Information Processing Apparatus and Information Processing Method

Abstract

The present invention provides an information processing apparatus and an information processing method. A control unit is provided, and the control unit performs: generating an operation instruction including a plurality of vehicles of different types capable of traveling with an electric motor based on information related to a predetermined area, where the predetermined area is an area where only vehicles capable of traveling with an electric motor are permitted to pass through.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus and an information processing method. Background Art

[0002] The following technique is known: Based on the schedule information of a plurality of users and attribute information representing the mutual relationship of at least a part of the plurality of users, the operation schedule of an autonomous driving vehicle is determined (for example, refer to International Publication No. 2018 / 230646). Summary of the Invention

[0003] An object of the present disclosure is to more appropriately perform vehicle allocation in a case where the area includes a region where the types of vehicles that can travel are restricted.

[0004] One aspect of the technical solution of the present disclosure is an information processing apparatus having a control unit that executes: generating an operation instruction for a plurality of vehicles having different types of vehicles that can travel by an electric motor based on information related to a predetermined area, where the predetermined area is an area where only vehicles that can travel by the electric motor are allowed to pass.

[0005] One aspect of the technical solution of the present disclosure is an information processing method,

[0006] A computer executes:

[0007] Receiving information related to a predetermined area, where the predetermined area is an area where only vehicles that can travel by an electric motor are allowed to pass; and

[0008] Generating an operation instruction for a plurality of vehicles having different types of vehicles that can travel by the electric motor based on the information related to the predetermined area.

[0009] In addition, other aspects of the present disclosure are a program for causing a computer to execute the processing in the above-described information processing apparatus or a storage medium that temporarily stores the program.

[0010] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to more appropriately perform vehicle allocation in a case where the area includes a region where the types of vehicles that can travel are restricted. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011] Hereinafter, features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, in which the same reference numerals denote the same elements, and:

[0012] Figure 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system according to an embodiment.

[0013] Figure 2It is a block diagram schematically showing an example of the configuration of each of a vehicle, a server, and a user terminal that constitute the system according to the embodiment.

[0014] Figure 3 It is a diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the server.

[0015] Figure 4 It is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the first route and the predetermined area.

[0016] Figure 5 It is a diagram illustrating the table structure of the user information stored in the user information DB.

[0017] Figure 6 It is a diagram illustrating the table structure of the vehicle information stored in the vehicle information DB.

[0018] Figure 7 It is a diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the user terminal.

[0019] Figure 8 It is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the ECU.

[0020] Figure 9 It is a flowchart of the vehicle allocation process according to the first embodiment.

[0021] Figure 10 It is shown in Figure 9 A flowchart of the process of generating a combination of a route and a vehicle executed in step S105.

[0022] Figure 11 It is a diagram for explaining a detour route.

[0023] Figure 12 It is shown in Figure 9 A flowchart of the process of generating a combination of a route and a vehicle executed in step S105.

[0024] Figure 13 It is a diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the server according to the third embodiment.

[0025] Figure 14 It is a diagram illustrating the table structure of the power consumption information stored in the power consumption information DB.

[0026] Figure 15 It is a flowchart of the generation process of the charging plan according to the third embodiment. Detailed implementation mode

[0027] An information processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a control unit. The control unit executes: generating an operation instruction for a plurality of vehicles having different types of vehicles capable of traveling by an electric motor based on information related to a predetermined area, where the predetermined area is an area where only vehicles capable of traveling by an electric motor are allowed to pass.

[0028] The vehicle can move either autonomously or by being driven by a driver. The vehicle is, for example, an electric vehicle (BEV: Battery Electric Vehicle), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV: Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV: Hybrid Electric Vehicle), a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV: Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle), a vehicle capable of traveling only by an internal combustion engine (internal combustion engine vehicle), and the like. These vehicles are an example of vehicles having different types. In addition, BEV, PHEV, HEV, and FCEV are an example of vehicles capable of traveling by an electric motor. In addition, an internal combustion engine vehicle is an example of a vehicle that cannot travel by an electric motor. Further, a PHEV and an HEV that use an internal combustion engine as a drive source due to a small remaining battery charge can be said to be an example of a vehicle that cannot travel by an electric motor.

[0029] Here, sometimes, for example, in order to solve environmental problems, an area where the drive source of a vehicle is restricted is set. For example, it is considered to prohibit vehicles with an internal combustion engine that emits exhaust gas as a drive source from entering the urban area. In addition, for example, for environmental protection, it is considered to prohibit vehicles with an internal combustion engine as a drive source from entering the mountainous area. An area where the types of vehicles that can pass are restricted and only vehicles capable of traveling by an electric motor are allowed to pass is defined as a predetermined area. In addition, the predetermined area may be set as a geofencing area. In addition, BEV, PHEV, and HEV can pass through the predetermined area, but in that case, the drive source must be set to an electric motor to travel.

[0030] The information related to the predetermined area includes, for example, map information indicating the predetermined area. Further, the control unit generates an operation instruction for a plurality of vehicles based on the information related to the predetermined area. The operation instruction includes, for example, information related to the route of each vehicle. The control unit, for example, generates a combination of a route and a vehicle in such a way that only vehicles capable of passing through the predetermined area are combined for the route passing through the predetermined area, and generates an operation instruction based on this combination so that each vehicle travels.

[0031] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The configurations of the following embodiments are illustrative, and the present disclosure is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments. In addition, the following embodiments can be combined as long as they are feasible.

