JP2012150654A - Rental car dispatch system and rental car dispatch method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system for, even before a user gets out of a car, recruiting the next user, and for promoting vehicle dispatch to a desired place.SOLUTION: This rental car dispatch system includes: reservation information management means 102 for managing the reservation information of a rental car in a management block; number of possessed vehicle management means 103 for calculating the expected number of possessed vehicles at the closing time on that day of each business office, the necessary number of possessed vehicles at the opening time on the next day, and the preliminary number of possessed vehicles at the opening time on the next day on the basis of the reservation information managed by the reservation information management means; deduction fee calculation means 104 for, in accordance with the change of the reservation information of each customer, calculating a predetermined deduction fee when a difference between the necessary number of possessed vehicles at the opening time on the next day and the expected number of possessed vehicles at the closing time on that day of the return business office becomes positive before change and negative after change; and communication means 101 for receiving at least the change of the reservation information of each customer, and for transmitting the deduction fee based on the change of the return business office to a rental car terminal 210.

Description

  The present invention relates to a rental car dispatch system and method.

  One of the services provided in the rental car business is a drop-off service that returns a car at a location different from the rental location. When abandoned, there was a bias in the number of vehicles owned between sales offices, so it was costly because the company had to forward the vehicles. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for improving the operating rate by recruiting and lending a user who returns a car to a place desired by a rental car company for a discarded vehicle. (Patent Document 1).

JP 2003-256981 A

  In the conventional method, the technology for recruiting and renting users who will return the rental car to the place desired by the rental car company is disclosed, but the vehicle / rental / return location -There was a problem that the use time zone was specified by the operator and it was difficult to find a suitable user.

  The present invention is for solving the above-mentioned problems, and a system that can recruit the next user and prompt the dispatch to a desired place without depending on a specific vehicle even before the abandonment is performed. The purpose is to provide.

  The present invention relates to a reservation information management means for managing reservation information of a rental car in a management area, an estimated number of possessions at the end of the day of each business office, a necessary number of possessions at the start of the next day, a reserve number at the start of the next day Based on the reservation information managed by the reservation information management means, and the value obtained by subtracting the required number of cars at the start of the next day from the expected number of cars at the end of the day If the value at the sales office before or after the change is positive and the value at the sales office after the return or after the change is negative, a reduction to calculate a predetermined reduction fee according to the difference between the positive and negative values And a rental car operator server provided with a charge calculation means, at least reception of the reservation information for each user or a change in reservation information, and a communication means for transmitting the reduced charge to the user.

  According to the present invention, the reservation information management means for managing the reservation information of the rental car in the management area, the expected number of units at the end of the day of each business office, the required number of units at the start of the next day, the spare at the start of the next day The number of owned units is calculated based on the reservation information managed by the reservation information managing unit, and the value obtained by subtracting the required number of units at the start of the next day from the expected number of units at the end of the day , If the value at the business office to rent or return before change is positive and the value at the business office to return or return after change is negative, calculate the predetermined reduction fee according to the difference between the positive and negative values And a rental car provider server provided with at least reception of reservation information for each user or a change in reservation information, and communication means for transmitting the reduced charge to the user. More, the regulation of ownership generated bias by drop off, can be performed by for all car rental vehicle, raising the possibility of matching the user appears, it is possible to reduce the forwarding costs.

