JP2023029061A - Information processing apparatus and information processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an information processing apparatus and an information processing method for improving the convenience of a cargo storage service by a vehicle.SOLUTION: In a mobile locker system, a server device 100 for controlling a vehicle 300 providing a cargo storage service determines a first point at which a user using the service loads and unloads a cargo onto and from the vehicle based on road data which is information about a road on which the vehicle travels. The road data includes first road data describing areas where the vehicle can be stopped or parked for loading and unloading the cargo, and second road data describing the user's convenience in accessing the vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a luggage storage 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 taken out at various locations by operating an automated 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 is an information processing device that controls a vehicle that provides a luggage storage service, and based on road data that is information about a road on which the vehicle travels, a user using the service The information processing apparatus includes a control unit that determines a first point at which the cargo is loaded and unloaded from the vehicle.

A second aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method executed by an information processing device that controls a vehicle that provides a luggage storage service, the information processing method comprising: and a method for information processing, wherein a user using said service determines a first point at which said baggage is to be unloaded from said vehicle.

Further, a third aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing device that controls a vehicle that provides a luggage storage service, wherein the user using the service determines, based on attributes of luggage deposited in the vehicle, that the user The information processing apparatus includes a control unit that determines a first point at which the cargo is loaded and unloaded from the vehicle.

Another aspect includes a program for causing a computer to execute the above information processing method, 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 mobile locker 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 road 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. 4 is a sequence diagram of processing executed by components included in the system; An example of a screen provided by a user terminal that generates a dispatch request. An example of a dispatch request sent from a user terminal. 4 is a flowchart of processing performed in step S13. 4 is a flowchart of processing performed by a vehicle that has received an operation plan; 4 is a flowchart of processing performed by a vehicle when loading and unloading luggage; The figure which shows the example of the form which takes in/out a load from the side of a vehicle. An example of a second area map in the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a threshold determination method according to the second embodiment;

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 and that travels. The storage device is a locker type device that has a plurality of compartments and can store items in each compartment. Each of the multiple compartments may be independently lockable. 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 to take in and out articles.

A vehicle according to an embodiment is, for example, a moving body having a plurality of wheels and power. The vehicle is configured with a storage device mounted in the passenger compartment.

In a system in which a vehicle is parked on the roadside and goods are kept by the vehicle, ensuring safety and convenience is an issue. For example, even if it is legal to park for loading and unloading, if the sidewalk and the roadway are separated, the user may not be able to access the vehicle from the sidewalk. In addition, there are points where traffic is heavy and it is not desirable for the user to come out onto the roadway.
In order to solve this problem, the information processing apparatus according to the present disclosure determines a suitable point for taking articles in and out of the vehicle.

An information processing device according to one embodiment is an information processing device that controls a vehicle that provides a luggage storage service, and based on road data that is information about a road on which the vehicle travels, a user who uses the service. has a control unit for determining a first point at which the cargo is to be unloaded from the vehicle.

The road data may be, for example, a map or the like indicating legally possible parking points for loading and unloading luggage. The road data may also be a map or the like associated with safety and convenience when the user accesses the vehicle. By referring to this information, the control unit can determine a suitable point for loading and unloading the cargo. For example, another point with less traffic or a point with easier vehicle access (eg, no structure separating the sidewalk from the driveway) can be determined as the first point.

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 mobile locker system according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The mobile locker system according to this embodiment includes one or more vehicles 300 that autonomously travel.
, a server device 100 that controls the vehicle 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 luggage 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. 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 vehicle 300 uses a storage device 400 mounted therein to provide a service of keeping luggage (hereinafter referred to as a keeping service) to a predetermined user. By calling the vehicle 300 via the server device 100, the user can check in and take out luggage at an arbitrary point.
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 carry the storage device 400 and move autonomously. When the server device 100 receives a vehicle dispatch request from the user terminal 200 possessed by the user who deposits the luggage, the server device 100 determines the vehicle 300 to be dispatched to the user and instructs the vehicle to operate. do.

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 reservation management 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 reservation management unit 1012 receives from the user terminal 200 a request to check in and take out luggage (that is, a request to dispatch a vehicle; hereinafter referred to as a dispatch request). In addition, when receiving a vehicle dispatch request, the reservation management unit 1012 sets the point at which luggage is deposited and taken out (that is, the point at which the vehicle 300 is dispatched; hereinafter referred to as dispatch point) and the date and time thereof (hereinafter referred to as dispatch date and time). is determined, and an operation plan for the vehicle 300 is generated.

