EP3256997A1

EP3256997A1 - Method for locating available sites

Info

Publication number: EP3256997A1
Application number: EP16704143.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Guillaume HUGLA
Original assignee: Bluecarsharing SAS
Current assignee: Bluecarsharing SAS
Priority date: 2015-02-09
Filing date: 2016-01-28
Publication date: 2017-12-20
Also published as: SG11201706025XA; FR3032542A1; US20180087923A1; FR3032542B1; WO2016128222A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method (200) for locating at least one available site from among a plurality of sites, comprising the following steps: identification (202) of a pre-determined number of available sites closest to a reference position; and display (210), in a display window, of the positions of the sites identified on a map. The method is characterised in that it comprises an automatic adjustment (208) of the display scale of the map according to: at least one dimension of the display window; and at least one distance separating at least one of the identified sites from the reference position, such that the identified sites are all displayed in the display window. The invention also relates to methods for reserving a vehicle, a parking space and a route using such a location method.

Description

"Method of locating available sites"

The present invention relates to a method for locating at least one available site among a plurality of sites distributed in space. It also relates to methods for reserving a vehicle and a parking space in the context of an automated vehicle rental installation, implementing such a location method.

The field of the invention is the field of identification of an available site among a plurality of sites distributed in space, and in particular man-machine interfaces to assist a user during such a location.

State of the art

Automated vehicle leasing is a growing field. Agglomerations wishing to reduce the number of vehicles on their territory implement automated rental systems for vehicles, such as for example electric cars or bicycles.

These facilities include rental sites distributed in the space to rent a vehicle or deposit a vehicle at the end of rental. However, the capacity of each rental site is limited, it is not sure that this or that rental site is available to rent a vehicle or deposit a vehicle at the end of rental.

More generally, as part of a service rendered in a plurality of sites distributed in space, it becomes necessary to inform a user on the availability of a particular site, to prevent the user to visit a site which ultimately will not be available.

There are known methods for informing a user with the geographical location of the sites rendering a specific service by displaying the position of these sites on a geographical map, for example via an application for Smartphone.

However, these methods simply display the geographical position of the sites concerned on a raw map. The user must then manipulate the map and the display scale of the map, to be able to position itself on said map. Next, the user must interpret the information displayed in association with each site to determine if a site is available and select it. All these steps can be complex for an inexperienced user, are time-consuming, uncomfortable and delay the identification of an available site.

An object of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.

Another object of the invention is to propose a method for faster localization of an available site among a plurality of sites.

Another object of the invention is to propose a method of locating an available site among a plurality of sites, less time-consuming and more ergonomic for the user.

Finally, another object of the invention is to propose a method for locating an available site among a plurality of sites, which is simpler to understand and to use for the user.

Presentation of the invention

The invention proposes to achieve at least one of the aforementioned aims by a location method, in particular for identifying and displaying the geographical position, of at least one available site among a plurality of sites distributed in space and capable of each being in an available or unavailable state, with respect to a reference geographical position, said method comprising the following steps:

automated identification, among said plurality of sites, of a predetermined number of available sites closest to said reference position, as a function of location data of said sites, and of at least one piece of data, called state data, indicating for each site the availability or not of said site; and

displaying, in a display window, in particular on a display screen of an apparatus, positions of said sites identified on a geographical map; characterized in that it comprises an automatic adjustment of the display scale of said geographical map according to:

at least one dimension of said display window; and

at least one distance separating at least one of said identified sites from said reference position;

so that said identified sites are displayed in said display window.

Thus, the method according to the invention makes it possible to identify and display directly, for example following a request from the user, the geographical positions of the available sites in the display window. Thus, in all cases, the user will see an available site among the plurality of sites and will not have to interact with the display window to identify an available site. The location of an available site among a plurality of sites is made less time consuming and less complex thanks to the method according to the invention.

In addition, the method according to the invention makes it possible to adapt the display scale of the map on which the available sites are located as a function of the distance separating the available sites from the reference position, and possibly the distance between said sites available. Thus, the user has each time a display scale adapted to appreciate the distance with each of the available sites, which is more ergonomic, and to make his choice faster.

According to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the sites distributed in space can be part of the same installation, such as for example an automated rental facility for electric vehicles in which each site is a rental station for taking a vehicle. renting and / or depositing a vehicle at the end of the rental.

Alternatively, the distributed sites may be sites independent of each other but rendering the same service or a similar service.

