Information processing device, information processing method and vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, and a vehicle. The present disclosure provides a technology that can efficiently perform maintenance and inspection operations on a vending machine. The information processing device of the present disclosure includes a control unit, which performs: when a first body unit with a first vending machine mounted on it is stationary at a specified location, detecting a maintenance and inspection timing as a timing for performing maintenance and inspection on the first vending machine; and sending a replacement instruction to a chassis unit that is formed to be able to travel autonomously and to be combined with and separated from any body unit according to the maintenance and inspection timing, the replacement instruction is an instruction for transporting a second body unit with a second vending machine mounted on it to a specified location and retrieving the first body unit from the specified location.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for performing maintenance and inspection of an automatic vending machine. Background Art

[0002] A separable vehicle is known in which a plurality of units are separably coupled together (for example, see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: German Patent Application Publication No. 102009057693 Summary of the invention

[0006] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0007] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a technology that can efficiently perform maintenance and inspection work on a vending machine.

[0008] Solutions for solving problems

[0009] The present disclosure may be considered as an information processing device. In this case, the information processing device may include a control unit that executes:

[0010] When the first vehicle body unit on which the first vending machine is mounted is stationary at a predetermined location, detecting a maintenance inspection timing as a timing for performing maintenance inspection of the first vending machine; and

[0011] According to the maintenance and inspection timing, a replacement instruction is sent to the chassis unit that is capable of autonomous driving and is capable of being combined with and separated from any body unit. The replacement instruction is an instruction for transporting the second body unit equipped with a second vending machine to the specified location and recovering the first body unit from the specified location.

[0012] The present disclosure can also be considered as a method. The information processing method in this case can be executed by a computer:

[0013] a detection step of detecting a maintenance inspection timing as a timing for performing maintenance inspection of the first vending machine when the first vehicle body unit on which the first vending machine is mounted is stationary at a predetermined location; and

[0014] A sending step, in accordance with the maintenance and inspection timing, sending a replacement instruction to a chassis unit that is configured to be capable of autonomous driving and to be combined with and separated from any vehicle body unit, wherein the replacement instruction is an instruction for transporting a second vehicle body unit equipped with a second vending machine to the specified location and for recovering the first vehicle body unit from the specified location.

[0015] The present disclosure may also be considered as a vehicle. In this case, the vehicle may include a control unit that executes:

[0016] When the first vehicle body unit on which the first vending machine is mounted is stationary at a predetermined location, detecting a maintenance inspection timing as a timing for performing maintenance inspection of the first vending machine; and

[0017] An operation is performed to transport the second vehicle body unit on which the second vending machine is mounted to the predetermined location and to retrieve the first vehicle body unit from the predetermined location at the maintenance and inspection timing.

[0018] Furthermore, as another embodiment, an information processing program for causing a computer to execute the above-described information processing method, or a non-transitory storage medium storing the information processing program in a computer-readable manner can be exemplified.

[0019] Effects of the Invention

[0020] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a technology that can efficiently perform maintenance and inspection work on a vending machine. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing an overview of a vending machine system.

[0022] Figure 2 It is a diagram showing a schematic structure of a separation type vehicle.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing a hardware configuration example of a chassis unit, a vehicle body unit, and a server device.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a chassis unit.

[0025] Figure 5 This is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a vehicle body unit.

[0026] Figure 6 This is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a server device.

[0027] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing a configuration example of a stock information table.

[0028] Figure 8 It is a diagram showing a configuration example of a chassis information table.

[0029] Fig. 9 This is a flowchart showing the flow of processing performed by the server device when status information is received.

[0030] Description of reference numerals:

[0031] 1: Separated vehicle;

[0032] 100: chassis unit;

[0033] 101: Processor;

[0034] 102: main storage unit;

[0035] 103: auxiliary storage unit;

[0036] 200: body unit;

[0037] 200A: first body unit;

[0038] 200B: second body unit;

[0039] 210: Vending machines;

[0040] 210A: First Vending Machine;

[0041] 210B: Second vending machine;

[0042] 300: server device;

[0043] 301: processor;

[0044] 302: main storage unit;

[0045] 303: auxiliary storage unit;

[0046] 304: Ministry of Communications;

[0047] F310: Maintenance and inspection timing detection unit;

[0048] F320: Replacement instruction generation unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] The present disclosure is characterized in that the maintenance and inspection work of the vending machine is made more efficient by using a separate vehicle for the vending machine service. The "vending machine" referred to here is a device that automatically (not manually) provides goods or services in response to a user's payment.

[0050] Here, when the vending machine is operated at a specified location, it is necessary to appropriately perform maintenance and inspection operations such as replenishment of goods, replacement of goods, inspection and maintenance of goods, or inspection and maintenance of the vending machine. In the past, such maintenance and inspection operations were mostly performed at the location where the vending machine is installed. Therefore, the operator needs to go to the location where the vending machine is installed, making it difficult to perform maintenance and inspection operations efficiently. Along with this, it is also difficult to install the vending machine at a remote location where the operator has a long moving time.

[0051] In contrast, in the present disclosure, a detachable vehicle is used for vending machine service. The detachable vehicle mentioned here is configured to include a body unit on which a vending machine is mounted and a chassis unit that is formed to be able to be combined with and separated from the body unit and to be able to travel autonomously. Furthermore, when the vending machine is operated at a specified location, the body unit that has been separated from the chassis unit is placed at the specified location.

[0052] It should be noted that, in the case of operating the vending machine in a specified place, a method of combining the chassis unit with the body unit in advance can also be considered. However, according to such a method, the chassis unit cannot be effectively utilized during the operation of the vending machine. In addition, the same number of chassis units as the body units on which the vending machine is mounted are required, so the cost of equipment investment increases. In contrast, if the body unit is left stationary in a state where the body unit has been separated from the chassis unit, one chassis unit can be shared by multiple body units. As a result, the chassis unit can be effectively utilized during the operation of the vending machine, and the cost of equipment investment can be suppressed to a small level.

[0053] When the body unit is stationary at the above-specified place (when the vending machine mounted on the body unit is operating at the above-specified place), the control unit of the information processing device detects the timing for performing maintenance and inspection of the above-specified vending machine (maintenance and inspection timing). Then, the control unit sends a replacement instruction to the chassis unit according to the determined maintenance and inspection timing. The "replacement instruction" mentioned here is an instruction for replacing the body unit set at the above-specified place from the current body unit (first body unit) to a new body unit (second body unit). That is, the "replacement instruction" is an instruction for transporting the second body unit to the above-specified place and recovering the first body unit from the above-specified place. It should be noted that a vending machine (second vending machine) that is different from the vending machine (first vending machine) mounted on the first body unit and in a state where maintenance and inspection work has been completed is mounted on the second body unit.