The operation plan is data that instructs the vehicle 300 on tasks to be executed.
As a task, for example, a task of picking up luggage from a user and a task of handing over luggage to a user can be exemplified. Each task is associated with a dispatch location and a dispatch date and time.
The reservation management 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 mobile locker service.
The reservation management unit 1012 generates an operation plan for the vehicle 300 corresponding to either the operation for picking up the baggage from the user or the operation for handing over the baggage to the user.

The command unit 1013 transmits the generated operation plan to the target vehicle 300 to command 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 road map data 102D.

Vehicle data 102A is data that records the status of vehicle 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, the current position of the vehicle 300, information about the tasks that the vehicle 300 has completed so far, information about tasks that the vehicle 300 will perform from now on, information about the remaining battery capacity and the travelable distance of the vehicle 300, and information about the planned route of the vehicle 300. etc. is stored.
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 reservation management 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 task type ("deposit" or "pickup"), dispatch point, dispatch date and time, the identifier of the user who loads and unloads the luggage, 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) At 12 o'clock at the point A, the user "U001" keeps the baggage,
(2) Receive luggage from user "U002" at point B at 13:00;
(3) Deliver the package to user "U001" at point C at 15:00,
(4) It is indicated that the package will be handed over to the user "U002" at the point D at 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 (size of the partition, occupancy state (whether in use or not), identifier of the user, etc.) about a plurality of partitions that the storage device 400 has. Recorded.
Storage device data 102C is updated based on status data transmitted from vehicle 300 .

The road map data 102D is a database in which data relating to the road network on which the vehicle 300 travels is stored. The road map data 102D stores definitions of a plurality of road segments, position information of each road segment, connection relationships, and the like. A road segment is a road on which the vehicle 300 can travel, divided into predetermined unit sections.
Furthermore, the road map data 102D includes information about areas where the vehicle 300 can be parked and information about the suitability of access to the vehicle 300. FIG.
FIG. 4D is an example of road map data 102D. As illustrated, the road map data 102D includes a first area map and a second area map.

The first area map is a map that represents areas where parking or parking for loading and unloading of luggage is legally permitted. The hatched areas in the figure represent areas where stopping or parking for loading and unloading of luggage is not permitted. Such areas include, for example, no-stop areas and no-parking areas designated by road regulations.
It should be noted that it depends on the traffic laws of the target country whether a vehicle staying at a certain point for loading and unloading is classified as "stopping" or "parking".

The first area map may represent areas on public roads where stopping or parking for loading and unloading of goods is not permitted, or where stopping or parking for loading and unloading of goods is permitted on public roads. It may represent the area where the It may also represent an area on private property where parking is permitted.

The second area map is a map representing the presence or absence of a structure separating the roadway and the sidewalk. The part indicated by the black line in the drawing means that there is a structure (for example, a guardrail) separating the roadway and the sidewalk. The location of such structures means that pedestrian access is difficult for vehicles parked on the roadway.
The information held by the second area map may be information other than the presence or absence of a structure as long as it represents "whether or not a pedestrian can access a vehicle stopped on the roadway". For example, the second area map may be a map showing places where the user cannot reach the vehicle because the sidewalk and roadway are physically separated, or the roadway is a motorway. .

These data are used when determining the dispatch point of the vehicle 300 . Based on the first area map and the second area map, it is possible to determine which points are suitable as dispatch points or which are not suitable as dispatch points.

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.
The user terminal 200 is a computer possessed by a user who uses the keeping service. A user can access the server apparatus 100 via the user terminal 200 and request dispatch of the vehicle 300 for depositing and removing baggage. 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 expanded. 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 stores authentication information for authenticating a user when depositing/retrieving luggage.

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 (luggage deposit and delivery) related to the deposit service 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 the dispatch point 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.

The travel control unit 3012 senses the surroundings of the vehicle and controls the travel of the own vehicle based on the obtained data.
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.
The travel control unit controls the autonomous travel of the vehicle using the generated environment data and the position information of the host vehicle acquired by the position information acquisition unit 305, which will be described later. 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 the user using the storage device 400, and is typically a 'task of keeping baggage from the user' and a 'task of delivering baggage to the user'. 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, and the like.

Further, 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 )
Information on Packages 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 luggage 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 a storage service by the mobile locker system according to this embodiment will be described.
FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram of processing executed by components included in the system.