[0032] <First Embodiment>

[0033] Figure 1 It is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the system 1 according to the present embodiment. The system 1 includes one or more vehicles 10, a server 30, and one or more user terminals 40. The vehicle 10 includes, for example, an electric vehicle (BEV) 10A, a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) 10B, a hybrid vehicle (HEV) 10C, and an internal combustion engine vehicle 10D. The BEV 10A is a vehicle that only has an electric motor described later as a driving source. The PHEV 10B is a hybrid vehicle that can charge the battery from a commercial power source, and is a vehicle that has an electric motor and an internal combustion engine described later as driving sources. The HEV 10C is a hybrid vehicle that cannot be charged from a commercial power source, and is a vehicle that has an electric motor and an internal combustion engine as driving sources. In addition, the BEV 10A, PHEV 10B, and HEV 10C can also charge the battery by regeneration during deceleration. In addition, the internal combustion engine vehicle 10D is a vehicle that only has an internal combustion engine as a driving source.

[0034] In addition, in Figure 1 four types of vehicles 10 are illustratively described, but other types of vehicles (for example, a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV)) may also be included. In addition, it is not necessary to have all the types of vehicles 10 shown in Figure 1 . In addition, in Figure 1 one vehicle of each type of vehicle 10 is illustrated, but multiple of these vehicles 10 may exist respectively. Hereinafter, without distinguishing the types of the vehicle 10, it is simply referred to as the vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 can be either a vehicle capable of autonomous driving or a vehicle capable of manual driving based on a driver. In addition, the vehicle 10 can also be a vehicle used for ridesharing or a vehicle used for a taxi. The vehicle 10 can also be multiple vehicles owned by one operator. Hereinafter, the vehicle 10 will be described as a vehicle capable of autonomous driving.

[0035] The user terminal 40 is, for example, a terminal held by a user who uses ridesharing or a taxi. The user uses the user terminal 40 to request the server 30 to use ridesharing or a taxi. When the server 30 receives a request to use ridesharing or a taxi from the user, it selects a vehicle 10 and generates a route.

[0036] The vehicle 10, the server 30, and the user terminal 40 are interconnected via the network N1. The network N1 is, for example, a worldwide public communication network such as the Internet, and may also be a WAN (Wide Area Network), or other communication networks. Additionally, the network N1 may include a telephone communication network such as a mobile phone or a wireless communication network such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0037] The system 1 according to the first embodiment is a system that, when dispatching vehicles in a region including a predetermined area where only driving based on an electric motor is permitted, preferentially allocates vehicles 10 capable of driving with an electric motor to routes passing through the predetermined area. For example, a BEV 10A capable of driving only with an electric motor is preferentially allocated to a route passing through the predetermined area. Additionally, for example, a PHEV 10B or an HEV 10C capable of driving with an electric motor is allocated to a route passing through the predetermined area, and the drive source is restricted within the predetermined area to drive with an electric motor. Furthermore, a route passing through the predetermined area refers to a route at least a part of which passes within the predetermined area.

[0038] Hereinafter, based on Figure 2 A detailed hardware structure of the vehicle 10, the server 30, and the user terminal 40 will be described. Figure 2 FIG. is a block diagram schematically showing an example of the configurations of the vehicle 10, the server 30, and the user terminal 40 that constitute the system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0039] The vehicle 10 includes an ECU 50, a communication unit 14, a position information sensor 15, an environmental information sensor 16, an electric motor 17, a battery 18, an internal combustion engine 19, and a power inlet 20. Additionally, hereinafter, it is assumed that the vehicle 10 is an autonomous vehicle for the description.

[0040] The ECU 50 has a computer structure. The ECU 50 drives each control component based on output signals of various sensors input thereto to control the vehicle 10. The ECU 50 includes a processor 11, a main storage unit 12, and an auxiliary storage unit 13. These components are interconnected via a bus.

[0041] The processor 11 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), etc. The processor 11 controls the vehicle 10 and performs various information processing operations. The main storage unit 12 is a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (ReadOnly Memory), etc. The auxiliary storage unit 13 is an EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), a hard disk drive (HDD), a removable medium, etc. An operating system (Operating System: OS), various programs, various tables, etc. are stored in the auxiliary storage unit 13. The processor 11 loads the programs stored in the auxiliary storage unit 13 into the working area of the main storage unit 12 for execution, and controls each component etc. by executing the programs. Thus, the ECU 50 realizes functions that meet predetermined purposes. The main storage unit 12 and the auxiliary storage unit 13 are recordable media readable by a computer. In addition, the information stored in the auxiliary storage unit 13 can also be stored in the main storage unit 12. Also, the information stored in the main storage unit 12 can also be stored in the auxiliary storage unit 13.

[0042] The communication unit 14 is a unit that communicates with the server 30 via the network N1. The communication unit 14 is, for example, a circuit that communicates with other devices (such as the server 30 etc.) via the network N1 using a mobile communication service (such as, for example, 5G (5 th Generation), 4G (4 th Generation), 3G (3 rd Generation), LTE (Long Term Evolution), etc.) telephone communication network, a wireless communication network such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0043] The position information sensor 15 acquires the position information (such as latitude and longitude) of the vehicle 10 at a predetermined cycle. The position information sensor 15 is, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, a wireless communication unit, etc. The information acquired by the position information sensor 15 is, for example, recorded in the auxiliary storage unit 13 etc. and sent to the server 30.

