Vehicle allocation management device and vehicle allocation management method

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle allocation management device that manages vehicle allocation in response to a vehicle allocation request from a user. The device comprises: a user information database for managing user information including user usage history information relating to a usage history for the user with respect to the vehicle allocation; a vehicle allocation plan creation unit for creating a vehicle allocation plan pertaining to a vehicle selected on the basis of the vehicle allocation request; a vehicle allocation instruction unit for issuing a vehicle allocation instruction to the vehicle on the basis of the vehicle allocation plan; and a user reliability calculation unit for calculating a user reliability on the basis of the user usage history information. The vehicle allocation plan creation unit creates the vehicle allocation plan in accordance with the user reliability of the user who made the vehicle allocation request.

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] Patent Document 1 listed below discloses a vehicle management system that includes a server and a user terminal and manages vehicles with an autonomous driving function. Specifically, in the vehicle management system of Patent Document 1, the terminal includes a terminal communication unit that transmits user position information indicating the user's current position to the server via a telecommunications network, and the server includes a server communication unit that receives vehicle position information indicating the vehicle's current position from the vehicle and user position information from the terminal communication unit via the telecommunications network, and a vehicle management unit that sets a boarding point where the user boards the vehicle and manages the vehicle's travel by adjusting the time the vehicle arrives at the boarding point according to the user's current position and the vehicle's position relative to the boarding point.

[0004] WO2019 / 234468A1

[0005] The vehicle management system of Patent Document 1 adjusts the time at which a vehicle arrives at a boarding point by controlling the vehicle's travel route and speed. However, in actual ride-hailing services, after a user makes a ride request, the user may cancel the ride before the vehicle arrives at the boarding point. This poses a problem in that if such a ride cancellation occurs while the vehicle is moving toward the boarding point, the vehicle's travel up to that point is wasted. Furthermore, the frequency of ride cancellations varies from user to user, and it is particularly necessary to minimize wasteful ride dispatches for users who frequently experience ride cancellations.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to propose a vehicle allocation management device and a vehicle allocation management method that minimizes wasteful vehicle allocations to users who frequently cancel their rides.

[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 user's vehicle dispatch request. The device includes: a user information database that manages user information including user usage history information related to the user's usage history for the vehicle dispatch; a vehicle dispatch plan creation unit that creates a vehicle dispatch plan for vehicles selected based on the vehicle dispatch request; a vehicle dispatch instruction unit that issues dispatch instructions to the vehicles based on the vehicle dispatch plan; and a user reliability calculation unit that calculates user reliability based on the user usage history information. The vehicle dispatch plan creation unit creates the vehicle dispatch plan according to the user reliability of the user who made the vehicle dispatch request.

[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, it is possible to reduce wasteful vehicle dispatches for users who frequently cancel rides.

[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 schematic configuration 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 diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of a user information database in a vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of details of a vehicle dispatch planning unit in a vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating vehicle waiting times at waypoints in a vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing related to a vehicle dispatch request in a vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing for creating a vehicle dispatch plan in a vehicle dispatch management device according to an 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] 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.

[0015] 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 further 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, thereby realizing the vehicle dispatch service. In particular, the vehicle dispatch management server program of the present disclosure includes a subprogram or module that controls a vehicle V that is dispatched to a bus stop in response to a user's dispatch request to temporarily wait or stop for a predetermined waiting time at a waypoint or checkpoint along the way, depending on the user's reliability (hereinafter referred to as "user reliability") based on the user's usage history of the vehicle dispatch service.

[0016] 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.

[0017] 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.

[0018] The 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 a final destination (which may not necessarily be the same as the initial waiting location), via several boarding and disembarking points (stops) along the way where the user boards and disembarks. The 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 dispatch plan is newly created based on the received dispatch request. If the vehicle V is in operation with a user on board, the dispatch plan may be updated based on the dispatch request.

