JP6550578B2 - Rental target management method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for specifying an object using a transmitter attached to the object and a user's portable terminal, and more particularly to improvement of the technique.

  Techniques for identifying (identifying) an object using a user's portable terminal already exist.

  An example of this type of technology is a technology for identifying a rental target, which is an example of movable property existing in a real estate station, using a portable terminal carried by the user who is the rental target.

  As existing services using this type of technology, a plurality of geographically different real estates, each associated with a rental property that is to be rented (e.g. There is a service that centrally manages what is stored in the place.

  One example is a service for lending and returning a rental object that is a movable property to a user at any place or station that is a real estate. As rental objects, there are humans and vehicles that move luggage, and types of vehicles include automobiles, bicycles, and motorcycles.

  Specific bicycle management systems for unattended service of rental and return of bicycles at stations have already been proposed, and some specific examples are disclosed in Patent Documents 1-5, respectively.

  Specifically, in the system described in Patent Document 1, a two-dimensional barcode is attached to a station for storing rental bicycles for identification. In addition, a two-dimensional bar code is attached to each rental bicycle for identification.

  In this system, a user uses a mobile terminal to read a two-dimensional bar code of a station with a reader to identify the station. The user identifies the rental bicycle by reading the two-dimensional barcode of the rental bicycle with a reader using the portable terminal. The mobile terminal is permitted to lend and return the rental bicycle by communicating with the management server.

  On the other hand, in Patent Document 2, it is possible to replace a two-dimensional barcode attached to each rental bicycle for identification with a short-distance communication means (corresponding to a transmitter) such as an IC tag. It is described.

  Moreover, in the system described in Patent Document 3, a transmitter is installed at a station for storing a rental bicycle. Each rental bicycle is attached with a user-readable number display (for example, a digit string or a code), not a transmitter, for identification.

  In this system, a user receives a signal from a transmitter using a mobile terminal, identifies a station, and then communicates with a management server to permit the rental and return of a rental bicycle.

  Moreover, in the system described in Patent Document 4, a transmitter that transmits an identifier indicating the place is installed at a place where the rental bicycle can be returned. Each rental bicycle is equipped with an accessory device.

  The accessory device has storage means for storing a plurality of identifiers indicating places where the rental bicycle can be returned. The attached device further comprises a receiver for receiving an identifier from the transmitter. The accessory device further determines that the rental bicycle can be returned to the place where the transmitter is installed when the identifier received by the receiver matches the stored identifier. It has a judgment means.

  In this system, the user communicates with the management server using a portable terminal, selects a bicycle parking lot and selects a rental bicycle, but does not receive a signal from the receiver. Therefore, the portable terminal cannot detect and identify a rental bicycle.

  Further, in this system, the mobile terminal communicates with the management server in order to allow the lending, but does not communicate with the management server in order to permit the return. The process for return is performed between the accessory device and the transmitter.

  Moreover, in the system described in Patent Document 5, the user accesses the management server using the mobile terminal, and acquires the return destination of the rental bicycle being rented. The rental bicycle is equipped with an RFID tag (wireless tag) as a transmitter. In the station, bicycle rental machines are installed for each rental bicycle, and one rental bicycle is stored in the bicycle parking device.

  The bicycle parking apparatus is provided with a receiver (RFID reader). The receiver receives a signal from the rental bicycle transmitter. The receiver further has a transmission function for transmitting the presence / absence of a bicycle rental bicycle or the ID of the bicycle rental to the management server.

JP 2011-248813 A JP 2010-55583 A Japanese Patent No. 5997858 Japanese Patent No. 5643861 Japanese Patent No. 5625160

  According to the technology described in Patent Document 1, the hardware resources attached to the station are barcodes, and the hardware resources attached to the rental bicycle are also barcodes, and those two types of barcodes are either Are also electrically read by the image reader of the same portable terminal.

  However, in order for a user to read two types of barcodes that are highly likely to exist in different places using a mobile terminal, the user has the barcode for each barcode to be read. You must move to the place and approach. As the distance from the bar code increases, the amount of light reflected by the bar code and incident on the image reader decreases, and the resolution at the time of reading decreases.

  Therefore, with this technology, it is impossible for the mobile terminal to physically read these two types of barcodes simultaneously.

  As a result, even if the management server receives the reading result data of two types of barcodes from the mobile terminal, the fact that the barcodes actually existed in the same station proves that there is no other evidence. I can't. For this reason, it is theoretically a falsification action that the user generates a fake combination of data different from the actual combination of the station and the rental bicycle on the mobile terminal and transmits it to the management server for some illegal purpose. Will be possible.

  Also, with this technology, it is impossible for a user to read these two types of barcodes using a mobile terminal at the same location, and the user must bother to move to two locations and perform the reading work in two steps. It must be cumbersome.

  On the other hand, when Patent Documents 2 and 3 are combined with Patent Document 1, it may be possible to replace both of the above two types of barcodes with a transmitter.

  However, even if such substitution is carried out, any one of Patent Documents 1-5, 1) also designs the system to simultaneously receive the respective signals from the two transmitters by the portable terminal 2) The point of permitting the rental and return of bicycles on the condition of simultaneous reception is also 3) If a transmitter is used instead of a bar code, it is data represented by a signal received from the transmitter and is carried The point of improving the security of the one used in the terminal is also not disclosed.

  Furthermore, none of the patent documents 1-5 disclose how to embody the geometrical relative relationship of the effective reception area between the two transmitters.

With the background described above, the present invention is a technology for managing a rental target using a transmitter attached thereto and a portable terminal of a user, and improving security of data used in the portable terminal It is an object to provide a technique for facilitating the process.

In order to solve the problem , according to one aspect of the present invention, a portable terminal of a user, a first transmitter installed at a station, which transmits a unique first signal, and storage at the station A rental object management method for managing the rental object by using a second transmitter installed in the rental object and transmitting a unique second signal,
While the mobile terminal is in the first reception range of the first transmitter while the user is staying at the station, even if the user does not hold the mobile terminal over the first transmitter, the first The first reception state indicating whether or not the first signal is continuously and effectively received from the transmitter and the mobile terminal receives the first signal from the first transmitter is the first reception state indicating that the user When entering the station, it transitions from the inactive reception state to the active reception state, and when the user leaves the station, transitions from the active reception state to the inactive reception state, whereby the relative dynamic behavior of the user relative to the station A first receiving step representing
The mobile terminal is within a second reception range of the second transmitter while the user is using the rental target, and the user does not hold the mobile terminal over the second transmitter. The second reception state indicating whether or not the second signal is continuously and effectively received from the two transmitters and the portable terminal receives the second signal from the second transmitter and When the use of the rental object is started, the transition from the non-effective reception state to the effective reception state is made, and when the user finishes using the rental object, the transition from the effective reception state to the non-effective reception state is made. A second receiving step representing the relative dynamic behavior of the user;
A management server capable of communicating with the portable terminal and / or the portable terminal, for the station and the rental target based on a temporal change of a relation between the first reception state and the second reception state; A management step of estimating a relative dynamic behavior of the user and managing the rental object based on the result;
A rental target management method is provided.

Further , according to the first aspect of the present invention, a first transmitter and a second transmitter for transmitting a unique signal are installed in each of the station and the rental object stored in the station, and the first transmission is performed. On condition that the user's portable terminal is receiving both the signal from the aircraft and the signal from the second transmitter, the rental target for rental to the user and / or the rental target for rental from the user There is provided a rental object management method which permits return and variably controls the effective reception radius of the effective reception area of the second transmitter according to the behavior of the user.

Further, according to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a rental object management system for centrally managing a plurality of geographically different stations, each storing at least one rental object.
A first transmitter installed at least one at each station and emitting a signal capable of identifying a station ID unique to the corresponding station;
A second transmitter installed at least one for each rental object and transmitting a signal capable of identifying the rental object ID specific to the corresponding rental object;
A portable terminal of the user, capable of receiving in a short distance communication mode with each of the first and second transmitters;
The management server capable of communicating with the mobile terminal and / or the mobile terminal,
A signal from the first transmitter and the first transmitter for positioning the mobile terminal in the effective reception area assigned to the first transmitter and at the same time in the effective reception area assigned to the second transmitter; A determination unit that determines whether or not both of the signals received from the two transmitters are in a reception state;
At the selected station where the user is actually staying among the plurality of stations under the condition of being in the both reception state, the user is actually actually selected by the user among at least one rental target installed at the selected station. Of the permission to lend the selected selected rental object, and the permission to return the selected rental object to the selected station, which is the same as or a different station from the station to which the loan was made. A permission unit that performs at least one,
And a control unit that variably controls an effective reception radius of an effective reception area of the second transmitter according to a user's behavior.

Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, a first transmitter that is installed in a station where rental and / or return of a rental target is performed for a user and transmits a unique signal;
A second transmitter installed in the rental object and transmitting a unique signal;
A permission unit for permitting the user to lend and / or return the rental target based on the signal received from the first transmitter and the signal received from the second transmitter by the user's portable terminal;
And a control unit that variably controls an effective reception radius of an effective reception area of the second transmitter according to a user's behavior.

  In addition, according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a mobile terminal of a user receives a transmitter that is installed in a rental vehicle that is rented and / or returned to the user and that transmits a unique signal. The rental vehicle is permitted to be rented and / or returned to the user based on the received signal, and the reception range of the transmitter is set in the rental vehicle after the rental vehicle is permitted to be rented to the user. A rental vehicle management method is provided, wherein the portable terminal is set to effectively receive a signal from the transmitter while the user is not holding the portable terminal over the transmitter.

  The following aspects are obtained by the present invention. Each aspect is divided into sections, each section is given a number, and is described in a form that cites other section numbers as necessary. This is to facilitate the understanding of some of the technical features that the present invention can adopt and combinations thereof, and the technical features that the present invention can adopt and combinations thereof are limited to the following embodiments. Should not be interpreted. That is, it should be construed that it is not impeded to appropriately extract and employ the technical features described in the present specification as technical features of the present invention although they are not described in the following embodiments.

  Further, describing each section in the form of quoting the numbers of the other sections does not necessarily prevent the technical features described in each section from being separated from the technical features described in the other sections. It should not be construed as meaning, but it should be construed that the technical features described in each section can be appropriately made independent depending on the nature.

(1) A first transmitter and a second transmitter for transmitting a unique identification signal are installed in each station and rental object stored in the station, and the signals from the first transmitter and the second transmitter are installed. A rental object management method that permits rental of a rental object to the user and / or return of a rental object from the user on condition that the user's portable terminal receives both of the signals.

(2) A rental object management system for centrally managing a plurality of geographically different stations, each storing at least one rental object,
A first transmitter installed at least one at each station and emitting an identification signal capable of identifying a station ID unique to the corresponding station;
A second transmitter that is installed at least one for each rental object and that transmits an identification signal that can identify a rental object ID unique to the corresponding rental object;
A portable terminal of the user, capable of receiving in a short distance communication mode with each of the first and second transmitters;
The management server capable of communicating with the mobile terminal and / or the mobile terminal,
A signal from the first transmitter and the first transmitter for positioning the mobile terminal in the effective reception area assigned to the first transmitter and at the same time in the effective reception area assigned to the second transmitter; A determination unit that determines whether or not both of the signals received from the two transmitters are in a reception state;
At the selected station where the user is actually staying among the plurality of stations under the condition of being in the both reception state, the user is actually actually selected by the user among at least one rental target installed at the selected station. Of the permission to lend the selected selected rental object, and the permission to return the selected rental object to the selected station, which is the same as or a different station from the station to which the loan was made. Rental target management system including a permission section that performs at least one of them.

(3) The rental object management system according to (1) or (2), wherein the effective reception radius of the effective reception area of the second transmitter is shorter than the effective reception radius of the effective reception area of the first transmitter.

(4) The portable terminal and / or the management server further includes:
The rental object management system according to any one of (1) to (3), further including a control unit that variably controls an effective reception radius of an effective reception area of the second transmitter according to user behavior.

(5) The first transmitter is a fixed transmitter installed at least one at each station in a fixed position,
The rental object management according to any one of the items (1) to (4), wherein the second transmitter is a mobile transmitter installed in a state of moving with each rental object at least one for each rental object. system.

(6) The portable terminal and / or the management server further includes:
The portable terminal identifies the selected station according to a signal received from the first transmitter in the dual reception state, and the portable terminal selects the selected rental target according to a signal received from the second transmitter in the dual reception state. It includes an associating unit that identifies and associates the identified selected stations and the selected rental objects with each other, thereby allowing each activity of the user during the rental period to be associated with the identity of the user and monitored (2) Rental target management system described in the section.

(7) The mobile terminal and / or the management server may further include
The portable terminal is receiving a signal from the second transmitter when the portable terminal transitions from a state of receiving a signal from the first transmitter to a state of not receiving it at the rental stage of the rental target. A first abnormality determination unit that determines that there is an abnormality in at least one of the user's actions and the first transmitter and the second transmitter when there is no such action;
The portable terminal receives a signal from the second transmitter when the portable terminal transitions from a state of receiving a signal from the first transmitter to a state of not receiving the signal in the return stage of the rental object. (2) including at least one of a user's action and a second abnormality determination unit that determines that at least one of the first transmitter and the second transmitter is abnormal. The rental target management system described.

