JP7295740B2 - Server device, automatic valet parking management system, automatic valet parking management method, program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a server device for managing automatic valet parking, an automatic valet parking management system, an automatic valet parking management method, and a program.

For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-300000 discloses a conventional technology related to automatic valet parking. The vehicle management system of Patent Document 1 is a vehicle management system that automatically drives a vehicle with an automatic driving function in a parking lot to a boarding place, and is a scheduled departure time from the boarding place, which is scheduled to be specified by a predetermined user. Designation acquisition means for acquiring a time; Time calculation means for calculating a time required for a predetermined user's vehicle to arrive at a boarding place; Determining means for determining whether or not a predetermined user's automobile can arrive at a boarding place by the scheduled time based on the scheduled time obtained by the obtaining means and the arrival time calculated by the time calculating means; a proposal means for proposing the arrival time calculated by the time calculation means as the new scheduled time to a predetermined user when it is determined that the arrival time is not reached by the user.

Japanese Patent No. 6179432

In Patent Document 1, the user has to decide the scheduled time, and the user is restricted to the scheduled time determined by himself/herself, which is complicated. In addition, when it is determined that the user's car cannot arrive at the boarding place by the scheduled time, a new scheduled time is proposed, and the user must confirm the new scheduled time and is further constrained by the new scheduled time. It was complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a server device that reduces the complexity of leaving a parking space in automatic valet parking.

A server device of the present invention includes a movement control section, an extraction section, and a feedback control section. The movement control unit, when receiving a request including the ID of any of the automatically driven vehicles parked in the parking space, performs control to move the automatically driven vehicle to a waiting space located between the parking space and the boarding/disembarking area. Execute, and store the waiting start time in the waiting space in a predetermined storage area in association with the ID. When the extraction unit receives fullness information indicating whether or not the waiting space is full, and the fullness information indicates fullness, among the automatically driving cars parked in the waiting space, A predetermined number of automatic driving vehicles are extracted in order from the one with the oldest waiting start time. The return control unit executes control to return the extracted automatic driving vehicle from the waiting space to the parking space.

According to the server device of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the complexity at the time of leaving the garage in automatic valet parking.

1 is a conceptual diagram of a parking lot controlled by the automatic valet parking management system of Embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the device configuration of the automatic valet parking management system of Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the server device according to the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the movement control operation of the server device of the first embodiment; 4 is a diagram showing an example of a database stored by the server device of the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a feedback control operation of the server device according to the first embodiment; The figure which shows the functional structural example of a computer.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. Components having the same function are given the same number, and redundant description is omitted.

FIG. 1 shows a conceptual diagram of a parking lot controlled by the automatic valet parking management system of the first embodiment. As shown in the figure, the parking lot to be controlled includes a parking space 91, a boarding/alighting space 92, a waiting space 93 located between the parking space 91 and the boarding/alighting space 92, and a waiting space 93 extending from the parking space 91 to the waiting space 93. A route 94 and a route 96 from the waiting space 93 to the public road 95 are included. The boarding point 92 is in the middle of the route 96 .

Since FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram, the corresponding parking lot is not limited to the positional relationship, scale, and shape shown in FIG. For example, the routes 94 and 96 do not necessarily have to be straight roadways. If the parking lot is a self-propelled multistory parking lot, the paths 94 and 96 may be slopes connecting the floors.

Further, each of the routes 94 and 96 may consist of a plurality of roadways. For example, the parking space 91 may consist of a plurality of areas, and the route 94 may consist of a plurality of lanes connecting each area constituting the parking space 91 to the waiting space 93 . Alternatively, the waiting space 93 may consist of a plurality of areas, and the route 94 may consist of a plurality of roads connecting each area constituting the waiting space 93 and the parking space 91 . Path 96 is similar. For example, the route 96 may consist of a plurality of roadways leading from the waiting space 93 to the public road 95 (or the platform 92).

In FIG. 1, the parking space 91 is arranged on the east side of the waiting space 93, but the parking space 91 can be arranged on the north side of the waiting space 93 and connected by a route 94, for example, without being bound by the positional relationship in the figure. may Each area of the parking lot will be explained below.

<Parking Space 91>
The parking space 91 is a space for parking the self-driving vehicle 8 . The user gets off the automatic driving vehicle 8 at the boarding/alighting place 92 , and thereafter the automatic driving vehicle 8 automatically travels in an unmanned state to reach the parking space 91 and park in any vehicle compartment within the parking space 91 . Details of the automatic driving control are omitted. In this system, the location of the parking space 91 does not affect the user's convenience, so the parking space 91 may be located away from the platform 92 .

