JP2019016150A - Unmanned taxi control method, and unmanned taxi control device - Google Patents

Abstract

To enable an unmanned taxi vehicle in a vacant vehicle state of traveling around looking for passengers to efficiently acquire a potential customer on a road, who needs a taxi, as an actual customer.SOLUTION: When an unmanned taxi vehicle travels around looking for passengers in a vacant vehicle state, a person on a road is recognized in S12, based on a vehicle outside video shot by an on-vehicle camera. Further, a potential customer is specified in S15 by identifying whether or not each person's posture is a pose specific to a person who has high possibility of using a taxi. An on-vehicle taximeter gives an instruction to an automatic operation control unit in S18 so as to move the unmanned taxi vehicle to a position at which the potential customer can get on to stop the vehicle by specifying a relative positional relation between an own vehicle and the potential customer from a video shot by the on-vehicle camera. Selected is a proper travel route at a time when the unmanned taxi vehicle picks up the potential customer by identifying which of a right side and a left side of the road a detected potential customer is present on.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

  The present invention relates to an unmanned taxi control method and an unmanned taxi control device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in taxi service, it has been desired to efficiently distribute each vehicle to passengers who need a taxi and to reduce the burden on the driver. In the future, it is also assumed that taxis can be operated unattended by automatic computer operation.

  For example, the taxi dispatch system shown in Patent Document 1 shows a technique for quickly and reliably picking up a passenger who has requested taxi pick-up. Specifically, when a passenger's image and position information are sent from the mobile phone terminal to the control center, the control center searches for an optimal taxi from the operating taxis and issues a pick-up instruction to the driver of the taxi. In addition, the control center notifies the passenger's mobile phone terminal of the reception number by e-mail, and transmits the reception number, the passenger's location information, and the passenger's image to the in-vehicle system of the taxi. The in-vehicle system displays the position of the passenger on the map on the monitor screen, and displays the reception number and the passenger image on the monitor screen when arriving at the pick-up location.

  In addition, the taxi determination device disclosed in Patent Document 2 shows a technique for automatically determining a taxi rider who wants to take a taxi based on a video taken in front of the host vehicle when searching for passengers. That is, based on these recognition results, photographing means for photographing the front of the host vehicle, face recognition means for recognizing a person's face in the photographed video, arm recognition means for recognizing a person's arm in the photographed video Determining means for determining whether or not the person in front of the host vehicle is a taxi rider. It also indicates that the person in the captured video recognizes that his / her face is facing the taxi, which is his own vehicle, and determines that he / she wants to take a taxi when he / she recognizes that his arm is raised. ing.

  Patent Document 3 discloses a prospective customer position information detection system for accurately grasping the position of a prospective customer that actually exists. In other words, the feature storage means stores the passenger characteristics, and the person extraction means extracts a person image from the image data associated with the position information. The determination means compares the extracted person image with the characteristics of the passenger and determines whether the person image indicates a prospective customer. The transmission means transmits position information associated with image data including a person image determined to indicate a prospective customer.

JP 2005-250614 A JP 2012-14482 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-126405

  For example, if the techniques of Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3 are used, prospective customers who are likely to use a taxi vehicle can be automatically searched from images taken with a camera. It will be possible to reduce or distribute taxi vehicles efficiently.

  However, since such a conventional technique is based on the assumption that a human crew will drive a taxi vehicle, the driving of the taxi car to actually pick up a potential passenger is left to the judgment and driving operation of the crew. ing. Therefore, even if a fully automatic driving vehicle that does not require a driver is put into practical use, there is still no technology for efficiently using the vehicle as an unmanned taxi.

  That is, by using the techniques of Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3, it is possible to automatically search for a prospective customer. However, in order to acquire the prospective customer as an actual passenger, the judgment of the driver is required. Driving operation is required. Even if the techniques of Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3 are applied to a taxi for a fully automatic driving vehicle, it is not always possible to efficiently acquire passengers.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to enable an unmanned taxi vehicle in an empty car to efficiently drive a potential passenger on a road requiring a taxi as an actual passenger. An object of the present invention is to provide an unmanned taxi control method and an unattended taxi control device that are useful for doing so.

In order to achieve the above-described object, the unmanned taxi control method and the unmanned taxi control device according to the present invention are characterized by the following (1) to (5).
(1) An unmanned taxi control method for an unmanned taxi vehicle to acquire prospective passengers who may get on the vehicle on the road,
A procedure for detecting a person based on an image of an in-vehicle camera that captures a scene outside the host vehicle,
A procedure for identifying whether the person is a prospective customer based on the detected feature of the posture of the person;
Based on the current position of the host vehicle and the current position of the person identified as a prospective customer, a procedure for controlling the movement of the host vehicle so that the host vehicle approaches and stops the person.
An unmanned taxi control method characterized by comprising:

  According to the unmanned taxi control method of the above configuration (1), when an unmanned taxi vehicle is running on the road in an empty state, it automatically detects a potential customer who needs a taxi and You can stop immediately so that you can approach and get on. Therefore, it is possible to acquire this prospective customer as an actual passenger before other taxis.

