JP2024086399A - Tire information provision system, tire information provision method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a tire information providing system, a tire information providing method, and a program that improve the usefulness of a technology that provides information on tires that can be fitted to vehicles. [Solution] The tire information providing system includes a control device that associates and stores tire ratings with the vehicles on which the tires are fitted, acquires customer information, identifies the customer vehicle based on the customer information, acquires tire ratings associated with vehicles in the same category as the customer vehicle, and outputs a list of tires that can be fitted to the customer vehicle, prioritizing them based on the tire ratings. [Selected Figure] Figure 3

Description

This disclosure relates to a tire information provision system, a tire information provision method, and a program.

Technology is known that provides information on tires that can be fitted to a vehicle. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an optimal tire search system that selects the optimal tire that matches the customer's wishes based on vehicle information and tire search conditions from the customer.

JP 2020-2222326 A

However, for many people, tires are still specialized products and it is difficult to decide which tires to install on the vehicle they own. Therefore, there is a need to further improve the usefulness of technology that provides information on tires that can be installed on vehicles.

In light of these circumstances, the purpose of this disclosure is to provide a tire information provision system, a tire information provision method, and a program that improve the usefulness of technology that provides information on tires that can be fitted to vehicles.

[1] A tire information providing system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a control device configured to store tire ratings in association with vehicles on which the tires are mounted, acquire customer information, identify the customer vehicle based on the customer information, acquire tire ratings associated with vehicles in the same category as the customer vehicle, and output a list of tires that can be mounted on the customer vehicle by prioritizing the list based on the ratings of the tires.
According to the tire information providing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, even if a customer does not know the tires that are installed on the customer's vehicle, information on tires that can be installed on the vehicle can be provided by prioritizing the information on tires based on tire evaluations. The tire information providing system having such a configuration can improve the usefulness of the technology for providing information on tires that can be installed on a vehicle.

[2] A tire information providing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is the tire information providing system described in [1] above, and it is preferable that the control device is further configured to, in acquiring the tire evaluations, acquire evaluations of tires associated with vehicles that are included in the same first category as the customer vehicle, and, if a predetermined number or more evaluations of the tires associated with the vehicles included in the first category have not been acquired, acquire evaluations of tires associated with vehicles that are included in a second category that includes the first category and is broader than the first category. A tire information providing system having such a configuration can more reliably assign priorities based on tire evaluations and provide information on tires that can be fitted to a vehicle.

[3] A tire information providing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is the tire information providing system described in [1] or [2] above, and it is preferable that the control device is further configured to identify the customer tires mounted on the customer vehicle based on the customer information, and output a list of tires that can be mounted on the customer vehicle, giving priority to tires that are in the same category as the customer tires. A tire information providing system having such a configuration can further improve the usefulness of the technology that provides information on tires that can be mounted on a vehicle.

[4] A tire information providing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is the tire information providing system described in [3] above, and it is preferable that the control device is further configured to identify the customer tires that are fitted to the customer vehicle based on the customer information, and output a list of tires that can be fitted to the customer vehicle, giving priority to tires that are in the same price range as the customer tires. A tire information providing system having such a configuration can further improve the usefulness of the technology that provides information on tires that can be fitted to vehicles.

[5] A tire information providing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is the tire information providing system described in [1] or [2] above, and it is preferable that the control device is further configured to store a vehicle and a default tire that is installed on the vehicle at the time of new vehicle sales in association with each other, and to output a list of tires that can be installed on the customer vehicle, giving priority to tires in the same category as the default tire of the customer vehicle. A tire information providing system having such a configuration can further improve the usefulness of the technology that provides information on tires that can be installed on a vehicle.

[6] A tire information providing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is the tire information providing system described in any one of [1] to [5] above, further including a terminal device configured to read tag information stored in an electronic tag attached to a tire and transmit the tag information to the control device, and the control device is preferably further configured to obtain customer information based on the tag information. A tire information providing system having such a configuration can further improve the usefulness of the technology for providing information on tires that can be fitted to a vehicle.

[7] A tire information providing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is the tire information providing system described in any one of [1] to [6] above, further including a terminal device configured to transmit location information of the device to the control device, and the control device is preferably further configured to store the location information of a dealer and tire inventory information at the dealer in association with each other, and to output a list of tires that can be fitted to the customer's vehicle, giving priority to tires included in the inventory information of the dealer located within a predetermined distance range from the terminal device. A tire information providing system having such a configuration can further improve the usefulness of the technology that provides information on tires that can be fitted to a vehicle.

