Vehicle dispatch management apparatus and vehicle dispatch management method

Abstract

The present invention is a vehicle dispatch management apparatus that manages vehicle dispatch in response to a vehicle dispatch reservation request from a user. The apparatus comprises: a vehicle dispatch plan creation unit that creates, on the basis of the vehicle dispatch reservation request from the user, a dispatch plan for a vehicle; an operation instruction unit that provides the vehicle with an operation instruction in accordance with the dispatch plan; and a late arrival status determination unit that determines a late arrival status with respect to the original scheduled time of arrival at the destination of the vehicle indicated by the dispatch plan. When it is determined that the status is the occurrence of a late arrival at a destination that is indicated by a first vehicle dispatch plan which is based on a first vehicle dispatch reservation request from the user, the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit updates a second vehicle dispatch plan which is based on a second vehicle dispatch reservation request from the user, so as to delay a scheduled departure time at a departure point that is indicated by the second vehicle dispatch plan by a prescribed amount of time.

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 for managing vehicle dispatches to improve user convenience while increasing vehicle utilization rates. For example, a vehicle dispatch plan (vehicle dispatch reservation) is made in response to a user's request for a vehicle dispatch reservation to travel to a destination, and a vehicle is dispatched to the user's departure point (boarding point). In this case, the user travels to the boarding point so as to arrive in time for the reserved departure time.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a boarding management system that aims to improve user convenience. This boarding management system includes a cancellation determination unit that determines whether to perform a cancellation process to cancel the boarding reservation of a person who has booked boarding the mobile object, based on the time difference between a first time, which is the time when the mobile object arrives at the boarding location, and a second time, which is the time when a person who has booked boarding the mobile object arrives at the boarding location.

[0004] JP 2019-175390 A

[0005] A user may make multiple vehicle reservations, starting from their current location, traveling in a vehicle, staying at a destination for a predetermined time, and then traveling to another destination. In such a case, if the vehicle the user is riding in is delayed in arriving at the first destination (destination), the user's stay time at the destination until the scheduled departure time may be shortened.

[0006] However, in the boarding management system of Patent Document 1, since the user (planned passenger) is already at the destination (boarding location), it is assumed that there is no time difference in the arrival time between the moving object and the planned passenger, and the user's boarding reservation is not canceled. On the other hand, this causes inconvenience to the user, as the time spent at the destination is shortened, preventing the user from accomplishing their intended purpose there. Therefore, if a user feels that their stay time is insufficient due to a delayed arrival of the vehicle, for example, they must cancel their next boarding reservation and make a new boarding reservation, or change the scheduled departure time of their next boarding reservation themselves, which is inconvenient.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle dispatch management device and a vehicle dispatch management method that, in a vehicle dispatch service in response to a vehicle dispatch reservation request from a user who travels around multiple destinations, can propose to the user a vehicle dispatch reservation that will ensure a certain amount of time spent at the destination in the event that the vehicle is late arriving at the destination.

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

[0009] According to one aspect, the present invention provides a vehicle dispatch management device that manages vehicle dispatch in response to a vehicle dispatch reservation request from a user. The device includes a vehicle dispatch plan creation unit that creates a vehicle dispatch plan based on the user's vehicle dispatch reservation request, a driving instruction unit that issues driving instructions to the vehicle in accordance with the vehicle dispatch plan, and a delay status determination unit that determines whether the vehicle is late relative to an originally scheduled arrival time at the destination indicated by the vehicle dispatch plan. When it is determined that a delay has occurred at the destination indicated by a first vehicle dispatch plan based on the user's first vehicle dispatch reservation request, the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit updates the second vehicle dispatch plan so as to postpone by a predetermined time a scheduled departure time from a departure point indicated by a second vehicle dispatch plan based on the user's previous second vehicle dispatch reservation request that is related to the destination.

[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 reservation 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, in a vehicle dispatch service for a vehicle reservation request from a user who travels around multiple destinations, even if the vehicle arrives late at the destination, the scheduled departure time from the next departure point related to the destination is postponed without the user having to make any additional changes to the vehicle dispatch reservation, thereby freeing the user from the hassle of changing the vehicle dispatch reservation and ensuring that the necessary and sufficient stay time at the destination is secured.