[0044] The environmental information sensor 16 is a unit that senses the state of the vehicle 10 or senses the surroundings of the vehicle 10. As sensors for sensing the state of the vehicle 10, a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, or an azimuth sensor can be cited. As sensors for sensing the surroundings of the vehicle 10, a stereo camera, a laser scanner, a LIDAR, or a radar, etc. can be cited.

[0045] The electric motor 17 is, for example, a three-phase AC synchronous type motor generator. The electric motor 17 has a function as an electric motor that receives power supply from the battery 18 to drive the vehicle 10. In addition, the electric motor 17 can also assist the output of the internal combustion engine 19 as needed. In addition, the electric motor 17 can generate electricity using the energy generated by the internal combustion engine 19 and perform regenerative power generation when the vehicle 10 decelerates. Thereby, the battery 18 can be charged. In addition, as another method, a generator for performing regenerative power generation may be provided in addition to the electric motor 17 that drives the vehicle 10. The electric motor 17 is mounted on the BEV 10A, PHEV 10B, and HEV 10C, and is not mounted on the internal combustion engine vehicle 10D.

[0046] The battery 18 is, for example, a rechargeable secondary battery such as a nickel-cadmium storage battery, a nickel-metal hydride storage battery, or a lithium-ion battery. The battery 18 is electrically connected to the electric motor 17 via a converter or the like so that the charging power of the battery 18 can be supplied to the electric motor 17 for traction drive, and in addition, the generated power of the electric motor 17 can be charged into the battery 18. Therefore, the battery 18 is mounted on the BEV 10A, PHEV 10B, and HEV 10C, and is not mounted on the internal combustion engine vehicle 10D. However, a small battery for operating a starter or the like is mounted on the internal combustion engine vehicle 10D. Regarding the storage capacity of the battery 18, the BEV 10A is the largest, and it becomes smaller in the order of the PHEV 10B and HEV 10C.

[0047] The internal combustion engine 19 burns fuel in the cylinder to generate power for rotating the output shaft connected to the crankshaft. A fuel injection valve for injecting fuel is provided in each cylinder of the internal combustion engine 19. The fuel injection valve is connected to the ECU 50 via an electric wire, and the opening and closing timing of the fuel injection valve is controlled by the ECU 50. The fuel is, for example, gasoline or light oil. The internal combustion engine 19 is mounted on the PHEV 10B, HEV 10C, and the internal combustion engine vehicle 10D, and is not mounted on the BEV 10A.

[0048] The power supply inlet 20 is a unit for receiving power supply from the outside of the vehicle 10. The battery 18 is charged by this power. The power supply inlet 20 is mounted on the BEV 10A and PHEV 10B, and is not mounted on the HEV 10C and the internal combustion engine vehicle 10D.

[0049] Next, the hardware structure of the server 30 will be described. The server 30 has a computer structure. The server 30 includes a processor 31, a main storage unit 32, an auxiliary storage unit 33, and a communication unit 34. These components are interconnected via a bus. The processor 31, the main storage unit 32, and the auxiliary storage unit 33 are the same as the processor 11, the main storage unit 12, and the auxiliary storage unit 13 of the vehicle 10, respectively. Therefore, the description thereof will be omitted. In addition, the processor 31 is an example of a control unit. Further, the main storage unit 32 or the auxiliary storage unit 33 is an example of a storage unit.

[0050] The communication unit 34 is a unit that communicates with the vehicle 10 and the user terminal 40 via the network N1. The communication unit 34 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.

[0051] Next, the user terminal 40 will be described. The user terminal 40 is, for example, a small computer such as a smartphone, a mobile phone, a tablet terminal, a personal information terminal, a wearable computer (such as a smartwatch), or a personal computer (PC). The user terminal 40 includes a processor 41, a main storage unit 42, an auxiliary storage unit 43, an input unit 44, a display 45, a communication unit 46, and a position information sensor 47. These components are interconnected via a bus. The processor 41, the main storage unit 42, the auxiliary storage unit 43, the communication unit 46, and the position information sensor 47 are the same as the processor 11, the main storage unit 12, the auxiliary storage unit 13, the communication unit 14, and the position information sensor 15 of the vehicle 10, respectively. Therefore, the description thereof will be omitted. In addition, the information obtained by the position information sensor 47 is recorded, for example, in the auxiliary storage unit 43 or the like and sent to the server 30.

[0052] The input unit 44 is a unit that accepts input operations performed by the user, and is, for example, a touch panel, a mouse, a keyboard, or a push button. The display 45 is a unit that presents information to the user, and is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an EL (Electro luminescence) panel. The input unit 44 and the display 45 may be configured as a single touch panel display.

[0053] Next, the functions of the server 30 will be described. Figure 3FIG. 0 is a diagram illustrating the functional configuration of server 30. Server 30 includes a ride request acquisition unit 301, a vehicle information acquisition unit 302, a route generation unit 303, a vehicle allocation unit 304, a user information DB 311, a vehicle information DB 312, and a map information DB 313 as functional configuration elements. The processor 31 of server 30 executes the processes of the ride request acquisition unit 301, the vehicle information acquisition unit 302, the route generation unit 303, and the vehicle allocation unit 304 through a computer program on the main storage unit 32. However, any one of the functional configuration elements or a part of its process may also be executed by a hardware circuit.

