Route acquisition system, route acquisition method, and route acquisition program

Abstract

This route acquisition system includes: a plurality of marks for identifying installation positions, the plurality of marks being provided at different positions in a travel passage or on a stationary object in the vicinity of the travel passage; a sensor that is mounted on a moving body and reads the marks; and a route acquisition device that, on the basis of the result of reading by the sensor, detects a passing position and a passing time of the moving body and acquires the travel route of the moving body.

Description

Route acquisition system, route acquisition method, and route acquisition program

[0001] The disclosed technology relates to a route acquisition system, a route acquisition method, and a route acquisition program.

[0002] In recent years, the accuracy of satellite-based positioning such as GPS (Global Positioning System) has improved, but it has not yet reached the level of accuracy required to accurately identify a vehicle's driving lane. Accurate identification of driving lanes is required for autonomous driving and vehicle fleet control.

[0003] Furthermore, positioning of moving objects (people, vehicles, robots, carts, trolleys, etc.) inside buildings becomes more difficult because the accuracy is further reduced by reflections and echoes of communications with satellites.

[0004] To address these issues, various devices are being considered for use in determining the position of mobile objects within buildings.Devices used for determining the position of mobile objects within buildings can be broadly divided into external sensor systems, in which a positioning system is built into the building itself, and internal sensor systems, in which sensors are installed on the mobile object itself.

[0005] In the external sensor method, for example, there are attempts to detect the presence of moving objects by installing a large number of infrared sensors in a mesh pattern on the ceiling and calculate their movement lines (for example, Non-Patent Document 1). Since people need to be heat sources, people are the main target of moving objects.

[0006] There is also a method in which a beacon is used to transmit a Bluetooth (registered trademark) signal, and location information is detected by a receiving terminal such as a smartphone (for example, Non-Patent Document 2).

[0007] Furthermore, the internal sensor method includes a method that uses LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), but this is expensive and requires a large amount of processing power, and requires a prior scan of the structure inside the building, which is affected by slight layout changes or the installation of obstacles, and requires the vehicle to operate at a reduced speed.

[0008] For example, there are methods that use infrared sensors or magnetic sensors, and there are also methods that use infrared sensors to infer the behavior of a moving object (Non-Patent Document 3).

[0009] Hitachi Solutions, Ltd., "Enlighted's IoT Solutions," Internet search <URL: https: / / www.hitachi-solutions.co.jp / enlighted / >; indoor positioning system "Quuppa," Internet search <URL: https: / / www.panasonic.com / jp / business / its / dousen.html>; Toshiro Yamada et al., "Indoor Traffic Measurement Using Optical Mouse Sensors," Internet search <URL: https: / / www.interaction-ipsj.org / proceedings / 2014 / data / 20140220 / B3-4.pdf>

[0010] The technology described in Non-Patent Document 1 has issues such as the need for multiple sensors because the coverage area of ​​a single infrared sensor is narrow, the fact that it can only target heat sources, and the difficulty of tracking the same person's path across sensors, so it needs to be used in conjunction with beacons, etc. (see Non-Patent Document 1).

[0011] For example, there have been attempts to use cameras to recognize individual people, detect not only movement within the video but also movement between images from multiple cameras, and calculate a series of movement paths within a building. However, this requires a large number of cameras, and there are issues with the high communication and processing costs required for video analysis.

[0012] The technology described in Non-Patent Document 2 has problems such as being subject to radio wave reflection and interference, making the system expensive, and the height of the ceiling where the beacon base unit is installed affecting the effective range.

[0013] The technique described in Non-Patent Document 3 has problems with accuracy, such as the need to use it in conjunction with map matching.

[0014] The disclosed technology has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims to provide a route acquisition system, a route acquisition method, and a route acquisition program that can acquire the movement route of a moving object with a simple configuration and high accuracy.

[0015] A first aspect of the present disclosure is a route acquisition system including a plurality of marks for identifying installation positions, which are provided on a path along which a mobile body can move or on different positions on stationary objects around the path, a sensor mounted on the mobile body for reading the marks, and a route acquisition device that detects the position and time of passage of the mobile body based on the results read by the sensor, and acquires a route representing the trajectory of movement of the mobile body.

[0016] A second aspect of the present disclosure is a route acquisition system including: a mark provided on a moving body for identifying the moving body; a plurality of sensors for reading the mark, provided at different positions on a path along which the moving body can move or on stationary objects around the path; and a route acquisition device that detects the position and time of passage of the moving body based on the results read by the plurality of sensors, and acquires a route representing the trajectory of movement of the moving body.