<Boarding area 92>
The boarding/alighting place 92 is a place for the user to get off the automatic driving vehicle 8 and board the automatic driving vehicle 8 . The automatic driving car 8 automatically travels from the boarding/alighting place 92 to the parking space 91 in an unmanned state. Further, the automatic driving vehicle 8 automatically travels in an unmanned state from the waiting space 93 or the parking space 91 to the boarding/alighting hall 92 in response to a request from the user, and waits for the user to board the vehicle at the boarding/alighting hall 92 .

<Waiting Space 93>
The waiting space 93 is a space for the automatically driven vehicle 8 waiting for delivery to temporarily wait. As described above, the waiting space 93 is located between the parking space 91 and the platform 92 . That is, the waiting space 93 is closer to the boarding/alighting area 92 than the parking space 91 is. Thereby, the time required to go from the waiting space 93 to the boarding/alighting place 92 is shorter than the time required to go to the boarding/alighting place 92 from the parking space 91 .

<Route 94>
The route 94 consists of one or more roads connecting the parking space 91 and the waiting space 93 . Let T be the time required for returning from the waiting space 93 to the parking space 91 by automatic driving control, and the number of automatically driving cars 8 heading from the parking space 91 to the waiting space 93 on the route 94 per time T is the first vehicle traffic. Define the quantity R.

<Route 96>
The route 96 consists of one or more roads connecting the waiting space 93 and the public road 95 . A second vehicle traffic volume Q is defined as the number of automatically driven vehicles 8 that travel from the waiting space 93 to the public road 95 per time T on the route 96 .

<Automatic valet parking management system 1>
As shown in FIG. 2, the automatic valet parking management system 1 of this embodiment includes an automatic driving vehicle 8, a server device 11, a user terminal 12, a fullness detector 13, and a first vehicle traffic flow measuring device. 14 and a second vehicle traffic measurement device 15 . Each device will be described below.

<Self-driving car 8>
The automatic driving vehicle 8 is a vehicle having an automatic driving control function. In accordance with instructions from the server device 11 to which the user terminal 12 has given authority, the vehicle can automatically drive and park in the parking lot.

<Server Device 11>
The server device 11 is a device that performs main control in the automated valet parking management system 1 of this embodiment. The server device 11 can be managed by, for example, a parking lot manager.

<User terminal 12>
The user terminal 12 is a terminal carried by a user. The user uses the user terminal 12 to communicate with the server device 11 to request the automatic driving vehicle 8 to move to the waiting space 93 and to move from the waiting space 93 to the boarding/alighting hall 92 . It also receives a notification (first notification) regarding movement to the waiting space 93 from the server device 11 and a notification (second notification) regarding returning from the waiting space 93 to the parking space 91 .

<Empty state detection device 13>
The fullness detection device 13 is a device that detects the fullness of the waiting space 93 and acquires fullness information indicating whether or not the waiting space 93 is full. For example, the fullness detection device 13 may be realized by a device group consisting of a vehicle interior sensor installed in each vehicle interior of the waiting space 93 and a microcomputer that collectively analyzes the output from each vehicle interior sensor. Further, for example, the fullness detection device 13 may be realized by a device group consisting of a microcomputer equipped with an image processing algorithm that analyzes a camera that captures the waiting space 93 and a camera image and detects a vehicle.

<First vehicle traffic measurement device 14>
The first vehicle traffic volume measuring device 14 is a device that measures a first vehicle traffic volume R, which is the number of automatically driven vehicles 8 participating per time T on the route 94 . The first vehicle traffic measurement device 14 may be realized by a device group consisting of a camera that captures the route 94 and a microcomputer equipped with an image processing algorithm that analyzes the camera image and detects a vehicle.

<Second vehicle traffic measurement device 15>
The second vehicle traffic volume measuring device 15 is a device that measures a second vehicle traffic volume Q, which is the number of automatically driven vehicles 8 participating per time T on the route 96 . The second vehicle traffic measurement device 15 may be realized by a device group consisting of a camera that captures the route 96 and a microcomputer equipped with an image processing algorithm that analyzes the camera image and detects a vehicle.

<Details of Server Apparatus 11>
As shown in FIG. 3, the server device 11 of this embodiment includes a request receiving unit 111, a movement control unit 112, a first notification transmission unit 113, an extraction unit 114, a feedback control unit 115, a second notification It includes a transmitter 116 and a database 110 . The operation of each component will be described below.

