JP3860867B2 - Schedule creation device based on geographic information - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for creating a schedule for efficiently operating in a predetermined area in combination with a geographic information system.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, there has been a neural network for obtaining the shortest path for passing a plurality of points in a predetermined area.
[0003]
The problem of obtaining the shortest route for passing through a plurality of points in the predetermined area is generally called a traveling salesman problem. When a plurality of points are given, the neural network can give the shortest passing method of passing through each of those points.
[0004]
On the other hand, recently, a geographic information system for processing a map as image data by a computer and adding various information to the map data for various uses has been remarkably developed. A car navigation system is one example.
[0005]
Furthermore, various types of information are now stored in a database, and it is now possible to quickly search for desired information due to the development of computer technology.
[0006]
However, if the above neural network, geographic information system, or database system is used as a so-called elemental technology, when going to a predetermined place for a predetermined purpose, a schedule for producing the maximum results around that place is created. There was no technology in the past.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
For example, when a salesman needs to visit a customer in sales activities, the customer has traditionally only visited that customer.
[0008]
However, there are often many undeveloped potential customers, customers that are not the target of this visit, and customers that have already been approached by different salespeople around the customer's location. .
[0009]
In this case, if the customer can carry out some sales activities according to the sales activity status, a great result can be obtained as a sales activity.
[0010]
However, in the past, there was no schedule creation device that could identify promising customers in the visited area and efficiently achieve the maximum sales results, so sales people who went to that area often performed only a single sales activity. When planning was low, there were cases where multiple salesmen operated in the same region. Furthermore, even in sales activities such as distributing leaflets, regardless of whether it was promising or promising, leaflets were randomly distributed to all houses in a given area.
[0011]
The above inefficiency applies not only to sales activities, but also to various other regional activities.
[0012]
For example, in a local welfare activity, when a predetermined home is visited for the purpose of home help, if a home requiring welfare activity in the vicinity can be visited on that occasion, the welfare activity can be exemplified.
[0013]
In contrast, in the past, only the intended home was visited, and another day, there was a waste of visiting the same area for small business.
[0014]
The same was true for many regional activities, such as package delivery in a logistics system.
[0015]
Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is that a “schedule creation device based on geographic information” can achieve the maximum result by a shortest travel route within a predetermined time when visiting a predetermined area for a predetermined purpose. Is to provide.
[0016]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The schedule creation device based on geographic information according to the present invention is:
A map file for storing map data having information on topography, roads and corresponding coordinates;
An object database that stores information about the objects to visit and the coordinates of their location;
With respect to the object, an object condition database storing information including information on the priority order according to the purpose of visit and information on the time taken when visiting ,
A visitor criteria database that stores visitor information, including visitor time and travel speed;
The map data of the area to be visited is acquired from the map file, and the object to be visited included in the area of interest is searched from the object database using the coordinate information of the map data of the area of interest and the coordinate information of the object. Further, a search for searching for a target object that matches a condition from the target objects using the information according to the purpose of the visit up to a predetermined priority order from the target condition database and plotting it on the map data.・ Display means;
A neural network that identifies the shortest path through the plotted visited object ;
The distance of the shortest route specified by the neural network is calculated using coordinate information, and the visitor's moving speed is calculated from the visitor condition database, and each visit target object on the shortest route is visited from the target condition database. The time taken when the visitor moves along the shortest route, the time taken by the visitor is entered from the visitor condition database, and the time taken by the visitor is entered along the shortest route. A schedule evaluation means for evaluating the suitability of the shortest route by comparing the time when the visitor moves and the time of the visitor ;
The visit target having information corresponding to the visit purpose having a low priority when the time when the visitor moves along the shortest route exceeds the visitor's time is evaluated by the schedule evaluation means And a schedule correcting means for reducing things or changing the visitor's time or moving speed .
