Vehicle common use system, method, and program

• US 20050216296A1
• Filed: 03/04/2005
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kokubu, Mamoru
• Application Number:
  US11/071,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20050216296A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/307
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/0069 actuated in a predetermined sequence

Abstract

A vehicle common use system for managing rental and return of a vehicle, the system. The system includes a usage charge computing device for receiving a remaining amount of fuel at a start of rental of the vehicle and a remaining amount of fuel at the return of the vehicle, from an in-vehicle terminal which is mounted on the vehicle and is connected via a communication network, and for giving a credit for fueling of the vehicle by a user when an increase in the remaining amount of fuel from the start of rental to the return, which is obtained by comparing both remaining amounts of fuel, is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. It is possible to encourage refueling of returned vehicles by the users and to reduce the burden on the maintenance staff.

Claims

1. A vehicle common use system for managing rental and return of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a usage charge computing device for receiving a remaining amount of fuel at a start of rental of the vehicle and a remaining amount of fuel at the return of the vehicle, from an in-vehicle terminal which is mounted on the vehicle and is connected via a communication network, and for giving a credit for fueling of the vehicle by a user when an increase in the remaining amount of fuel from the start of rental to the return, which is obtained by comparing both remaining amounts of fuel, is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

2. A vehicle common use system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the usage charge computing device receives the remaining amount of fuel at the return of the vehicle via the in-vehicle terminal from a fuel remaining amount measuring device for measuring a remaining amount of fuel, provided in the vehicle, wherein the remaining amount of fuel at the return is a part of rental end data obtained when the vehicle is returned.

3. A vehicle common use system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the usage charge computing device receives the remaining amount of fuel at the start of rental of the vehicle and the remaining amount of fuel at the return of the vehicle, which are measured by a fuel remaining amount measuring device, provided in the vehicle, for measuring a remaining amount of fuel, wherein the former remaining amount is a part of rental data obtained when the vehicle is rented and the latter remaining amount is a part of rental end data obtained when the vehicle is returned.

4. A vehicle common use method for managing rental and return of a vehicle by using a computer, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a remaining amount of fuel at a start of rental of the vehicle and a remaining amount of fuel at the return of the vehicle, from an in-vehicle terminal which is mounted on the vehicle and is connected via a communication network; and

giving a credit for fueling of the vehicle by a user when an increase in the remaining amount of fuel from the start of rental to the return, which is obtained by comparing both remaining amounts of fuel, is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

5. A program used in a vehicle common use system for managing rental and return of a vehicle, the program for making a computer execute the steps of:

receiving a remaining amount of fuel at a start of rental of the vehicle and a remaining amount of fuel at the return of the vehicle, from an in-vehicle terminal which is mounted on the vehicle and is connected via a communication network; and

giving a credit for fueling of the vehicle by a user when an increase in the remaining amount of fuel from the start of rental to the return, which is obtained by comparing both remaining amounts of fuel, is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

6. A vehicle common use system for managing rental and return of a vehicle, the system comprising in the vehicle:

a remaining amount measuring device for measuring a remaining amount of fuel at the return of the vehicle;

a decreased fuel remaining amount measuring device for measuring a decreased remaining amount of fuel when an engine of the vehicle is stopped during usage of the vehicle;

a fueling credit producing device for giving a credit for fueling of the vehicle by a user when the decreased remaining amount of fuel, measured by the decreased fuel remaining amount measuring device, is less than a predetermined value and the remaining amount of fuel at the return of the vehicle, measured by the remaining amount measuring device, is equal to or greater than a second predetermined value; and

a usage charge computing device for computing a usage charge based on a signal which indicates giving of the credit and is issued from the fueling credit producing device, and on data which relates to the usage charge and is provided from a server connected via a communication network.