<Request Receiving Unit 111>
The request receiving unit 111 receives a vehicle movement request from the user terminal 12 (S111). The vehicle movement request is a request by the user to move the self-driving vehicle 8 to the waiting space 93 near the boarding/alighting hall 92, and includes at least the terminal ID and the self-driving vehicle ID. The request receiving unit 111 registers and stores, as a new entry in the database 110, a set of the terminal ID and the automatic driving vehicle ID included in the received vehicle movement request. An example of entries stored in database 110 is shown in FIG.

The situation that triggers step S111 is, for example, a situation in which the user is shopping at a nearby commercial facility or an adjoining commercial facility, and when the user thinks that it is about time to leave this commercial facility, the vehicle For example, a situation that generates and sends a move request. At this time, the user does not need to make a clear reservation for the leaving time of the self-driving vehicle 8, so it is not complicated. When the user transmits a vehicle movement request via the user terminal 12, the corresponding automatic driving vehicle 8 promptly moves to the standby space 93 (described later).

<Movement control unit 112>
The movement control unit 112 executes control to move the autonomous vehicle 8 corresponding to the autonomous vehicle ID included in the vehicle movement request to the waiting space 93, associates the waiting start time in the waiting space 93 with the ID, and stores the data in the database 110. (S112).

For example, in the example shown in FIG. 5, the automatic driving vehicle 8 corresponding to the automatic driving vehicle ID: AVLS-486-xxx included in the vehicle movement request received from the user terminal 12 with the terminal ID: 68154-xxxx-ooooo is placed in the standby space. The control to move to 93 is executed, and the waiting start time 15:06:15 in the waiting space 93 is recorded in the entry of the database 110 .

<First notification transmission unit 113>
The first notification transmitting unit 113 transmits a first notification of completion of movement to the waiting space 93 to the user terminal 12 that has issued the vehicle movement request (S113).

The user who browses the first notification via the user terminal 12 is informed that his/her self-driving car 8 is already waiting in the waiting space 93, and how long his/her self-driving car 8 can wait in the waiting space 93 (clearly We can act with that in mind, which is limited (although not dictated by the

<Extraction unit 114>
Prior to execution of step S114, the extracting unit 114 receives the fullness information from the fullness detection device 13, receives the first vehicle traffic volume R from the first vehicle traffic volume measuring device 14, and receives the second vehicle traffic volume A second vehicle traffic volume Q is received from the measuring device 15 .

When the fullness information indicates fullness, the extracting unit 114 extracts a predetermined number of self-driving cars among the self-driving cars parked in the waiting space in order from the one with the oldest waiting start time (S114 ). A detailed operation example after step S114 will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in the figure, the extracting unit 114 extracts when the fullness information indicates fullness (conditional branching: full?→Y) and R>Q (conditional branching: R>Q→ Y), of the automatically driven cars 8 parked in the waiting space 93, the number of automatically driven cars 8 based on R-Q+1 is extracted in order from the one with the oldest standby start time (S114A).

In addition, the extraction unit 114, when the fullness information indicates fullness (conditional branching: full?→Y) and not R>Q (conditional branching: R>Q→N), the waiting start time is The oldest single automatic driving vehicle 8 is extracted (S114B).

<Feedback control unit 115>
The return control unit 115 executes control to return the automatically driven vehicle 8 extracted in step S114 from the waiting space 93 to the parking space 91, and stores the return time to the parking space 91 in the database 110 in association with the ID. (S115).

For example, in the example shown in FIG. 5, the automatic driving vehicle 8 corresponding to the automatic driving vehicle ID: AVLS-486-xxx included in the vehicle movement request received from the user terminal 12 with the terminal ID: 68154-xxxx-ooooo is placed in the standby space. The control to return to the parking space 91 from 93 is executed, and the return time to the parking space 91 of 15:27:49 is recorded in the entry of the database 110 . Therefore, in this example, it can be seen that the relevant automatic driving vehicle 8 stayed in the waiting space 93 for a little over 20 minutes.

The possible waiting time in the waiting space 93 depends on how crowded the waiting space 93 is. If there is a vacant vehicle in the waiting space 93 (conditional branching: full?→N→end), the user's self-driving car 8 can stay in the waiting space 93, and the user can enjoy shopping during that time. can. When the waiting space 93 is full (conditional branching: full?→Y), the user's self-driving vehicle 8 cannot stay in the waiting space 93 for a long time. In this case, the server device 11 may execute step S<b>115 without notifying the user in advance and return the corresponding automatic driving vehicle 8 from the waiting space 93 to the parking space 91 . In this case, the user is notified to that effect after the fact (described later).