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a “schedule creation apparatus based on geographic information” according to an embodiment of the present invention and a processing flow according to the configuration.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 1, the schedule creation device 1 of the present embodiment includes a map file 2, an object database 3, an object condition database 4, a visitor condition database 5, and a neural network 6 for determining the shortest path. , Schedule evaluation means 7, schedule correction means 8, and search / display means 20.
[0021]
The map file 2 has map data including information such as topography, roads, coordinates such as latitude and longitude.
[0022]
The object database 3 is a database that stores objects to be visited and their positions (object coordinates).
[0023]
The object database 3 is prepared according to the use of the apparatus. For example, if this device is used for sales activities, the database of customers and their locations, if used for welfare activities, the database of those who receive welfare activities and their locations, and if used for package delivery in a logistics system, Prepare a database.
[0024]
The object condition database 4 is a database that stores various information regarding the object according to the purpose of the visit.
[0025]
For example, if the object is a customer, the object condition database 4 is a database that stores the promising degree of the customer, the purchasing ability, the progress of the transaction, the time it takes for the customer to perform business activities, and the like. . In the case of a welfare activity, the object condition database 4 is stored with the type of relief required by the person receiving the welfare activity, the history of the welfare activity, the time taken to perform the welfare activity, and the like. In the case of delivery of a package in the logistics system, the object condition database 4 is stored with the type of package, the loading and unloading time, and the like.
[0026]
The visitor condition database 5 is a database that stores conditions of visitors to the target area.
[0027]
The visitor conditions refer to conditions such as the time during which the visitor can stay in the area and the moving speed.
[0028]
Preferably, the visitor condition database 5 is composed of a database including visitor schedules, visitor movement means (moving by car, walking, etc.), and when a visitor is specified, the time that the visitor can stay in the area, And the distance that the visitor can move within that time.
[0029]
Note that the visitor condition database 5 can be omitted, and if omitted, the user inputs visitor conditions.
[0030]
The map file 2, the object database 3, the object condition database 4, and the visitor condition database 5 are linked to each other.
[0031]
That is, when a region is identified, customers within that region are identified, when a visitor is identified, the customer with whom the visitor is related is identified, and when the customer's conditions are identified, the corresponding customer is identified. The data are related to each other.
[0032]
The search / display unit 20 is a unit that extracts data of an object that meets a predetermined condition from the database and plots and displays the data on a map extracted from the map file 2.
[0033]
The shortest path determination neural network 6 is an optimization type neural network that solves the so-called traveling salesman problem. Of course, the network model for solving the traveling salesman problem can be any known one.
[0034]
In addition, when a plurality of elapsed points are plotted on the map, the neural network 6 for determining the shortest path specifies the shortest path that passes through all the elapsed points.
[0035]
The schedule evaluation means 7 compares the time required for performing a predetermined activity by tracing the route for the route specified by the neural network 6 for determining the shortest route with the visitor's possession time and the movable distance, It is a means for evaluating whether or not a schedule based on the specified route can be executed.
[0036]
The schedule correction means 8 is a means that can manually correct the elapsed points on the map and the conditions of visitors.
[0037]
Next, schedule creation by the schedule creation device 1 having the above-described configuration means will be described below.
[0038]
In the schedule creation device 1 of the present embodiment, when a person visits a certain place, the search / display means 20 plots on the map a place where a greater result is achieved if the visit is accompanied by a visit to that place. (Step S100).
[0039]
Specifically, when a place where a visitor is identified is specified, the search / display unit 20 first extracts a map of the corresponding area from the map file 2.
[0040]
Next, the search / display means 20 plots the positions of objects that should be visited on the map. In addition, since the target object of the target object database 3 has a coordinate, it can be plotted on a map based on this coordinate.
[0041]
The plotting and display of the object can use the technology of a conventional geographic information system.
[0042]
When plotting an object on the map, the search / display unit 20 can narrow down the object to be plotted.