[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 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 block diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of a user information database of a vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating details of a vehicle dispatch plan unit in a vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user interface screen of an information communication terminal device in a vehicle dispatch management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a change of a scheduled departure time indicated in a vehicle dispatch plan by a vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7A is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process for changing a scheduled departure time by a vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7B is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process for changing a scheduled departure time by a vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7C is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process for changing a scheduled departure time by a vehicle dispatch management device according to an 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] 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 communication terminal device 20, and a vehicle V, which are interconnected via a communication network N so as to be able to communicate with each other. The vehicle dispatch management system 1 can also be connected via the communication network N to a road traffic information management system 30 that provides various traffic information in real time. The vehicle dispatch management system 1 provides a vehicle dispatch service using multiple vehicles V, for example, for a certain area.

[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 of ​​the vehicle dispatch service 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, thereby realizing the vehicle dispatch service. In particular, the vehicle dispatch management server program of the present disclosure includes a subprogram or module for monitoring the late arrival status of vehicles heading to a destination in a vehicle dispatch service for a user who travels between multiple destinations, and for updating a vehicle dispatch plan so as to postpone the next scheduled departure time by a predetermined time if it is determined that a late arrival has occurred.

[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, a vehicle dispatch plan database 12d, and a vehicle dispatch reservation database 12e (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 dispatch management device 10 accepts a vehicle dispatch reservation request from a user who wishes to dispatch a vehicle V to travel between multiple destinations, selects a vehicle V to be assigned to the user based on the vehicle dispatch reservation request, creates a vehicle dispatch plan for the vehicle, and proposes the created vehicle dispatch plan to the user. The vehicle dispatch management device 10 confirms the vehicle dispatch plan upon the user's consent to the proposed vehicle dispatch plan, and issues operating instructions to the vehicle V in accordance with the confirmed vehicle dispatch plan. The user may specify multiple destinations for the circular travel in a single vehicle dispatch reservation request, or may sequentially specify destinations for the circular travel in individual vehicle dispatch reservation requests. For example, a vehicle dispatch reservation request may be made in which the user boards a vehicle at a boarding location near their home, completes their needs at the destination they are visiting, and then returns home from there.

[0019] The vehicle dispatch plan includes a driving route that defines a route from a location where vehicle V is waiting (a starting waiting location), via several points along the way (a departure point and a destination) where the user gets on and off, to a final waiting location (which is not necessarily the same as the initial waiting location). If vehicle V is waiting, the vehicle dispatch plan is newly created based on the received vehicle dispatch reservation request, and if vehicle V is in operation, the vehicle dispatch plan can be updated based on the vehicle dispatch reservation request. In the present disclosure, if vehicle V dispatched according to a vehicle dispatch plan based on a user's vehicle dispatch reservation request is or is likely to be late to the destination, the vehicle dispatch plan corresponding to the user's vehicle dispatch reservation with the destination as the next departure point is updated so that the scheduled departure time there is delayed by a predetermined time.

[0020] In the present disclosure, a vehicle reservation refers to reserving a vehicle V in advance for a vehicle dispatch service from the user's perspective, and a vehicle dispatch plan refers to planning a vehicle dispatch service for each vehicle V from the vehicle dispatch service provider's perspective (i.e., the vehicle dispatch management device 10). Therefore, when a user makes multiple vehicle dispatch reservations to travel between multiple destinations, the vehicle V that the user boards may be different each time, and in this case, the vehicle dispatch plan is different for each vehicle dispatch reservation made by the user.

[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 may be a manned vehicle driven by a driver, or an unmanned vehicle (autonomous vehicle) driven by an automated driving system, regardless of the so-called automated driving level. Furthermore, the vehicle V may be of any type (e.g., sedan, minivan, SUV, etc.).

[0022] The vehicle V is equipped with a control device CTL that controls the vehicle V itself or its onboard equipment in accordance with operation instructions from the vehicle dispatch management device 10. Although not shown, the control device CTL is configured to include a processor, memory, etc., and realizes various functions by executing a control program. Furthermore, under the control of the control device CTL, the vehicle V obtains its own position information (vehicle position information) from, for example, a GPS system and transmits this to the vehicle dispatch management device 10. The vehicle dispatch management device 10 grasps and monitors the current position of the vehicle V in accordance with the vehicle position 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 reservation 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. For example, a user may make a vehicle dispatch reservation request from a vehicle dispatch reservation 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 making a vehicle dispatch reservation for a vehicle V. In the present disclosure, when a vehicle V is late to its destination and the scheduled departure time from the next departure point is postponed by the vehicle dispatch management device 10, the information communication terminal device 20 displays a vehicle dispatch reservation proposal for the postponed scheduled departure time on the user interface.