[8] A tire information providing method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a tire information providing method executed by one or more computers, and includes: storing tire ratings in association with vehicles equipped with the tires; acquiring customer information; identifying the customer vehicle based on the customer information; acquiring tire ratings associated with vehicles in the same category as the customer vehicle; and outputting a list of tires that can be fitted to the customer vehicle, prioritized based on the tire ratings.
According to the tire information providing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, even if a customer does not know the tires that are installed on the customer's vehicle, information on tires that can be installed on the vehicle can be provided by prioritizing the information on tires based on tire evaluations. According to the tire information providing method having such a configuration, it is possible to improve the usefulness of the technology for providing information on tires that can be installed on a vehicle.

[9] A program according to one embodiment of the present disclosure causes one or more computers to perform operations including storing tire ratings in association with vehicles equipped with the tires, acquiring customer information, identifying the customer vehicle based on the customer information, acquiring tire ratings associated with vehicles in the same category as the customer vehicle, and outputting a list of tires that can be fitted to the customer vehicle and prioritizing the list based on the tire ratings.
According to a program according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, even if a customer does not know the tires that are installed on the customer's vehicle, information on tires that can be installed on the vehicle can be provided by prioritizing the information on tires based on tire evaluations. A program having such a configuration can improve the usefulness of a technology that provides information on tires that can be installed on a vehicle.

The present disclosure provides a tire information provision system, a tire information provision method, and a program that can improve the usefulness of technology that provides information about tires that can be fitted to a vehicle.

1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a tire information providing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 2 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in a storage unit of the control device shown in FIG. 1 . 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of the tire information providing system shown in FIG. 1 .

A tire information provision system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals are used to designate common components and parts in each drawing. However, please note that the drawings are schematic and the ratios of dimensions may differ from the actual ones.

(Configuration of tire information provision system)
First, an overview of a tire information providing system 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the tire information providing system 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the tire information providing system 1 includes a control device 10 and a terminal device 20. Fig. 1 shows one control device 10 and one terminal device 20. However, the tire information providing system 1 may include any number of control devices 10 and terminal devices 20.

The control device 10 is, for example, a server configured with one or more computers. In this embodiment, the control device 10 is described as being configured with one computer. However, the control device 10 may be configured with multiple computers, such as a cloud computing system.

The terminal device 20 is a computer, such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a personal computer. The terminal device 20 is used by a user of the tire information provision system, such as an employee or a customer of a dealership.

The network 30 is any communication network through which the control device 10 and the terminal device 20 can communicate with each other. The network 30 in this embodiment may be, for example, the Internet, a mobile communication network, a LAN (Local Area Network), or a combination of these.

The tire information providing system 1 is used to provide information on tires that can be fitted to vehicles. In the tire information providing system 1, the control device 10 stores tire ratings in association with the vehicles on which the tires are fitted. The control device 10 acquires customer information from, for example, the terminal device 20, and identifies the customer vehicle based on the customer information. The customer vehicle is, for example, a vehicle associated with a customer, such as a vehicle owned by the customer. The control device 10 acquires tire ratings associated with vehicles in the same category as the customer vehicle. The control device 10 then outputs a list of tires that can be fitted to the customer vehicle, prioritizing them based on the tire ratings. For example, this list of tires that can be fitted to the customer vehicle may be transmitted from the control device 10 to the terminal device 20 and displayed by the terminal device 20.

In this way, tire information providing system 1 can provide information on tires that can be fitted to a vehicle, prioritized based on tire evaluation, even if the customer himself does not know the tires that are fitted to the customer's vehicle. As a result, tire information providing system 1 can improve the usefulness of the technology that provides information on tires that can be fitted to a vehicle.

Next, we will explain in detail the control device 10 and terminal device 20 included in the tire information provision system 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the control device 10 includes a communication unit 11, an output unit 12, an input unit 13, a storage unit 14, and a control unit 15. In the control device 10, the communication unit 11, the output unit 12, the input unit 13, the storage unit 14, and the control unit 15 are connected to each other in a wired or wireless manner so as to be able to communicate with each other.

