JP7638835B2 - Alternative route search system and alternative route search method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an alternative route search system and an alternative route search method, and in particular to an alternative route search system and an alternative route search method capable of searching for alternative routes for buses that can be transferred from trains.

If a train line is suspended while you are using it, you will need to use another route to reach your destination. For this reason, users will often search for alternative routes to try to travel by other routes. When trying to travel from a station, if a train line exists, it is expected that an alternative route using another train line will be searched for. However, it is often not possible to transfer to another train line, in which case it is necessary to search for an alternative bus route as well.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an information processing device that includes a specifying means for specifying a route for moving from a position indicated by the first position information to a position indicated by the second position information, the route being different from a predetermined route, using acquired first position information and second position information.

JP 2019-27790 A

When searching by bus, it is necessary to search for bus routes starting from the nearest bus stop to the station (target station). However, because general route search systems require you to specify the starting point and destination, route searches are difficult unless you know information about the bus route from the nearest bus stop to the target station. In addition, travel by bus route generally takes longer than the original train route, but information about the amount of time lost cannot be easily found even when using a route search system. Furthermore, it is preferable for users to have an easy-to-understand overall view of alternative bus routes, but there was no display that made the overall view easy to understand using the target station as a reference point.

If users are unable to search for alternative routes or cannot obtain accurate information, they need to inquire with station staff or check the bus information at the station. However, when service is suspended, station staff also have to make a large number of inquiries, and users are often unable to check in a timely manner. This also results in an increased burden on station staff.

In addition, although Patent Document 1 specifies a route for travel from a location indicated by the first location information to a location indicated by the second location information, it does not disclose how to specify a route by bus. Furthermore, it does not display a list of alternative routes for bus routes based on a target station.

In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide an alternative route search system and an alternative route search method that can display accurate and easy-to-understand search results for alternative bus routes from a target station.

To achieve the above object, one representative alternative route search system of the present invention includes a processing unit and a display device, the processing unit searches for alternative bus routes to other stations on a target station on a railway line and transmits the search results to the display device, and the display device displays a list of alternative bus routes to the target station based on the received search results, and the list includes, for each alternative bus route, information on the following: transfer station names, which are names of other stations that can be reached via the alternative bus route; transfer line names, which are railway lines of the transfer stations; travel time via the alternative bus route; and the difference between the travel time via the railway route under normal circumstances and the travel time via the alternative bus route.

According to the present invention, in the alternative route search system and the alternative route search method, the search results of alternative bus routes from a target station can be displayed accurately and in an easy-to-understand manner.
Problems, configurations and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following embodiments.

1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an alternative route search system of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a process of the alternative route search system of the present invention. 1 is a route map for explaining a specific example of an alternative route search system of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a bus stop master of the alternative route search system of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a route master of the alternative route search system of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a transfer station master of the alternative route search system of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a time-zone-based average time master of the alternative route search system of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a search result based on Station A in the alternative route search system of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a search result based on Station E in the alternative route search system of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a search result based on Station J in the alternative route search system of the present invention.

The following describes the form for implementing the present invention.

Figure 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the alternative route search system of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the system includes a server 11, a recording unit 13, a display device 15, and an input device 16. In FIG. 1, the server 11, the display device 15, and the input device 16 are shown as being connected via a network 20. The alternative route search system here may be applied as a client-server system.

The server 11 includes a processing unit 12 and performs processing for searching for alternative routes, which will be described later. The processing unit 12 includes various devices necessary for processing for searching for alternative routes, such as a processor such as a central processing unit (CPU) and memory.

The recording unit 13 holds information necessary for searching for an alternative route. It also holds information on the results of the alternative route search. Specific information will be described later with reference to Figures 4 to 10. The recording unit 13 includes devices necessary for recording information, such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD). In Figure 1, the recording unit 13 is shown configured to be connected to the server 11, but it may also be directly connected to the network 20.

