JP2023136407A - Seating position determination device and seating position determination method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a technique that is able to appropriately determine a seating position for each passenger in a vehicle on which a plurality of passengers ride.SOLUTION: An exemplary seating position determination device of the present invention, which is a seating position determination device that determines seating positions for a plurality of passengers getting on a vehicle, includes a processing unit that acquires a planned boarding position and a planned alighting position for each of the plurality of passengers. The processing unit determines a travel route passing through the planned boarding position and the planned alighting position of each of the plurality of passengers; based on the travel route and the planned boarding position and the planned alighting position of each of the plurality of passengers, determines the seating position so as to satisfy a predetermined condition; and, after the determination of the seating position, determines whether the seating position satisfying the predetermined condition is established or not by a boarding and alighting order change process of changing a boarding and alighting order for at least some of the plurality of passengers.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a technique for determining seating positions when a plurality of passengers are carried in a vehicle.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a seating position determining device that allows any one of a plurality of users (passengers) in a vehicle to easily get off the vehicle (for example, see Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, the seating position determination unit determines the seating position of a plurality of users according to the order of getting off the vehicle so that when any one of the plurality of users gets off the vehicle, the seating position of another user among the plurality of users is not crossed. Determining the seating positions of each of the users.

JP2020-86942A

For example, when determining the seating position of each passenger after determining the driving route so as to pass through each passenger's scheduled boarding and disembarking positions in the shortest possible time, all passengers can get on and off without passing in front of other passengers. In some cases, it may not be possible to determine the seating position while satisfying the conditions that the seating position be met. Even if it is not possible to completely satisfy the desired conditions, it is considered preferable to satisfy the desired conditions as much as possible.

In view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique that can appropriately determine the seating position of a passenger in a vehicle that carries a plurality of passengers.

An exemplary seating position determining device of the present invention is a seating position determining device that determines the seating positions of a plurality of passengers boarding a vehicle, and acquires the scheduled boarding position and scheduled alighting position of each of the plurality of passengers. It includes a processing section. The processing unit determines a traveling route passing through the scheduled boarding position and the scheduled disembarkation position of each of the plurality of passengers, and based on the traveling route and the scheduled boarding position and the scheduled disembarkation position of each of the plurality of passengers, The seating position is determined so as to satisfy a predetermined condition, and after the determination of the seating position, the seating position that satisfies the predetermined condition is established through a boarding/disembarking order changing process of changing the boarding/disembarking order of at least some of the plurality of passengers. Determine whether or not.

According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to appropriately determine the seating position of a passenger in a vehicle carrying a plurality of passengers.

Block diagram showing the schematic configuration of the vehicle dispatch management system Block diagram showing the configuration of the seating position determination device Flowchart illustrating the flow of a seating position determination method in the seating position determination device Diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle assumed to explain how to determine the seating position Diagram showing the first boarding and alighting pattern of multiple passengers scheduled to board a vehicle Diagram showing a second boarding and alighting pattern for multiple passengers scheduled to board a vehicle A schematic diagram illustrating a case where a seating position that satisfies a predetermined condition is established by the boarding order change process A block diagram showing a functional configuration of a processing unit included in a seating position determining device according to a modification example. Flowchart illustrating the flow of processing related to resetting executed by the seating position determining device according to the modified example

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

<1. Vehicle dispatch management system＞
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle allocation management system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle allocation management system 100 is suitable for on-demand transportation services. The vehicle allocation management system 100 is particularly suitable for on-demand transportation services in which routes can be freely designed according to reservation status. The vehicle allocation management system 100 is an embodiment of a vehicle allocation management system including the seating position determination device of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle allocation management system 100 includes a seating position determining device 1, a vehicle device 2, and a reservation terminal device 3. The seating position determining device 1 and the vehicle device 2 are provided so as to be able to communicate with each other via a communication network 4 such as the Internet. The seating position determining device 1 and the reservation terminal device 3 are provided so as to be able to communicate with each other via a communication network 4.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the number of vehicle devices 2 connected to the communication network 4 is one, but the number of vehicle devices 2 connected to the communication network 4 may be plural. Further, in the example shown in FIG. 1, the number of reservation terminal devices 3 connected to the communication network 4 is one, but the number of reservation terminal devices 3 connected to the communication network 4 may be plural.

A user (passenger) using an on-demand transportation service, for example, uses the reservation terminal device 3 to enter the date and time he or she wishes to use the service, the scheduled boarding position where he or she wishes to board the vehicle, and the location where he or she wishes to alight the vehicle. Usage information including the scheduled exit position is transmitted to the seating position determining device 1. The seating position determining device 1 receives usage information from a plurality of users, allocates vehicles to be used by each user, and determines the seating positions of the users allocated to each vehicle. That is, the seating position determination device 1 determines the seating positions of a plurality of passengers (users) riding in a vehicle. The seating position determining device 1 uses the vehicle device 2 to issue a vehicle allocation instruction to the target vehicle whose seating position has been determined. The seating position determining device 1 appropriately notifies the user who made the vehicle allocation request that the reservation for the vehicle allocation request has been completed. The notification is made using the reservation terminal device 3, for example.

Note that the reservation terminal device 3 is, for example, a personal computer, a shared computer, a smartphone, or a tablet terminal. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the user is configured to be able to receive on-demand transportation services using web reservations. However, the configuration may be such that the user can receive the on-demand transportation service using a telephone reservation instead of or in addition to the web reservation. That is, the vehicle allocation management system 100 may be configured without the reservation terminal device 3 for web reservation.

Further, the vehicle device 2 is disposed in a vehicle that is used for on-demand transportation services or the like and that carries a plurality of passengers. The vehicle device 2 is arranged for each vehicle carrying a plurality of passengers. Note that the vehicle in which the vehicle device 2 is arranged may be, for example, a minivan, a one-box car, a sedan, a bus vehicle, or the like. The vehicle device 2 may be an in-vehicle device that is always mounted on the vehicle, or a portable device that can be carried from the vehicle. The vehicle device 2 may be, for example, a tablet terminal or the like. The vehicle device 2 may include a monitor.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the seating position determination device 1 is a server located at a vehicle dispatch center or the like, or a cloud server. However, the seating position determining device may be included in a vehicle device. That is, the vehicle device 2 may be configured to have a function of determining the seating positions of a plurality of passengers.