[0043]
The condition for narrowing down can be limited to a single condition, or can be a condition combined by a link between the object database 3, the object condition database 4, and the visitor condition database 5. This combined narrowing-down condition will be described below by taking the case of sales activities as an example.
[0044]
For example, if the customer to whom the salesman must visit is A, as shown in FIG. 2, a circle with a radius of a meter determined from the distance (acquired from the visitor condition database 5) that the salesman can move is specified. Is done.
[0045]
Next, the position of a certain customer to be visited is plotted in a circle having a radius a centered on the customer A.
[0046]
Here, the customers to be visited are the customers who are in charge of the salesman, the customers who have a certain sales force, the customers who have a transaction history including the customers that other salesmen approach, the undeveloped customers There are customers grouped as potential customers, but so on.
[0047]
The customer related to the salesman is obtained by linking the visitor condition database 5 and the object database 3. Similarly, customers with sales power, customers with a transaction history, and potential customers can be obtained by linking the object database 3 and a special object condition database 4 respectively. Such a special object condition database 4 includes, for example, a high taxpayer list.
[0048]
The search / display unit 20 automatically detects a customer to be visited that satisfies a preset narrowing-down condition when a salesman and a customer are input, preferably by linking the data of each database.
[0049]
As a narrowing-down condition, in addition to the data in the above database, the floor area of a house is calculated from the size of the house on the map, and the customer's purchasing power may be ranked.
[0050]
The object narrowing conditions can be set for the search / display unit 20 by an input unit (not shown).
[0051]
For the plotted customers, the customer's business priorities and data on the time that would be required if they were visited are also retrieved from the object condition database 4.
[0052]
Here, the customer's business priority order is, for example, as shown in FIG. The time data that would be required for a visit is, for example, as shown in FIG. These data are later used for schedule evaluation and correction.
[0053]
The same applies to the delivery of packages in the logistics system.
[0054]
Returning to FIG. 1, the schedule creation by the schedule creation device 1 of the present embodiment will be described.
[0055]
When the object is plotted on the predetermined map 9 as described above, this information is sent to the neural network 6, and the neural network 6 specifies the shortest path that passes through the location of the plotted object ( Step S110).
[0056]
The shortest path is specified as shown in FIG. 5, for example.
This shortest path information is sent to the schedule evaluation means 7 and evaluated by the schedule evaluation means 7 (step S120).
[0057]
In the evaluation of the schedule, the suitability of acting along the shortest path created by the neural network 6 is evaluated.
[0058]
Specifically, the schedule evaluation means 7 calculates the distance between each target object of the shortest route from the map 9 and the neural network 6, the time required for each target object from the target condition database 4, and the visitor condition database 5. Alternatively, if the visitor's time, moving speed, and movable distance are input from the user input, and the action is performed along the shortest route created by the neural network 6, does the required time exceed the visitor's time? Or whether the travel distance exceeds the visitor's travel distance, etc.
[0059]
FIG. 6 shows an example of an evaluation screen by the schedule evaluation means 7 when this apparatus is used for sales activities. In this example, since the time required for the salesman is 30 minutes and the accumulated required time is 53 minutes, it can be determined that the schedule based on the shortest route cannot be executed.
[0060]
As a result of the evaluation by the schedule evaluation means 7, the user can correct the schedule based on the shortest distance by the schedule correction means 8 (step S130).
[0061]
As a specific correction means, an unimportant object can be deleted according to the priority of the object. Alternatively, a visitor condition such as a visitor's time can be reset. Alternatively, it is possible to reset the narrowing conditions for the object to be plotted.
[0062]
Thus, after the schedule based on the shortest path specified by the neural network 6 is corrected, the corrected schedule is sent to the neural network 6 and the processes of steps S110 to S130 are repeated again.
[0063]
As described above, by creating and correcting the schedule several times, the schedule 10 that finally meets the conditions of the visitor and produces the greatest result in the visited area is output.
[0064]
Note that the schedule 10 can be output in the form of a tabular timetable or a map showing a route if necessary.