The display device 15 displays necessary information based on the results of the alternative route search processed by the processing unit 12. A display device 15 may be provided for each user or each station, and one processing unit 12 may correspond to multiple display devices 15. The display device 15 includes a device required for display, such as a liquid crystal display or an organic electroluminescence (OEL) display. The display device 15 may also include a processing unit having a processor or the like, and perform the necessary processing for display. The display device 15 may be configured to be portable, or may be a display device installed at a station (for example, digital signage, which is an electronic display). In this case, the digital sign may display information about the suspension of train service as well as the results of the alternative route search.

The input device 16 is a device that allows the user to input information necessary for searching for an alternative route. For example, it may be configured as a touch panel, or a keyboard or mouse may be used. The input device 16 may be configured as one unit with the display device 15. If it is configured as a touch panel, it can perform both display and input functions. In this case, a smartphone, tablet PC, etc. can be applied. The input device 16 may be equipped with a system that identifies the current position of the input device 16. For example, it may be a satellite positioning system such as GPS.

The network 20 is a network such as the Internet. This makes it possible for the processing unit 12 to transmit the results of the alternative route search to a large number of display devices 15.

Figure 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing of the alternative route search system of the present invention. The processing here can be performed by the processing unit 12.

First, in S101, information on a target station is input to the processing unit 12. The target station is a station from which an alternative bus route is to be searched for. For example, when a user inputs information on the target station using the input device 16, that information is input. Furthermore, station information may be input based on the position information of the input device 16. Also, when the display device 15 is a digital signage fixedly installed at a station, that station may be set as the target station. For example, an alternative route to the relevant station may be automatically searched for based on information on the occurrence of a suspension of service.

Next, in S102, a search is made for transferable stations registered in the transferable station master from bus stops adjacent to the target station. Transferable stations are other stations on railway lines that can be reached from the target station by bus route. It is preferable that the railway line in this case is another railway line, since this avoids the suspension of service. The transferable station master stores information on transferable stations via bus routes for a given station, and transferable stations are searched for from this information.

Next, in S103, a bus route of an alternative route to a transfer station is searched for and travel time is calculated. The alternative bus route can be obtained from the route master in which the bus route routes are stored. In addition, travel time can be calculated from the time-slot average time master in which the required time for each route in each time slot is stored. In this case, the total required time for the alternative bus route in that time slot from a bus stop adjacent to the target station to a bus stop adjacent to the transfer station is calculated.

Next, in S104, the average travel time from the target station to a transfer station along the rail route is searched for. This is done by calculating the travel time along the rail route under normal circumstances when there are no service suspensions or the like. This information is possible by using railroad timetable information, etc. stored in the recording unit 13, etc.

Next, in S105, the difference between the average train travel time and the bus route travel time is calculated to calculate the time difference with the train route. The average train travel time is the time calculated in S104. The bus route travel time is the total required time for each alternative bus route calculated in S103. The difference between these travel times is calculated by comparing each alternative bus route with the average train travel time.

Next, in S106, a search result is created that includes information about buses that can be transferred from the target station to transfer stations. The search results can be created based on the information from S102 to S105. The search results are created by calculating all alternative routes that can be calculated for the target station, and providing information tailored to the target station that was the subject of the search.

Next, in S107, the search results are sent to the display device. The search results calculated in S106 above are sent to the corresponding display device 15. The display device 15 displays the search results based on that information. This information is displayed for each alternative bus route.

Figure 3 is a route map for explaining a specific example of the alternative route search system of the present invention. As a specific example, we will use the route map shown in Figure 3 for explanation.

In the example of Figure 3, there are three railway lines: Line AAA, Line EEE, and Line JJJ. Line AAA has Station A, Line EEE has Station E, and Line JJJ has Station J. In this case, bus routes exist between Station A and Station E, and between Station E and Station J.

Figure 4 shows an example of a bus stop master for the alternative route search system of the present invention.

The bus stop master records the location information for each bus stop. The location information is shown in latitude and longitude. This information can be used in conjunction with the route master in Figure 5 to identify the route traveled. For example, by identifying the location of each bus stop on a map, it becomes possible to display the route traveled by the bus on the map.