The figure which shows the unit area 10 which the vehicle allocation system in Embodiment 1 makes object. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a rental car company server 100 of the vehicle allocation system in the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a rental car 200 of the vehicle allocation system in the first embodiment. 2 is a flowchart showing the overall operation of the vehicle allocation system in the first embodiment. 6 is a flowchart showing a calculation operation of a reduced charge and reflection in reservation information in the first embodiment. Relationship between the expected number of units S (X) at the end of the day of each business office, the required number of units N (X) at the start of the next day, and the number of reserves F (X) at the start of the next day in the first embodiment FIG. The flowchart which shows the calculation of the reduction fee when the determination of whether the reduction of the charge at the time of a change in the return place in Embodiment 1 changes from A business office ⇒ B business office and the change of a return place is performed. The figure which shows the reservation person terminal 300 which communicates with the rental car provider server 100 of the dispatch system in Embodiment 2. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the overall operation of the vehicle allocation system in the second embodiment. The flowchart which shows the calculation operation | movement of the reduction fee in Embodiment 2, and reflection to reservation information. Explanatory drawing of the example of a setting of the expansion management area in Embodiment 3. FIG. In the third embodiment, the expected number of units S (X) at the end of the day of each office considering the expanded management area, the required number of units N (X) at the start of the next day, and the number of reserves at the start of the next day The figure which showed the relationship of F (X) and the value Sum (X ') which subtracted the sum of the regulation number of ownership from the sum of the expected number of possession at the end of the day of all the business offices in an expansion management area. When the return place (rental place) before change in Embodiment 3 is changed from the A sales office in the expanded management area E1 'to the changed return place (return place) as the B sales office in the expanded management area E2' The flowchart which shows determination of whether it generate | occur | produces and calculation of the reduction fee.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
In the first embodiment, a dispatch system that recruits the next user and prompts the dispatch to a desired place in a certain management area even before the drop-off is performed will be described.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a management area targeted by the vehicle allocation system according to the first embodiment.
There is a rental car company server 100 that includes a plurality of sales offices A to D in one management area, and manages a dispatch situation of the plurality of sales offices, and a plurality of rental cars 200 exist in each of the sales offices.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the rental car company server 100 of the vehicle allocation system according to the first embodiment.
In FIG. 2, communication means 101 is means for exchanging information with each rental car 200. The reservation information management means 102 is a means for managing the use reservation of the rental car user. The reservation information management means 102 manages and stores reservation information of the rental car 200 at all the sales offices in the management area. The reservation information to be managed includes at least a use start date / time, a return date / time, a sales office serving as a use start location, a sales office serving as a return location, personal information of the user, and the like. Based on the reservation information of the reservation information management means 102 and the basic possession number of each sales office in the management area, the possession quantity management means 103 is the expected possession quantity, the necessary possession quantity, the reserve It is a means to calculate the number of possessions. The reduced charge calculation means 104 is a means for extracting the combination of the departure office and the arrival office where the charge is reduced and calculating the reduced charge based on the information of the owned number management means 103.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the rental car 200 of the vehicle allocation system in the first embodiment.
In FIG. 3, each rental car 200 is provided with a rental car terminal 210. The rental car terminal 210 is basically mounted on each rental car 200 and can be associated with the rental car 200. However, the rental car terminal 210 itself does not need to be fixed to the rental car 200. What is necessary is that correspondence with 200 is taken.
In FIG. 3, communication means 211 is means for exchanging information with the rental car company server 100. The display means 212 is means for displaying information transmitted from the rental car company server 100. The input means 213 is a means for inputting information transmitted from the user to the rental car provider server 100 to the rental car terminal 210.

Next, the operation will be described.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the overall operation of the vehicle allocation system in the first embodiment.
In S101, the rental car user first gets on the rental car 200 based on the reservation from the telephone or the online reservation from the electronic terminal.

  Next, in S102, the rental car terminal 210 installed in the rental car 200 or capable of 1: 1 correspondence with the rental car 200 receives information from the rental car provider server 100 using the communication means 211, and the information Is displayed using the display means 212. The displayed information includes at least the personal information of the current rental car user, each sales office in the management area, the charge at the sales office that is the return location based on the current rental conditions (days, hours), and the current Based on the rental conditions (days, hours), a discounted or reduced fee is displayed from the regular price of the sales office different from the sales office of the return place.

  Next, in S103, when the current rental car user changes from the sales office that is the return location set at the time of reservation during the rental period to another sales office, the change destination return by the input means 213 of the rental car terminal 210 A sales office serving as a place is selected from the sales offices displayed by the display means 212 of the rental car terminal 210 and input.

  In S <b> 104, the rental car terminal 210 transmits the input information of the sales office that is the return place of the change destination to the rental car company server 100 using the communication unit 211. Then, the rental car terminal 210 receives the discounted or reduced charge from the normal price of the sales office and displays it on the display means 212. Then, the rental car user returns the rental car 200 to the sales office that is the return location of the change destination within the usage termination period, pays the discounted price from the normal price of the business office different from the sales office of the return location, and is terminated. .

Next, the calculation operation of the reduced fee will be described.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the calculation operation of the reduced charge and the reflection to the reservation information in the first embodiment.
First, in S201, the number-of-owners-management unit 103 of the rental car company server 100 first determines the expected number of units S (at the end of the day of each business office based on the reservation information managed by the reservation information management unit 102. X), the necessary number of vehicles N (X) at the start of the next day, and the reserve number F (X) at the start of the next day. X indicates each sales office.
Note that the reserve number F (X) is the number of vehicles that are waiting for reservation, and may be set to be equal at each sales office in the same management area, for example, It may be set so that the sum of the required number N (X) at the start of business and the reserve number F (X) at the start of the next day is equal to the specified number of units established at each business office. A person may determine it independently based on past usage data. Here, the required number of vehicles N (X) at the start of business represents the number of vehicles that have been reserved on the business day and should be held at the start of business.
FIG. 6 shows the expected number of units S (X) at the end of the day of each business office, the required number of units N (X) at the start of the next day, and the reserve number F ( It is the figure which showed the relationship of X). The day referred to here is the day when the rental car user uses and returns the car. Henceforth, it applies in all the embodiments.