[0054] For the user information DB 311, the vehicle information DB 312, and the map information DB 313, they are constructed by managing the data stored in the auxiliary storage unit 33 through a program of a database management system (DBMS) executed by the processor 31. The user information DB 311, the vehicle information DB 312, and the map information DB 313 are, for example, relational databases.

[0055] In addition, any one of the functional configuration elements of server 30 or a part of its process may also be executed by another computer connected to the network N1.

[0056] The ride request acquisition unit 301 acquires a ride request from the user terminal 40 of a user who wishes to use the vehicle 10 to move. The ride request is information that includes the identifier (user ID) of the user and is used for the user to request the use of the vehicle 10. The ride request is generated in the user terminal 40. The ride request includes information related to the user ID, the departure place, the destination, the use time, etc. (hereinafter, these information are also referred to as user information). In addition, the departure place may also be set as the current place detected by the user terminal 40. When the ride request acquisition unit 301 acquires a ride request, it saves the user information included in the ride request in the user information DB 311 described later.

[0057] The vehicle information acquisition unit 302 acquires information related to the vehicle 10. In addition, hereinafter, the information related to the vehicle 10 is also referred to as vehicle information. The vehicle information includes, for example, information related to the current place, the destination, the vehicle category, and each route of the vehicle 10. The current place of the vehicle 10 is acquired based on the position information sent from the vehicle 10. The destination and route of the vehicle 10 are generated by the server 30 according to the ride request. The vehicle category is information indicating the category such as HEV, PHEV, BEV, internal combustion engine vehicle, etc., and is input, for example, by the administrator of the server 30. The vehicle information acquisition unit 302 saves the vehicle information in the vehicle information DB 312 described later.

[0058] The route generation unit 303 generates a route for the vehicle 10. For example, the route generation unit 303 generates a route such that the vehicle 10 departs from the base, passes through the user's departure location and the user's destination, and then returns to the base. In addition, instead of the base of the vehicle 10, the current location of the vehicle 10 can be used as the departure location of the vehicle 10. The route is generated based on the map information stored in the map information DB 313 described later. The route is generated in a manner that it is a route that conforms to a pre-determined rule, such as a route with the shortest travel distance of the vehicle 10 or a route with the shortest travel time of the vehicle 10. Well-known techniques can be used for route generation.

[0059] And, the vehicle allocation unit 304 combines the route generated by the route generation unit 303 with the vehicle 10. The vehicle allocation unit 304 extracts a route that passes through a predetermined area from the routes generated by the route generation unit 303. This route is called the first route. There may be multiple first routes. The first route is a route whose at least a part passes through the predetermined area, or it can be a route whose entire part passes through the predetermined area.

[0060] Figure 4 It is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the first route and the predetermined area. In Figure 4 the boundary line between the inside and outside of the predetermined area is represented by a dotted line. The inner area surrounded by the dotted line is the predetermined area. R1 to R5 represent the routes of the vehicle 10. The departure location (such as the base) of the vehicle 10, which is one end of each route, is represented by a triangle, the user's departure location is represented by a circle, and the user's destination, which is the other end of each route, is represented by a quadrilateral. In addition, it is assumed that after the vehicle 10 reaches the user's destination, it returns to the departure location of the vehicle 10 through the same route as the outbound journey.

[0061] For R1, the user's departure location and the user's destination are outside the predetermined area, but it passes through the predetermined area on the way. For R2, the user's departure location is outside the predetermined area, but because the user's destination is inside the predetermined area, it passes through the predetermined area. For R3, the user's departure location is inside the predetermined area, but because the user's destination is outside the predetermined area, it passes through the predetermined area. For R4, because the user's departure location and the user's destination are inside the predetermined area, it passes through the predetermined area. For R5, the user's departure location and the user's destination are outside the predetermined area and do not pass through the predetermined area on the way. Therefore, R1 to R4 are the first routes that pass through the predetermined area, and R5 is a route that does not pass through the predetermined area.

[0062] For the first route, the vehicle allocation unit 304 combines any one of the vehicles 10 in which the drive source is set to the electric motor 17, that is, the BEV 10A, the PHEV 10B, and the HEV 10C. In addition, at this time, the priority of the BEV 10A can be the highest, and the priorities can be decreased in the order of the PHEV 10B and the HEV 10C. This is because the capacity of the battery 18 of the BEV 10A is the largest, and the capacity of the battery 18 becomes smaller in the order of the PHEV 10B and the HEV 10C. For example, the BEV 10A can be combined with the first route in sequence. After determining the number of the BEV 10A for the first route, then, the PHEV 10B can be combined. Then, after determining the number of the PHEV 10B for the first route, the HEV 10C can be combined with the first route.

[0063] In addition, as another method, for example, the vehicle allocation unit 304 can also combine the BEV 10A in sequence starting from the first route with a long distance. After determining the number of the BEV 10A for the first route, then, the PHEV 10B can be combined. Then, after determining the number of the PHEV 10B for the first route, the HEV 10C can be combined.

[0064] On the other hand, for the route that does not pass through the predetermined area, the internal combustion engine vehicle 10D can be preferentially combined, or any vehicle 10 can be combined from the BEV 10A, the PHEV 10B, the HEV 10C, and the internal combustion engine vehicle 10D.

[0065] After determining the combination of the route and the vehicle 10, the vehicle allocation unit 304 generates and sends an operation instruction including the route generated by the route generation unit 303 to each vehicle 10. The operation instruction includes an instruction to travel on the route generated by the route generation unit 303 corresponding to the usage time of the user.