Figure 5 shows an example of a route master for the alternative route search system of the present invention.

The route master is used in S103 of FIG. 2. The following items are recorded: "route name," "order," "stop name," and "up/down flag." "Route name" indicates the bus route. In the example of FIG. 5, two routes, "East 01" and "West 20," are shown. "Order" indicates the order in which the bus stops at the stops using numbers. "Stop name" is the stop at which the bus stops, and can be linked to the location information in the bus stop master. "Up/down flag" specifies whether the route is an up or down route. This is because the stops at which buses stop on the up and down routes may differ, or the buses may take different routes, so separate information is stored for up and down routes. In this way, the route master can specify which routes of the bus route stop at which stops, and in what order.

Figure 6 shows an example of a transfer station master for the alternative route search system of the present invention.

The transfer station master is used in S102 of Figure 2. The transfer station master records the following items: "Departure station name", "Departure station/stop name", "Departure stop number", "Route name", "Up/Down flag", "Bus direction name", "Transferable station/stop name", "Transferable station name", and "Transferable route name".

"Departure station" is a station on a railroad line where you can transfer to a bus line to go to a transfer station. "Departure station/stop name" is the name of a stop adjacent to the station specified by "Departure station name". It is the stop closest to the departure station on that line. The departure station and departure station/stop are within walking distance within a specified time (e.g. within 5 minutes). "Departure stop number" is a management number for identifying the "departure stop". "Route name" indicates the bus route and corresponds to the "route name" in the route master in Figure 5. "Up/down flag" specifies whether it is an up route or down route and corresponds to the "up/down flag" in the route master in Figure 5. "Bus direction name" is information about which direction (station) the bus is heading for. "Transferable station/stop name" is the name of a stop adjacent to the station specified by "Transferable station name". It is the stop closest to the transfer station on that line. Transferable stations and transferable bus stops are located within walking distance within a specified time (e.g., within 5 minutes). A "transferable station" is a railway station that is different from the departure station. A "transferable line name" indicates the railway line that passes through a transferable station.

In this way, the transfer station master is information that records which bus routes run from which stations to which other stations. In the example of Figure 6, it is possible to go from Station A to Station E by taking the "Downbound" route "East 01". It is also possible to go from Station E to Station A by taking the "Upbound" route "East 01". It is also possible to go from Station E to Station J by taking the "Upbound" route "West 20". It is also possible to go from Station J to Station E by taking the "Downbound" route "West 20".

Figure 7 shows an example of the average time master by time period for the alternative route search system of the present invention.

The average time by time period master is used in S103 of FIG. 2. The average time by time period master records the following items: "Route name," "Order," "Stop name," "Up/Down flag," and "Average time to next stop." "Route name," "Order," "Stop name," and "Up/Down flag" are the same as in the route master of FIG. 4. The average time by time period master records information on the average time it takes to travel between stops on bus routes for each time period.

"Average time to next stop" indicates the average time required for travel by bus from that stop to the next stop by time period. This can be calculated and recorded by collecting data in advance. In Figure 7, the average travel time is recorded for each hour, such as 5:00, 6:00, 7:00, etc. This is because the travel time varies depending on the time period due to congestion on the route, etc. Note that while Figure 7 shows hourly divisions, other time period divisions can also be applied. For example, divisions within 30 minutes, within an hour, within three hours, etc. may also be used. Also, for example, the time divisions for morning and evening rush hour may be shorter than those for other time periods.

Figure 8 is a diagram showing an example of a search result based on Station A in the alternative route search system of the present invention. Figure 9 is a diagram showing an example of a search result based on Station E in the alternative route search system of the present invention. Figure 10 is a diagram showing an example of a search result based on Station J in the alternative route search system of the present invention.

