Operation management device, operation management method, operation management system, and vehicle

Abstract

The present invention provides an operation management device, an operation management method, an operation management system, and a vehicle that can quickly eliminate road obstacles. The operation management device (10) has a control unit (11). The control unit (11) outputs information indicating an operation schedule and an operation route to a vehicle (30) that operates through autonomous driving. When the vehicle (30) is affected by a road obstacle existing on the operation route, the control unit (11) acquires an image of the road obstacle from the vehicle (30). Based on the image of the road obstacle, the control unit (11) automatically outputs an instruction to eliminate the road obstacle to a road management system (80).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an operation management device, an operation management method, an operation management system and a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] In the prior art, a system for managing the operation of a route bus is known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an operation monitoring system that monitors the route bus and, when an abnormality or delay occurs, notifies the operator of the route bus of the response to the situation so that the operator can respond quickly.

[0003] Prior Art Literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-220192. Summary of the invention

[0006] Problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] Due to obstacles on the road, the autonomous vehicle may stop or be delayed and may not be able to run according to the schedule. Even when the autonomous vehicle itself cannot cope with the obstacles on the road, it is desired to eliminate the obstacles on the road so that the autonomous vehicle can run according to the schedule.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to quickly eliminate obstacles on the road.

[0009] Methods used to solve problems

[0010] An operation management device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a control unit. The control unit outputs information indicating an operation schedule and an operation route to a vehicle operating by automatic driving, obtains an image of the road obstacle from the vehicle when the vehicle is affected by a road obstacle existing on the operation route, and automatically outputs an instruction to eliminate the road obstacle to a road management system based on the image of the road obstacle.

[0011] An operation management system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes the operation management device and the vehicle.

[0012] An operation management method according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: outputting information indicating an operation schedule and an operation route to a vehicle operating by automatic driving; obtaining an image of the road obstacle from the vehicle when the vehicle is affected by a road obstacle existing on the operation route; and automatically outputting an instruction to eliminate the road obstacle to a road management system based on the image of the road obstacle.

[0013] A vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention is operated by automatic driving. The vehicle comprises: a control unit that controls the operation of the vehicle based on information related to an operation schedule and an operation route generated by an operation management device; and a photographing unit that obtains an image of the surroundings of the vehicle, wherein the control unit outputs the image of a road obstacle existing on the operation route to the operation management device when the image of the surroundings of the vehicle includes the image of the road obstacle.

[0014] Effects of the Invention

[0015] An operation management device, an operation management method, an operation management system, and a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention can quickly eliminate obstacles on the road. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 This is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an operation management system according to one embodiment.

[0017] Figure 2 The diagram shows an example of a road obstacle located on the travel path of the vehicle.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing an example of a response operation to an on-road obstacle by a road maintenance worker.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a flowchart showing an example of procedures of an operation management method according to one embodiment.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a flowchart showing an example of procedures of a vehicle control method according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] (Configuration Example of Operation Management System 1)

[0022] like Figure 1 As shown, an operation management system 1 according to an embodiment includes a server 10 and a vehicle 30. The server 10 and the vehicle 30 are connected to a network 50 and can communicate with each other. The number of each of the server 10 and the vehicle 30 is not limited to one, and may be two or more.

[0023] The operation management system 1 provides a service for transporting users by running a vehicle 30 along a prescribed route. The vehicle 30 stops at a station on the prescribed route and allows users to get on and off. The prescribed route may include a circular route or a route connecting two locations.

[0024] The operation management system 1 is connected to a road management system 80 in a communicable manner. The road management system 80 manages the road on which the vehicle 30 is traveling. The road management system 80 removes obstacles on the road, such as debris left on the road or damage to the road. Hereinafter, a configuration example of the road management system 80 will be described.

[0025] Hereinafter, a configuration example of the operation management system 1 for managing the operation of the vehicle 30 will be described.

[0026] <Server 10>

[0027] The server 10 includes a server control unit 11 and a server communication unit 12 .

[0028] The server control unit 11 controls each component of the server 10. The server control unit 11 is also referred to as the control unit. The server control unit 11 may include one or more processors. In the present embodiment, the "processor" is a general-purpose processor, a dedicated processor dedicated to specific processing, etc., but is not limited to this. The server control unit 11 may also include one or more dedicated circuits. The dedicated circuit may include, for example, an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The server control unit 11 may include a dedicated circuit instead of a processor, or may include a processor and a dedicated circuit.