(2) An unmanned taxi control device for an unmanned taxi vehicle to acquire potential passengers who may get on the vehicle on the road,
An in-vehicle camera that captures a scene outside the vehicle;
A person detection unit for detecting a person based on the video of the in-vehicle camera;
A passenger candidate identification unit that identifies whether the person is a prospective customer based on the characteristics of the posture of the person detected by the person detection unit;
A taxi movement control unit for controlling the movement of the host vehicle so that the host vehicle approaches and stops the vehicle based on the current position of the host vehicle and the current position of the person identified as a prospective customer; ,
An unmanned taxi control device characterized by comprising:

  According to the unmanned taxi control device having the above configuration (2), when an unmanned taxi vehicle is running on the road in an empty state, it automatically detects a potential customer who needs a taxi and You can stop immediately so that you can approach and get on. Therefore, it is possible to acquire this prospective customer as an actual passenger before other taxis.

(3) The taxi movement control unit identifies a relative positional relationship between the person of the prospective customer included in the video of the in-vehicle camera and the host vehicle, and determines a moving direction of the host vehicle based on the positional relationship. decide,
The unmanned taxi control device as described in (2) above.

  According to the unmanned taxi control device having the above configuration (3), the relative positional relationship between the person of the prospective customer and the host vehicle is specified based on the video of the in-vehicle camera. It is possible to quickly determine an appropriate travel route for moving the host vehicle to a point where can ride.

(4) The taxi movement control unit selects a different movement route depending on whether the detected prospective person exists in the left or right direction of the host vehicle.
The unmanned taxi control device as described in (3) above.

  According to the unmanned taxi control device configured as described in (4) above, even if the prospective customer exists on either the left or right side of the road, it can be picked up immediately by an unmanned taxi through an appropriate travel route. . For example, when a prospective customer exists in the opposite position (right side of the road as viewed from the own vehicle) across the opposite lane of the road on which the own vehicle is traveling, the own vehicle makes a U-turn. By passing through such a movement route, it is possible to approach and stop so that a prospective passenger can get on. Therefore, the prospective customer who exists on either the left or right side of the road can be acquired as an actual passenger.

(5) The passenger candidate identification unit includes a reference posture table in which data representing posture characteristics of a person who is likely to use a taxi on a road is registered in advance.
The unmanned taxi control device according to any one of the above (2) to (4).

  According to the unmanned taxi control device having the above configuration (5), it is possible to compare the posture characteristics of a person (probable customer) who is likely to use a taxi on the road with the posture of the person detected from the actual video. Therefore, it can be easily identified whether or not each detected person is a prospective customer.

  According to the unmanned taxi control method and the unmanned taxi control device of the present invention, an unmanned taxi vehicle that is in an empty car and is in a driving state can efficiently acquire a prospective customer on a road that needs a taxi as an actual passenger.

  The present invention has been briefly described above. Further, the details of the present invention will be further clarified by reading through a mode for carrying out the invention described below (hereinafter referred to as “embodiment”) with reference to the accompanying drawings. .

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a specific example of a state in which a front is viewed from the rear side in a passenger compartment of an unmanned taxi vehicle equipped with an unmanned taxi control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the main components mounted on the unmanned taxi vehicle of FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an external server included in the taximeter system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an outline of the operation of the taximeter system in an unmanned taxi vehicle. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation example of passenger search processing in the unmanned taxi control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of an incoming vehicle process in the unmanned taxi control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the on-board taximeter from the passenger boarding to the getting off.

  Specific embodiments relating to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, an overview of the system will be described.
The unmanned taxi control device of the present invention is mounted on a taxi vehicle as a function built in, for example, a taximeter on-board unit. Moreover, a taximeter system is comprised by this taximeter onboard equipment and the external server installed in the appropriate location outside a vehicle. The taximeter in-vehicle device and the external server are connected by wireless communication, and necessary data is transmitted and received between them. Various controls necessary for the operation of the unmanned taxi are performed by controlling either one of the on-board taximeter and the external server, or by cooperative control of both.

Next, a configuration example of a passenger compartment of an unmanned taxi will be described.
FIG. 1 shows a specific example of a state in which the front is viewed from the rear side in the passenger compartment of an unmanned taxi vehicle using the taximeter system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In the example shown in FIG. 1, an in-vehicle camera 17, a microphone 18, and a display 21 a are arranged near the upper center of the front window (windshield) of an unmanned taxi vehicle. The in-vehicle camera 17 is arranged so that it can take a picture of a passenger seated in the rear seat of the unmanned taxi vehicle. The microphone 18 is arranged so as to be able to detect passenger voices and other vehicle interior sounds. The display 21a is arranged in such a manner that it is easy for a passenger seated in a rear seat or the like to see and is used to display various information required by the passenger in an unmanned taxi vehicle.