[0054] The chassis unit that has received the replacement instruction operates according to the replacement instruction, thereby transporting the second body unit to the specified location and leaving it stationary, and recovering the first body unit from the specified location. As a result, the vending machine set at the specified location is replaced by the second vending machine from the first vending machine. As a result, the vending machine in the state where the maintenance and inspection work has been completed can continue to operate at the specified location. In addition, for the first body unit that has been recovered by the chassis unit, the maintenance and inspection work of the first vending machine can be performed at any location. As a result, even if the operator does not go to the specified location, the maintenance and inspection work of the vending machine can be performed.

[0055] Here, the above-mentioned replacement instructions include, for example, the following five instructions:

[0056] (First instruction) an instruction for combining the chassis unit with the second body unit;

[0057] (Second instruction) an instruction for causing the chassis unit to travel to a predetermined location;

[0058] (third command) a command for separating the chassis unit from the second vehicle body unit at a predetermined location;

[0059] (fourth instruction) an instruction for coupling the chassis unit to the first vehicle body unit at a predetermined location;

[0060] (Fifth command) A command for causing the chassis unit to travel to a location (service base) where maintenance and inspection work of the first vending machine is to be performed.

[0061] The chassis unit that receives the above-mentioned replacement instruction first acts according to the first instruction, thereby combining the second body unit with the chassis unit. At this time, the combination operation of the chassis unit and the second body unit can also be performed by an external device equipped with heavy machinery such as a lift or a crane. In addition, the combination operation of the chassis unit and the second body unit can also be performed by a device mounted on the chassis unit or the second body unit. In this way, when the chassis unit and the second body unit are combined, the chassis unit autonomously drives under automatic driving according to the second instruction, thereby transporting the second body unit to the above-mentioned specified place. Then, the chassis unit acts according to the third instruction, thereby separating the second body unit from the chassis unit. As a result, the second body unit is stationary at the above-mentioned specified place. It should be noted that the separation operation of the chassis unit and the second body unit can be performed by the external device as described above, or can also be performed by a device mounted on the chassis unit or the body unit. In this way, when the chassis unit and the second body unit are separated, the chassis unit acts according to the fourth instruction, thereby combining the first body unit with the chassis unit. At this time, the combination operation of the chassis unit and the first body unit can be performed by the external device as described above, or can also be performed by a device mounted on the chassis unit or the first body unit. In this way, when the chassis unit and the first body unit are combined, the chassis unit autonomously drives under automatic driving according to the fifth instruction, thereby transporting the first body unit to the service base. When the chassis unit operates according to the first instruction to the fifth instruction, the vending machine set at the specified location can be automatically replaced from the first vending machine to the second vending machine, and the first vending machine can be automatically transported to the service base.

[0062] Here, the control unit of the information processing device may also detect the timing when the inventory of the goods in the first vending machine is less than the specified lower limit value as the maintenance and inspection timing. When the first body unit is replaced with the second body unit according to such a maintenance and inspection timing, it is possible to save the operator's time to go to a specified place to replenish the goods in the vending machine. It should be noted that the information related to the inventory of the goods can be sent to the information processing device via the network, for example, from the first vending machine or the first body unit.

[0063] In addition, the control unit of the information processing device can also detect the timing of replacing the goods sold by the first vending machine with other goods as the maintenance and inspection timing. When the first body unit is replaced with the second body unit according to such maintenance and inspection timing, it can save the operator the trouble of going to a specified place to replace the goods in the vending machine. It should be noted that the replacement timing of the goods can be determined based on, for example, the release period of new goods, the sales performance of goods, or the change of seasons.

[0064] In addition, the control unit of the information processing device may also detect the timing of inspection and maintenance of the goods rented by the first vending machine as the maintenance and inspection timing. When the first body unit is replaced with the second body unit according to such maintenance and inspection timing, it is possible to save the operator's time to go to a specified place to inspect and maintain the goods. It should be noted that the timing of inspection and maintenance of the goods can be determined, for example, based on the number of rentals or the time that has passed since the previous inspection and maintenance.

[0065] In addition, the control device of the information processing device can also detect the timing of the inspection and maintenance of the first vending machine as the maintenance and inspection timing. When the replacement from the first body unit to the second body unit is performed according to such a maintenance and inspection timing, it can save the operator's time to go to a specified place to inspect and maintain the vending machine. It should be noted that the timing of the inspection and maintenance of the first vending machine can be determined based on, for example, the time the vending machine has been running since the previous inspection and maintenance was completed.

[0066] In addition, the control unit of the information processing device may also detect the timing when the remaining battery of the battery used to operate the first vending machine is less than a specified lower limit as a maintenance and inspection timing. Here, when the battery used to operate the vending machine is mounted on the body unit or the vending machine, the vending machine can be operated even in a place where power cannot be ensured. However, when the remaining battery becomes low, operations such as charging the battery or replacing the battery are required. In contrast, if the timing when the remaining battery is less than a specified lower limit is detected as the maintenance and inspection timing, the replacement from the first body unit to the second body unit will be performed according to the timing. Thereby, the operator can save the effort of going to a specified place to charge or replace the battery. It should be noted that information related to the remaining battery can be sent to the information processing device via a network, for example, from the first vending machine or the first body unit.

[0067] In addition, the control unit of the information processing device can also detect the timing of the abnormality occurring in the first vending machine as the maintenance and inspection timing. When the first body unit is replaced with the second body unit according to such maintenance and inspection timing, it is possible to save the operator's time to go to a specified place to repair the vending machine. It should be noted that the information related to the abnormality of the first vending machine can be sent to the information processing device from the first vending machine or the first body unit via the network.

[0068] In addition, the control unit of the information processing device can also detect the timing when the inventory of change in the first vending machine is less than a specified lower limit value as a maintenance and inspection timing. When the first body unit is replaced with the second body unit according to such a maintenance and inspection timing, it can save the operator the effort of going to a specified place to replenish the change in the vending machine. It should be noted that the information related to the inventory of change can be sent to the information processing device from the first vending machine or the first body unit via a network, for example.

[0069] The specific embodiments of the present disclosure are described below based on the drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, etc. of the components described in the present embodiment do not mean that the scope of the disclosed technology is limited thereto.

[0070] <Implementation Method>

[0071] In the present embodiment, an example in which the information processing device of the present disclosure is applied to a system for providing maintenance and inspection services for automatic vending machines (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as an “automatic vending machine system”) will be described.