[0019] In the present disclosure, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 creates a vehicle dispatch plan in which the vehicle V is temporarily waiting at a waypoint on the way to the bus stop where the user boards, according to the user reliability. The user reliability is calculated based on information regarding the user's usage history of the vehicle dispatch service (hereinafter referred to as "user usage history information").

[0020] 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.

[0021] 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.

[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. 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 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, the information and communication terminal device 20 may allow the user to use the vehicle dispatch service using a web-based browser instead of the vehicle dispatch app. For example, the user may make a vehicle dispatch request from a vehicle dispatch request screen (not shown) on the user interface 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. Furthermore, if the user cancels the ride in vehicle V for personal reasons after accepting the vehicle dispatch plan, the user can cancel the ride from a cancellation screen (not shown) on the user interface of the information communication terminal device 20. The information communication terminal device 20 also has a GPS function for acquiring user location information. For example, the information communication terminal device 20 can acquire user location information together with a vehicle dispatch request and transmit it to the vehicle dispatch management device 10. The information communication terminal device 20 can also acquire user location information over time and transmit it to the vehicle dispatch management device 10.

[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 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.

[0024] 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.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of a user information database in a vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in the diagram, in the present disclosure, the user information further includes user usage history information and user reliability.

[0027] As described above, user usage history information is information related to a user's usage history of the vehicle dispatch service. For example, user usage history information includes, for example, the number of vehicle dispatch requests, lateness information, and ride cancellation information. The number of vehicle dispatch requests is the number of times a user has made a vehicle dispatch request to use the vehicle dispatch service. Lateness information is information based on the time when vehicle V arrives at a bus stop according to a dispatch plan based on the user's vehicle dispatch request and the time when the user actually boards vehicle V at the bus stop. For example, lateness information includes the number of latenesses when a user boards vehicle V that is more than a predetermined time late to the time when vehicle V arrives at a bus stop according to a dispatch plan based on the user's vehicle dispatch request. Ride cancellation information includes the number of ride cancellations of vehicle V by a user who made a ride request. Ride cancellations include cases where a user requests a ride cancellation, as well as cases where the user does not show up at a bus stop. The number of ride cancellations may, for example, count a predetermined number of latenesses as one ride cancellation. The actual number of uses can be calculated by subtracting the number of ride cancellations from the number of vehicle dispatch requests.

[0028] The user reliability is calculated based on usage history information. For example, the user reliability is calculated as a lower value the more frequently a user cancels rides. The user reliability may be corrected to avoid an excessively low value in consideration of delays or ride cancellations caused by environmental factors such as snow making it difficult to walk.

[0029] Returning to FIG. 2 , 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 lane. In the present disclosure, the road map information includes waiting place information related to waiting places where the vehicle V can temporarily wait. Such waiting places are waypoints where the vehicle V waits on its way to a bus stop.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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, waypoints, and other waiting locations), an expected arrival time at each point, and the like.

[0032] 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 a vehicle dispatch plan created by the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 125 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.

[0033] Based on the given dispatch request, the vehicle dispatch planning unit 120 extracts candidate vehicles (candidate vehicles) from among the vehicles V in the target area of ​​the dispatch service, creates and executes a dispatch plan for the candidate vehicles. The 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 bus stop where the user boards the vehicle. A dispatch plan may be created for each of several different candidate driving routes. The vehicle dispatch planning unit 120 proposes the created dispatch plan to the user and confirms it upon receiving the user's consent. The vehicle dispatch planning unit 120 then stores the confirmed dispatch plan in the vehicle dispatch plan database 12d and issues a dispatch instruction to the corresponding vehicle V via the vehicle communication unit 130. The vehicle dispatch planning unit 120 also acquires or collects user usage history information of the user who made the dispatch request and stores it in the user information database 12a. In addition, the vehicle allocation planning unit 120 determines the waiting time of the vehicle V waiting at the waypoint according to the user reliability calculated based on the user usage history information of the user who made the vehicle allocation request.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 4 is a block diagram showing an example of details of the vehicle dispatch planning unit in the vehicle dispatch management device according to one 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 driving route determination unit 122, a vehicle information acquisition unit 123, a vehicle selection unit 124, a vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 125, a vehicle dispatch instruction unit 126, a user usage history information acquisition unit 127, and a user reliability calculation unit 128.