[0066] The user information DB 311 stores and forms user information in the auxiliary storage unit 33 described above. Here, based on Figure 5 The structure of the user information stored in the user information DB 311 will be described. Figure 5This is a diagram showing the table structure of the user information stored in the user information DB311. The table of the information stored in the user information DB311 has fields for user ID, departure location, destination, and usage time. In the user ID field, identification information (user ID) for identifying the user is entered. The user ID is assigned to each user by the ride request acquisition unit 301. In the departure location field, information indicating the departure location of the user is entered. In the destination field, information indicating the destination of the user is entered. In the usage time field, information related to the date and time when the user uses the vehicle 10 is entered. This information is sent from the user terminal 40 to the server 30. In addition, location information sent from the user terminal 40 can also be entered in the departure location field. Additionally, the departure location and the destination can be represented by, for example, latitude and longitude, or by the name of a residence or building, etc.

[0067] The vehicle information DB312 stores and forms information related to the movement of the vehicle 10 (vehicle information) in the auxiliary storage unit 33. Here, based on Figure 6 The structure of the vehicle information stored in the vehicle information DB312 will be described. Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the table structure of the vehicle information stored in the vehicle information DB312. The vehicle information table has fields for vehicle ID, current location, destination, route, predetermined area, and vehicle type. In the vehicle ID field, identification information (vehicle ID) for identifying the vehicle is entered. In the current location field, information indicating the current location of the vehicle 10 is entered. In the destination field, information indicating the final destination when the vehicle 10 moves is entered. When the vehicle 10 returns to the departure location, the departure location and the destination can also be the same location. Additionally, as another method, information related to the destination of the user can be entered in the destination field. In this case, it can be set that the vehicle 10 that has reached the user's destination returns to the departure location along the same route as the outbound journey. The current location and the destination of the vehicle 10 are represented by, for example, latitude and longitude. In the route field, information indicating the route of the vehicle 10 is entered. In the route field, a route corresponding to the combination determined by the vehicle allocation unit 304 is entered. The route is a route for the vehicle 10 to move to the destination stored in the destination field and is generated by the route generation unit 303. In the predetermined area field, information for determining whether the route of each vehicle 10 passes through the predetermined area is entered. In the vehicle type field, information about the type of the vehicle 10 corresponding to the drive source of the vehicle 10 is entered. In the vehicle type field, information for determining whether the vehicle 10 is a BEV, PHEV, HEV, or internal combustion engine vehicle is entered.

[0068] In the map information DB 313, for example, link data related to roads (links), node data related to nodes, intersection data related to each intersection, search data for searching for a route, facility data related to facilities, retrieval data for retrieving locations, etc. are stored as map information. In addition, information related to the speed limits, etc. corresponding to each road or information related to the attributes of each road may also be stored. Further, information capable of discriminating a predetermined area is stored in the map information.

[0069] Next, the functions of the user terminal 40 will be described. Figure 7 FIG. is an example of the functional configuration of the user terminal 40. The user terminal 40 includes a ride request generation unit 401 as a functional configuration element. The processor 41 of the user terminal 40 executes the processing of the ride request generation unit 401 through a computer program on the main storage unit 42. However, a part of the processing of the ride request generation unit 401 may also be executed by a hardware circuit.

[0070] The ride request generation unit 401 outputs an operation screen on the display 45, for example, and generates a ride request based on the input from the user to the input unit 44 of the user terminal 40. The generated ride request is sent by the ride request generation unit 401 to the server 30. The ride request includes user information (for example, the departure location, the destination, and the usage time). The user inputs the user information via the input unit 44. The departure location is the location where the user wishes to take a ride. The destination is the location where the user wishes to get off. The usage time is the date and time when the user wishes to take a ride. In addition, in the case where the location where the vehicle 10 stops has been determined in advance, the departure location and the destination may also be selected from the location where the vehicle 10 stops. Further, in the case where the vehicle 10 runs according to a timetable, the usage time may also be selected according to the timetable. The ride request generation unit 401 generates a ride request based on the user's input and sends it to the server 30, for example. In addition, the ride request generation unit 401 may also send the position information obtained by the position information sensor 47 as the departure location to the server 30.

[0071] Next, the functions of the ECU 50 of the vehicle 10 will be described. The vehicle 10 described below is an autonomous driving vehicle. Figure 8This is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the ECU 50. The ECU 50 has a travel plan generation unit 501, an environment detection unit 502, a travel control unit 503, a position information transmission unit 504, and a map information DB 511 as functional configuration elements. The processor 11 of the ECU 50 executes the processing of the travel plan generation unit 501, the environment detection unit 502, the travel control unit 503, and the position information transmission unit 504 through a computer program on the main storage unit 12. However, any one of the functional configuration elements or a part of its processing may also be executed by a hardware circuit. In addition, any one of the functional configuration elements of the ECU 50 or a part of its processing may also be executed by another computer connected to the network N1.

[0072] For the map information DB 511, it is constructed by managing the data stored in the auxiliary storage unit 13 through a program of a database management system (DBMS) executed by the processor 11. The map information DB 511 is, for example, a relational database. In addition, the map information DB 511 has the same functions as the map information DB 313 of the server 30.