[0029] The server 10 may further include a storage unit. The storage unit may be, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, or an optical memory, but is not limited thereto. The storage unit may also function as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit may include an electromagnetic storage medium such as a magnetic disk. The storage unit stores arbitrary information used for the operation of the server 10. For example, the storage unit may also store a system program or an application program, etc. The storage unit may also be included in the server control unit 11.

[0030] The server communication unit 12 includes a communication module configured to be able to communicate with the vehicle 30 via the network 50. The server communication unit 12 is also simply referred to as a communication unit.

[0031] The server 10 may include one or more server devices capable of communicating with each other. The server 10 is also called an operation management device.

[0032] <Vehicle 30>

[0033] The vehicle 30 is a passenger transport vehicle such as a bus, but is not limited thereto and may be any vehicle that a user can use as a passenger. The number of vehicles 30 is not limited to one, and may be two or more. The vehicle 30 is operated by automatic driving. Automatic driving may be performed at any level from level 1 to level 5 defined in the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers). Automatic driving is not limited to the exemplified definition, and may be implemented according to other definitions.

[0034] The vehicle 30 includes a vehicle control unit 31 and a vehicle communication unit 32. The vehicle control unit 31 and the vehicle communication unit 32 are connected to each other via an in-vehicle network such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) or a dedicated line so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0035] The vehicle control unit 31 controls each component of the vehicle 30. The vehicle control unit 31 is also referred to as a control unit. The vehicle control unit 31 may include one or more processors. The vehicle control unit 31 may include one or more dedicated circuits instead of a processor, or may include one or more dedicated circuits together with a processor. The vehicle control unit 31 may also be configured to further include a storage unit.

[0036] The vehicle communication unit 32 may also be configured to include a communication module configured to communicate with the server 10 via the network 50. The communication module may include, but is not limited to, a communication module corresponding to a mobile communication standard such as 4G or 5G. The vehicle communication unit 32 may be configured to include, for example, an on-board communicator. The vehicle communication unit 32 is also referred to as a communication unit.

[0037] The vehicle 30 also has a position information acquisition unit 33. The position information acquisition unit 33 is connected to the vehicle control unit 31 or the vehicle communication unit 32 via an in-vehicle network such as CAN or a dedicated line so as to be able to communicate with each other. The position information acquisition unit 33 acquires the position information of the vehicle 30 itself. The position information acquisition unit 33 may include a receiver corresponding to a satellite positioning system. The receiver corresponding to the satellite positioning system may include, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver. The vehicle 30 can output the position information of the vehicle 30 itself acquired by the position information acquisition unit 33 from the vehicle communication unit 32 to the server 10. The vehicle control unit 31 controls the automatic driving according to the position information of the vehicle 30.

[0038] The vehicle 30 also includes a camera 34. The camera 34 captures the surroundings of the vehicle 30. The surroundings of the vehicle 30 include the road surface of the road on which the vehicle 30 is traveling. The surroundings of the vehicle 30 include people or objects that exist around the vehicle 30. The camera 34 may include a camera that captures visible light, or may include a camera that captures electromagnetic waves other than visible light, such as infrared light. The camera 34 outputs the captured image to the vehicle control unit 31. The vehicle control unit 31 outputs the captured image to the server 10.

[0039] (Configuration Example of Road Management System 80)

[0040] The road management system 80 includes a road management device 81 and a terminal device 82 .

[0041] The road management device 81 processes information for managing roads. The information for managing roads is also called road management information. The road management information includes, for example, information related to obstacles that have fallen on the road. The road management information includes information related to damage to the road surface such as openings on the road or height differences on the road. The road management device 81 may be configured the same as or similar to the server 10.

[0042] The terminal device 82 is held by a road maintenance worker and is configured to be able to notify the road maintenance worker of road management information. The terminal device 82 may include, for example, a portable terminal such as a smartphone. The terminal device 82 may include a PC such as a notebook PC (Personal Computer) or a tablet PC. The terminal device 82 is not limited to these examples and may include various devices.

[0043] The terminal device 82 may include a control unit including a processor, etc. The terminal device 82 may include a storage unit. The terminal device 82 may include a communication unit including a communication module capable of communicating with the server 10 via the network 50. The communication module may include, but is not limited to, a communication module corresponding to a mobile communication standard such as 4G (4th Generation) or 5G (5th Generation).

[0044] The terminal device 82 may have an input unit, which may include an input device for receiving input from a user. The input device may include, for example, a touch panel or a touch sensor, or a pointing device such as a mouse. The input device may include a physical key. The input device may include a sound input device such as a microphone.