<2. Seating position determination device>
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the seating position determining device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Note that FIG. 2 shows constituent elements necessary for explaining the features of the embodiment, and the description of general constituent elements is omitted. As shown in FIG. 2, the seating position determining device 1 includes a processing section 11. As shown in FIG. The seating position determining device 1 further includes a memory section 12 and a communication section 13. The seating position determining device 1 may be a so-called computer device. Note that the seating position determining device 1 may include an input device such as a keyboard, and an output device such as a display.

The processing unit 11 includes a processor that performs arithmetic processing and the like. The processor may be configured to include, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The processing unit 11 may be composed of one processor or may be composed of a plurality of processors. When configured with a plurality of processors, those processors may be connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other.

The memory section 12 is configured to include volatile memory and nonvolatile memory. The volatile memory may include, for example, RAM (Random Access Memory). Nonvolatile memory may include, for example, ROM (Read Only Memory), flash memory, or a hard disk drive. Non-volatile memory stores computer readable programs and data.

The communication unit 13 is configured as a communication interface having an interface circuit for connecting to the communication network 4.

As shown in FIG. 2, the processing unit 11 includes an information acquisition unit 111, a travel route determination unit 112, a boarding/alighting order determination unit 113, a seating position determination unit 114, and a vehicle allocation instruction unit 115 as its functions. . In this embodiment, the functions of the processing unit 11 are realized by a processor executing arithmetic processing according to a program stored in the memory unit 12.

Note that the scope of this embodiment may include a computer program that causes a processor (computer) to realize at least some of the functions of the seating position determination device 1. Additionally, the scope of the present embodiments may include computer-readable non-volatile recording media that record such computer programs. The nonvolatile recording medium may include, for example, in addition to the above-mentioned nonvolatile memory, an optical recording medium (for example, an optical disk), a magneto-optical recording medium (for example, a magneto-optical disk), a USB memory, an SD card, and the like.

Further, each of the functional units 111 to 115 may be realized by one program, but, for example, each functional unit may be realized by a separate program. Furthermore, each of the functional units 111 to 115 may be implemented as a separate server. Furthermore, each of the functional units 111 to 115 may be realized by having a processor execute a program, that is, by software, as described above, but may also be realized by other methods. Each of the functional units 111 to 115 may be realized using, for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). That is, each of the functional units 111 to 115 may be realized by hardware using a dedicated IC or the like. Further, each of the functional units 111 to 115 may be realized using a combination of software and hardware. Further, each of the functional units 111 to 115 is a conceptual component. A function performed by one component may be distributed among multiple components. Further, functions possessed by a plurality of components may be integrated into one component.

The information acquisition unit 111 acquires information from the memory unit 12 or the outside of the device 1, for example. Information from outside the device 1 is acquired via the communication network 4 and the communication unit 13, for example. Further, information from outside the device 1 may be acquired via an input device connected to the seating position determining device 1.

The information acquired by the information acquisition unit 111 includes, for example, map information, information on the scheduled boarding and alighting positions of passengers (users) (information on the scheduled boarding and alighting positions), and information related to the vehicle. The map information is acquired from the memory unit 12, for example. Information on the scheduled boarding and alighting positions of passengers is obtained, for example, from the reservation terminal device 3 via the communication network 4 and the communication unit 13. Information related to the vehicle is acquired, for example, from the vehicle device 2 via the communication network 4 and the communication unit 13. The information related to the vehicle may include, for example, information regarding the current location of the vehicle, information regarding the arrangement of seats included in the vehicle, information regarding doors included in the vehicle, and the like.

In other words, the processing unit 11 acquires the scheduled boarding position and the scheduled alighting position of each of the plurality of passengers. The processing unit 11 also acquires map information and information related to the vehicle.

The driving route determining unit 112 determines a driving route for a vehicle that has been decided to be used in response to a vehicle allocation request. The travel route determining unit 112 determines a travel route that passes through the scheduled boarding positions and the scheduled alighting positions of each of the plurality of passengers scheduled to board the vehicle. As described above, the driving route determining section 112 is a function of the processing section 11. That is, the processing unit 11 determines a travel route passing through the scheduled boarding position and the scheduled alighting position of each of the plurality of passengers.

Note that the driving route determination unit 112 may determine the driving route using a known route search method. The travel route determination unit 112 may determine the travel route so as to minimize the route that passes through each passenger's scheduled boarding position and alighting position and until all passengers alight. Furthermore, instead of minimizing the route, the driving route determining unit 112 may determine the driving route so as to minimize the required time.

Further, the driving route determination unit 112 may change the scheduled boarding position and the scheduled alighting position specified by the reservation terminal device 3 to determine the driving route. For example, the travel route determining unit 112 may determine the travel route by changing the scheduled boarding position and the scheduled alighting position specified by the passenger, depending on the attributes of the passenger, the shape of the road, and the like. The passenger's attribute information may be obtained, for example, from information input by the passenger into the reservation terminal device 3 when making a reservation for a ride. Moreover, the road shape information may be obtained from map information, for example. It is preferable that the change of the boarding/disembarking position from the designated place is carried out if there is a suitable place close to (for example, within 100 meters) from the position designated by the passenger.

For example, when it is determined that the passenger is an elderly person based on the attribute information, the driving route determining unit 112 changes the scheduled boarding position and the scheduled alighting position to a place where it is safe to get on and off the vehicle, and determines the driving route. You may do so. Further, for example, when it is determined from the road shape information that it is necessary to pass through a narrow road, the driving route determining unit 112 changes the scheduled boarding position and the scheduled disembarking position to a location along the main road. You may decide on your driving route. Note that when the scheduled boarding position or the scheduled disembarking position is changed, it is preferable to notify the person who made the vehicle allocation reservation of the change.