Next, in S202, when the reduced charge calculation means 104 extracts a combination of sales offices in the management area where the charge is reduced due to the change of the return place under the predetermined condition, and the return place is changed. Calculate reduced charges.
Here, it is assumed that in a certain reservation, the sales office C, which is a reservation place, is used as a return place to the sales office A. There are three ways to change the return location: A sales office ⇒ B sales office, A sales office ⇒ C sales office, A sales office ⇒ D sales office. It is necessary to calculate all, but here A sales office ⇒ The case of sales office B will be described as an example.

FIG. 7 shows the determination of whether or not a reduction in charge will occur when the return location in the first embodiment is changed from A sales office to B sales office, and the calculation of the reduced charge when the return location is changed. It is a flowchart to show.
First, in S301, it is determined whether or not the expected number of owned vehicles S (B) at the end of the day at the B office is smaller than the required number of owned vehicles N (B) at the beginning of the next day. If NO, the process proceeds to S304.
In the case of YES in S301, in S302, it is determined whether or not the expected number S (A) at the end of the day at the A office is larger than the required number N (A) at the start of the next day. If NO, the process proceeds to S304.
In the case of YES in S302, r (predetermined coefficient greater than 0) out of Cost (A, B), which is the cost required to route one rental car from sales office A to sales office B in S303 ) × Cost (A, B) is added to the reduced charge Disccount (A, B).
Here, r · Cost to be added is a constant, but it is possible to use a function value determined based on the expected number of each business office at the end of the day or the required number at the start of the next day.
Also, the operator may determine that r is smaller than 1 so that the reduced fee Discount (A, B) does not exceed the cost Cost (A, B) required for forwarding.

Next, in S304, the estimated number of owned vehicles S (B) at the office B at the end of the day is the sum of the required number of vehicles N (B) at the start of the next day and the reserve number of vehicles F (B) at the start of the next day. If it is NO, the process proceeds to S307.
In the case of YES in S304, in S305, the expected holding number S (A) at the end of the day at the sales office A is the required holding number N (A) at the start of the next day and the reserve number F ( It is determined whether or not the sum is greater than A). If NO, the process proceeds to S307.
In the case of YES in S305, Q (α) (greater than 0) out of Cost (A, B) as the cost required to send one rental car from sales office A to sales office B in S306 Function value) × Cost (A, B) is added to the reduced fee Disccount (A, B).

Where Q (α) is a function of α, where α is
α = {S (A) -N (A) -F (A)}-{S (B) -N (B) -F (B)}
Q (α) takes a value that gradually increases according to the α value. Q (α) is s or more and t or less (both s and t are constants of 0 or more).
However, Q (α) and α may be determined differently to obtain the same effect.

Finally, if the reduced fee Discount (A, B) is 0 in S307, the process ends. If it is greater than 0, the fee is reduced in S308 if the return location is from the A office to the B office. Is generated, the value of the reduced charge Discout (A, B) becomes the calculation result.
Further, the operator may determine that s and t are smaller than 1 so that the reduced fee Disccount (A, B) does not exceed the cost Cost (A, B) necessary for forwarding.

  Returning to FIG. 5, in S <b> 203, the extraction result of the combination of the sales offices in the management area where the reduction of the charge occurs due to the change of the return place calculated by the reduced charge calculation means 104 and the return place are changed. In this case, the calculation result of the reduced charge is transmitted to the corresponding user via the communication unit 101. Specifically, the rental car terminal 210 receives information on the sales office and the charge from the rental car company server 100 in S102 in FIG. 4 and is included in the contents displayed using the display means 213.

  In S103 in FIG. 4, the user selects and inputs the sales office that is the return destination of the change destination from the sales offices displayed by the display 212 of the rental car terminal 210 by the input means 213 of the rental car terminal 210. When transmitted by the communication unit 211, the communication unit 101 of the rental car company server 100 receives the data in S204 of FIG.