[0073] The travel plan generation unit 501 obtains a travel instruction from the server 30 and generates a travel plan for the vehicle 10. This travel instruction includes information related to the route of the vehicle 10. The travel plan generation unit 501 calculates the route of the vehicle 10 based on the travel instruction provided by the server 30 and generates a travel plan for moving on this route.

[0074] The environment detection unit 502 detects the environment around the vehicle 10 required for autonomous driving based on the data obtained by the environment information sensor 16. The detection targets are, for example, the number and position of lanes, the number and position of other moving bodies around the vehicle 10, the number and position of obstacles (such as pedestrians, bicycles, structures, buildings, etc.) around the vehicle 10, the road structure, road signs, etc., but are not limited to these. As long as it is required for autonomous driving, the detection target can be any object. For example, when the environment information sensor 16 is a stereo camera, object detection around the vehicle 10 is performed by performing image processing on the image data captured by it. The data related to the environment around the vehicle 10 detected by the environment detection unit 502 (hereinafter referred to as environment data) is sent to the travel control unit 503 described later.

[0075] The travel control unit 503 generates a control command for controlling the autonomous travel of the vehicle 10 based on the travel plan generated by the travel plan generation unit 501, the environmental data generated by the environmental detection unit 502, and the position information of the vehicle 10 acquired by the position information sensor 15. For example, the travel control unit 503 generates a control command so that the vehicle 10 travels along a predetermined path and no obstacle enters a predetermined safety area centered on the vehicle 10. The generated control command is sent to the electric motor 17 or the internal combustion engine 19, etc. As a method for generating a control command for causing the vehicle 10 to move autonomously, a known method can be adopted. In addition, as a control method for the BEV 10A, PHEV 10B, HEV 10C, and the internal combustion engine vehicle 10D, a known method can also be adopted.

[0076] In addition, the travel control unit 503 generates a control command according to the travel instruction so as to travel with the electric motor 17 in a predetermined area. At this time, in the PHEV 10B and HEV 10C, the operation of the internal combustion engine 19 for power generation is also prohibited. In addition, in the PHEV 10B and HEV 10C, the travel control unit 503 determines whether the vehicle 10 is located in the predetermined area based on the position information detected by the position information sensor 15 and the information related to the predetermined area stored in the map information DB 511. When the vehicle 10 is located in the predetermined area, a control command is generated so as to travel with the electric motor 17. On the other hand, when the vehicle 10 is located outside the predetermined area, a control command is generated so as to select a drive source corresponding to the travel conditions. The control command when the vehicle 10 is located outside the predetermined area can also be set as the same control command as in the past.

[0077] The position information transmission unit 504 transmits the position information acquired from the position information sensor 15 to the server 30 via the communication unit 14. The timing for the position information transmission unit 504 to transmit the position information can be set appropriately. For example, it can be transmitted regularly, or it can be transmitted according to the timing of transmitting certain information to the server 30, or it can be transmitted according to a request from the server 30. The position information transmission unit 504 transmits the position information to the server 30 together with the vehicle ID.

[0078] Next, the vehicle allocation process in the server 30 will be described. Figure 9 is a flowchart of the vehicle allocation process according to the first embodiment. In the server 30, it is executed every predetermined time Figure 9 the vehicle allocation process shown.

[0079] In step S101, it is determined whether the vehicle dispatching unit 304 has received a ride request from the user terminal 40. The vehicle dispatching unit 304 determines whether there is a ride request for which a vehicle 10 has not been combined yet (i.e., vehicle dispatching has not been performed). If an affirmative determination is made in step S101, the process proceeds to step S102; if a negative determination is made, this routine ends.

[0080] In step S102, the route generation unit 303 reads user information from the user information DB 311. In step S103, the route generation unit 303 generates a route corresponding to each user based on the user information of each user. For example, the route generation unit 303 generates a route to move from the user's departure location to the destination in the shortest distance or the shortest time. Routes are generated for all users. Additionally, routes can also be generated on the premise that multiple users ride in the same vehicle 10.

[0081] In step S104, the vehicle dispatching unit 304 reads vehicle information from the vehicle information DB 312. In step S105, the vehicle dispatching unit 304 generates combinations of the routes generated in step S103 and the vehicles 10.

[0082] Here, Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the process of generating combinations of routes and vehicles 10 performed in step S105 of Figure 9 In step S201, the vehicle dispatching unit 304 executes a combination loop. The combination loop is repeated until the processing for all the routes generated in step S103 is completed.

[0083] In step S202, the vehicle dispatching unit 304 determines whether the target route passes through a predetermined area. The vehicle dispatching unit 304 determines whether at least a part of the target route is located within the predetermined area based on the coordinates of each location of the target route and the information related to the predetermined area stored in the map information DB 313. If an affirmative determination is made in step S202, the process proceeds to step S203; if a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S210.

[0084] In step S203, the vehicle dispatching unit 304 determines whether the BEV 10A is available. That is, in order to preferentially dispatch the BEV 10A when passing through the predetermined area, first, it is determined whether the BEV 10A is available. If an affirmative determination is made in step S203, the process proceeds to step S204; if a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S205. In step S204, the vehicle dispatching unit 304 combines the target route with the BEV 10A.

[0085] On the other hand, in step S205, the vehicle allocation unit 304 determines whether the PHEV 10B is available. That is, in order to allocate the PHEV 10B with a lower priority than the BEV 10A, it is determined whether the PHEV 10B is available. If an affirmative determination is made in step S205, the process proceeds to step S206; if a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S207. In step S206, the vehicle allocation unit 304 combines the target route with the PHEV 10B.