In any case, each site can be connected to a central server so that the availability data of each site can be accessed via or from said central server. Preferably, the adjustment of the display scale may comprise a determination, then a selection, of a larger display scale allowing the display of the geographical location of the most distant identified site among the identified available sites. .

Thus, the user can benefit from maximum detail while viewing all available sites identified, which is ergonomic for the user and can accelerate the choice of an available site. The display step may further comprise a display, in the display window, of at least one, in particular of each, unavailable site and closer to the reference position compared to the site farthest from the reference position among the identified available sites.

Such a display of an unavailable site may be made distinct from the available sites, for example by using a color distinct from that used for the available sites, and / or by the use of a symbol of smaller size compared to the size of a symbol used for available sites. According to a particularly advantageous characteristic, the identification step can be carried out progressively in increments of increasing distance from the reference position, by incrementing a predetermined distance value.

For example, the identification of the available sites can be performed among a first group of sites at a distance less than or equal to AD relative to the reference position. When a predetermined number of available sites are identified among this first group of sites, then it is not necessary to consult the other sites. In the opposite case, that is to say when it is not possible to identify a predetermined number of sites available in this first group of sites, then the identification step takes into account a second group of sites. finding a distance between AD and 2AD relative to the reference position, and so on. Of course, the increment of distance, that is to say the value AD, can be fixed or variable at each iteration.

In addition, the distance increment can be adjustable:

- by the user, and / or

- by an operator, and / or

by a remote server, for example a central management server of an automated vehicle rental installation when the method according to the invention is implemented within the framework of such an installation.

Thus, the method according to the invention makes it possible to carry out an identification of a predetermined number of available sites by consuming less time and fewer resources compared to a situation in which all the sites are considered. In addition, the identification step may only take into account sites that are at a distance less than or equal to a maximum distance from the reference position.

Indeed, there is a very strong probability that when an available site is too far from the reference position, then the user will not select it. In this case, the interest of displaying such a site is very low, or even zero. The method according to the invention therefore makes it possible not to take into account the sites too far from the reference position and thus to reduce the resources and the time required for the execution of the method according to the invention.

The maximum distance can advantageously be adjustable:

- by the user, and / or

- by an operator, and / or

by a remote server, for example a central management server of an automated vehicle rental installation when the method according to the invention is implemented in the context of such an installation;

for example, according to a user profile, which makes it possible to customize the process to each user. In a similar way, the predetermined number of sites can be adjustable:

- by the user, and / or

- by an operator, and / or

depending for example on a user profile or a geographical area in which the reference position is located.

Preferably, the predetermined number of available sites is greater than 1, and more particularly equal to 3. According to a preferred embodiment, the reference position can be a fixed position on the fly, in particular in real time, in an automated manner. function of geographical location data provided by a device implementing said method, for example a smartphone, a tablet, a phablette, etc.

Such geographic location data may be provided by a GPS module equipping such a device or by triangulation.

According to an alternative embodiment, the reference position may be a position previously indicated and common to several iterations of the method according to the invention.

In this case, the determination of the reference position can be carried out by automated reading of data representing said previously entered and stored position, for example within a user device or in a remote server in association with an identifier of the user. .

According to yet another embodiment, the method according to the invention may further comprise a step of indicating by the user of the reference position. According to a first exemplary embodiment, the indication of the reference position can be performed by selecting a reference position from among a plurality of geographical positions previously filled in and stored in a user device or in a remote server. Such a selection may for example be performed within a menu or a list, in particular scrolling (e), displayed on a display screen. The selection can be made using a pointing device or by touch on a touch screen.

Alternatively or in addition, the reference position can be entered by the user, either through a keyboard or by pointing to a geographical map made using a pointing device or by touch on a touch screen.

When the method comprises a selection of the reference position in a list or a menu, in particular a drop-down menu, the position in said list or in said menu, of at least one geographical position can be adjusted according to the current geographical position or of the present time.

For example, when the current geographical position corresponds to, or is close to, a business address, it is quite possible that the reference position corresponds to this business address or to a personal address previously entered. These two addresses can be added to the list to speed up their selection.

According to another example, when the process is performed in the morning, respectively in the evening, it is quite possible that the reference position corresponds to a personal address, respectively professional. This address can be added to the list to speed up its selection.

Advantageously, the method according to the invention may further comprise, for at least one identified available site, a step:

determining a distance separating said identified available site from the reference position, and displaying said distance in association with said identified available site, for example in or near the display window.