  In addition, a settlement terminal 16 and a printer 16A necessary for settlement of taxi fare are arranged in the central portion in front of the rear seat. The payment terminal 16 is equipped with functions necessary for communicating with a smartphone 22 carried by a passenger and electronically paying a fare using a credit card or the like. The printer 16A is provided for issuing a receipt when the fee is settled.

  On the right side of the payment terminal 16, an ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) vehicle-mounted device 23 is installed. Passengers can also pay for charges using the ETC on-board unit 23. A remote controller 19 with a microphone is installed at a position on the left side in front of the rear seat. The remote controller 19 with a microphone is a terminal for passenger operation, and is used for inputting information such as a destination in an unmanned taxi and displaying information required by the passenger. Information such as a destination can also be input by voice using the microphone of the remote control 19 with a microphone. It is also possible to operate using a smartphone 22 carried by each passenger instead of the microphone-equipped remote control 19.

  In addition, the speaker 20 is disposed at a position on the right side in front of the rear seat. The speaker 20 is provided to make a voice announcement to passengers. For example, when a taxi arrives at a destination, a voice message is output from the speaker 20 to notify the passengers of the taxi.

  Next, main components on the unmanned taxi vehicle will be described. The main components mounted on the unmanned taxi vehicle of FIG. 1 are shown in FIG.

  2 includes a taxi management unit 11, a passenger state detection unit 12, a wireless communication module 13, a boarding / alighting detection unit 14, a GPS receiver 15, a payment terminal 16, a printer 16A, and a voice synthesis unit. There are 24.

  The taxi management part 11 is comprised with the electric circuit which makes a microcomputer a main body, and implement | achieves the various functions required for the taximeter onboard equipment 10 by running the program incorporated previously.

  In the case of a general taxi meter, the taxi status such as “empty car”, “actual car”, “payment” is switched by the driver's button operation, but in the case of an unattended taxi, there is no driver, It is necessary to automatically switch the taximeter status. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the taxi management unit 11 automatically identifies the state based on a program incorporated therein or receives an instruction from the external server 30 shown in FIG. .

  A plurality of in-vehicle cameras 17 and 17B and a microphone 18 are connected to the input of the passenger state detection unit 12. The in-vehicle camera 17B is installed in a fixed state in the passenger compartment so that a scene such as a road ahead of the traveling direction of the host vehicle can be photographed as a subject in the same way as a general vehicle driver's field of view. It is positioned.

  The passenger state detection unit 12 is in this unmanned taxi vehicle by monitoring and analyzing in real time a passenger image captured by the in-vehicle camera 17 and a voice signal collected by the microphone 18. Detects passenger status. The passenger state to be detected includes information indicating the health state. Passenger boarding / exiting can be detected by analyzing the video.

  Further, when the vehicle in an empty state is operating in a sink state while searching for a person who can become a passenger, that is, a prospective passenger, the passenger state detection unit 12 performs image processing on a video outside the vehicle captured by the in-vehicle camera 17B and monitors it. By doing so, it is possible to detect prospective customers. A detailed operation for detecting a prospect will be described later.

  The wireless communication module 13 is a communication module for wireless connection so that data can be constantly transmitted and received between the taximeter onboard device 10 and the external server 30 shown in FIG. 3 during operation of an unmanned taxi.

  The boarding / alighting detection unit 14 can detect the passenger boarding and getting off by monitoring the signal SG2 indicating opening / closing of the door of the taxi vehicle and the signal SG3 of the switch for detecting the seating of the passenger on the seat. In addition, when the passenger state detection part 12 detects a passenger's boarding / alighting based on an image | video and an audio | voice, the boarding / alighting detection part 14 does not need.

  A GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver 15 obtains position information representing the current position (latitude / longitude) of a taxi vehicle by receiving radio waves from a plurality of satellites such as GPS and performing predetermined calculation processing. can do.

  The automatic operation control unit 21 performs various controls for automatically driving a vehicle such as a taxi. That is, when information on the destination and the travel route to the destination is input, the automatic operation control unit 21 automatically understands the situation and automatically performs driving operations such as accelerator operation, steering operation, and brake operation of the vehicle. Control and drive the vehicle unattended to the destination destination. In order to grasp the situation of the road, the positional relationship between the road and the own vehicle, the positional relationship between the own vehicle and another vehicle or an obstacle, images of each part outside the vehicle are taken and analyzed with a plurality of in-vehicle cameras not shown, Use radar equipment.