[0072] (Overview of vending machine system)

[0073] Figure 11 is a diagram showing an overview of the automatic vending machine system. The automatic vending machine system in this example uses a separate vehicle 1 to provide maintenance and repair services for the automatic vending machines. Figure 2 As shown, the separation type vehicle 1 includes a chassis unit 100 that can travel autonomously through automatic driving and a body unit 200 on which a vending machine 210 is mounted. In the separation type vehicle 1, the chassis unit 100 and the body unit 200 are formed to be able to be combined and separated with each other. The chassis unit 100 and the body unit 200 are managed by a server device 300. It should be noted that the vending machine 210 is a device that automatically provides goods or services in response to equivalent payments made by users. As such a vending machine 210, for example, a vending machine that sells goods such as food and beverages, clothing, toys or stationery can be exemplified. In addition, as a vending machine 210, a vending machine that provides rental services for goods such as bicycles can also be exemplified. In this embodiment, an example of a vending machine for selling goods is given.

[0074] In this example, the body unit 200 is installed at a predetermined location to sell goods by the vending machine 210. At this time, the body unit 200 is placed at a predetermined location in a state separated from the chassis unit 100. This is for the effective use of the chassis unit 100 and the reduction of the cost of equipment investment. It should be noted that the predetermined location is a location where the vending machine is expected to be needed, and it can be changed appropriately.

[0075] Furthermore, when the sale of goods is carried out by the vending machine 210, the number of goods (inventory) stored in the vending machine 210 decreases, so it is necessary to appropriately replenish the goods. In such a case, in the present embodiment, the vending machine set at a specified location is replaced together with the body unit. For example, when the first body unit 200A is stationary at a specified location, when the inventory of the first vending machine 210A mounted on the first body unit 200A is less than a specified lower limit, the first body unit 200A is replaced with the second body unit 200B. The second body unit 200B is a body unit of the vending machine (second vending machine 210B) whose replenishment of goods has been completed.

[0076] The replacement operation of the first body unit 200A and the second body unit 200B is performed by the chassis unit 100 operating under the management of the server device 300. Specifically, the server device 300 sends an instruction (replacement instruction) to the chassis unit 100 for transporting the second body unit 200B to a specified location and recovering the first body unit 200A from the specified location. Then, the chassis unit 100 operates according to the replacement instruction from the server device 300, thereby replacing the first body unit 200A and the second body unit 200B. It should be noted that the first body unit 200A recovered from the specified location is transported by the chassis unit 100 to a specified service location. The "service location" mentioned here is a location that serves as a location for providing vending machine services, and is a location where operations such as replenishment, inspection and maintenance of the goods of the vending machine 210 are performed. Such a service location is not limited to one, and can be set up for each area.

[0077] (Hardware composition of vending machine system)

[0078] Next, the components of the automatic vending machine system will be described in detail. Figure 3 Yes means Figure 1 and Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a chassis unit 100, a vehicle body unit 200, and a server device 300. Figure 3 In the illustrated example, only one chassis unit 100 and one vehicle body unit 200 are shown, but a plurality of chassis units 100 and a plurality of vehicle body units 200 may be managed by the server device 300 .

[0079] The chassis unit 100 of the separated vehicle 1 autonomously drives on the road according to the prescribed operation instructions. Such a chassis unit 100 is configured to include a processor 101, a main storage unit 102, an auxiliary storage unit 103, a peripheral condition detection sensor 104, a position information acquisition unit 105, a drive unit 106, and a communication unit 107. The chassis unit 100 in this example is an electric vehicle driven by an electric motor as a prime mover. The prime mover of the chassis unit 100 is not limited to an electric motor, but can also be an internal combustion engine, or a hybrid mechanism of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor.

[0080] The processor 101 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). The processor 101 controls the chassis unit 100 and performs various information processing operations. The main storage unit 102 includes, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory) and a ROM (Read Only Memory). The auxiliary storage unit 103 is, for example, an EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM) or a hard disk drive (Hard Disk Drive: HDD). In addition, the auxiliary storage unit 103 may include a removable medium, that is, a removable recording medium. The removable medium is, for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, a CD (Compact Disc), or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) or other disk recording medium.

[0081] The auxiliary storage unit 103 stores various programs, various data, and various tables in a recording medium in a readable and writable manner. The auxiliary storage unit 103 stores an operating system (OS), various programs, and various tables. It should be noted that part or all of this information can also be stored in the main storage unit 102. In addition, the information stored in the main storage unit 102 can also be stored in the auxiliary storage unit 103.

[0082] The surrounding situation detection sensor 104 is a unit that performs sensing of the surroundings of the vehicle, and is typically configured to include a stereo camera, a laser scanner, LIDAR (laser radar), or radar, etc. Information acquired by the surrounding situation detection sensor 104 is sent to the processor 101 .

[0083] The position information acquisition unit 105 is a device for acquiring the current position of the chassis unit 100, and is typically configured to include a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver or the like. It should be noted that the position information acquisition unit 105 acquires the current position of the chassis unit 100 at a predetermined period. The position information acquired by the position information acquisition unit 105 is sent to the server device 300 via the communication unit 107 described later. That is, the position information of the chassis unit 100 is sent from the chassis unit 100 to the server device 300 at a predetermined period. As a result, the server device 300 can grasp the current position of each chassis unit 100.

[0084] The driving unit 106 is a device for driving the chassis unit 100 , and is configured to include, for example, a prime mover (an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, or a hybrid mechanism of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor), a brake device, a steering device, and the like.

[0085] The communication unit 107 is a device for connecting the chassis unit 100 to the network N1. The communication unit 107 is connected to the network N1 using mobile communications such as 5G (5th Generation) or LTE (Long Term Evolution). The communication unit 107 can also be connected to the network N1 using narrowband communications such as DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications) or Wi-Fi (registered trademark). As a result, the communication unit 107 can communicate with other devices (for example, the vehicle body unit 200 or the server device 300) via the network N1. For example, the communication unit 107 sends the current location information obtained by the location information acquisition unit 105 to the server device 300 via the network N1. The network N1 mentioned here is, for example, a WAN (Wide Area Network) or other communication network that is a world-scale public communication network such as the Internet.

[0086] The hardware configuration of the chassis unit 100 is not limited to Figure 3 In the example shown, the components may be omitted, replaced, or added as appropriate. For example, the chassis unit 100 may be equipped with a device for combining and separating the chassis unit 100 and the vehicle body unit 200. Such a device is, for example, a heavy machine such as a lift or a crane, or an electromagnet. In addition, the series of processes performed by the chassis unit 100 may be performed by hardware or software.