  In S205, the information on the return destination changed by the user is input to the reservation information management means 102 to change the reservation information including the usage fee of the user, and is also input to the owned number management means 103, Based on the change of the reservation information of the reservation information management means 102 and the basic number of possessions of each sales office in the management area, the number of prospective possessions at a specific date and time is changed. Of course, it will be reflected in the subsequent reduction fee.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the reservation information management means 102 for managing the rental car reservation information in the management area, the expected number of cars at the end of the day of each business office, the required number of cars at the start of the next day, the start of the next day At the end of the day, the number of units owned 103 that is calculated based on the reservation information managed by the reservation information management unit, and the sales office that returns due to changes in individual customer reservation information If the value obtained by subtracting the required number at the start of the next day from the expected number of cars to be owned is positive before the change and negative after the change, the reduced charge calculation means 104 for calculating the predetermined reduced charge, and at least for each customer The rental car operator server 100 provided with the communication means 101 for receiving the change of the reservation information and transmitting the reduced fee based on the change of the return office to the rental car terminal 210; The rental car terminal 210 associated with the communication means 211 communicates information with the rental car company server 100, the input means 213 inputs information to be transmitted to the rental car company server 100, and the rental car company server 100 transmits the information. Display means 212 for displaying the recorded information, it is possible to adjust the number of cars that have been biased due to abandonment for all rental car vehicles, raising the possibility that suitable users will appear , The forwarding cost can be reduced.

  Furthermore, the reduction fee calculation means 104 calculates the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the required number of vehicles at the start of the next day and the number of reserves at the start of the next day from the estimated number of vehicles at the end of the day before Can be adjusted for all rental car vehicles by calculating an additional reduction fee, and the possibility of suitable users appearing. Can be reduced and the forwarding cost can be reduced.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
In the first embodiment, the description has been made on the assumption that the rental car terminal 210 is capable of 1: 1 correspondence with the rental car 200. However, the reservation information managed by the reservation information management unit 102 includes the use start date and time, the return date and time, and the use start place. If you include the identification information of the rental car itself to be used in addition to the personal information of the rental office, the return office, and the customer, the rental car customer should correspond to the rental car used However, the rental car terminal 210 is not necessarily required, and if the reservation user terminal of the reservation customer itself has an alternative function, it can be substituted. Therefore, in this embodiment, such a case will be described.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a reservation person terminal 300 that communicates with the rental car company server 100 of the dispatch system according to the second embodiment.
In FIG. 8, communication means 301 is means for exchanging information with the rental car company server 100. The display unit 302 is a unit that displays information transmitted from the rental car company server 100. The input means 303 is means for inputting to the reservation terminal 300 that is transmitted from the user to the rental car company server 100.

  If the rental car terminal 210 is replaced with the reservation person terminal 300 and the identification information of the rental car itself used for the reservation information managed by the reservation information management means 102 is added, the other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment.

Next, the operation will be described.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the overall operation of the vehicle allocation system in the second embodiment.
In S401, the rental car user first transmits a reservation from the telephone, an online reservation from the electronic terminal, and a rental car provider using the reservation terminal 300 to the desired rental car usage conditions.

  In step S <b> 402, information is received from the reservation terminal 300 and the rental car company server 100 using the communication unit 301, and the information is displayed using the display unit 302. Regarding the contents of the display, at least whether the vehicle can be used under the desired conditions, the usage fee if possible, the information on the rental offices that can be used under conditions similar to the desired conditions, and information on the sales offices that will be returned Usage conditions (usage fees, loan, return date and time), and information on the business office where the reduction of the fee occurs due to the combination of the rental location and return location within the conditions similar to the desired conditions, and at that time The usage conditions (usage fees and rental / return date / time for normal use) and the deductions from the usage fees for using the conditions are displayed. The identification information of the rental car itself is not necessarily displayed because it is sufficient if it can be confirmed at the sales office when boarding.

  Next, in S403, based on the information transmitted from the business operator, a rental place / return place to be used is selected and input by the input means 303 of the reservation person terminal 300.

In S <b> 404, the reservation person terminal 300 confirms the reservation by transmitting the input information of the business location as the rental place / return place to the rental car company server 100 using the communication unit 301, and ends.
Note that S401 to S404 may be performed a predetermined number of times after the reservation for the purpose of changing the contents of the reservation.

Next, the calculation operation of the reduced fee will be described.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the calculation operation of the reduced charge and the reflection to the reservation information in the second embodiment.
First, in S501, the number-of-owners-management unit 103 of the rental car company server 100 first determines the expected number of units S (at the end of the day of each business office based on the reservation information managed by the reservation information management unit 102). X), the necessary number of vehicles N (X) at the start of the next day, and the reserve number F (X) at the start of the next day. This is the same as S201 in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 in the first embodiment.