  Since the taxi management unit 11 shown in FIG. 2 is connected to the automatic driving control unit 21, information on the destination and the travel route to the destination can be input from the taxi management unit 11 to the automatic driving control unit 21. Moreover, the taxi management part 11 can acquire the various vehicle information which the automatic driving control part 21 grasps.

  When the taxi meter calculates the taxi fare, information on the taxi travel distance is required. Therefore, the taxi management part 11 monitors the vehicle speed pulse signal SG1 given from the vehicle side, and grasps | ascertains a travel distance similarly to a general taximeter. That is, the travel distance from the boarding point of the passenger is calculated by counting the number of pulses of the vehicle speed pulse signal SG1.

  The voice synthesis unit 24 can synthesize a pseudo voice signal representing the message based on the data output from the taxi management unit 11 and give the synthesized voice signal to the speaker 20. Therefore, for example, a voice message such as “Arrived at the destination” can be output from the speaker 20.

  In addition, the taxi management unit 11 can generate a door lock signal SG4 for controlling locking / unlocking of a door lock mechanism (not shown) of the host vehicle, and can supply the door lock signal SG4 to the door lock mechanism.

  On the other hand, the passenger's smartphone 22 can read the information of the credit card 25 possessed by the passenger in a state where the predetermined card reader 22A is connected. Further, by executing predetermined application software for fee settlement on the smartphone 22, communication with the settlement terminal 16 is performed and information read from the credit card 25 is given to the settlement terminal 16, or the credit card 25 By entering information such as a personal identification number required for personal authentication, it is possible to settle fares. The payment terminal 16 can perform wireless communication with the management center outside the vehicle that manages the information on the credit card 25 via the wireless communication module 13 and perform procedures necessary for the payment. .

Next, a configuration example of the external server will be described.
A configuration example of the external server 30 included in the taximeter system of the embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. The external server 30 is installed in a predetermined data center, for example. As shown in FIG. 3, a wireless communication device 38 is connected to the external server 30. The wireless communication device 38 secures a communication line necessary for wireless communication with the taximeter vehicle-mounted device 10 mounted on each unmanned taxi vehicle.

  The external server 30 includes a computer main body operable as a server, a mass storage device, a communication device, and the like. Since this external server 30 is connected to each taximeter on-vehicle device 10 via the wireless communication device 38, the taximeter on-vehicle device 10 is connected to the taximeter on-vehicle device 10 by transmitting and receiving data to and from the taximeter on-vehicle device 10. Can be operated remotely.

  Inside the external server 30 shown in FIG. 3, there are a route calculation unit 31, a charge calculation unit 32, a vehicle inspection unit 33, a dispatching processing unit 34, an information providing unit 35, a passenger management unit 36, and a map information database (DB) 37a. The vehicle information database 37b, the boarding demand database 37c, the commercial facility database 37d, and the personal information database 37e are included.

  For each unmanned taxi vehicle, the route calculation unit 31 performs appropriate travel representing a route on the road from the current position to the destination based on the destination information designated by the passenger, the current position of the vehicle, and the map information database 37a. It has a function to calculate a route.

  The fare calculation unit 32 determines an appropriate fare (fare) based on a fare system determined in advance with respect to the operation of the taxi vehicle and the actual travel distance and elapsed time of the taxi vehicle from the time when the passenger boarded. ) Is automatically calculated.

  The vehicle inspection unit 33 periodically acquires vehicle information representing, for example, the hydraulic pressure, water temperature, power supply voltage, current, vehicle speed, engine speed, and the like of each part of the vehicle from each taxi vehicle, and accumulates and manages the vehicle information in the vehicle information database 37b. . In addition, the vehicle inspection unit 33 automatically analyzes the vehicle information stored in the vehicle information database 37b to identify whether there is an abnormality in the vehicle. When an abnormality is detected, measures for vehicle inspection and maintenance are executed.

  The dispatch processing unit 34 accumulates and manages the destination information acquired from each taxi vehicle and the position information of the position where the passenger has boarded in the boarding demand database 37c. In addition, the vehicle allocation processing unit 34 calculates an estimated value of the magnitude of the boarding demand for each point by analyzing various position information accumulated in the boarding demand database 37c. In addition, the vehicle allocation processing unit 34 instructs each taxi vehicle currently in an empty state to move preferentially to a point where the expected value of the boarding demand is large and wait.

  The information providing unit 35 automatically extracts the commercial facility information required by the corresponding passenger from the commercial facility database 37d and provides it to the corresponding vehicle for the passengers in each unmanned taxi vehicle.

  The commercial facility database 37d holds, for example, information on the types of commercial facilities, business hours, charges, and the like associated with the location information of various commercial facilities, and is updated to the latest information as necessary. Is done. Therefore, the information provision part 35 can extract automatically the information of the commercial facility close | similar to each passenger's present position and the destination position.