(8) The mobile terminal
A candidate station display unit that displays on the screen at least a part of the plurality of stations that can be used by the user as candidate stations;
A candidate for displaying on the screen at least a part of at least one of the plurality of stations which can be lent to the user among the at least one rental object stored in the one selected by the user among the plurality of stations. The rental object management system according to item (2), including at least one of a rental object display unit.

(9) Each rental object includes a moving body with or without a prime mover that is lent to a user for a fee or free of charge, and that moves with the user. The rental according to any one of (1) to (8) Target management system.

(10) Each moving body is a bicycle, a car, a motorcycle, a go-kart for shopping or entertainment, a shopping cart, a stroller, a handcart, a wheelchair or a golf cart, each for lending to a corresponding station. The rental object management system according to the item (9), including one to be stored.

(11) A program executed by a computer of a mobile terminal to implement the mobile terminal according to any one of (1) to (10).

  The programs according to this section and other sections are interpreted to mean, for example, a combination of instructions executed by a computer to perform its function, or are processed according to each instruction as well as the combination of those instructions. Can be interpreted to include, but not limited to, files and data.

  In addition, this program is intended to achieve its intended purpose by being executed alone by a computer, or to be achieved by being executed by a computer together with other programs. Yes, but not limited to them. In the latter case, the program according to the present section may be data-based but is not limited thereto.

(12) A program executed by a computer of the management server to implement the management server described in (2).

(13) A recording medium recording the program according to (11) or (12) in a computer readable manner.

  This recording medium can adopt various formats, for example, magnetic recording medium such as flexible disc, optical recording medium such as CD, CD-ROM, magneto-optical recording medium such as MO, unremovable storage such as ROM, etc. Or the like may be employed, but is not limited thereto.

(14) A moveable behavior estimation method for estimating the relative behavior of a moveable property (or a moving object, a moving object) to a real estate (or a fixed object, a fixed property) to be moved together by the user by using the portable terminal of the user Because
A first transmitter and a second transmitter that transmit a unique identification signal to each of the real estate and the movable property are installed,
The mobile terminal is based on the temporal change of the relationship between the first and second reception signals received from the first and second transmitters in the near field communication system and in synchronization with each other, respectively. A movable property estimation method for estimating a relative dynamic behavior with respect to the real estate.

  According to this method, the user's portable terminal synchronously receives the signals from the first transmitter installed in the real estate and the second transmitter installed in the real estate, thereby It is possible to estimate relative dynamic behavior.

(15) A user presence / absence determination method for determining whether a user exists in real estate by using the user's portable terminal,
A plurality of transmitters for transmitting signals representing different transmitter IDs are installed at different positions in the real estate, respectively.
In common to these transmitter IDs, one real estate ID unique to the real estate is assigned,
When the portable terminal receives the signal from at least one of the plurality of transmitters, it converts the transmitter ID represented by the received signal into a real estate ID according to the assignment, whereby the user A user presence / absence determination method for identifying real estate that actually exists.

  According to this method, in one real estate (for example, a site having a regular shape, a site having an irregular shape, a non-circular site, a rectangular site in plan view), a plurality of transmitters A combination of a plurality of assigned effective reception areas is assigned.

  Usually, one effective reception area is three-dimensionally spherical space, and two-dimensionally is circular space, but when a plurality of effective reception areas are merged, the combined effective reception It is possible to set the shape of the area boundary relatively freely so as to fit the shape of the boundary of the real estate.

  As a result, according to this method, the gap (reception leakage area) between the boundary line of the real estate and the boundary line of the merged effective reception area is reduced, so that the user carrying the mobile terminal can As long as it exists, it is possible to detect that the user is present in real estate without exception.

(16) A rental object management method for centrally managing a plurality of geographically different stations, each storing at least one rental object,
The method is
A first transmitter installed at least one at each station and emitting an identification signal capable of identifying a station ID unique to the corresponding station;
A second transmitter that is installed at least one for each rental object and that transmits an identification signal that can identify a rental object ID unique to the corresponding rental object;
A user's portable terminal that is capable of receiving in the near field communication method with each of the first and second transmitters and / or a management server capable of communicating with the portable terminal Executed,
The method is
In order for the mobile terminal and / or the management server to be located in the active reception area assigned to the second transmitter at the same time as the mobile terminal is located in the active reception area assigned to the first transmitter. A determination step of determining whether or not both signals from the first transmitter and the signal from the second transmitter are received;
At least at a selection station at which the user is actually staying among the plurality of stations, provided that the portable terminal and / or the management server is in the both reception state, at least at the selection station The permission to lend out the selected rental object actually selected by the user among the one rental object, and the selection which is the same as or a different station from the station where the user made the selected rental object. A rental object management method including a permission process of performing at least one of permission to return to a station.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing station-side equipment installed at a certain station in the bicycle rental system according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. It is a side view which expands and shows a part of bicycle for a rental shown to 1 (a).

FIG. 2 shows a bicycle rental system shown in FIG. 1 (a) in which the first transmitter installed at a certain station, the second transmitter installed on a bicycle existing at the same station, and the same station. It is a perspective view which shows an example of a mode that the user's portable terminal and management server in the management center in a remote place communicate with each other.

FIG. 3 shows short distance one-way communication between the first and second transmitters and the portable terminal shown in FIG. 2 and long distance bidirectional communication between the portable terminal and the management server shown in the same figure. It is a figure which represents each communication conceptually.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram conceptually showing the first and second transmitters shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart conceptually showing an example of a program (hereinafter, also referred to as “application”) executed by the computers of the first and second transmitters shown in FIG. 4 (the same applies to other programs). .

FIG. 6 (a) is a plan view showing the first and second transmitters shown in FIG. 1 (a) together with the stations where the first and second transmitters are installed. Furthermore, an example of each of the first and second effective reception areas respectively assigned to the first and second transmitters is conceptually represented, and FIG. 6 (b) shows the first effective reception. FIG. 6C is a plan view conceptually showing a first modification of the area, and FIG. 6C is a plan view conceptually showing a second modification of the first effective reception area.

FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram conceptually showing the portable terminal shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram conceptually showing in tabular form the station data file stored in the station data memory in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a diagram conceptually showing the bicycle data file stored in the bicycle data memory in FIG. 7 in the form of a table.

FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram conceptually showing the management server shown in FIG.

11 (a) shows a list showing a plurality of modules of the bicycle rental program executed by the computer of the portable terminal shown in FIG. 7, and FIG. 11 (b) shows the computer of the management server shown in FIG. 10 shows a list showing a plurality of modules of the bicycle rental program implemented by

FIG. 12 (a) is a view exemplarily showing a reservation status table used in the reservation sequence to explain the reservation sequence of the bicycle rental method executed in the bicycle rental system. 12 (b) is a view exemplarily showing a user-specific reservation content file used in the reservation sequence.

FIG. 13 (a) is a plurality of time charts for illustrating the main sequence realized when there is a reservation among the bicycle rental methods, and FIG. 13 (b) is the bicycle rental method Among them, there are a plurality of time charts for illustratively explaining the main sequence implemented when there is no reservation.

FIG. 14 is a reservation sequence flow achieved by execution by the portable terminal of the reservation module shown in FIG. 11 (a) and execution by the management server of the reservation module shown in FIG. 11 (b).

FIGS. 15A, 15B and 15C are reservation sequence diagrams for explaining the reservation sequence flow shown in FIG. 14 in time series.

FIG. 16 shows the case where reservation is made by the portable terminal of the reservation-time lending processing module shown in FIG. 11A and execution by the management server of the reservation-time lending processing module shown in FIG. It is a sequence flow.

FIG. 17 shows the non-reservation-time lending achieved by the execution by the portable terminal of the non-reservation-time lending processing module shown in FIG. 11A and the execution by the management server of the non-reservation-time lending processing module shown in FIG. It is a processing sequence flow.

FIG. 18 is a return processing sequence flow achieved by execution by the portable terminal of the return processing module shown in FIG. 11 (a) and execution by the management server of the return processing module shown in FIG. 11 (b).

FIG. 19 shows an execution by the portable terminal of the rental abnormality determination module shown in FIG. 11 (a) among a plurality of modules in the bicycle rental system according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention and FIG. 11 (b) It is a loan abnormality determination sequence flow achieved by execution by the management server of the loan abnormality determination module shown in FIG.

20 shows a return abnormality determination sequence achieved by execution by the portable terminal of the return abnormality determination module shown in FIG. 11A and execution by the management server of the return abnormality determination module shown in FIG. It is a flow.

21 (a) is a loan abnormality determination sequence diagram for explaining the loan abnormality determination sequence flow shown in FIG. 19 in chronological order, and FIG. 21 (b) is a return shown in FIG. 20. It is a return time abnormality determination sequence diagram for demonstrating time abnormality determination sequence flow time-sequentially with a figure.

  Hereinafter, some exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in detail based on a drawing.

<First Embodiment>

  FIGS. 1 (a) and 2 show a bicycle rental system (hereinafter simply referred to as "system") 10 according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The system 10 is an example of a rental object management system according to the present invention. In the system 10, a bicycle rental method which is an example of a rental object management method according to the present invention is implemented.

  As shown in FIGS. 1A and 2, the system 10 includes a plurality of stations 20 each capable of storing a plurality of bicycles 12 (an example of “rental object” and an example of “mobile property”). (In FIG. 1 (a), only representative stations 20 of these stations 20 are shown) (an example of “real estate”) a service for lending and returning bicycles 12 to the user It is a system for providing. Each station 20 is assigned to a corresponding bicycle parking lot 22. The bicycle parking lot 22 is a rental bicycle storage site, and in the illustrated example, has a rectangular shape in plan view.

  As a management system of the stations 20, for each station 20, a self-sustaining management system which is managed autonomously (individually or in a self-contained manner) using only the facilities installed in the stations 20, and a plurality of stations 20 There is a centralized management system which centrally manages the stations 20 by communicating with a management server remotely. The system 10 according to the present embodiment adopts the latter centralized management scheme.

  In order to realize the centralized management method, the system 10 includes a plurality of first transmitters 30 installed in the plurality of stations 20 and a plurality of second transmitters 32 mounted in the plurality of bicycles 12 respectively. And a management server (an example of a center-side unit) 50 installed in a management center 40 that centrally manages a plurality of stations 20.

  Here, the first transmitter 30 is referred to as a station-side transmitter when attention is paid to the installation position, and the first transmitter 30 is referred to as a fixed transmitter, a stationary transmitter, or a position-invariant transmitter when attention is paid to motion characteristics. Similarly, the second transmitter 32 is referred to as a bicycle-side transmitter or an in-vehicle transmitter when focusing on the installation position, and a movable transmitter, a mobile transmitter, or a position-variable transmitter when focusing on the motion characteristics. It is called.

  Each of the plurality of stations 20 is previously assigned a unique station ID. Similarly, each of the plurality of bicycles 12 is previously assigned a unique bicycle ID. The first transmitter 30 and the management server 50 installed in each station 20 are not directly communicated, but are communicated via the portable terminal 90 of the user. Similarly, the second transmitter 32 and the management server 50 installed on each bicycle 12 are not directly communicated but communicated via the portable terminal 90 of the user.

  In the present embodiment, each first transmitter 30 is configured to transmit a local identification signal that can identify a station ID unique to the corresponding station 20. In addition, each second transmitter 32 is configured to transmit a local identification signal that can identify a bicycle ID unique to the corresponding bicycle 12. As a result, the combination of the station ID and the bicycle ID is commonly used for a plurality of bicycles 12 stored therein at 20.

  The number and type of the bicycles 12 scheduled to be stored in the same station 20 are determined in advance and may not change every day. However, in the present embodiment, they are not determined in advance and change every day. It is possible.

  Therefore, in the former case, the same bicycle ID always corresponds to the same station ID, but in the present embodiment, the same bicycle ID corresponds to a plurality of different station IDs. Specifically, in the present embodiment, for example, the same bicycle ID corresponds to the station ID of the station A at the time of lending, but corresponds to the station ID of the station B at the time of return.

  As shown in FIG. 1B, a corresponding second transmitter 32 is attached to a specific part of each bicycle 12. An example of the specific part includes a front portion (for example, a car portion), a rear portion (for example, a loading platform), and a central portion (for example, a saddle 62 of the bicycle 12 and a saddle 62 of the bicycle 12). And a triangular frame 64) supporting the lower side from below.

  Further, of the respective bicycles 12, the part to which the second transmitter 32 is attached is the state in which the user is on the bicycle 12, and the portable terminal 90 carried by the user is from the second transmitter 32. It is selected so that it is a part (for example, the said cage | basket part, the said loading platform, etc.) with high possibility of receiving the transmitted signal without an obstruction.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, this system 10 includes a first transmitter 30 and a plurality of bicycles 12 as fixed objects installed in one bicycle parking lot 22 at each station 20. A bicycle rack (bicycle storage device) 70 for storage is provided. The bicycle rack 70 includes a plurality of bicycle stalls (small sections) 72 for accommodating the bicycles 12 one by one. In one example, the bicycle rack 70 is partitioned into a plurality of bicycle stalls 72 by a frame 74 installed in the bicycle parking lot 22. Prior to lending to the user, each bicycle 12 is accommodated (stored) in each bicycle stall 72.

