JP2019164432A - Car sharing system - Google Patents

Abstract

To perform matching considering that the drivable range is reduced while a user uses a riding space in a car sharing system assuming an electric vehicle needing periodical charging from the outside.SOLUTION: When it is determined that a drivable range A of a vehicle 4 is shorter than a moving distance B of a route from the current position to a destination of a riding applicant, a management center 1 notifies the driver of the vehicle 4 related to the determination of the riding application (step S4). The riding application notification includes contents of the service application request (i.e. riding position, destination, the riding planned number of persons, usage/not usage of a luggage space) and a prescribed alert (i.e. possibility of battery run-out on a route to the destination).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a car sharing system.

  US Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0351987 discloses a car sharing system. The system assigns the user to one of two groups based on the flexible request and the geographic area of the flexible user who sent the request. “Flexible” means that it can be a provider that provides the passenger with the riding space where he / she drove the vehicle, or a rider who uses the riding space of the vehicle of another person. The two groups are provider and rider groups. Flexible requirements include start position and destination. According to the distribution based on the flexible request and the geographical area, the user who has transmitted the request can play the role of a provider or a rider.

US Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0351987

  Consider a case where the provider and rider are different people in the car sharing system. In this case, a server on the Internet typically performs a matching process between the provider and the rider. In a typical matching process, for example, it is determined whether the start position and the destination desired by the rider are included in the route from the start position of the provider to the destination.

  However, in such a matching process, it is not considered that the cruising distance is shortened due to an increase in the weight of the vehicle accompanying the use of the passenger space. In addition, in the case of an electric vehicle that requires periodic power supply from the outside, it is not considered that the cruising range is limited. Therefore, in a car sharing system based on such an electric vehicle, there is a possibility that the destination of the rider cannot be reached due to a shortened cruising distance.

  The present invention has been made in view of the problems as described above, and in a car sharing system based on an electric vehicle that requires periodic external power supply, a cruising range is achieved by a rider using a riding space. The purpose is to perform matching in consideration of shortening of.

The present invention is a car sharing system for solving the above-described problems and has the following features.
The car sharing system includes a management server.
The management server performs a matching process between a provider that provides a riding space for a vehicle that the driver drives and a rider who desires to use the riding space.
The vehicle is an electric vehicle including a battery that needs periodic power supply from the outside.
In the matching process, the management server
Based on the total weight of the vehicle on which the rider rides and the battery storage information of the battery, the cruising distance of the vehicle is calculated,
Determining whether the cruising distance is shorter than the travel distance from the current location of the vehicle to the rider's destination;
When the cruising distance is shorter than the moving distance, at least a predetermined warning regarding the cruising distance is given to the provider.

  According to the present invention, when the cruising distance is shorter than the moving distance, at least a predetermined warning is given to the provider. The fact that the cruising distance is shorter than the travel distance means that when the rider gets on, there is a possibility of electric shortage on the way to the rider's destination. Therefore, a predetermined warning can be given to prompt the provider to avoid providing passenger space. Further, when it is desired to continue to provide a passenger space, the provider can be made aware of the necessity of power supply.

It is a figure explaining the structure of the system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the flow of the matching process which a management center performs.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, in the embodiment shown below, when referring to the number of each element, quantity, quantity, range, etc., unless otherwise specified or clearly specified in principle, the reference However, the present invention is not limited to these numbers. Further, the structures, steps, and the like described in the embodiments below are not necessarily essential to the present invention unless otherwise specified or clearly specified in principle.

1. Configuration of Car Sharing System A car sharing system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a provider (hereinafter also referred to as “driver”) that provides a riding space for a vehicle and a rider who desires to use the riding space (hereinafter referred to as “ It is also a system that realizes matching with a passenger who wants to get on. FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. A car sharing system 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a management center 1, a network (that is, the Internet) 2, a base station 3, a vehicle 4, and a mobile terminal 5.

  The management center 1 is a facility operated by an operator that provides a car sharing service. However, it is not necessary for the business center to be resident in the management center 1, and it is sufficient that at least a management server is installed. The management server is a computer having at least one processor and at least one memory. The management server may be composed of a plurality of computers. The memory of the management server stores at least one program for the car sharing service and various data.