These search results are calculated in S106 of Figure 2. The search results are calculated in the following order: "Departure station name", "Departure station/stop name", "Departure stop number", "Route name", "Bus direction name", "Travel time", "Transferable station/stop name", "Transferable station name", "Transferable line name", and "Time difference with rail route". Here, "Departure station name", "Departure station/stop name", "Departure stop number", "Route name", "Bus direction name", "Transferable station/stop name", "Transferable station name", and "Transferable line name" are the same items as those explained in the transferable station master in Figure 6.

"Travel time" is the time required from the departure station or stop of the bus route to the transfer station or stop. This time is calculated in S103 of FIG. 2. "Time difference from rail route" is the difference between the time required from the departure station or stop of the bus route to the transfer station and the normal travel time on the rail route from the departure station or stop to the transfer station. It can be expressed as the value obtained by subtracting the travel time on the rail route from the travel time on the bus. This time is calculated in S105 of FIG. 2. If the bus route takes longer, this is indicated by "+", and if the bus route takes less time, this is indicated by "-". Note that if the travel time on the bus and the travel time on the rail route are the same, this is indicated by "±0".

Figure 8 shows the case where the target station is Station A. Here, an alternative bus route from Station A to Station E is shown. In this case, the travel time from the bus stop at Terminal Station A to the bus stop in front of Station E is 12 minutes, which means that it takes 5 minutes longer (+5 minutes) than the normal train travel time from Station A to Station E.

Figure 9 shows the case where the target station is Station E. Two alternative routes are shown here: an alternative bus route from Station E to Station A, and an alternative bus route from Station E to Station J. For Station A, the travel time from the bus stop in front of Station E to the bus stop at Terminal Station A is 7 minutes, which is the same as the travel time from Station E to Station A by regular train (±0 minutes). For Station J, the travel time from the bus stop in front of Station E to the bus stop at the east exit of Station J is 10 minutes, which is 2 minutes longer than the travel time from Station E to Station J by regular train (+2 minutes).

Figure 10 shows the case where the target station is Station J. Here, an alternative bus route from Station J to Station E is shown. In this case, the travel time from the bus stop at the east exit of Station J to the bus stop in front of Station E is 10 minutes, which means that it takes 2 minutes longer (+2 minutes) than the normal train travel time from Station A to Station E.

The search results in Figures 8 to 10 can be displayed on the display device 15. This displays a list of search results showing alternative bus routes to the target station. This list includes each search result for each alternative bus route. The display configuration of the search results shown in Figures 8 to 10 can be arranged according to the display screen of the display device 15. For example, if the display screen is small, they can be displayed separately. In addition, map information of the bus route map can also be displayed, for example, by using the bus stop master information in Figure 4.

Furthermore, if the display device 15 is a fixed display board such as digital signage installed at a station, the search results can be displayed with the station where it is installed as the target station. For example, when sending search results from the processing unit 12 to a display device 15 installed at a station, the search will be performed with the station where the display device 15 is installed as the target station. Furthermore, when the processing unit 12 acquires information about a service suspension, it can automatically start a search with the station corresponding to the suspension of service as the target station and send the search results to the relevant station. The display device 15 installed at the station can display the search results alternately with the information about the service suspension, or on the same screen.

In addition, if the display device 15 is a computer or the like integrated with the input device 16, the input target station can be sent to the processing unit 12, and the search results can be displayed on the same display device 15. Furthermore, for example, in the case of a portable smartphone or tablet PC in which the display device 15 is integrated with the input device 16, the location can be identified using a satellite positioning system or the like. In this case, the station closest to the location can be set as a candidate target station. Also, stations within a certain distance from the location can be displayed as a list of candidate target stations. The user identifies the target station and sends it to the processing unit 12, and the search results can be displayed on the display device 15 integrated with the input device 16 that sent the information.