  In the example shown in FIG. 1A, one first transmitter 30 is installed in one station 20. However, for example, as shown in FIG. One first transmitter 30 may be installed.

  As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, in this system 10, the user uses his / her mobile terminal 90 to identify from the first transmitter 30 installed in the station 20 where the user is currently staying. A signal and an identification signal from the second transmitter 32 installed on the one of the plurality of bicycles 12 currently stored in the station 20 at that time and reserved by the user or selected locally. At the same time, reception is performed in a contact state or non-contact state with the first and second transmitters 30 and 32 (short-distance one-way wireless communication is performed). The portable terminal 90 further performs long-distance two-way wireless communication with the management server 50 of the management center 40.

  The portable terminal 90 of the user is a device which is carried by the user and has a wireless communication function, such as a portable telephone, a smartphone, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a PDA or the like.

<First and second transmitter>

  The first transmitter 30 installed in each station 20 and the second transmitter 32 installed in each bicycle 12 are common to each other in hardware configuration (see FIG. 4) and software configuration (see FIG. 5). Therefore, for convenience of explanation, the configurations of the first and second transmitters 30 and 32 will be described by treating them as the same transmitter.

  Each transmitter 30, 32 actively transmits a unique identification signal locally, without a trigger signal from the outside, and permanently as long as the power supply is not short.

  Each of the transmitters 30 and 32 is a device generally known as a beacon device that transmits a beacon signal as an identification signal, or a name of a wireless tag or the like. In one example, each transmitter 30, 32 generates an identification signal representing a corresponding station ID by modulating the original signal, and the generated identification signal is converted into an IR signal, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) signal, It transmits locally as an NFC (near-field wireless communication) signal or the like.

  Next, the hardware configuration will be described with reference to FIG. 4 which is a functional block diagram. Each transmitter 30, 32 has a processor 100 and a memory 102 for storing a plurality of applications executed by the processor 100. The computer 104 is mainly configured.

  Each transmitter 30, 32 further has a replaceable disposable battery 106 as a power source. Instead of the battery 106, a rechargeable battery can be adopted, or a commercial power supply as an external power supply can be adopted.

  Each of the transmitters 30 and 32 further includes a transmitter 108 which generates and transmits an identification signal representing a regular transmitter ID (an example of a "transmitter code") unique to itself. Each first transmitter 30 transmits an identification signal representing a unique regular first transmitter ID, while each second transmitter 32 transmits an identification signal representing a unique regular second transmitter ID .

  The transmitter 108 is operated by the battery 106 and controlled by the controller 110. The controller 110 is controlled by the computer 100.

  Next, the software configuration of each of the transmitters 30, 32 will be described with reference to FIG. 5. The processor 100 of each of the transmitters 30, 32 repeats the program conceptually represented by the flowchart in FIG. Run it.

  At the time of execution of each program, first, in step S1, the regular transmitter ID corresponding to each transmitter 30, 32 (ie, the regular first transmitter ID corresponding to the first transmitter 30 and the first Among the authorized second transmitter IDs corresponding to the second transmitter 32, the one corresponding to the program described this time) is read. The regular first transmitter ID corresponds to one station ID one to one, and the regular second transmitter ID corresponds to one bicycle ID one to one.

  Next, in step S2, the remaining amount of the battery 106 is estimated.

  Subsequently, in step S3, a signal for modulating an original signal (for example, a carrier signal) is transmitted to the controller 110 so that the read regular transmitter ID and the estimated remaining battery level are reflected. Are output. The controller 110 controls the transmitting unit 108, and as a result, the transmitting unit 108 generates an identification signal to be transmitted this time.

  Thereafter, in step S4, the generated identification signal is transmitted from the transmitter 108. Then, it returns to step S1.

  In addition, in each transmitter 30, 32, an algorithm for generating an identification signal so that at least the corresponding ID of the station ID and the bicycle ID (corresponding ID) and the remaining battery power is reflected. A procedure different from the algorithm or procedure shown in FIG. 5 can be adopted.

<Hardware configuration of user's mobile terminal>

  Here, to describe one function of the portable terminal 90 of the user in association with each transmitter 30, 32, the portable terminal 90 receives the identification signal from each transmitter 30, 32, and the portable terminal 90 A program installed in advance in the computer of the terminal 90, that is, a dedicated application for transmitter processing (hereinafter referred to as "application for transmitter") is activated (login), and the received identification signal is demodulated And thereby decrypt the station ID and the bicycle ID.

  Specifically, the portable terminal 90 acquires a station ID from the identification signal received from the first transmitter 30, and acquires a bicycle ID from the identification signal received from the second transmitter 32.

  The portable terminal 90 further transmits the decrypted station ID and bicycle ID to the management server 50.

  Furthermore, when the portable terminal 90 receives the identification signal from each of the transmitters 30 and 32 and activates the transmitter application, the portable terminal 90 transmits the identification signal based on the received identification signal. The distance between the position of each transmitter 30 and 32 and the position of the portable terminal 90 when the identification signal is received is also measured.

  That is, the mobile terminal 90 is based on the identification signal received from each transmitter 30, 32, with the station ID unique to the station 20 where the first transmitter 30 is actually installed, and the bicycle 12 selected by the user. There is a bicycle ID unique to the one where the second transmitter 32 is installed, and the distance between each of the transmitters 30 and 32 at that time is obtained.

<Setting the receiving range of each transmitter>

  As shown in a plan view conceptually in FIG. 6A, two types of reception areas are allocated to each of the transmitters 30 and 32. They are a coverage area (not shown) and an effective reception area (hereinafter also referred to as "reception range").

  Each of these areas is generally defined by a circle originating from each transmitter 30, 32. The coverage area has a maximum reception radius (e.g., about 50 m), while the effective reception area has an effective reception radius (e.g., ranging from a radius of 0 m to a radius of about 50 m or less). The maximum reception radius is an invariant value, whereas the effective reception radius is a variable value that can be changed at any time by the mobile terminal 90 as described later.

  The receivable area is a portable terminal 90 as long as the identification signal from each of the transmitters 30 and 32 can be reached if the power supply of each of the transmitters 30 and 32 is normal. Means an area where the identification signal can be received.

  On the other hand, the effective reception area has an effective reception radius smaller than the maximum reception radius of the coverage area. The maximum reception radius cannot be arbitrarily set, whereas the effective reception radius can be arbitrarily set by the mobile terminal 90.

  That is, the maximum reception radius can mean the reception limit determined by hardware, while the effective reception radius can mean the reception limit determined by software.

  As described above, the portable terminal 90 measures the distance from the transmitters 30 and 32 when the received identification signal is transmitted. The distance measurement may or may not exceed the effective reception radius. And when the distance measurement value does not exceed the reception effective radius, it is when the portable terminal 90 exists in the effective reception area, but when the distance measurement value exceeds the reception effective radius, the portable terminal 90 is Is present in the receivable area but not in the effective reception area.

  The portable terminal 90 determines whether the distance measurement value is equal to or less than the set value of the effective reception radius by activating the transmitter processing application, and determines that the measured value is equal to or less than the set value. Since 90 is currently located within the effective reception area (reception range), the mobile terminal 90 effectively receives the identification signals from the transmitters 30 and 32 (hereinafter, simply “received the identification signal”). Say)).

  On the other hand, when the portable terminal 90 determines that the distance measurement value is larger than the set value, the portable terminal 90 is currently located outside the effective reception area of each of the transmitters 30 and 32. It is determined that “the identification signals from the transmitters 30 and 32 have not been received effectively (hereinafter simply referred to as“ the identification signal has not been received ”)”.

  That is, in the present embodiment, when the portable terminal 90 is located outside the effective reception area, the portable terminal 90 apparently appears in spite of the fact that the portable terminal 90 receives the identification signal. It is treated on software as not receiving the identification signal.

  Here, the geometrical relationship of the effective reception area between the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 will be described.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6A, one first transmitter 30 is installed in one station 20, and the first effective reception area (first As long as the corresponding bicycle 12 exists in the premises of the station 20 (inside the boundary line), the reception range is arranged inside the second effective reception area (second reception range) of the second transmitter 32. The first reception radius of the first effective reception area and the second reception radius of the second effective reception area are set relative to each other.

  Specifically, the second reception radius is set to be shorter than the first reception radius. As a result, the second effective reception area is a short range or medium range, and the first effective reception area is a long range.

  Here, specific examples of the three reception ranges will be described.

1) Short range A reception range in which the portable terminal 90 can not effectively receive the transmitter unless the user brings the portable terminal 90 into contact with the transmitter of the transmitter or holds it in a non-contact state (the setting value is, for example, Within a range of about 0 cm to about 30 cm)

2) Medium range As long as the user is on the bicycle 12 or presses the bicycle 12 to move it, the user can also hold the portable terminal 90 in contact with the transmitter of the transmitter (in a non-contact / approach state) Reception range where the portable terminal 90 can effectively receive the transmitter (the setting value is, for example, in the range of about 0 m to about 2 m).

3) Long Range As long as the user exists at any position in the station 20, the mobile terminal 90 enables the transmitter without the user touching or holding the mobile terminal 90 with the transmitter of the transmitter. Receiving range (the set value is within the range of about 0m to about 10m, for example)

  In the example shown in FIG. 6A, the first effective reception area is set so as to cover the entire area of the station 20 in plan view and partially has an area deviating from the boundary line of the station 20. Has been. Instead, in another example, as shown in FIG. 6B, the first effective reception area may be set so as not to have an area deviating from the boundary line of the station 20 in plan view. Good.

  In the two examples shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, one first transmitter 30 is installed in one station 20, but instead, this is illustrated in FIG. 6C. Thus, it is possible to implement the present invention in a mode in which a plurality of first transmitters 30 are installed in one station 20.

  By the way, in the present embodiment, the site of the station 20 has a rectangular shape. On the other hand, the first effective reception area is spherical in three dimensions and circular in two dimensions. Therefore, when one first effective reception area is assigned to the station 20, as shown in FIG. 6B, there is a gap between the boundary line of the site of the station 20 and the boundary line of the first effective reception area. (Reception leak area) remains.

  On the other hand, in still another example, as shown in FIG. 6C, if a plurality of first effective reception areas are assigned to the station 20, the effective reception area in which these effective reception areas are merged is apparently received It becomes an area, and the gap between the boundary of this area and the boundary of the station 20 is reduced. As a result, so-called reception failure in which the portable terminal 90 can not effectively receive the signal from the first transmitter 30 despite the presence of the user carrying the portable terminal 90 in the station 20 is prevented.

  In the example shown in FIG. 6C, a plurality of second transmitters 30 are assigned different transmitter IDs, while being assigned a common station ID. Therefore, when the portable terminal 90 receives the signal from at least one of the first transmitters 30, the transmitter ID represented by the received signal is associated with the corresponding station ID (converted). As a result, the mobile terminal 90 can identify the current station 20. Here, the fact that the portable terminal 90 identifies (recognizes) this station 20 means that the user carrying the portable terminal 90 exists in the station 20 by the cooperation of the portable terminal 90 and the transmitter 30. Equivalent to being detected.

<Software configuration of user's mobile terminal>

  Next, the hardware configuration of the user's portable terminal 90 will be described with reference to FIG. 7 which is a functional block diagram. The portable terminal 90 is a memory storing a processor 130 and a plurality of applications executed by the processor 130 A computer 134 having 132 is mainly configured.

  The portable terminal 90 further displays the information on, for example, a display unit (for example, a liquid crystal display) 136 which displays information on a screen (having a window whose area is limited and variable or unchanged) indicated by reference numeral 135 in FIG. The receiver 138 receives signals from the first transmitter 30, the second transmitter 32, and the management server 50, and the transmitter 140 generates a signal and transmits the signal to the management server 50.

  The portable terminal 90 further includes an input unit 150 for inputting data and commands from the user. The input unit 150 includes, for example, an operation unit that can be operated by the user to input desired information (for example, commands, data, and the like) to the mobile terminal 90. The operation unit may be a touch screen that displays an icon (for example, a virtual button) that can be operated by the user, a physical operation unit (for example, a keyboard, a keypad, or a button) that can be operated by the user, and voice. There is a microphone to detect, but it is not limited to these.

  The portable terminal 90 further includes a GPS (satellite positioning system) receiver 152. The GPS receiver 152 receives a plurality of GPS signals from a plurality of GPS satellites, as is well known, and based on the GPS signals, determines the position (latitude, longitude and altitude) of the GPS receiver 152 on the earth Measure by triangulation. That is, the portable terminal 90 has a positioning function using a satellite.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the memory 132 has a plurality of data memories including a map data memory 161, a station data memory 163, a bicycle data memory 165 and a reservation status table memory 167.

  The map data memory 161 temporarily stores map data downloaded by the user's portable terminal 90 from the management server 50 or another map database (not shown) according to the current position of the user. Based on the map data, a map (an example of “partial map”) is displayed on a screen 135 (see FIG. 15) of the display unit 136. The map displayed on the screen 135 changes from moment to moment as the user moves.

  As conceptually shown in FIG. 8, in the station data memory 163, the correspondence among the plurality of station IDs, the plurality of regular first transmitter IDs, and the plurality of station position data is downloaded from the management server 50. Can be stored. The plurality of station IDs respectively correspond to the plurality of stations 20 centrally managed by the system 10. Each of the plurality of station position data represents the longitude and latitude (latitude X, longitude Y) of the corresponding ground position of the station 20.