The boarding/disembarking order determining unit 113 determines the boarding order and the disembarking order of the passengers who are scheduled to board the vehicle for which the traveling route has been determined, based on the determined traveling route and each passenger's scheduled boarding/disembarking position information. For example, the boarding order of passengers is determined such that the closer the scheduled boarding position is along the travel route from the starting point of the travel route, the earlier the passenger is boarded. The information representing the boarding order may be, for example, a list in which passenger identification information is arranged in boarding order. Further, the order in which passengers get off the vehicle is determined such that the closer the scheduled alighting position is along the travel route from the starting point of the travel route, the earlier the passenger gets off the vehicle. The information representing the order of disembarkation may be, for example, a list in which identification information of passengers is arranged in order of disembarkation.

The seating position determining unit 114 determines the seating position in the vehicle based on the boarding order and the disembarking order of the passengers scheduled to board the vehicle. Specifically, the seating position determination unit 114 determines the seating position with the aim of satisfying a predetermined condition. As described above, the boarding/disembarking order determining section 113 and the seating position determining section 114 are functions of the processing section 11 . That is, the processing unit 11 determines the seating position so as to satisfy a predetermined condition based on the travel route and the scheduled boarding and disembarking positions of each of the plurality of passengers. "So that the predetermined condition is satisfied" can also be paraphrased as "so that the satisfaction rate of the predetermined condition approaches the maximum." The determined seating position may not satisfy the predetermined conditions.

Preferably, the predetermined conditions include at least one of the following: the passenger getting on and off the vehicle without passing in front of other passengers, and the passenger getting on and off the vehicle without moving other passengers. Not passing in front of other passengers includes not crossing the seating positions of other seated passengers. Not moving other passengers means not causing other seated passengers to get up and move when a certain passenger gets on or off the train, or not allowing other passengers to move from one seat to another. This includes not causing Movement of the seat where a passenger is seated includes sliding the seat, reclining the seat, and the like. Seat movement for getting on and off occurs, for example, in a minivan or the like in which two rows of seats are arranged one behind the other behind the driver's seat. When the configuration satisfies the above-mentioned predetermined conditions, passengers can get on and off the vehicle comfortably in a vehicle in which a plurality of passengers share a ride. Furthermore, the time required to get on and off the vehicle can be shortened, thereby improving the operating efficiency of the shared vehicle.

When determining the seating position so as to satisfy a predetermined condition, the seating position determining unit 114 takes into consideration information on the door of the vehicle and information on the configuration of the seat, in addition to the boarding order (boarding order and exiting order), and determines the seating position. Determine.

Specifically, the information on the vehicle door is information on the door that passengers can use to get on and off the vehicle. The door information includes the number and position of doors. The door information may be stored in the memory unit 12 together with the vehicle identification information, for example. Further, whether or not the door can be used by passengers to get on and off the vehicle may be determined by taking into account the surrounding environment of the place where passengers get on and off the vehicle. For example, if the place to get on and off is a two-way road, even if the vehicle has doors for getting on and off on both the left and right sides, only the door on the side where there is no lane adjacent to the lane in which the vehicle is traveling will be used for passengers to get on and off. The configuration may be such that the door is determined to be a door that can be used for getting on and off the vehicle. Map information may be used for such determination.

The seat configuration information is information regarding seats in which passengers can sit. The information on the seat configuration may be stored in the memory unit 12 together with vehicle identification information, for example. The information on the seat configuration may include information such as the direction in which the seats are arranged, the orientation of the seats, the number of seats, information on passages provided between the seats, and whether or not the seats are movable. A plurality of seats may be arranged in the direction of travel of the vehicle, or a plurality of seats may be arranged in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the vehicle. Note that the number of rows of seats may be one. The orientation of the seat may be a configuration facing forward, a configuration facing rearward, a configuration facing left/right, or the like.

The seating position determination unit 114 determines the seating position as follows, for example, in order to satisfy the above-mentioned predetermined conditions (not passing in front of passengers, etc.). For example, if there are a plurality of doors that passengers can use to get on and off the vehicle, the seating position determining unit 114 determines the seating position so that each passenger can use a different door. Further, for example, if the number of doors that passengers can use to get on and off is single, and the order of getting on and off indicates that passengers who get on later will get off first, the seating position determination unit 114 The seating position of the passenger who gets on the train first is determined to be far from the door. Further, for example, if the number of doors that passengers can use to get on and off is single, and the order of getting on and off indicates that the passenger who gets on first gets off first, the seating position determination unit 114 The seating positions of passengers are determined so that the route from the door to the seating position is different for each passenger.

The seating position determination unit 114 may not be able to obtain a seating position that satisfies the above-mentioned predetermined conditions based on the previously determined travel route and the information on the boarding and alighting order of passengers. To this end, in the present embodiment, after determining the seating position, the seating position determining unit 114 determines whether a seating position that satisfies a predetermined condition is established through a boarding/disembarking order change process that changes the boarding/disembarking order of at least some of the plurality of passengers. Determine whether or not. In other words, after determining the seating position, the processing unit 11 determines whether or not a seating position that satisfies the predetermined condition is established through a boarding/alighting order changing process that changes the boarding/alighting order of at least some of the plurality of passengers. Specifically, when it is determined that the determined seating position does not satisfy the predetermined condition, the processing unit 11 determines whether or not a seating position that satisfies the predetermined condition is established through the boarding/disembarking order changing process. Note that the boarding/disembarking order changing process is a process of changing at least one of the boarding order of passengers scheduled to board the vehicle and the disembarking order of passengers currently boarding the vehicle.