[0087] As described above, the body unit 200 of the separated vehicle 1 is equipped with the vending machine 210. Such a body unit 200 is configured to include a processor 201, a main storage unit 202, an auxiliary storage unit 203, a position information acquisition unit 204, a battery 205, and a communication unit 206. The processor 201, the main storage unit 202, the auxiliary storage unit 203, the position information acquisition unit 204, and the communication unit 206 are the same as those in the chassis unit 100, so their description is omitted. The battery 205 is a battery formed to be rechargeable and dischargeable, and supplies power to the vending machine 210. It should be noted that the battery 205 can also be equipped in the vending machine 210.

[0088] The hardware configuration of the vehicle body unit 200 is not limited to Figure 3In the examples shown, constituent elements may be omitted, replaced, or added as appropriate. In addition, a series of processes executed by the vehicle body unit 200 may be executed by hardware or by software.

[0089] The server device 300 is a device for managing the chassis unit 100 and the body unit 200, and is equivalent to the "information processing device" of the present disclosure. The server device 300 has the structure of a general computer. That is, the server device 300 is configured to include a processor 301, a main storage unit 302, an auxiliary storage unit 303, and a communication unit 304. These processors 301, main storage unit 302, auxiliary storage unit 303, and communication unit 304 are connected to each other through a bus. The processor 301, the main storage unit 302, and the auxiliary storage unit 303 are the same as those in the chassis unit 100, so their description is omitted. The communication unit 304 sends and receives information between an external device and the server device 300. The communication unit 304 is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) interface board or a wireless communication circuit for wireless communication. The LAN interface board or the wireless communication circuit is connected to the network N1. It should be noted that the hardware structure of the server device 300 is not limited to Figure 3 In the examples shown, constituent elements may be omitted, replaced, or added as appropriate. In addition, a series of processes executed by the server device 300 may be executed by hardware or by software.

[0090] (Functional composition of chassis unit)

[0091] Here, based on Figure 4 The functional structure of the chassis unit 100 is described. Figure 4 As shown, the chassis unit 100 in this example includes an operation plan generating unit F110, an environment detecting unit F120, a driving control unit F130 and a combined control unit F140 as its functional components. These functional components are implemented by the processor 101 executing a program stored in the main storage unit 102 or the auxiliary storage unit 103. It should be noted that any one or a part of the operation plan generating unit F110, the environment detecting unit F120, the driving control unit F130 and the combined control unit F140 can be formed by a hardware circuit. In addition, any one of the above-mentioned functional components or a part of their processing can also be executed by other computers connected to the network N1. For example, each process included in the operation plan generating unit F110, each process included in the environment detecting unit F120, each process included in the driving control unit F130 and each process included in the combined control unit F140 can also be executed by different computers.

[0092] The operation plan generation unit F110 generates an operation plan for the chassis unit 100 based on the operation instruction from the server device 300. The operation plan is data that specifies the route that the chassis unit 100 is to travel and the processing that the chassis unit 100 should perform on a part or all of the route. Examples of data included in the operation plan include the following data.

[0093] (1) Data representing a planned route (planned travel route) that the chassis unit 100 is to travel by a set of road segments

[0094] For example, the operation plan generation unit F110 may refer to the map data stored in the auxiliary storage unit 103 and generate the “planned driving route” mentioned here based on the instruction from the server device 300. In addition, the “planned driving route” may be generated by using an external service or provided by the server device 300.

[0095] (2) Data indicating the processing that the chassis unit 100 should perform at any point on the planned travel route

[0096] The "arbitrary location" mentioned here is, for example, a location where the chassis unit 100 and the body unit 200 are separated or combined, or a destination for transporting the body unit 200. Furthermore, the processing to be performed on the chassis unit 100 at the arbitrary location as described above includes, for example, "separating or combining the chassis unit 100 and the body unit 200", but is not limited thereto.

[0097] The environment detection unit F120 detects the environment around the chassis unit based on the data obtained by the surrounding condition detection sensor 104. The detection objects are, for example, the number and position of lanes, the number and position of vehicles existing around the chassis unit 100, the number and position of obstacles existing around the chassis unit 100, the structure of the road, road signs, etc., but are not limited to these. As long as it is an object required for the chassis unit 100 to drive autonomously, it can be any object of detection. In addition, the environment detection unit F120 can also track the detected object. For example, the relative speed of the object can also be calculated based on the difference between the coordinates of the object detected one step ago and the coordinates of the current object.

[0098] The driving control unit F130 controls the driving of the chassis unit 100 based on the operation plan generated by the operation plan generation unit F110, the environmental data generated by the environment detection unit F120, and the position information of the chassis unit 100 acquired by the position information acquisition unit 105. For example, the driving control unit F130 causes the chassis unit 100 to drive along the scheduled driving path generated by the operation plan generation unit F110. At this time, the driving control unit F130 causes the chassis unit 100 to drive in a manner that obstacles do not enter the specified safety area centered on the chassis unit 100. It should be noted that the method for making the chassis unit 100 drive autonomously can adopt a known method. In addition, the driving control unit F130 also has a function of controlling the driving of the chassis unit 100 according to instructions from the server device 300.

[0099] The coupling control unit F140 controls the coupling and separation of the chassis unit 100 and the vehicle body unit 200. When the coupling and separation operation of the chassis unit 100 and the vehicle body unit 200 is performed by an external device, the coupling control unit F140 controls the external device through wireless communication or the like, thereby performing the coupling and separation operation of the chassis unit 100 and the vehicle body unit 200. When the device for coupling and separation of the chassis unit 100 and the vehicle body unit 200 is mounted on the chassis unit 100, the coupling control unit F140 controls the device, thereby performing the coupling and separation operation of the chassis unit 100 and the vehicle body unit 200.

[0100] (Functional composition of body unit)

[0101] Next, based on Figure 5 The functional structure of the vehicle body unit 200 will be described. Figure 5 As shown, the body unit 200 in this example includes a state detection unit F210 and a state information generation unit F220. These functional components are implemented by the processor 201 executing a program stored in the main storage unit 202 or the auxiliary storage unit 203. It should be noted that any one of the state detection unit F210 and the state information generation unit F220, or a part thereof, may also be formed by a hardware circuit. In addition, any one of the above-mentioned functional components, or a part of its processing may also be executed by other computers connected to the network N1. For example, each process included in the state detection unit F210 and each process included in the state information generation unit F220 may also be executed by different computers.

[0102] The state detection unit F210 detects the state of the vending machine 210. In this example, the information detected as the state of the vending machine 210 is the inventory number of the goods sold by the vending machine 210, and the detection is performed each time the goods are sold. It should be noted that, when the vending machine 210 sells multiple types of goods, the inventory number of each type of goods is detected by the state detection unit F210. The inventory number detected by the state detection unit F210 is sent to the state information generation unit F220.