  The station data memory 163 temporarily stores a plurality of station position data corresponding to a plurality of stations 20 together with a plurality of station IDs corresponding thereto and a plurality of regular first transmitter IDs.

  In the portable terminal 90, a map based on the map data is displayed on the screen 135, and on the map, at each moment, a plurality of station positions stored in the station data memory 163 at that time. Among the downloaded plurality of stations 20, respective positions of a few candidate stations 20 located near the current position of the portable terminal 90 are overlaid and displayed based on the data (see FIG. 15).

  Here, the plurality of stations 20 displayed on the screen 135 for the geographical reason that “the few candidate stations 20” is closer to the current position of the portable terminal 90 among the plurality of downloaded stations 20. In other words, the station 20 that is out of the screen 135 for the geographical reason of being far from the current position of the mobile terminal 90 is excluded.

  As conceptually shown in FIG. 9, in the bicycle data memory 165 of FIG. 7, the correspondence among a plurality of station IDs, a plurality of bicycle IDs, and a plurality of regular second transmitter IDs is downloaded from the management server 50 Can be stored. When one of the plurality of bicycles 12 is selected by the user, a corresponding one bicycle ID is determined, and in turn, a corresponding one regular second transmitter ID is determined.

  A reservation status table, which will be described later, is appropriately downloaded from the management server 50 and stored in the reservation status table memory 167.

  As shown in FIG. 11A, the memory 132 of the portable terminal 90 stores a bicycle rental program for the portable terminal 90, and the bicycle rental program has the following plural modules. Yes.

1) Reservation module This is a module that assists the user in reserving any bicycle 12 before arriving at the station 20, as will be described in detail later with reference to FIG. Here, to "reserve", the user inputs location information of the desired station 20, identification information of the desired bicycle 12 (an example of rental object identification information), and time information such as planned rental time and planned return time. It is equivalent to work.

2) Reservation-time lending process module This supports the user to receive the reserved bicycle 12 at the reserved station 20 according to his reservation, as described later in detail with reference to FIG. It is a module.

3) Reservation-less-time lending processing module As described in detail with reference to FIG. 17 below, the user selects one of the free bicycles 12 at any station 20 without making a reservation, and This is a module for supporting the rental of the selected bicycle 12.

4) Return Processing Module This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 18 below, where the user rents the bicycle 12 at the same station 20 as the station 20 where the bicycle 12 was rented or at a different station 20. It is a module that supports returning.

5) Loan abnormality determination module This module determines whether or not any abnormality has occurred when lending the bicycle 12 to the user, as will be described in detail later with reference to FIG. Are optional modules for implementing the system 10, and will be described in detail in a second embodiment to be described later.

6) Return abnormality determination module This is a module for determining whether or not any abnormality has occurred when returning the bicycle 12 from the user, as described in detail with reference to FIG. 20 later. Are optional modules for implementing the system 10, and will be described in detail in a second embodiment to be described later.

<Management server>

  Next, the hardware configuration of the management server 50 will be described with reference to FIG. 10 which is a functional block diagram. The management server 50 includes a processor 160 and a memory 162 for storing a plurality of applications executed by the processor 160. The computer 164 is mainly configured.

  The management server 50 further generates a signal by displaying a display unit (for example, a liquid crystal display) 166 that displays information, a receiving unit 168 that receives a signal from the portable terminal 90, and transmits the signal to the portable terminal 90. And a clock 172 that measures the current time. This management server 50 does not directly receive from the transmitter 30, but in effect via the mobile terminal 90.

  As shown in FIG. 11B, the memory 162 of the management server 50 stores a bicycle rental program for the management server 50, and the bicycle rental program has the following plural modules. Yes.

1) Reservation module This is a module having the same function as the reservation module of the portable terminal 90, as will be described in detail later with reference to FIG.

2) Lending processing module with reservation This is a module having the same function as the lending processing module with reservation of the portable terminal 90, as will be described in detail later with reference to FIG.

3) Lending processing module without reservation This is a module having the same function as the lending processing module without reservation of the portable terminal 90, as will be described in detail later with reference to FIG.

4) Return Processing Module This is a module having the same function as the return processing module of the portable terminal 90, as will be described in detail later with reference to FIG.

5) Loan abnormality determination module This is a module having the same function as the loan abnormality determination module of the portable terminal 90 as will be described in detail with reference to FIG. Since it is an optional module to implement, it will be described in detail in a second embodiment to be described later.

6) Return abnormality determination module This is a module having the same function as the return abnormality determination module of the portable terminal 90 as will be described in detail with reference to FIG. Since it is an optional module to implement, it will be described in detail in a second embodiment to be described later.

<Outline of reservation sequence>

  FIG. 12A shows an example of a reservation status table for managing the reservation status of a plurality of bicycles 12 by a plurality of users for each station 20 by executing the reservation module by the mobile terminal 90 and the management server 50. It is shown.

  The reservation status table is created and updated in the management server 50, and the latest version is shared with the portable terminal 90. This reservation status table displays the presence / absence of reservation and the scheduled rental time zone (including date and time) for each station 20 and for each bicycle 12.

  The user looks at this reservation status table on the screen 135 of his portable terminal 90, refers to it and searches for a station 20 where at least one bicycle 12 waiting is present, and at least that station 20 One of the standby bicycles 12 is searched for a free time, and a desired date and time and a time zone are designated.

  In FIG. 12A, of the time axis (from 0:00 to 23:59) of each bicycle 12 in the reservation status table, a horizontal bar hatched with oblique lines at the latest update time of the reservation status table. The time zone in which there is a reservation is the time zone in which there is already a reservation, i.e., the time zone in which there is a reservation, while the time zone in which the bar does not exist is the time zone in which there is no reservation yet, i.e. A belt is displayed.

  The user inputs the identification information of the selected station 20, the identification information of the selected bicycle 12, the lending date and time, and the return date, as illustrated in FIG. Thereby, both the corresponding station 20 and the bicycle 12 are reserved.

  FIG. 11B shows an example of a user-by-user reservation content file for managing reservation content of a plurality of users by execution of the reservation module by the portable terminal 90 and the management server 50.

  This user-specific reservation content file is created and updated in the management server 50. This user-specific reservation content file is selected for each user, such as personal authentication information (user ID, password, etc.), location information for specifying the location of the selected station 20 (ID unique to the selected station 20). Location information for identifying the location of the bicycle 12 (ID unique to the selected bicycle 12), time information for defining the scheduled use time zone for the selected bicycle 12 (scheduled start time, scheduled end time, scheduled use time The length, etc.) represents the type of penalty imposed on the user because the user violates a rule required to comply in order to receive the bicycle rental service this time.

<Outline of main sequence>

  An overview of the main sequence by the system 10 following the above-mentioned reservation sequence will be described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 13 (the same applies to FIG. 21), the portable terminal 90 receives the regular first transmitter ID from the first transmitter 30 at each instant in the time chart labeled "Receive for station recognition". For convenience of explanation, the pulse signal which is at the low level in the state where the portable terminal 90 has not received the first transmitter ID and is at the high level in the state of receiving it is represented for convenience of explanation.

  Similarly, in the same diagram (the same applies to FIG. 21), the time chart labeled “Receiving for bicycle recognition” indicates that the portable terminal 90 regularly receives from the second transmitter 32 every second instant. For convenience of explanation, it is a pulse signal which becomes low level when the portable terminal 90 does not receive the regular second transmitter ID and becomes high level when it is received, for convenience of explanation. expressing.

<Outline of the main sequence when there is a reservation>

  In FIG. 13A, the user reserves the reserved bicycle 12 in the reserved station 20 with a scheduled rental start time (lending time) of 15:00 and a scheduled rental end time (return time) of 18:00. The outline of the main sequence is illustrated by a plurality of time charts, taking the case of FIG.

1) Loan processing

  First, it is assumed that the user has entered the reserved station (rental station) 20 at a time of 15:30 on one day in order to rent a reserved bicycle 12, and the mobile terminal 90 has entered the first effective reception area. Then, the portable terminal 90 starts to receive the first transmitter 30 effectively (“station recognition reception signal” in the figure rises).

  Next, the user approaches the reserved bicycle 12 existing in the current station 20 and holds the portable terminal 90 over the second transmitter 32 installed on the bicycle 12, so that the portable terminal 90 becomes the second. Assuming that the mobile terminal 90 has entered the effective reception area, the mobile terminal 90 starts to effectively receive the second transmitter 32 ("bicycle recognition reception signal" in the figure rises).

  As a result, at the time of 15:30, the mobile terminal 90 transitions to a state in which signals are simultaneously received from the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32. That is, any transmitter 30 can be received from a non-simultaneous reception state in which the portable terminal 90 can not effectively receive a signal from any of the transmitters 30, 32 or can only effectively receive a signal from any of the transmitters 30, 32. , 32 also shift to a simultaneous reception state in which signals are effectively received.

  Here, “the state where the portable terminal 90 receives signals from the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 simultaneously” means that the signal from the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 are used. Means a reception state in which both the signal from the mobile terminal 90 is received, the timing at which the mobile terminal 90 starts receiving the signal from the first transmitter 30, and the signal from the second transmitter 32 by the mobile terminal 90 It is not always required that the timing of starting the reception of each other coincides with each other.

  At this time, the portable terminal 90 (or the management server 50) determines that the user has actually started using the bicycle 12 (lending has been performed).

  Subsequently, the user inputs a lending request to the mobile terminal 90 within a first time limit of, for example, 5 minutes from the use start time.

  In response to the lending request, the management server 50 permits the user to lend the bicycle 12. The time is the start time of the actual rental time, but in principle, charging to the user is started from 15:00 which is the scheduled rental time. Specifically, from the scheduled rental time, counting of the total rental time referred to in order to calculate the final rental fee amount for the user is started.

  Thereafter, the user leaves the rental station 20 while riding the bicycle 12, and at that time, the mobile terminal 90 exits from the first effective reception area, so that the state changes to a state where the first transmitter 30 cannot be received effectively ( The station recognition reception signal falls).

  On the other hand, as long as the user is on the bicycle 12, the mobile terminal 90 effectively receives the second transmitter 32, so the bicycle recognition reception signal is maintained at the high level.

2) Return processing

  The portable terminal 90 because the user has entered a station (return station) 20 which is the same as or different from the lending station 20 at the same time 17:30 on the same day in order to return the used bicycle 12. Assuming that it has entered the first effective reception area, the station recognition reception signal rises. Since then, since the user has been on the bicycle 12, the portable terminal 90 continues to receive the second transmitter 32 effectively.

  As a result, at the time of 17:30, the portable terminal 90 transitions to a state in which signals are simultaneously received from the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 (both-sides reception state). That is, from the non-simultaneous reception state in which the portable terminal 90 effectively receives the signal only from the second transmitter 32, the transition is made to the simultaneous reception state in which the signal is received from any of the transmitters 30 and 32.

  At this time, the mobile terminal 90 (or the management server 50) determines that the user has actually finished using the bicycle 12.

  Subsequently, the user inputs a return request to the mobile terminal 90 within a second time limit of, for example, 5 minutes from the use end time.

  In response to the return request, the management server 50 permits the user to return the bicycle 12. The time is the end time of the actual rental time, but in principle, the user is charged until 18:00 which is the scheduled return time. Specifically, the total rental time count ends at the scheduled return time.

  Thereafter, assuming that the mobile terminal 90 has exited from the second effective reception area because the user got off the bicycle 12, the mobile terminal 90 transitions to a state in which the second transmitter 32 cannot be received effectively, and the bicycle recognition Received signal falls. Thereafter, the reception signal for bicycle recognition is maintained at a low level because the user is not on the current bicycle 12.

  Subsequently, assuming that the mobile terminal 90 has left the first effective reception area because the user has moved away from the bicycle 12 and has left the return station 20 this time, the mobile terminal 90 activates the second transmitter 32. Transitions to a state where the station cannot be received (the station recognition reception signal falls).

  When the calculation of the rental fee based on the length of the total rental time is completed in the management server 50, the user electronically settles the rental fee via the portable terminal 90.

<Outline of the main sequence when there is no reservation>

  FIG. 13 (b) shows an example of the outline of the main sequence in the case where the user enters any one of the stations 20 and selects one of the bicycles 12 in that station 20 to start the rental service. Illustrated in multiple time charts. Since these time charts are basically the same as those shown in FIG. 13A except for the billing process, common elements will be briefly described.

1) Loan processing

  First, since the user entered one of the stations (rental stations) 20 at a time of 15:30 on one day to rent one of the bicycles 12, the mobile terminal 90 entered the first effective reception area. Assuming that, the portable terminal 90 starts receiving the first transmitter 30 effectively.

  Next, since the user approaches one of the bicycles 12 and holds the portable terminal 90 over the second transmitter 32 installed on the bicycle 12, the portable terminal 90 enters the second effective reception area. Assuming that, the portable terminal 90 starts receiving the second transmitter 32 effectively.

  As a result, at the time of 15:30, the portable terminal 90 transitions to a state in which signals are simultaneously received from the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 (both-sides reception state).

  At this time, the portable terminal 90 (or the management server 50) determines that the user has actually started using the bicycle 12 (lending has been performed).