<Second notification transmission unit 116>
The second notification transmission unit 116 transmits a second notification of completion of returning to the parking space 91 to the user terminal 12 corresponding to the self-driving vehicle 8 that has executed the return control (S116).

When the second notification is received, the user can generate and transmit the vehicle movement request again via the user terminal 12 or the like, if necessary. In this case, the user will not be aware of the disadvantages of fuel consumption due to the automatic driving car 8 going back and forth between the waiting space 93 and the parking space 91, When the user calls to the boarding/alighting area 92, the self-driving vehicle 8 may not come back for a long time, and there is a possibility that a demerit such as taking extra time may occur. However, even if the above disadvantages are taken into account, the system is not convenient for the user in the sense that the user can call the self-driving car 8 near the boarding/alighting area 92 for the time being without making a clear reservation for the departure time. expensive. Also, the waiting space 93 is closer to the boarding/alighting place 92 than the parking space 91 is. As a result, the time required for the automatic driving vehicle 8 to move from the waiting space 93 to the boarding/alighting place 92 is shortened and is likely to be within the user's allowable range. Therefore, according to this system, there is a high possibility that the frustration felt by the user when waiting for delivery can be reduced.

<Addendum>
The apparatus of the present invention includes, for example, a single hardware entity, which includes an input unit to which a keyboard can be connected, an output unit to which a liquid crystal display can be connected, and a communication device (for example, a communication cable) capable of communicating with the outside of the hardware entity. can be connected to the communication unit, CPU (Central Processing Unit, which may include cache memory, registers, etc.), memory RAM and ROM, external storage device such as hard disk, input unit, output unit, communication unit , a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and a bus for connecting data to and from an external storage device. Also, if necessary, the hardware entity may be provided with a device (drive) capable of reading and writing a recording medium such as a CD-ROM. A physical entity with such hardware resources includes a general purpose computer.

The external storage device of the hardware entity stores the programs necessary for realizing the functions described above and the data required for the processing of these programs (not limited to the external storage device; It may be stored in a ROM, which is a dedicated storage device). Data obtained by processing these programs are appropriately stored in a RAM, an external storage device, or the like.

In the hardware entity, each program stored in an external storage device (or ROM, etc.) and the data necessary for processing each program are read into the memory as needed, and interpreted, executed and processed by the CPU as appropriate. . As a result, the CPU realizes a predetermined function (each component expressed as above, . . . unit, . . . means, etc.).

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the scope of the present invention. Further, the processes described in the above embodiments are not only executed in chronological order according to the described order, but may also be executed in parallel or individually according to the processing capacity of the device that executes the processes or as necessary. .

As described above, when the processing functions of the hardware entity (apparatus of the present invention) described in the above embodiments are implemented by a computer, the processing contents of the functions that the hardware entity should have are described by a program. By executing this program on a computer, the processing functions of the hardware entity are realized on the computer.

The above-described various processes can be performed by loading a program for executing each step of the above method into the recording unit 10020 of the computer shown in FIG. .

A program describing the contents of this processing can be recorded in a computer-readable recording medium. Any computer-readable recording medium may be used, for example, a magnetic recording device, an optical disk, a magneto-optical recording medium, a semiconductor memory, or the like. Specifically, for example, magnetic recording devices include hard disk devices, flexible discs, and magnetic tapes, and optical discs include DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs), DVD-RAMs (Random Access Memory), CD-ROMs (Compact Disc Read Only). Memory), CD-R (Recordable) / RW (Rewritable), etc. as magneto-optical recording media, MO (Magneto-Optical disc) etc., as semiconductor memory EEP-ROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable-Read Only Memory) etc. can be used.

Also, the distribution of this program is carried out by selling, assigning, lending, etc. portable recording media such as DVDs and CD-ROMs on which the program is recorded. Further, the program may be distributed by storing the program in the storage device of the server computer and transferring the program from the server computer to other computers via the network.

A computer that executes such a program, for example, first stores the program recorded on a portable recording medium or the program transferred from the server computer once in its own storage device. Then, when executing the process, this computer reads the program stored in its own recording medium and executes the process according to the read program. Also, as another execution form of this program, the computer may read the program directly from a portable recording medium and execute processing according to the program, and the program is transferred from the server computer to this computer. Each time, the processing according to the received program may be executed sequentially. In addition, the above processing is executed by a so-called ASP (Application Service Provider) type service, which does not transfer the program from the server computer to this computer, and realizes the processing function only by the execution instruction and result acquisition. may be It should be noted that the program in this embodiment includes information that is used for processing by a computer and that conforms to the program (data that is not a direct instruction to the computer but has the property of prescribing the processing of the computer, etc.).