  The management center 1 (management server) includes a large-capacity storage device such as an HDD or an SSD. Various databases are constructed in the storage device. The various databases include a database for accumulating information related to the driver and the rider and a database for accumulating status information of the vehicle 4. The information about the driver includes the driver ID information, the provision history of the car sharing service (for example, provision area, provision time, evaluation from the rider). The information related to the passenger who wishes to ride includes ID information of the passenger who wants to ride, usage history of the car sharing service (for example, usage area, usage time, evaluation from the driver) and the like. The status information includes travel information (for example, travel area, destination, diagnosis), battery information (for example, power storage rate SOC), weight information (for example, total weight of passengers and luggage including the driver), and the like.

  The management center 1 communicates with the vehicle 4 or the portable terminal 5 via the network 2. The vehicle 4 is an electric vehicle on which a driver gets. This electric vehicle is a vehicle that travels by periodically supplying power from an external power source at a public charging spot or the like. The portable terminal 5 is a wireless communication terminal owned by a rider or a driver. The communication standard for wireless communication used by the mobile terminal 5 may be a mobile communication standard such as 4G, LTE, or 5G. An application for using the car sharing service is installed in the mobile terminal 5. When the driver or the rider desires to start the application, the mobile terminal 5 is connected to the management center 1. Note that the mobile terminal 5 owned by the driver may be a wireless communication terminal provided in the vehicle 4 on which the driver gets.

  The management center 1 receives a service provision request from the mobile terminal 5 of the driver. The service provision request includes a service provision time, a service provision area, a passenger space availability, a luggage space availability, and the like. The management center 1 also receives a service use request from the portable terminal 5 of the passenger who wants to get on. The service use request includes a start point (boarding position), a destination (alighting position), the number of passengers to be boarded, whether or not a luggage space is used, and the like. The service use request may include information on the weight of the package to be transported and the weight of the rider who is scheduled to board.

2. Example of Car Sharing Service Flow When receiving a service use request, the management center 1 performs a matching process for selecting a vehicle 4 (or a driver of the vehicle 4) that most closely matches the request. An example of the flow of this matching process will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of matching processing performed by the management center 1. The routine shown in FIG. 2 is repeatedly executed every time the management center 1 receives a service use request.

  In the routine shown in FIG. 2, the management center 1 performs the vehicle 4 extraction process (step S1). The extraction process includes, for example, a determination process, an evaluation process, and a ranking process. In the determination process, for example, the destination information of the vehicle 4 is acquired from the travel information of the driver who transmitted the service provision request. Then, it is determined whether or not the distance between the destination of the vehicle 4 and the destination of the rider who is included in the service use request is less than a threshold value. In the determination process, it is also determined whether the vacant space of the vehicle 4 and the luggage space included in the service provision request satisfies the service use request. In the extraction process, the result of the determination process is evaluated. In the ranking process, the vehicles 4 are arranged in descending order of evaluation in the evaluation process.

  Following step S1, the management center 1 performs a calculation process of the cruising range A (step S2). In the calculation process, first, the cruising distance A is calculated when the rider desires to get on each of the vehicles 4 extracted by the extraction process. The cruising range A is calculated based on a function having the total weight of the vehicle 4 and the storage ratio SOC as variables. The total weight includes the weight of the vehicle 4 itself and the weight of the driver and the rider (if predicted, based on ID information (for example, age and sex) if there is no weight information). When the service use request includes usage request information for the luggage space, the total weight includes the weight of the luggage (or the general luggage weight if there is no weight information).

  Subsequent to step S2, the management center 1 determines whether or not the cruising distance A is shorter than the travel distance B of the route from the current location of the vehicle 4 to the destination of the rider (step S3). This determination process is performed in order from the vehicle 4 that is highly evaluated in the ranking process. The current location information of the vehicle 4 is acquired from the status information of the vehicle 4. The destination information of the rider is the destination included in the service use request. The route from the current location of the vehicle 4 to the destination of the person who wants to board includes the start position (boarding position) of the person who wants to board as a transit point.

  In step S3, when it is determined that the cruising distance A is shorter than the travel distance B, the management center 1 notifies the driver of the vehicle 4 related to the determination of boarding (step S4). This request for boarding includes the contents of the service use request (that is, the boarding position, the destination, the number of passengers to be boarded, whether or not the luggage space is used, etc.) and a predetermined warning (that is, heading to the destination of the passenger who wants to board There is a possibility of electric shortage on the way). The boarding request notification may include information indicating that the service usage fee can be discounted in the event of a power failure.