The vehicle 300 periodically generates status data and transmits it to the server device 100 during operation. The status data includes, in addition to the state of the vehicle 300, information on tasks completed so far, information on packages 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 S10).

When a user who wishes to deposit/take out luggage generates a vehicle allocation request via the user terminal 200 (step S11), the vehicle allocation request is transmitted to the server device 100. FIG. The vehicle allocation request includes information on the type of request (“deposit” or “removal”), the area in which the vehicle 300 is desired to be allocated, the time period in which the vehicle 300 is desired to be allocated, the size of the luggage, and the like. FIG. 8A is an example of a screen presented by the user terminal 200 when generating a vehicle allocation request, and FIG. 8B is an example of the generated vehicle allocation request. A desired area for vehicle allocation can be designated by, for example, a circle centered at a predetermined point.

At step S12, the reservation management unit 1012 determines the vehicle 300 to be dispatched to the user based on the vehicle allocation request. If the type of request is "take out", the vehicle 300 that is keeping the luggage of the user is determined as the dispatch target. Otherwise, the vehicle 300 dispatched to the user is determined by referring to the content of the dispatch request, the vehicle data 102A, and the storage device data 102C. Specifically, a vehicle 300 equipped with a storage device 400 capable of being dispatched to a designated area during a designated time period and capable of storing a package of a designated size is determined as a dispatch target.

In step S<b>13 , the reservation management unit 1012 refers to the operation plan data associated with the vehicle 300 determined in step S<b>12 and determines the dispatch point and dispatch time of the vehicle 300 .
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing in detail the processing executed by the reservation management unit 1012 in step S13.

First, in step S131, the first area map is referenced to extract road segments where parking is legally possible within the area designated by the user. A road segment can be defined by dividing a road into unit sections.
Next, in step S132, the second area map is referenced to extract a plurality of road segments accessible to the vehicle from the sidewalk within the area specified by the user. In this step, road segments in which the sidewalk and the vehicle are not separated by a structure are extracted.

In step S133, the road segments extracted in both steps S131 and S132 are identified, and points within the identified road segments are set as candidate points. If there is one or more candidate points, the process transitions to step S134. If no candidate points exist, the process ends.
In step S134, a dispatch point is determined from one or more candidate points. In this step, evaluation values may be given to one or more candidate points, and dispatch points may be determined based on the evaluation values. The evaluation value may be determined, for example, based on the heavy traffic volume, the heavy flow of people, the width of the road, etc. on the corresponding road segment. That is, a higher evaluation value may be given to a location that is easier to access by vehicle or a location that is safer to access a vehicle.

In step S135, dispatch time is determined. The dispatch time can be selected, for example, from the time period designated by the user.

Returning to FIG. 7, the description is continued.
The determined dispatch point and dispatch time are notified to the user terminal 200 and presented to the user. If the user's wishes for the dispatch location and the dispatch time cannot be met, at least one of the dispatch location and the dispatch time may be corrected through interaction between the server device 100 and the user terminal 200. .

Next, in step S<b>14 , the reservation management unit 1012 generates or updates an operation plan corresponding to the vehicle 300 . Here, when the target vehicle 300 is on standby, the reservation management unit 1012 generates a new operation plan corresponding to the vehicle 300 in question. If the target vehicle 300 is in operation, that is, if an operation plan for the vehicle 300 has already been generated, the new task determined in step S13 is added to the operation plan. An operation plan corresponding to vehicle 300 is transmitted to vehicle 300 .

In step S15, 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 S21, vehicle 300 (route generation unit 3011) generates a travel route for executing unprocessed tasks based on the received operation plan.

In step S22, the traveling control unit 3012 starts traveling to the target point (that is, the dispatch point specified by the server device 100) according to the generated route.

When the vehicle 300 approaches the target point (step S23), the travel control unit 3012 searches for a nearby place where the vehicle can be stopped, stops the vehicle, and executes the task (step S24). A task is either a task of picking up luggage from a user or a task of handing over luggage to a user.

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 S25), 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, details of the process executed by vehicle 300 in step S24 will be described.
FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram of processing executed by vehicle 300 when the user checks in and takes out luggage. 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/takes out luggage to board.

First, in step S31, 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 S32. If the matching fails, the process ends.
Here, it was confirmed that the user who got on the vehicle 300 was a pre-registered user. , user authentication is not required.