[0017] A third aspect of the present disclosure is a route acquisition method in a route acquisition system including a plurality of marks for identifying installation positions, which are provided on a moving path along which a moving body can move or on different positions on stationary objects around the moving path, and a sensor mounted on the moving body for reading the marks, in which a computer executes a process to detect the passing position and passing time of the moving body based on the results read by the sensor, and acquire a moving route representing the trajectory of the moving body.

[0018] A fourth aspect of the present disclosure is a route acquisition method in a route acquisition system including a mark provided on a moving body for identifying the moving body, and a plurality of sensors for reading the mark, provided at different positions on a moving path along which the moving body can move or on stationary objects around the moving path, in which a computer executes a process to detect the passing position and time of the moving body based on the results read by the plurality of sensors, and acquire a moving route representing the trajectory of the moving body.

[0019] A fifth aspect of the present disclosure is a route acquisition program for causing a computer to function as a route acquisition device of the route acquisition system of the first or second aspect.

[0020] According to the disclosed technology, it is possible to acquire the movement path of a moving object with high accuracy using a simple configuration.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a route acquisition system according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which a moving object passes over a mark. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a mark. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of sensor installation. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a data acquisition device. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the route acquisition device. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the route acquisition device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of passage determination processing performed by the route acquisition device. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the flow of route acquisition processing performed by the route acquisition device. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of correction by inserting a travel passage log. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of visualizing a travel route. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example in which a moving object is equipped with multiple sensors. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the configuration of a route acquisition system according to a second embodiment. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a state in which a moving object passes over a sensor. FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the route acquisition device according to the second embodiment.

[0022] An example of an embodiment of the disclosed technology will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the same or equivalent components and parts in each drawing are given the same reference numerals. Also, the dimensional proportions in the drawings are exaggerated for the convenience of explanation and may differ from the actual proportions.

[0023] [First embodiment] As shown in FIG. 1 , a route acquisition system 10 according to the first embodiment includes a plurality of marks 40 for identifying installation positions, which are provided at different positions on a travel path along which a mobile object can travel, a mobile object 20 equipped with sensors 22 that read the plurality of marks 40, a data acquisition device 24 connected to each sensor 22, and a route acquisition device 100 that detects the positions and times at which the mobile object 20 passes based on the results read by the sensors 22, and acquires a travel route that represents the trajectory of the mobile object.

[0024] In this embodiment, a case will be described in which a store cart is used as an example of the mobile body 20. For simplicity, Fig. 1 shows an example in which two mobile bodies 20 are provided, but three or more mobile bodies 20 may be provided.

[0025] Each sensor 22 is connected to a data acquisition device 24. The data acquisition device 24 and the path acquisition device 100 are connected via a network N such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet.

[0026] The sensor 22 may be configured to include, for example, a transmitter that emits a signal to the ground and a receiver that receives the signal reflected from the ground. By regarding the sensor 22 as a single transmitter and receiver, transmission and reception may be realized by a single device.

[0027] An example of the transmitter and receiver is an LED (Light Emitting Diode) and a phototransistor. In this case, white light is emitted from the LED, and the reflected wave from the floor is received by the phototransistor. The intensity of the reflected wave varies depending on the color of the floor. The whiter (brighter) the floor color, the stronger the reflected wave. The blacker (darker) the floor color, the more light is absorbed, and the weaker the reflected wave. Therefore, if the mark 40 is a black and white marking as shown in FIG. 1, the mark 40 can be read using an LED and a phototransistor.

[0028] Although the sensor 22 has been described as being configured using a transmitter and a receiver, the present invention is not limited to this and other sensors may be used. For example, a color sensor may be used to distinguish color instead of black and white, or an ultrasonic sensor or laser distance sensor may be used to measure the distance to the mark 40.

[0029] The mark 40 is, for example, a coded version of a character string written on the ground. The mark 40 may be a marking made directly on the floor, or colored tape or the like may be attached, or the mark 40 may have an uneven surface. In other words, if the mark 40 is to be read by distinguishing the color, a mark 40 that can be read by coloring may be used, and if the mark 40 is to be read by distinguishing the distance, a mark 40 with an uneven surface may be used.