[0036] 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.

[0037] The travel route determination unit 122 determines an optimal travel route based on the dispatch request. For example, the travel route determination unit 122 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 stops where the user boards and disembarks indicated in the dispatch request. Furthermore, when a vehicle V is selected in accordance with the dispatch request, the travel route determination unit 122 determines a travel route from the current position (starting point) of the selected vehicle V to the stop where the user boards.

[0038] The vehicle information acquisition unit 123 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 123 may periodically acquire vehicle information transmitted from each vehicle V, or may periodically or irregularly request a specific vehicle V to transmit vehicle information, and acquire vehicle information transmitted from the specific vehicle V in response to the request. The vehicle information acquisition unit 123 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.

[0039] The vehicle selection unit 124 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 124 refers to the vehicle information database 12c, etc., and extracts vehicles V near the bus stops where the user boards, as indicated in the dispatch request, and based on the vehicle position information indicated by the vehicle information. Next, the vehicle selection unit 124 selects a vehicle V adapted to the travel route from the extracted vehicles V, taking into consideration constraints such as various limit allowable times. Once the vehicle V is selected, the travel route determination unit 122 determines a travel route from the current position of the selected vehicle V to the bus stop, thereby determining the entire travel route.

[0040] The vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 creates a vehicle allocation plan for the selected vehicle V based on the determined driving route. For vehicles V currently in operation, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 updates the vehicle allocation request. For example, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 may create a vehicle allocation plan for the vehicle V in response to a vehicle allocation request from a certain user, and then update the vehicle allocation plan in response to a vehicle allocation request from another user so that the vehicle V disembarks at a bus stop at the user's destination and then boards the other user at another bus stop. In the present disclosure, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 determines one or more waypoints where the vehicle V can temporarily wait or stop between the departure point of the selected vehicle V and the bus stop where the user boards, and creates a vehicle allocation plan that includes temporary waiting at the waypoints. In this case, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 determines the waiting time of the vehicle V waiting at each waypoint according to the user reliability and creates the vehicle allocation plan. This makes it possible to adjust the arrival time at a bus stop for users who are likely to be late or cancel their ride.

[0041] For example, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 calculates an 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 an 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"). The vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 then calculates the difference between the user estimated travel time and the vehicle estimated travel time (where the user estimated travel time is greater than the vehicle estimated travel time) as the maximum waiting time. The vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 then refers to the user information database 12a and determines the waiting time for the vehicle V at each waypoint based on the user reliability calculated based on the user usage history information, within a range that does not exceed the maximum waiting time. In this case, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 may determine the waiting time for a user whose user reliability is below a predetermined reference value so that the waiting time at waypoints closer to the vehicle V's departure point is longer.

[0042] Furthermore, when two or more waypoints are determined and the user reliability exceeds a predetermined reference value, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 may allocate the waiting time at each waypoint equally. Alternatively, when two or more waypoints where the vehicle V can wait are determined, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 may determine the waiting time such that the waiting time at a waypoint closer to the departure point of the vehicle V is longer. This makes it possible to avoid unnecessary travel of the vehicle V in the event of a ride cancellation. Furthermore, when the user reliability is lower than a predetermined reference value, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 may determine the waiting time such that the waiting time at a waypoint closer (earlier) to the departure point of the vehicle V is longer. This makes it possible to avoid unnecessary travel of the vehicle V in the event of a ride cancellation by minimizing the movement of the vehicle V for users who are likely to cancel their ride.