In step S502, the reduced charge calculation unit 104 extracts a combination of a rental place and a return place in the management area where the charge is reduced according to a predetermined condition, and calculates a reduced charge. Sales office A, which is the pre-change return place in Embodiment 1, is replaced with the rental place in this embodiment, and sales office B, which is the post-change return place in Embodiment 1, is replaced with the return place in this embodiment. For example, the procedure is the same as S202 in FIG. 5 and S301 to S308 in FIG.
Next, in S 503, the user accesses the rental car company server 100 using the reservation person terminal 300, requests usage conditions, and the rental car company server 100 requests the usage via the communication means 101. Receive a request for a condition.

In S <b> 504, the rental car company server 100 transmits to the reservation person terminal 300 about the availability of the request for the desired use condition.
Next, in S505, regardless of whether the use desired condition in S504 can be used or not, information on the combination of the rental location where the vehicle can be lent back and the sales office of the return location is transmitted under similar conditions.
In step S <b> 506, the communication unit 101 calculates the extraction result of the combination of the rental place and the return place in the management area where the reduction of the charge calculated by the reduction charge calculation unit 104 and the calculation result of the reduction charge in each combination. To the reservation user terminal 300 of the corresponding user. Specifically, the information on the sales office and fee from the rental car company server 100 in S402 in FIG. 9 is received by the reservation terminal 300 and is included in the contents displayed using the display means 302.

  In S507 of FIG. 10, the reservation confirmation information transmitted by the reservation person in S404 of FIG. 9 is received.

  In S508 of FIG. 10, the contents of the accepted reservation are input to the reservation information management means 102 and also to the owned number management means 103, and the reservation information change of the reservation information management means 102 and the management area are in the management area. Based on the basic number of units owned by each sales office, the number of units that are expected to be held at a specific date will be changed. Of course, it will be reflected in the subsequent reduction fee.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the reservation information management means 102 for managing the reservation information corresponding to the identification information of each rental car in the management area, the expected number of vehicles at the end of the day of each business office, the start of the next day The required number of units and the number of reserves at the start of the next day based on the reservation information managed by the reservation information management unit 103 When the value obtained by subtracting the required number of owned vehicles is positive and the sales office returned is negative, the reduced charge calculation means 104 for calculating a predetermined reduced charge, and at least the individual customer A rental car provider server comprising: reception of reservation confirmation information; and communication means 101 for transmitting information of a combination of a rental location where the vehicle can be rented and returned and a sales office of the return location to the reservation person terminal 300 100 and the reservation terminal 300 are transmitted from the rental car provider server 100, the communication means 301 for communicating information with the rental car provider server 100, the input means 303 for inputting information to be transmitted to the rental car provider server 100, and the rental car provider server 100. And display means 302 for displaying the information, it is possible to adjust the number of owned cars that have been biased due to abandonment for all rental car vehicles, increasing the possibility that suitable users will appear, The forwarding cost can be reduced.
Further, after the reservation is confirmed, after actually starting the rental car, it is not necessary to prepare the original rental car terminal 210 as in the first embodiment, and a general information terminal is used as the reservation person terminal 300. Thus, the same operation as in the first embodiment can be performed.

  Further, the reduction charge calculation means 104 calculates the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the required number of vehicles at the start of the next day and the number of reserves at the start of the next day from the estimated number of vehicles at the end of the day, If it is positive and the value at the returning office is negative, by calculating an additional reduction fee, it is possible to adjust the number of owned cars that are more biased due to drop-off, for all rental car vehicles, It is possible to increase the possibility of a suitable user appearing and reduce the forwarding cost.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
In the first and second embodiments, a system has been described in which a management area is set and a sales place in the management area can be guided to a return place after use based on future reservation information. However, a business operator having a plurality of management areas may set a plurality of management areas and then adjust the total amount of rental cars between the management areas. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a mode that can be guided to adjust the number of rental cars in the entire management area will be described.

First, an expanded management area is set as a new management area in order to adjust the number of rental cars in the entire management area.
FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of an example of setting an expansion management area in the third embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 11, when the distance between the centers of the different management areas E1 and E2 and these two regions is d, the inside of a circle having the same center as the center of each of the management areas E1 and E2 and having a radius of d / 2 A set of management areas in which more than half of the sales offices are included is referred to as expanded management areas E1 ′ and E2 ′.
Note that the setting of the expansion management area is not limited to the example of FIG. For example, the management area and the expansion management area may be set as the same, a set of management areas adjacent to the management areas E1 and E2 may be set as the expansion management area, or the terrain operated by the rental car operator Or you can set your own in consideration of the flow line.