[0030] In this embodiment, a black and white marking will be used as an example of the mark 40. As shown in FIG. 2, a binary number is expressed by white and black markings. The installation position of the mark 40 is expressed by a combination of these binary numbers. In the example of FIG. 2, 0 is white and 1 is black, but the binary number may also be expressed by the width of a line. FIG. 2 shows an example in which the sensor 22 reads the mark 40 when the moving object 20 passes over the mark 40 that represents "0101" and "0010" indicating "5-2." FIG. 2 also shows an example in which another marking (for example, a thin black marking) indicating the start of measurement is applied to the beginning and end of the mark 40.

[0031] When trying to express two numbers such as "5-2", the code becomes long and it is necessary to identify the boundary between the two numbers, so a unique value may be used. For example, expressing the two numbers "5-8" requires eight digits in binary, but the unique value "40" can be expressed using six digits (101000).

[0032] Also, a direction discrimination code may be assigned to determine from which direction the mark 40 was passed (see FIG. 3). In the example of FIG. 3, a direction discrimination code is used in which the number of lines indicating the start of the mark 40 is one (binary "1") on one side and two (binary "101") on the other side. Note that a direction discrimination code of a different color may also be used. With this direction discrimination code, it is possible to determine whether the mark 40 has been passed over only partway and the person has returned to the direction from which they came.

[0033] Furthermore, the moving speed of the moving object 20 passing the mark 40 and the angle of incidence with respect to the mark 40 may also be taken into consideration. For example, the identification frequency of the mark 40 differs depending on whether the moving speed is 10 km / h or 30 km / h, and whether the object moves straight or enters at an angle, so the mark 40 representing 0101 may be read as "0000111100001111" or "00110011." For this reason, a process may be added in which the number of times the value changes between 0 and 1 is counted to determine "0101."

[0034] Furthermore, a system may be adopted in which the combination of marks 40 is taken into consideration, and the installation location and movement direction can be uniquely identified using only the read marks 40, without using the direction discrimination code.

[0035] The marks 40 may be placed in units within a building where it is desired to determine the route of movement or the length of stay, as shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 4 shows an example in which the marks 40 are placed in locations within the building other than the backyard or the loading entrance.

[0036] Furthermore, the mark 40 is not limited to being static (such as a black and white marking) but may be dynamic. The sensor 22 may recognize dynamic information accordingly. For example, the mark 40 functions as a mark by emitting sound waves of a specific frequency or light of a specific color, and the frequency and color for each location are stored in the mark information database 114 and made available for comparison. The sensor 22 detects these frequencies and colors, or additionally their signal strengths, and compares them with the mark information database 114 to identify the location.

[0037] The data acquisition device 24 is a computer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, and functionally includes a data acquisition unit 30 and a communication unit 32, as shown in FIG. 5 .

[0038] The data acquisition unit 30 acquires the code (for example, a binary number) represented by the mark 40 based on the output of the sensor 22 .

[0039] The communication unit 32 transmits the code acquired by the data acquisition unit 30 to the route acquisition device 100 as sensor detection information, together with a sensor ID for identifying the sensor 22 and the time when the mark 40 was read.

[0040] Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the route acquisition device 100 of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 6, the route acquisition device 100 has a CPU 11, a ROM 12, a RAM 13, a storage 14, an input unit 15, a display unit 16, and a communication interface (I / F) 17. Each component is connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via a bus 19. The route acquisition device 100 is, for example, a server.

[0041] The CPU 11 is a central processing unit that executes various programs and controls each component. That is, the CPU 11 reads programs from the ROM 12 or the storage 14 and executes the programs using the RAM 13 as a work area. The CPU 11 controls the above components and performs various arithmetic processing in accordance with the programs stored in the ROM 12 or the storage 14. In this embodiment, the ROM 12 or the storage 14 stores a route acquisition program.

[0042] The ROM 12 stores various programs and various data. The RAM 13 temporarily stores programs or data as a working area. The storage 14 is configured by a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive), and stores various programs including an operating system and various data.

[0043] The input unit 15 includes a pointing device such as a mouse and a keyboard, and is used to input various types of information.

[0044] The display unit 16 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, and displays various information. The display unit 16 may be a touch panel type and function as the input unit 15.

[0045] The communication interface 17 is an interface for communicating with other devices such as terminals, etc. For this communication, for example, a wired communication standard such as Ethernet (registered trademark) or FDDI, or a wireless communication standard such as 4G, 5G, or Wi-Fi (registered trademark) is used.