[0043] Furthermore, for example, when the selected vehicle V is originally waiting at a waiting location, the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 125 may create a vehicle dispatch plan so that the vehicle V waits there for a predetermined waiting time according to the user reliability, rather than creating a vehicle dispatch plan so that the vehicle V departs immediately. Furthermore, when the vehicle V is charging at a waiting location such as a charging station according to a charging plan, the vehicle dispatch plan may be created so that the charging end time indicated in the charging plan is delayed according to the user reliability in order to create waiting time there. This makes it possible to efficiently charge the vehicle V by utilizing the waiting time.

[0044] The dispatch instruction unit 126 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 126 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 the vehicle V drives autonomously along the actual driving route. For example, the dispatch instruction unit 126 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] The user usage history information acquisition unit 127 acquires user usage history information of the user for the ride-hailing service. For example, the user usage history information acquisition unit 127 acquires information related to the user's lateness based on the time when the vehicle V arrives at the bus stop and the time when the user boards the vehicle V at the bus stop (hereinafter referred to as "user lateness information") as the user usage history information. This makes it possible to calculate the user reliability using the user lateness information.

[0046] In addition, the user usage history information acquisition unit 127 acquires information related to the user's cancellation of a ride to the vehicle V (hereinafter referred to as "ride cancellation information") as user usage history information. The ride cancellation information includes, for example, the date and time of the ride cancellation and the number of times the ride was canceled. If the user operates the information communication terminal device 20, for example, to make a ride request and accept the ride plan, and then cancel the ride, the user usage history information acquisition unit 127 registers this in the user information database 12a. In addition, if the user does not show up at the stop where the vehicle V is waiting, the vehicle V, under the control of the control device CTL, transmits to the vehicle dispatch management device 10 a message indicating that the user did not board. The user usage history information acquisition unit 127 registers this as ride cancellation information in the user information database 12a. This makes it possible to calculate the user reliability using the user's ride cancellation information.

[0047] The user usage history information acquisition unit 127 also acquires, as user usage history information, the number of vehicle dispatch requests made by the user to use the vehicle dispatch service. The user usage history information acquisition unit 127 counts the number of vehicle dispatch requests each time the user makes a vehicle dispatch request and accepts a vehicle dispatch plan. This makes it possible to calculate user reliability using the number of vehicle dispatch requests made by the user.

[0048] The user reliability calculation unit 128 calculates the user reliability based on the user usage history information. As an example, the user reliability calculation unit may calculate the user reliability based on user tardiness information (number of tardinesses). As a result, it is possible to calculate a low user reliability for a user who is frequently tardiness. As another example, the user reliability calculation unit 128 may calculate the user reliability based on ride cancellation information (number of ride cancellations). As a result, it is possible to calculate a low user reliability for a user who is frequently tardiness. As yet another example, the user reliability calculation unit 128 may calculate the user reliability based on the number of ride dispatch requests. More specifically, the user reliability calculation unit 128 calculates the user reliability using the following formula: User reliability = 1 - number of ride cancellations / number of ride dispatch requests. In this case, a predetermined number of tardinesses may be considered as one ride cancellation. In other words, the user reliability calculation unit 128 may calculate the user reliability by additionally counting the number of ride cancellations based on the number of tardinesses indicated by the user tardiness information. This makes it possible to calculate the user reliability based on the number of times the user is late or cancels rides relative to the number of times the user requests a ride. Furthermore, the user reliability calculation unit 128 may correct the user reliability in consideration of cases where the user is late or cancels rides due to environmental factors such as snow accumulation making it difficult to walk.

[0049] The user reliability calculation unit 128 may also dynamically calculate the user reliability by taking into account the user's travel route to the bus stop. For example, if the user has access to other means of transportation on the travel route, the user reliability calculated based on the user usage history information may be corrected lower by a predetermined value. This makes it possible to calculate the user reliability according to the user's situation when it is anticipated that the user will use other means of transportation and therefore may cancel the ride.

