Patent Publication Number: US-2019180355-A1

Title: Management system, management method, and non-transitory recording medium

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-235255 filed on Dec. 7, 2017, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a management system, a management method, and a non-transitory recording medium. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Car sharing allows members to share a vehicle and to check usage states of the vehicle or make reservations via the Internet in a community limited to a certain area. As a location of renting and returning, a convenient place for members to use is often chosen, such as a parking space near a residence or a place near a station. By the car sharing as described above, a user can reduce expenses such as a purchase cost, a maintenance cost, and a parking fee of a vehicle, compared with a case of owing the vehicle. With the background described above, parking space sharing that shares a parking space is widespread as well as car sharing that shares a vehicle. As a system for managing parking space reservations for parking space sharing, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-215923 (JP 2012-215923 A) discloses a parking space reservation system. 
     SUMMARY 
     Meanwhile, when a vehicle is in use, since a parking space for parking the vehicle is vacant, the cost for maintenance of the vehicle may be covered by renting the parking space to a person who desires to use the parking space in a vacant time available for the parking space. 
     However, the existing car sharing system for managing a rental schedule of a vehicle and the existing parking space sharing system for managing a rental schedule of a parking space independently manage the rental schedules without cooperating with each other. Consequently, the owner of the vehicle and the parking space needs to register a vacant time available for each of the car sharing system and the parking space sharing system, and the procedure is complicated. It takes considerable cost and time to newly design and develop a system for managing a rental schedule of a vehicle and a rental schedule of a parking space in an integrated manner, apart from the existing car sharing system and the existing parking space sharing system. In addition, the unique system is highly likely to have poor general-purpose properties, thus development investment costs may not be recovered. 
     The present disclosure provides a management system, a management method, and a non-transitory recording medium capable of managing a rental schedule of a vehicle and a rental schedule of a parking space at a low cost in an integrated manner. 
     A first aspect of the present disclosure relates to a management system. The management system includes a processing device. The processing device is configured to acquire schedule information indicating an action schedule of a user having authority to use a vehicle and authority to use a parking space set to park the vehicle. The processing device is configured to specify, from the schedule information, a date and time at which the user is scheduled to use the vehicle and a date and time at which the user is not scheduled to use the vehicle. The processing device is configured to notify a parking space management system, which manages rental of the parking space for a user who desires to use the parking space, of information indicating the date and time at which the user is scheduled to use the vehicle as information indicating a vacant time at which the parking space is available. The processing device is configured to notify a vehicle management system, which manages rental of the vehicle for a user who desires to use the vehicle, of information indicating the date and time at which the user is not scheduled to use the vehicle as information indicating a vacant time at which the vehicle is available. 
     In the management system according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, the processing device may be configured to surmise the date and time at which the user is scheduled to use the vehicle based on a past action history of the user when the processing device determines that the schedule information is not sufficient to specify the date and time at which the user is scheduled to use the vehicle. The processing device may be configured to notify the user to confirm whether or not the surmised date and time is correct. 
     In the management system according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, the processing device may be configured to surmise a date and time at which the user is not scheduled to use the vehicle based on a past action history of the user when the processing device determines that the schedule information is not sufficient to specify the date and time at which the user is not scheduled to use the vehicle. The processing device may be configured to notify the user to confirm whether or not the surmised date and time is correct. 
     In the management system according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, the processing device may be configured to surmise that the vehicle is used at a date and time of traveling to a destination registered in the schedule information when the destination is the same as a destination indicating a place where the user went out using the vehicle in the past. 
     In the management system according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, the processing device may be configured to surmise that transportation means other than the vehicle is used at a date and time of traveling to a destination registered in the schedule information when the destination is the same as a destination indicating a place where the user went out to using the transportation means other than the vehicle in the past. 
     In the management system according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, the processing device may be configured to notify the user to confirm transportation means when a date and time of traveling is registered in the schedule information but transportation means is not registered. 