[0046] Next, a description will be given of each functional configuration of the route acquisition device 100. Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the route acquisition device 100 of this embodiment. Each functional configuration is realized by the CPU 11 reading out a route acquisition program stored in the ROM 12 or the storage 14, expanding it in the RAM 13, and executing it.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 7 , the route acquisition device 100 is configured to include a passage determination unit 102, a route analysis unit 104, a stay time calculation unit 106, a sensor information storage unit 108, a user information database (DB) 110, a mobile object database (DB) 112, and a print information database (DB) 114.

[0048] The sensor information storage unit 108 stores the sensor detection information received from each data acquisition device 24, which is a combination of a sensor ID, a code, and a time.

[0049] A user information database (DB) 110 stores a combination of user IDs and various personal information, which are prepared in advance as user information.

[0050] The mobile object database (DB) 112 stores combinations of mobile object IDs and sensor IDs, which are prepared in advance as mobile object information.

[0051] The mark information database (DB) 114 stores information on the placement position of the mark 40, which is code information prepared in advance, and a code expressed by the mark 40 (for example, a binary code).

[0052] The passage determination unit 102 detects the passage position and passage time of the moving object 20 based on the sensor detection information stored in the sensor information storage unit 108, and acquires the movement route of the moving object 20. The passage determination unit 102 may detect the movement direction of the moving object 20 based on the sensor detection information stored in the sensor information storage unit 108.

[0053] Specifically, the passage determination unit 102 receives as input a binary code read by the sensor 22 when it passes over the mark 40, which is included in the sensor detection information, and converts it into a code representing the installation position and movement direction. The passage determination unit 102 also references the mobile object DB 112 to replace the sensor ID included in the sensor detection information with a mobile object ID. The passage determination unit 102 also references the mark information DB 114 to replace the code representing the installation position with the installation position. The passage determination unit 102 also links the replaced mobile object ID to the user ID of the user operating the mobile object ID. The user ID of the user operating the mobile object ID can be obtained, for example, from a mobile object-mounted device into which a prepaid card linked to personal information is inserted.

[0054] The passage determination unit 102 generates a moving object passage log including a moving object ID, a user ID, an installation position, a moving direction, and a passage time.

[0055] The route analysis unit 104 sorts the generated mobile object passage logs in chronological order as a history for the same user, and acquires the mobile object passage logs arranged in chronological order as the travel route of the user.

[0056] At this time, it is possible to identify locations where impossible installation positions have been passed in succession, such as where the mark 40 has failed to be read, estimate the movement route between them, and make corrections by inserting the movement passage log.

[0057] The staying time calculation unit 106 acquires the staying time between the passing positions of the mobile body 20 based on the detection results of the passing positions and the passing times of the mobile body 20. Specifically, the staying time calculation unit 106 calculates the staying time between the installation positions from the difference in the passing times based on the mobile body passing log of the user arranged in chronological order. At this time, if the same installation position is passed consecutively, the moving direction can be used to determine that the user passed the same installation position in the opposite direction, and the staying time calculation unit 106 may calculate the staying time at the installation position.

[0058] Next, the operation of the route acquisition system 10 will be described.

[0059] Each time the moving object 20 passes over the mark 40, the sensor 22 reads the mark 40, and the data acquisition unit 30 of the data acquisition device 24 acquires the code represented by the mark 40 based on the output of the sensor 22. The communication unit 32 transmits the code acquired by the data acquisition unit 30 to the route acquisition device 100 as sensor detection information, together with a sensor ID that identifies the sensor 22 and the time when the mark 40 was read.

[0060] The route acquisition device 100 stores the sensor detection information received from the data acquisition device 24 in the sensor information storage unit 108 .

[0061] 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of the passage determination process by the route acquisition device 100. The CPU 11 reads out a route acquisition program from the ROM 12 or the storage 14, deploys it in the RAM 13, and executes it to perform the passage determination process. The passage determination process is an example of a route acquisition method. The route acquisition device 100 receives, as input, sensor detection information to be processed from the sensor information storage unit 108, and performs the following processes.

[0062] In step S100, the CPU 11 functions as the passage determination unit 102 to acquire sensor detection information to be processed from the sensor information storage unit 108. For example, the following sensor detection information is acquired.

[0063] Sensor ID: XXX Binary number: 1 0011001100001100 101 Passing time: 20240305 11:10:13

[0064] In the above example, the passing time is the time when the mark 40 is read to the end.