When user authentication is completed, in step S32, the luggage is stored or taken out.
When a new package is to be stored, a section for storing the package may be determined in this step. The compartments in which packages are stored may be determined based on the size of the packages. For example, if the size of the parcel is known in advance, then an appropriately sized compartment may be assigned. Also, the user may specify the section in which the luggage is stored. Note that if the server device 100 has previously determined the compartments for storing the packages, the process of determining the compartments may be omitted.
Once the luggage has been stowed, the compartment where the luggage was deposited will be locked.

Also, when taking out the luggage, in this step, based on the authentication result, the compartment where the luggage was deposited is unlocked, and the luggage is taken out.

In step S<b>33 , status data is generated and transmitted to server device 100 . The status data includes information about packages stored in the storage device 400, such as the occupancy status of multiple compartments, the weight of the package, the identifier of the user in use, and the like. The server device 100 that has received the status data reflects the data in the storage device data 102C (step S34).

When the package is taken out in step S33, the server device 100 settles the usage fee in step S35. The usage fee can be determined based on the size of the luggage, the period of deposit, and the like. The billing destination is the user authenticated in step S31. In this step, the usage fee may be billed by communicating with an external device that performs fee settlement. When payment of the usage fee is completed, a usage completion notification is sent to the user terminal 200 .

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the server device 100 determines a preferred dispatch point for the vehicle 300 based on the first area map and the second area map. That is, the location for loading and unloading of luggage is determined based on both the information on the location where parking for loading and unloading of luggage is legally possible and the information on accessibility to the vehicle. As a result, it is possible to dispatch the vehicle 300 to a more suitable point for loading and unloading the baggage.

(Modified example of the first embodiment)
In the first embodiment, information about the presence or absence of a structure separating the sidewalk and the roadway is used as the second area map. It may store information.
For example, a map associated with safety when the user accesses the vehicle, such as heavy traffic in the surrounding area, may be used as the second area map. For example, an area with a traffic volume exceeding a predetermined value and other areas may be represented by a second area map. Also, a map showing the traffic volume for each road segment may be used as the second area map. In this case, the dispatch point may be determined from among the areas (or road segments) where the traffic volume is below a predetermined value. As a result, it is possible to ensure the safety of the user when loading and unloading luggage.

Also, the second area map may be a map associated with convenience when the user accesses the vehicle. For example, a map recording barrier-free information, such as whether or not there is a step between a sidewalk and a roadway, may be used as the second area map. As a result, it is possible to determine the points that should be avoided from being selected as dispatch points.
Also, the second area map may be a map having values obtained by scoring the convenience when the user accesses the vehicle. For example, points with wider roads and fewer obstacles may be given higher scores.
In this case, in step S132, road segments whose scores satisfy a predetermined threshold may be extracted.

(Second embodiment)
In the first embodiment, a point where there is a guardrail between the sidewalk and the roadway is uniformly treated as a point where luggage cannot be taken in and out. However, depending on the size and weight of the luggage, it may be possible to put in and take out the luggage even if there is a guardrail.
For example, as shown in FIG. 12, when the guardrail is tall, small luggage may be checked in from the side of the vehicle. On the other hand, in such places, it is not desirable to check in large or heavy luggage over the guardrail.

The second embodiment is an embodiment in which the dispatch point of the vehicle is determined further based on the attribute of the package.
In this embodiment, the second area map is further associated with attributes of packages. FIG. 13 is an example of a second area map in the second embodiment. A solid line (reference numeral 1301) in the figure represents a section in which it is difficult to put in and take out packages regardless of the attributes of the packages. A dotted line (reference numeral 1302) in the drawing represents a section in which small packages can be taken in and out. In the second area map according to the second embodiment, the attribute of the load that can be put in and taken out is associated with each road segment in this way.
In the example of FIG. 13, the size of the package is defined in two stages, but the size of the package may be defined in three or more stages.

In the second embodiment, in step S132, the attribute (for example, size and weight) of the package included in the dispatch request is referenced to extract a road segment accessible to the vehicle by the user. As a result, an appropriate dispatch point can be determined for each attribute of the parcel, and user convenience can be enhanced.

(Modification of Second Embodiment)
In the second embodiment, whether or not the user can access the vehicle is represented by the second area map. safety) may be a score map.
For example, if the baggage to be checked in is small or light, some inconvenience of access to the vehicle may be tolerated. On the other hand, if the luggage to be checked in is large or heavy, it is preferable to preferentially select a location that poses fewer obstacles to access the vehicle (a location that is more convenient for access to the vehicle).
Therefore, in step S132, a road segment whose score satisfies a predetermined threshold is extracted, and the threshold is dynamically set based on the attributes of the package as shown in FIG. good.