     A second aspect of the present disclosure relates to a management method. The management method includes: acquiring schedule information indicating an action schedule of a user having authority to use a vehicle and authority to use a parking space set to park the vehicle, by a processing device; specifying, from the schedule information, a date and time at which the user is scheduled to use the vehicle and a date and time at which the user is not scheduled to use the vehicle, by the processing device; notifying a parking space management system, which manages rental of the parking space for a user who desires to use the parking space, of information indicating the date and time at which the user is scheduled to use the vehicle as information indicating a vacant time at which the parking space is available, by the processing device; and notifying a vehicle management system, which manages rental of the vehicle for a user who desires to use the vehicle, of information indicating the date and time at which the user is not scheduled to use the vehicle as information indicating a vacant time at which the vehicle is available, by the processing device. 
     A third aspect of the present disclosure relates to a readable non-transitory recording medium in which a plurality of instructions is recorded. The instructions are executed by one or more processing devices to cause the one or more processing devices to perform the following method, The method includes; acquiring schedule information indicating an action schedule of a user having authority to use a vehicle and authority to use a parking space set to park the vehicle, by a processing device; specifying, from the schedule information, a date and time at which the user is scheduled to use the vehicle and a date and time at which the user is not scheduled to use the vehicle, by the processing device; notifying a parking space management system, which manages rental of the parking space for a user who desires to use the parking space, of information indicating the date and time at which the user is scheduled to use the vehicle as information indicating a vacant time at which the parking space is available, by the processing device; and notifying a vehicle management system, which manages rental of the vehicle for a user who desires to use the vehicle, of information indicating the date and time at which the user is not scheduled to use the vehicle as information indicating a vacant time at which the vehicle is available, by the processing device. 
     With the management system, the management method, and the non-transitory recording medium according to the aspects of the present disclosure, it is possible to manage a rental schedule of a vehicle and a rental schedule of a parking, space at a low cost in an integrated manner. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals denote like elements, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an explanatory diagram showing functional blocks of a management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     An embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawing. Here, the same reference numerals are defined to denote the same constituent elements, and thus duplicate descriptions will be omitted.  FIG. 1  is an explanatory diagram showing functional blocks of a management system  10  according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. A user  91  has authority to use a vehicle  80  and a parking space  70  together, and the parking space  70  is a space for parking the vehicle  80 . The user  91  is not necessarily limited to an owner having an ownership of the parking space  70  and the vehicle  80 , but may have authority to use the parking space  70  and the vehicle  80 . 
     The management system  10  is a computer system that executes a management method for managing rental of the parking space  70  and rental of the vehicle  80  in an integrated manner (hereinafter simply referred to as “management system”). The management system  10  includes a processor a storage device, and a communication module as hardware resources. A management program for executing the management method (it can be regarded as a plurality of instructions of the present disclosure) is stored in the storage device. The processor interprets and executes the management program, and functions as various units (an acquisition unit  11 , a specification unit  12 , a confirmation unit  13 , a first notification unit  14 , and a second notification unit  15 ) are implemented. The various units are functions implemented by the cooperation of the hardware resources of the management system  10  and the management program, and details of the functions will be described later. The management program may include, for example, a plurality of software modules which is invoked and executed in a main program, Each of the aforementioned software modules is a subprogram which is modularized for executing processes for implementing the functions of the various units described above. Functions similar to the aforementioned functions of the various units may be implemented by using dedicated hardware resources (for example, application specific integrated circuits) or firmware. The storage device that stores the management program is, for example, a computer readable recording medium such as a semiconductor memory or a disk medium. 
     An information terminal  20  includes a scheduler  21  that manages schedule information  22  indicating an action schedule of the user  91 . The scheduler  21  is an application program (for example, a calendar and schedule management application program) that performs management such as input, change, or deletion of the schedule information  22  through operation of the information terminal  20  perforated by the user  91 . A method by which the user  91  inputs the schedule information  22  to the information terminal  20  may be a key input operation to the information terminal  20  or voice input using voice recognition. In a case of the voice input, the schedule information  22  is input to the information terminal  20  through a conversation between the information terminal  20  and the user  91 . The schedule information  22  includes, for example, information such as a date and time at which a user is scheduled to go out, a place to which a user is to go, or transportation means. The information on the transportation means includes, for example, information indicating whether or not to use the vehicle  80  (in a case of not using the vehicle  80 , the information on the transportation means may include information indicating whether the user goes out by public transportation or on foot). The information terminal  20  may be, for example, a mobile communication terminal having a mobile communication function such as a multifunctional mobile phone called a smartphone or a tablet terminal, or a personal computer having a communication function. 