[0065] In step S102, the CPU 11, functioning as the passage determination unit 102, receives as input the binary code read by the sensor 22 when it passes over the mark 40, which is included in the acquired sensor detection information to be processed, and converts it into a code representing the installation position and movement direction. An example of the data obtained in step S102 is shown below.

[0066] Sensor ID: XXX Code: 1 0101010 101 Passing time: 20240305 11:10:13

[0067] The above code shows an example where counting 01 switches results in a digit being missing.

[0068] In step S104, the CPU 11 corrects the code obtained in step S102 based on predetermined code rules as the passage determination unit 102. An example of data obtained in step S104 is shown below.

[0069] Sensor ID: XXX Code: 01010010 Direction of movement: 1 Passing time: 20240305 11:10:13

[0070] In the above code, since the other values ​​are "00" or "01", this is an example where "0000" is corrected to "00". Also, the direction of movement is determined by extracting the direction discrimination code "1". Note that the order of the codes may be reversed depending on the direction discrimination code.

[0071] In step S106, the CPU 11, functioning as the passage determination unit 102, replaces the sensor ID included in the sensor detection information with a moving object ID by referring to the moving object DB 112. An example of data obtained in step S106 is shown below.

[0072] Mobile ID: YYY code: 01010010 Direction of movement: 1 Passing time: 20240305 11:10:13

[0073] In step S108, the CPU 11, functioning as the passage determination unit 102, replaces the code representing the installation position with the installation position by referring to the mark information DB 114. An example of data obtained in step S108 is shown below.

[0074] Mobile object ID: YYY mark installation position: Point α Movement direction: 1 Passing time: 20240305 11:10:13

[0075] In step S110, the CPU 11 functions as the passage determination unit 102 to associate the user ID of the user operating the mobile object ID with the replaced mobile object ID, generate a mobile object passage log including the mobile object ID, the user ID, the installation location, the movement direction, and the passage time, and then terminate the passage determination process. An example of the mobile object passage log is shown below.

[0076] Mobile ID: YYY User ID: user100011867 Mark installation location: Point α Direction of movement: 1 Passing time: 20240305 11:10:13

[0077] 9 is a flowchart showing the flow of route acquisition processing by the route acquisition device 100. The route acquisition processing is performed by the CPU 11 reading a route acquisition program from the ROM 12 or the storage 14, expanding it into the RAM 13, and executing it. The route acquisition processing is an example of a route acquisition method. The route acquisition device 100 receives a route acquisition instruction from a user and performs the following processing.

[0078] In step S120, the CPU 11, as the route analysis unit 104, sorts the multiple mobile object passage logs generated in the passage determination process in chronological order as history for the same user, and acquires the mobile object passage logs arranged in chronological order as the movement route of the user.

[0079] In step S122, the CPU 11, as the route analysis unit 104, may identify locations where impossible installation locations are passed through consecutively, such as where the mark 40 has failed to be read, estimate the movement route between them, and perform corrections by inserting the movement passage log.

[0080] For example, as shown in FIG. 10 , if the mark installation position "point β" and the mark installation position "point δ" cannot be passed consecutively, a correction is made by inserting a movement passage log including the mark installation position "point γ" between the movement passage log including the mark installation position "point β" and the movement passage log including the mark installation position "point δ". In this case, the passage time in the inserted movement passage log may be the midpoint between the passage times of the previous and next points, or may be the passage time calculated using the ratio of the measured distance between the points. Furthermore, a correction flag may be set in the inserted movement passage log for post-processing analysis.

[0081] In step S124, the CPU 11, functioning as the stay time calculation unit 106, acquires the stay time between the passing positions of the mobile object 20 based on the results of detecting the passing positions and passing times of the mobile object 20.

[0082] In step S126, the CPU 11 visualizes and outputs the travel route, and ends the route acquisition process. For example, as shown in FIG. 11 , a line indicating the travel route is visualized on a map of the building. The CPU 11 also outputs the travel route of the mobile object 20 and the stay time between passing positions to an external device, such as a system for organizing work assignments, a system for reviewing product placement, a system for in-store navigation, or a web application.

[0083] As described above, according to the route acquisition system 10 of this embodiment, multiple marks for identifying installation positions are provided at different positions on a travel path, a sensor for reading the marks is mounted on the mobile object, and the route acquisition device detects the positions and times the mobile object passes based on the results read by the sensor, thereby acquiring the travel route of the mobile object. This makes it possible to acquire the travel route of the mobile object with high accuracy using a simple configuration.

[0084] Moreover, the movement path of the moving object can be acquired regardless of whether it is indoors or outdoors.

