JP2023027619A - Information processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

To improve convenience of an article storage service using a vehicle.SOLUTION: An information processing device provided herein is configured to acquire location information from multiple user terminals associated with multiple users wishing to deposit articles in a vehicle, determine a first spot for the multiple users to deposit the articles in the vehicle on the basis of the multiple pieces of location information, and notify the multiple user terminals corresponding to the multiple users that the vehicle will be dispatched to the first spot.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an article keeping service by vehicle.

Attempts are being made to provide the service by dispatching self-driving vehicles designed for a variety of uses. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses an invention related to a system that allows luggage to be deposited and picked up at various locations by operating a self-driving vehicle equipped with a coin locker.

JP 2019-096201 A

An object of the present disclosure is to improve the convenience of an article keeping service by vehicle.

A first aspect of the present disclosure acquires location information from a plurality of user terminals associated with a plurality of users who wish to deposit articles in a vehicle, and based on the plurality of location information, the plurality of Determining a first point where the user deposits the article in the vehicle, and dispatching the vehicle to the first point for a plurality of user terminals respectively corresponding to the plurality of users. An information processing apparatus having a control unit that notifies that

A second aspect of the present disclosure is to acquire location information from a plurality of user terminals associated with a plurality of users who wish to deposit articles in a vehicle, and based on the plurality of location information, a control unit for determining a first point at which a plurality of users deposit the articles in the vehicle; and generating a command to dispatch the vehicle to the first point. It is an information processing device.

Another aspect includes a program for causing a computer to execute the information processing method executed by the information processing apparatus, or a computer-readable storage medium that non-temporarily stores the program.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the convenience of the goods keeping service by a vehicle can be improved.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of a vehicle system according to a first embodiment; FIG. The figure which showed the external appearance of the storage apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment. The figure which showed the system configuration|structure of a server apparatus. An example of vehicle data stored in a storage unit. An example of the operation plan data memorize|stored in a memory|storage part. An example of storage device data stored in the storage unit. An example of article data stored in the storage unit. The figure which showed the system configuration|structure of a user terminal. The figure which showed the system configuration|structure of a vehicle and a storage apparatus. FIG. 2 is a flowchart of processing executed by components included in the system; FIG. 2 is a flowchart of processing executed by components included in the system; An example of a screen provided by a user terminal that generates an exhibition request. An example of a listing request sent from a user terminal. An example of the process of grouping listing requests. 4 is a flowchart of processing performed by a vehicle that has received an operation plan; FIG. 4 is a flowchart of processing performed by a vehicle when an article is received from a user; An example of an article list generated by the server device. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of processing performed by a vehicle when handing over an article to a user;

An information processing device according to an embodiment is a device that manages a vehicle that is equipped with a storage device that stores articles. The storage device is a locker type device that has a plurality of compartments that can be locked independently and that can store articles in each compartment. Vehicle-mounted storage devices are also referred to as mobile lockers. By operating a vehicle equipped with a storage device, it is possible to move the locker to a point desired by the user and load and unload articles.

The vehicle can function as a mobile coin-operated locker or as a delivery point for goods. For example, a first user may deposit an item in a vehicle, and a second user who needs the item may retrieve the item. It is also possible to have an unspecified number of users look at the deposited article and hand it over to a desired user. In other words, the vehicle can function as a rental showcase for recycling disused articles and selling articles.

Since the storage device according to the embodiment is mounted on a vehicle, it can be made to patrol predetermined bases. As a result, the showcase can be placed in a more conspicuous place. Furthermore, when there is a user who wishes to deposit an article, the user's convenience can be improved by dispatching the vehicle to the user's home or the like.

On the other hand, when a vehicle functions as a rental showcase, it is preferable to keep the vehicle in a busy place as much as possible. This is because when the vehicle is running, it cannot function as a showcase.
In other words, there is a trade-off problem that if the user's convenience is enhanced, it becomes less noticeable.
An information processing device according to the present disclosure solves this problem.

An information processing device according to an aspect of the present disclosure acquires position information from a plurality of user terminals associated with a plurality of users who wish to deposit articles in a vehicle, and based on the plurality of position information, Determining a first point at which the plurality of users deposit the articles in the vehicle; It has a control unit that notifies that it will be dispatched.

A vehicle according to the present disclosure is a vehicle having a function of receiving articles from multiple users. The vehicle may be an autonomous vehicle or the like. Note that the user who deposits the item and the user who takes out the item may be different persons. For example, "deposit" includes storing an item in a storage device by a first user for delivery to a second user, or storing an item for sale in a storage device.