[0045] The terminal device 82 may have an output unit, and the output unit is configured to include an output device, and the output device outputs information so that the user can recognize the information. The output device may include a display device that outputs visual information such as images, text, or graphics. The display device may include, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD: Liquid Crystal Display), an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display or an inorganic EL display, or a plasma display (PDP: Plasma Display Panel). The display device is not limited to these displays, and may also include displays of various other types. The display device may be configured to include a light-emitting device such as an LED (Light Emission Diode). The display device may include various other devices. The output device may include, for example, a sound output device such as a speaker that outputs auditory information such as sound. The output device is not limited to these examples, and may include various other devices.

[0046] (Application Example of Operation Management System 1 and Road Management System 80)

[0047] The server control unit 11 of the server 10 processes information related to the vehicle 30 operating in automatic driving, and manages the operation schedule of the vehicle 30. The operation schedule includes information for determining the target position of the vehicle 30 at a certain time. The server control unit 11 obtains the position information of the vehicle 30 or the information around the vehicle 30 as information related to the vehicle 30, and outputs information instructing the vehicle 30 to operate so that the vehicle 30 can arrive at a predetermined location at a predetermined time. That is, the server control unit 11 processes the information obtained from the vehicle 30 and the information output to the vehicle 30.

[0048] The server control unit 11 generates information indicating the operation schedule and the operation route to the vehicle 30. The operation route includes a path for the vehicle 30 to travel and transport passengers. The operation route may include the location of a station where the vehicle 30 stops to allow passengers to get on and off. The operation schedule includes the time when the vehicle 30 arrives at a predetermined location included in the operation route, or the time when the vehicle 30 departs from a predetermined location.

[0049] <Photographing obstacles on the road>

[0050] When the vehicle 30 is traveling along the route, it may be affected by obstacles on the route. Figure 2 As shown, on the path 40 along which the vehicle 30 travels, there may be road debris 46 as a road obstacle.

[0051] The vehicle 30 may slow down or stop due to an obstacle on the road. In addition, the vehicle 30 may travel around an obstacle on the road without deviating from the route or the pre-planned detour route. The vehicle 30 may not arrive at or depart from a specified location at the time specified in the operation schedule due to slowing down, stopping, or detouring. In other words, the vehicle 30 may be delayed relative to the operation schedule due to the influence of an obstacle on the road.

[0052] When there is a road obstacle in the running route or when the vehicle 30 is affected by a road obstacle, the imaging unit 34 of the vehicle 30 images the road obstacle. An image of the road obstacle is also called a road obstacle image. Figure 2 In the example of , the photographing unit 34 outputs a road obstacle image including the road debris 46 as a road obstacle. The photographing unit 34 outputs the road obstacle image to the vehicle control unit 31. The vehicle control unit 31 outputs the road obstacle image to the server 10. The vehicle control unit 31 outputs the position information of the vehicle 30 together with the road obstacle image to the server 10.

[0053] <Dealing with obstacles on the road>

[0054] The server control unit 11 obtains an image of an obstacle on the road from the vehicle 30. The server control unit 11 can also obtain the position information of the vehicle 30. The server control unit 11 generates information indicating the elimination of the obstacle on the road based on the image of the obstacle on the road, and outputs it to the road management system 80. Information indicating the elimination of the obstacle on the road is also called elimination instruction information. The server control unit 11 can also generate elimination instruction information based on the position information of the vehicle 30, and output it to the road management system 80. The server control unit 11 can automatically output the elimination instruction information to the road management system 80. By automatically outputting the elimination instruction information to the road management system 80, the operation of determining whether to instruct the elimination of the obstacle on the road is omitted in the operation management system 1. As a result, the workload of the person in charge in the operation management system 1 is reduced. In addition, the ability elements required of the person in charge in the operation management system 1 are eased. As a result, the staffing of the person in charge in the operation management system 1 becomes easy.

[0055] The server control unit 11 outputs the elimination instruction information to at least one of the road management device 81 and the terminal device 82 of the road management system 80. When the road management device 81 obtains the elimination instruction information, it can determine the number of road maintenance workers required to eliminate the road obstacle, or the required tools or parts, etc. according to the elimination instruction information. The road management device 81 assigns the elimination work of the road obstacle to the road maintenance worker. The road management device 81 can estimate the time required to complete the elimination of the road obstacle and output it to the server 10.

[0056] The road management device 81 can determine the personnel, equipment, or materials required to eliminate the road obstacle based on the database storing information associating the content of the road obstacle that occurred in the past with the content of the work for eliminating the road obstacle.

[0057] The road management device 81 can estimate the time required to completely eliminate the road obstacle based on a database storing information associating the details of the road obstacle that occurred in the past with the time required to completely eliminate the road obstacle.