[0085] In addition, based on the movement routes and time spent by consumers in retail stores, it is possible to identify areas where consumers are wasting time searching for products and areas where they are prone to stagnation (where it is difficult to find the desired product on the shelves), and use this information to review product placement.

[0086] In addition, by installing sensors on mobile devices used by retail store clerks who stock products, it is possible to obtain the time and route each clerk takes to move around the store to stock products. By combining information from the clerk side with information from the consumer side, it is possible to target work at times when there are fewer customers, or to identify shelves where products are being stocked frequently and make improvements such as increasing the number of items displayed at one time. Furthermore, by combining information from the clerk side with the number of items stocked, it is possible to evaluate the time required for workers to stock products by shelf, etc.

[0087] Furthermore, as product placement within a store changes with the seasons (for example, the hotpot section is expanded in winter), the movement routes and length of stay of consumers and store staff due to these changes can be compared to make product placement more efficient at the same seasonal transition the following year.

[0088] Furthermore, the combination of a mark and a sensor is highly versatile, and may be, for example, a barcode and a barcode reader. For example, barcodes may be widely laid out on the ground. Furthermore, when a moving object passes over a barcode, a barcode reader installed on the underside of the moving object may read the barcode to identify the object's position.

[0089] The mobile body may be equipped with multiple sensors, and the route acquisition device may compare the results read by each of the multiple sensors, correct the results read by the sensors, and detect the position and time of passage of the mobile body. For example, as shown in Figure 12, multiple sensors 22 may be provided on the bottom surface of the mobile body 20, and the binary numbers read by each of the multiple sensors 22 may be compared, and if the read binary numbers do not match, the read binary numbers may be corrected. Furthermore, the installation positions of the multiple marks 40 may be determined so that the multiple sensors 22 provided on the mobile body 20 can read multiple marks 40 simultaneously, thereby increasing the amount of information read by the multiple sensors 22 provided on the mobile body 20.

[0090] Furthermore, although the above description is directed to an example in which the marks are placed on the passageway, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the marks may be placed on stationary objects around the passageway, or on shelves around the passageway.

[0091] Alternatively, a sensor may be mounted on the side of the moving object and a mark may be placed on the wall of the passageway. Alternatively, a sensor may be mounted on the top surface of the moving object and a mark may be placed on the ceiling of the passageway. If a distance sensor is used as the sensor instead of a proximity sensor, it is also possible to mount the sensor on the top of the moving object and place a mark on the ceiling.

[0092] In addition, energy savings may be achieved by adding a device or process to the data acquisition device installed on the moving object to temporarily suspend operation when it is determined that the cart has been returned to the cart parking area or that the tires are not rotating for a long period of time.

[0093] Second Embodiment Next, a route acquisition system according to a second embodiment will be described. Note that parts having the same configuration as those in the first embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0094] The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a mark for identifying the moving body is provided on the moving body side, and a sensor for reading the mark is provided on the moving passage side.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 13 , the route acquisition system 210 according to the second embodiment includes a mark 40 provided on each moving body 20 to identify the moving body 20, a plurality of sensors 22 provided at different positions on the moving path for reading the plurality of marks 40, a data acquisition device 24 connected to each sensor 22, and a route acquisition device 200 that detects the passing position and passing time of the moving body 20 based on the results read by the sensors 22 and acquires the moving route of the moving body 20.

[0096] For example, as shown in FIG. 14, a barcode reader (transmitter / receiver) covering the width of the passageway is installed as the sensor 22 on the ground side.

[0097] As shown in FIG. 15, the route acquisition device 200 is configured to include a passage determination unit 102, a route analysis unit 104, a stay time calculation unit 106, a sensor information storage unit 108, a user information database (DB) 110, a sensor database (DB) 212, and a print information database (DB) 214.

[0098] The sensor information storage unit 108 stores the sensor detection information obtained when the sensor 22 reads the mark 40 .

[0099] The sensor DB 212 stores a combination of the sensor ID and installation location information of the sensor 22 prepared in advance.

[0100] The mark information DB 214 stores the mobile object ID of a mobile object on which a prepared mark is provided and the code (for example, a binary code) represented by the mark 40 .

[0101] The passage determination unit 102 detects the passage position and passage time of the moving object 20 based on the sensor detection information stored in the sensor information storage unit 108, and acquires the movement route of the moving object 20. The passage determination unit 102 may detect the movement direction of the moving object 20 based on the sensor detection information stored in the sensor information storage unit 108.