A first point is a point where a plurality of users deposit items in a vehicle. The information processing device determines the first point, for example, based on the result of grouping a plurality of users located nearby. The first point can be, for example, an accessible and conspicuous location. By parking the vehicle at the first location and having multiple nearby users bring items to be deposited, the aforementioned problem can be solved.

Further, an information processing device according to another aspect of the present disclosure acquires position information from a plurality of user terminals associated with a plurality of users who wish to deposit articles in a vehicle, and based on the plurality of position information, a control unit for determining a first point, which is a point where the plurality of users deposit the articles in the vehicle, and generating a command to dispatch the vehicle to the first point. have

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below based on the drawings. The configurations of the following embodiments are examples, and the present disclosure is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments.

(First embodiment)
An overview of the vehicle system according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The vehicle system according to this embodiment includes one or more autonomously traveling vehicles 300 , a server device 100 that controls the vehicles 300 , and one or more user terminals 200 .

Vehicle 300 is an autonomous vehicle equipped with storage device 400 .
The storage device 400 is a locker type device that has a plurality of compartments and can store articles in each compartment. FIG. 2 shows the appearance of the storage device 400. As shown in FIG. As shown, enclosure 400 is configured to provide access to respective compartments through multiple doors. The door may be transparent so that the contents can be checked from the outside. A user of the system can unlock a designated compartment via an interface provided in storage device 400 . The storage device 400 is mounted inside the vehicle 300 .
The storage device 400 is hereinafter also referred to as a showcase.

The vehicle 300 provides a service (hereinafter referred to as a storage service) for storing articles for a predetermined user using a showcase mounted on the vehicle 300 .
Note that the article may be for the purpose of sale. For example, it is possible to deposit items such as disused items and handmade items in the showcase and transfer the items to another user who wishes to receive them.
Note that the vehicle 300 does not necessarily have to be an unmanned vehicle. For example, security personnel or the like may be on board. Further, vehicle 300 does not necessarily have to be a vehicle capable of completely autonomous driving. For example, it may be a vehicle in which a person drives or assists in driving depending on the situation.

The server device 100 is a device that manages operation of the vehicle 300 .
As described above, the vehicle 300 can autonomously move with the storage device 400 serving as a showcase. The server device 100 determines a point to dispatch the vehicle 300 and instructs the vehicle 300 to operate. As a result, articles can be exhibited in various places. Further, when receiving a request from the user terminal 200 possessed by the user who deposits the article, the server device 100 allocates the vehicle 300 and operates the vehicle 300 to deposit the article from the user. to direct. This allows the user to deposit the article near his/her place of residence.

Server device 100, user terminal 200, and vehicle 300 are interconnected by a network. The network may employ, for example, a WAN (Wide Area Network), which is a worldwide public communication network such as the Internet, or other communication networks. The network may also include a telephone communication network such as a mobile phone, and a wireless communication network such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

Next, the details of the server device 100 will be described.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the system configuration of the server device 100. As shown in FIG. The server device 100 includes a control unit 101 , a storage unit 102 and a communication unit 103 .

The server device 100 is composed of a general computer. That is, the server device 100 is a computer having a processor such as a CPU or GPU, a main storage device such as a RAM or ROM, an auxiliary storage device such as an EPROM, a hard disk drive, or a removable medium. The auxiliary storage device stores an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, etc. The programs stored there are loaded into the work area of the main storage device and executed. is controlled, it is possible to realize each function that meets a predetermined purpose, as will be described later. However, some or all of the functions may be realized by hardware circuits such as ASIC and FPGA. Note that the server apparatus 100 may be configured by a single computer, or may be configured by a plurality of computers that cooperate with each other.

The control unit 101 is an arithmetic device that controls the server device 100 . The control unit 101 can be realized by an arithmetic processing device such as a CPU.
The control unit 101 includes three functional modules: a vehicle management unit 1011 , a plan generation unit 1012 and a command unit 1013 . Each functional module may be realized by executing a program stored in the auxiliary storage means by the CPU.

Vehicle management unit 1011 collects information about vehicle 300 and updates the database constructed in storage unit 102 . Specifically, the vehicle management unit 1011 periodically communicates with a plurality of vehicles 300 to collect information about the vehicles 300 and information about the storage device 400 mounted on the vehicles 300 . The collected information is reflected in a database, which will be described later.