[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 sound-collecting microphones, and sensor information from vehicle sensors obtained from the monitoring equipment as travel management information. This allows the vehicle dispatch management device 10 to appropriately monitor and guide the vehicle V according to the travel management information and predict delays to the destination.

[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 user information may also include behavior history information relating to the user's past behavior history, as shown in FIG. 3 . The behavior history information is generated, for example, based on the user's past ride-hailing reservations. The behavior history information may also include visit information relating to places visited by the user and the time spent visiting those places. The visited places and / or the time spent visiting may be entered by the user when requesting a ride-hailing reservation, or may be estimated from the destination. Alternatively, such visit information may be collected by a subsequent questionnaire or the like.

[0028] Furthermore, the user information may include operation history information related to user operations when the user makes a vehicle reservation request. For example, a series of operations by the user on the vehicle-dispatch app when making a vehicle-dispatch reservation request may be acquired as the operation history information.

[0029] Returning to Figure 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 on addresses, place names, road networks (links and nodes), various facilities (e.g., police stations), 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, arterial road, etc.), road width, pedestrian / vehicle divider, median, and lane.

[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 reservation request. As described above, the vehicle allocation plan includes a driving route from a waiting location serving as a starting point to a waiting location serving as a terminal point via several boarding and disembarking points (departure and arrival points), an estimated arrival time at each intermediate point, and the like.

[0032] The vehicle reservation database 12e stores information about vehicle reservations based on user vehicle reservation requests. The vehicle reservation includes, for example, information about the user name, the vehicle to be allocated, the reservation date, the departure point, the scheduled departure time, the destination, and the scheduled arrival time.

[0033] The front-end processing unit 110 performs various processes between the user and the 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 dispatch application on the user's information communication terminal device 20. The front-end processing unit 110 also accepts a vehicle dispatch reservation request from the vehicle dispatch application on the user's information communication terminal device 20, passes it to the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 120, and interacts with the information communication terminal device 20 to receive the user's approval or disapproval of the vehicle dispatch plan (vehicle dispatch reservation) created by the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 120 in response to the request.

[0034] The vehicle allocation planning unit 120 extracts candidate vehicles (candidate vehicles) from among the vehicles V in the target area based on the received vehicle allocation reservation request, and creates a vehicle allocation plan for the candidate vehicles. The vehicle allocation planning unit 120 proposes the created vehicle allocation plan to the user and confirms it upon receiving the user's approval. The vehicle allocation planning unit 120 then stores the confirmed vehicle allocation plan in the vehicle allocation plan database 12d, and issues operation instructions to the corresponding vehicles V via the vehicle communication unit 130. The vehicle allocation planning unit 120 registers the user's vehicle allocation reservation based on the confirmed vehicle allocation plan in the user information database 12a.

[0035] In the present disclosure, in a situation where a vehicle V dispatched according to a dispatch plan based on a user's dispatch reservation request arrives late at a destination, the dispatch planning unit 120 updates the dispatch plan (dispatch reservation) corresponding to the user's dispatch reservation for which the destination is the next departure point.

[0036] 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 plan creation unit 120, and also transmits driving instructions to the vehicle V in accordance with the vehicle allocation plan created by the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 120.

[0037] 4 is a block diagram showing 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 reservation 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, an operation instruction unit 126, a delay status determination unit 127, and an estimated stay time calculation unit 128.

[0038] The vehicle dispatch reservation request acquisition unit 121 acquires or accepts a vehicle dispatch reservation request from a user via the front-end processing unit 110. The time when the vehicle dispatch reservation request acquisition unit 1201 acquires a vehicle dispatch reservation request is 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 must board or disembark) for creating a vehicle dispatch plan begins.

[0039] The vehicle reservation request acquisition unit 121 may also acquire operation history information related to user operations when the user makes a vehicle reservation request on the vehicle dispatch app of the information communication terminal device 20. For example, consider a case where a user makes a first vehicle reservation request on the vehicle dispatch app for a vehicle reservation at 9:00 with an estimated arrival time at the destination of 9:30, and then subsequently attempts to make a second vehicle reservation request for a departure from the destination at 10:10. In this case, assume that the vehicle dispatch management device 10 is unable to present a vehicle available for dispatch to the departure location at 10:10, and the user makes a second vehicle reservation request for a different time, for example, 10:20. The vehicle dispatch reservation request acquisition unit 121 acquires such a series of user operations on the vehicle dispatch app as operation history information and stores it in the user information database 12a. The next departure location may be substantially the same location as the destination, and may be, for example, a location a short walk away. In this disclosure, such departure locations in consecutive ride reservations may be referred to as departure locations relative to the destination.

