival time at the bus stop.

[0046] Furthermore, when multiple waypoints are determined between the departure point of the vehicle V at the time of the dispatch request and the bus stop, the closer the waypoint is to the bus stop, the more likely it is that the vehicle V will depart before the user travel progress reaches the vehicle travel progress. For example, when the vehicle V is temporarily waiting at a waypoint located approximately 80% of the travel distance from the departure point to the bus stop (travel progress 80%), the dispatch instruction unit 127 may instruct the vehicle V to depart before the user travel progress reaches 80% (for example, when it reaches 70%). In this way, when the user travel progress is relatively high, the user is unlikely to cancel the ride, and therefore, even if the vehicle V heads directly to the bus stop, the possibility of wasted travel due to ride cancellation is reduced.

[0047] Furthermore, when there is a request for dispatch from another user, the dispatch instruction unit 127 instructs the vehicle V to depart when the user's travel progress reaches a value obtained by adding a predetermined adjustment to the vehicle travel progress. For example, when the vehicle V is temporarily waiting at a waypoint located at a distance that is approximately 40% of the travel distance from the departure point to the bus stop, and there is a request for dispatch from another user, the dispatch instruction unit 127 waits until the user's travel progress reaches 45% (i.e., the adjustment for the vehicle travel progress is +5%) and then instructs the vehicle V to depart. This allows the unit 127 to determine whether the user will cancel the ride as long as time permits, and when the user cancels the ride, the vehicle V can head directly from the waypoint where it was waiting to the bus stop where the other user is to board, without passing through the bus stop where the canceled user was scheduled to board. In this case, the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 126 changes the vehicle dispatch plan so that the vehicle V temporarily waits at the waypoint on the way to the bus stop where the other user boards, with the waypoint being the new departure point, and the vehicle dispatch instruction unit 127 instructs the vehicle V to depart according to the user movement progress of the other user.

[0048] Furthermore, when multiple waypoints leading to a bus stop where a user boards are determined based on a user's request for a bus dispatch, the dispatch instruction unit 127 may determine a predetermined adjustment amount at each waypoint based on the positional relationship between each of the multiple waypoints and a bus stop where other users board. For example, suppose that waypoint A, which is located approximately 40% of the travel distance from the departure point to the bus stop, and waypoint B, which is located approximately 70% of the travel distance, are determined, and waypoint A is closer to the bus stop where other users board than waypoint B. In this situation, the dispatch instruction unit 127 may instruct the vehicle V waiting at waypoint A to depart for waypoint B when the user's travel progress, which includes the 5% adjustment amount, reaches 45%, and subsequently instruct the vehicle V waiting at waypoint B to depart when the user's travel progress reaches 70%. This allows the vehicle V to wait at a waypoint close to a bus stop where other users board, even if the user cancels the ride, and thus efficiently travel directly from the waypoint where the vehicle V is waiting to the bus stop where other users board.

[0049] The user travel progress calculation unit 128 calculates a user travel progress for the user's travel to the bus stop based on the distance relationship between the user's location indicated by the user location information and the bus stop where the user boards, indicated in the ride-hailing request. For example, the user travel progress calculation unit 128 calculates, as the user travel progress, the ratio of the actual travel distance from the user's departure point to the user's current location to the total distance between the user's departure point indicated by the user location information at the time of the ride-hailing request and the bus stop where the user boards. Alternatively, the user travel progress may be the ratio of the road links traveled by the user in the travel to all road links from the user's departure point to the bus stop where the user boards.

[0050] For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, in response to a vehicle dispatch request from a user U, a vehicle V that caused a previous user to drop off at bus stop S0 is selected for the user U, and the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 126 creates a vehicle dispatch plan that includes waypoints A and B on a driving route from bus stop S0 to bus stop S1 where user U boards. Here, waypoint A is located at a location where the vehicle travel progress rate is approximately 40% of the driving distance from bus stop S0 to bus stop S1, and waypoint B is located at a location where the vehicle travel progress rate is approximately 80% of the driving distance from bus stop S0 to bus stop S1. Vehicle V departs for waypoint A along the way in order to pick up user U at bus stop S1 in accordance with a dispatch instruction based on the vehicle dispatch plan.