With such a configuration, it is possible to increase the possibility of determining a seating position that satisfies the predetermined conditions. For example, the possibility of obtaining a seating position that allows passengers to board and exit the vehicle without passing in front of other passengers can be increased. In other words, it is possible to increase the possibility that passengers can use the shared vehicle comfortably. Furthermore, since it is more likely that passengers will be able to get on and off the train smoothly, it can be expected that operational efficiency will improve.

In particular, it is preferable that the seating position determining unit 114 (processing unit 11) allow the change in the order of boarding and alighting when it is determined that the scheduled stop positions whose order is to be changed are within a predetermined range. Here, the scheduled stop position is at least one of the scheduled boarding position and the scheduled exit position. Further, the predetermined range may be a distance range or a time range. Preferably, the locations within the predetermined range are locations that feel close to passengers. For example, a place within a predetermined range is a place that can be reached within 10 minutes by vehicle, and more preferably a place that can be reached within 5 minutes. With this configuration, the order of boarding and alighting can be changed only when the scheduled stop positions to be changed are close to each other, and the above-mentioned improvement in operation efficiency can be expected.

After determining the seating position, the seating position determination device 1 is configured to determine whether or not a seating position that satisfies a predetermined condition is established through a process of changing the boarding order, and immediately determines the seating position when a vehicle reservation is made. It is suitable for a vehicle allocation management system configured to. Note that the configuration that immediately determines the seating position when a vehicle allocation reservation is made may be a configuration that determines the seating position on a first-come, first-served basis. With such a configuration, it is possible to obtain a seating position that satisfies the predetermined condition while appropriately updating the seating position that is tentatively determined on a first-come, first-served basis. When there is a change in the seating position, a notification regarding the change may be given to the passenger via the reservation terminal device 3 or the like.

If the seating position determining unit 114 (processing unit 11) determines that a seating position that satisfies a predetermined condition is established through the boarding/disembarking order changing process, it changes the driving route. Specifically, the seating position determination unit 114 may change only the previously determined driving route, or may change the previously determined seating position in addition to changing the driving route. By changing the travel route, it is possible to provide a seating position that is more comfortable for passengers.

Note that the seating position determining unit 114 may determine that a seating position that satisfies a predetermined condition is not established in the boarding/descending order changing process. In such a case, the seating position determination unit 114 positions the passenger so that the frequency of getting on and off the vehicle while passing in front of other passengers, or the frequency of getting on and off the vehicle while moving other passengers, is minimized. Preferably, the position is determined.

Further, the function of determining whether or not a seating position that satisfies a predetermined condition is established through the process of changing the boarding order can be provided by a company that uses the vehicle allocation management system 100 including the seating position determination device 1 (a company that has the vehicle device 2). The configuration may be such that it is possible to select whether or not to use it as desired. An interface for making the selection may be provided in the vehicle device 2, for example. With this configuration, for example, a user who desires to operate the vehicle on the shortest route rather than satisfying a predetermined condition can determine whether or not a seating position that satisfies the predetermined condition is established through the process of changing the boarding/disembarking order. You can choose not to use the feature.

The vehicle allocation instruction unit 115 generates vehicle allocation instruction information including the determined travel route, the scheduled boarding position of each passenger, the scheduled alighting position of each passenger, and the seating position of each passenger. The vehicle allocation instruction unit 115 transmits the generated vehicle allocation instruction information to the vehicle device 2 via the communication unit 13 and the communication network 4. If the vehicle is a manned vehicle driven by a driver, the driver grasps the dispatch instruction via the monitor of the vehicle device 2 or the like. When the vehicle is an unmanned vehicle without a driver, the unmanned vehicle executes automatic driving in response to a dispatch instruction.

Note that the vehicle allocation instruction unit 115 may transmit part of the information included in the vehicle allocation instruction information to the reservation terminal device 3. For example, the vehicle allocation instruction unit 115 may notify passengers who have made a reservation for vehicle allocation via the reservation terminal device 3 of each passenger's seating position information. This allows passengers to know which seat in the vehicle they should sit in before boarding the vehicle. Further, as described above, the seating position determining device 1 may be included in the vehicle device 2, and in such a configuration, the vehicle allocation instruction unit 115 that issues a vehicle allocation instruction to the vehicle may not be included. good.

<3. How to determine seating position＞
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of a seating position determining method in the seating position determining device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In the example shown in FIG. 3, it is assumed that the seating position determination device 1 has acquired requests for dispatch from a plurality of passengers. The vehicle allocation request is made by the reservation terminal device 3, for example. The vehicle allocation request includes a scheduled boarding position and a scheduled disembarking position.

Note that the seating position determining device 1 may be configured to determine the seating position each time a passenger requests a vehicle allocation. Further, a computer program that causes a computer device to implement the seating position determination method of this embodiment is included in the scope of this embodiment. Furthermore, a computer-readable nonvolatile recording medium that records such a computer program is included within the scope of this embodiment.

In step S1, the travel route determination unit 112 determines a travel route that passes through the scheduled boarding and alighting positions of each of the plurality of passengers. That is, the seating position determining method includes the step of determining a travel route passing through the scheduled boarding position and the scheduled disembarkation position of each of the plurality of passengers. Once the travel route is determined, the process proceeds to the next step S2.

In step S2, the boarding and alighting order determining unit 113 determines the boarding and alighting order of a plurality of passengers scheduled to board the vehicle, based on the determined travel route and information on the scheduled boarding and alighting positions of each passenger. Once the boarding order and the disembarking order are determined, the process proceeds to the next step S3.

In step S3, the seating position determination unit 114 determines the seating position based on the determined boarding and alighting order and the vehicle door information and seat information acquired from the memory unit 12 etc. so as to satisfy a predetermined condition. . That is, the seating position determining method includes the step of determining the seating position so as to satisfy a predetermined condition based on the travel route and the scheduled boarding and disembarking positions of each of the plurality of passengers. Once the seating position is determined, the process proceeds to the next step 4.