[0040] The travel route determination unit 122 determines an optimal travel route based on the vehicle reservation request. For example, the travel route determination unit 122 determines a travel route from the departure point to the destination by using a route search engine that searches for a route based on the departure point and destination indicated in the vehicle reservation request while referring to the road map information database 12b.

[0041] 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.

[0042] The vehicle selection unit 124 extracts and selects a specific vehicle suited to the travel route from among a plurality of vehicles V. For example, the vehicle selection unit 124 first refers to the vehicle information database 12c, etc., and extracts vehicles V that are near the departure point indicated in the vehicle reservation request and based on the location information indicated in the vehicle information. Next, the vehicle selection unit 124 selects a vehicle V suited to the travel route from among the extracted vehicles V, taking into consideration constraints such as various limit allowable time.

[0043] The vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 creates a vehicle allocation plan for the vehicle V based on the travel route and the vehicle V. If the vehicle V is on standby, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 126 creates a new vehicle allocation plan based on the vehicle allocation reservation request, and if the vehicle V is in operation, updates the vehicle allocation plan for the vehicle V stored in the vehicle allocation plan database 12d based on the vehicle allocation reservation request.

[0044] Furthermore, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 proposes the created vehicle allocation plan to the user, and upon receiving the user's acceptance, confirms the vehicle allocation plan. That is, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 transmits the vehicle allocation plan to the user's information communication terminal device 20 via the front-end processing unit 110 and causes the information communication terminal device 20 to display the vehicle allocation plan on the user interface. The user accepts or rejects the vehicle allocation plan (vehicle allocation reservation), and in response, the terminal device 20 transmits a notification of acceptance or rejection. Upon receiving the user's acceptance notification via the front-end processing unit 110, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 confirms the vehicle allocation plan and notifies the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 126. In response, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 126 registers the confirmed vehicle allocation plan in the vehicle allocation plan database 12d and notifies the operation instruction unit 128. In addition, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 registers the user's vehicle allocation reservation based on the confirmed vehicle allocation plan in the vehicle allocation reservation database 12e.

[0045] In the present disclosure, when the later-described late arrival status determination unit 127 determines that the vehicle V being boarded by the user has arrived late at the destination, the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 125 updates the vehicle dispatch plan and the vehicle dispatch reservation so as to postpone the scheduled departure time from the departure point indicated in the vehicle dispatch plan based on the user's other vehicle dispatch reservation request (i.e., the departure point related to the destination indicated in the previous vehicle dispatch reservation) by a predetermined amount. In this case, the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 125 performs control to propose the new postponed scheduled departure time to the user, as shown in, for example, FIG. 5 . That is, in the same figure, in a situation where a late arrival (20 minutes) at destination B indicated by the first vehicle dispatch reservation occurs, a proposal screen is shown suggesting that the scheduled departure time from departure point B indicated by the second vehicle dispatch reservation related to destination B be postponed by 20 minutes. This allows the user to know that the scheduled departure time has been postponed due to the vehicle's late arrival at the destination, and allows the user to accomplish their intended purpose at the destination in accordance with the new scheduled departure time.

[0046] The operation instruction unit 126 issues operation instructions to the corresponding vehicle V according to the confirmed vehicle allocation plan. Operation instructions are issued to the assigned vehicle V according to the confirmed vehicle allocation plan. The control device CTL of the vehicle V that has received the operation instructions uses a navigation function to display a driving route according to the vehicle allocation plan, for example, on a user interface. Alternatively, in the case of an unmanned vehicle, the control device CTL determines a detailed actual driving route according to the driving route in the vehicle allocation plan, and performs control so that the vehicle autonomously drives along the actual driving route.

[0047] The late arrival status determination unit 127 determines whether a situation has occurred in which the vehicle V is late to the destination. In this case, the late arrival status determination unit 127 calculates a delay time relative to an initial scheduled arrival time of the vehicle V at the destination. The initial scheduled arrival time is the scheduled arrival time calculated when the user made a vehicle dispatch reservation request. For example, the late arrival status determination unit 127 calculates an expected arrival time at the destination based on vehicle position information acquired from the vehicle V traveling along the travel route in accordance with the vehicle dispatch plan and road traffic information acquired from the road traffic information management system 30, and calculates a delay time based on the initial scheduled arrival time and the calculated expected arrival time. This enables the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 125 to create a vehicle dispatch plan in which the scheduled departure time at the destination is delayed by the amount of the delay time.