The communication unit 11 includes a communication module for connecting to the network 30. The communication module is a communication module compatible with mobile communication standards such as 4G (4th Generation) or 5G (5th Generation). The communication module may be a communication module compatible with standards such as wired LAN or wireless LAN. The communication module may be a communication module compatible with short-range wireless communication standards such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or infrared communication. In this embodiment, the control device 10 is connected to the network 30 via the communication unit 11. This allows the control device 10 to communicate with the terminal device 20 or other computers, etc.

The output unit 12 includes one or more output devices. The output devices are, for example, a display, a speaker, or a lamp. As a result, the output unit 12 outputs an image, sound, light, or the like.

The input unit 13 includes one or more input devices. The input devices are, for example, a touch panel, a keyboard, a camera, or a microphone. The input unit 13 accepts, for example, an input operation by a user of the control device 10.

The memory unit 14 is, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, or an optical memory. The memory unit 14 functions, for example, as a main memory device, an auxiliary memory device, or a cache memory. The memory unit 14 stores any information used in the operation of the control device 10. For example, the memory unit 14 stores a system program, an application program, embedded software, a database, or the like. The information stored in the memory unit 14 may be updatable, for example, with information obtained from the network 30 via the communication unit 11.

An example of information stored in the memory unit 14 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in the memory unit 14 of the control device 10. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the memory unit 14 may store information such as customer information, tire information, vehicle information, tire evaluation information, mountable tire information, and dealer information.

The customer information includes information about the customer. The customer information may be uniquely identifiable by customer identification information. The customer identification information is also called a customer ID (Identifier). For example, the customer identification information is information uniquely issued by the control device 10, but is not limited to this and may be the customer's name, etc. The customer information may include vehicle identification information and tire identification information in addition to the customer identification information. The vehicle identification information is information that can uniquely identify the customer's vehicle. The customer's vehicle is, for example, a vehicle owned by the customer. The vehicle identification information is also called a vehicle ID. For example, the vehicle identification information is information uniquely issued by the control device 10, but is not limited to this and may be the vehicle registration number written on the license plate of the customer's vehicle, etc. The tire identification information is information that can uniquely identify the customer's tire. The customer's tire is a tire mounted on the customer's vehicle. The tire identification information is also called a tire ID. The tire identification information is information uniquely issued by the control device 10, but is not limited to this and may be the manufacturing number of the customer's tire, etc. In addition to the information mentioned above, customer information may include any information about the customer, such as the customer's name, address, or phone number.

Tire information includes information about tires. Tire information includes, for example, tire ID, tire type, size, manufacturer, tire performance, and price information. Tire performance is the performance that the tire places importance on, and may include, for example, fuel efficiency, straight-line stability, dry performance, wet performance, quietness, ride comfort, and life performance.

Vehicle information includes information about the vehicle. For example, vehicle information includes vehicle ID, vehicle model, year, manufacturer, and vehicle classification. Vehicle classification may include, for example, sedan, minivan, compact car, SUV, and light vehicle.

The tire evaluation information includes information regarding the evaluation of the tire. The tire evaluation information includes, for example, a customer ID, a vehicle ID, a tire ID, and a tire evaluation. In this way, the tire evaluation information associates the tire evaluation with the vehicle on which the tire is mounted.

The mountable tire information includes information about tires that can be mounted on a vehicle. The mountable tire information includes, for example, the vehicle model, tire type, and default tire classification. Default tires are classified as to whether or not tires of that tire type are default tires that are mounted on a vehicle of that vehicle model when it is sold as a new vehicle. In this way, the mountable tire information associates a vehicle with tires that can be mounted on that vehicle. The mountable tire information also associates a vehicle with the default tires that are mounted on that vehicle when it is sold as a new vehicle.

The dealer information includes information about tire dealers. The dealer information includes, for example, the name of the dealer, location information, and tire inventory information. As a result, the dealer information associates the location information of the dealer with tire inventory information at that dealer.

The control unit 15 includes one or more processors. The processor may be, for example, a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process. The control unit 15 is not limited to a processor and may include one or more dedicated circuits. The dedicated circuits may be, for example, an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The control unit 15 controls each of the components to realize the functions of the control device 10, including the functions of the components such as the communication unit 11, output unit 12, input unit 13, and memory unit 14 described above.

1, the terminal device 20 includes a communication unit 21, a positioning unit 22, a reading unit 23, an output unit 24, an input unit 25, a storage unit 26, and a control unit 27. In the terminal device 20, the communication unit 21, the positioning unit 22, the reading unit 23, the output unit 24, the input unit 25, the storage unit 26, and the control unit 27 are connected to each other via wire or wirelessly so as to be able to communicate with each other.