  In addition, for passengers who have consented to the use of personal information in advance, the information providing unit 35 provides the user with personal information such as boarding points, destinations, and types of commercial facilities existing in the vicinity when used in the past. Each is individually stored and managed in the personal information database 37e. For passengers whose personal information is managed in the personal information database 37e, the information providing unit 35 uses the corresponding personal information to extract more appropriate commercial facility information from the commercial facility database 37d. For example, information on commercial facilities of the same type as commercial facilities that have a high possibility of being used in the past is preferentially extracted.

  The passenger management unit 36 acquires and manages state information, mainly health status, from the taximeter onboard device 10 for each passenger in each unmanned taxi vehicle. And when it detects that abnormality has generate | occur | produced in the passenger, the passenger management part 36 implements a special process. For example, the scheduled travel route of the corresponding taxi vehicle is automatically corrected. For example, if a passenger loses consciousness or develops an illness, he / she stops at a nearby hospital or police station for help before the unmanned taxi vehicle arrives at the destination (destination). Is possible.

Next, an outline of the operation of the system will be described.
An outline of the operation of the taximeter system in an unmanned taxi vehicle is shown in FIG.
When starting the operation of the unmanned taxi vehicle, information on passengers using the unmanned taxi is automatically input to the external server 30 in step S01. For example, when a user before boarding requests a taxi dispatch using a telephone or a portable terminal, passenger information corresponding to the request is input to the external server 30.

  In accordance with this request, the external server 30 instructs the taximeter onboard device 10 to specify the vehicle allocation destination and the travel route so as to operate the unmanned taxi vehicle to the designated location. The taximeter on-vehicle device 10 gives the vehicle allocation designation destination and the travel route to the automatic operation control unit 21. As a result, the unmanned taxi vehicle operates automatically from the first point to the user's destination for dispatch (S02).

  Further, when there is no user request, the external server 30 gives an instruction to the taximeter on-vehicle device 10 so that the unmanned taxi vehicle drifts and operates in a predetermined initial information area (S02).

  When the unmanned taxi vehicle is running, as described later, the on-board taximeter 10 executes a predetermined passenger search process, and thus a prospective passenger who can be a passenger of the host vehicle is captured based on a video outside the vehicle. And can search autonomously.

  When the unmanned taxi vehicle arrives at the designated vehicle assignment destination or is in the running operation, if the taxi meter on-board device 10 or the automatic operation control unit 21 detects a passenger before boarding based on the image of the on-vehicle camera (S03), A predetermined boarding process is performed (S04). That is, after automatically opening and closing the door and getting a passenger on board, the taximeter on-vehicle device 10 receives an input of destination information by a user operation of the remote controller with microphone 19 or the smartphone 22. Then, based on the input destination information, the external server 30 determines an optimal travel route to the destination. When the information on the travel route is input to the automatic operation control unit 21 via the taxi-mounted device 10, the automatic operation control unit 21 operates the unmanned taxi vehicle along the designated travel route.

  When the unmanned taxi vehicle arrives at the destination specified by the user (passenger who is currently on board), the external server 30 and the taximeter on-vehicle device 10 perform a predetermined termination process (S05). That is, the fare regarding the operation from the current boarding to the arrival of the passenger is determined, and the settlement of the fee by the settlement terminal 16 is performed. Furthermore, unlocking of the door and automatic opening and closing are performed to complete the passenger getting off.

  If the system detects another passenger after the passenger gets off, that is, after switching to “empty vehicle”, the process returns to step S01 or S02 to repeat the operation of the unmanned taxi vehicle.

<Characteristic operation of the system>
<Overview>
In order to operate taxis efficiently, it is necessary to reduce the number of "empty cars" that do not carry passengers. Therefore, a taxi that is in an “empty car” state needs to find a new passenger as soon as possible. In the case of a taxi that cannot receive a special dispatch instruction from a dispatch center or the like, each taxi vehicle searches for a new passenger at the discretion of the driver while running on an appropriate road.

  On the other hand, the on-board taximeter 10 shown in FIG. 2 has a “passenger search” function for automatically searching for a potential passenger who can become a new passenger in an unmanned taxi without a driver while performing a running operation. It is installed.

<Description of passenger search processing>
FIG. 5 shows an operation example of passenger search processing for realizing the “passenger search” function. That is, the taximeter vehicle-mounted device 10 realizes the “passenger search” function by executing the passenger search process shown in FIG. 5 in step S02 of FIG. The passenger search process in FIG. 5 will be described below.

  In step S11 of FIG. 5, the taximeter vehicle-mounted device 10 captures an image of the scenery outside the vehicle using the vehicle-mounted camera 17B. This photographing is repeatedly performed at a constant cycle.

  In step S12, the passenger state detection unit 12 in the taximeter vehicle-mounted device 10 performs image processing on the image signal captured by the in-vehicle camera 17B, and detects a person pattern from the image using the person reference table TB1. .