     The acquisition unit  11  is connected to the information terminal  20  via a communication line and acquires the schedule information  22  from the scheduler  21 . The specification unit  12  specifies, from the schedule information  22 , a date and time at which the user  91  is scheduled to use the vehicle  80  and a date and time at which the user  91  is not scheduled to use the vehicle  80 . For example, in a case where a schedule that the user  91  will go out using the vehicle  80  from 1;00 pm to 2:00 pm on December 1 is registered in the schedule information  22 , the specification unit  12  specifies that the registered date and time (from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm on December 1) is the date and time at which the user  91  is scheduled to use the vehicle  80 . Alternatively, for example in a case where a schedule that the user  91  goes out using a public transportation system (transportation means other than the vehicle  80 ) from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm on December 2 is registered in the schedule information  22 , the specification unit  12  specifies that the registered date and time (from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm on December 2) is the date and time at which the user  91  is not scheduled to use the vehicle  80 . 
     When the confirmation unit  13  determines that the schedule information  22  is not sufficient to specify the date and time at which the user  91  is scheduled to use the vehicle  80 , the confirmation unit  13  may surmise the date and time at which the user  91  is scheduled to use the vehicle  80  based on a past action history of the user  91 . The confirmation unit  13  may notify the user  91  to confirm whether or not the surmised date and time is correct. The past action history of the user  91  can be read from the past schedule information  22 . For example, the confirmation unit  13  may surmise that the vehicle  80  is used at the date and time of traveling to a destination registered in the schedule information  22  when the destination is the same as a destination indicating a place where the user  91  went out using the vehicle  80  in the past. For example, when the weather at the date and time at which the user is scheduled to go out is expected to be rainy, the confirmation unit  13  may surmise that the vehicle  80  is used at the date and time at which the user is scheduled to go out. For example, when the destination to which the user is scheduled to go falls within a middle distance category (for example, a distance of 3 km to 50 km) from an address of the user  91 , the confirmation unit  13  may surmise that the vehicle  80  is used at the date and time at which the user is scheduled to go out. 
     When the confirmation unit  13  determines that the schedule information  22  is not sufficient to specify the date and time at which the user  91  is not scheduled to use the vehicle  80 , the confirmation unit  13  may surmise the date and time at which the user  91  is not scheduled to use the vehicle  80  based on a past action history of the user  91 . The confirmation unit  13  may notify the user  91  to confirm whether or not the surmised date and time is correct. For example, the confirmation unit  13  may surmise that the transportation means other than the vehicle  80  is used at the date and time of traveling to a destination registered in the schedule information  22  when the destination is the same as a destination indicating a place where the user  91  went out using transportation means other than the vehicle  80  in the past. For example, when the weather at the date and time at which the user is scheduled to go out is expected to be fine, the confirmation unit  13  may surmise that the transportation means other than the vehicle  80  (for example, walking) is used for the destination to which the user is scheduled to go. For example, when the destination to which the user is scheduled to go falls within a short distance category (for example, a distance of less than 3 km) from the address of the user  91 , the confirmation unit  13  may surmise that the transportation means other than the vehicle  80  (for example, walking) is used at the date and time at which the user is scheduled to go out. For example, when the destination to which the user is scheduled to go falls within a ling distance category (for example, a distance of 50 km or more) from the address of the user  91 , the confirmation unit  13  may surmise that the transportation means other than the vehicle  80  (for example, public transportation system such as a train or an airplane) is used at the date and time at which the user is scheduled to go out. 