The plan generation unit 1012 generates an operation plan for the vehicle 300 . The operation plan is data that instructs the vehicle 300 on tasks to be executed.
As a task, for example, a task of depositing an article from a user, a task of displaying a showcase at a predetermined point, or the like can be exemplified. Each task is associated with a target point, arrival date and time, and departure date and time.
The plan generation unit 1012 generates an operation plan that combines a plurality of tasks, and the vehicle 300 completes the tasks in order according to the operation plan, thereby providing a predetermined service.
The plan generation unit 1012 instructs the vehicle 300 to operate the vehicle 300 to display the articles received from the user at a plurality of locations (hereinafter referred to as exhibition operation), and to operate the vehicle 300 to receive the articles to be exhibited from the user (hereinafter referred to as collection operation). ).

The command unit 1013 transmits the generated operation plan to the target vehicle 300 to instruct the vehicle 300 to operate. The vehicle 300 autonomously travels according to the operation plan transmitted from the server device 100 and provides services to the user.

The storage unit 102 includes a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. The main storage device is a memory in which programs executed by the control unit 101 and data used by the control programs are expanded. The auxiliary storage device is a device that stores programs executed by the control unit 101 and data used by the control programs.

Furthermore, the storage unit 102 stores vehicle data 102A, operation plan data 102B, storage device data 102C, and article data 102D.

Vehicle data 102</b>A is data that records the status of multiple vehicles 300 under the control of server device 100 .
FIG. 4A is an example of vehicle data 102A. The vehicle data 102A includes a vehicle identifier, update date and time, and status information. Status information is a field in which data representing the current state of vehicle 300 is stored. Specifically, it stores the current position of the vehicle 300, information on tasks that the vehicle 300 has completed so far, information on tasks to be performed from now on, information on the remaining battery capacity and travelable distance of the vehicle 300, and information on the scheduled route of the vehicle 300. be done.
Vehicle data 102A is periodically updated with data transmitted from vehicle 300 (hereinafter referred to as status data).

The operation plan data 102B is data for recording the operation plan generated by the plan generation unit 1012 .
FIG. 4B is an example of the operation plan data 102B. The operation plan data 102B is defined for each vehicle 300, and records the type of task, target point, arrival date and time, departure date and time, and the like. The vehicle 300 provides services to the user by sequentially executing tasks included in the operation plan transmitted from the server device 100 .

In the illustrated example, the vehicle with the identifier V001 is
(1) stop at point A from 12:00 to 13:00 to deposit goods;
(2) stop at point B from 15:00 to 16:00 to deposit goods;
(3) It is indicated that the showcase will be exhibited at point C from 17:00 to 18:00.

The storage device data 102C is data in which the state of the storage device 400 mounted on the target vehicle 300 is recorded.
FIG. 4C is an example of storage device data 102C. The storage device data 102C is defined for each vehicle 300, and includes information on a plurality of compartments held by the storage device 400 (size of compartment, occupancy state (whether it is in use or not), information on the number of users who put up articles, etc.). identifier, assigned item identifier, etc.) are recorded.
Storage device data 102C is updated based on status data transmitted from vehicle 300 .

The item data 102D is data representing details of each item. The product data includes an identifier of the product, an identifier of the user who put up the product, the name of the product, a description of the product, a desired price, image data, size information, and the like. Item data 102D is generated based on a request to deposit an item. In addition, the data regarding the request of dispatch may be added to the goods data 102D.

Note that the storage unit 102 may store data (road map data, such as definitions of a plurality of road segments, location information and connection relationships of each road segment, etc.) relating to the road network on which the vehicle 300 travels. . The road map data may include information about areas in which the vehicle 300 can be parked or stopped. The road map data is used when determining the target point of the vehicle 300. FIG.

A database storing these data is constructed by managing the data stored in the storage device by a database management system (DBMS) program executed by a processor. The database used in this embodiment is, for example, a relational database.

The communication unit 103 is a communication interface for connecting the server device 100 to a network. The communication unit 103 includes, for example, a network interface board and a wireless communication circuit for wireless communication.

Next, the user terminal 200 will be explained.
A user terminal 200 is a computer possessed by a user who deposits an article. A user can access the server apparatus 100 via the user terminal 200 and request deposit of an article. The user terminal 200 is, for example, a personal computer, smart phone, mobile phone, tablet computer, personal information terminal, or the like.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the system configuration of the user terminal 200. As shown in FIG.
User terminal 200 includes control unit 201 , storage unit 202 , communication unit 203 , and input/output unit 204 .