  The person reference table TB1 is prepared on a non-volatile memory (not shown) in the taximeter on-vehicle device 10, and reference data (constant data) representing various features that can be used to distinguish a person from the others. ) Is registered in advance on the reference posture table TB1. The passenger state detection unit 12 can identify whether or not the pattern is a person by comparing the characteristics of various patterns in the input video with the reference data in the person reference table TB1.

  If one or more persons are included in the input video, the process proceeds from S13 to S14. In step S14, for each person detected by the passenger state detection unit 12, the taxi management unit 11 identifies the characteristics of the posture (pause). For example, the posture of the person's face, the direction of the line of sight, one hand is raised, the person is leaning from the sidewalk side to the roadway side (such as a taxi), and the posture is detected.

  In the next step S15, the taxi management unit 11 uses the reference posture table TB2 to compare the reference posture of the person who rides the taxi with the posture characteristics of each person detected in S14. In other words, the potential customer is detected.

  The reference posture table TB2 is prepared on a non-volatile memory (not shown) in the taximeter on-vehicle device 10 and represents pose characteristics peculiar to a person who is about to take a taxi or who is looking for a taxi. Reference data (constant) is registered in advance on the reference posture table TB2. Therefore, by using the reference posture table TB2, whether the posture of each person detected by the passenger state detection unit 12 matches the pose characteristic peculiar to the person who is going to get on the taxi or who is looking for the taxi. Can identify.

  When the taxi manager 11 detects a passenger candidate, that is, a prospective passenger, the process proceeds from S16 to S17. In step S17, the taxi management unit 11 recognizes the prospective passenger detected in S15 as a passenger scheduled to get on the vehicle.

  In the next step S18, the relative positional relationship between the passenger detected by the taxi management unit 11 and the host vehicle is specified based on the position in the captured image and the shooting range of the in-vehicle camera 17B. It controls the travel of the vehicle toward a place where the vehicle can be boarded, and stops the vehicle at the boarding location. That is, the “car-in process” for the unmanned taxi (own vehicle) to pick up the passenger recognized by the taxi manager 11 in S17 is executed in S18.

<Specific example of "Traffic handling">
FIG. 6 shows an operation example of the “arrival process” in the unmanned taxi control device of the embodiment of the present invention. That is, FIG. 6 shows a specific operation example when the taximeter on-vehicle device 10 shown in FIG. 2 executes the “arrival process” in S18 of FIG. The operation example of FIG. 6 will be described below.

  In step S <b> 21, the taxi management unit 11 identifies whether the detected position of the passenger is the front left or front right of the host vehicle, based on the video captured by the in-vehicle camera 17 </ b> B. In the photographed video, if there is a passenger on the left end side of the roadway on which the host vehicle is traveling, “left front” is assumed, and if there is a passenger on the right end side of the roadway, “right front” is assumed. If “left front”, the process proceeds from S21 to S22, and if “right front”, the process proceeds to S26.

  In step S22, the taxi manager 11 gives an instruction to the automatic driving controller 21 and starts blinking operation of the direction indicator of the host vehicle. That is, in order to notify the driver of the surrounding vehicle that the own vehicle moves to the left side of the current driving lane or the driving lane on the left side of the roadway, the left turn direction indicator starts blinking.

  In step S23, the taxi management unit 11 gives an instruction to change the course to the automatic driving control unit 21, and controls the host vehicle to move to a position on the left side of the current travel lane or the left travel lane. At the same time, the taxi management unit 11 gives the automatic operation control unit 21 an instruction to set the vicinity of the position where the passenger is present as the destination point.

  Thereby, the own vehicle approaches the target passenger while moving at a low speed. When the host vehicle approaches the destination point, that is, the passenger boarding position, the process proceeds from S24 to S25. At this time, since passengers are to be carried from now on, the hazard lamp blinks in order to call attention to the driver of the surrounding vehicle. Thereby, the safety | security at the time of carrying a passenger is securable. And the automatic driving | operation control part 21 stops the own vehicle. Further, for example, when a predetermined time has elapsed, the automatic operation control unit 21 or the taximeter on-vehicle device 10 stops the blinking of the hazard lamp.

  On the other hand, if the passenger is present at the “right front” position, the taximeter in-vehicle device 10 creates information on the travel route for the host vehicle to make a U-turn based on the current position of the passenger in S26. . If an appropriate travel route cannot be created by the taximeter onboard device 10 alone, the taximeter onboard device 10 transmits information including the current position of the host vehicle and the current position of the passenger to the external server 30. Based on the information, the external server 30 creates a movement route. Specifically, in consideration of the conditions of the regulation information such as the shape of the road and U-turn prohibition at each point, a moving route for U-turn that can approach the prospective customer through the shortest route is created. . The external server 30 transmits the created travel route information to the taximeter on-vehicle device 10.