The communication unit 21 includes a communication module for connecting to the network 30. The communication module is a communication module compatible with a mobile communication standard such as 4G or 5G. The communication module may be a communication module compatible with a standard such as a wired LAN or a wireless LAN. The communication module may be a communication module compatible with a short-range wireless communication standard such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or infrared communication. In this embodiment, the terminal device 20 is connected to the network 30 via the communication unit 21. This allows the terminal device 20 to communicate with the control device 10 or another computer, etc.

The positioning unit 22 includes one or more positioning devices capable of generating position information of the terminal device 20. The positioning device is, for example, a receiver compatible with a satellite positioning system such as the Global Positioning System (GPS). The position information of the terminal device 20 may be, for example, coordinates such as two-dimensional coordinates or three-dimensional coordinates of the point where the terminal device 20 is located.

The reading unit 23 includes a reading device capable of reading tag information stored in an electronic tag installed in a tire. The electronic tag is, for example, an RF tag. The RF tag is also called an RFID tag. The electronic tag may be a passive electronic tag or an active electronic tag. The tag information stored in the electronic tag installed in a tire includes, for example, the tire identification information described above.

The output unit 24 includes one or more output devices. The output devices are, for example, a display, a speaker, or a lamp. As a result, the output unit 24 outputs an image, sound, light, or the like.

The input unit 25 includes one or more input devices. The input devices are, for example, a touch panel, a keyboard, a camera, or a microphone. The input unit 25 accepts, for example, an input operation by a user of the terminal device 20.

The storage unit 26 is, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, or an optical memory. The storage unit 26 functions, for example, as a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 26 stores any information used in the operation of the terminal device 20. For example, the storage unit 26 stores a system program, an application program, embedded software, a database, or the like. The information stored in the storage unit 26 may be updatable, for example, with information obtained from the network 30 via the communication unit 21.

The control unit 27 includes one or more processors. The processor may be, for example, a general-purpose processor such as a CPU, or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process. The control unit 27 is not limited to a processor and may include one or more dedicated circuits. The dedicated circuit may be, for example, an FPGA or an ASIC. The control unit 27 controls each component to realize the functions of the terminal device 20, including the functions of the components such as the communication unit 21, positioning unit 22, reading unit 23, output unit 24, input unit 25, and memory unit 26 described above.

(Operation of tire information provision system)
The operation of the tire information providing system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the tire information providing system 1. The flowchart shown in Fig. 3 shows the operation of the control device 10 and the terminal device 20 included in the tire information providing system 1. Therefore, the description of the operation corresponds to a method executed by the tire information providing system 1, and also corresponds to a method executed by each of the control device 10 and the terminal device 20 included in the tire information providing system 1.

In explaining this operation, the user of the terminal device 20 is assumed to be a user of the tire information provision system, and to be an employee or customer of a tire dealer. In addition, in explaining this operation, it is assumed that customer information of the customer who is the target of this operation is stored in advance in the memory unit 14 of the control device 10.

Referring to FIG. 3, in step S101, the terminal device 20 acquires information about the customer.

The information about the customer is any information that can identify the customer identification information. Any method can be adopted to acquire the information about the customer. For example, the user of the terminal device 20 may operate the input unit 25 of the terminal device 20 to input the customer identification information. As a result, the control unit 27 acquires the customer identification information via the input unit 25. In such a case, the control unit 27 may transmit the input customer identification information to the control device 10 via the communication unit 21 as information about the customer. Alternatively, the user of the terminal device 20 may operate the reading unit 23 of the terminal device 20 to read an electronic tag installed on the customer's tire. The tag information may include, for example, the tire identification information of the tire. As a result, the control unit 27 acquires the tag information via the reading unit 23. In such a case, the control unit 27 may transmit the read tag information to the control device 10 via the communication unit 21 as information about the customer. By equipping the terminal device 20 with the reading unit 23 in this way, the user of the terminal device 20 does not need to input customer identification information, etc., thereby reducing the burden on the user when using the tire information provision system 1.

In step S102, the terminal device 20 may generate location information of the terminal device 20.

Specifically, the control unit 27 of the terminal device 20 generates location information of the terminal device 20 by the positioning unit 22. The control unit 27 may transmit the location information of the terminal device 20 together with the information about the customer acquired in step S101 to the control device 10 via the communication unit 21.

In step S103, the control unit 15 of the control device 10 acquires customer information.