Before explaining the process of step S4, how to determine the seating position will be explained using the cases shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 as examples. Note that FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle 5 assumed in explaining how to determine the seating position. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a first getting on and off pattern for a plurality of passengers scheduled to board the vehicle 5. As shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a second boarding and alighting pattern for a plurality of passengers scheduled to board the vehicle 5.

The vehicle 5 shown in FIG. 4 has two rows of seats 51 for carrying passengers, front and rear. The number of seats 51 in each row is two. Specifically, the vehicle 5 includes two front seats 51F and two rear seats 51R. Further, the vehicle 5 has only one door 52 on the left side surface through which passengers can get on and off. A passenger who wants to sit in the rear seat 51R can board the vehicle using the door 52 by sliding or folding at least the left seat of the front seats 51F forward. A passenger sitting in the rear seat 51R can exit the vehicle using the door 52 by sliding or folding at least the left seat of the front seat 51F forward. In such a vehicle 5, the above-mentioned predetermined condition is satisfied when the passenger getting on and off the vehicle does not move other passengers.

In the diagrams shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the portion indicated by "S" indicates the starting point of the travel route. The starting point S of the travel route is, for example, the current position of the vehicle 5 to which the vehicle allocation instruction section 115 issues a vehicle allocation instruction. Further, the starting point S of the driving route is, for example, a storage location of the vehicle 5 for which the vehicle allocation instruction section 115 issues a vehicle allocation instruction.

In the first boarding and alighting pattern shown in FIG. 5, the traveling route of the vehicle 5 includes, in order from the starting point S, a first scheduled boarding position BP1, a second scheduled boarding position BP2, a first scheduled boarding position DP1, and a second scheduled boarding position DP2. The driving route determination unit 112 determines the route that passes through. Furthermore, in the first boarding/exiting pattern shown in FIG. 5, two passengers H1 and H2 board the vehicle at a first scheduled boarding position BP1, and two passengers H3 and H4 board the vehicle at a second scheduled boarding position BP2. The two passengers H3 and H4 who got on the train later get off at the first scheduled alighting position DP1. The two passengers H1 and H2 who boarded the vehicle first get off the vehicle at the second scheduled alighting position DP2, which is the final destination position of the vehicle 5.

In the case of the first boarding/disembarking pattern shown in FIG. 5, the seating position determination unit 114 determines the seating position as follows so that the passenger getting on/off the vehicle can get on/off the vehicle without moving other passengers (so that a predetermined condition is satisfied). Determine the position. The seating position determination unit 114 sets the seating positions of the two passengers H1 and H2 who will board first to be the left and right rear seats 51R, and the seating positions of the two passengers H3 and H4 who will board the vehicle after that are the left and right front seats 51F. do.

In this way, the two passengers H1 and H2 who board the vehicle first can board the vehicle at a time when no one is sitting in the front seat 51F, so they can board the vehicle without moving other passengers. In addition, since the two passengers H3 and H4 who board from the rear only need to sit in the front seats 51F, there is no need to move the two passengers who are seated in the rear seats 51R when boarding the vehicle, and it is not necessary to move other passengers. You can ride without any problems. In addition, the two passengers H3 and H4 who got on the train later and sit in the front seats 51F sit in the rear seats 51R when getting off the train in order to get off the train before the two passengers H1 and H2 who got on the train first. There is no need to move the two passengers H1 and H2, and it is possible to get off the train without moving other passengers. Further, the two passengers H1 and H2 who got on the train first and are seated in the rear seats 51R can get off the train without moving other passengers because there are no other passengers at the time of getting off the train.

Even in the second boarding/alighting pattern shown in FIG. 6, the traveling route of the vehicle 5 is sequentially from the starting point S: first scheduled boarding position BP1, second scheduled boarding position BP2, first scheduled boarding position DP1, second scheduled boarding position DP2. The driving route determination unit 112 determines the route that passes through. Further, in the second boarding/disembarking pattern shown in FIG. 6, two passengers H1 and H2 board the vehicle at the first scheduled boarding position BP1, and two passengers H3 and H4 board the vehicle at the second scheduled boarding position BP2. The two passengers H1 and H2 who got on the train first get off at the first scheduled alighting position DP1. The two passengers H3 and H4 who boarded the vehicle later get off at the second scheduled alighting position DP2, which is the final destination position of the vehicle 5.

In the case of the second boarding and alighting pattern shown in FIG. 6, the seating position determination unit 114 attempts to determine the seating position with the goal of allowing the passenger to board and alight the vehicle without moving other passengers. cannot be satisfied. At this time, as a preferable form, the seating position is determined so that the frequency with which the passenger getting on and off the vehicle moves other passengers is as low as possible. For this reason, for example, the seating positions of the two passengers H1 and H2 who board first are the left and right rear seats 51R, and the seating positions of the two passengers H3 and H4 who board later are the left and right front seats 51F. Ru.

In this case, the two passengers H1 and H2 who board the vehicle first can board the vehicle at a time when no one is sitting in the front seat 51F, so they can board the vehicle without moving other passengers. In addition, since the two passengers H3 and H4 who board from the rear only need to sit on the front seats 51F, there is no need to move the two passengers H1 and H2 who are seated on the rear seats 51R when boarding the vehicle. Passengers can board the vehicle without having to move them. However, the two passengers H1 and H2 who boarded the train first and sit in the rear seat 51R sit in the front seat 51F when getting off the train in order to get off the train before the two passengers H3 and H4 who boarded later. It is necessary to move the two passengers H3 and H4 and get off the train. Two passengers H3 and H4 who got on the train later and sat in the front seats 51F can get off the train without moving other passengers because there are no other passengers at the time of getting off the train.

In the case of the second riding pattern, the seating position determining unit 114 sets the seating positions of the two passengers H1 and H2 who board first to the right front seat 51F and the rear seat 51R, and sets the seating positions of the two passengers H1 and H2 who board the vehicle first, to the right front seat 51F and the rear seat 51R. The seating positions of the passengers H3 and H4 may be the left front seat 51F and the rear seat 51R.

