Rent-a-car management apparatus and medium encoded with a rent-a-car management program

• US 20040193440A1
• Filed: 02/13/2004
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Mawatari, Noboru
• Application Number:
  US10/777,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20040193440A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/307
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions

Abstract

A rent-a-car management apparatus includes a storage unit for storing rent-a-car identification information and return due-time-and-date information in association with each other. Information concerning a current position of a car which matches the rent-a-car identification number of a rent-a-car record read from the storage unit is obtained. Based on the information concerning the current position and information concerning a predetermined rent-a-car return place, a return traveling time required for the car to move to the predetermined rent-a-car return place is calculated. If the return traveling time is greater than or equal to the remaining time before the car is to be returned, return time limit information, route information, or extension-time input information for allowing the user to extend a rental period is sent to the rent-a-car terminal to inform the user at a suitable time that the return due time is approaching.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program for managing rent-a-car when executed by computer, said computer program comprising the steps of:

reading rent-a-car record from a storage unit which stores a rent-a-car identification number and in association with the time of the return schedule as the rent-a-car record;

obtaining present position information of the rental car corresponding to the rental car identification number in the rental car record;

calculating return travel time required for a rent-a-car to travel to the return place, based on the a predetermined rent-a-car return position information and the present position information of the rental car;

calculating remaining time until return schedule time from the present time; and

sending return time limit information to the rent-a-car terminal, when the remaining time becomes a predetermined amount with respect to said return travel time.

2. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined amount is such that the remaining time minus said return travel time is equal to a predetermined allowance time.

3. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined amount is such that said remaining time is equal to said return travel time.

4. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program according to claim 1, the step of sending return time limit information to the rent-a-car terminal further comprising the steps of:

sending the judgment item information on whether the rental period is to be extended to the rent-a-car terminal; and

calculating the course information to the return place based on the present position information and return position information of the rental car and sending the course information to the rent-a-car terminal when the information that extension of the rental period is not requested is received.

5. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program according to claim 1, the step of sending return time limit information to the rent-a-car terminal further comprising the steps of:

sending the judgment item information on whether the rental period is to be extended to the rent-a-car terminal;

sending the information of the item for inputting extended time when the information that extension of the rental period is requested is received; and

processing the rental extension for the rental car based on the extended time information received from the rent-a-car terminal.

6. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program according to claim 5, the step of processing the rental extension for the rental car further comprising the steps of:

reading next reservation information for the current rental car from the storage unit when the information that extension of the rental period is requested is received; and

sending the screen information for type-of-a-car change to a subscriber'"'"'s terminal when there is next reservation.

7. A rent-a-car managing apparatus, comprising:

a storage unit which stores a rent-a-car identification number and the time of the return scheduled day, and was made to memorize as a rent-a-car record;

a means for reading rent-a-car record from a storage unit which stores a rent-a-car identification number and in association with the time of the return schedule as the rent-a-car record;

a means for obtaining present position information of the rental car corresponding to the rental car identification number in the rental car record;

a means for calculating return travel time required for a rental car to travel to the return place, based on the predetermined rent-a-car return position information and the present position information of the rental car;

a means for calculating remaining time until return schedule time from the present time; and

a means for sending return time limit information to the rent-a-car terminal, when the remaining time becomes a predetermined amount with respect to said return travel time.

8. A rent-a-car managing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said predetermined amount is such that the remaining time minus said return travel time is equal to a predetermined allowance time.

9. A rent-a-car managing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said predetermined amount is such that said remaining time is equal to said return travel time.

10. A rent-a-car managing apparatus according to claim 7, the means for sending return time limit information to the rent-a-car terminal further comprising:

a means for sending the judgment item information on whether the rental period is to be extended to the rent-a-car terminal; and

a means for calculating the course information to the return place based on the present position information and return position information of the rental car and sending the course information to the rent-a-car terminal when the information that extension of the rental period is not requested is received.

11. A rent-a-car managing apparatus according to claim 7, the means for sending return term information to the rent-a-car terminal further comprising:

a means for sending the judgment item information on whether the rental period is to be extended to the rent-a-car terminal;

a means for sending the information of the item for inputting extended time when the information that extension of the rental period is requested is received; and

a means for processing the rental extension for the rental car based on the extended time information received from the rent-a-car terminal.

12. A rent-a-car managing apparatus according to claim 11, the means for processing the rental extension for the rental car further comprising:

a storage unit on which next reservation information for the rental car was stored;

a means for reading next reservation information for the current rental car from the storage unit when the information that extension of the rental period is requested is received; and

a means for sending the screen information for type-of-a-car change to a subscriber'"'"'s terminal when there is next reservation.