[0058] When the terminal device 82 obtains the elimination instruction information, it notifies the road maintenance worker who holds the terminal device 82 of the elimination instruction information. The terminal device 82 causes the road maintenance worker to input a judgment result of whether the road maintenance worker can undertake the elimination operation of the road obstacle specified by the elimination instruction information, and outputs the result to the server 10 or the road management device 81. When the road maintenance worker can undertake the elimination operation of the road obstacle, the terminal device 82 causes the road maintenance worker to input an estimated value of the time required to complete the elimination of the road obstacle, and outputs the result to the server 10 or the road management device 81.

[0059] The server control unit 11 may obtain an estimate of the time required to eliminate the road obstacle from the road management device 81 or the terminal device 82 of the road management system 80. The estimate of the time required to eliminate the road obstacle is also referred to as the estimated time of eliminating the road obstacle.

[0060] The server control unit 11 may estimate the time required to eliminate the road obstacle based on the road obstacle image. That is, the server control unit 11 may obtain the estimated time to eliminate the road obstacle by the server control unit 11 itself. Specifically, the server control unit 11 may execute the same or similar method as the method of obtaining the estimated time to eliminate the road obstacle by the road management device 81. The server 10 may store a database related to the content of the road obstacle in the storage unit.

[0061] The server control unit 11 can change the operation schedule of the vehicle 30 in the operation route affected by the road obstacle according to the estimated time when the road obstacle is eliminated. For example, the server control unit 11 can estimate the time of delay due to the deceleration of the vehicle 30 affected by the road obstacle and change the operation schedule of the vehicle 30. In the case where a section where the vehicle 30 cannot pass is generated due to the road obstacle, the server control unit 11 can estimate the time of delay due to the detour of the vehicle 30 and change the operation schedule of the vehicle 30.

[0062] The operation management system 1 changes the operation schedule of the vehicle 30 according to the occurrence of road obstacles, thereby notifying the arrival time of the passengers of the vehicle 30. In addition, the operation management system 1 can notify the arrival time of the vehicle 30 to the station to the customers who want to take the vehicle 30. As a result, the convenience of the passengers is improved.

[0063] The server control unit 11 may generate information instructing to add information to operate a new vehicle 30 in the operation route affected by the road obstacle, based on the estimated time until the road obstacle is eliminated.

[0064] <Removal of obstacles on the road>

[0065] The road maintenance worker belonging to the road management system 80 moves to the location where the road obstacle occurs according to the removal instruction information notified from the terminal device 82, and performs work for removing the road obstacle. For example, when there is a stray object 46 on the road as a road obstacle, the road maintenance worker Figure 3 As shown, the road obstacle can be removed by the debris recovery worker 24 as a road maintenance worker recovering the debris 46 on the road. For example, when the road obstacle is opened or damaged such as a height difference on the road surface, the road obstacle can be removed by repairing the damage. When the road obstacle is completely removed, the road maintenance worker inputs a completion report to the terminal device 82.

[0066] <What to do after removing obstacles on the road>

[0067] The road management system 80 outputs a report on the completion of the removal of the road obstacle by the work of the road maintenance personnel, etc. to the server 10. Specifically, the terminal device 82 can accept the input of the completion report of the removal work from the road maintenance personnel, and output the completion report to the road management device 81 or the server 10. In addition, the road management device 81 can also obtain the completion report of the removal work from the terminal device 82 and output it to the server 10.

[0068] The server control unit 11 obtains a report from the road management system 80 that the road obstacle has been eliminated. The server control unit 11 changes the operation schedule of the vehicle 30 on the operation route affected by the road obstacle. For example, the server control unit 11 may change the operation schedule to make the vehicle 30 run quickly, thereby compensating for the delay caused by the road obstacle. The server control unit 11 may also change the operation schedule to add a new vehicle 30 to the operation route affected by the road obstacle, thereby compensating for the reduction in the number of people transported due to the road obstacle. The server control unit 11 may also change the operation schedule to the operation schedule before the road obstacle occurred at the time when the delay or reduction in the number of people transported due to the road obstacle is compensated.

[0069] The operation management system 1 can notify the passengers of the vehicle 30 of the arrival time at the destination by changing the operation schedule of the vehicle 30 according to the elimination of the road obstacle. In addition, the operation management system 1 can notify the customers who want to take the vehicle 30 of the arrival time of the vehicle 30 at the station. As a result, the convenience of the passengers is improved.