[0065]
【The invention's effect】
As is clear from the above description, according to the schedule creation device based on geographic information according to the present invention, when it is necessary to visit a certain area, those who visited the opportunity from the object database by the search / display means Plot objects that can produce greater results on the map, identify the route that most efficiently circulates these objects using a neural network, and further determine the route based on the visitor's time and travel distance As a result, it is possible to evaluate the possibility of moving and working along the way, and finally to create an efficient schedule that can maximize the performance of related work to the extent possible by the visitor.
[0066]
If the device of the present invention is used for sales activities, it has traditionally been a single customer visit in a single visit, or it has unnecessarily attempted to discover nearby customers, but with minimal time and effort The maximum sales results can be achieved depending on the cost.
[0067]
In addition, if the device of the present invention is used for welfare activities in the area, when visiting a given house for the purpose of home help, the home that needs relief by welfare activities in the vicinity is most efficiently visited on that occasion. Can produce the fruits of the greatest welfare activities within a limited time.
[0068]
Further, when the apparatus of the present invention is used for delivery of a package of a physical distribution system, the package can be delivered most efficiently by a limited number of people, equipment and time.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a “schedule creation device based on geographic information” according to the present invention and a flow of processing thereof.
FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing a plot of customers to be visited on a map from an initially targeted customer and a database by the apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram exemplifying plotted customer sales priority data;
FIG. 4 is a diagram exemplifying data of business required time when performing business activities on plotted customers;
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a shortest route for visiting all plotted customers.
FIG. 6 is a diagram exemplifying a display example for evaluating a schedule based on the shortest path specified by the neural network.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Schedule preparation apparatus 2 Map file 3 Object database 4 Object condition database 5 Visitor condition database 6 Neural network for shortest path determination 7 Schedule evaluation means 8 Schedule correction means 9 Map 10 Schedule 20 Search and display means 7 Schedule evaluation means 8 Schedule correction means 9 Map 10 Schedule 20 Search / display means

Claims (2)

A map file for storing map data having information on terrain, roads and corresponding coordinates;
An object database for storing information on the objects to be visited and coordinates indicating their positions;
With respect to the object, an object condition database storing information including information on the priority order according to the purpose of visit and information on the time taken when visiting ,
A visitor condition database that stores visitor information including the visitor's time and travel speed, and the map data of the area to be visited are acquired from the map file . A search is made for a visit object included in the target area from the object database using coordinate information, and a condition is selected from the visit objects using information corresponding to the purpose of the visit up to a predetermined priority. Search / display means for searching for a matching visiting object from the object condition database and plotting it on the map data;
A neural network that identifies the shortest path through the plotted visited object ;
The distance of the shortest route specified by the neural network is calculated using coordinate information, and the visitor's moving speed is calculated from the visitor condition database, and each visit target object on the shortest route is visited from the target condition database. The time taken when the visitor moves along the shortest route, the time taken by the visitor is entered from the visitor condition database, and the time taken by the visitor is entered along the shortest route. A schedule evaluation means for evaluating the suitability of the shortest path by comparing the time when the visitor moves and the time of the visitor ;
The visit target having information corresponding to the visit purpose having a low priority when the time when the visitor moves along the shortest route exceeds the visitor's time is evaluated by the schedule evaluation means A schedule creation device based on geographic information, comprising: schedule correction means for reducing things or changing the visitor's time or moving speed . The search / display means obtains a visit object to be visited from the true object condition database, obtains coordinates of the visit object to be visited from the object database, and displays the coordinates on the map data. The distance that the visitor can move is calculated from the visitor condition database, and up to a predetermined priority that exists within the distance that the visitor can move around the coordinates of the visit object that must be visited 2. The search object according to claim 1, wherein the visit object is searched from the object condition database, and the coordinates of the searched visit object are acquired from the object database and plotted on the map data. Schedule creation device based on geographic information.

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