  Subsequently, the user inputs a lending request to the mobile terminal 90 within the first time limit from the use start time.

  In response to the lending request, the management server 50 permits the user to lend the bicycle 12. The time is the start time of the actual rental time, and in the present case, charging to the user is started from 15:30 which is the actual rental time. Specifically, counting of the total rental time is started from the actual rental time.

  Thereafter, the user leaves the rental station 20 while riding the bicycle 12, and at this time, the mobile terminal 90 leaves the first effective reception area, and thus the state is changed to a state where the first transmitter 30 cannot be received effectively.

  On the other hand, as long as the user is on the bicycle 12, the mobile terminal 90 effectively receives the second transmitter 32, so the bicycle recognition reception signal is maintained at the high level.

2) Return processing

  Since the user entered the station (return station) 20 that is the same as or different from the present rental station 20 at the time of 17:30 on the same day in order to return the bicycle 12 in use, the mobile terminal 90 Assuming that it has entered the first effective reception area, the station recognition reception signal rises. Since then, since the user has been on the bicycle 12, the portable terminal 90 continues to receive the second transmitter 32 effectively.

  As a result, at the time of 17:30, the portable terminal 90 transitions to a state in which signals are simultaneously received from the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 (both-sides reception state).

  At this time, the mobile terminal 90 (or the management server 50) determines that the user has actually finished using the bicycle 12.

  Subsequently, the user inputs a return request to the portable terminal 90 within the second time limit from the use end time.

  In response to the return request, the management server 50 permits the return of the bicycle 12 by the user. That time is the end time of the actual rental time, and the user is charged until 17:30, which is the actual return time. Specifically, the total rental time count ends at the actual return time.

  Thereafter, assuming that the mobile terminal 90 has exited from the second effective reception area because the user got off the bicycle 12, the mobile terminal 90 transitions to a state in which the second transmitter 32 cannot be received effectively, and the bicycle recognition Received signal falls. Thereafter, the reception signal for bicycle recognition is maintained at a low level because the user is not on the current bicycle 12.

  Subsequently, assuming that the mobile terminal 90 has left the first effective reception area because the user has moved away from the bicycle 12 and has left the return station 20 this time, the mobile terminal 90 activates the second transmitter 32. Transition to a state where it cannot be received.

  When the calculation of the rental fee based on the length of the total rental time is completed in the management server 50, the user electronically settles the rental fee via the portable terminal 90.

<Reservation sequence>

  In FIG. 14, the portable terminal 90 is connected to the management server 90 at a place away from the station 20 where the user wants to make a reservation (for example, at home as shown in FIG. 1), and any bicycle in the station 20 is connected. An example of communication performed between the portable terminal 90 and the management server 50 located at a remote location to reserve 12 is represented by a sequence flow in chronological order.

  When the bicycle rental program (which has already been downloaded from the management server 50 and installed in the memory 132 of the portable terminal 90) is activated by the user on the portable terminal 90, the user performs a plurality of modes and a plurality of requests. A plurality of buttons (display objects that can be selected by the user) that are operated to emit are displayed on the screen of the mobile terminal 90.

  The multiple modes and multiple requests include the following:

1) Reservation mode

  Execution mode selected by the user to reserve station 20 and bicycle 12

2) Loan processing mode with reservation

  Execution mode selected by the user to activate the on-booking processing module to rent the bicycle 12 at the station 20 with the on-booking status

3) Lending processing mode without reservation

  Execution mode selected by the user to activate the reservationless rental process module to rent the bicycle 12 at the station 20 with no reservation.

4) Return processing mode

  Execution mode selected by the user to activate the return processing module to return the bicycle 12 to the station 20

5) Lending request

  A request issued by the user to permit lending of the bicycle 12 to the user after activation of the reservation-time lending processing module or the reservation-free lending processing module

6) Return request

  A request issued by the user to allow the user to return the bicycle 12 after the return processing module is activated.

  At this time, when the button “reservation mode” is selected by the user, the reservation module of the bicycle rental program for the portable terminal 90 is executed by the processor 130 of the portable terminal 90 and the bicycle for the management server 50 The reservation module of the rental program is executed by the processor 160 of the management server 50.

  When the reservation module for the portable terminal 90 is executed by the processor 130 of the portable terminal 90, first, in step 101, the portable terminal 90 determines the current position of the user based on the GPS signal received from the outside by the GPS receiver 152. Operates so that longitude and latitude are measured.

  Next, in step S102, the measured current position of the user is a reference position (display reference point position (longitude and latitude)) referenced by the processor 130 to display the map on the screen 135 of the display unit 136. It is said. Furthermore, a part of the overall map having a size that can be displayed at one time in the window on the screen 135 and in which the reference position exists is the display range of the map (that is, the window of the overall map In the area displayed at each moment).

  As illustrated in FIG. 15 (a), when the user moves on the ground with time, the reference position 202 (shown by a black triangle in the same drawing) also moves with time to follow it. As a result, as the user moves, the display range of the map also moves with time on the entire map, and consequently, the image of the map displayed in the window also changes with time.

  Subsequently, in step S103, a login request (an example of a “service start signal”) for logging in to the management server 50 is transmitted to the management server 50 together with a user ID and a password for identifying the current user.

  On the other hand, when the reservation module for the management server 50 is executed by the processor 160 of the management server 50, the management server 50 receives the login request together with the user ID and password in step S201, and then the step In S202, station data on the plurality of stations 20 (see FIG. 8 for a plurality of components of the station data) and bicycle data on a plurality of bicycles 12 belonging to the stations 20 (a plurality of bicycle data) Regarding the constituent elements, the reservation status table (see FIG. 12A) and the memory 162 (or another memory) of the management server 50 are searched for.

  Thereafter, in step S203, the retrieved station data, bicycle data, and reservation status table are transmitted to the portable terminal 90.

  On the other hand, the portable terminal 90 receives the station data, the bicycle data, and the reservation status table in step S104. The received station data is stored in the station data memory 163 shown in FIG. 7, and as a result, the table shown in FIG. 8 is constructed. The received bicycle data is stored in the bicycle data memory 165 shown in FIG. 7, and as a result, the table shown in FIG. 9 is constructed. The received reservation status table (see FIG. 12A) is stored in the reservation status table memory 167.

  Subsequently, in step S105, among the plurality of stations 20, among the plurality of stations 20, a few candidate stations are located on the map displayed on the screen 135 based on the stored station data. 20 is displayed as an overlay.

  In this step 105, all of the plurality of stations 20 (all the stations 20 stored in the memory 162 of the management server 50) represented by the received plurality of station data are displayed on the screen 135. Do not mean. Only a plurality of stations 20 smaller than the plurality of stations 20, which are determined by the current position of the user and the size of the screen 135, are displayed on the screen 135. That is, the plurality of stations 20 received from the management server 50 are further narrowed down to a small number of candidate stations 20 according to the current position of the user and the size of the screen 135.

  In one example, as shown in FIG. 15A, the current position of the user is overlaid and displayed using a black triangle 202 on the map displayed on the screen 135, and a plurality of candidate stations 20 are displayed. An overlay display is made using a plurality of station display icons 204. In this example, three station display icons 204 are configured as a figure in which alphabets “A”, “B”, and “C” are surrounded by a rectangular frame.

  In the present embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the part executing the step S105 in the system 10 constitutes one example of the “candidate station display unit” and one example of the “candidate station display step” in the item (8). It is possible to think that

  In addition, in the return processing sequence flow, which will be described in detail later with reference to FIG. 18, the same ones as step S105 are a plurality of stations 20 as return destinations of the bicycle 12 by using the information in advance. It is possible to employ for selecting in consideration of, for example, the distance to the current position of the user, the distance to the nearest station of the user, and the like.

  Subsequently, in step S106, the user touches the display position of any one of the candidate stations 20 on the screen 135 with a finger to select any one of the stations 20 as the current selection station 20.

  Specifically, when the user touches the display position of any candidate station 20 with a finger on the screen 135, the touch position is detected by the touch screen of the display unit 136, and the touch position is, for example, a map. Converted into map coordinate information (location information) that is the upper latitude and longitude (defined by the global coordinate system that is an absolute coordinate system) or XY coordinate information (defined by the device coordinate system that is a relative coordinate system) Is done. Any candidate station 20 is identified based on the map coordinate information.

  Thereafter, in step S107, the reservation status table is displayed on the screen 135 as illustrated in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the part executing this step S107 in the system 10 constitutes one example of the "candidate rental object display part" and one example of the "candidate rental object display step" in the item (8). It is possible to think that

  Subsequently, in step S108, as illustrated in FIG. 15C, the user identifies identification information (for example, name) of the station (rental station) 20 to be reserved and identification information of the bicycle (rental bicycle) 12 to be reserved. Enter (for example, a number), a lending date and time (scheduled), and a return date and time (scheduled). Here, inputting the identification information of the bicycle 12 to be reserved by the user into the portable terminal 90 is equivalent to performing the operation for selecting any bicycle 12 by the user on the portable terminal 90.

  Thereafter, in step S109, the portable terminal 90 transmits the input reservation content to the management server 50 in association with the user (for example, together with the user ID).

  As a result, the identification information of the rental station 20 and the identification information of the rental bicycle 12 are paired (linked), and the pair is associated with the current user's identification information. 90 to the management server 50.

  On the other hand, in step S204, the management server 50 receives the reservation content in association with the user (for example, together with the user ID). Subsequently, in step S205, the management server 50 registers the received reservation content in the plurality of user-specific reservation content files (see FIG. 12B) that are associated with the current user. Further, the reservation status table stored in the memory 162 is updated so that the received reservation content is reflected.

  Thereafter, in step S206, the management server 50 transmits, to the portable terminal 90, a message indicating that the reservation has been completed.

  On the other hand, the portable terminal 90 displays the received message on the screen 135 or outputs it by voice. This display informs the user that his / her reservation has been made.

<Lending processing sequence with reservation>

  In FIG. 16, the user enters the reserved station 20, and then approaches the reserved bicycle 12 and locates the station 12 in order to have the bicycle 12 permitted to borrow. An example of communication performed between the first transmitter 30, the second transmitter 32 installed on the bicycle 12, the portable terminal 90 of the user, and the It is represented by

  Each of the first and second transmitters 30 and 32 spontaneously and continuously transmits an identification signal unique to itself. If the user enters the reserved station 20, the portable terminal 90 exists in the first effective reception area of the first transmitter 30 (see FIG. 6). 1 The identification signal from the transmitter 30 is received effectively. Eventually, when the user holds up the second transmitter 32 of the bicycle 12 that has reserved the portable terminal 90, the portable terminal 90 will be present in the second effective reception area of the second transmitter 32 ( (See FIG. 6).

  In the present embodiment, the reception range of the first effective reception area of the first transmitter 30 is set to the long range regardless of the presence or absence of reservation, while the reception range of the second effective reception area of the second transmitter 32 is Is the short range. This setting is effective regardless of whether it is a lending process or a return process.

  This time, on the screen of the portable terminal 90, the button “Lending processing mode with reservation” is selected by the user. In response to this, a reservation-time lending processing module for the portable terminal 90 is executed by the portable terminal 90. By the execution, in step 151, a login request for the portable terminal 90 to log in to the management server 50 is transmitted to the management server 50 together with a user ID and a password for identifying the current user.

  On the other hand, when the reservation-time lending process module for the management server 50 is executed by the management server 50, the management server 50 receives the login request together with the user ID and the password in step S251.

  Subsequently, in step S252, the memory 162 is searched for the one associated with the current user among the plurality of user-specific reservation content files. Furthermore, in the retrieved user-by-user reservation content file, information on reserved stations 20 (rental stations) among the plurality of stations 20 and reserved bicycles 12 among the plurality of bicycles 12 of the stations 20. Information related to (rental bicycle) is searched as the current user reservation related information.

  Thereafter, in step S253, the retrieved current user reservation related information is transmitted to the portable terminal 90.

  On the other hand, the portable terminal 90 receives the current user reservation related information in step S152. Subsequently, in step S153, in the current user reservation related information, the transmitter code assigned in advance to the legitimate first transmitter 30 which should be installed at the reserved station 20 is the legitimate first code. In addition to searching as a transmitter code, a transmitter code assigned in advance to a regular second transmitter 32 that should be installed on the reserved bicycle 12 is retrieved as a regular second transmitter code. . The regular first and second transmitter codes for the user are obtained.

  Subsequently, in step S154, the portable terminal 90 receives a signal from at least one of the at least one first transmitter 30 and the at least one second transmitter 32 present in the current station 20.

  On the other hand, as described above, when the mobile terminal 90 is currently located outside the first receivable area of the first transmitter 30, the mobile terminal 90 cannot receive the identification signal from the first transmitter 30 at all. On the other hand, when the portable terminal 90 is currently positioned within the first coverage area of the first transmitter 30, the portable terminal 90 can receive the identification signal from the first transmitter 30.

  Even if the portable terminal 90 receives the identification signal from the first transmitter 30, there is a possibility that the portable terminal 90 is currently located outside the first effective reception area of the first transmitter 30. It may exist in

  Such a situation applies to the second transmitter 32 as well.

