Unoccupied seat route search system, unoccupied seat route search device, and terminal device

• US 7,761,229 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2004
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Navitime Japan Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Navitime Japan Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Hiroshi, Onishi, Keisuke, Kikuchi, Shin
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US11/720,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20090234564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,051 Days
• Field of Search: 701/201, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 701/212, 340/990, 340/995.18, 340/995.21, 340/995.22, 705/5
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events

Abstract

An unoccupied route search system for efficiently searching for a route (transportation means used) to the destination according to presence/absence of an unoccupied set of transportation means. An unoccupied seat route searching system (10) comprises an operation data DB (52) storing operation data on operation of transportation means, a search operation data DB (37) storing operation data for search, reservation information collecting means (35) for collecting reservation information on transportation means, condition input means (22) for inputting route search conditions including a seat condition, route search means (36) for searching transportation means constituting the route according to the reservation information collected by the reservation information collecting means (22) under the route search condition while referencing the search operation data DB (37), and output means (23) for outputting the results of the route search. The route search means (36) extracts transportation means having reservation information matching the route search condition from the operation data DB (52) prior to route search, creates search operation data DB (37), and searches for a route.

Claims

1. An unoccupied seat route search system for searching for and guiding in a route using a transportation mode from a departure point to a destination point on the basis of an inputted route search condition;

said unoccupied seat route search system comprising;

an operation data database for storing service data of transportation modes;

a search operation data database for storing operation data for search;

reservation information collection means for collecting reservation information about said transportation modes;

wherein said reservation information collection means collects information regarding if there are any un-reserved seats in a reserved seating area;

condition inputting means for inputting route search conditions that include a seating condition;

route search means for referencing said operation data database used for searching, and searching for a transportation mode constituting a route on the basis of a route search condition and reservation information that is collected by the reservation information collecting means; and

output means for outputting a result of the route search, wherein

said route search means extracts a transportation mode having reservation information that matches a route search condition from said database of service data prior to a route search, forms a database of service data used for searching, and performs a route search.

2. The unoccupied seat route search system according to claim 1, characterized in that said condition inputting means has means for inputting a seating condition according to which all transportation modes are unoccupied and available for reservation.

3. The unoccupied seat route search system according to claim 1, characterized in that said condition inputting means has means for inputting a seating condition according to which a transportation mode is unoccupied when the transportation mode is available for reservation.

4. The unoccupied seat route search system according to claim 1, characterized in that said condition inputting means has means for inputting a seating condition according to which a transportation mode is designated as a route when the transportation mode has non-reserved seating, even when the transportation mode is fully occupied and unavailable for reservation.

5. The unoccupied seat route search system according to claim 1, characterized in that said condition inputting means has means for inputting a seating condition according to which a transportation mode can be utilized without a reservation.

6. The unoccupied seat route search system according to claim 1, characterized in that said condition inputting means has means for inputting a seating condition according to which the non-reserved seating can be designated as a route when the transportation mode has non-reserved seating, even when the transportation mode is available for reservation and has unoccupied seating.

7. An unoccupied seat route search device for referencing service data from a operation data database in which service data are stored, and searching a route using a transportation mode from a departure point to a destination point on the basis of a route search condition that includes a seating condition;

said unoccupied seat route search device characterized in comprising;

a search operation data database for storing operation data for search;

reservation information collection means for collecting reservation information about said transportation modes;

wherein said reservation information collection means collects information regarding if there are any un-reserved seats in a reserved seating area;

condition inputting means for inputting route search conditions that include a seating condition;

route search means for referencing said operation data database used for searching, and searching for a transportation mode constituting a route on the basis of a route search condition and reservation information that is collected by the reservation information collecting means; and

output means for outputting a result of the route search, wherein

said route search means extracts a transportation mode having reservation information that matches a route search condition from said database of service data prior to a route search, forms a database of service data used for searching, and performs a route search.

8. The unoccupied seat route search device according to claim 7, characterized in inputting a search condition that includes a seating condition according to which all transportation modes are unoccupied and available for reservation.

9. The unoccupied seat route search device according to claim 7, characterized in inputting a search condition that includes a seating condition according to which a transportation mode is unoccupied when the transportation mode is available for reservation.

10. The unoccupied seat route search device according to claim 7, characterized in inputting a search condition that includes a seating condition according to which a transportation mode is designated as a route when the transportation mode has non-reserved seating, even when the transportation mode is fully occupied and unavailable for reservation.

11. The unoccupied seat route search device according to claim 7, characterized in inputting a search condition that includes a seating condition according to which a transportation mode can be utilized without a reservation.

12. The unoccupied seat route search device according to claim 7, characterized in inputting a search condition that includes a seating condition according to which the non-reserved seating is designated as a route when the transportation mode has non-reserved seating, even when the transportation mode is available for reservation and has unoccupied seating.

13. A terminal device comprising:

a search operation data database for storing operation data for search;

reservation information collection means for collecting reservation information about said transportation modes; and

wherein said reservation information collection means collects information regarding if there are any un-reserved seats in a reserved seating area;

route search means for referencing said operation data database used for searching, and searching for a transportation mode constituting a route on the basis of a route search condition and reservation information that is collected by the reservation information collecting means, wherein

the route search device, prior to a route search, transmits a search condition to an unoccupied seat route search device in which said route search means extracts a transportation mode having reservation information that matches a route search condition from said database of service data, forms a database of service data used for searching, and performs a route search;

said terminal device characterized in comprising inputting means for inputting a route search condition that includes a seating condition.

14. The terminal device according to claim 13, characterized in that said condition inputting means has means whereby the fact that all transportation modes are unoccupied and available for reservation is inputted as a seating condition.

15. The terminal device according to claim 13, characterized in that said condition inputting means has means whereby availability of unoccupied seats is inputted as a seating condition in cases in which the transportation mode is available for reservation.

16. The terminal device according to claim 13, characterized in that said condition inputting means has means for inputting a seating condition according to which a transportation mode is designated as a route when the transportation mode has non-reserved seating, even when the transportation mode is fully occupied and unavailable for reservation.

17. The terminal device according to claim 13, characterized in that said condition inputting means has means for inputting a seating condition according to which a transportation mode can be utilized without a reservation.

18. The terminal device according to claim 13, characterized in that said condition inputting means has means for inputting a seating condition according to which the non-reserved seating is designated as a route when the transportation mode has non-reserved seating, even when the transportation mode is available for reservation and has unoccupied seating.