  Even when it is determined in step S3 that the cruising distance A is longer than the movement distance B, the management center 1 notifies the driver of the vehicle 4 related to the determination of a ride request (step S5). However, this boarding request notification includes only the contents of the service use request.

  Following step S4, the management center 1 determines whether or not the driver of the vehicle 4 related to the notification accepts the notification content (step S6). When the driver accepts the notification content, the management center 1 selects the vehicle 4 related to the notification as a candidate vehicle that provides the current service (step S7). On the other hand, if the driver does not accept the notification content, the management center 1 excludes the vehicle 4 related to the notification from the candidate vehicles that provide the current service (step S8). When the process of step S8 is performed, the management center 1 returns to the process of step S3. In this step S3, a determination process related to the cruising distance A is performed for the vehicle 4 that is rated next to the vehicle 4 excluded from the candidate vehicles.

  Processing similar to the processing in steps S6 to S8 is also performed in steps S9 to S11. That is, following step S5, the management center 1 determines whether or not the driver of the vehicle 4 related to the notification accepts the notification content (step S9). When the driver accepts the notification content, the management center 1 selects the vehicle 4 related to the notification as a candidate vehicle that provides the current service (step S10). On the other hand, when the driver does not consent, the management center 1 excludes the vehicle 4 related to the notification from the candidate vehicles that provide the current service (step S11).

  Following step S7, the management center 1 sends a candidate vehicle notification to the rider who has transmitted the service use request (step S12). In this candidate vehicle notification, information on the vehicle providing the service (for example, the boarding position and the estimated arrival time at the destination, the availability of the passenger space and the luggage space), and a predetermined warning (ie, heading to the destination) There is a possibility of electric shortage on the way). The candidate vehicle notification may include information indicating that the service usage fee can be discounted in the event of a power shortage.

  Subsequent to step S12, the management center 1 determines whether or not the person who wants to get on the notification approves the notification content (step S13). When the rider wishes to accept, the management center 1 determines that matching has been established (step S14). In this case, the management center 1 notifies the driver of the vehicle 4 related to the notification that matching has been established. On the other hand, if the rider does not consent, the management center 1 determines that the matching is not established (step S15). In this case, the management center 1 notifies the driver of the vehicle 4 related to the notification that the matching has not been established, and returns to the process of step S3.

  Processing similar to the processing in steps S12 to S15 is also performed in steps S16 to S19. That is, following step S10, the management center 1 notifies a candidate vehicle who has transmitted the service use request (step S16). However, this candidate vehicle notification includes only information on the vehicle providing the service. In addition, following step S16, the management center 1 determines whether or not the boarding applicant related to the notification accepts the notification content (step S17). When the rider wishes to accept, the management center 1 determines that matching has been established (step S18). In this case, the management center 1 notifies the driver of the vehicle 4 related to the notification that matching has been established. On the other hand, if the rider does not consent, the management center 1 determines that the matching is not established (step S19). In this case, the management center 1 notifies the driver of the vehicle 4 related to the notification that the matching has not been established, and returns to the process of step S3.

3. Effects of Car Sharing System In the car sharing system according to the embodiment described above, when the cruising distance A is shorter than the movement distance B, a predetermined warning is given to both the driver involved in the service and the rider. Therefore, it is possible to notify the driver of the possibility of electric shortage and to urge the driver to avoid providing the service. In addition, if the user wishes to continue providing services, the driver can be made aware of the need for power supply. Furthermore, even if the driver desires to provide a service, the rider can be notified of the possibility of electric shortage, and the rider can be prompted to select another vehicle. From the above, according to the car sharing system according to the embodiment, the convenience of both the driver and the rider can be enhanced.

1 Management Center 2 Network (Internet)
3 base station 4 vehicle 5 portable terminal 10 car sharing system

Claims (1)

A car sharing system comprising a management server that performs a matching process between a provider that provides a riding space for a vehicle that the driver drives and a rider that desires to use the riding space,
The vehicle is an electric vehicle including a battery that needs periodic power supply from the outside,
In the matching process, the management server
Based on the total weight of the vehicle on which the rider rides and the battery storage information of the battery, the cruising distance of the vehicle is calculated,
Determining whether the cruising distance is shorter than the travel distance from the current location of the vehicle to the rider's destination;
When the cruising distance is shorter than the moving distance, at least a predetermined warning regarding the cruising distance is given to the provider.

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