Such a distance advantageously corresponds to a route distance between the reference position and said site, for example when said route is made on foot.

The method according to the invention can advantageously be used for the identification of an automated rental site of available vehicles comprising:

- a vehicle available for rental, relative to a reference position, said departure; or

- a parking space available to deposit a rented vehicle, relative to a reference position, said arrival;

in an automated vehicle rental facility comprising a plurality of rental sites for renting a vehicle and / or for the removal of a rented vehicle. According to another aspect of the same invention, there is provided a method of reserving a vehicle as part of an automated vehicle rental facility comprising a plurality of automated vehicle rental stations distributed in space, characterized in that what he understands:

a location of at least one available station comprising at least one vehicle available for rental, according to the location method according to the invention;

- a selection of an available station, and

a reservation of at least one vehicle for rental in said selected station, for example by storing, in a database, data relating to a user in association with an identifier of said selected station or a vehicle present in said selected station. According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for reserving a parking space as part of an automated vehicle rental facility comprising a plurality of rental stations distributed in space, each station comprising at least one parking space, said method comprising the following steps:

a location of at least one available station comprising at least one available parking slot, according to the localization method according to the invention,

- a selection of an available station, and

a reservation of at least one parking space in said selected station, for example by storing, in a database, data relating to a user in association with an identifier of said selected station or a location of parking in said selected station.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of reserving a path, as part of an automated vehicle rental facility comprising a plurality of automated rental stations of vehicles distributed in space, said method comprising the following steps:

- Reservation of a vehicle in an available station, with respect to a reference position, said departure, according to the method of reserving a vehicle according to the invention, and

reservation of a parking space in an available station, with respect to a so-called arrival reference position, according to the method of reserving a location according to the invention.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer application for:

a portable device, in particular of the Smartphone, tablet or phablette type, or a fixed apparatus, of the fixed computer or terminal type;

private or public, including instructions executable by said apparatus for implementing all the steps of the method of locating, and / or the method of reserving a vehicle, and / or the method of reserving a parking space, and or the method for reserving a path according to the invention.

Description of the Figures and Embodiments

Other advantages and characteristics will appear on examining the detailed description of non-limiting embodiments, and the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an automated vehicle rental installation implementing the method according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation in the form of a diagram of a method for locating at least one available site according to the invention;

FIGURES 3a and 3b are diagrammatic representations of a display window obtained by the method of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic representation in the form of a diagram of an exemplary method for reserving a vehicle implementing the method of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic representation in the form of a diagram of an exemplary method of reserving a parking space implementing the method of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic representation in the form of a diagram of an exemplary method for reserving a path.

It is understood that the embodiments that will be described in the following are in no way limiting. It will be possible to imagine variants of the invention comprising only a selection of characteristics described subsequently isolated from the other characteristics described, if this selection of features is sufficient to confer a benefit technique or to differentiate the invention from the state of the prior art. This selection comprises at least one feature preferably functional without structural details, or with only a part of the structural details if this part alone is sufficient to confer a technical advantage or to differentiate the invention from the state of the prior art.

In particular, all the variants and all the embodiments described are combinable with each other if nothing stands in the way of this combination on a technical level.

In the figures and in the following description, the elements common to several figures retain the same reference.

The examples described below relate to an automated rental of electric cars on several rental sites. Although extended, the invention is not limited to use in such an installation.

FIGURE 1 is a schematic representation of an automated car rental facility in which the invention may be implemented.

The installation 100 represented in FIG. 1 comprises a central site 102 connected to several sites - or stations - 104i-104 _n , called rental, through a wireless communication network 106, for example GPRS, or a wired network, for example of the DSL or LAN type. Preferably, each site 104 is connected to the central site 102 via the two separate networks, allowing a continuous connection even if one of the networks is faulty.

Each rental site 104 includes a rental terminal 110 for the rental of a vehicle and a plurality of charging terminals 112-116, each charging terminal being provided for charging a vehicle equipped with an electric battery to a parking space, to know the parking spaces 118-122.

Some rental sites 104 also include a subscription terminal 108 for registering a new subscriber. Each parking location of a rental site 104 comprises a presence detector model 124-128, namely weighing means, a camera and / or an infrared sensor and / or an electrical connection detector with a vehicle. and / or a radar, connected to the rental terminal 110 of the rental site 104.

The central site 102 can be connected directly to each of the terminals of a rental site 104 through the network 106 or only to the subscription terminal and / or to the rental terminal and / or charging terminals 112. 116.