Next, the operation will be described.
First, in the first and second embodiments, the definition of the rental car company server 100 is described as managing the dispatching situation of a plurality of sales offices for one management area. Suppose that each of the management areas manages the dispatching situation of a plurality of sales offices.
As for the reservation information managed by the customer information management means 102 in the rental car company server 100 in this embodiment, if the identification information of the rental car itself used is added as in the second embodiment, the rental car spans a plurality of management areas. Even in cases, it can be managed.

Further, as the terminal on the customer side, the rental car terminal 210 dedicated to the rental car 200 is defined in the first embodiment, and the information terminal owned by the individual customer is defined as the reservation person terminal 300 in the second embodiment. Either of these may be applied in the present embodiment.
That is, the overall operation of the vehicle allocation system is the same as that in FIG. 4 when the rental car terminal 210 dedicated to the rental car 200 is used as in the first embodiment, and the reservation person terminal 300 is the same in the same case as in the second embodiment. When using is the same as FIG.

In the flow showing the calculation operation of the reduced charge and the reflection to the reservation information, as a whole, when the rental car terminal 210 dedicated to the rental car 200 is used as in the first embodiment, it is the same as FIG. 2 is the same as FIG. 10 when the reservation person terminal 300 is used. However, only an additional algorithm for the expanded management area in the first embodiment will be described.
Here, it is assumed that each business office has a prescribed value for the number of vehicles owned. Let's call this the number of units owned by each sales office. In order to adjust the total amount of rental cars between managed areas, the total number of cars owned by all offices is calculated from the total number of cars owned at the end of the day of all offices included in the expanded management area X '. The subtracted value is Sum (X ′), and a new discount coefficient is introduced according to the Sum (X ′).
FIG. 12 shows the expected number of units S (X) at the end of the day of each business office in consideration of the expanded management area, the required number of units N (X) at the start of the next day, and the start of the next day in Embodiment 3 Subtracted the sum of the prescribed number of units owned by all offices from the total number of units owned at the end of the day of all offices included in the expanded management area X '. It is the figure which showed the relationship of Sum (X ') which is.
Estimated number of units S (X) at the end of the day of each office taking into account the expanded management area, required number of units N (X) at the start of the next day, and reserve number F (X) at the start of the next day are basically Thus, the same applies to the first and second embodiments.
Therefore, in the present embodiment, in the steps corresponding to S201 in FIG. 5 and S501 in FIG. 10, the expected number of possessed units S (X) at the end of the day of each business office to be calculated and the necessary number of units to be retained at the start of the next day N (X), in addition to the reserve number F (X) at the start of the next day, the owned number management means 103 is the sum (E1 ′) of the difference between the total number of owned number in the expanded management area and the total number of owned number at the working day. Sum (E2 ′) is additionally calculated.

Next, in the steps corresponding to S202 in FIG. 5 and S502 in FIG. 10, the reduced charge calculation means 104 extracts the combination of the sales offices in the management area where the charge is reduced according to the predetermined condition, and calculates the reduced charge. I do.
Here, assuming the first embodiment, it is assumed that a certain reservation is made from the sales office G in the expanded management area E1 ′ in FIG. 12, which is a reserved place, to the sales office A in the expanded management area E1 ′ as a return place. . There are seven ways to change the return location, because there are cases that cross the management area, and there are 7 types from A sales office to B to J sales office. It is necessary to calculate all of them, but here, A sales in the expanded management area E1 ' ⇒ The case of the business office B in the expanded management area E2 ′ will be described as an example.
In addition, when assuming the case of Embodiment 2, it is necessary to calculate 49 ways because there is a possibility that the rental sales office and the sales office to be returned are all the A to J sales offices. It may be assumed that the rental business office is reserved as the business office A in the expanded management area E1 ′ and the return business office is reserved as the business office B in the expanded management area E2 ′.

FIG. 13 shows a case where the return place (rental place) before change in Embodiment 3 is changed from the A sales office in the expanded management area E1 ′ to the changed return place (return place) as the B sales office in the expanded management area E2 ′. It is a flowchart which shows determination of the reduction | decrease in charge, and calculation of the reduction charge.
First, in S601, it is determined whether or not the expected number of owned vehicles S (B) at the end of the day at the B office is smaller than the required number of owned vehicles N (B) at the beginning of the next day. If NO, the process proceeds to S604.
In the case of YES in S601, it is determined in S602 whether the expected number S (A) at the end of the day at the A office is larger than the required number N (A) at the start of the next day. If NO, the process proceeds to S604.
If YES in S602, Cost (A, B) is the cost required to send one rental car from the sales office A in the expansion management area E1 'to the expansion management area E2' sales office B in S603. Of these, r (a predetermined coefficient greater than 0) × Cost (A, B) is added to the reduced charge Disccount (A, B).
Here, r · Cost to be added is a constant, but it is possible to use a function value determined based on the expected number of each business office at the end of the day or the required number at the start of the next day.
Also, the operator may determine that r is smaller than 1 so that the reduced fee Discount (A, B) does not exceed the cost Cost (A, B) required for forwarding.