[0102] Specifically, the passage determination unit 102 receives as input a binary code read when a moving object 20 bearing a mark 40 passes over the sensor 22, which is included in the sensor detection information, and converts the binary code into a code representing a moving object ID and a moving direction. The passage determination unit 102 also references the sensor DB 212 to replace the sensor ID included in the sensor detection information with the installation location. The passage determination unit 102 also references the mark information DB 214 to replace the code representing the moving object ID with the moving object ID. The passage determination unit 102 also links the replaced moving object ID to the user ID of the user operating the moving object ID, based on the replaced moving object ID. The user ID of the user operating the moving object ID can be obtained, for example, from a moving object-mounted device into which a prepaid card linked to personal information is inserted.

[0103] The passage determination unit 102 generates a moving object passage log including a moving object ID, a user ID, an installation position, a moving direction, and a passage time.

[0104] The other configurations and operations of the route acquisition system 210 according to the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described again.

[0105] As described above, according to the route acquisition system 210 of this embodiment, sensors for reading marks are provided at different positions on the path of travel, and multiple marks for identifying the moving bodies are provided on multiple moving bodies, and the route acquisition device detects the positions and times at which the moving bodies pass based on the results read by the sensors, and acquires the moving body's moving route. This makes it possible to accurately acquire the moving body's moving route with a simple configuration.

[0106] In the above embodiment, a store cart is used as an example of a moving object, but the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention may be applied to outdoor moving objects. For example, the present invention may be applied to moving objects such as vehicles, robots, bicycles, strollers, and carts.

[0107] Although the route acquisition device is a server in the above example, the present invention is not limited to this. The route acquisition device may be a device installed on the mobile object. In this case, the mobile object may be provided with a power generation function (solar panels or tire-linked).

[0108] In addition to the sensor for reading the mark, an auxiliary sensor may be provided. For example, a wheel speed sensor for calculating the wheel speed from the number of rotations of the tire may be provided on the mobile object.

[0109] The route acquisition device may also perform processing to analyze the movement line of a moving object based on the movement route and the stay time. For example, the route acquisition device may perform processing to classify the movement line pattern of a moving object. This makes it possible to classify, for example, the movement line patterns that are often taken by users who enter through the front entrance.

[0110] Furthermore, a process of estimating sections where stay times frequently occur may be performed, which allows statistical analysis of sections where many users stay for long periods of time.

[0111] Also, in this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the mark 40 is not limited to being static (such as a black and white marking) but may be dynamic. The sensor 22 may recognize dynamic information accordingly. For example, the mark 40 functions as a mark by emitting sound waves of a specific frequency or light of a specific color, and the frequency and color for each moving object are managed and collated in the mark information DB 214. Furthermore, the sensor 22 detects these frequencies and colors, or additionally, their signal strength, and compares them with the mark information DB 214 to identify the moving object.

[0112] In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11 , all movement paths are estimated using sensors and marks. However, the present invention is not limited to this. A correction process may be additionally performed to improve the accuracy of the movement paths by appropriately acquiring position information using other means. For example, if a cart as a moving object is equipped with a sensor that scans the barcodes of products on shelves, shelf location information for each product within the store may be separately stored, and the target shelf and its position may be identified from the scanned barcode. Then, when the barcode is scanned, a correction process may be performed to correct the movement paths by determining that the cart is located near that shelf.

[0113] Furthermore, for example, if a cart, which is a moving body, is equipped with a three-axis acceleration sensor, right or left turns can be detected from the time series data of the acceleration sensor. Then, at the timing of the right or left turn, it can be determined that the direction of travel of the cart has changed, and a correction process can be performed to correct the travel path.

[0114] In addition, the path acquisition process executed by the CPU in the above embodiment by reading the software (program) may be executed by various processors other than the CPU. Examples of processors in this case include PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices), GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), and ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), which are processors with circuit configurations designed specifically for executing specific processes, such as FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays), whose circuit configurations can be changed after manufacture. The path acquisition process may be executed by one of these various processors, or by a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types (for example, multiple FPGAs, a combination of a CPU and an FPGA, etc.). Furthermore, the hardware structure of these various processors is, more specifically, an electric circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor elements.

[0115] In the above embodiment, the path acquisition program is pre-stored (installed) in the storage 14, but the present invention is not limited to this. The program may be provided in a form stored on a non-transitory storage medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory), a DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disk Read Only Memory), or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. The program may also be downloaded from an external device via a network.