As an additional function of the search results of Figures 8 to 10, when multiple alternative routes are displayed, the order may be changed. For example, when the "Time difference from rail route" item is selected, the results are sorted in ascending order of difference value. Here, the results are sorted in ascending order of the value obtained by subtracting the normal travel time for the rail route from the travel time for the alternative bus route. When the "Name of transferable route" item is selected, the results may be sorted in order of transferable route. In this case, for example, if the display device 15 is a touch panel, the selection may be recognized by touching the relevant location. Alternatively, another operating device may be installed and the selection may be made by operating that device.

As in the above embodiment, by displaying all alternative bus routes to transfer stations for the target station as a list of search results, the user can immediately grasp the alternative routes. In addition, by displaying the required time and the time difference with the train route, the user can know how long each alternative route takes. Furthermore, the required time of the alternative route can be calculated from the average required time in the same time period, making it possible to obtain more accurate information. In addition, the user does not need to input the destination, and can immediately know the entire bus information for the alternative route from the target station.

In addition, if the display device 15 is a fixed display device installed at a station, the target station is fixed, so it is possible to automatically display a list of alternative routes when service is suspended. This allows users to check the information at the station without performing a search operation. In addition, if the display device 15 and input device 16 are portable terminals, the target station can be identified from location information acquired by the terminal, making it possible to search for alternative routes with less operation by the user.

Furthermore, an additional function allows the user to change the display order on the display device 15 through operation, making it possible to display information that is more relevant to the user.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and various modifications other than those described above are also included. For example, the present invention is not limited to those having all of the configurations provided in the above-mentioned embodiments. It is also possible to delete part of the configuration of a certain embodiment or replace it with a different configuration.

For example, while FIG. 1 shows a configuration that uses network 20, a configuration that does not use network 20 may also be applicable depending on the situation.

11...server, 12...processing unit, 13...recording unit, 15...display device, 16...input device, 20...network

Claims (8)

A processing unit and a display device,
The processing unit searches for an alternative bus route to another station on the railway line for the target station on the railway line and transmits the search result to the display device;
The display device displays a list of alternative bus routes to the target station based on the received search results,
An alternative route search system characterized in that the list includes, for each alternative bus route, information on the names of other stations that can be reached via the alternative bus route where transfer is possible, the names of the railway lines at which the transfer is possible, the travel time via the alternative bus route, and the difference in travel time between the alternative bus route and the normal railway route. 2. The alternative route search system according to claim 1,
The alternative route search system is characterized in that the processing unit calculates the current travel time along the alternative bus route by using an average time master by time period which records information on the average time required to travel between bus stops on a bus route for each time period. In the alternative route search system according to claim 1 or 2,
The alternative route search system is characterized in that the display device is a display device installed at a station, and the processing unit searches for the station in which the display device to which the search results are to be sent is installed as the target station. 4. The alternative route search system according to claim 3,
The alternative route search system is characterized in that, when the processing unit obtains information about a suspension of service, it searches for an alternative route for the station where the service is suspended, and transmits the search results with the station as the target station to the display device installed at the station. In the alternative route search system according to claim 1 or 2,
An input device is provided,
The alternative route search system is characterized in that the input device transmits input station information to the processing unit, and the processing unit designates the received station information as the target station. 6. The alternative route search system according to claim 5,
The alternative route search system is characterized in that the input device selects a station closest to the position of the input device as a candidate for the target station based on position information of the input device. In the alternative route search system according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The display device is an alternative route search system that has a function of rearranging the display so that, when an item showing the difference between the travel time via the rail route under normal circumstances and the travel time via the alternative bus route is selected, the value obtained by subtracting the travel time via the rail route under normal circumstances from the travel time via the alternative bus route is displayed in ascending order. searching for alternative bus routes to other stations on the railway line for the target station on the railway line by a processing unit, and transmitting the search results to a display device;
and displaying, by the display device, a list of alternative bus routes to the target station based on the received search result;
The alternative route search method is characterized in that the list includes, for each alternative bus route, information on the names of other stations that can be reached via the alternative bus route where transfer is possible, the names of the railway lines at which the transfer is possible, the travel time via the alternative bus route, and the difference in travel time between the alternative bus route and the normal railway route.

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