[0103] The state information generating unit F220 generates state information based on the inventory number detected by the state detecting unit F210. The state information in this example is information including identification information of the vehicle body unit 200, identification information of the commodity, and the inventory number of the commodity. The state information generated by the state information generating unit F220 is transmitted to the server device 300 via the communication unit 206. That is, the state information is transmitted to the server device 300 each time the inventory number of the commodity is detected by the state detecting unit F210 (each time the commodity is sold).

[0104] (Functional Configuration of Server Device)

[0105] Next, based on Figure 6 The functional structure of the server device 300 is described. Figure 6 As shown, the server device 300 in this example includes a maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310, a replacement instruction generation unit F320, a first database D310 and a second database D320 as its functional components. The maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310 and the replacement instruction generation unit F320 are implemented by the processor 301 executing a program stored in the main storage unit 302 or the auxiliary storage unit 303. It should be noted that any one of the maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310 and the replacement instruction generation unit F320 or a part thereof can also be formed by a hardware circuit. In addition, any one of the maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310 and the replacement instruction generation unit F320 or a part of their processing can also be executed by other computers connected to the network N1. For example, each process included in the maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310 and each process included in the replacement instruction generation unit F320 can also be executed by different computers.

[0106] The first database D310 and the second database D320 are constructed by a database management system (DBMS) program executed by the processor 301. Specifically, the DBMS program constructs the first database D310 and the second database D320 by managing data stored in the auxiliary storage unit 303. The first database D310 and the second database D320 are, for example, relational databases.

[0107] The first database D310 stores information related to the inventory of the vending machine 210 in operation (selling goods). The first database D310 associates information related to the vending machine 210, information related to the vehicle body unit 200 on which the vending machine 210 is mounted, and information related to the inventory of goods. Figure 7 A configuration example of information stored in the first database D310 will be described. Figure 7 2 is a diagram showing an example of the table structure of the first database D310. It should be noted that the structure of the table stored in the first database D310 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "inventory information table") is not limited to Figure 7 In the example shown, fields can be added, changed, or deleted as appropriate. Figure 7 Although a table of the quantity of one vending machine is shown as an example in FIG3 , a table of the quantity of the number of vending machines in operation is stored in the first database D310 .

[0108] Figure 7 The inventory information table shown has fields for vending machine ID, vehicle body ID, location information, product ID, and inventory number. Information (vending machine ID) for identifying each vending machine 210 is logged in the vending machine ID field. Information (vehicle body ID) for identifying the vehicle body unit 200 on which the vending machine 210 is mounted is logged in the vehicle body ID field. Information indicating the place where the vehicle body unit 200 is stationary (the place where the vending machine 210 is installed) is logged in the location information field. The information logged in the location information field may be information indicating the address of the place where the vehicle body unit 200 is stationary, or may be information indicating the coordinates (latitude / longitude) on the map of the place where the vehicle body unit 200 is stationary. Information (product ID) for identifying the product sold by the vending machine 210 is logged in the product ID field. Information indicating the inventory number of each product is logged in the inventory number field. The information logged in the inventory number field is updated each time the server device 300 receives status information from the vehicle body unit 200. That is, the information registered in the inventory number field is updated every time the vending machine 210 sells a commodity.

[0109] The second database D320 stores information indicating the state of the chassis unit 100. In the second database D320, information for identifying the chassis unit 100, information indicating the current position of the chassis unit 100, and information indicating the state of the chassis unit 100 are associated. Figure 8 A configuration example of information stored in the second database D320 will be described. Figure 82 is a diagram showing an example of the table structure of the second database D320. It should be noted that the structure of the table stored in the second database D320 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "chassis information table") is not limited to Figure 8 In the example shown, fields can be added, changed, or deleted as appropriate.

[0110] Figure 8 The chassis information table shown has fields such as chassis ID, current position, and status. Information (chassis ID) for identifying each chassis unit 100 is logged in the chassis ID field. Information indicating the current position of each chassis unit 100 is logged in the current position field. The information logged in the current position field may be information indicating the address of the current position of the chassis unit 100, or may be information indicating the coordinates (latitude / longitude) on the map of the current position of the chassis unit 100. Information indicating the status of each chassis unit 100 is logged in the status field. For example, if the chassis unit 100 is transporting the body unit 200, it is logged in the status field as "transporting". If the chassis unit 100 is recycling the body unit 200, it is logged in the status field as "recovering". If the chassis unit 100 is in a state of waiting at a specified service base, it is logged in as "waiting".

[0111] The maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310 detects the maintenance and inspection timing of the automatic vending machine 210 in operation. The maintenance and inspection timing in this example is the timing when the automatic vending machine 210 needs to be replenished with goods, and is the timing when the inventory number of goods is less than the prescribed lower limit value. The "prescribed lower limit value" mentioned here is a value assumed to require replenishment of goods when the inventory number is less than the prescribed lower limit value, for example, "0" or a value obtained by adding a prescribed margin to "0".

[0112] Whenever the above-mentioned maintenance and inspection timing is detected, the maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310 first accesses the first database D310, thereby reading the inventory number in the inventory number field logged in the inventory information table. Then, the maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310 determines whether the inventory number read from the inventory information table is less than the specified lower limit value. It should be noted that these processes are performed at the timing when the information in the inventory number field logged in the inventory information table is updated. That is, the maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310 determines whether the updated inventory number is less than the specified lower limit value. If the updated inventory number is less than the specified lower limit value, it is determined that the timing (maintenance and inspection timing) for replenishing goods to the corresponding vending machine 210 has arrived. In the case of detecting a vending machine 210 whose maintenance and inspection timing has arrived, the information in the fields of the vending machine ID, vehicle body ID, location information, and product ID logged in the corresponding inventory information table is sent to the replacement instruction generation unit F320.

[0113] The replacement instruction generation unit F320 generates an instruction (replacement instruction) for replacing a vending machine (hereinafter referred to as the "first vending machine 210A") whose maintenance and inspection timing has arrived with a vending machine (hereinafter referred to as the "second vending machine 210B") whose replenishment of goods has been completed. As mentioned above, the replacement of the vending machine in this example is performed together with the body unit. That is, when the first vending machine 210A is replaced with the second vending machine 210B, the body unit on which the first vending machine 210A is mounted is replaced with a body unit on which the second vending machine 210B is mounted. Hereinafter, the body unit on which the first vending machine 210A is mounted is referred to as the "first body unit 200A", and the body unit on which the second vending machine 210B is mounted is referred to as the "second body unit 200B".