[0070] The vehicle control unit 31 of the vehicle 30 can make the vehicle 30 travel in normal automatic driving when detecting that the obstacle on the road has been eliminated. For example, when the vehicle 30 stops due to an obstacle on the road, the vehicle control unit 31 detects that the obstacle on the road has been eliminated and can autonomously restart the vehicle 30. When the vehicle 30 slows down due to an obstacle on the road, the vehicle control unit 31 detects that the obstacle on the road has been eliminated and can compensate the speed of the vehicle 30 to the normal speed. The server control unit 11 can also output an instruction to restart the operation to the vehicle 30 based on the completion report of the obstacle on the road. The vehicle control unit 31 can also receive an instruction to restart the operation from the server 10 and restart the operation of the vehicle 30.

[0071] As described above, the operation management system 1 of this embodiment can grasp the status of the road obstacle based on the image of the road obstacle. Even if the operation of the vehicle 30 is affected by the road obstacle, the operation management system 1 can determine and instruct the transportation number or transportation speed that can be maintained by the vehicle 30. As a result, the convenience of the passengers using the vehicle 30 is improved.

[0072] In addition, the operation management system 1 according to the present embodiment automatically instructs the road management system 80 to eliminate the obstacle on the road. Since the operation management system 1 automatically instructs to eliminate the obstacle on the road, it is possible to quickly deal with the obstacle on the road. By quickly dealing with it, the time to complete the elimination of the obstacle on the road is shortened. By shortening the time until the elimination of the obstacle on the road is completed, it is easy to maintain the transportation number or transportation speed of passengers based on the vehicle 30. As a result, the convenience of the passengers using the vehicle 30 is improved.

[0073] In addition, by the operation management system 1 automatically instructing the removal of obstacles on the road, the element of judgment ability required of the person in charge of operating the operation management system 1 can be alleviated. By alleviating the ability element required of the person in charge, the labor intensity of the person in charge can be reduced. In addition, it is easy to ensure the personnel of the person in charge. In addition, the operation of the vehicle 30 can continue even in a time period such as late at night or early in the morning when it is difficult to ensure personnel.

[0074] The operation management system 1 changes the operation schedule of the vehicle 30 according to the estimated time when the road obstacle is eliminated. Thus, even if the operation of the vehicle 30 is affected by the road obstacle, the transportation number or transportation speed of the passengers by the vehicle 30 can be maintained.

[0075] (Example of operation management method)

[0076] The server control unit 11 may also execute Figure 4 The operation management method of the steps of the flowchart shown as an example. The operation management method can also be implemented as an operation management program executed by a processor constituting the server control unit 11.

[0077] The server control unit 11 generates an operation schedule and an operation route of the vehicle 30 , and issues instructions to the vehicle 30 (step S1 ).

[0078] The server control unit 11 acquires a road obstacle image from the vehicle 30 (step S2 ).

[0079] The server control unit 11 generates and outputs information for instructing the road management system 80 to remove the road obstacle (step S3 ).

[0080] The server control unit 11 obtains an estimated time until the obstacle on the road is eliminated (step S4 ).

[0081] The server control unit 11 changes the operation schedule of the vehicle 30 according to the estimated time until the road obstacle is eliminated (step S5). The server control unit 11 may output an instruction to add a new vehicle 30 to the operation route affected by the road obstacle as needed.

[0082] The server control unit 11 determines whether the road obstacle has been eliminated (step S6). The server control unit 11 may perform the determination of step S6 after the estimated time for eliminating the road obstacle has passed. The server control unit 11 may perform the determination of step S6 regardless of the estimated time for eliminating the road obstacle.

[0083] If the road obstacle has not been eliminated (step S6: No), the server control unit 11 may return to the step S4 and obtain the estimated time until the road obstacle is eliminated again. The server control unit 11 may simply repeat the step S6.

[0084] If the road obstacle is eliminated (step S6: Yes), the server control unit 11 changes the operation schedule of the vehicle 30 (step S7). After executing step S7, the server control unit 11 ends Figure 4 Execution of the steps of the flowchart.

[0085] As described above, according to the operation management method of this embodiment, by understanding the status of the road obstacle based on the image of the road obstacle, it is possible to perform judgment or instruction in a manner that can maintain the transportation quantity or transportation speed of passengers even if affected by the road obstacle. As a result, the convenience of passengers using the vehicle 30 is improved.

[0086] Furthermore, according to the operation management method of the present embodiment, the road management system 80 is automatically instructed to remove the road obstacle. By automatically instructing to remove the road obstacle, the road obstacle can be quickly dealt with. By quickly dealing with it, the time to complete the removal of the road obstacle is shortened. By shortening the time until the road obstacle is completely removed, it is easy to maintain the number of passengers transported or the transport speed of the vehicle 30. As a result, the convenience of the passengers using the vehicle 30 is improved.