At least two terminals of a rental site are connected between them through a wired connection (not shown).

The central site 102 includes a central management server 132, a synthesis module 134 and a communication module 136, which is central.

Central site 102 further includes a database 138 in which are stored:

- in association with the identifier of a vehicle offered for hire, the identifier of the user to whom this vehicle is rented / reserved, possibly the state (rented / libre / in maintenance / reserved) for each vehicle,

- in association with the identifier of a parking space 118-122, the identifier of the user to whom this location is reserved for depositing a vehicle at the end of the lease, possibly the status (reserved / occupied / free) for each parking space 118-122,

in association with an identifier of a station 104, the state of deviation of this station,

in association with an identifier of a user, data representing at least one preferential value of a parameter associated with this user.

The central site 102 is in communication with electric vehicles _140i-140m during the rental period, via the central communication module 136 and a 142 _m-142i communication box, d it vehicle, arranged in each vehicles, through a network of wireless communication 144, for example GPRS, which may be the same as the communication network 106.

Through the central communication module 136 and the vehicle communication boxes 142, the central site 102 exchanges data with each of the vehicles 140.

Each vehicle communication box 142 is in connection with a user interface (not shown), for example an interface of a vehicle geolocation device, which may include a touch screen, to display the data on a map and to take account the data entries made by the user of the vehicle 140.

Each rental station 104 includes a database 146 in which is recorded the reserved state or not of each parking location 118-122 of the rental site 104. This database 146 also stores the availability status of each location parking, namely occupied or free.

A user 148 is able to interact with the installation 100, in particular with the remote site 102, and even more particularly with the server 132, via:

- a terminal at a rental station, and in particular the rental terminal 108,

the user interface of each vehicle 140, and / or

an application executed for example on a portable user device 150 of the Smartphone type.

Therefore, the method according to the invention, and in particular the embodiments described below can be implemented both at a rental site, in a vehicle or through the device 150.

However, to avoid red tape, the examples described hereinafter are supposed to be performed through a portable user device, such as the apparatus 150.

In an automated vehicle rental facility, at each site are associated with at least two status data: - a condition data, called vehicle, indicating the availability or not of a site for renting a vehicle: the site is available if there is at least one vehicle available for rent, and not available on the other hand ; and

- a state data, known as the location, indicating the availability or not of a site for the removal of a vehicle at the end of the lease: the site is available if there is at least one available parking space for depositing the site vehicle, and not available otherwise.

Therefore, when the method of locating an available site according to the invention is executed to identify sites available to take a rented vehicle, the status data taken into account is the vehicle state data. When the method of locating an available site according to the invention is executed to identify sites available to deposit a rented vehicle, the state data taken into account is the location status data.

Each state data may be binary data, for example 1 for available and 0 for unavailable. Alternatively, each piece of data may be data that can take several values, and in particular the number of vehicles available for the vehicle state data, and the number of locations available for the location status data.

FIGURE 2 is a schematic representation as a diagram of an exemplary method for locating an available site and particularly an automated rental station provided among _n stations 104i-104.

FIGURES 3a and 3b are diagrammatic representations of a display window on a display screen, in particular a touch screen, of an apparatus, for example the apparatus 150, and obtained by the method 200.

The method 200 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a step 202 of sending a request for locating available sites, for example by starting an application or by pressing a button of an application that is running. Following step 202, a step 204 determines the reference position to be used to realize the location of available sites.

According to a first embodiment, the reference position can be determined automatically. For example, when the reference position corresponds to the current position of the user, i.e., the location of the user, step 204 may include automated detection of the reference position, provided for example by a geolocation module equipping the device 150. Alternatively, or in addition, the reference position can be determined automatically according to the current time. For example, when it is 18:00 a day of the week, the probability is high for the user is at his place of work, previously informed. In this case, the geographical position of its workplace is automatically selected as the reference position.

According to another embodiment, and whatever the reference position, the step 204 may include a user input of a reference position:

- by entering the position through a keyboard,

- by entering the position or address within a list of previously filled positions, and / or

- when the user device allows it, by pointing a position on a map displayed on a screen, for example touch screen, of the user device.

FIG. 3a is an example of a display screen comprising a display window 300 in which the reference position 302 is displayed. In the example shown, the reference position 302 is indicated by the user, on the map, by touch selection through a touch screen display.

Once the reference position has been determined, the method 200 comprises a step 206 for identifying a predetermined number, denoted X, of available sites closest to the reference position.