     In order to confirm whether or not the surmised date and time is correct, the confirmation unit  13  may send, to the user  91 , an email with a link to a web page for registering a response to an inquiry on whether or not the surmised date and time as correct, or have a conversation with the user  91  using voice recognition. 
     When the date and time of traveling is registered in the schedule information  22  but the transportation means to be used when traveling is not registered, the confirmation unit  13  may confirm the transportation means to the user  91 . It is possible to specify whether the vehicle  80  is used or not as long as the transportation means to be used when traveling can be specified. Consequently, it is possible to specify whether the date and time of traveling is the date and time at which the user  91  is scheduled to use the vehicle  80 , or alternatively, the date and time at which the user  91  is not scheduled to use the vehicle  80 . In order to confirm the transportation means, the confirmation unit  13  may send, to the user  92 , an e-mail with a link to a web page for registering a response to an inquiry of the transportation means, or have a conversation with the user  91  using voice recognition. 
     The first notification unit  14  notifies a parking space management system  30 , which manages rental of the parking space  70  for a user  92  who desires to use the parking space  70 , of information indicating the date and time at which the user  91  is scheduled to use the vehicle  80  as information indicating a vacant time at which the parking space  70  is available. For example, when the parking space  70  is used for parking space sharing, the parking space management system  30  is a computer system that manages affairs of the parking space sharing (for example, management such as an acceptance, a change, or a cancellation of a reservation for renting the parking space  70 ). The user  92  can access the parking space management system  30  from an information terminal  50  via a communication network and can perform an acceptance, a change, a cancellation, or the like of a reservation for renting the parking space  70 . 
     A second notification unit  15  notifies a vehicle management system  40 , which manages rental of the vehicle  80  for a user  93  who desires to use the vehicle  80 , of information indicating the date and time at which the user  91  is not scheduled to use the vehicle  80  as information indicating a vacant time at which the vehicle  80  is available. For example, when the vehicle  80  is used for car sharing, the vehicle management system  40  is a computer system that manages affairs of the car sharing (for example, management such as acceptance, change, or cancellation of a reservation for renting the vehicle  80 ). The user  93  can access the vehicle management system  40  from an information terminal  60  via a communication network, and can perform acceptance, change, cancellation, the like of a reservation for renting the vehicle  80 . 
     According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to specify the date and time at which the user  91  is scheduled to use the vehicle  80  and the date and time at which the user  91  is not scheduled to use the vehicle  80  from the schedule information  22  indicating the action schedule of the user  91  having the authority to use the vehicle  80  and the parking space  70  together. The parking space management system  30  is notified of the information indicating the date and time at which the user  91  is scheduled to use the vehicle  80  as information indicating the vacant time at which the parking space  70  is available, and the vehicle management system  40  is notified of the information indicating the date and time at which the user  91  is not scheduled to use the vehicle  80  as information indicating the vacant time at which the vehicle  80  is available. Accordingly, it is possible to manage a rental schedule of the vehicle  80  and a rental schedule of the parking space  70  at a low cost in an integrated manner. 
     The vehicle  80  and the parking space  70  are exemplified as resources that can be used for sharing, among the resources that the user  91  has the authority to use, in the description stated above. However, the embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the resources as described above may be, for example, a bicycle, a bicycle parking space, leisure goods (for example, barbecue accessories), or in-office or household equipment. 
     The parking space management system  30  may have functions equivalent to the functions of the units (the acquisition unit  11 , the specification unit  12 , and the confirmation unit  13 ) to specify the date and time at which the user  91  is scheduled to use the vehicle  80  from the schedule information  22 . Similarly, the vehicle management system  40  may have functions equivalent to the functions of the units (the acquisition unit  11 , the specification unit  12 , and the confirmation unit  13 ) to specify the date and time when the user  91  is not scheduled to use the vehicle  80  from the schedule information  22 . 
     The embodiment described above is intended to facilitate understanding of the gist of the present disclosure and is not intended to limit an applicable embodiment of the present disclosure in any way. The present disclosure can be modified or improved without departing from the gist of the present disclosure and the present disclosure also encompasses equivalents of the present disclosure.