[0087] Furthermore, by automatically instructing to remove obstacles on the road, it is possible to ease the element of judgment ability required of the person in charge of managing the operation of the vehicle 30. By alleviating the element of ability required of the person in charge, the workload of the person in charge can be reduced. Furthermore, it is easy to secure personnel for the person in charge. Furthermore, the operation of the vehicle 30 can be continued even in time periods such as late at night or early in the morning when it is difficult to secure personnel.

[0088] According to the operation management method of this embodiment, the operation schedule of the vehicle 30 is changed according to the estimated time when the road obstacle is eliminated. As a result, even if the operation of the vehicle 30 is affected by the road obstacle, the transportation number or transportation speed of the passengers by the vehicle 30 can be maintained. As a result, the convenience of the passengers using the vehicle 30 is improved.

[0089] (Example of vehicle control method)

[0090] The vehicle control unit 31 may also execute Figure 5 The vehicle control method according to the steps of the flowchart shown in the example. The vehicle control method may be implemented as a vehicle control program executed by a processor constituting the vehicle control unit 31.

[0091] The vehicle control unit 31 obtains the operation schedule and operation route of the vehicle 30 (step S11 ).

[0092] The vehicle control unit 31 operates the vehicle 30 according to the operation schedule (step S12 ).

[0093] The vehicle control unit 31 determines whether the operation of the vehicle 30 is delayed due to the road obstacle (step S13). If the operation of the vehicle 30 is not delayed due to the road obstacle (step S13: No), the vehicle control unit 31 returns to step S12 and continues the operation of the vehicle 30.

[0094] When the operation of the vehicle 30 is delayed due to the on-road obstacle (step S13 : Yes), the vehicle control unit 31 acquires an on-road obstacle image through the imaging unit 34 (step S14 ).

[0095] The vehicle control unit 31 outputs the road obstacle image to the server 10 (step S15 ).

[0096] The vehicle control unit 31 operates the vehicle 30 according to the operation schedule that is changed in the server 10 according to the influence of the road obstacle (step S16).

[0097] The vehicle control unit 31 determines whether the road obstacle has been eliminated (step S17). If the road obstacle has not been eliminated (step S17: No), the vehicle control unit 31 may return to step S14 and obtain the road obstacle image. The vehicle control unit 31 may also continue the operation of the vehicle 30 based on the operation schedule that changes according to the status of the road obstacle.

[0098] When the road obstacle is eliminated (step S17: Yes), the vehicle control unit 31 operates the vehicle 30 according to the operation schedule changed in the server 10 in accordance with the elimination of the road obstacle (step S18). After executing step S18, the vehicle control unit 31 ends. Figure 5 Execution of the steps of the flowchart.

[0099] As described above, according to the vehicle control method of this embodiment, the vehicle 30 can be operated according to the operation schedule that changes according to the condition of the road obstacle. Therefore, even if the operation of the vehicle 30 is affected by the road obstacle, the transportation number or transportation speed of the passengers by the vehicle 30 can be maintained. As a result, the convenience of the passengers using the vehicle 30 is improved.

[0100] (Other embodiments)

[0101] <Implementation methods related to road obstacles and their removal>

[0102] The road obstacles may include obstacles that hinder the operation of the vehicle 30. For example, the obstacles may include scattered objects such as garbage, or parked vehicles or accident vehicles. The road obstacles may include damage to the road surface of the road on which the vehicle 30 is running. Road surface damage may include, for example, road collapse, road cracks, or road height differences. The road obstacles may include, for example, various other types of obstacles such as flooded roads.

[0103] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the server 10 or the road management device 81 analyzes the content of the road obstacle and determines the response according to the content of the road obstacle. The vehicle control unit 31 or the camera 34 of the vehicle 30 may also analyze the content of the road obstacle based on the road obstacle image and output the analysis result together with the road obstacle image to the server 10. The vehicle control unit 31 may also control the operation of the vehicle 30 according to the analysis result of the content of the road obstacle.

[0104] The server control unit 11 of the server 10 may also determine the personnel, equipment, or materials required for eliminating the road obstacle when generating the elimination instruction information based on the road obstacle image, and output it together with the elimination instruction information to the road management system 80. The server control unit 11 may determine the required personnel, equipment, or materials based on a database storing information associating the contents of road obstacles that occurred in the past with the contents of operations for eliminating the road obstacles.