In this embodiment, the control unit 15 of the control device 10 receives information about a customer from the terminal device 20 via the communication unit 11. The information about the customer is, for example, customer identification information or tire identification information included in the tag information. The control unit 15 uses the received information about the customer to acquire the customer information stored in the memory unit 14. However, the control unit 15 may acquire the customer information by any method. For example, if no customer information is stored in the memory unit 14, the control unit 15 may acquire new customer information via the communication unit 11 or the input unit 13. The control unit 15 may store the acquired new customer information in the memory unit 14.

In step S104, the control unit 15 of the control device 10 identifies the customer vehicle based on the customer information. In this embodiment, the control unit 15 of the control device 10 can identify the customer vehicle by identifying vehicle identification information associated with the customer identification information in the customer information, as shown in FIG. 2.

Referring again to FIG. 3, in step S105, the control unit 15 of the control device 10 obtains evaluations of tires associated with vehicles that are in the same category as the customer vehicle.

Any method can be used to obtain the tire evaluation. For example, the control unit 15 of the control device 10 may store the tire evaluation in the memory unit 14 in association with the vehicle on which the tire is mounted, as shown as tire evaluation information in FIG. 2. The tire evaluation is, for example, score information obtained by converting information input by the customer who owns the vehicle through a questionnaire or the like into a numerical value. The control unit 15 can obtain tire evaluations associated with vehicles in the same category as the customer vehicle from the memory unit 14 based on the customer vehicle identified in step S104. The vehicle information shown in FIG. 2 may be used to set the range of categories to be obtained. Specifically, the model, year, manufacturer, vehicle classification, or a combination of these of the customer vehicle may be used to set the range of categories.

When acquiring tire evaluations, the control unit 15 of the control device 10 may gradually widen the range of categories from which evaluations are acquired. Specifically, the control unit 15 acquires evaluations of tires associated with vehicles that are in the same first category as the customer vehicle. As a result, if a predetermined number or more evaluations of tires associated with vehicles in the first category are not acquired, the control unit 15 may acquire evaluations of tires associated with vehicles in a second category that is broader than the first category. The predetermined number is, for example, 1, but may be any number greater than or equal to 1.

For example, the control unit 15 of the control device 10 may first obtain tire evaluations for vehicles of the same model and year as the customer vehicle as vehicles in the same category as the customer vehicle. As a result, if a predetermined number or more of tire evaluations are obtained, the control unit 15 may use the evaluations of the tires in subsequent processing. On the other hand, if the predetermined number or more of tire evaluations are not obtained, the control unit 15 may obtain tire evaluations by expanding the range of categories to vehicles of the same manufacturer as the customer vehicle or vehicles in the same vehicle classification as the customer vehicle. This makes it possible to preferentially obtain evaluations of tires used on vehicles similar to the customer vehicle. As a result, in subsequent processing, the accuracy of prioritizing information on tires that can be fitted to a vehicle based on tire evaluations can be improved.

Referring again to FIG. 3, in step S106, the control unit 15 of the control device 10 outputs a list of tires that can be fitted to the customer's vehicle, prioritizing the list based on the tire evaluation.

Specifically, the control unit 15 of the control device 10 may store a vehicle and tires that can be fitted to the vehicle in association with each other, as shown as the mountable tire information in FIG. 2. The control unit 15 may generate a list of tires that can be fitted to the customer vehicle based on the customer vehicle identified in step S104 and the mountable tire information. The control unit 15 outputs the generated list of tires after prioritizing them based on the tire evaluation acquired in step S106. For example, the control unit 15 may calculate the average evaluation value of each tire included in the tire list, and rank the tires included in the tire list in descending order of the average tire evaluation value.

The control unit 15 of the control device 10 may use other factors in addition to tire evaluation to prioritize the tire list.

As a first example, in prioritizing the list of tires, the control unit 15 of the control device 10 may give priority to tires that are in the same category as the customer tires. Specifically, the control unit 15 may identify the customer tires that are fitted to the customer vehicle based on the customer information. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 15 can identify the customer tires by identifying tire identification information that is associated with the customer identification information in the customer information. The control unit 15 may output a list of tires that can be fitted to the customer vehicle, giving priority to tires that are in the same category as the customer tires.