Returning to FIG. 3, in step S4, the seating position determining unit 114 determines whether the determined seating position satisfies a predetermined condition. If the predetermined condition is satisfied (Yes in step S4), the process proceeds to the next step S5. If the predetermined condition is not satisfied (No in step S4), the process proceeds to step S6.

In the examples shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the seating position determination unit 114 determines whether the determined seating position satisfies the condition that the passenger getting on and off the vehicle can do so without moving other passengers. . In the first getting on/off pattern shown in FIG. 5, the seating position determining unit 114 determines that the determined seating position satisfies the condition that the passenger getting on and off the vehicle does so without moving other passengers. For this reason, in the example shown in FIG. 5, the process proceeds to step S5. On the other hand, in the second getting on/off pattern shown in FIG. 6, the seating position determination unit 114 determines that the determined seating position does not satisfy the condition that the passenger getting on and off the vehicle can get on and off the vehicle without moving other passengers. . For this reason, in the example shown in FIG. 6, the process proceeds to step S6.

In step S5, the vehicle allocation instruction unit 115 generates vehicle allocation instruction information including the determined travel route, the scheduled boarding position of each passenger, the scheduled alighting position of each passenger, and the seating position of each passenger. The generated vehicle allocation instruction information is transmitted to the vehicle device 2. This completes the seating position determining method in the seating position determining device 1.

Note that the information on the seating position may be notified to the passenger via the reservation terminal device 3 or the like. Alternatively, the seating position may not be notified to the passenger in advance, but the seating position may be guided when the passenger gets on the vehicle. For seat guidance, means such as screen display, audio, lighting of lights, etc. may be used.

In step S6, the seating position determining unit 114 determines whether or not a seating position that satisfies a predetermined condition is established through the process of changing the boarding order. That is, the seating position determination method includes the step of determining whether or not a seating position that satisfies a predetermined condition is established by a boarding/alighting order change process that changes the boarding/alighting order of at least some of the plurality of passengers after the seating position is determined. . If a seating position that satisfies the predetermined conditions is established (Yes in step S6), the process proceeds to the next step S7. If a seating position that satisfies the predetermined conditions is not established (No in step S6), the process proceeds to step S5. In this case, the travel route and seating position determined in step S1 and step S3 will be included in the vehicle allocation instruction information.

Note that FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a case where a seating position that satisfies a predetermined condition is established by the boarding order change process. As described above, in the example shown in FIG. 6, the process proceeds to step S6. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7, a seating position that satisfies the predetermined condition is established by the process of changing the boarding order. Specifically, the traveling route in which the vehicle 5 follows in the order of the first scheduled alighting position DP1 and the second scheduled alighting position DP2 is changed to the traveling route in which the vehicle 5 advances in the order of the second scheduled alighting position DP2 and the first scheduled alighting position DP1. Then, a seating position that satisfies the predetermined conditions is established.

When the change is made as shown in FIG. 7, the two passengers H1 and H2 who get on the train first move to the rear seat 51R without moving other passengers in order to get on the train when no one is sitting on the front seat 51F. You can take a ride. In addition, since the two passengers H3 and H4 who board from the rear only need to sit on the front seats 51F, there is no need to move the two passengers H1 and H2 who are seated on the rear seats 51R when boarding the vehicle. Passengers can board the vehicle without having to move them. In addition, the two passengers H3 and H4 who got on the train later and sit in the front seats 51F sit in the rear seats 51R when getting off the train in order to get off the train before the two passengers H1 and H2 who got on the train first. There is no need to move the two passengers H1 and H2, and it is possible to get off the train without moving other passengers. Further, the two passengers H1 and H2 who got on the train first and are seated in the rear seats 51R can get off the train without moving other passengers because there are no other passengers at the time of getting off the train.

In step S7, the seating position determination unit 114 changes the driving route so that the seating position satisfies a predetermined condition. At this time, in addition to changing the travel route, the previously determined seating position may also be changed. In addition, when changing the travel route, it is preferable to add a requirement that the scheduled stop positions (planned boarding and alighting positions) whose order is to be changed by changing the boarding and alighting order are within a predetermined range. Once the travel route has been changed, the process proceeds to step S5. In this case, the changed travel route will be included in the vehicle allocation instruction information. Furthermore, if the seating position determined in step S3 is changed, the changed seating position will be included in the vehicle allocation instruction information.

In the example shown in FIG. 6, the driving route is changed from the driving route shown in FIG. 6 to the driving route shown in FIG. 7, and the changed driving route is included in the vehicle allocation instruction information. Furthermore, when changing the travel route, it is preferable to satisfy the condition that the first scheduled alighting position DP1 and the second scheduled alighting position DP2 are within a predetermined range. For example, when the first scheduled alighting position DP1 and the second scheduled alighting position DP2 satisfy the condition that they are close to each other within 5 minutes in the vehicle 5, the first scheduled alighting position DP1 and the second scheduled alighting position DP2 are Preferably, permutations of the order are allowed.

According to the seating position determination method described above, in a vehicle in which multiple passengers ride together, when a passenger gets on and off, it is possible to improve the possibility that the passenger will be able to get on and off without passing in front of other passengers, for example. . Furthermore, when a passenger gets on or off the vehicle, for example, it is possible to improve the possibility that the passenger will be able to get on or off the vehicle without moving other passengers.

<4. Modified example>
[4-1. First modification]
The processing unit 11 may be configured to acquire attributes of a plurality of passengers. Then, the processing unit 11 may use the attribute information when determining the seating position.

Specifically, the information acquisition unit 111 may acquire the passenger's attributes. Passenger attributes may include, for example, age, amount of luggage, presence or absence of a disability, use of a wheelchair, use of a white cane, and the like. The information acquisition unit 111 may be configured to acquire passenger attributes from the reservation terminal device 3, for example. In other words, the passenger's attributes may be configured to be transmitted to the seating position determination device 1 using the reservation terminal device 3 when making a reservation for a vehicle allocation. Further, for example, if the passenger is a customer who frequently uses the vehicle allocation management system 100, the passenger's attributes may be acquired from customer information registered in the memory unit 12.