[0051] The user travel progress calculation unit 128 calculates the user travel progress based on the user position indicated by the user position information acquired from the information communication terminal device 20 of the user U. The user travel progress calculation unit 128 determines whether the calculated user travel progress has reached the vehicle travel progress.

[0052] As shown in Fig. 1B, when a vehicle V that has received a dispatch instruction is temporarily waiting at waypoint A, if the user U moves to a location corresponding to a user movement progress rate of 40%, the dispatch instruction unit 127 instructs the vehicle V to depart and move to the next waypoint B. Similarly, as shown in Fig. 1B, when the user movement progress rate reaches 80%, the dispatch instruction unit 127 instructs the vehicle V that is temporarily waiting at waypoint B to depart.

[0053] 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process related to a vehicle dispatch request in the vehicle dispatch control device according to one embodiment of the present invention. This process is realized by the vehicle dispatch control device 10 executing a vehicle dispatch control server program under the control of a processor, in cooperation with various hardware resources.

[0054] As shown in the figure, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 waits until a new vehicle dispatch request is received from a user (S501). Meanwhile, for example, a user wishing to ride a vehicle operates a vehicle dispatch app on the user interface of the information communication terminal device 20 to input a vehicle dispatch request. In this example, the vehicle dispatch request includes user location information. When a vehicle dispatch request is received from a user (Yes in S501), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 refers to the road map information database 12b based on the vehicle dispatch request and determines bus stops (boarding and disembarking points) for the user to board and disembark (S502).

[0055] Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 extracts one or more candidate driving routes based on the determined bus stops, with reference to the road map information database 12b (S503). That is, each candidate driving route has the same boarding and disembarking points, but different roads (links) along the way.

[0056] Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 selects one or more vehicles V according to the travel route candidates (S504). For example, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 selects a vehicle V that is waiting or moving near a bus stop at the boarding point.

[0057] Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines one or more intermediate points where vehicle V can temporarily wait or stop between the departure point indicated by the vehicle position information of vehicle V and the bus stop at the boarding point (S505), and determines a driving route from vehicle V's departure point via the intermediate points to the boarding point and from the boarding point to the disembarking point (S506).

[0058] Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 creates or updates a vehicle dispatch plan based on the determined driving route (S507). In this case, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 calculates the vehicle driving progress according to the positions of the waypoints from the departure point of the vehicle V. Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 proposes the contents of the created / updated vehicle dispatch plan to the user (S508). 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 and prompts the user to accept or reject the proposed vehicle dispatch plan.

[0059] The vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines whether the proposed vehicle dispatch plan has been accepted by the user (S509). If the proposed vehicle dispatch plan has been accepted by the user (Yes in S509), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 confirms the current vehicle dispatch plan (S510). 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 (S511).

[0060] 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 S509), it cancels the current vehicle dispatch plan based on the user's vehicle dispatch request (S512). 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.

[0061] 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process related to a dispatch instruction in the vehicle dispatch control device according to one embodiment of the present invention. This process is similarly realized by the vehicle dispatch control device 10 executing a vehicle dispatch control server program under the control of a processor, in cooperation with various hardware resources.

[0062] As shown in the figure, the vehicle dispatch control device 10 transmits a dispatch instruction based on the dispatch plan to the vehicle V (S601). In response to this, the vehicle V moves toward the waypoint according to the dispatch plan. Next, the vehicle dispatch control device 10 monitors whether the vehicle V has arrived at the waypoint (S602).

[0063] Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 acquires user location information from the user's information communication terminal device 20 (S603), and calculates the user's travel progress based on the user location indicated by the acquired user location information. As described above, the user's travel progress is the ratio of the actual travel distance from the user's departure point to the user's current location to the total distance between the user's departure point and the user's boarding point.

[0064] Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines whether the calculated user travel progress has reached the vehicle travel progress at the waypoint (S605). If the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that the calculated user travel progress has not reached the vehicle travel progress (No in S605), the process returns to step S603 and repeats the above process.

[0065] On the other hand, when the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that the calculated user travel progress has reached the vehicle travel progress (Yes in S605), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 instructs the vehicle V waiting at the waypoint to depart (S606). In response to this, the vehicle V travels toward the next waypoint or boarding point according to the dispatch plan and waits there. The vehicle dispatch management device 10 repeats the above process until the vehicle V arrives at the user's boarding point (S607).