[0116] The following additional notes are provided regarding the above-described embodiments.

[0117] (Supplementary Item 1) A route acquisition device in a route acquisition system including a plurality of marks for identifying installation positions, which are provided on a moving path along which a moving body can move or on different positions on stationary objects around the moving path, a sensor mounted on the moving body for reading the marks, and a route acquisition device, the route acquisition device including: a memory; and at least one processor connected to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to detect the passing position and passing time of the moving body based on the results read by the sensor, and acquire a moving route representing the trajectory of movement of the moving body.

[0118] (Supplementary Item 2) A non-transitory storage medium storing a program executable by a computer to execute a route acquisition process in a route acquisition system including a plurality of marks for identifying installation positions, which are provided on a moving path along which a moving body can move or on different positions on stationary objects around the moving path, a sensor mounted on the moving body for reading the marks, and a route acquisition device, wherein the route acquisition process detects the passing position and passing time of the moving body based on the results read by the sensor, and acquires a moving route representing the trajectory of movement of the moving body.

[0119] (Supplementary Item 3) A route acquisition system including a mark provided on a moving body for identifying the moving body, a plurality of sensors for reading the mark provided on a moving path along which the moving body can move or at different positions on stationary objects around the moving path, and a route acquisition device, the route acquisition device including: a memory; and at least one processor connected to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to detect the passing position and passing time of the moving body based on the results read by the plurality of sensors, and acquire a moving route representing the trajectory of movement of the moving body.

[0120] (Addendum 4) A non-transitory storage medium storing a program executable by a computer to execute a route acquisition process in a route acquisition system including: a mark provided on a moving body for identifying the moving body; a plurality of sensors for reading the mark provided at different positions on a path along which the moving body can move or on stationary objects around the path; and a route acquisition device, wherein the route acquisition process detects the position and time of passage of the moving body based on the results read by the plurality of sensors, and acquires a moving route representing the trajectory of movement of the moving body.

[0121] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10, 210 Route acquisition system 11 CPU 14 Storage 15 Input unit 16 Display unit 20 Mobile object 22 Sensor 24 Data acquisition device 30 Data acquisition unit 32 Communication unit 40 Mark 100, 200 Route acquisition device 102 Passage determination unit 104 Route analysis unit 106 Stay time calculation unit 108 Sensor information storage unit 112 Mobile object DB 114 Mark information DB 212 Sensor DB 214 Mark information DB

Claims

1. A route acquisition system comprising: a plurality of marks for identifying the installation position, which are provided on a path along which a mobile body can move or on different positions on stationary objects around said path; a sensor mounted on the mobile body for reading said marks; and a route acquisition device for detecting the position and time of passage of said mobile body based on the results read by said sensor, and acquiring a route representing the trajectory of movement of said mobile body.

2. A route acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein said route acquisition device further detects the direction of movement of said mobile object based on the results read by said sensor.

3. A route acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the route acquisition device further acquires the stay time between the passing positions of the mobile object based on the results of detecting the passing positions and passing times of the mobile object.

4. The route acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile body is equipped with a plurality of the sensors, and the route acquisition device compares the results read by each of the plurality of sensors, corrects the results read by the sensors, and detects the passing position and passing time of the mobile body.

5. A route acquisition system comprising: a mark provided on a moving object for identifying the moving object; a plurality of sensors for reading the mark, provided on a path along which the moving object can move or at different positions on stationary objects around the path; and a route acquisition device that detects the position and time of passage of the moving object based on the results read by the plurality of sensors and acquires a route representing the trajectory of the moving object.

6. A route acquisition method for a route acquisition system including a plurality of marks for identifying installation positions, which are provided on a path along which a mobile body can move or on different positions on stationary objects around the path, and a sensor mounted on the mobile body for reading the marks, wherein a computer executes the process of detecting the passing position and passing time of the mobile body based on the results read by the sensor, and acquiring a travel route representing the trajectory of the mobile body.

7. A route acquisition method in a route acquisition system including a mark provided on a moving object for identifying the moving object, and a plurality of sensors for reading the mark, provided at different positions on a path along which the moving object can move or on stationary objects around the path, wherein a computer executes the process of detecting the position and time of passage of the moving object based on the results read by the plurality of sensors, and acquiring a moving route representing the trajectory of the moving object.

8. A route acquisition program for causing a computer to function as a route acquisition device of the route acquisition system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

Images