  The mobile terminal 90 can receive a plurality of signals from a plurality of transmitters simultaneously and in a mutually distinguishable manner. Each transmitter transmits a unique signal, for example, the source address (corresponding to transmitter ID) in the header of each packet of the signal is different from that of the other transmitters. Paying attention to this, the mobile terminal 90 can individually handle a plurality of signals received simultaneously.

Therefore, following step S154, in step S155, the mobile terminal 90
1) First valid reception determination as to whether or not the portable terminal 90 has effectively received an identification signal from the first transmitter 30, ie, the measured value of the distance between the portable terminal 90 and the first transmitter 30 is the first valid Whether it is smaller than the effective reception radius (long range) of the reception area,
2) A second effective reception determination as to whether or not the portable terminal 90 has effectively received an identification signal from the second transmitter 32, ie, the measured value of the distance between the portable terminal 90 and the second transmitter 32 is the second effective. Whether it is smaller than the effective reception radius (short range) of the reception area,
3) Simultaneous reception determination as to whether or not the portable terminal 90 simultaneously receives from the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32, that is, the timing at which the first valid reception determination of the first transmitter 30 is affirmed and the second It is determined whether or not the timing at which the first effective reception determination of the transmitter 32 is affirmed is performed substantially at the same time.

  The portable terminal 90 can determine which transmitter corresponds to the first transmitter 30 (station-side transmitter) by referring to the station data (FIG. 8) already stored, It is possible to determine which transmitter corresponds to the second transmitter 32 (bicycle transmitter) by referring to the bicycle data (FIG. 9). Therefore, the portable terminal 90 applies the effective reception radius (for example, the long range) of the first effective reception area to the effective reception determination of which transmitter, and the effective reception area of the second effective reception determination to which transmitter It can also be determined whether to apply a reception radius (for example, the short range).

  If any one of the first valid reception determination, the second valid reception determination, and the simultaneous reception determination is negative at the time of execution of step S155, the determination at step S155 is NO, and the process returns to step S154. On the other hand, if any of the first valid reception determination, the second valid reception determination, and the simultaneous reception determination is affirmative, the determination in step S155 is YES, and the process proceeds to step S156.

  In step S156, the portable terminal 90 demodulates the received identification signal, and subsequently, in step S157, the portable terminal 90 transmits the transmitter ID represented by the demodulated identification signal to the real transmitter ID. Decipher as Specifically, the portable terminal 90 is an actual first transmitter ID represented by a signal received from the first transmitter 30 and an actual second transmitter ID represented by a signal received from the second transmitter 32. And get.

  When the demodulated identification signal is a code represented by a binary number of multiple digits, for example, the code is a conversion table prepared in advance (for example, one previously downloaded from the management server 50) Is converted into a transmitter ID. However, in terms of usage, the difference between “code” and “ID” is not important as long as its use is identification.

  Subsequently, in step S158, the portable terminal 90 obtains the actual first and second actual transmitter IDs decrypted as described above and the regular first and second transmitter IDs acquired by executing step S153. It is determined whether or not they match each other. That is, ID verification is performed.

  Here, the “actual first transmitter ID” is a first transmitter (selected existing first transmission) that is actually installed in the one actually selected and visited by the user among the plurality of stations 20. Machine ID means 30 corresponding to the first transmitter ID, while “regular first transmitter ID” is virtually selected by the user operating the portable terminal 90 among the plurality of stations 20 This means a first transmitter ID corresponding to the first transmitter (selected virtual first transmitter) 30 that should be installed in the object.

  Similarly, the “actual second transmitter ID” is a second transmitter (selected existing second transmitter) 32 actually installed on one of the plurality of bicycles 12 actually selected by the user. Means the “second transmitter ID” corresponding to the “normal second transmitter ID”, which is installed on the bicycle 12 virtually selected by the user operating the portable terminal 90 This means the transmitter ID corresponding to the second transmitter (selected virtual second transmitter) 32 that should have been set.

  Thereafter, in step S159, the portable terminal 90 determines whether or not each real transmitter ID and each regular transmitter ID match each other, that is, whether or not the ID collation has succeeded.

  If the ID verification is not successful, the determination in step S159 is NO, and then in step S160, the portable terminal 90 again sends the first transmitter 30 and the second call to the user by the portable terminal 90. Retrying to detect the machine 32 is prompted by, for example, displaying an appropriate message on the screen 135 or outputting it by voice. Thereafter, the process returns to step S154.

  On the other hand, if the ID verification is successful, the determination in step S159 is YES, and then, in step S161, the mobile terminal 90 has the bicycle 12 before lending at the present station 20 at the current time. It is determined that This determination is equivalent to the determination that the user has started using the bicycle 12 at the current station 20 (lending has been performed).

  In one example, after the user activates the lending processing module, the user arrives at the station 20 this time, but the determination in step S155 is NO unless the user has arrived at the reserved bicycle 12 yet. When the user eventually arrives at the bicycle 12, the determination at step S155 changes from NO to YES.

  At this time, if the portable terminal 90 has received a signal representing the authorized second transmitter ID, the ID verification is successful, and the determination in step S159 is YES. Thereafter, in step S161, it is determined that the first transition at the first time has occurred at the current time.

  Here, the timing at which the determination in step S159 is YES is the timing at which the portable terminal 90 transitions from the state in which it does not receive the regular second transmitter ID to the state in which it receives (the “bicycle recognition reception in the example of FIG. Coincides with the time position of the “rising edge” of the “signal”.

  After that, in step S162, it is determined whether or not a lending request has been input from the user to the portable terminal 90 (for example, the virtual button "the lending request" has been operated by the user). If a lending request is input, the determination in step S162 is YES.

  Subsequently, in step S163, it is determined that a loan request has been issued from the user, and that the user has actually started using the reserved bicycle 12 at the station 20 that has currently reserved. Are associated with the user (eg, along with the user ID) and transmitted to the management server 50.

  On the other hand, in step S254, the management server 50 receives the information transmitted by the portable terminal 90 by the execution of the step S163.

  Thereafter, in step S255, the current time is measured using the clock 172. Subsequently, in step S256, the current time is recognized as an actual lending time. Subsequently, in step S257, lending of the bicycle 12 to the user is permitted.

  Thereafter, in step S258, a charging start time is determined for each user. In principle, charging is started from the scheduled lending time, and the amount commensurate with the length of elapsed time (use time, rental time, rental time) from the scheduled lending time is calculated as the rental price.

  In the above, although the case where the lending request has been normally issued from the user immediately after the portable terminal 90 effectively receives the two regular transmitters 30 and 32 simultaneously (both reception state is established) has been described, If not, the determination in step S162 is NO, and then it is determined in step S164 whether or not the elapsed time from the execution time of step S161 is currently within the first time limit (for example, 5 minutes) Be done.

  If it is within the first time limit, the determination in step S164 is YES, and it is possible to input a lending request to the user in step S165, for example, whether an appropriate message is displayed on the screen 135 or not The user is prompted by the output. Subsequently, the process returns to step S162.

  On the other hand, if the elapsed time from the execution time of step S161 currently exceeds the first limit time, the determination in step S164 is NO, and thereafter, in step S166, the first violation of the user occurs. It is determined that

  Subsequently, in step S167, it is transmitted to the management server 50 that the first violation has occurred in the user this time. The transmission content is received by the management server 50 in step S254, and lending of the bicycle 12 is prohibited this time.

<Lending processing sequence without reservation>

  In FIG. 17, the user enters any one of the stations 20 with no reservation, and then approaches one of the bicycles 12 to allow the bicycle 12 to be rented. An example of communication performed between the first transmitter 30 located at the second station, the second transmitter 32 installed at the bicycle 12, the portable terminal 90 of the user, and the management server 50 in chronological order・ It is represented by a flow. Since this flow has many elements in common with the flow shown in FIG. 16, only different elements will be described in detail.

  At this time, the user selects the button “reservation-less-use lending processing mode” on the screen of the portable terminal 90. In response to this, the reservationless lending processing module for the portable terminal 90 is executed by the portable terminal 90.

  By the execution, in step 201, similarly to the above-mentioned step S151, a login request for logging in to the management server 50 is transmitted to the management server 50 together with a user ID and a password for identifying the current user. Ru.

  On the other hand, when the no reservation reservation lending process module for the management server 50 is executed by the management server 50, the management server 50 performs the login request with the user ID and the like in step S251 described above. Receive with your password.

  Subsequently, in step S272, the reservation status table (FIG. 12A) is searched in the memory 162. Thereafter, in step S273, the retrieved reservation status table is transmitted to the portable terminal 90.

  On the other hand, the portable terminal 90 receives the reservation status table in step S202. Subsequently, in step S203, the received reservation status table is displayed on the screen 135.

  Subsequently, in step S204, as in the above-described step S154, the portable terminal 90 is at least one of the at least one first transmitter 30 and the at least one second transmitter 32 present in the current station 20. Receive a signal from one of them.

  Thereafter, in step S205, the portable terminal 90 performs the first effective reception determination, the second effective reception determination, and the simultaneous reception determination in the same manner as in step S155 described above.

  If the determination in step S205 is NO, the process returns to step S204, but if the determination in step S205 is YES, the process proceeds to step S206.

  In this step S206, the portable terminal 90 demodulates the received identification signal as in the above-described step S156, and subsequently, in step S207, the portable terminal 90 demodulates it in the same manner as the above-described step S157. The actual first transmitter ID of the first transmitter 30 and the actual second transmitter ID of the second transmitter 32 are acquired from the identified signal.

  Subsequently, in step S208, the user has selected the current station (rental station) 20 and the current bicycle (rental bicycle) 12 as a result of reception from the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32. Are displayed on the screen 135 together with the reservation status table. Thereby, the user confirms the station 20 and the bicycle 12 selected by the user.

  Further, in step S208, the user inputs the planned return time for the bicycle 12 to the portable terminal 90.

  Thereafter, in step S209, the mobile terminal 90 extracts the individual reservation status corresponding to the current station 20 and the current bicycle 12 from the reservation status table, and the reserved time zone in the individual reservation status is: It is determined whether or not there is an overlap with the scheduled use time zone from the actual rental time to the scheduled return time, that is, whether or not there is a predecessor.

  If there is a pre-allocation, the determination in step S209 is NO, and thereafter, in step S210, as in step S160, the portable terminal 90 causes the user to again transmit the first transmitter 30 and the first transmitter 30 and Prompts you to retry detecting the second transmitter 32. Thereafter, the process returns to step S204.

  On the other hand, if there is no advance contract, the determination in step S209 is YES, and then, in step S211, the mobile terminal 90 has the bicycle 12 before lending at the present station 20 at the current time. It is determined that there is. This determination is equivalent to the determination that the user has started using the bicycle 12 at the current station 20 (lending has been performed).

  Thereafter, in step S212, as in the case of step S162 described above, it is determined whether or not a lending request has been input from the user to the portable terminal 90. When the lending request is input, the determination in step S212 is YES.

  Subsequently, in step S213, according to the above-described step S163, the determination result that the user has actually started using the current bicycle 12 at the current station 20 (associated with lending) is associated with the user And transmitted to the management server 50 (for example, together with the user ID).

  As a result, the identification information of the rental station 20 and the identification information of the rental bicycle 12 are paired (linked), and the pair is associated with the current user's identification information. 90 to the management server 50.

  On the other hand, in step S274, the management server 50 receives the information transmitted by the portable terminal 90 by the execution of step S213, as in step S254 described above.

  Subsequently, in step S275, the current time is measured using the clock 172 in the same manner as step S255 described above. Subsequently, in step S276, the present time is recognized as an actual lending time, as in step S256 described above. Subsequently, in step S277, lending of the current bicycle 12 to the user is permitted, as in step S257 described above.

  Thereafter, in step S278, the charging start time is determined for the user, as in step S258 described above. Subsequently, in step S279, the contents of the current rental, that is, the identification information of the rental station 20, the identification information of the rental bicycle 12, the actual rental time, and the scheduled return time are stored in the plurality of user-specific reservations. Among the content files (see FIG. 12B), the content file is registered in the one associated with the current user.

  Furthermore, in this step S278, the reservation status table stored in the memory 162 is updated so that the current lending content is reflected.

  The case where the determination in step S212 is YES has been described above. However, when the determination is NO, in step S214, as in step S164 described above, the elapsed time from the execution time of step S211 is currently the first limit. It is determined whether it is within time.

  If it is within the first time limit, the determination in step S214 is YES, and in step S215, as in step S165, the user is prompted to input a lending request. Then, it returns to step S212.

  On the other hand, if the elapsed time from the execution time in step S211 currently exceeds the first limit time, the determination in step S214 is NO, and thereafter, in step S216, as in step S166 described above, It is determined that a first violation has occurred in the user.

  Subsequently, in step S217, similar to step S167 described above, this time, the fact that the first violation has occurred in the user is transmitted to the management server 50. The content of the transmission is received by the management server 50 in the above-described step S254 in step S274, and the rental of the bicycle 12 is prohibited this time.

<Return processing sequence>

  In FIG. 18, the user is riding and driving the borrowed bicycle 12, or while pushing the borrowed bicycle 12, the station is the same as or different from the rental station (return station). 20, and then make a reservation with the first transmitter 30 located in the station 20 and the second transmitter 32 installed in the bicycle 12 in order to allow the return of the bicycle 12 An example of communication performed between the user's portable terminal 90 and the management server 50 in order to permit the return processing of the bicycle 12 that has been received is represented in a sequence flow in time series.