[0048] The estimated stay time calculation unit 128 calculates an estimated stay time of the user at the destination indicated in the vehicle dispatch plan (vehicle dispatch reservation) based on the user's behavior history information. For example, when it is determined that the vehicle V is delayed at the destination, the estimated stay time calculation unit 128 statistically calculates an estimated stay time (e.g., average stay time) based on the time the user spent at the same destination indicated by the user's behavior history information in the user information database 12a. This effectively estimates the stay time required for the user to achieve their intended purpose at the destination, making it possible to determine a scheduled departure time that takes the estimated stay time into consideration.

[0049] The estimated stay time calculation unit 128 may also calculate an estimated stay time at the user's visited destination based on the locations indicated by the visit information in the user's behavior history information and the visit duration at those locations. The calculated estimated time is used to determine a new scheduled departure time at the visited destination. This allows the user to effectively estimate the stay time required for the user to achieve their intended purpose at each visited location at the destination, and to determine a scheduled departure time that takes the estimated stay time into consideration.

[0050] Furthermore, the estimated stay time calculation unit 128 may calculate the user's desired stay time at the destination based on the user's operation history information. The operation history information is a history of a series of operations performed by the user on the vehicle dispatch app of the information communication terminal device 20 when the user makes a vehicle dispatch reservation request. For example, the user may make a first vehicle dispatch reservation request on the vehicle dispatch app for a 9:00 vehicle dispatch reservation with an estimated arrival time at the destination of 9:30, and then subsequently attempt to make a second vehicle dispatch reservation request for a departure from the destination at 10:10, but is unable to make a vehicle dispatch reservation at 10:10, and then make a second vehicle dispatch reservation request at a different time, 10:20. This series of operations is stored as operation history information in the user information database 12a. This makes it possible to estimate the stay time required by the user to achieve their intended purpose at the destination.

[0051] When the above-mentioned vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 125 determines that a vehicle V will be late arriving at a destination in a vehicle dispatch plan related to a vehicle dispatch reservation for traveling around a user's multiple destinations, it updates the vehicle dispatch plan so as to postpone the scheduled departure time from the departure point indicated by the user's next vehicle dispatch reservation (i.e., the departure point related to the destination indicated by the previous vehicle dispatch reservation) by a predetermined amount.

[0052] For example, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 may determine a postponed time obtained by adding the delay time calculated by the late arrival status determination unit 127 to the original scheduled arrival time indicated in the vehicle allocation plan corresponding to the previous vehicle allocation reservation as the new scheduled departure time at the departure point indicated in the vehicle allocation plan corresponding to the next vehicle allocation reservation. For example, as shown in FIG. 6( a), if a delay time T_Delay occurs with respect to the scheduled arrival time T1_ETA, the stay time that the user can stay at the destination changes from T_Stay to T_Stay-. Therefore, the vehicle allocation plan creation unit 125 postpones the scheduled departure time T2_DP at the destination to T2_DP' based on the delay time T_Delay. This postpones the scheduled departure time at the next departure point by the amount of the delay time, ensuring that the user has the necessary stay time at the destination as originally planned.

[0053] Furthermore, the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 125 may determine a new scheduled departure time from the departure point indicated by the vehicle dispatch plan corresponding to the next vehicle dispatch reservation, based on the estimated stay time calculated by the estimated stay time calculation unit 128. For example, as shown in FIG. 6B, if a delay time T_Delay occurs relative to the estimated arrival time T1_ETA, the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 125 postpones the scheduled departure time T2_DP at the destination to T2_DP' based on the calculated estimated stay time ET_Stay. In this example, the calculated estimated stay time ET_Stay is shorter than the initial stay time T_Stay by δ hours. This eliminates the need for the user to manually correct the scheduled departure time from the departure point indicated by the next vehicle dispatch reservation, and the scheduled departure time is changed to a new one that takes into account the required stay time for the user at the destination.