[0105] The server 10 or the road management device 81 can determine the required personnel, equipment, or materials based on a database that stores information associating the location where an obstacle on the road occurs with the work content used to eliminate the obstacle on the road or the time required to eliminate the obstacle on the road, and can also estimate the time required to complete the elimination of the obstacle on the road.

[0106] When the road obstacle that has occurred is not included in the pattern registered in the database, the server 10 or the road management device 81 may generate an instruction to dispatch a road maintenance worker to the site for investigation, and output it to the terminal device 82. The terminal device 82 may allow the road maintenance worker to input the investigation result of the road obstacle, and output it to the server 10 or the road management device 81. The server 10 or the road management device 81 may determine the required personnel, equipment, or materials based on the investigation result, or estimate the time required to eliminate the road obstacle. The terminal device 82 may allow the road maintenance worker to input the required personnel, equipment, or materials, or input the estimate of the time required to eliminate the road obstacle.

[0107] The road management system 80 prepares and executes the work of removing the obstacle on the road according to the removal instruction information obtained from the server control unit 11. The road maintenance worker moves to the location where the obstacle on the road exists according to the removal instruction information notified from the terminal device 82. The road maintenance worker can confirm the state of the obstacle on the road on site and modify the work content indicated by the removal instruction information as needed.

[0108] The estimated time for removing the obstacle on the road may include the time for the road maintenance worker to move to the site. The estimated time for removing the obstacle on the road may include the time for the road maintenance worker to investigate the content of the obstacle on the road at the site. The estimated time for removing the obstacle on the road may also be expressed as the scheduled time for removing the obstacle on the road. The estimated time for removing the obstacle on the road or the scheduled time for removing the obstacle on the road may be updated sequentially according to the progress of the removal work of the obstacle on the road. That is, the server control unit 11 may obtain the progress of the removal work of the obstacle on the road by the road maintenance worker from the terminal device 82, and gradually update the estimated time for removing the obstacle on the road or the scheduled time for removing the obstacle on the road.

[0109] <Example of passenger response>

[0110] The server control unit 11 may output the updated estimated time or scheduled time for elimination of the obstacle on the road to the vehicle 30 and notify the passengers, or output it to the station and notify the passengers waiting for the vehicle 30 .

[0111] The vehicle control unit 31 may notify the passenger of the estimated time or scheduled time for the obstacle on the road to be eliminated obtained from the server 10. The vehicle control unit 31 may also open the door of the vehicle 30 so that the passenger can get off the vehicle 30 without restarting the operation of the vehicle 30, when the estimated time for the obstacle on the road to be eliminated obtained from the server 10 is longer than a predetermined time or the scheduled time for elimination is later than a predetermined time.

[0112] The server control unit 11 may also generate an instruction to add a new vehicle 30 for the passenger to transfer to when there is a vehicle 30 that can only resume operation after the obstacle on the road is eliminated. The server control unit 11 may also generate information suggesting a detour route for the passenger after getting off the vehicle, and output it to the vehicle 30. The server control unit 11 may also generate information suggesting an alternative plan, and output it to the vehicle 30, so that the passenger can get off the vehicle and move with another transportation unit. The server control unit 11 may also determine the information to be suggested to the passenger based on the estimated time or the scheduled time when the obstacle on the road is eliminated.

[0113] <Operation Design Area of ​​Vehicle 30>

[0114] When there is a road obstacle on the operation path of the vehicle 30, the vehicle control unit 31 may also determine that the state of the vehicle 30 is outside the operational design domain (ODD). The operational design domain corresponds to the conditions that the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 30 should satisfy in order for the vehicle 30 to operate in an automatic operation mode. For example, when there is a road obstacle that hinders the operation of the vehicle 30, the state of the vehicle 30 may be outside the operational design domain. In addition, when there is a road obstacle on the operation path of the vehicle 30 and the vehicle 30 cannot avoid the road obstacle and operate, the state of the vehicle 30 may be outside the operational design domain. The vehicle control unit 31 may determine whether the state of the vehicle 30 is within the operational design domain or outside the operational design domain based on the image captured by the camera 34. When the vehicle control unit 31 determines that the state of the vehicle 30 is outside the operational design domain, it may output the image captured by the camera 34 to the server 10 as an on-road obstacle image. The vehicle control unit 31 may control the vehicle 30 in such a way that the state of the vehicle 30 is maintained within the operational design domain. When determining that the state of the vehicle 30 is outside the design driving area, the vehicle control unit 31 may analyze the presence of an obstacle on the road based on the image captured by the imaging unit 34 .