[0050] 5 is a diagram illustrating vehicle waiting times at waypoints in a vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the diagram, in response to a vehicle dispatch request from a user U, a vehicle V that dropped off a previous user at bus stop S0 is selected for the user U, and the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 125 creates a vehicle dispatch plan that includes waypoints A and B on a route from bus stop S0 to bus stop S1 where user U boards the vehicle. Here, waypoint A is located at a location that corresponds to approximately 40% of the driving distance from bus stop S0 to bus stop S1, and waypoint B is located at a location that corresponds to approximately 80% of the driving distance from bus stop S0 to bus stop S1.

[0051] The vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 calculates an estimated vehicle travel time from stop S0, which is the departure point of vehicle V, to stop S1 where user U boards, and also calculates an estimated user travel time from user U's current location to stop S1, and calculates the difference between these times (however, the estimated vehicle travel time includes a margin so that vehicle V arrives before the user arrives) as the maximum waiting time. Then, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 determines waiting times for vehicle V at waypoints A and B based on the user reliability, within a range that does not exceed the maximum waiting time. For example, for a user whose user reliability is below a predetermined reference value (i.e., whose user reliability is low), the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 determines each waiting time so that the waiting time at waypoint A, which is closer to stop S0, is longer than that at waypoint B. In the example shown in the figure, the maximum waiting time is 5 minutes, and the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 creates a vehicle allocation plan in which the vehicle waits for 3 minutes 45 seconds at waypoint A and 1 minute 15 seconds at waypoint B.

[0052] 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing related to a vehicle dispatch request in a vehicle dispatch control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This processing 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.

[0053] As shown in the figure, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 waits until a new vehicle dispatch request is received from a user (S601). 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 S601), 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 (S602).

[0054] Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 extracts one or more candidate driving routes by referring to the road map information database 12b based on the determined bus stops (S603). That is, each candidate driving route has the same boarding and disembarking points, but different roads (links) along the way. Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 selects one or more vehicles V according to the candidate driving routes (S604). For example, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 selects a vehicle V that is waiting or moving near the boarding point.

[0055] Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines a travel route from the departure point of the vehicle V to the boarding point via the waypoints and from the boarding point to the disembarking point (S605). Subsequently, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 creates or updates a vehicle dispatch plan based on the determined travel route (S606). The process of creating or updating a vehicle dispatch plan will be described in detail later.

[0056] Next, the vehicle dispatch control device 10 proposes the contents of the created / updated vehicle dispatch plan to the user (S607). That is, the vehicle dispatch control 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.

[0057] The vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines whether the proposed vehicle dispatch plan has been accepted by the user (S608). If the proposed vehicle dispatch plan has been accepted by the user (Yes in S608), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 confirms the current vehicle dispatch plan (S609). 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 (S610).

[0058] 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 S608), it cancels the current vehicle dispatch plan based on the user's vehicle dispatch request (S611). 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.

[0059] 7 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a process for creating a vehicle dispatch plan in a vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The flowchart shows details of the process for creating and updating a vehicle dispatch plan (S606) shown in FIG.

[0060] As shown in the same figure, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines one or more intermediate points where vehicle V can temporarily wait or stop between the current location (starting point) indicated by the vehicle position information of vehicle V and a bus stop on the driving route to the user's boarding point (S701).

[0061] Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 calculates the vehicle estimated travel time of the vehicle V selected based on the dispatch request (S702), and also calculates the user estimated travel time of the user who made the dispatch request (S703). Subsequently, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 calculates the maximum waiting time based on the calculated user estimated travel time and vehicle estimated travel time (S704), and determines whether the calculated maximum waiting time is equal to or less than a predetermined value (S705).

[0062] If the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that the calculated maximum waiting time is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (Yes in S705), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 refers to the user information database 12a and calculates the user reliability based on the user's usage history information (S706). In this case, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 may calculate the user reliability by taking into account the user's travel route to the boarding point, etc. Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines the waiting time of the vehicle V at each waypoint according to the calculated user reliability, within a range that does not exceed the maximum waiting time (S707). In this case, for a user whose user reliability is below a predetermined reference value, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 may determine the waiting time so that the waiting time at waypoints closer to the departure point is longer. Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 creates a vehicle dispatch plan based on the travel route (S708).