[0114] The replacement command is a command for transporting the second vehicle body unit 200B to the installation location (predetermined location) of the first vehicle body unit 200A and collecting the first vehicle body unit 200A from the predetermined location, and includes, for example, the following first to fifth commands:

[0115] (First command) A command for combining the chassis unit 100 with the second vehicle body unit 200B;

[0116] (Second instruction) an instruction for causing the chassis unit 100 to travel to a predetermined location;

[0117] (Third command) A command for separating the chassis unit 100 from the second vehicle body unit 200B at a predetermined location;

[0118] (Fourth instruction) an instruction for combining the chassis unit 100 with the first vehicle body unit 200A at a predetermined location;

[0119] (Fifth Command) A command for causing the chassis unit 100 to travel to a location (service point) where maintenance and inspection work (product replenishment work) of the first vehicle body unit 200A is to be performed.

[0120] The replacement instruction generated by the replacement instruction generation unit F320 is sent to the chassis unit 100 via the communication unit 304. It should be noted that the chassis unit as the destination of the above-mentioned replacement instruction is determined based on the chassis information table of the second database D320. For example, among the chassis units 100 logged as "on standby" in the status field of the chassis information table, the chassis unit 100 whose current position logged in the current position field is closest to the specified place is determined as the chassis unit of the destination. The method of determining the chassis unit as the destination of the above-mentioned replacement instruction is not limited to the above-mentioned method, and can be determined by a method suitable for the operation mode of the vending machine service. In addition, the second body unit 200B can be prepared at the service base where the chassis unit 100 of the above-mentioned destination is on standby. At this time, the second vending machine 210B mounted on the second body unit 200B is replenished with the same goods as the first vending machine 210A.

[0121] (Processing flow)

[0122] Next, based on Fig. 9 The flow of processing performed by the server device 300 in this embodiment will be described. Fig. 9 1 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing performed by the server device 300 when receiving status information transmitted from the first vehicle body unit 200A.

[0123] exist Fig. 9 In the embodiment of the present invention, when the communication unit 304 of the server device 300 receives the status information transmitted from the first vehicle body unit 200A (step S101), the maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310 updates the inventory information table of the first database D310 (step S102). Specifically, the maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310 accesses the first database D310 based on the vending machine ID included in the above-mentioned status information, thereby determining the inventory information table corresponding to the first vending machine 210A. Next, the maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310 determines the commodity corresponding to the commodity ID included in the above-mentioned status information from the commodities registered in the determined inventory information table. Then, the maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310 updates the inventory number registered in the inventory number field corresponding to the determined commodity with the inventory number included in the above-mentioned status information.

[0124] When the information of the inventory number field in the inventory information table is updated, the maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310 determines whether the updated inventory number is less than the specified lower limit (step S103). At this time, if the updated inventory number is greater than the specified lower limit (negative determination in step S103), the server device 300 Fig. 9On the other hand, if the updated inventory number is less than the specified lower limit (affirmative determination in step S103), the maintenance and inspection timing of the first vending machine 210A has arrived, so the processing after step S104 is executed. In this case, the vending machine ID, vehicle ID, location information and product ID registered in the above inventory information table are sent from the maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310 to the replacement instruction generation unit F320.

[0125] The replacement instruction generation unit F320 determines the chassis unit 100 for performing the replacement operation of the first body unit 200A (step S104). Specifically, the replacement instruction generation unit F320 accesses the second database D320 and extracts the chassis information table logged as "on standby" in the status field. Next, the replacement instruction generation unit F320 extracts the chassis information table whose current position logged in the current position field is closest to the position of the first body unit 200A from the extracted chassis information table. The replacement instruction generation unit F320 reads the chassis ID logged in the chassis ID field of the extracted chassis information table. Then, the replacement instruction generation unit F320 determines the chassis unit 100 identified by the read chassis ID as the chassis unit for performing the replacement operation of the first body unit 200A.

[0126] The replacement instruction generation unit F320 generates a replacement instruction for the chassis unit 100 determined in the above step S104 (step S105). The replacement instruction mentioned here includes the first instruction to the fifth instruction mentioned above. It should be noted that the first instruction in this case is an instruction for combining the above chassis unit 100 with the second body unit 200B at the service base where the above chassis unit 100 is on standby. In addition, the second instruction is an instruction for causing the chassis unit 100 to travel from the above service base to the position (prescribed place) of the first body unit 200A. Moreover, the fifth instruction is an instruction for causing the chassis unit 100 to travel from the above prescribed place to the above service base. Such a replacement instruction is sent to the chassis unit 100 determined in the above S104 via the communication unit 304 (step S106).

[0127] In the chassis unit 100 that has received the above-mentioned replacement instruction, the operation plan generation unit F110 generates an operation plan based on the replacement instruction. As mentioned above, the operation plan includes data representing the scheduled driving path of the chassis unit 100 through a collection of road segments and data representing the processing that the chassis unit 100 should perform at any location on the scheduled driving path. The scheduled driving path in this case is a path from the above-mentioned service base via the above-mentioned prescribed place and returning to the above-mentioned service base. In addition, the arbitrary place on the scheduled driving path is the above-mentioned service base and the above-mentioned prescribed place. And the processing that the chassis unit 100 should perform at the above-mentioned service base is the combination operation of the chassis unit 100 and the second body unit 200B. In addition, the processing that the chassis unit 100 should perform at the above-mentioned prescribed place is the separation operation of the chassis unit 100 and the second body unit 200B and the combination operation of the chassis unit 100 and the first body unit 200A. When such an operation plan is generated, first, at the service base, the connection control unit F140 of the chassis unit 100 controls the equipment mounted on the external equipment or the chassis unit 100, thereby connecting the chassis unit 100 to the second vehicle body unit 200B. At this time, it is assumed that the second vending machine 210B of the second vehicle body unit 200B is replenished with the same goods as the first vending machine 210A. When the connection operation of the chassis unit 100 and the second vehicle body unit 200B at the service base is completed, the travel control unit F130 starts the travel of the chassis unit 100. At this time, the travel control unit F130 controls the driving unit 106 based on the operation plan, the environmental data generated by the environment detection unit F120, and the position information acquired by the position information acquisition unit 105, thereby controlling the travel of the chassis unit 100. As a result, the chassis unit 100 can autonomously travel from the service base to the specified location. As a result, the chassis unit 100 can transport the second vehicle body unit 200B from the above-mentioned service base to the above-mentioned specified location. Then, when the chassis unit 100 arrives at the specified location, the coupling control unit F140 separates the chassis unit 100 from the second vehicle body unit 200B. As a result, the second vehicle body unit 200B is placed at rest at the above-mentioned specified location. Next, the coupling control unit F140 couples the chassis unit 100 with the first vehicle body unit 200A. When the coupling operation of the chassis unit 100 with the first vehicle body unit 200A is completed, the driving control unit F130 restarts the driving of the chassis unit 100. At this time, the driving control unit F130 controls the driving unit 106 based on the above-mentioned operation plan, the above-mentioned environmental data and the above-mentioned position information, thereby causing the chassis unit 100 to autonomously drive from the above-mentioned specified location to the above-mentioned service base. As a result, the chassis unit 100 can transport the first vehicle body unit 200A from the above-mentioned specified location to the above-mentioned service base.As a result, the first vehicle body unit 200A transported to the service center can be maintained and repaired including replenishing the first vending machine 210A. When the first vending machine 210A and the second vending machine 210B are replaced in this way, the operator can save the time of going to the predetermined location to replenish the vending machine.

