IP Library Granted Patent US 7,761,229
Granted Patent B2
US 7,761,229 · App. 11/720,865 · Granted Jul 20, 2010

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

Assignee: Navitime Japan Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,761,229
App. No.
11/720,865
Granted
Jul 20, 2010
Kind
B2
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 (40)

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.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 25, 2008
From: ONISHI, KEISUKE; KIKUCHI, SHIN; SAKAMOTO, HIROSHI
To: NAVITIME JAPAN CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 021435/0859 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090234564A1 · Sep 17, 2009