[0066] As described above, according to this embodiment, the timing of the vehicle's arrival at the bus stop can be adjusted according to the progress of the user's journey to the bus stop (boarding point) where the user will board (user journey progress), thereby making it possible to reduce the loss of vehicle travel associated with dispatching a vehicle.

[0067] 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.

[0068] 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.

[0069] 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.

[0070] 1... Vehicle dispatch management system 10... Vehicle dispatch management device 110... Front-end processing unit 120... Vehicle dispatch planning unit 121... Vehicle dispatch request acquisition unit 122... User position acquisition unit 123... Travel route determination unit 124... Vehicle information acquisition unit 125... Vehicle selection unit 126... Vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 127... Vehicle dispatch instruction unit 128... User movement progress calculation 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 dispatches vehicles in response to a user's vehicle dispatch request, comprising: a vehicle dispatch plan creation unit that creates a vehicle dispatch plan for a vehicle selected based on the vehicle dispatch request; a vehicle dispatch instruction unit that issues dispatch instructions to the vehicle based on the vehicle dispatch plan; a user position acquisition unit that acquires the user's position; and a user movement progress calculation unit that calculates a user movement progress for the user's movement to the bus stop based on the user position and the bus stop at which the user will board, as indicated in the vehicle dispatch request; wherein the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit determines at least one waypoint between the vehicle's departure point and the bus stop at which the vehicle can wait, and creates the vehicle dispatch plan for the vehicle so that the vehicle will temporarily wait at the waypoint; and the vehicle dispatch instruction unit instructs the vehicle waiting at the waypoint to depart according to the user movement progress.

2. The vehicle dispatch management device described in claim 1, wherein the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit creates the vehicle dispatch plan so that the vehicle will temporarily wait at the intermediate point if the user's location at the time of the dispatch request and the bus stop are separated by a predetermined distance or more.

3. The vehicle dispatch management device of claim 1, wherein, when the vehicle is temporarily waiting at the waypoint, the dispatch instruction unit instructs the vehicle to depart based on the user travel progress and the vehicle travel progress indicated by the travel distance from the departure point to the waypoint relative to the travel distance from the departure point to the bus stop.

4. The vehicle dispatch management device according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle dispatch instruction unit instructs the vehicle to depart when the user travel progress reaches the vehicle driving progress.

5. The vehicle dispatch management device of claim 3, wherein the vehicle dispatch instruction unit instructs the vehicle to depart when there is a vehicle dispatch request from another user and the user travel progress reaches a value obtained by adding a predetermined adjustment to the vehicle travel progress.

6. The vehicle dispatch management device described in claim 5, wherein when a plurality of intermediate points are determined on the driving route to the bus stop based on the user's vehicle dispatch request, the vehicle dispatch instruction unit determines the predetermined adjustment at the intermediate point based on the positional relationship between each of the plurality of intermediate points and the bus stop where the other user boards.

7. The vehicle dispatch management device according to claim 6, wherein the vehicle dispatch instruction unit adds the predetermined adjustment amount to the vehicle travel progress for the waypoint that is closer to the bus stop where the other user boards.

8. The vehicle dispatch management device described in claim 6, wherein the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit determines the multiple intermediate points between the user's departure point and the bus stop at the time of the vehicle dispatch request based on the positional relationship between the bus stop based on the user's vehicle dispatch request and the bus stop based on the other user's vehicle dispatch request.

9. A vehicle dispatch management method by a vehicle dispatch management device that dispatches vehicles in response to a user's vehicle dispatch request, comprising: creating a vehicle dispatch plan for a vehicle selected based on the vehicle dispatch request; issuing a dispatch instruction to the vehicle based on the vehicle dispatch plan; obtaining a user location for the user; and calculating a user movement progress for the user's movement to the bus stop based on the user location and the bus stop at which the user will board, as indicated in the vehicle dispatch request; wherein creating the vehicle dispatch plan comprises determining at least one waypoint between the vehicle's departure point and the bus stop at which the vehicle can wait; and creating the vehicle dispatch plan for the vehicle so that the vehicle will temporarily wait at the waypoint; and issuing the vehicle dispatch instruction comprises instructing the vehicle waiting at the waypoint to depart in accordance with the user movement progress.

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