The control unit 201 is an arithmetic device that controls the user terminal 200 . The control unit 201 can be realized by an arithmetic processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit).
The control unit 201 accesses the server device 100 and performs a function of interaction. The function may be implemented by a web browser running on the user terminal 200 or dedicated application software.

The storage unit 202 includes a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. The main storage device is a memory in which programs executed by the control unit 201 and data used by the control programs are developed. The auxiliary storage device is a device that stores programs executed by the control unit 201 and data used by the control programs. The auxiliary storage device may store a program that is packaged as an application to be executed by the control unit 201 . Also, an operating system for executing these applications may be stored. A program stored in the auxiliary storage device is loaded into the main storage device and executed by the control unit 201 to perform processing described below.

The main memory may include RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory). The auxiliary storage device may also include an EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM) or a hard disk drive (HDD). Furthermore, the auxiliary storage device may include removable media, ie, portable recording media.
The storage unit 202 also stores authentication information for authenticating the user when depositing/delivering an article.

A communication unit 203 is a wireless communication interface for connecting the user terminal 200 to a network. The communication unit 203 is configured to be able to communicate with the server device 100 via, for example, a wireless LAN, 3G, LTE, 5G, or other mobile communication service.

The input/output unit 204 is a unit that receives an input operation performed by a user and presents information to the user. This embodiment consists of one touch panel display. That is, it is composed of a liquid crystal display and its control means, and a touch panel and its control means.
Input/output unit 204 may also have additional means for exchanging authentication information with storage device 400 . For example, it may have a camera for reading a two-dimensional bar code, short-range communication means for wireless transmission, and the like.

Next, vehicle 300 and storage device 400 mounted on vehicle 300 will be described.
Vehicle 300 is a vehicle platform that runs autonomously under the control of server device 100 . Specifically, a travel route is determined based on the operation plan transmitted from the server device 100, and the vehicle travels on the road in an appropriate manner while sensing the surroundings of the vehicle. Also, at the destination, a predetermined task related to the keeping service (keeping of goods, display of a showcase, etc.) is executed.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a system configuration of vehicle 300 and storage device 400. As shown in FIG.
Vehicle 300 includes control device 301 , sensor 302 , communication unit 303 , drive unit 304 , position information acquisition unit 305 , and storage device 400 . Vehicle 300 and storage device 400 operate on power supplied from a battery.

The control device 301 is a computer that controls the vehicle 300 based on information acquired from a sensor 302, which will be described later. The control device 301 is configured by, for example, a computer having a CPU and a storage device.

The control device 301 has a route generation unit 3011, a travel control unit 3012, and a task control unit 3013 as functional modules. Each functional module stores a program stored in a storage means such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) in a CPU (Central Processing Unit).
It may be realized by executing by

The route generation unit 3011 generates a travel route for the own vehicle based on the operation plan transmitted from the server device 100 . The route generation unit 3011 generates a travel route so that a plurality of points specified in the operation plan can be toured according to the specified schedule. The route may be generated by referring to map data stored in advance, or by using an external service.

First, the travel control unit 3012 detects the environment around the vehicle based on the data acquired by the sensor 302 and generates environment data. Objects to be detected include, for example, the number and positions of lanes, the number and positions of vehicles in the vicinity of the vehicle, and the number of obstacles (e.g. pedestrians, bicycles, structures, buildings, etc.) in the vicinity of the vehicle. Numbers, positions, road structures, road signs, etc., but are not limited to these. Any object may be detected as long as it is necessary for autonomous driving.

Further, the travel control unit 3012 secondly, based on the route generated by the route generation unit 3011, the generated environment data, and the position information of the own vehicle acquired by the position information acquisition unit 305, which will be described later, to control the running of the For example, the vehicle is caused to travel along a predetermined route and to prevent obstacles from entering a predetermined safety area centered on the vehicle. A known method can be adopted as a method for causing the vehicle to travel autonomously.

Task control unit 3013 controls tasks executed by vehicle 300 . A task is a task for providing a custody service to a user using the storage device 400, and is typically a 'task of keeping an item from a user' and a 'task of displaying a showcase'. Note that the task control unit 3013 may execute tasks associated with these. The task control unit 3013 may execute, for example, a task of calling a user, a task of authenticating a user, a task of handing over (and paying for) an article in response to an offer from a user, and the like.

Also, the task control unit 3013 periodically transmits data representing its own status (hereinafter referred to as status data) to the server device 100 .
The status data includes, for example, the following information.
・Identifier of vehicle 300 ・Current position of vehicle 300 ・Information about tasks completed up to now ・Information about remaining tasks ・Current battery level (SOC) or travelable distance if any)
Information on articles stored in storage device 400 Server device 100 (vehicle management unit 1011) updates vehicle data 102A and storage device data 102C based on the received status data.