[0063] On the other hand, if the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that the calculated maximum waiting time is not equal to or greater than the predetermined value (No in S705), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 creates a vehicle dispatch plan based on the travel route without setting a waiting time at the waypoint (S708). In other words, if the maximum waiting time is short, it is not possible to allocate sufficient waiting time at the waypoint, so the vehicle dispatch management device 10 creates a vehicle dispatch plan that does not include waiting time at the waypoint.

[0064] As described above, according to this embodiment, the vehicle V waits at a waypoint on the way to the bus stop where the user boards the vehicle for a waiting time that corresponds to the user's reliability, thereby reducing wasteful vehicle dispatches for users who frequently cancel their boarding trips.

[0065] 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.

[0066] 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.

[0067] 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.

[0068] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 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... Travel route determination unit 123... Vehicle information acquisition unit 124... Vehicle selection unit 125... Vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 126... Vehicle dispatch instruction unit 127... User usage history information acquisition unit 128... User reliability 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 manages vehicle dispatch in response to a user's vehicle dispatch request, comprising: a user information database that manages user information including user usage history information regarding the user's usage history for the vehicle dispatch; a vehicle dispatch plan creation unit that creates a vehicle dispatch plan for vehicles selected based on the vehicle dispatch request; a vehicle dispatch instruction unit that issues dispatch instructions to the vehicles based on the vehicle dispatch plan; and a user reliability calculation unit that calculates user reliability based on the user usage history information, wherein the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit creates the vehicle dispatch plan in accordance with the user reliability of the user who made the vehicle dispatch request.

2. The vehicle dispatch management device described in claim 1, wherein the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit determines at least one intermediate point where the vehicle can wait between the vehicle's departure point and the bus stop where the user boards as indicated in the dispatch request, and determines the waiting time for the vehicle to wait at the intermediate point depending on the user's reliability.

3. The vehicle dispatch management device described in claim 2, wherein, when two or more waypoints are determined, the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit determines the waiting time at the waypoints so that the waiting time is longer for the waypoints closer to the departure point of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle dispatch management device described in claim 3, wherein the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit determines the waiting time so that the waiting time at the intermediate point closer to the departure point of the vehicle is longer when the user reliability is lower than a predetermined reference value.

5. The vehicle dispatch management device of claim 2, further comprising a user usage history information acquisition unit that acquires user lateness information based on the time the vehicle arrives at the bus stop and the time the user boards the vehicle at the bus stop as the user usage history information.

6. The vehicle dispatch management device according to claim 5, wherein the user usage history information acquisition unit acquires, as the user usage history information, boarding cancellation information based on the user canceling his / her boarding of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle dispatch management device according to claim 6, wherein the user usage history information acquisition unit acquires, as the user usage history information, the number of vehicle dispatch requests made by the user to use a vehicle dispatch service.

8. The vehicle dispatch management device according to claim 7, wherein the user reliability calculation unit calculates the user reliability based on the number of ride cancellations indicated by the ride cancellation information relative to the number of ride dispatch requests.

9. The vehicle dispatch management device according to claim 8, wherein the user reliability calculation unit calculates the user reliability based on the ride cancellation information based on the number of times the user is late indicated by the user lateness information.

10. A vehicle dispatch management method using a vehicle dispatch management device that manages vehicle dispatch in response to a user's vehicle dispatch request, comprising: managing user information including user usage history information regarding the user's usage history for the vehicle dispatch in a user information database; creating a vehicle dispatch plan for vehicles selected based on the vehicle dispatch request; issuing dispatch instructions to the vehicles based on the vehicle dispatch plan; and calculating user reliability based on the user usage history information, wherein creating the vehicle dispatch plan includes creating the vehicle dispatch plan according to the user reliability of the user who made the vehicle dispatch request.

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