Giving priority to a specific tire in the tire list may mean ranking the specific tire higher in the list. Alternatively, giving priority to a specific tire in the tire list may mean deleting tires other than the specific tire from the list. For example, when two or more tires in the tire list have the same evaluation value, the control unit 15 of the control device 10 may rank tires in the same category as the customer's tire higher. The category may be determined, for example, by the tire type, size, manufacturer, tire performance, or a combination of these. In this way, even if the customer himself does not know the tires that are installed on the customer's vehicle, tires in the same category as the customer's tire can be ranked higher in the tire list.

Alternatively, the categories may be determined by the price range of the tires. In such a case, the control unit 15 of the control device 10 can output a list of tires that can be fitted to the customer's vehicle, prioritizing tires that are in the same price range as the customer's tires. For example, if a small number of customers use extremely expensive tires for racing or other purposes and rate them highly, the ratings of these tires may become noise when prioritizing a list of tires for general customers. In such a case, tires that fall outside a certain price range can be ranked lower or removed from the list, making the tire list more useful to the customer.

As a second example, in prioritizing the list of tires, the control unit 15 of the control device 10 may give priority to tires that are in the same category as the default tires that are installed on the customer's vehicle when it is sold as a new car. Specifically, the control unit 15 may associate the vehicle with the default tires that are installed on the vehicle when it is sold as a new car, as shown as the available tire information in FIG. 2, and store the information in the storage unit 14. Then, the control unit 15 may identify the default tires for the customer's vehicle based on the customer's vehicle identified in step S104 and the available tire information. In this embodiment, the control unit 15 may output a list of tires that can be installed on the customer's vehicle by giving priority to tires that are in the same category as the default tires for the customer's vehicle. This allows tires similar to the tires currently installed on the customer's vehicle to be ranked higher in the tire list, even when information on the tires installed on the customer's vehicle is unknown.

As a third example, in prioritizing the list of tires, the control unit 15 of the control device 10 may use the location information of the terminal device 20 generated in step S102. Specifically, the control unit 15 may associate the location information of the dealer with tire inventory information at the dealer in the storage unit 14, as shown as dealer information in FIG. 2. The control unit 15 may then use the location information of the terminal device 20 to output a list of tires that can be fitted to the customer's vehicle, prioritizing tires included in the inventory information of dealers located within a predetermined distance range from the terminal device 20. This allows tires that can be purchased at dealers close to the customer's current location to be ranked higher in the tire list, in cases where a customer uses the terminal device 20 as a user to search for a tire dealer when a tire gets punctured.

Referring again to FIG. 3, any method can be used to output the list of tires in step S106. For example, the control unit 15 of the control device 10 may display a list of tires that can be fitted to the customer's vehicle, prioritizing them based on the tire evaluation, via the output unit 12 such as a display. Alternatively, the control unit 15 may transmit a request to the terminal device 20 via the communication unit 11 to display a list of tires that can be fitted to the customer's vehicle. As a result, in step S107, the control unit 27 of the terminal device 20 can display a list of tires that can be fitted to the customer's vehicle, prioritizing them based on the tire evaluation, via the output unit 24 such as a display, based on the request received from the control device 10.

As described above, in the tire information provision system 1 according to this embodiment, the control device 10 stores tire ratings in association with the vehicles on which the tires are mounted. The control device 10 acquires customer information, for example, from the terminal device 20, and identifies the customer vehicle based on the customer information. The control device 10 acquires tire ratings associated with vehicles in the same category as the customer vehicle. The control device 10 then outputs a list of tires that can be mounted on the customer vehicle, prioritizing them based on the tire ratings.

With this configuration, the tire information providing system 1 can provide information on tires that can be fitted to a customer's vehicle by prioritizing the tires based on tire evaluations, without the customer having to input information on the tires fitted to the customer's vehicle, even in cases where the customer himself does not know which tires are fitted to the customer's vehicle. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the usefulness of the technology that provides information on tires that can be fitted to a vehicle can be improved.

Although the present disclosure has been described based on the drawings and embodiments, it should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and corrections based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and corrections are included in the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the configurations or functions, etc. included in each embodiment can be rearranged so as not to cause logical inconsistencies. In addition, the configurations or functions, etc. included in each embodiment can be used in combination with other embodiments, and multiple configurations or functions, etc. can be combined into one, divided, or partially omitted.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, all or part of the functions or processes described as functions or processes of the control device 10 may be realized as functions or processes of the terminal device 20. Specifically, a program describing the processing content that realizes all or part of the functions or processes of the control device 10 according to the embodiment may be stored in the storage unit 26 of the terminal device 20, and the program may be read and executed by the control unit 27. Similarly, all or part of the functions or processes described as functions or processes of the terminal device 20 may be realized as functions or processes of the control device 10.