Moreover, in this embodiment, the hardware entity is configured by executing a predetermined program on the computer, but at least part of these processing contents may be implemented by hardware.

Claims (9)

when receiving a request including the ID of any of the automatically driven vehicles parked in the parking space, executing control to move the automatically driven vehicle to a waiting space located between the parking space and the boarding/alighting hall; a movement control unit that associates the waiting start time in the waiting space with the ID and stores it in a predetermined storage area;
When receiving fullness information indicating whether or not the waiting space is full, and when the fullness information indicates fullness, among the self-driving cars parked in the waiting space, an extraction unit that extracts a predetermined number of the automatic driving vehicles in order from the one with the oldest waiting start time;
A server device including a return control unit that executes control to return the extracted automatic driving vehicle from the waiting space to the parking space. The server device according to claim 1,
Let T be the time required to return from the waiting space to the parking space,
The extractor is
A first vehicle traffic volume R, which is the number of appearances of the automated driving vehicle per time T on the route from the parking space to the waiting space, and the number of the automated driving vehicles per time T on the route from the waiting space to the public road. When the second vehicle traffic volume Q, which is the number of participating vehicles, is received, and the fullness information indicates fullness, and when R>Q, the number of the automatic driving vehicles parked in the waiting space A server device that extracts the number of the automatic driving vehicles based on R−Q+1 in order from the one with the oldest waiting start time. The server device according to claim 2,
The extractor is
A server device that extracts one of the self-driving vehicles with the oldest waiting start time when the fullness information indicates fullness and R>Q is not satisfied. The server device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A server device comprising a first notification transmission unit that transmits a first notification notifying completion of movement to the waiting space to the user terminal that transmitted the request. An automatic valet parking management system including a fullness detection device and a server device,
The full-empty state detection device is
Transmitting fullness information indicating whether or not the waiting space located between the parking space and the boarding area is full,
The server device
When receiving a request including the ID of any of the automatically driving vehicles parked in the parking space, control is executed to move the automatically driving vehicle to the waiting space, and the waiting start time in the waiting space is set to the above a movement control unit that associates with an ID and stores it in a predetermined storage area;
When the fullness information is received and the fullness information indicates fullness, among the self-driving cars parked in the waiting space, the one with the oldest waiting start time is predetermined. an extraction unit that extracts the number of the automatic driving vehicles;
An automatic valet parking management system including a return control unit that executes control to return the extracted automatically driven vehicle from the waiting space to the parking space. An automated valet parking management system according to claim 5, wherein
further comprising a first vehicle traffic measurement device and a second vehicle traffic measurement device;
Let T be the time required to return from the waiting space to the parking space,
The first vehicle traffic measurement device,
Measure and transmit a first vehicle traffic volume R, which is the number of vehicles participating in the automated driving vehicle per time T on a route from the parking space to the waiting space,
The second vehicle traffic measurement device,
Measure and transmit a second vehicle traffic Q, which is the number of vehicles participating in the automated driving vehicle per time T on the route from the waiting space to the public road,
The extractor is
When the first vehicle traffic volume R and the second vehicle traffic volume Q are received and the fullness information indicates that the vehicle is full and R>Q, the vehicle is parked in the waiting space. automatic valet parking management system for extracting a number of the automatically driven vehicles based on R-Q+1 in order from the oldest one with the oldest waiting start time among the automatically driven vehicles. An automated valet parking management system according to claim 6, comprising:
The extractor is
An automated valet parking management system for extracting one of the automated vehicles having the oldest waiting start time when the full/empty information indicates full and not R>Q. when receiving a request including the ID of any of the automatically driven vehicles parked in the parking space, executing control to move the automatically driven vehicle to a waiting space located between the parking space and the boarding/alighting hall; a step of linking the waiting start time in the waiting space with the ID and storing it in a predetermined storage area;
When receiving fullness information indicating whether or not the waiting space is full, and when the fullness information indicates fullness, among the self-driving cars parked in the waiting space, A step of extracting a predetermined number of the automatic driving vehicles in order from the one with the oldest standby start time;
An automated valet parking management method, comprising: executing control to return the extracted automated driving vehicle from the waiting space to the parking space. A program that causes a computer to function as the server device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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