Next, in S604, it is determined whether or not the expected number of vehicles S (B) at the end of the day at the B office is smaller than the required number of vehicles N (B) at the start of the next day. Proceed to
In the case of YES in S604, it is determined in S605 whether or not the expected number S (A) at the end of the day at the A office is larger than the required number N (A) at the start of the next day. If NO, the process proceeds to S607.
If YES in S605, Q (α) (greater than 0) out of Cost (A, B) as the cost required to route one rental car from sales office A to sales office B in S606 Function value) × Cost (A, B) is added to the reduced fee Disccount (A, B).

Where Q (α) is a function of α, where α is
α = {S (A) -N (A) -F (A)}-{S (B) -N (B) -F (B)}
Q (α) takes a value that gradually increases according to the α value. Q (α) is s or more and t or less (both s and t are constants of 0 or more).
However, Q (α) and α may be determined differently to obtain the same effect.
The operator may determine that s and t are smaller than 1 so that the reduced fee Disccount (A, B) does not exceed the cost Cost (A, B) required for forwarding.

Next, in S607, it is determined whether or not Sum (E1 ′)> 0 described above. If greater than 0, the process proceeds to S608, and if smaller, the process proceeds to S610.
Further, in S608, it is determined whether or not Sum (E2 ′) <0 described above. If smaller than 0, the process proceeds to S609, and if larger, the process proceeds to S610.

  In S609, P (β) out of costs (A, B) that are necessary to transport one rental car from the sales office A in the expansion management area E1 ′ to the sales office B in the expansion management area E2 ′. (Function value greater than 0) × Cost (A, B) is added to the reduced charge Disccount (A, B).

Here, P (β) is a function of β. Β is defined as β = Sum (E1 ′) − Sum (E2 ′), and P (β) is a value that gradually increases according to the β value. Take. P (β) is u or more and v or less (both u and v are constants of 0 or more).
However, P (β) and β may be determined differently to obtain the same effect.

Finally, if the reduced charge Disccount (A, B) is 0 in S610, the process ends. If it is greater than 0, the return place (rental place) before the change is set to A in the expanded management area E1 ′ in S611. When the sales office is changed and the changed return location (return location) is the expanded management area E2'B sales office, it is assumed that a reduction in charge occurs, and the value of the reduced charge Discout (A, B) is calculated and Become.
Further, the operator may determine that u and v are set to be smaller than 1 so that the reduced fee Disccount (A, B) does not exceed the cost Cost (A, B) required for forwarding.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, the reservation information management means 102 for managing the reservation information corresponding to the identification information of each rental car in the management area, and the expected number at the end of the day of the expansion management area of the plurality of expansion management areas Number-of-owned-units management means 103 for calculating the difference between the total number of owned numbers and the total number of prescribed number of owned offices of all the sales offices in the expanded management area based on the reservation information managed by the reservation information management means, If the expanded management area differs due to changes in individual reservation information or reservation information, the sum of the expected number of owned offices at the end of the day for all sales offices included in the expanded management area will be the sum of the specified number of owned offices at all offices. The value in the extended management area to which the rental sales office or the pre-change return office belongs is positive and the value in the extended management area to which the return sales office or the post-change return office belongs. If negative, a reduced charge calculation means 104 for calculating a predetermined reduced charge according to the value of the positive / negative difference, reception of at least the reservation information for each customer or a change in the reservation information, and change of the return office Since the rental car provider server 100 is provided with the communication means 101 for transmitting the reduced charge based on the vehicle to the rental car terminal 210 or the reservation person terminal 300, the adjustment of the number of possessed cars caused by abandonment can be adjusted for all the rental car vehicles. This can be done in a targeted manner, and can increase the possibility of suitable users appearing, reduce forwarding costs, and guide the adjustment of the number of rental cars in the entire management area.

In the first to third embodiments, the description has been made in units of days, but the present invention can also be applied by replacing with units of hours and minutes.
Although the reduced charges are described in the first to third embodiments, a point system may be introduced instead of the reduced charges.
Furthermore, in Embodiments 1 to 3, the reduction fee has been described, but it may be applied as an extended time instead of the reduction fee. However, in this case, since the return date and time is based on the current day, the processing is based on the extended return date and time applied instead of the reduced charge, so the extension time may not be uniform. is there.