To do this, step 206 proceeds by iteration based on a distance criterion with respect to the reference position. Availability data for a first group of sites at a lower distance or equal to AD relative to the reference position are loaded. Starting from the site closest to the reference position, the availability of each site in the first group is tested. If the site is identified as available then its identifier is stored in a first list. Otherwise, its identifier is stored in a second list.

A site is available if the status data of this site indicates that it is available. To determine if a site is available, the process checks the status data for that site.

As soon as X available sites are identified in the first group, it is terminated at step 206 and it is not necessary to consult the other sites. In the opposite case, the data relating to a second group of sites lying at a distance between AD and 2AD relative to the reference position are loaded and then tested. These operations are repeated so on, until the nearest X sites available are identified.

When the nearest available X sites are identified, the method 200 includes a step 208 of adjusting the display scale. This step 208 determines as a function of the dimensions of a display window and the distance separating the reference position and the farthest site stored in the first list during step 206, the largest scale of display. a geographical map for displaying the sites of said first list in said display window.

In a step 210, the geographical positions of the sites that are part of the first list are displayed in the display window on a display screen of the user device, for example by means of a symbol displayed in FIG. level of their geographical positions on a geographical map. Optionally, unavailable sites tested in step 206 and whose identifiers are stored in the second list can also be displayed, with a symbol that differentiates them from available sites, for example by its color and size.

In addition, the method 200 may comprise during the display step 210 or during an additional display step, a display for each available site of the number of available vehicles, or available parking spaces, on said available site.

The method 200 may further comprise, for each available site, a step 212 for calculating and displaying a distance between said available site and the reference geographical position.

FIGURE 3b is an example of a display screen obtained at the end of the method 200. The map displayed on the display screen in FIGURE 3b shows, in addition to the reference position 302, the geographical position of each available site 304i-304 ₃ , in the case where X = 3, with for each available list the number of vehicles, respectively parking spaces available.

On the display screen, under the map displayed in the display window 300, is displayed a list 306 of the names of the available sites 304i-304 ₃ with for each available site 304i-304 ₃ the distance between said available site 304i -304 ₃ and the reference position 302.

The map also includes a display of the geographical position of each unavailable site 308i-308 ₃ .

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic representation in the form of a diagram of an exemplary method for reserving a vehicle implementing method 200 of FIGURE 2.

The method 400 shown in FIG. 4 comprises a step 402 for identifying and displaying the sites available for taking a rented vehicle, in accordance with the method 200 shown in FIG. 2, with respect to a reference position, referred to as a departure position. . This starting reference position can be determined according to any of the possibilities described above with reference to step 204.

The state data taken into account to determine the availability or not of each site as part of the process of reserving a vehicle is the vehicle state data, described above.

Step 402 identifies and displays a predetermined number of sites, for example three sites, where the user can rent a vehicle. During a step 404, the user selects an available site from the available sites proposed in step 402.

Following this selection, the method 400 comprises a step 406 of reserving a vehicle. Such a reservation may for example be made by storing an identification data item associated with the user with identification data associated with an available vehicle located on the selected site. This memorization can be performed at the level of the available site or at a central site.

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic representation in the form of a diagram of an exemplary method of reserving a parking space embodying the method 200 of FIGURE 2.

The method 500 shown in FIGURE 5 comprises a step 502 of identifying and displaying the available sites for depositing a rental vehicle, in accordance with the method 200 shown in FIGURE 2, with respect to a reference position, referred to as arrival. This arrival reference position can be determined according to any of the possibilities described above with reference to step 204.

The status data taken into account for determining the availability or not of a site as part of the parking location reservation process is the location status data described above.

Step 502 identifies and displays a predetermined number of sites, for example three sites, including at least one available parking slot where the user can deposit a vehicle at the end of the lease.

In a step 504, the user selects an available site from the available sites proposed in step 502.

Following this selection, the method 500 comprises a step 506 for reserving a parking space. Such a reservation may for example be made by storing an identification data item associated with the user with identification data associated with an available parking space located on the selected site. This memorization can be performed at the level of the available site or at a central site. FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic representation in the form of a diagram of an exemplary method of reserving a path as part of an automated vehicle rental facility.

The method 600 comprises a step 602 for reserving a vehicle with respect to a starting reference geographical position, according to the method 400 described with reference to FIG. 4.

The method 600 then comprises a step 604 of reserving a parking space with respect to an arrival reference geographic position, according to the method 500 described with reference to FIGURE 5.