[0115] <System configuration example>

[0116] In the above-mentioned embodiment, a structure in which one operation management system 1 and one road management system 80 are connected to each other is described. The number of at least one of the operation management system 1 and the road management system 80 may be plural. That is, a plurality of operation management systems 1 and one road management system 80 may be connected to each other. A single operation management system 1 and a plurality of road management systems 80 may be connected to each other. A plurality of operation management systems 1 and a plurality of road management systems 80 may be connected to each other.

[0117] The embodiments of the present invention are explained with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, but it should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and changes according to the present invention. Therefore, it should be noted that these deformations and modifications are included in the scope of the present invention. For example, the functions included in each unit or each step can be reconfigured in a logically non-contradictory manner, and multiple units or steps can be combined into one or divided.

[0118] Description of Reference Numerals

[0119] 1. Operation management system;

[0120] 10 server (11: server control unit; 12: server communication unit)

[0121] 24 scattered debris recovery operators;

[0122] 30 vehicle (31: vehicle control unit; 32: vehicle communication unit; 33: position information acquisition device; 34: imaging unit)

[0123] 40 paths;

[0124] 46. ​​Things left on the road;

[0125] 50 Network;

[0126] 80 Road management system (81: road management device; 82: terminal device).

Claims

1. An operation management device, comprising: a control unit; and a storage unit in which a database is stored that associates the content of past road obstacles with the time taken to complete the elimination of the road obstacles. The control unit outputs information indicating an operation schedule and an operation route to a vehicle operating by autonomous driving. When the vehicle is affected by a road obstacle existing on the operation route, the control unit obtains an image of the road obstacle from the vehicle and automatically outputs an instruction to eliminate the road obstacle to a road management system based on the image of the road obstacle. The control unit estimates an estimated time required to eliminate the road obstacle based on the database and changes the operation schedule of the vehicle according to the estimated time.

2. The operation management device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit generates an instruction to add a new vehicle to the operation route affected by the road obstacle according to the estimated time.

3. The operation management device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit changes the operation schedule of the vehicle when a report of the elimination of the road obstacle is obtained from the road management system.

4. The operation management device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit automatically outputs an instruction to eliminate the road obstacle to a terminal device included in the road management system.

5. The operation management device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control unit obtains an image of the road obstacle from the vehicle when the vehicle is affected by the road obstacle.

6. An operation management system, comprising the operation management device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and the vehicle.

7. An operation management method, comprising: outputting information indicating an operation schedule and an operation route to a vehicle operating by autonomous driving; when the vehicle is affected by a road obstacle existing on the operation route, obtaining an image of the road obstacle from the vehicle; automatically outputting an instruction to eliminate the road obstacle to a road management system based on the image of the road obstacle; estimating an estimated time required to eliminate the road obstacle based on a database that associates the content of past road obstacles with the time taken to complete the elimination of the road obstacles; changing the operation schedule of the vehicle according to the estimated time.

8. The operation management method according to claim 7, wherein it further comprises generating an instruction to add a new vehicle to the operation route affected by the road obstacle according to the estimated time.

9. The operation management method according to claim 7, wherein it further comprises changing the operation schedule of the vehicle when a report of the elimination of the road obstacle is obtained from the road management system.

10. The operation management method according to claim 7, wherein it further comprises automatically outputting an instruction to eliminate the road obstacle to a terminal device included in the road management system.

11. The operation management method according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein It is also capable of obtaining an image of the road obstacle from the vehicle when the vehicle is affected by the road obstacle.

12. A vehicle that operates through autonomous driving, comprising: a control unit that controls the operation of the vehicle based on information related to an operation schedule and an operation route generated by an operation management device; a photographing unit that obtains an image of the surroundings of the vehicle, wherein when the image of the surroundings of the vehicle includes an image of a road obstacle existing on the operation route, the control unit outputs the image of the road obstacle to the operation management device; the control unit obtains an operation schedule that changes according to an estimated time from the operation management device, and controls the operation of the vehicle, the estimated time being obtained based on the image of the road obstacle and a database that associates the content of past road obstacles with the time taken to eliminate the road obstacles; 13. The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein, the control unit obtains information on the elimination of the road obstacle from the operation management device.

14. The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein, the control unit determines the elimination of the road obstacle based on the image of the surroundings of the vehicle.

15. The vehicle according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein, the control unit determines whether the state of the vehicle is within or outside the operation design area based on the image obtained by the photographing unit.

16. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein, when it is determined that the state of the vehicle is outside the operation design area, the control unit outputs the image obtained by the photographing unit as the image of the road obstacle to the operation management device.

Images