100 rental car company server 101 communication means 102 reservation information management means 103 owned number management means 104 reduction fee calculation means 200 rental car 210 rental car terminal 211 communication means 212 display means 213 input means 300 reservation person terminal 301 communication means 302 display means 303 input means

Claims (10)

Reservation information management means for managing reservation information of rental cars in the management area;
Based on the reservation information managed by the reservation information management means, the expected number of units at the end of the day of each office, the required number of units at the start of the next day, and the reserve number of units at the start of the next day The means of managing the number of owned units calculated in
The value obtained by subtracting the required number of vehicles owned at the start of the next day from the expected number of vehicles owned at the end of the day is positive at the business office that lends or returns before the change, and at the business office that returns or returns after the change. When the value is negative, a reduced charge calculating means for calculating a predetermined reduced charge according to the difference between the positive and negative values;
A rental car provider server comprising at least reception of reservation information for each user or a change in reservation information, and communication means for transmitting the reduced fee to the user;
Car rental system characterized by having   The reduction fee calculation means calculates the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the required number of units at the start of the next day and the number of required units at the start of the next day and the number of reserves at the start of the next day from renting or returning before the change. The rental car dispatch system according to claim 1, wherein an additional reduction fee is calculated when the value at the place is positive and the value at the sales office to be returned or changed after the change is negative. Reservation information management means for managing the reservation information corresponding to the identification information of each rental car in the management area,
A number-of-owned-units management means for calculating a difference between the total number of the expected number of possessed vehicles at the end of the day of the expanded management area in a plurality of expanded management areas and the sum of the prescribed number of owned offices of all the sales offices in the expanded management area;
The value obtained by subtracting the sum of the number of vehicles owned by all offices from the total number of cars owned at the end of the day of all offices included in the expanded management area A reduced charge that calculates a predetermined reduced charge according to the difference between the positive and negative values if the value in the extended managed area to which the return belongs or the value in the extended managed area to which the return sales office belongs is negative Calculation means;
A rental car dispatch system comprising: a rental car company server comprising at least reception of reservation information for each individual customer or a change in reservation information and a communication means for transmitting the reduced fee to the user.   A rental car dispatch system comprising both the rental car dispatch system according to claim 1 and the rental car dispatch system according to claim 3.   5. The rental car dispatch system according to claim 1, wherein the rental car terminal associated with the rental car transmits a communication means for communicating information with the rental car provider server regarding reservation information to the rental car provider server. A rental car dispatch system comprising: input means for inputting information; and display means for displaying information transmitted from the rental car company server.   5. The rental car dispatch system according to claim 1, wherein a reservation person terminal communicates with the rental car provider server, information on reservation information corresponding to identification information of each rental car, and the rental car provider. A rental car dispatch system comprising: input means for inputting information to be transmitted to a server; and display means for displaying information transmitted from the rental car company server. Receiving a request for individual user request conditions or a change in reservation information;
Based on the reservation information managed by the reservation information management means, the expected number of units at the end of the day of each office, the required number of units at the start of the next day, and the reserve number of units at the start of the next day A step of calculating
The value obtained by subtracting the required number of vehicles owned at the start of the next day from the expected number of vehicles owned at the end of the day is positive at the business office that lends or returns before the change, and at the business office that returns or returns after the change. If the value is negative, calculating a predetermined reduction fee according to the difference between the positive and negative values;
Sending a reduced charge to the customer based on the change in the return office;
Rent-a-car dispatch method.   The value obtained by subtracting the required number at the start of the next day and the reserve number at the start of the next day from the estimated number of cars at the end of the day is positive, and the value at the sales office before lending or returning is positive, The rental car dispatch system according to claim 7, further comprising a step of calculating an additional reduction fee when the value at the business office to be returned after the change is negative. Receiving a request for individual user request conditions or a change in reservation information;
Calculating the difference between the sum of the expected number of units owned at the end of the day of the expanded management area and the total number of the specified number of units owned by all the sales offices in the expanded management area in a plurality of expanded management areas;
The value obtained by subtracting the sum of the number of vehicles owned by all offices from the total number of cars owned at the end of the day of all offices included in the expanded management area Calculating a predetermined reduction fee according to the difference between the positive and negative values when the value in the extended management area to which the return belongs or the value in the extended management area to which the return sales office belongs is negative; ,
Sending a reduced charge to the customer based on the change in the return office;
Rent-a-car dispatch method.   A rental car dispatching method comprising both the rental car dispatching method according to claim 7 and the rental car dispatching method according to claim 9.

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