The sensor 302 is means for sensing the surroundings of the vehicle, and typically includes a camera, laser scanner, LIDAR, radar, and the like. Information acquired by the sensor 302 is transmitted to the control device 301 . The sensor 302 includes a sensor for autonomous travel. Sensors 302 may include cameras provided on vehicle 300 . For example, an imaging device using an image sensor such as Charged-Coupled Devices (CCD), Metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) or Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) can be included.

Communication unit 303 is communication means for connecting vehicle 300 to a network. In this embodiment, mobile communication services such as 3G, LTE, and 5G can be used to communicate with other devices (for example, the server device 100) via a network. Note that the communication unit 303 may further have communication means for performing inter-vehicle communication with another vehicle.

Drive unit 304 is means for causing vehicle 300 to travel based on a command generated by travel control unit 3012 . The drive unit 304 includes, for example, a motor for driving wheels, an inverter, a brake, a steering mechanism, a secondary battery, and the like.

Position information acquisition unit 305 is means for acquiring the current position of vehicle 300, and typically includes a GPS antenna, a GPS module, and the like. The information acquired by the position information acquisition unit 305 is transmitted to the control device 301 .

The storage device 400 is a locker type device that has a plurality of compartments and can store articles in each compartment. As described with reference to FIG. 2, enclosure 400 is configured to provide access to separate compartments through multiple doors. The storage device 400 is connected to a control device 301, and its operations (user authentication, locking/unlocking, etc.) are controlled by the control device 301 (task control unit 3013).
The storage device 400 has an input/output unit, and can interact with the user using the input/output unit. The input/output unit typically includes a touch panel, a liquid crystal display, a keyboard, and the like.

Next, a method for providing the keeping service by the vehicle system according to this embodiment will be described. Here, based on the data collected from the vehicle 300, there is a phase (first phase) in which the database held by the server device 100 is updated, and a phase in which the user terminal 200 receives data requesting the deposit of goods in the showcase. (Second phase) will be described. FIG. 7A is a flow diagram corresponding to the first and second phases. The processing shown in FIG. 7A is executed at any time.

The vehicle 300 periodically generates status data during operation, and the server device 10
Send to 0. The status data includes, in addition to the state of the vehicle 300, information on tasks completed so far, information on articles stored in the storage device 400, and the like.
Server device 100 (vehicle management unit 1011) that has received the status data updates vehicle data 102A and storage device data 102C based on the received status data (step S11).

When a user who wishes to deposit an article in a showcase (referred to as an exhibition) to solicit a transferee inputs information about the article via the user terminal 200 (step S21), the user terminal 200 displays the information Based on the above, an exhibition request is generated and transmitted to the server device 100 . The exhibition request includes information (article information) on the article for exhibition and a vehicle dispatch request. FIG. 8A is an example of a screen presented by the user terminal 200 when an exhibition request is generated, and FIG. 8B is an example of the generated exhibition request. The information about the article for sale includes the name of the article, a description, a desired price, image data, and the like. In addition, the dispatch request includes a desired area and a desired time slot.
The server device 100 temporarily stores the received exhibition request.

On the other hand, the server device 100 generates an operation plan for the vehicle 300 and instructs the vehicle 300 to operate the vehicle 300 with reference to the temporarily stored exhibition request at predetermined intervals. This process is called the third phase.
FIG. 7B is a flow diagram corresponding to the third phase.

First, in step S31, it is determined whether or not there is a vehicle to be instructed to operate on display. For example, if there is no new exhibition request and there is a vehicle 300 that is entrusted with articles from the user, the process transitions to step S32, and the vehicle 300 is determined as the vehicle to be instructed to operate the exhibition.
In step S<b>33 , an operation plan for visiting predetermined locations on a predetermined schedule to display the showcase is generated and transmitted to the determined vehicle 300 . The predetermined location and schedule may be determined in advance by the server device 100 .

When it is determined in step S31 that there is no vehicle for which the display operation should be instructed, the process proceeds to step S34.
In step S34, it is determined whether or not there is an exhibition request temporarily stored. Here, if there is an unprocessed exhibition request, the process transitions to step S35. If there are no outstanding listing requests, the process ends.