[0086] In step S207, the vehicle allocation unit 304 determines whether the HEV 10C is available. That is, when the PHEV 10B is not available, in order to allocate the HEV 10C, it is determined whether the HEV 10C is available. If an affirmative determination is made in step S207, the process proceeds to step S208; if a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S209. In step S208, the vehicle allocation unit 304 combines the target route with the HEV 10C.

[0087] In step S209, the vehicle allocation unit 304 determines that there is no vehicle 10 to be combined with the target route. That is, although it is the first route passing through the predetermined area, the vehicle 10 that can be driven by the electric motor 17 is not available. Therefore, it is impossible to combine the vehicle 10 with the target route. In this case, without combining the vehicle 10, the process proceeds to the processing of the next route.

[0088] On the other hand, in step S210, the vehicle allocation unit 304 determines whether the internal combustion engine vehicle 10D is available. That is, since the target route is a route that does not pass through the predetermined area, there is no restriction on the drive source. In this case, any vehicle 10 can be combined. However, since the vehicle 10 that can use the electric motor 17 as the drive source is preferentially allocated to the first route passing through the predetermined area, in this step S210, it is determined whether the internal combustion engine vehicle 10D that cannot pass through the predetermined area can be combined. If an affirmative determination is made in step S210, the process proceeds to step S211; if a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S205. In addition, as another method, when a negative determination is made in step S210, the process can proceed to step S203 or step S207. As another method, when a negative determination is made in step S210, it is also possible to determine whether the vehicles are available in the order of HEV 10C, PHEV 10B, and BEV 10A. That is, it is also possible to combine the route and the vehicle 10 with the priority opposite to that in the case of the first route passing through the predetermined area.

[0089] In step S211, the vehicle allocation unit 304 combines the target route with the internal combustion engine vehicle 10D. In this way, the combination of the route and the vehicle 10 is generated.

[0090] Return Figure 9 In step S106, the vehicle dispatching unit 304 generates driving instructions for each vehicle 10 based on the generated combination, so that each vehicle 10 travels on the corresponding route. The driving instructions are generated for each vehicle 10. In addition, information related to the location where the drive sources of the PHEV 10B and the HEV 10C are switched may be included in the driving instructions. For example, when the PHEV 10B and the HEV 10C enter the predetermined area from outside the predetermined area, an instruction may be generated to forcibly switch the drive source to the electric motor 17.

[0091] In step S107, the vehicle dispatching unit 304 sends the driving instructions generated in step S106 to each vehicle 10. In each vehicle 10 that receives the driving instructions, a driving plan is generated according to the driving instructions. And in step S108, the vehicle dispatching unit 304 notifies the user terminal 40 of information related to the vehicle 10. For example, information for notifying the user of the license plate number, color, category, or characteristics of the vehicle 10 is sent. In the user terminal 40 that receives this notification, the information related to the vehicle 10 is displayed on the display 45. In addition, in the case of the vehicle 10 for which it is determined in step S209 that no combination has been made, the user may also be notified that the vehicle 10 cannot be arranged.

[0092] As described above, according to the first embodiment, vehicles 10 that can travel with the electric motor 17 are preferentially dispatched to the predetermined area where only traveling with the electric motor 17 is permitted. Therefore, appropriate vehicle dispatching can be performed.

[0093] <Second Embodiment>

[0094] In the first embodiment, in the case where a vehicle 10 that can travel in the predetermined area cannot be arranged, the user is notified of this situation and the vehicle 10 is not arranged. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, in the case where a vehicle 10 that can travel in the predetermined area cannot be arranged, a route bypassing the predetermined area is generated, for example, an internal combustion engine vehicle 10D is dispatched. Since the hardware is the same as that of the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.

[0095] Here, Figure 11 is a diagram for explaining the detour route. R1 is the same route as R1 in Figure 4 . R1 is a route generated, for example, in such a way that the moving distance is the shortest. On the other hand, R11 is a detour route in which the route of R1 is changed so as not to pass through the predetermined area. In this way, in the case where the departure place of the vehicle, the departure place of the user, and the destination of the user are not located within any predetermined area, a detour route can be generated. In this case, the moving distance may increase compared to the route passing through the predetermined area, but the user can move to the destination.

[0096] Here, Figure 12 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of generating a combination of a route and vehicle 10 executed in step S105 of Figure 9 . Steps that perform the same processing as Figure 10 are given the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted. In the flowchart shown in Figure 12 , when a negative determination is made in step S207, the process proceeds to step S301. In step S301, the vehicle allocation unit 304 determines whether the target route is the first route. Here, after a negative determination is made in step S210, there is no need to create a route that bypasses the predetermined area, and vehicle 10 cannot be arranged, so the user is notified of this situation. Therefore, when an affirmative determination is made in step S301, the process proceeds to step S302, and when a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S209.

[0097] In step S302, the route generation unit 303 generates a detour route based on the user information of the user corresponding to the target route. At this time, the route generation unit 303 generates a route that bypasses the predetermined area. Therefore, the newly generated detour route does not belong to the first route. In addition, in step S302, there may be a case where the route generation unit 303 cannot generate a detour route. For example, when any one of the vehicle's departure location, the user's departure location, and the user's destination is within the predetermined area, a detour route cannot be generated. In such a case, a detour route may not be generated either.