The seating position determination unit 114 may determine the seating position using the passenger's attributes. For example, in step S3 in the flowchart of FIG. 3 described above, the seating position determination unit 114 may determine the seating position using the attributes of the passenger. Specifically, the seating position determining unit 114 may determine the seating position so as to allocate a seat near the door of the vehicle to a passenger who is expected to take a long time to get on and off the vehicle based on the passenger's attributes. Passengers who are expected to take a long time to get on and off the train include, for example, elderly people, people with white canes, and people with a lot of baggage. In this example, it is preferable that the vehicle used for shared rides has a plurality of doors that passengers can use to get on and off the vehicle.

According to the configuration of this modified example, since the seating position is determined in consideration of the passenger's attributes, the passenger can smoothly get on and off the vehicle, and the time required for getting on and off the vehicle can be shortened. . Furthermore, it is possible to improve the satisfaction level of passengers when using the shared vehicle.

[4-2. Second modification]
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a processing section 11A included in a seating position determination device 1A according to a second modification. The configuration of the processing section 11A is generally similar to the configuration of the processing section 11 included in the seating position determination device 1 of the embodiment described above. For this reason, the explanation will focus on the parts that are different from the processing section 11 of the embodiment described above.

As shown in FIG. 8, the processing section 11A of this modification includes a passenger seat detection section 116 and a passenger seat correctness determination section 117 as its functions. The passenger seat detection section 116 and the passenger seat correct/incorrect determination section 117 are realized, for example, by a processor executing arithmetic processing according to a program stored in the memory section 12. However, at least one of the passenger seat detection section 116 and the passenger seat correctness determination section 117 may be realized by hardware using a dedicated IC or the like.

The passenger seat detection unit 116 detects in which seat of the vehicle a passenger who has newly boarded the vehicle is seated, based on information from a sensor disposed in the vehicle. The sensor placed on the vehicle is, for example, a seating sensor or a camera. The seating sensor is, for example, a pressure sensor provided on the seating surface of the seat, or an optical sensor such as a photointerrupter placed at a suitable location on or near the seat. The information acquired by the sensor arranged in the vehicle is acquired by the information acquisition unit 111.

The passenger seat correctness determination unit 117 determines whether the seat of the newly seated passenger is the correct seat specified in advance. It is determined in advance which seat a passenger who gets on the vehicle from a certain scheduled boarding position will sit, and such information is stored in the memory unit 12 or the like. For this purpose, the passenger seat correctness determination unit 117 compares the position of the seat where the passenger should sit, which is obtained from the memory unit 12 etc., and the position of the seat where the passenger is actually seated, which is detected by the passenger seat detection unit 116. , it is possible to determine whether the seat on which the passenger is seated is correct or incorrect.

Note that the passenger seat detection section 116 and the passenger seat correct/incorrect determination section 117 may be functions of a processing section included in the vehicle device 2. In this case, if the passenger is not seated in the designated seat by the passenger seat correctness determination section 117, the seating position determination section may be notified of this fact.

In this modification, the seating position determination unit 114 performs a seating position resetting process in the passenger seat correctness determination unit 117 when the passenger does not sit in the designated seat. The resetting process will be explained with reference to FIG. 9.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of processing related to resetting executed by the seating position determining device 1A according to the second modification. The process related to resetting shown in FIG. 9 is started after the vehicle starts operating according to the vehicle allocation reservation. In other words, the process related to resetting is started after the seating position according to the vehicle allocation reservation is determined. Note that at the start of the process in FIG. 9, the seating position may or may not satisfy the above-described predetermined conditions (such as getting on and off the vehicle without passing in front of other passengers).

In step S11, the passenger seat detection unit 116 monitors whether the passenger is seated. When it is detected that a passenger is seated in the seat (Yes in step S11), the process proceeds to the next step S12.

In step S12, the passenger seat correctness determination unit 117 determines whether the passenger is correctly seated in a pre-specified seat. If the designated seat is correctly seated (Yes in step S12), the process returns to step S11. If the designated seat is not seated correctly (No in step S12), the process proceeds to the next step S13.

In step S13, the seating position determination unit 114 resets the seating position. In the resetting process, the already determined travel route is maintained. The seating position determination unit 114 determines the seating positions of passengers who will board the vehicle after the next scheduled boarding position, based on the travel route and the scheduled boarding and alighting positions of each passenger who will board and exit the vehicle thereafter, so as to satisfy a predetermined condition. . In this example as well, the predetermined conditions include at least one of the following: the passenger getting on and off the vehicle without passing in front of other passengers, or getting on and off the vehicle without moving other passengers. It's good. When the resetting of the seating position is completed, the process proceeds to the next step S14.

In step S14, the seating position determining unit 114 determines whether the reset seating position satisfies a predetermined condition. If the predetermined condition is satisfied (Yes in step S14), the process proceeds to the next step S15. If the predetermined condition is not satisfied (No in step S14), the process proceeds to step S16.

In step S15, the seating position determining unit 114 determines whether the vehicle has completed traveling the scheduled route specified by the vehicle allocation instruction. If traveling on the planned route has not been completed (No in step S15), the process returns to step S11, and the processes from step S11 onwards are repeated. If traveling on the scheduled route has been completed (Yes in step S15), the flow shown in FIG. 9 is ended.

In step S16, the seating position determination unit 114 determines whether or not a seating position that satisfies a predetermined condition is established through the boarding/alighting order changing process. If the seating position satisfies the predetermined conditions (Yes in step S16), the process proceeds to the next step S17. If a seating position that satisfies the predetermined conditions is not established (No in step S16), the process proceeds to step S15.