For example, an embodiment is also possible in which a general-purpose computer functions as the control device 10 or terminal device 20 according to the above-described embodiments. Specifically, a program describing the processing content for realizing each function of the control device 10 or terminal device 20 according to the above-described embodiments is stored in the memory of the general-purpose computer, and the program is read and executed by a processor. Thus, the present disclosure can also be realized as a program executable by a processor, or a non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores the program. Non-transitory computer-readable media include, for example, a magnetic recording device, an optical disk, a magneto-optical recording medium, or a semiconductor memory.

The present disclosure provides a tire information provision system, a tire information provision method, and a program that can improve the usefulness of technology that provides information about tires that can be fitted to a vehicle.

[Contribution to the United Nations-led Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)]
The SDGs have been proposed to realize a sustainable society. One embodiment of the present invention is considered to be a technology that can contribute to "No. 9 - Building a foundation for industry and technological innovation."

1: Tire information providing system, 10: Control device, 11: Communication unit, 12: Output unit, 13: Input unit, 14: Storage unit, 15: Control unit, 20: Terminal device, 21: Communication unit, 22: Positioning unit, 23: Reading unit, 24: Output unit, 25: Input unit, 26: Storage unit, 27: Control unit, 30: Network

Claims (9)

A tire information providing system,
storing the tire evaluation in association with the vehicle on which the tire is mounted;
Obtain customer information,
Identifying a customer vehicle based on the customer information;
obtaining ratings for tires associated with vehicles in the same category as the customer vehicle;
A tire information providing system including a control device configured to output a list of tires that can be fitted to the customer vehicle by prioritizing the list based on the evaluation of the tires. The control device, in obtaining the evaluation of the tire,
obtaining ratings for tires associated with vehicles in the same first category as the customer vehicle;
2. The tire information providing system according to claim 1, further configured to obtain evaluations of tires associated with vehicles included in a second category that includes the first category and is broader than the first category when a predetermined number or more evaluations of the tires associated with the vehicles included in the first category have not been obtained. The control device includes:
Identifying customer tires mounted on the customer vehicle based on the customer information;
3. The tire information providing system according to claim 1, further configured to output a list of tires that can be fitted to the customer's vehicle, giving priority to tires that belong to the same category as the customer's tire. The control device includes:
Identifying customer tires mounted on the customer vehicle based on the customer information;
4. The tire information providing system according to claim 3, further configured to output a list of tires that can be fitted to the customer's vehicle, giving priority to tires that are in the same price range as the customer's tire. The control device includes:
A vehicle is stored in association with a default tire that is installed on the vehicle when the vehicle is sold as a new vehicle.
3. The tire information providing system according to claim 1, further configured to output a list of tires that can be fitted to the customer vehicle, giving priority to tires that belong to the same category as the default tire of the customer vehicle. The present invention further includes a terminal device configured to read tag information stored in an electronic tag installed in a tire and transmit the tag information to the control device,
The tire information providing system according to claim 1 , wherein the control device is further configured to obtain customer information based on the tag information. The present invention further includes a terminal device configured to transmit location information of the terminal device to the control device,
The control device includes:
Store the location information of the dealer and tire inventory information at the dealer in association with each other;
2. The tire information providing system according to claim 1, further configured to output a list of tires that can be fitted to the customer's vehicle, giving priority to tires included in the inventory information of the dealership located within a predetermined distance range from the terminal device. 1. A method for providing tire information implemented by one or more computers, comprising:
storing an evaluation of the tire in association with a vehicle on which the tire is mounted;
Obtaining customer information;
identifying a customer vehicle based on the customer information;
obtaining a rating for a tire associated with a vehicle in the same category as the customer vehicle;
outputting a list of tires that are suitable for the customer vehicle, the list being prioritized based on the ratings of the tires;
A tire information providing method comprising: On one or more computers,
storing an evaluation of the tire in association with a vehicle on which the tire is mounted;
Obtaining customer information;
identifying a customer vehicle based on the customer information;
obtaining a rating for a tire associated with a vehicle in the same category as the customer vehicle;
outputting a list of tires that are suitable for the customer vehicle, the list being prioritized based on the ratings of the tires;
A program that causes an operation including

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