[0054] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6C , for example, the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 125 may determine the postponed time as a new scheduled departure time at the departure location when the difference between the postponed time obtained by adding the calculated delay time and estimated stay time to the original scheduled arrival time and the scheduled departure time at the departure location indicated in the vehicle dispatch plan corresponding to the next vehicle dispatch reservation exceeds a predetermined threshold. As a result, the scheduled departure time at the next departure location is postponed only when it is predicted that the vehicle V will arrive late at the destination and that the user will not have sufficient stay time until the scheduled departure time indicated in the next vehicle dispatch reservation, thereby ensuring sufficient stay time for the user. The vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 125 may control the system so that a new scheduled departure time is proposed to the user only when the difference between the postponed time and the scheduled departure time exceeds a predetermined threshold. As a result, even if the vehicle V will arrive late at the destination, the scheduled departure time is not postponed if the user will have sufficient stay time, thereby avoiding a situation in which a postponement of the scheduled departure time is proposed that is unnecessary for the user.

[0055] Furthermore, when the estimated stay time calculation unit 128 has not calculated an estimated stay time, the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 125 may determine a delayed time obtained by adding a delay time relative to the original scheduled arrival time at the destination calculated by the delay situation determination unit 127 to the original scheduled arrival time as a new scheduled departure time from the next departure point. In this way, when the estimated stay time cannot be calculated based on the user's behavior history information, a new scheduled departure time is determined according to the delay time, so that the user can be sure to secure a stay time at the destination without having to take the time to change the next vehicle dispatch reservation.

[0056] Furthermore, the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 125 can determine a new scheduled departure time at the next departure point (i.e., the destination indicated by the previous vehicle dispatch reservation) based on the user's operation history information. That is, when the estimated stay time calculation unit 128 calculates the desired stay time at the destination based on the user's operation history information, the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 125 can determine a new scheduled departure time at the next departure point based on the calculated desired stay time. This makes it possible to estimate what time or time zone the user desired to depart at the destination, and to more accurately estimate the stay time required by the user.

[0057] The vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 125 may perform control so that, after proposing a new scheduled departure time to the user in a situation where the vehicle V is late to the destination, if the delay to the destination further increases, the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 125 proposes a new scheduled departure time to the user that is further delayed from the previously proposed scheduled departure time. This allows the user to know that the scheduled departure time has been further delayed due to the further delay of the vehicle V, and enables the user to accomplish their intended purpose at the destination in accordance with the new scheduled departure time.

[0058] 7A to 7C are flowcharts illustrating an example of a process for changing a scheduled departure time performed by a vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7B is a flowchart illustrating the process branched off from processing step S703 in FIG. 7A, and FIG. 7C is a flowchart illustrating the process branched off from processing step S704 in FIG. 7A. This process 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. It is assumed that, prior to the process for changing the scheduled departure time, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 allocates a vehicle V in the area covered by the vehicle dispatch service in response to a user's vehicle dispatch reservation request, and the user travels to the destination in the vehicle V. Furthermore, all vehicle dispatch reservations based on the vehicle dispatch requests are for the same day.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 1A, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 calculates a delay time to the destination indicated in the vehicle dispatch plan based on vehicle position information acquired from the traveling vehicle V (S701) and monitors whether a delay (arrival delay) has occurred relative to the originally scheduled arrival time at the destination (S702). For example, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 calculates the current position of the traveling vehicle V based on vehicle position information acquired from the traveling vehicle V at any time, predicts traffic flow along the traveling route of the vehicle V based on road traffic information acquired from the road traffic information management system 30, calculates the latest scheduled arrival time, and calculates the delay time based on the latest scheduled arrival time and the originally scheduled arrival time. Alternatively, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 may determine whether a delay has occurred relative to the originally scheduled arrival time when the vehicle V arrives at the destination. Furthermore, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 may determine that a delay has occurred based on a delay that is greater than or equal to a delay that a typical user would tolerate (e.g., 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, etc.).

[0060] When the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that vehicle V is late (Yes in S702), in this example, it first determines whether or not there is behavior history information of the user aboard vehicle V (S703). That is, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 refers to the user information database 12a and determines whether or not there is user behavior history information stored. When the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that there is no user behavior history information (No in S703), it next determines whether or not there is user operation history information (S704). That is, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 refers to the user information database 12a and determines whether or not there is user operation history information stored.

[0061] If the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that there is no user operation history information (No in S704), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines a new scheduled departure time from the departure point related to the destination based on the calculated delay time (S705). That is, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines a time that is delayed by the delay time from the original scheduled departure time as the new scheduled departure time.

[0062] On the other hand, if the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that the user's behavior history information is available (Yes in S703), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 subsequently determines whether the user's operation history information is available (S706 in FIG. 7B). In other words, in the present disclosure, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines the scheduled departure time based on a combination of the user's behavior history information and the presence or absence of operation history information. If the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that the user's operation history information is not available (No in S706), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 calculates an estimated stay time at the destination based on the user's behavior history information (S707).

