ON-DEMAND VEHICLE OPERATION MANAGEMENT DEVICE, ON-DEMAND VEHICLE OPERATION MANAGEMENT METHOD, AND ON-DEMAND VEHICLE OPERATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20150228192A1
• Filed: 09/20/2012
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kawamoto, Masayuki, Mori, Hiroko, Kitaoka, Hironobu
• Granted Patent: US 9,836,974 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

An operation management center divides an operation area in which an on-demand bus operates into a plurality of predetermined sub-areas, and searches for candidate routes on which the on-demand bus travels for each divided sub-area. The center sets one of the retrieved routes as a basic route, and sets, as adjustment time for each divided sub-area, time required when the bus passes through a location separated from the basic route. Thus, by setting such adjustment time for each sub-area, and by using the adjustment time set for each sub-area, the center can determine an operation plan that takes into account an additional request while reducing an impact on the determined operation plan.

Claims

1. An on-demand vehicle operation management device, comprising operation management means for determining an operation plan of an on-demand vehicle based on requests received from a plurality of users and managing an operation of the on-demand vehicle in accordance with said determined operation plan,

wherein said operation management means is configured to:

divide an operation area in which said on-demand vehicle operates into a plurality of predetermined sub-areas;

search for a route on which said on-demand vehicle travels for said each divided sub-area; and

have an adjustment function of adjusting said retrieved route.

2. An on-demand vehicle operation management device according to claim 1, wherein said adjustment function of said operation management means comprises a function of setting, for said each divided sub-area, adjustment time for adjusting time required when said on-demand vehicle travels on said retrieved route in said each divided sub-area.

3. An on-demand vehicle operation management device according to claim 2, wherein:

said operation management means determines one of the routes retrieved for said each divided sub-area as a basic route; and

said adjustment time set for said each divided sub-area by said adjustment function of said operation management means comprises adjustment time for adjusting time required when said on-demand vehicle traveling on said basic route passes through a location separated from said basic route.

4. An on-demand vehicle operation management device according to claim 2, wherein said operation management means determines, when a request is added by a new user after said operation plan has been determined, an operation plan that takes into account said additional request made by said new user by using said adjustment time set for said each divided sub-area.

5. An on-demand vehicle operation management device according to claim 1, wherein said operation management means determines said operation plan so as to allow break time to be secured for a driver of said on-demand vehicle.

6. An on-demand vehicle operation management method for determining, through inclusion of a computer device, an operation plan of an on-demand vehicle based on requests received from a plurality of users and managing an operation of said on-demand vehicle in accordance with said determined operation plan,

wherein said computer device is configured to:

divide an operation area in which said on-demand vehicle operates into a plurality of predetermined sub-areas;

search for a route on which said on-demand vehicle travels for said each divided sub-area;

and adjust said retrieved route.

7. An on-demand vehicle operation management method according to claim 6, wherein said computer device is further configured to set, for said each divided sub-area, adjustment time for adjusting time required when said on-demand vehicle travels on said retrieved route in said each divided sub-area.

8. An on-demand vehicle operation method device according to claim 7, wherein said computer device is further configured to:

determine one of said routes retrieved for said each divided sub-area as a basic route; and

set, for said each divided sub-area, adjustment time for adjusting time required when said on-demand vehicle traveling on said basic route passes through a location separated from said basic route.

9. An on-demand vehicle operation management method according to claim 7, wherein said computer device is further configured to determine, when a request is added by a new user after said operation plan has been determined, an operation plan that takes into account said additional request made by said new user by using said adjustment time set for said each divided sub-area.

10. An on-demand vehicle operation management method according to claim 6, wherein said computer device determine said operation plan so as to allow break time to be secured for a driver of said on-demand vehicle.

11. An on-demand vehicle operation management system,

comprising:

an on-demand vehicle to be boarded by a plurality of users;

an operation management center for determining an operation plan of said on-demand vehicle based on requests received from said plurality of users, and managing an operation of said on-demand vehicle in accordance with said determined operation plan; and

an information terminal device to be operated by each of said plurality of users to supply the request to said operation management center,

wherein said operation management center is configured to;

divide an operation area in which said on-demand vehicle operates into a plurality of predetermined sub-areas;

search for a route on which said on-demand vehicle travels for said each divided sub-area; and

have an adjustment function of adjusting said retrieved route.

12. An on-demand vehicle operation management system according to claim 11, wherein said adjustment function of said operation management center comprises a function of setting, for said each divided sub-area, adjustment time for adjusting time required when said on-demand vehicle travels on said retrieved route in said each divided sub-area.

13. An on-demand vehicle operation management system according to claim 12, wherein said operation management center is further configured to determine one of said routes retrieved for said each divided sub-area as a basic route;

and

said adjustment time set for said each divided sub-area by said adjustment function of said operation management center comprises adjustment time for adjusting time required when said on-demand vehicle traveling on said basic route passes through a location separated from said basic route.

14. An on-demand vehicle operation management system according to claim 12, wherein said operation management center is further configure to determine, when a request is added by a new user through said information terminal device after said operation plan has been determined, an operation plan that takes into account said additional request made by said new user by using said adjustment time set for said each divided sub-area.

15. An on-demand vehicle operation management system according to claim 11, wherein said operation management center is further configured to determine said operation plan so as to allow break time to be secured for a driver of said on-demand vehicle.

16. An on-demand vehicle operation management device, comprising operation management means for determining an operation plan of an on-demand vehicle based on requests received from a plurality of users and managing an operation of said on-demand vehicle in accordance with said determined operation plan, wherein said operation management means is configured to:

divide an operation area in which said on-demand vehicle operates into a plurality of predetermined sub-areas;

determine, for a reservation received from each of said plurality of users before said operation plan of said on-demand vehicle is determined, a candidate route that passes through a desired boarding/drop-off location included in said reservation and requested by each of said plurality of users, and allows said on-demand vehicle to operate at desired time included in said reservation and requested by each of said plurality of users;

determine that each of said plurality of users is allowed to board said on-demand vehicle when said candidate route is present;

calculate, before said operation plan of said on-demand vehicle is determined, a predetermined evaluation expression for all said determined candidate routes to select a candidate route having an optimal solution as an operation route;

determine an operation plan of said on-demand vehicle that takes into account adjustment time for adjusting time required when said on-demand vehicle travels on said operation route; and

use, for an additional reservation received from each of said plurality of users after said operation plan of said on-demand vehicle is determined, said adjustment time taken into account on said operation route in said determined operation plan of said on-demand vehicle to change and determine said operation route so as to allow said operation route to pass through a desired boarding/drop-off location requested by each of said plurality of users and to allow said on-demand vehicle to operate at desired time requested by each of said plurality of users.

17. An on-demand vehicle operation management device according to claim 16, wherein said operation management means is configured to:

compare a current request included in a reservation received from each of said plurality of users before an operation plan of said on-demand vehicle is determined with a past request included in a reservation received in the past and at the same time slot and in the same sub-area as a time slot and a sub-area of said current request; and

take into account said adjustment time in accordance with a time slot and a sub-area higher in frequency in said past request.

18. An on-demand vehicle operation management device according to claim 16, wherein said operation management means is configured to:

search for a route for each of said plurality of predetermined sub-areas;

determine one of said retrieved routes as a basic route; and

take into account said adjustment time as adjustment time for adjusting time required when said on-demand vehicle traveling on said basic route passes through a location separated from said basic route.

19. An on-demand vehicle operation management device according to claim 16, wherein said operation management means is further configured to determine said operation plan so as to allow break time to be secured for a driver of said on-demand vehicle.