  At this time, the button "return processing mode" is selected by the user on the screen of the portable terminal 90. In response to this, the return processing module for the portable terminal 90 is executed by the portable terminal 90.

  By the execution, in step 300, similarly to step S151 described above, the login request for logging in to the management server 50 is transmitted to the management server 50 together with the user ID and password for identifying the current user. Ru.

  On the other hand, when the return processing module for the management server 50 is executed by the management server 50, the management server 50 receives the login request together with the user ID and the password in step S400, as in step S251 described above. Do.

  On the other hand, in step S302, the portable terminal 90 performs the first effective reception determination, the second effective reception determination, and the simultaneous reception determination in the same manner as in step S155 described above.

  If the determination in step 302 is NO, the process returns to step S301, but if the determination in step 302 is YES, the process proceeds to step S303.

  In this step S303, the portable terminal 90 demodulates the received identification signal as in the above-described step S156, and subsequently, in step S304, the portable terminal 90 demodulates it in the same manner as the above-described step S157. The actual first transmitter ID of the first transmitter 30 and the actual second transmitter ID of the second transmitter 32 are acquired from the identified signal.

  Subsequently, in step S305, the user has selected the current station (return station) 20 and the current bicycle (return bicycle) 12 as a result of reception from the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32. It is displayed on the screen 135. Thereby, the user confirms the station 20 and the bicycle 12 selected by the user.

  Furthermore, in step S305, the portable terminal 90 determines that the bicycle (the bicycle the user is about to return from now) 12 is present at the current station 20 at the current time. This determination is equivalent to the determination that the user has finished using the current bicycle 12 (returned) at the current station 20.

  Thereafter, in step S306, it is determined whether or not a return request has been input from the user to the portable terminal 90 (for example, the virtual button "return request" has been operated) in accordance with the above-described step S162. If a return request is input, the determination in step S306 is YES.

  Subsequently, in step S307, a return request is issued from the user in accordance with step S163 described above, and the user actually ends the use of the current bicycle 12 at the current station 20 (return is performed). The determination result (identification information of the current return station 20 and identification information of the current return bicycle 12) is transmitted to the management server 50 in association with the user (for example, together with the user ID).

  As a result, the identification information of the return station 20 and the identification information of the return bicycle 12 are paired (linked), the pair is associated with the identification information of the current user, and the information is a portable terminal. 90 to the management server 50.

  In contrast, in step S401, the management server 50 receives the information transmitted by the portable terminal 90 by the execution of step S307 in the same manner as step S254 described above.

  Thereafter, in step S402, the current time is measured using the clock 172. In step S403, the current time is recognized as the actual return time. Thereafter, in step S404, the return of the bicycle 12 by the user is permitted.

  Thereafter, in step S405, from the charging start time individually determined for each user as described above to the charging end time (scheduled return time in the case of reservation, actual return time in the case of no reservation) per user. Time is calculated as total rental time.

  Subsequently, in step S406, the current rental amount is calculated based on the calculated length of the total rental time and the toll rate (increase rate) according to a toll table (not shown).

  Thereafter, in step S407, the reservation status table is updated so that the rental information for the current bicycle 12 is deleted from the reservation status table. Subsequently, in step S408, information such as the calculated rental amount is transmitted to the portable terminal 90.

  On the other hand, the portable terminal 90 receives the information such as the rental amount from the management server 50 in step S308, and subsequently displays the rental amount on the screen in step S309. Thereafter, in step S310, electronic payment by the user is performed.

  Subsequently, the portable terminal 90 transmits a logout request for requesting a logout from the management server 50 to the management server 50 in step S311.

  On the other hand, the management server 50 receives the logout request in step S409. Subsequently, in step S410, a confirmation response signal ACK indicating that the reception of the logout request has been completed normally is transmitted to the portable terminal 90.

  On the other hand, the portable terminal 90 receives the confirmation response signal ACK from the management server 50 in step S312.

  As described above, although the case where the determination in step S306 is YES has been described, if the determination is NO, in step S313, the elapsed time from the execution time of step S305 is currently the second time limit according to the above-described step S164. It is determined whether it is within.

  If it is within the second time limit, the determination in step S313 is YES, and in step S314, the user is prompted to input a return request according to step S165. Then, it returns to step S306.

  On the other hand, if the elapsed time from the execution time of step S305 currently exceeds the second time limit, the determination in step S313 is NO, and then, in step S315, a second violation occurs for the user. It is determined that Subsequently, in step S316, it is transmitted to the management server 50 that the second violation has occurred in the user.

  As apparent from the above description, in the present embodiment, steps S154 to S161 of FIG. 16, steps S203 to S211 of FIG. 17, and steps S301 to S305 of FIG. It is possible to consider that the part to be configured constitutes an example of the “determination unit” and an example of the “determination step” in the item (2).

  In the present embodiment, for convenience of explanation, in the system 10, steps S162, S163, S254, S257 in FIG. 16, S212, S213, S274, S277 in FIG. 17, steps S306, S307, S401 in FIG. It can be considered that the part that executes S404 constitutes an example of the “permission unit” and an example of the “permission process” in the above (2).

  Further, in the present embodiment, for convenience of explanation, a part of the system 10 that executes steps S163 and S254 in FIG. 16, S213, S274, and S279 in FIG. 17, steps S307, S401, and S407 in FIG. It can be considered that the example of “association part (pairing part)” and the example of “association process (pairing process)” in the item (6) are configured.

  Further, in the present embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the part of the system 10 that executes the program of FIG. 19 is an example of the “first abnormality determination unit” and the “first abnormality determination step” in the item (7). Can be considered to constitute an example of the “second abnormality determination unit” and an example of the “second abnormality determination step” in the same section. .

<Second Embodiment>

  A system 10 according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described by reference to FIGS. 19-21. However, parts that are common to the bicycle rental system according to the first embodiment will be described using the same reference numerals and names, omitting redundant descriptions, and only different parts will be described in detail.

  In the present embodiment, as in the above-described first embodiment, a first transmitter for transmitting an identification signal unique to each station 20 (an example of real estate) and each bicycle 12 (an example of movable property) 30 and the second transmitter 32 are respectively installed.

  The position of the user is detected relative to two reference positions: the position of the first transmitter 30 and the position of the second transmitter 32. While the position of the first transmitter 30 is always fixed in the absolute space and is time-invariant, the position of the second transmitter 32 is not always fixed in the absolute space and is time-variable, Therefore, it changes relative to the position of the first transmitter 30.

  In addition, the position of the user changes relative to the position of the first transmitter 30, and the change reflects the dynamic behavior of the user, such as entry and exit to and from the station 20.

  On the other hand, the position of the user changes relative to the position of the second transmitter 32, and the change reflects the dynamic behavior of the user getting on / off the bicycle 12 and approaching / separating.

  For example, in the rental period from the time of rental of the bicycle 12 to the user to the time of return from the user, the user moves integrally with the user in a period in which the user moves on the bicycle 12. As a result, in the movement period, the temporal transition of the user's position and the temporal transition of the position of the bicycle 12 coincide with each other while being substantially synchronized.

  On the other hand, as shown in the reception signal for bicycle recognition illustrated in FIG. 13A, when the user approaches the bicycle 12 and has not arrived yet for the lending process, the user makes the second call Although the portable terminal 90 can not effectively receive the second transmitter 32 because it is separated from the aircraft 32, the portable terminal 90 can effectively receive the second transmitter 32 when it arrives at the bicycle 12 (for example, if you get on the bicycle) As the state changes, the reception state of the second transmitter 32, that is, the bicycle recognition reception signal dynamically changes (in this case, the signal rises).

  In addition, as shown in the reception signal for bicycle recognition illustrated in FIG. 13A, when the user is on or approaches the bicycle 12 for the return process, the user can use the second transmitter as the second transmitter. The mobile terminal 90 can effectively receive the second transmitter 32 while approaching 32. However, when the mobile terminal 90 gets off the bicycle 12, the mobile terminal 90 transitions to a state in which the second transmitter 32 can not be received effectively. The reception state of the second transmitter 32, that is, the received signal for bicycle recognition changes dynamically (in this case, the signal falls).

  Also, the characteristics of the standard dynamic behavior that the user indicates when the bicycle 12 is rented and returned are known, and the characteristics of the standard dynamic behavior are also known when the bicycle 12 is rented and returned It is known in advance that they are different from each other.

  Therefore, using the user's mobile terminal 90 and paying attention to the relationship between the reception signal for station recognition and the reception signal for bicycle recognition, the actual behavior of the user can be estimated. By combining with known dynamic behavior characteristics, it is possible to determine whether the user's dynamic behavior is normal.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the portable terminal 90 receives signals from the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 in a near field communication mode and in synchronization with each other (to synchronize with each other at each time) The relative behavior of each bicycle 12 with respect to each station 20 is estimated based on the temporal change in the relationship between the first received signal (the received signal for station recognition) and the second received signal (the received signal for bicycle recognition). Further, it is determined whether or not the estimated behavior is normal.

<Lending abnormality determination sequence>

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 21A, the user is in the vicinity of the exit time of the period from the entry time of the user to the lending station 20 to the exit time, as shown in FIG. And the determination of the presence or absence of abnormality of at least one of the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 is performed.

  Specifically, if the behavior of the user and the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 are both normal, the user exit time, that is, the timing of the fall of the reception signal for station recognition is shown in FIG. As indicated by the broken line in a), the received signal for bicycle recognition should be high level. This is because, in the lending process period, the user should be on the bicycle 12 or at least in the vicinity of the bicycle 12 at the exit time of the user from the station 20, and in that state, the user's mobile phone This is because the terminal 90 can effectively receive the second transmitter 32.

  When the second effective reception area of the second transmitter 32 is set to the above-described short range even during the period after the end of the lending process, the period during which the user rides the bicycle 12 and is driving If the user is carrying the portable terminal 90 (for example, wearing on the body) does not hold the portable terminal 90 over the second transmitter 32, the portable terminal 90 makes a second transmission during the operation period. The machine 32 cannot be received effectively.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, when the lending process ends (for example, the user issues a lending request), the reception radius setting value of the second effective reception area of the second transmitter 32 is expanded. The reception range for the second transmitter 32 is expanded from the short range to the above-mentioned medium range (or long range).

  As a result, when the lending process is completed, as long as the user is on the bicycle 12, the portable terminal 90 makes the second transmitter 32 effective even if the user does not intentionally hold the portable terminal 90 over the second transmitter 32. I can receive it.

  When the return process is started after the lending process, the second effective reception area is restored to the short range. If the media mrange is left, the portable terminal 90 may effectively receive the second transmitter 32 of another bicycle 12 near the bicycle 12 in the shout 20 in the return process. This is to eliminate it.

  If at least one of the behavior of the user and the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 is abnormal, the leaving time of the user, that is, the timing of the fall of the station recognition reception signal, as shown in FIG. As shown by the solid line, the bicycle recognition reception signal is at a low level. If this phenomenon is detected, an abnormality should be detected.

  FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing a loan abnormality determination sequence flow for realizing the signal processing described above. The loan abnormality determination sequence flow is achieved by execution of the loan abnormality determination module shown in FIG. 11A by the mobile terminal 90 and execution by the management server 50 of the loan abnormality determination module shown in FIG. Be done. The abnormality determination module at the time of lending is automatically started after the execution of the lending processing module with reservation or the lending processing module without reservation.

  As shown in FIG. 19, in the lending abnormality determination sequence flow, in step S501, the portable terminal 90 in the memory 132 in the memory 132 determines the regular first transmitter ID corresponding to the current first transmitter 30, and the current The regular second transmitter ID corresponding to the second transmitter 32 is searched. The transmitter IDs are stored in the memory 132 by the execution of the lending processing module.

  Next, in step S502, even if the portable terminal 90 is in a state where the reception range for the second transmitter 32 is expanded to the medium range (or long range) (currently, the short range is maintained). There is no hindrance), the signal is effectively received from the first transmitter 30 and / or the second transmitter 32, and subsequently, in step S503, the mobile terminal 90 demodulates the received signal, The first transmitter ID and / or the actual second transmitter ID is acquired.

  Thereafter, in step S504, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether or not the acquired actual first transmitter ID and / or the actual second transmitter ID matches the authorized first transmitter ID. Determine if

  This time, assuming that there is an actual transmitter ID that matches the authorized first transmitter ID, that is, assuming that the portable terminal 90 has effectively received the authorized first transmitter 30, the determination in step S504 is YES. In step S505, a flag (stored in the memory 132) that is turned on when the legitimate first transmitter 30 is effectively received is turned on. Thereafter, the process returns to step S502.

  Assuming that the actual transmitter ID that coincides with the regular first transmitter ID no longer exists, that is, assuming that the portable terminal 90 no longer effectively receives the current regular first transmitter 30, the determination in step S504 Becomes NO. At this time, a fall of the reception signal for station recognition appears.

  In this case, if it is determined in step S506 whether or not the flag is ON, the determination is YES this time. Subsequently, in step S507, it is determined that the present time is the exit time.