[0063] Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 calculates the postponement time based on the calculated delay time and estimated stay time (S708). That is, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 calculates the postponement time by adding the delay time and estimated stay time to the original scheduled arrival time at the destination. Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 calculates the difference time between the original scheduled departure time from the departure point related to the destination and the calculated postponement time (S709). Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines whether the difference time exceeds a predetermined threshold (S710).

[0064] If the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that the differential time exceeds a predetermined threshold value (Yes in S710), it determines the calculated postponed time as the new scheduled departure time at the departure point (S711) and proceeds to processing step S719 in FIG. 7A described below. As a result, only when it is predicted that vehicle V will arrive late at the destination and that the user will not have enough time to stay until the scheduled departure time indicated in the next vehicle dispatch reservation, the scheduled departure time at the next departure point is postponed, thereby ensuring sufficient time for the user. Note that if the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that the differential time does not exceed the predetermined threshold value (No in S710), it terminates processing without postponing the new scheduled departure time.

[0065] On the other hand, if the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that there is user operation history information (Yes in S706), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines whether the user desired an earlier scheduled departure time from the departure location based on the operation history information (S712). For example, in the first vehicle dispatch reservation request, the scheduled arrival time at the destination is 9:30, and in the next vehicle dispatch reservation request, the user attempts to make a vehicle dispatch reservation request for departure from the next departure location at 10:10, but is unable to make a vehicle dispatch reservation at 10:10. If there is operation history information indicating a vehicle dispatch reservation request for another time, 10:20, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 may determine that the user desired an earlier scheduled departure time from the next departure location. If the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that the user does not desire an earlier scheduled departure time from the next departure location (No in S712), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 cannot determine the scheduled departure time using the user operation history information, and therefore proceeds to processing step S707 and performs the above-described processing.

[0066] On the other hand, if the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that the user desires an earlier scheduled departure time from the next departure location (Yes in S712), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 calculates the user's desired stay time based on the user's operation history information (S713). In other words, in the above example, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 calculates 40 minutes, from 9:30 to 10:10, as the user's desired stay time. Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines a new scheduled departure time from the next departure location based on the calculated desired stay time. That is, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines a new scheduled departure time by adding the calculated desired stay time to the original scheduled departure time from the departure location (S715).

[0067] 7A , when the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that there is user operation history information (Yes in S704), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines whether the user desired an earlier scheduled departure time from the departure location based on the operation history information (S715). When the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that the user desires an earlier scheduled departure time from the next departure location (Yes in S715), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 similarly calculates the user's desired stay time based on the user's operation history information (S716), and determines a new scheduled departure time by adding the calculated desired stay time to the original scheduled departure time at the departure location (S717).

[0068] On the other hand, if the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that the user does not desire an earlier scheduled departure time at the departure location (No in S713), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 cannot determine the scheduled departure time at the next departure location using the user's operation history information, and therefore proceeds to processing step S705 shown in Fig. 7A. That is, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines a new scheduled departure time at the next departure location based on the calculated late arrival time (S705).

[0069] After determining the new scheduled departure time through the above-described process, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 subsequently proposes to the user a change to the vehicle dispatch reservation based on the new scheduled departure time, for example, as shown in FIG. 5 (S718).

[0070] Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines whether the user has accepted the proposed change to the vehicle dispatch reservation (S719). If the user has accepted the proposed change to the vehicle dispatch reservation (Yes in S719), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 updates the vehicle dispatch reservation and updates the vehicle dispatch plan corresponding to the vehicle dispatch reservation (S721). Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 transmits operation instructions based on the updated vehicle dispatch plan to the vehicle V.

[0071] In addition, if the vehicle dispatch management device 10 receives a non-acceptance (rejection) from the user of the proposed vehicle dispatch plan (No in S719), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 will prioritize the user's wishes and will not change the scheduled departure time, even if a delay occurs.

[0072] As described above, according to this embodiment, in a vehicle dispatch service in response to a vehicle dispatch reservation request from a user who travels between multiple destinations, even if the vehicle V arrives late at the destination, the scheduled departure time at the next departure point related to the destination is postponed without the user having to make any additional changes to the vehicle dispatch reservation, thereby freeing the user from the hassle of changing the vehicle dispatch reservation and ensuring that the necessary and sufficient stay time at the destination is secured.

[0073] 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.

[0074] 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.

[0075] 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.