In step S17, the seating position determining unit 114 changes the driving route so that the seating position satisfies a predetermined condition. At this time, in addition to changing the driving route, the previously determined seating position may be changed, but it is preferable that the driving route is changed so that such a change is not made. In addition, when changing the travel route, it is preferable to add a requirement that the scheduled stop positions (planned boarding and alighting positions) whose order is to be changed by changing the boarding and alighting order are within a predetermined range. Once the travel route has been changed, the process proceeds to step S15. In this case, the planned route in step S15 is the planned route after the route change.

As can be seen from the above, in this modification, when a situation that affects the establishment of a seating position that satisfies a predetermined condition occurs after the seating position has been determined, the processing unit 11A satisfies the predetermined condition by changing the boarding order. It is determined whether the seating position is established. A situation that affects the establishment of a seating position that satisfies the predetermined conditions occurs when any one of the plurality of passengers is seated in a seat different from the designated seat. Note that a situation that affects the establishment of a seating position that satisfies the predetermined condition does not matter whether or not the predetermined condition has already been satisfied before the situation occurs.

According to this modification, even if a passenger does not sit in the designated seat, the seating position is reset so that the passenger can ride comfortably in the vehicle, so passenger satisfaction can be improved. can. For example, elderly passengers or passengers with a lot of luggage may have difficulty getting in and out of a vehicle and may not be able to reach their assigned seat. According to the configuration of this modification, it is possible to flexibly deal with such cases.

Note that if the passenger does not take a designated seat, the system may be configured to notify the passenger to take a seat in the designated position. The notification may be, for example, a notification using voice guidance or communication to a mobile terminal owned by the passenger. If the passenger is not seated at the designated position even after the notification, the above resetting process may be performed.

[4-3. Third modification]
In the second modification described above, the situation that affects the establishment of a seating position that satisfies the predetermined conditions is configured to occur when one of the plurality of passengers is seated in a seat different from the designated seat. In this regard, the situation that affects the establishment of a seating position that satisfies the predetermined conditions may be configured to occur when a new passenger whose seating position is to be determined occurs after the seating position has been determined. The new passenger may be, for example, a person who suddenly requests boarding at a stop position where the vehicle stops for boarding and alighting after the vehicle starts operating in accordance with the dispatch request. The parking position may be an existing boarding and alighting position provided at a hospital or the like.

In the configuration of the third modification, the seating position determination unit 114 receives the notification of the occurrence of a new passenger and performs the same resetting process as in the second modification. The notification of the occurrence of a new passenger may be transmitted from the vehicle device 2 to the seating position determining device by, for example, inputting information into the vehicle device 2 by the driver driving the vehicle.

According to this modification, even if a new passenger is suddenly taken on board, the seating position is reset so that the passenger can ride comfortably in the vehicle, so passenger satisfaction can be improved. . This modification is convenient because it can flexibly respond even when a sudden request for boarding occurs.

<5. Things to keep in mind>
Various changes can be made to the various technical features disclosed in the detailed description of this specification without departing from the gist of the technical creation. Further, the plurality of embodiments and modifications disclosed in the detailed description of this specification may be implemented in combination to the extent possible.

1, 1A... Seating position determining device 5... Vehicle 11, 11A... Processing unit BP1... First scheduled boarding position BP2... Second scheduled boarding position DP1... First scheduled getting off position DP2...Second alighting location H1, H2, H3, H4...Passengers

Claims (10)

A seating position determining device that determines the seating positions of a plurality of passengers boarding a vehicle,
comprising a processing unit that acquires a scheduled boarding position and a scheduled alighting position of each of the plurality of passengers,
The processing unit includes:
determining a travel route passing through the scheduled boarding and disembarking positions of each of the plurality of passengers;
determining the seating position so as to satisfy a predetermined condition based on the travel route and the scheduled boarding and disembarking positions of each of the plurality of passengers;
After determining the seating position, the seating position determining device determines whether or not the seating position satisfies the predetermined condition through a boarding/disembarking order changing process of changing the boarding/disembarking order of at least some of the plurality of passengers. The seating position determining device according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit changes the travel route when determining that the seating position that satisfies the predetermined condition is established through the boarding order change process. When it is determined that the determined seating position does not satisfy the predetermined condition, the processing unit determines whether or not the seating position that satisfies the predetermined condition is established through the boarding/disembarking order changing process. The seating position determining device according to claim 1 or 2. The processing unit is configured to cause the seating position that satisfies the predetermined condition to be established by the boarding/disembarking order change process, if a situation that affects the establishment of the seating position that satisfies the predetermined condition occurs after the seating position is determined. The seating position determination device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which determines whether or not the passenger is seated. The seating position determination method according to claim 4, wherein the situation that affects the establishment of the seating position that satisfies the predetermined condition occurs when any one of the plurality of passengers is seated in a seat different from a designated seat. Device. According to claim 4 or 5, the situation that affects the establishment of the seating position that satisfies the predetermined condition occurs when a new passenger whose seating position is to be determined occurs after the seating position is determined. seating position determination device. The processing unit obtains attribute information of the plurality of passengers,
The seating position determining device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the processing unit uses the attribute information when determining the seating position. The seating position determination according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the processing unit allows the change of the boarding and alighting order when it is determined that the scheduled stop positions whose order is to be changed exist within a predetermined range. Device. Claim 1, wherein the predetermined conditions include at least one of the following: a passenger getting on and off the vehicle without passing in front of other passengers; and a passenger getting on and off the vehicle without moving other passengers. 9. The seating position determining device according to any one of 8 to 8. A seating position determination method in a seating position determination device that determines the seating positions of a plurality of passengers boarding a vehicle, the method comprising:
determining a travel route passing through the scheduled boarding and disembarking positions of each of the plurality of passengers;
determining the seating position so as to satisfy a predetermined condition based on the travel route and the scheduled boarding and disembarking positions of each of the plurality of passengers;
After determining the seating position, determining whether or not the seating position that satisfies the predetermined condition is established by a boarding/alighting order change process that changes the boarding/alighting order of at least some of the plurality of passengers;
A seating position determination method comprising:

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