Steps S35 to S39 are processes for instructing the vehicle 300 to pick up the cargo.
In step S35, the point at which the user deposits the article in the vehicle 300 and the time zone for stopping the vehicle 300 at the point are determined.
When there are a plurality of users who have sent an exhibition request, the plan generation unit 1012 groups the position information corresponding to each of the plurality of users and sets a target point for each group. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, when a plurality of users (four users A to D) located within a predetermined range send an exhibition request, the four users are grouped and a point E representing the group is selected. Set as a target point. Each user brings an item to the target point and deposits the item.

Grouping can be based on geographic distance. For example, grouping may be performed so that multiple users located within a predetermined range belong to the same group. Two or more groups may be generated as a result of grouping.
Note that grouping may be performed based on the desired time slot. For example, grouping may be performed so that multiple users whose desired time slots overlap belong to the same group. In this case, the time period during which vehicle 300 stops is determined so as to satisfy the time period desired by the user. In the example shown in FIG. 9, the stop time zone is determined to be "17:30 to 18:00" so as to satisfy the wishes of four users.

In this way, by grouping a plurality of users who have sent exhibition requests and determining a single point to which the vehicle 300 is to be dispatched, it is possible to reduce the cost of receiving articles from a plurality of users. Furthermore, it becomes possible to display the showcase while the vehicle is stopped.

In step S36, the plan generation unit 1012 determines the vehicle 300 to be dispatched to the user. Vehicle 300 to be dispatched to the user is determined by referring to vehicle data 102A and storage device data 102C. Specifically, a vehicle 300 that can be dispatched to the point determined in step S35 during the determined time period and that has a storage device 400 capable of storing all items is determined as a dispatch target.

In step S37, partitions are assigned to each of the plurality of users. The partition allocation can be performed by referring to the size information of the item to be exhibited and the storage device data 102C included in the exhibition request. This assigns a compartment of a size that fits the item. When this step is completed, the user terminal 200 is sent data notifying the location to which the vehicle 300 is to be dispatched and the time period during which the vehicle 300 stops.
In this step, the server device 100 may transmit authentication information for locking and unlocking the assigned partition to the user terminal 200 .

In the processing of steps S35 to S37, if the vehicle allocation or the division allocation fails, the user terminal 200 may be notified to that effect, and a request may be made to send the exhibition request again.

Next, in step S<b>38 , the plan generation unit 1012 generates or updates an operation plan corresponding to the vehicle 300 . Here, when the target vehicle 300 is on standby, the plan generation unit 1012 generates a new operation plan corresponding to the vehicle 300 . When the target vehicle 300 is in operation, that is, when an operation plan for the vehicle 300 has already been generated, a new task is added to the operation plan. The operation plan corresponding to the vehicle 300 is transmitted to the vehicle 300 concerned.

In step S39, vehicle 300 (control device 301) receives the operation plan. The control device 301 performs movement and tasks according to the received operation plan.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of processing performed by vehicle 300 that has received an operation plan. The process is started when vehicle 300 receives an operation plan from server device 100 .
First, in step S41, vehicle 300 (route generation unit 3011) generates a travel route for executing unprocessed tasks based on the received operation plan.

In step S42, the traveling control unit 3012 starts traveling to the target point (that is, the point designated by the server device 100) according to the generated route.

When the vehicle 300 approaches the target point (step S43), the travel control unit 3012 searches for a nearby place where the vehicle can be stopped, stops the vehicle, and executes the task (step S44). A task is either a task of receiving an item from a user or a task of displaying a showcase.

When the task is completed, the travel control unit 3012 determines whether or not there is a next target point according to the operation plan (step S45), and continues operation if there is a next target point. If there is no next target point (when all the tasks included in the operation plan are completed), return to the base.

Next, the details of the process executed in step S44 when the task executed by the vehicle 300 is the task of picking up articles from the user will be described.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart of processing executed when a user deposits an article. The illustrated process is started by the task control unit 3013 at the timing when the vehicle 300 is parked to allow the user who deposits the article to board.

First, in step S51, user authentication is performed.
When the user arrives at the vehicle 300 parked at a predetermined spot, the storage device 400 acquires the first authentication information via the input/output unit, and checks it against the second authentication information stored in advance. conduct. The first authentication information may be obtained as character data via a keyboard or touch panel, or may be obtained as image data via a camera or scanner. Alternatively, it may be acquired from the user terminal 200 via wireless communication. If the matching is successful, the process transitions to step S52. If the matching fails, the process ends.

When the user's authentication is completed, the article is deposited in step S52. In this step, the partition assigned to the user is unlocked and the article is stored. When storage is completed, the compartment is locked.