[0076] 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 reservation request acquisition unit 122... Travel route determination unit 123... Vehicle information acquisition unit 124... Vehicle selection unit 125... Vehicle dispatch plan creation unit 126... Operation instruction unit 127... Delay status judgment unit 128... Estimated stay time 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 12e... Vehicle dispatch reservation 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 reservation request, comprising: a vehicle dispatch plan creation unit that creates a vehicle dispatch plan based on the user's vehicle dispatch reservation request; an operation instruction unit that gives operation instructions to the vehicle in accordance with the vehicle dispatch plan; and a delay status determination unit that determines whether the vehicle is late relative to the original scheduled arrival time at the destination indicated in the vehicle dispatch plan, wherein when it is determined that a delay has occurred at the destination indicated in a first vehicle dispatch plan based on the user's first vehicle dispatch reservation request, the vehicle dispatch management device updates the second vehicle dispatch plan so as to postpone by a predetermined time the scheduled departure time from the departure point indicated in a second vehicle dispatch plan based on the user's previous second vehicle dispatch reservation request related to the destination.

2. The vehicle dispatch management device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit performs control so as to propose the new, postponed scheduled departure time to the user.

3. The vehicle dispatch management device according to claim 2, wherein the late arrival status determination unit calculates a delay time relative to the original scheduled arrival time at the destination.

4. The vehicle dispatch management device according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit determines the postponed time obtained by adding the delay time to the original scheduled arrival time as the new scheduled departure time at the departure point related to the destination.

5. The vehicle dispatch management device of claim 2, further comprising: a user information database that manages user information including behavioral history information regarding the user's past behavioral history; and an estimated stay time calculation unit that calculates the user's estimated stay time at the destination based on the behavioral history information of the user who made the vehicle dispatch reservation request.

6. The vehicle dispatch management device according to claim 5, wherein the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit determines the new scheduled departure time at the departure point associated with the destination based on the estimated stay time.

7. The vehicle dispatch management device described in claim 6, wherein the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit determines the postponed time as the new scheduled departure time at the destination when the difference in time between the postponed time obtained by adding the delay time and the estimated stay time to the original scheduled arrival time and the scheduled departure time at the departure point indicated by the second vehicle dispatch plan exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

8. The vehicle dispatch management device according to claim 7, wherein the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit performs control so as to propose the new scheduled departure time to the user when the difference time exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

9. The vehicle dispatch management device of claim 5, wherein, when the estimated stay time calculation unit does not calculate the estimated stay time, the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit determines the new scheduled departure time at the destination to be a delayed time obtained by adding the delay time relative to the original scheduled arrival time at the destination calculated by the late arrival situation determination unit to the original scheduled arrival time.

10. The vehicle dispatch management device described in claim 5, wherein the behavioral history information includes visit information regarding places visited by the user and the visit time at those places, the estimated stay time calculation unit calculates the estimated stay time based on the places and the visit time at those places indicated in the visit information of the user, and the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit determines a new scheduled departure time at the destination based on the estimated stay time.

11. A vehicle dispatch management device as described in claim 1, further comprising a vehicle dispatch reservation request acquisition unit that acquires the vehicle dispatch reservation request from the user, wherein the vehicle dispatch reservation request acquisition unit acquires operation history information of the user when the user makes the vehicle dispatch reservation request, and the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit determines the new scheduled departure time at the destination based on the operation history information.

12. The vehicle dispatch management device described in claim 3, wherein the vehicle dispatch plan creation unit performs control so that, if the delay time to the destination increases further after the new scheduled departure time has been proposed to the user, a new scheduled departure time that is further delayed from the previously proposed scheduled departure time is proposed to the user.

13. A vehicle dispatch management method by a vehicle dispatch management device that manages vehicle dispatch in response to a user's vehicle dispatch reservation request, comprising: creating a vehicle dispatch plan based on the user's vehicle dispatch reservation request; issuing operating instructions to the vehicle in accordance with the vehicle dispatch plan; and determining whether the vehicle is late in arriving at the destination indicated in the vehicle dispatch plan relative to its original scheduled arrival time; and when creating the vehicle dispatch plan determines that a delay has occurred at the destination indicated in a first vehicle dispatch plan based on the user's first vehicle dispatch reservation request, postpones, by a predetermined time, the scheduled departure time from the departure point indicated in a second vehicle dispatch plan based on a previous second vehicle dispatch reservation request of the user that is related to the destination; and updating the second vehicle dispatch plan based on the postponed scheduled departure time.

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