  The taximeter on-vehicle device 10 gives an instruction to the automatic driving control unit 21 so that the host vehicle travels according to the movement route created in S26. The automatic operation control unit 21 controls the traveling of the host vehicle in S27 according to the movement route given from the taximeter onboard device 10. And if the U turn of the own vehicle is completed, it will progress from S28 to S22 and will perform the operation | movement (S22-S25) already demonstrated.

  When the “incoming vehicle processing” shown in FIG. 6 is executed, even if there is a prospective customer on the opposite side of the roadway across the adjacent adjacent driving lane, it is immediately unmanned to a position close to this prospective customer. Since the own vehicle which is a taxi can be moved, a prospective customer can be acquired as an actual passenger.

<Example of operation between passenger unmanned taxi ride and getting off>
FIG. 7 shows an example of operation of the on-board taximeter from the passenger boarding to getting off corresponding to steps S04 and S05 shown in FIG. The operation shown in FIG. 7 will be described below.

  In step S31, the taxi management unit 11 of the taximeter on-vehicle device 10 identifies whether or not a new passenger has been boarded when the host vehicle (unmanned taxi vehicle) is in an “empty vehicle” state. When the boarding is detected, the process proceeds to the next step S32.

  In step S32, the taxi management unit 11 switches the operation state of the own vehicle (unmanned taxi vehicle) from the “empty vehicle” state to the “real vehicle” state, and then receives destination information input from the user by the remote controller 19 with the microphone or the smartphone 22. .

  In step S <b> 33, the taxi management unit 11 acquires information on the current position of the host vehicle using the GPS receiver 15.

  In step S34, the taxi management unit 11 transmits the destination information input in step S32 and the current location information acquired in step S33 to the external server 30 via the wireless communication module 13.

  On the other hand, when the external server 30 receives the information transmitted by the taxi meter onboard device 10 of each unmanned taxi vehicle in step S34, the route calculation unit 31 determines an appropriate travel route of the corresponding unmanned taxi vehicle based on this information. Calculate automatically. Then, the external server 30 wirelessly transmits the route information indicating the calculated planned traveling route to the taximeter on-vehicle device 10.

  When the taxi management unit 11 of the taximeter on-vehicle device 10 receives the route information transmitted by the external server 30 in step S35, the taxi management unit 11 proceeds to the processing of the next step S36.

  In step S <b> 36, the taxi management unit 11 provides the automatic driving control unit 21 with information on the planned travel route to the destination designated by the passenger based on the route information received from the external server 30. As a result, the automatic driving control unit 21 starts operation of the host vehicle by automatic driving.

  In step S <b> 37, the taxi management unit 11 executes processing while the host vehicle is traveling in the “actual vehicle” state. Specifically, the taxi management unit calculates the travel distance based on the vehicle speed pulse SG1, calculates the elapsed time from the time of switching to the “actual vehicle”, updates the current position information, and wirelessly transmits each information to the external server 30. 11 will do.

  On the other hand, in the external server 30, the fee calculation unit 32 constantly calculates the passenger's fee (fare) in each unmanned taxi vehicle based on the latest information transmitted from the taximeter onboard device 10. That is, the fee calculation unit 32 calculates the sum of the basic fee, the added fee according to the travel distance, the added fee according to the elapsed time, and the like as a fee. The external server 30 sequentially wirelessly transmits the information on the fee calculated by the fee calculating unit 32 to the taximeter on-vehicle device 10 mounted on the corresponding unmanned taxi vehicle.

  The taxi management unit 11 of the taximeter on-vehicle device 10 receives the information on the fee transmitted by the external server 30 in step S38. And the taxi management part 11 which received the information of the newest charge updates the display content of the charge shown to a passenger by step S39. This charge display is displayed on the screen of the display 21a, the screen of the remote controller 19 with a microphone, the screen of the smartphone 22, or the like, for example.

  At least one of the external server 30 and the on-vehicle taximeter 10 determines whether or not the destination, that is, the destination, has been reached by sequentially comparing the destination position of the unmanned taxi vehicle designated by the passenger and the current position. Identify. When the destination arrives, the process proceeds from step S40 to step S41.

  In step S <b> 41, the fee calculation unit 32 determines the fee by an instruction from the taxi management unit 11 or by automatic identification of the fee calculation unit 32 on the external server 30. Thereby, the state of the taximeter on-vehicle device 10 shifts to the “payment” state, and the settlement process is executed. In other words, the payment calculation unit 32 processes the passenger's payment for the confirmed fee using the payment terminal 16. When the passenger's payment is completed and the passenger's getting off is detected, the state of the taximeter on-board device 10 is automatically switched from “payment” to “empty vehicle”, and proceeds to the process of step S31 or S06 of FIG. Repeat the operation.