Naturally, the invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described.

Claims

A method (200) for locating at least one available site (304) among a plurality of spatially distributed sites (104) that may each be in an available or unavailable state, relative to a geographic position (302), said reference method, said method (200) comprising the following steps:

- identifying (206) among said plurality of sites (104), a predetermined number of available sites (304) closest to said reference position (302), based on location data of said sites (104) , and at least one piece of data, called state, indicating for each site (104) the availability or not of said site (104); and

displaying (210), in a display window (300), positions of said identified sites (304) on a geographical map; characterized in that it comprises an automatic adjustment (208) of the display scale of said geographical map according to:

at least one dimension of said display window (300); and

at least one distance separating at least one of said identified sites (304) from said reference position (302);

so that said identified sites (304) are all displayed in said display window (300).

2) Method (200) according to claim 1, characterized in that the adjustment comprises a determination of a larger display scale for displaying the position of the furthest identified site among the identified sites (304). ).

3) Method (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the display step (210) further comprises a display, in the display window (300), of at least one site not available (308) which is closer to said reference position (302) compared to the site furthest from said reference position (302) from the identified available sites (304). 4) Method (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the identification step (206) is performed progressively in increments (s) of increasing distance from the reference position (302), by incrementing a predetermined distance value.

5) Method (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the identification step (206) only takes into account the sites (104) at a distance less than or equal to a maximum distance relative to the reference position (302).

6) Method (200) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the maximum distance is adjustable:

- by the user (148), and / or

- by an operator, and / or

by a remote server (132), for example a central server (132) for managing an automated vehicle rental facility (100) when said method (200) is implemented as part of such an installation ( 100).

7) Method (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the predetermined number of sites is adjustable. 8) Method (200) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said predetermined number is adjustable:

- by the user (148), and / or

- by an operator, and / or

by a remote server (132), for example a central server (132) for managing an automated vehicle rental facility (100) when said method (200) is implemented as part of such an installation ( 100). 9) Method (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reference position (302) is a position determined on the fly automatically according to geographical location data of a device implementing said method (200).

10) Method (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the reference position (302) is a position previously indicated.

11) Method (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it further comprises a step of indicating by the user of the reference position (302) by selecting said reference position from a plurality of previously entered geographic positions or by input of said reference position (302).

12) Method (200) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the reference position is selected from a list displayed on a display screen displaying the display window.

13) Method (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises, for at least one identified available site (304), a step (212):

determining a distance separating said available site (304) identified from the reference position (302), and

displaying said distance in association with said identified available site (304).

The use of the method (200) according to any of the preceding claims for identifying an available automated vehicle rental site (104) comprising:

- a vehicle available for rental, relative to a reference position, said departure; or - a parking space available to deposit a rented vehicle, relative to a reference position, said arrival;

in an automated vehicle rental facility (100) comprising a plurality of rental sites (104) for renting a vehicle and / or for removing a rented vehicle.

A method (400) for reserving a vehicle as part of an automated vehicle rental facility (100) comprising a plurality of automated vehicle rental (104) stations distributed in space, characterized in that that he understands:

- a location (402) of at least one station (104) available comprising at least one vehicle available for rental, according to the method (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, - a selection (404) of a station (104) available, and

- a reservation (406) of at least one vehicle for rental, in said selected station.

A method (500) for reserving a parking location as part of an automated vehicle rental facility (100) comprising a plurality of rental stations (104) distributed in space, each station (104) ) comprising at least one parking space, characterized in that it comprises:

a location (502) of at least one available station (104) comprising at least one available parking space, according to the method (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 13,

a selection (504) of an available station (104), and

- a reservation (506) of at least one parking space in said selected station.

17) A path reservation method (600) as part of an automated vehicle rental facility (100) comprising a plurality of stations (104) for automated rental of vehicles distributed in space, characterized in that it comprises:

a reservation (602) of a vehicle in an available station, with respect to a so-called departure reference position, according to the method for reserving a vehicle according to claim 15, and

a reservation (604) of a parking space in an available station, with respect to a so-called arrival reference position, according to the method of reserving a location according to claim 16.

18) Computer application for

a portable device, in particular of the Smartphone, tablet or phablette type; or

a fixed apparatus, of the fixed computer or terminal type;

private or public, comprising the instructions executable by said apparatus for carrying out all the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13 and 15 to 17, or for use of the method according to claim 14.