In step S<b>53 , status data is generated and transmitted to server device 100 . The status data includes information about the items stored in the storage device 400, such as the occupancy status of multiple compartments, the identifier of the item, the identifier of the user who put up the item, and the like. Server device 100 that has received the status data reflects the data in storage device data 102C (step S54). When the process is completed, a completion notification is sent to the user terminal 200. FIG.

In step S55, server device 100 creates a list of articles deposited in vehicle 300 and publishes it on the Internet. In this step, based on the article data 102D, a list including the article name, description, desired price, image data, and the like is generated. FIG. 12 is an example of disclosed information. As shown, the list may include information regarding scheduled trips for vehicle 300 . Thereby, the viewer can know the current position of the vehicle 300 loaded with the article and the future operation schedule (patrol points and patrol schedule). These information may be accessible from a predetermined web page.

Next, the details of the process executed in step S44 when the task executed by the vehicle 300 is the task of exhibiting the showcase will be described. FIG. 13 is a flow diagram of processing that is executed during the display of the showcase.

First, in step S61, it is determined whether or not there is a user who wishes to pick up the deposited article. For example, when a request to pick up an article is input via the input/output unit of the storage device 400, the determination in this step is affirmative. If a negative determination is made in this step, the display of the showcase is continued.

If there is a user (hereinafter referred to as a second user) who has expressed an intention to pick up the article via the input/output unit of the storage device 400, the process transitions to step S62.

In step S62, processing for settling the price of the goods is performed. The settlement amount is the amount specified in the exhibition data. The payment may be online card payment. In this step, online payment may be made using a portable terminal possessed by the second user. In this case, at the timing when the payment is completed, the authentication information for unlocking the compartment where the target article is stored may be transmitted to the mobile terminal. In addition, in this step, a predetermined process related to transfer of goods may be executed in addition to the payment of the price.

Next, in step S63, the section of the storage device 400 associated with the designated item is unlocked, and the item is picked up. The partition may be unlocked, for example, using authentication information sent to the mobile terminal possessed by the second user.
In step S 64 , status data similar to that in step S 53 is generated and transmitted to server device 100 .

In step S65, server device 100 updates storage device data 102C based on the received status data.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the vehicle 300 that tours predetermined bases can function as a recycle shop. In addition, when the user deposits an article, the vehicle 300 can be moved closer to the user, thereby enhancing convenience. Furthermore, since a plurality of users are grouped and goods are received at one place, collection costs can be reduced and display time of showcases can be extended.

(Second embodiment)
In the first embodiment, the vehicle 300 is dispatched to the user who has sent the listing request, that is, the user who intends to sell the item.
On the other hand, the second embodiment is an embodiment in which a user who owns a predetermined article is proposed to put the article on display in a showcase.

In the second embodiment, the user terminal 200 is configured to be able to save a draft when inputting article information in step S21. Drafts can be called up at the timing after the next time.
In the second embodiment, when the draft is saved, the user terminal 200 transmits the item information and the location information to the server device 100, and the server device 100 saves them. The product information may be part of the information that can be entered (for example, only the name of the product).

The server device 100 compares the stored location information with the operation plan of the vehicle 300 that is generated as needed, and determines whether or not there is a vehicle 300 to be dispatched near the user who saved the draft. For example, when there is a timing when the vehicle 300 comes near the user for exhibiting a showcase or depositing an article by another user, the server device 100 transmits a notification to the corresponding user terminal 200, and the vehicle 300 Notifies that there is a timing to come nearby. Furthermore, the server device 100 may prompt the user to send the exhibition request by the time the vehicle arrives.
This makes it possible to encourage the listing of articles in showcases.

In this embodiment, it is determined whether or not there is a user who owns a given item based on the presence or absence of a saved draft. good. For example, a photograph taken by the user terminal 200 and location information may be collected, and based on these data, it may be determined that a predetermined item is present in the user's home. Furthermore, it may be determined that the user owns a predetermined item based on the purchase history of the item. Furthermore, based on the type of article, it is possible to decide whether or not to propose an exhibition, or to perform additional processing. For example, if there is a user who owns an item that is popular in the second-hand market, dispatch of the vehicle 300 may be proposed with higher priority. Furthermore, an existing operation plan for a predetermined vehicle 300 may be changed to dispatch the vehicle 300 with higher priority.

(Modification)
The above-described embodiment is merely an example, and the present disclosure can be modified as appropriate without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
For example, the processes and means described in the present disclosure can be freely combined and implemented as long as there is no technical contradiction.