Here, the features of the unmanned taxi control method and the unmanned taxi control device according to the embodiment of the present invention described above are summarized and listed in the following [1] to [5], respectively.
[1] An unmanned taxi control method for an unmanned taxi vehicle to acquire a potential passenger who may get on the vehicle on a road,
A procedure (S12) of detecting a person based on the image of the in-vehicle camera (17B) that captures a scene outside the host vehicle;
A procedure (S13 to S17) for identifying whether or not the person is a prospective customer based on the detected characteristic of the posture of the person;
Based on the current position of the host vehicle and the current position of the person identified as a prospective customer, a procedure of controlling the movement of the host vehicle so that the host vehicle approaches and stops the person (S18);
An unmanned taxi control method characterized by comprising:

[2] The unmanned taxi vehicle is an unmanned taxi control device (taximeter in-vehicle device 10) for acquiring prospective passengers who may get on the vehicle on the road,
An in-vehicle camera (17B) for photographing a scene outside the host vehicle;
A person detection unit (passenger state detection unit 12, S12) for detecting a person based on the video of the in-vehicle camera;
A passenger candidate identification unit (taxi management unit 11, S13 to S17) for identifying whether or not the person is a prospective customer based on the characteristics of the posture of the person detected by the person detection unit;
Based on the current position of the host vehicle and the current position of the person identified as a prospective customer, a taxi movement control unit (taxi) controls the movement of the host vehicle so that the host vehicle approaches and stops at the person Management unit 11, S18),
An unmanned taxi control device characterized by comprising:

[3] The taxi movement control unit identifies a relative positional relationship between the person of the prospective customer included in the video of the in-vehicle camera and the own vehicle, and determines a moving direction of the own vehicle based on the positional relationship. To determine (S18),
The unmanned taxi control device as described in [2] above.

[4] The taxi movement control unit selects a different movement route depending on whether the detected prospective person exists in the left or right direction of the host vehicle (S21 to S25).
The unmanned taxi control device as described in [3] above.

[5] The passenger candidate identification unit includes a reference posture table (TB2) in which data representing posture characteristics of a person who is likely to use a taxi on a road is registered in advance.
The unmanned taxi control device according to any one of the above [2] to [4].

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Taximeter vehicle equipment 11 Taxi management part 12 Passenger state detection part 13 Wireless communication module 14 Boarding / alighting detection part 15 GPS receiver 16 Settlement terminal 16A Printer 17, 17B Car-mounted camera 18 Microphone 19 Remote control with microphone 20 Speaker 21 Automatic operation control part 21a Display 22 Smartphone 22A Card reader 23 ETC on-board unit 24 Voice synthesis unit 25 Credit card 30 External server 31 Route calculation unit 32 Fee calculation unit 33 Vehicle inspection unit 34 Vehicle dispatch processing unit 35 Information providing unit 36 Passenger management unit 37a Map information database 37b Vehicle Information database 37c Ride demand database 37d Commercial facility database 37e Personal information database 38 Wireless communication device SG4 Door lock signal TB1 Person reference table TB2 base Attitude table

Claims (5)

An unmanned taxi control method for an unmanned taxi vehicle to acquire prospective passengers who may get on the vehicle on the road,
A procedure for detecting a person based on an image of an in-vehicle camera that captures a scene outside the host vehicle,
A procedure for identifying whether the person is a prospective customer based on the detected feature of the posture of the person;
Based on the current position of the host vehicle and the current position of the person identified as a prospective customer, a procedure for controlling the movement of the host vehicle so that the host vehicle approaches and stops the person.
An unmanned taxi control method characterized by comprising: An unmanned taxi control device for an unmanned taxi vehicle to acquire potential passengers who may get on the vehicle on the road,
An in-vehicle camera that captures a scene outside the vehicle;
A person detection unit for detecting a person based on the video of the in-vehicle camera;
A passenger candidate identification unit that identifies whether the person is a prospective customer based on the characteristics of the posture of the person detected by the person detection unit;
A taxi movement control unit for controlling the movement of the host vehicle so that the host vehicle approaches and stops the vehicle based on the current position of the host vehicle and the current position of the person identified as a prospective customer; ,
An unmanned taxi control device characterized by comprising: The taxi movement control unit specifies a relative positional relationship between the person of the prospective customer included in the video of the in-vehicle camera and the host vehicle, and determines a moving direction of the host vehicle based on the positional relationship.
The unmanned taxi control device according to claim 2. The taxi movement control unit selects a different movement route depending on whether the detected prospective person exists in the left or right direction of the host vehicle.
The unmanned taxi control device according to claim 3. The passenger candidate identification unit has a reference posture table in which data representing the posture characteristics of a person who is likely to use a taxi on a road is registered in advance.
The unmanned taxi control device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the unmanned taxi control device is provided.

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