[0128] According to the automatic vending machine system described in this embodiment, it is possible to efficiently replenish the merchandise for the automatic vending machine 210. This makes it easy to install the automatic vending machine 210 at a location far from a service base.

[0129] <Variation 1>

[0130] The goods sold by the vending machine 210 may be replaced by other goods depending on the release of new goods, the change of seasons, or sales performance. For example, when a new product equivalent to the goods sold by the vending machine 210 is released, the goods of the vending machine 210 need to be replaced by the new goods. In addition, the needs of users are different in summer and winter, so it is also necessary to replace the goods of the vending machine 210 according to the change of seasons. Moreover, if the sales performance of the goods sold by the vending machine 210 is small, it is necessary to replace the goods with other goods. Due to the above-mentioned various reasons, it may be necessary to replace the goods sold by the first vending machine 210A with other goods.

[0131] Therefore, in this modification, the maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310 can also detect the timing of replacing the goods of the vending machine 210 as the maintenance and inspection timing. According to such a vending machine system, it is possible to save the operator's time to go to the installation location of the vending machine 210 to replace the goods. As a result, the goods sold by the vending machine 210 can be replaced efficiently. As a result, it becomes easy to install the vending machine 210 in a place far away from the service base.

[0132] <Variation 2>

[0133] In the case where the vending machine 210 is configured to rent out goods, it is necessary to regularly perform inspections and maintenance to ensure the quality of the goods. Therefore, in this variant, the maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310 can also detect the timing of the inspection and maintenance of the goods rented out by the vending machine 210 as the maintenance and inspection timing. The maintenance and inspection timing in this case can be determined, for example, based on the number of rentals or the elapsed time since the end of the previous inspection and maintenance. According to such a vending machine system, it is possible to save the operator's time to go to the location where the vending machine 210 is set to inspect and maintain the goods. As a result, the inspection and maintenance of the goods rented out by the vending machine 210 can be carried out efficiently. As a result, it is also easy to set up the vending machine 210 in a place far away from the service base.

[0134] <Variation 3>

[0135] In order to maintain the performance of the vending machine 210, it is necessary to properly inspect and maintain the vending machine 210. Therefore, in this modification, the maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310 can also detect the timing when the vending machine 210 should be inspected and maintained as the maintenance and inspection timing. The maintenance and inspection timing in this case can be determined based on, for example, the operating time since the end of the previous inspection and maintenance. According to such a vending machine system, it is possible to save the operator's time to go to the location where the vending machine 210 is set to inspect and maintain the vending machine 210. As a result, the vending machine 210 can be inspected and maintained efficiently. As a result, it is also easy to set up the vending machine 210 in a place far away from the service base.

[0136] <Variation 4>

[0137] In the case where the vending machine 210 is configured to operate using the power of the battery 205, when the remaining amount of the battery 205 becomes low, the vending machine 210 cannot be properly operated. Therefore, in this modification, the maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310 may also detect the timing when the remaining amount of the battery 205 is less than the prescribed lower limit value as the maintenance and inspection timing. In this case, the information related to the remaining amount of the battery 205 may also be sent from the body unit 200 or the vending machine 210 to the server device 300 at a prescribed cycle. In addition, it is also possible to send the information related to the remaining amount of the battery 205 from the body unit 200 or the vending machine 210 to the server device 300 with the remaining amount of the battery 205 being less than the prescribed lower limit value as a trigger. According to such a vending machine system, it is possible to save the operator's labor of going to the installation place of the vending machine 210 to charge or replace the battery 205. As a result, the battery 205 can be managed efficiently. This makes it easy to install the vending machine 210 at a location far from a service base.

[0138] <Variant 5>

[0139] In the operating state of the vending machine 210, abnormalities such as failures may also occur. Therefore, in this modification, the maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310 can also detect the timing when the abnormality of the vending machine 210 is detected as the maintenance and inspection timing. According to such a vending machine system, it is possible to save the operator's time to go to the installation location of the vending machine 210 to repair the vending machine 210. As a result, the vending machine 210 can be repaired efficiently. As a result, it is also easy to install the vending machine 210 in a place far away from the service base.

[0140] <Variant 6>

[0141] In the case where the vending machine 210 is configured to sell or rent goods relative to the payment of money, when the number of change stored in the vending machine 210 (inventory number) decreases, it may become impossible to properly sell or rent goods. Therefore, in this variation, the maintenance and inspection timing detection unit F310 can also detect the timing when the inventory number of change in the vending machine 210 is less than the specified lower limit value as the maintenance and inspection timing. According to such a vending machine system, the operator can save the time of going to the setting place of the vending machine 210 to replenish the change. As a result, the change of the vending machine 210 can be replenished efficiently. As a result, it is also easy to set up the vending machine 210 in a place far away from the service base.

[0142] <Variant 7>

[0143] In the above-mentioned embodiment and modification examples 1 to 6, an example in which the server device 300 performs maintenance inspection timing detection and replacement instruction generation is described, but the chassis unit 100 may also perform maintenance inspection timing detection and replacement instruction generation. That is, the processing performed by the maintenance inspection timing detection unit F310 and the replacement instruction generation unit F320 may also be performed by the chassis unit 100. In this case, the processor 101 may execute a program stored in the main storage unit 102 or the auxiliary storage unit 103 of the chassis unit 100 to realize the same functions as the maintenance inspection timing detection unit F310 and the replacement instruction generation unit F320.

[0144] <Other>

[0145] The above-mentioned embodiments and modified examples are merely examples, and the present disclosure can be implemented with appropriate changes without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. For example, the above-mentioned embodiments and modified examples can be implemented by combining them as much as possible.

[0146] In addition, as long as no technical contradiction occurs, the processing and means described in the present disclosure can be freely combined for implementation. In addition, the processing described as a processing performed by one device can also be shared and executed by multiple devices. On the other hand, the processing described as a processing performed by multiple devices can also be executed by one device. In a computer system, it is possible to flexibly change which hardware configuration is used to implement each function.