Also, in the description of the embodiment, a form of selling goods in a showcase has been shown, but the information processing apparatus according to the present disclosure can also be applied to other forms. For example, it can also be applied to a service in which articles are collected from a plurality of users, such as a disused article purchase service, a waste article collection service, and a collection service.

Also, the processing described as being performed by one device may be shared and performed by a plurality of devices. Alternatively, processes described as being performed by different devices may be performed by one device. In a computer system, it is possible to flexibly change the hardware configuration (server configuration) to implement each function.

The present disclosure can also be implemented by supplying a computer program implementing the functions described in the above embodiments to a computer, and reading and executing the program by one or more processors of the computer. Such a computer program may be provided to the computer by a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium connectable to the system bus of the computer, or may be provided to the computer via a network. Non-transitory computer-readable storage media include, for example, magnetic disks (floppy (registered trademark) disks, hard disk drives (HDD), etc.), optical disks (CD-ROMs, DVD disks, Blu-ray disks, etc.), any type of disk, Including read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), EPROM, EEPROM, magnetic cards, flash memory, optical cards, any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100... Server apparatus 101, 201... Control part 102, 202... Storage part 103, 203, 303... Communication part 204... Input-output part 200... User terminal 300... Vehicle 301... Control device 302... Sensor 304... Drive unit 305... Position information acquisition unit 400... Storage device

Claims (20)

obtaining location information from a plurality of user terminals associated with a plurality of users desiring to deposit items in a vehicle;
Determining a first point at which the plurality of users deposit the article in the vehicle based on the plurality of pieces of location information;
Notifying a plurality of user terminals respectively corresponding to the plurality of users that the vehicle will be dispatched to the first point;
An information processing apparatus having a control unit that executes The control unit groups the plurality of users based on their geographical locations, and determines the first point for each obtained group.
The information processing device according to claim 1 . The control unit acquires information about the desired date and time for depositing the item from the plurality of user terminals, and groups a plurality of users whose geographical location and desired date and time are both within a predetermined range.
The information processing apparatus according to claim 2. The control unit notifies user terminals belonging to the same group of the first point and the arrival date and time of the vehicle at the first point.
The information processing apparatus according to claim 3. The control unit generates a command to dispatch the vehicle to the first point,
The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The control unit determines a vehicle to be dispatched to the first point from among the plurality of vehicles equipped with a storage device having a plurality of compartments.
The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The control unit further acquires article data including information on sizes of articles to be deposited from the plurality of user terminals.
The information processing device according to claim 6 . The control unit determines to dispatch to the first point a vehicle equipped with the storage device capable of storing all of the plurality of articles deposited by the plurality of users at the first point in the plurality of compartments. ,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 7. wherein the control unit transmits to each of the plurality of user terminals authentication information for locking and unlocking each of the plurality of partitions of the storage device;
The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 8. The vehicle is a showcase vehicle that displays deposited items at a plurality of predetermined points,
The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9. When there is a second user who wishes to pick up the deposited item, the control unit performs a predetermined procedure regarding the transfer of the item.
The information processing apparatus according to claim 10. The control unit estimates an item owned by each of the plurality of users,
Based on the result of the estimation, transmitting data proposing display of the article by the vehicle to the corresponding user terminal;
The information processing apparatus according to claim 10 or 11. the controller generates a list of one or more items displayed by the vehicle;
The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 12. The control unit generates a list of one or more items displayed by the vehicle and publishes it along with the vehicle's operation schedule.
The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 12. The operation schedule includes a plurality of points where the deposited goods are displayed and a stop period at each point.
The information processing apparatus according to claim 14. the list includes an image of each item provided by each of the plurality of users;
The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 13 to 15. obtaining location information from a plurality of user terminals associated with a plurality of users desiring to deposit items in a vehicle;
Determining a first point at which the plurality of users deposit the article in the vehicle based on the plurality of pieces of location information;
generating a command to dispatch the vehicle to the first location;
An information processing apparatus having a control unit that executes The control unit determines a vehicle to be dispatched to the first point from among the plurality of vehicles equipped with a storage device having a plurality of compartments.
The information processing apparatus according to claim 17. The control unit further acquires article data including information on sizes of articles to be deposited from the plurality of user terminals.
The information processing apparatus according to claim 18. The control unit determines to dispatch to the first point a vehicle equipped with the storage device capable of storing all of the plurality of articles deposited by the plurality of users at the first point in the plurality of compartments. ,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 19.

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