  Subsequently, in step S508, the portable terminal 90 is effective from the first transmitter 30 and / or the second transmitter 32 in a state where the reception range of the second transmitter 32 is the medium range (or long range). In step S509, the portable terminal 90 acquires an actual first transmitter ID and / or an actual second transmitter ID by demodulating the received signal.

  Thereafter, in step S510, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether there is a match with the regular second transmitter ID among the acquired actual first transmitter ID and / or actual second transmitter ID. Determine if

  If it is assumed that there is an actual transmitter ID that matches the regular second transmitter ID this time, that is, if the mobile terminal 90 has received the current regular second transmitter 32 effectively, the determination in step S510 is YES. In step S511, it is determined that the behavior of the user and the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 are normal. Subsequently, in step S512, the determination result is transmitted to the management server 50. In step S601, the management server 50 receives the determination result.

  On the other hand, assuming that there is no actual transmitter ID that matches the regular second transmitter ID this time, that is, the portable terminal 90 has not received the regular second transmitter 32 effectively, the step The determination in S510 is NO, and in step S513, it is determined that at least one of the user behavior and the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 is abnormal. Subsequently, in step S512, the determination result is transmitted to the management server 50. In step S601, the management server 50 receives the determination result.

<Return abnormality judgment sequence>

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 21B, the user is in the vicinity of the exit time of the return processing period of the bicycle 12 and from the entry time to the return station 20 of the user to the exit time. And the determination of the presence or absence of abnormality of at least one of the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 is performed.

  More specifically, if the user's behavior and the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 are all normal, the user's exit time, ie, the timing of the fall of the station recognition reception signal, as shown in FIG. As indicated by the broken line in (b), the received signal for bicycle recognition should be low level. Because, in the return processing period, at the time when the user leaves the station 20, the user should not be on the bicycle 12, or at least not in the vicinity of the bicycle 12. In this state, This is because the portable terminal 90 cannot effectively receive the second transmitter 32.

  On the other hand, if at least one of the user's behavior and the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 is abnormal, the user exit time, that is, the timing of the fall of the reception signal for station recognition, As indicated by the solid line in FIG. 21 (b), the bicycle recognition reception signal is at a high level. If this phenomenon is detected, an abnormality can be detected.

  FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing a return abnormality determination sequence flow for realizing the signal processing described above. The return abnormality determination sequence flow is achieved by the execution by the portable terminal 90 of the return abnormality determination module shown in FIG. 11A and the execution by the management server 50 of the return abnormality determination module shown in FIG. Be done. The return-time abnormality determination module is automatically activated after the completion of execution of the reservation-time return processing module or the reservation-less return process module.

  As shown in FIG. 20, steps S701-S709 are executed in the same manner as steps S501-S509 described above in the return abnormality determination sequence flow.

  Thereafter, in step S710, the portable terminal 90 determines whether or not the acquired actual first transmitter ID and / or the actual second transmitter ID matches the authorized second transmitter ID. Determine if

  If it is assumed that there is no actual transmitter ID that matches the regular second transmitter ID this time, that is, the mobile terminal 90 has not received the regular second transmitter 32 effectively, the determination in step S710 is made. In step S711, it is determined that the user's behavior and the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 are all normal. Subsequently, in step S <b> 712, the determination result is transmitted to the management server 50. In step S801, the management server 50 receives the determination result.

  On the other hand, assuming that there is an actual transmitter ID that matches the regular second transmitter ID this time, that is, the portable terminal 90 has received the regular second transmitter 32 effectively, step S710. The determination is NO, and it is determined in step S713 that at least one of the user behavior and the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 is abnormal (for example, the user has escaped from the bicycle 12). Ru. Subsequently, in step S <b> 712, the determination result is transmitted to the management server 50. In step S801, the management server 50 receives the determination result.

<Effects of Embodiment of the Present Invention>

  According to the embodiments described above, the following effects can be obtained.

1) The effect of improving the security of data used in the portable terminal 90 in connection with the bicycle rental service

  Since each of the transmitters 30 and 32 is used instead of the bar code as described above, the data represented by the signal received from each of the transmitters 30 and 32 and used in the portable terminal 90 is a user It is impossible to tamper with easily.

  Thus, according to the above-described embodiments, security of data used in the portable terminal 90 is improved.

2) It is possible for the user to return the bicycle to a station different from the station where the rental was performed, and the convenience of the user is improved.

  The system 10 rents and returns the bicycle 12 to the user as long as the portable terminal 90 does not simultaneously receive the signals from the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 (both reception states are not established and are not detected). Is designed not to be allowed. Therefore, the user cannot easily tamper with the combination of the station 20 and the bicycle 12 that is recognized by the portable terminal 90 (and eventually recognized by the management server 50).

  Accordingly, the security of the data representing the combination of the station 20 and the rental bicycle 12 and used in the portable terminal 90 is improved. As a result, even though the actual combination of station 20 and bicycle 12 may differ from each other at the time of rental and return, it is not due to the falsification of the user, and the user bicycles to a station different from the rental station. Even if the fact of returning occurs, the management center 40 does not have any doubt about the truth.

  As a result, it becomes possible for the user to return the bicycle to a station different from the station where the rental was performed, and the convenience for the user is improved.

3) An effect that it becomes easy to prevent the user's unscheduled action, such as the user returning the bicycle 12 to an unplanned place such as the outside of the site of the station 20 and leaving it for a while

  As described above, the system 10 does not receive the respective signals from the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 at the same time by the portable terminal 90 (both reception states are not established and not detected). It is designed such that 12 lending and return are not permitted.

  Further, in the system 10, the effective reception radius of the second transmitter 32 of each bicycle 12 is set to be shorter than the effective reception radius of the first transmitter 30, specifically, the effective of the second transmitter 32. The reception radius is set so that the portable terminal 90 cannot effectively receive the second transmitter 32 unless the user holds the portable terminal 90 close to or in contact with the second transmitter 32 or is not on the bicycle 12. It is done.

  Therefore, when the user is present with the bicycle 12 at a position outside the effective reception area of the first transmitter 30, the mobile terminal 90 receives the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 simultaneously ( The possibility that both reception states are established and detected) decreases.

  Therefore, the user's unscheduled behavior that the user returns the bicycle 12 to an unscheduled place outside the effective reception area of the first transmitter 30 or outside the boundary line of the station 20 and leaves it unattended. It becomes easy to prevent.

  Several embodiments described above can be implemented with various modifications.

<First Modification>

  For example, in the second embodiment described above, the reception range of the second transmitter 32 is a short range at the start of the lending process, and when the lending process ends, it becomes a medium range for determining an abnormality at the time of lending. When the return process is started, it becomes a short range, and when the return process is completed, it becomes a medium range for determining an abnormality at the time of return, and when it is completed, it is restored to the short range. It is variably controlled accordingly.

  In the present embodiment, for convenience of explanation, it can be considered that the part that performs the variable control in the system 10 constitutes an example of “control unit” and an example of “control process” in the above section (4). .

  On the other hand, in one modified example, when the bicycle 12 is rented and returned with a reservation, prior to the renting and returning, the regular second transmitter 32 and thus the regular second transmitter ID. Since the reception range of the second transmitter 32 is the medium range, even if the mobile terminal 90 receives a plurality of second transmitters 32 at the same time (both reception states are established), Of the second transmitters 32, it is possible to perform filtering processing such as selecting only those transmitting signals representing the regular second transmitter ID as regular second transmitters and excluding other ones. It is.

  Therefore, when lending and returning the bicycle 12 in a state with reservation, the reception range of the second transmitter 32 may be maintained at the medium range continuously.

Second Modified Example

  In the first and second embodiments described above, in the lending process, the second transmission is performed in a state where the mobile terminal 90 is effectively receiving the first transmitter 30 (a state in which the user exists in the station 20). It is determined that the use of the bicycle 12 is started at the timing when the bicycle recognition reception signal for the machine 32 rises (for example, the timing when the user gets on the bicycle 12).

  On the other hand, in a modified example, in the state where the mobile terminal 90 is effectively receiving the second transmitter 32 (for example, the state where the user is on the bicycle 12), the first transmitter 30 It may be determined that the use of the bicycle 12 is started at the timing when the station recognition reception signal falls (e.g., the timing when the user leaves the station 20).

<Third Modification>

  In the first and second embodiments described above, in the return process, the second transmission is performed in a state in which the portable terminal 90 effectively receives the first transmitter 30 (a state in which the user is present in the station 20). It is determined that the use of the bicycle 12 has ended at the timing when the bicycle recognition reception signal for the machine 32 falls (the timing when the user gets off the bicycle 12).

  On the other hand, in one modified example, the station for the first transmitter 30 after the bicycle recognition reception signal for the second transmitter 32 falls (for example, after the user gets off the bicycle 12). It may be determined that the use of the bicycle 12 has ended at the timing when the recognition reception signal falls (when the user leaves the station 20).

Fourth Modified Example

  Prior to returning the bicycle 12, the user selects a candidate station as a candidate station from a plurality of stations 20 located near the current position of the user, and the selected candidate station 20 is displayed on the screen of the mobile terminal 90. It may be displayed on 135.

  At that time, when the user returns to the station 20 having a large number of empty spaces, the user is given more points than when returning to the station 20 having a small number of empty spaces, and with the help of the user, The returned bicycles 12 are distributed to a plurality of stations 20 in an optimal manner, so that there are stations 20 where there are more bicycles 12 than can be accommodated or there are no free bicycles 12 at all. Is easy to prevent.

<Fifth Modification>

  In some embodiments described above, a pair of identification information of the station 20 as an example of movable property selected by the user and identification information of the bicycle 12 as an example of real estate selected by the user, that is, the user The pair of the station 20 and the bicycle 12 in which the first transmitter 30 and the second transmitter 32 respectively received together by the mobile terminal 90 of the mobile phone 90 are associated with the user ID as the user identification information, thereby The behavior of the user is monitored over time.

  On the other hand, another example of the identification information of the user used for the same application is a unique device address such as a telephone number of the portable terminal 90, an e-mail address, a MAC address, and the like.

  Note that some embodiments described above can be implemented with various modifications. For example, the same data processing as at least a part of the data processing by the portable terminal 90 is managed by the management server 50. Or the same data processing as at least a part of the data processing by the management server 50 may be performed by the portable terminal 90.

  As mentioned above, although several embodiments of the present invention were described in detail based on a drawing, these are illustration and based on knowledge of those skilled in the art including the mode given in the column of the [Summary of the Invention]. It is possible to carry out the present invention in other forms with various modifications and improvements.

Claims (9)

A user's portable terminal, a first transmitter installed in a station that transmits a unique first signal, and a second transmitter installed in a rental object stored in the station that is unique A rental object management method for managing the rental object using a second signal transmitting device,
While the mobile terminal is in the first reception range of the first transmitter while the user is staying at the station, even if the user does not hold the mobile terminal over the first transmitter, the first The first reception state in which the user receives the first signal continuously and effectively from the transmitter and indicates whether the portable terminal effectively receives the first signal from the first transmitter is the station. When entering the station, it transitions from the inactive reception state to the active reception state, and when the user leaves the station, transitions from the active reception state to the inactive reception state, whereby the relative dynamic behavior of the user relative to the station A first receiving step representing
The mobile terminal is within a second reception range of the second transmitter while the user is using the rental target, and the user does not hold the mobile terminal over the second transmitter. (2) A second reception state in which the user can receive the second signal continuously from the transmitter and indicates whether the portable terminal receives the second signal from the second transmitter effectively or not When the use of the rental object is started, the transition from the non-effective reception state to the effective reception state is made, and when the user finishes using the rental object, the transition from the effective reception state to the non-effective reception state is made. A second receiving step representing the relative dynamic behavior of the user;
A management server capable of communicating with the portable terminal and / or the portable terminal is configured to change the relationship between the first reception state and the second reception state with respect to the station and the rental object. A rental object management method comprising: a management step of estimating a relative dynamic behavior of a user and managing the rental object based on a result thereof.   In the management step, the second reception state is ineffective when the first reception state transitions from the valid reception state to the invalid reception state because the user leaves the station after entering the station at the time of rental of the rental target. The rental object management method according to claim 1, further comprising a first anomaly estimation step of estimating that the user's behavior is abnormal when in the reception state.   In the management step, when the rental object is returned, when the first reception state transitions from the valid reception state to the non-valid reception state because the user leaves after entering the station, the second reception state is valid reception. The rental object management method according to claim 1, further comprising a second anomaly estimation step of estimating that the behavior of the user is abnormal when in the state. The rental object includes a rental vehicle,
In the management process, when the rental vehicle is returned, the second reception state is effective reception when the first reception state transitions from the effective reception state to the ineffective reception state because the user has exited after entering the station. The rental object management method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a third abnormality determination step of determining that the user has ridden and escaped the rental vehicle when in the state.   The rental object management method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the rental object includes a moving body with or without a prime mover that is lent to a user for a fee or free of charge and that moves with the user.   The rental object management system according to claim 5, wherein the mobile body includes a bicycle, an automobile, a motorcycle, a go-cart for entertainment or competition, a shopping cart, a stroller, a wheelbarrow, a wheelchair, or a golf cart.   A program executed by a computer of a portable terminal to realize the portable terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 6.   A program executed by a computer of a management server to realize the management server according to any one of claims 1 to 6.   A recording medium on which the program according to claim 7 is recorded in a computer readable manner.

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