[0147] In addition, the present disclosure can also be implemented in the following manner: a computer program (information processing program) having the functions described in the above-mentioned embodiments is provided to a computer, and one or more processors of the computer read out the program and execute it. Such a computer program can be provided to a computer through a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium that can be connected to a system bus of the computer, or it can be provided to the computer via a network. A non-temporary computer-readable storage medium is a recording medium that can accumulate information such as data and programs by electrical, magnetic, optical, mechanical or chemical effects, and can read the data, program and other information from a computer, etc. Such a recording medium is, for example, a disk (floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk drive (HDD), etc.), an optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD optical disk / Blu-ray disk, etc.), a read-in dedicated memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an EPROM, an EEPROM, a magnetic card, a flash memory, an optical card or an SSD (Solid State Drive; solid state drive) and other media.

Claims

1. An information processing device comprising a control unit, The control unit performs: When a first vehicle body unit on which a first vending machine is mounted is placed at rest in a predetermined location in a state separated from a chassis unit, detecting a maintenance inspection timing as a timing for performing maintenance inspection of the first vending machine; receiving, at a predetermined period, information indicating a current position of each chassis unit and information indicating a state of each chassis unit transmitted from each of a plurality of chassis units configured to be autonomously driven and configured to be coupled to and detached from any vehicle body unit; Based on the information indicating the current position and the information indicating the state, determining, among the plurality of chassis units, a chassis unit that is on standby at a predetermined service location where maintenance and inspection work of the vending machine is being performed and that is closest to the predetermined location as a first chassis unit for performing replacement work of the first vehicle body unit; as well as A replacement command is sent to the first chassis unit at the maintenance timing, the replacement command being a command for transporting the second body unit having the second vending machine mounted thereon from the prescribed service point to the prescribed location and for collecting the first body unit from the prescribed location.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The replacement instruction includes: an instruction for causing the first chassis unit to be coupled to the second vehicle body unit at the specified service location; an instruction for causing the first chassis unit to travel from the predetermined service point to the predetermined location; an instruction for causing the first chassis unit to be separated from the second vehicle body unit at the specified location; An instruction for combining the first chassis unit with the first vehicle body unit at the specified location; and An instruction for causing the first chassis unit to travel to the predetermined service point.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The control unit detects a timing at which the stock number of commodities in the first automatic vending machine falls below a predetermined lower limit value as the maintenance inspection timing.

4. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The control unit detects a timing at which the commodity sold by the first vending machine is replaced with another commodity as the maintenance inspection timing.

5. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The control unit detects a timing at which inspection and maintenance of the commodity rented by the first automatic vending machine are performed as the maintenance inspection timing.

6. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The control unit detects a timing for performing inspection and maintenance of the first automatic vending machine as the maintenance and inspection timing.

7. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The control unit detects, as the maintenance inspection timing, a timing at which a remaining amount of a battery for operating the first automatic vending machine falls below a predetermined lower limit value.

8. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The control unit detects a timing at which an abnormality occurs in the first automatic vending machine as the maintenance inspection timing.

9. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The control unit detects a timing at which the stock number of change in the first automatic vending machine falls below a predetermined lower limit value as the maintenance inspection timing.

10. An information processing method, executed by a computer: A detection step of detecting a maintenance inspection timing as a timing for performing maintenance inspection of the first vending machine when the first vehicle body unit on which the first vending machine is mounted is placed at rest in a predetermined location in a state where the first vehicle body unit is separated from the chassis unit; a receiving step of receiving, at a predetermined period, information indicating a current position of each chassis unit and information indicating a state of each chassis unit transmitted from each of a plurality of chassis units configured to be autonomously driven and configured to be coupled to and detached from any vehicle body unit; A determination step of determining, based on the information indicating the current position and the information indicating the state, a chassis unit that is on standby at a predetermined service location where maintenance and inspection work of the vending machine is being performed and is closest to the predetermined location among the plurality of chassis units as a first chassis unit for performing replacement work of the first vehicle body unit; as well as The sending step sends a replacement instruction to the first chassis unit according to the maintenance and inspection timing, and the replacement instruction is an instruction for transporting the second body unit equipped with the second vending machine from the specified service base to the specified location and recovering the first body unit from the specified location.

11. The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein: The replacement instruction includes: an instruction for causing the first chassis unit to be coupled to the second vehicle body unit at the specified service location; an instruction for causing the first chassis unit to travel from the predetermined service point to the predetermined location; an instruction for causing the first chassis unit to be separated from the second vehicle body unit at the specified location; An instruction for combining the first chassis unit with the first vehicle body unit at the specified location; and An instruction for causing the first chassis unit to travel to the predetermined service point.

12. The information processing method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein: In the detection step, The timing at which the stock number of commodities in the first vending machine falls below a predetermined lower limit value is detected as the maintenance inspection timing.

13. The information processing method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein: In the detection step, The timing at which the commodity sold by the first automatic vending machine is changed to a new commodity is detected as the maintenance inspection timing.

14. The information processing method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein: In the detection step, The timing for inspecting and maintaining the merchandise rented by the first automatic vending machine is detected as the maintenance timing.

15. The information processing method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein: In the detection step, The timing for performing inspection and maintenance of the first automatic vending machine is detected as the maintenance and inspection timing.

16. The information processing method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein: In the detection step, The timing at which the remaining amount of a battery for operating the first automatic vending machine falls below a predetermined lower limit value is detected as the maintenance inspection timing.

17. The information processing method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein: In the detection step, The timing at which an abnormality occurs in the first automatic vending machine is detected as the maintenance inspection timing.

18. The information processing method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein: In the detection step, The timing at which the stock amount of change in the first automatic vending machine falls below a predetermined lower limit is detected as the maintenance inspection timing.

19. A vehicle comprising a control unit, The control unit performs: When a first vehicle body unit on which a first vending machine is mounted is placed at rest in a predetermined location in a state separated from a chassis unit, detecting a maintenance inspection timing as a timing for performing maintenance inspection of the first vending machine; receiving, at a predetermined period, information indicating a current position of each chassis unit and information indicating a state of each chassis unit transmitted from each of a plurality of chassis units configured to be autonomously driven and configured to be coupled to and detached from any vehicle body unit; Based on the information indicating the current position and the information indicating the state, determining, among the plurality of chassis units, a chassis unit that is on standby at a predetermined service location where maintenance and inspection work of the vending machine is being performed and that is closest to the predetermined location as a first chassis unit for performing replacement work of the first vehicle body unit; as well as The first chassis unit is operated at the maintenance timing to transport the second vehicle body unit having the second vending machine mounted thereon from the predetermined service point to the predetermined location and to retrieve the first vehicle body unit from the predetermined location.

Images