(Third embodiment)
In the second embodiment, the dispatch point is determined further based on the attribute of the baggage to be deposited. On the other hand, the third embodiment is an embodiment in which the dispatch point is determined based on the attribute of the user who deposits the baggage (hereinafter referred to as user attribute).

For example, it is difficult for a user with a walking disability to assume the posture shown in FIG. 12, and depending on the user attributes, there are cases where the user cannot load and unload luggage in the same way as other users. Therefore, in the third embodiment, the vehicle dispatch request further includes information about the user attribute, and the server device 100 determines the dispatch point of the vehicle based on the user attribute.
Information related to user attributes can be, for example, age, gender, height, presence or absence of a disability (for example, walking disability) of the user, and the like.

The second area map in the third embodiment is, for example, "a map showing points where a user with a walking disability can drop off his or her luggage", a map showing a suitable dispatch point for a user having a predetermined attribute. is. The second area map in the third embodiment may include multiple maps corresponding to multiple user attributes.
In the third embodiment, in steps S132 to S134, a second area map that matches the user attributes is selected, and the dispatch point is determined using the selected second area map. As a result, it is possible to determine the dispatch point that matches the user attribute.

In this example, one map corresponds to one user attribute. There may be a single score map representing
For example, if the user is in a vulnerable position, such as having a disability or being elderly, preferentially select a location that has fewer obstacles to access vehicles (locations that are more convenient to access vehicles). good too.

(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, 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 104... 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)

An information processing device that controls a vehicle that provides a luggage storage service,
A control unit that determines a first point, which is a point where the user using the service loads and unloads the luggage on the vehicle, based on road data that is information about the road on which the vehicle travels,
Information processing equipment. The road data includes first road data describing areas in which the vehicle can stop or park for loading and unloading of the goods, and data relating to the user's convenience in accessing the vehicle. a second road data, including
The information processing device according to claim 1 . The second road data includes the presence or absence of a structure separating the sidewalk and the roadway,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 2. The control unit determines a point where the structure does not exist between the sidewalk and the roadway as the first point,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 3. The second road data includes data identifying a first area having a traffic volume equal to or greater than a predetermined value and a second area other than the first area,
The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4. The control unit selects a point within the second area as the first point,
The information processing device according to claim 5 . The control unit further acquires information about the attributes of baggage to be checked by the user,
determining a point that matches the attributes of the package as the first point;
The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The control unit determines, as the first point, a point at which the user's access to the vehicle is more convenient when the luggage is larger or heavier.
The information processing apparatus according to claim 7. The control unit further acquires information about attributes of the user,
determining a point that matches the attributes of the user as the first point;
The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8. The control unit acquires information about an area where the user wishes to load and unload the baggage, and determines the first point from within the area.
The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9. The control unit generates a command to direct the vehicle to the first point.
The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10. An information processing method executed by an information processing device that controls a vehicle that provides a luggage storage service,
Based on road data, which is information about the road on which the vehicle travels, a first point that is a point where the user using the service loads and unloads the baggage from the vehicle is determined.
Information processing methods. The road data includes first road data describing areas in which the vehicle can stop or park for loading and unloading of the goods, and data relating to the user's convenience in accessing the vehicle. a second road data, including
The information processing method according to claim 12. further obtaining information about attributes of baggage to be checked by the user;
determining a point that matches the attributes of the package as the first point;
The information processing method according to claim 12 or 13. When the luggage is larger or heavier, determining a point at which the user's access to the vehicle is more convenient as the first point;
The information processing method according to claim 14. further obtaining information about attributes of the user;
determining a point that matches the attributes of the user as the first point;
The information processing method according to any one of claims 12 to 15. Obtaining information about an area where the user wishes to load and unload the luggage, and determining the first point from within the area;
The information processing method according to any one of claims 12 to 16. further generating a command to direct the vehicle to the first point;
The information processing method according to any one of claims 12 to 17. An information processing device that controls a vehicle that provides a luggage storage service,
a control unit that determines a first point, which is a point where the user using the service loads and unloads the baggage from the vehicle, based on the attributes of the baggage deposited in the vehicle;
Information processing equipment. The control unit includes first road data describing areas in which the vehicle can stop or park for loading and unloading of the luggage, and data relating to the convenience of the user accessing the vehicle. determining the first point further based on second road data;
The information processing apparatus according to claim 19.

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