Boarding/alighting point determination method and boarding/alighting point determination device

1 . A boarding/alighting point determination method for allocating a vehicle in response to requests from users, the method comprising:

setting a predetermined range based on coordinates on a map information, by a processor of the vehicle, which includes a first request point at which a first user desires to alight from the vehicle and a second request point at which a second user desires to board the vehicle;

calculating, by the processor, a predetermined point to which to move the vehicle based on the first request point and the second request point;

calculating, by the processor, a cost based on at least one of a distance from the predetermined point where the first user alights from the vehicle to a destination of the first user, a time from the predetermined point where the first user alights from the vehicle to the destination of the first user, and a load from the predetermined point where the first user alights from the vehicle to the destination of the first user as an access cost for the first user;

calculating, by the processor, a cost based on at least one of a distance from a current location of the second user to the predetermined point where the second user moves to board the vehicle, a time from the current location of the second user to the predetermined point where the second user moves to board the vehicle, and a load from the current location of the second user to the predetermined point where the second user moves to board the vehicle as an access cost for the second user;

calculating, by the processor, the access cost for the first user as higher when the first user carries large baggage, based on the request from the first user including a form of baggage carried by the first user, compared to when the first user does not carry large baggage;

calculating, by the processor, the access cost for the second user as higher when the second user carries large baggage, based on the request from the second user including a form of baggage carried by the second user, compared to when the second user does not carry large baggage;

comparing the access cost for the first user with the access cost for the second user; and

calculating, by the processor, the predetermined point at which the first user alights from the vehicle, the second user boards the vehicle, and the access cost for the first user and the access cost for the second user are determined to be equivalent.

2 . The boarding/alighting point determination method according to claim 1 , wherein the processor operates to:

calculate a cost calculated from the time for the second user to reach the predetermined point where the second user moves to board the vehicle from the current location of the second user as the access cost for the second user;

calculate a cost calculated from a time for the vehicle currently used by the first user to reach the predetermined point from a current location of the vehicle as an access cost for the vehicle;

compare the access cost for the vehicle with the access cost for the second user; and

calculate the predetermined point at which the first user alights from the vehicle, the second user boards the vehicle, and the access cost for the vehicle and the access cost for the second user are equivalent.

3 . The boarding/alighting point determination method according to claim 1 , wherein

the requests from the users include a request point of each one of the users,

the request point is the first request point, the second request point, a current location of each one of the users, or a destination of each one of the users, and

the processor calculates the predetermined point on a basis of the request point.

4 . The boarding/alighting point determination method according to claim 1 , wherein

the requests from the users include a request point of each one of the users, and

the request point is the first request point, the second request point, a current location of each one of the users, or a destination of each one of the users.

5 . The boarding/alighting point determination method according to claim 1 , wherein the processor operates to:

calculate an access cost for the vehicle from an access difficulty level for the vehicle to reach the predetermined point; and

calculate the predetermined point at which the first user alights from the vehicle, the second user boards the vehicle, and the access cost for the vehicle is a lower value than a predetermined value.

6 . The boarding/alighting point determination method according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined range is an area that is preliminarily set.

7 . The boarding/alighting point determination method according to claim 1 , wherein the processor operates to set the predetermined range on a basis of an attribute of each one of the users.

8 . The boarding/alighting point determination method according to claim 1 , wherein the processor operates to:

notify each one of the users of the predetermined point at which the access cost for the vehicle and the access cost for the second user are equivalent;

make an inquiry to each one of the users about an acceptance of the predetermined point at which the access cost for the vehicle and the access cost for the second user are equivalent; and

set the predetermined point at which the access cost for the vehicle and the access cost for the second user are equivalent as the predetermined point at which the first user alights from the vehicle and the second user boards the vehicle when the acceptance is obtained from the users.

9 . The boarding/alighting point determination method according to claim 1 , wherein the processor calculates a point at which each one of the users within the predetermined range boards or alights.

10 . The boarding/alighting point determination method according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is an autonomously traveling vehicle.

11 . The boarding/alighting point determination method according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined point is a center or a weighted center of an area including a request point regarding the first user's alighting and a request point regarding the second user's boarding.

12 . A boarding/alighting point determination apparatus for allocating a vehicle in response to requests from users, the boarding/alighting point determination apparatus comprising a processor, configured to:

set a predetermined range, based on coordinates on a map information, including a first request point at which a first user desires to alight from the vehicle and a second request point at which a second user desires to board the vehicle;

calculate a predetermined point to which to move the vehicle based on the first request point and the second request point;

calculate a cost based on of a distance from the predetermined point where the first user alights from the vehicle to a destination of the first user, a time from the predetermined point where the first user alights from the vehicle to the destination of the first user, and a load from the predetermined point where the first user alights from the vehicle to the destination of the first user as an access cost for the first user;

calculate a cost based on at least one of a distance from a current location of the second user to the predetermined point where the second user moves to board the vehicle, a time from the current location of the second user to the predetermined point where the second user moves to board the vehicle, and a load from the current location of the second user to the predetermined point where the second user moves to board the vehicle as an access cost for the second user;

calculate the access cost for the first user as higher when the first user carries large baggage, based on the request from the first user including a form of baggage carried by the first user, compared to when the first user does not carry large baggage;

calculate the access cost for the second user as higher when the second user carries large baggage, based on the request from the second user including a form of baggage carried by the second user, compared to when the second user does not carry large baggage;

compare the access cost for the first user with the access cost for the second user; and

calculate the predetermined point at which the first user alights from the vehicle, the second user boards the vehicle, and the access cost for the first user and the access cost for the second user are determined to be equivalent.