[0098] In step S303, the vehicle allocation unit 304 determines whether the internal combustion engine vehicle 10D is available. That is, since the new target route is a route that does not pass through the predetermined area, in this step S303, it is determined whether the internal combustion engine vehicle 10D can be combined. In addition, when a new route cannot be generated in step S302, a negative determination is made in this step S303. When an affirmative determination is made in step S303, the process proceeds to step S304, and when a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S209.

[0099] In step S304, the vehicle allocation unit 304 combines the target route with the internal combustion engine vehicle 10D. In this way, a combination of a generated route and vehicle 10 is created.

[0100] As described above, according to the second embodiment, when there is no vehicle 10 that can pass through the predetermined area, a route that bypasses the predetermined area is generated and a combination of the route and vehicle 10 is generated, so that it is possible to suppress the situation where the user becomes unable to move.

[0101] In addition, rewards can be given to users who move in the vehicle 10 using the detour route. Thereby, the disadvantages when the user rides in the vehicle 10 using the detour route can be eliminated. The reward can also be, for example, a discount on the usage fee of the vehicle 10. In addition, rewards can also be given by preferentially allocating the vehicle 10 with a short riding time when the same user uses the vehicle 10 next time. Regarding the information related to the reward, for example, in step S304, the vehicle allocation unit 304 generates this information, notifies the user in step S108, and sends it to the user terminal 40.

[0102] <Third Embodiment>

[0103] In order to drive the electric motor 17 when the vehicle 10 passes through the predetermined area, a corresponding amount of electric power needs to be stored in the battery 18 in advance. In the first embodiment, the vehicle 10 and the route are combined regardless of the charge state of the battery 18. However, when the vehicle 10 with a low charge amount of the battery 18 is combined with the first route, there is a possibility of running out of power during the passage through the predetermined area.

[0104] Therefore, in the third embodiment, vehicle allocation is performed including the charge control of the battery 18. For example, when the PHEV10B or HEV10C travels on a route of traveling 20 km outside the predetermined area and 20 km inside the predetermined area, a running instruction is generated to travel in the HEV mode using the electric motor 17 or the internal combustion engine 19 outside the predetermined area, and to travel in the BEV mode using only the electric motor 17 inside the predetermined area. At this time, when it is presumed that, for example, 10% of the total capacity of the battery 18 will be consumed outside the predetermined area and 30% of the total capacity of the battery 18 will be consumed inside the predetermined area, a charging plan is generated to charge the battery 18 to 10 + 30 = 40% or more of the total capacity before the vehicle 10 departs.

[0105] The combination of the route and the vehicle 10 is determined in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Therefore, in the third embodiment, a charging plan is generated so that each vehicle 10 is charged thereafter.

[0106] Figure 13This is a diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the server 30 according to the third embodiment. The server 30 includes a ride request acquisition unit 301, a vehicle information acquisition unit 302, a route generation unit 303, a vehicle allocation unit 304, a charging plan unit 305, a user information DB 311, a vehicle information DB 312, a map information DB 313, and a power consumption information DB 314 as functional configuration elements. The configurations other than the charging plan unit 305 and the power consumption information DB 314 are the same as those in the first embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted. In the third embodiment, the charging plan unit 305 and the power consumption information DB 314 are mainly described.

[0107] The processor 31 of the server 30 executes the processing of the charging plan unit 305 through a computer program on the main storage unit 32. However, a part of this processing may also be executed by a hardware circuit.

[0108] Regarding the power consumption information DB 314, it is constructed by managing the data stored in the auxiliary storage unit 33 through a program of a Database Management System (DBMS) executed by the processor 31. The power consumption information DB 314 is, for example, a relational database.

[0109] Figure 14 This is a diagram illustrating the table structure of the power consumption information stored in the power consumption information DB 314. The table of the information stored in the power consumption information DB 314 has fields for vehicle category, power consumption within a predetermined area, and power consumption outside the predetermined area. Information about the category of the vehicle 10 corresponding to the drive source of the vehicle 10 is input in the vehicle category field. Information capable of discriminating which of the BEV, PHEV, and HEV the vehicle 10 is is input in the vehicle category field. Information related to the power consumption per unit distance when the vehicle travels within the predetermined area corresponding to each vehicle category is input in the power consumption within the predetermined area field. In addition, information related to the power consumption per unit distance when the vehicle travels outside the predetermined area corresponding to each vehicle category is input in the power consumption outside the predetermined area field.

[0110] The power consumption within the predetermined area and the power consumption outside the predetermined area are, for example, the power consumption per unit distance when it is assumed that the vehicle 10 travels under predetermined driving conditions (which may be set as a predetermined speed and a predetermined load). The predetermined driving conditions may also be set as average driving conditions. This power amount may also be calculated based on past data. In addition, in the BEV 10A, the power consumption within the predetermined area and the power consumption outside the predetermined area may be the same.

[0111] In addition, in PHEV 10B and HEV 10C, the power consumption within the predetermined area can also be set to the average power consumption per unit distance when traveling only with the electric motor 17. On the other hand, in PHEV 10B and HEV 10C, the power consumption outside the predetermined area can also be set to the average power consumption per unit distance when the switching between the electric motor 17 and the internal combustion engine 19 is performed on average. Regarding the switching between the electric motor 17 and the internal combustion engine 19, for example, past data is used.

[0112] For each route, the charging plan unit 305 calculates the traveling distance within the predetermined area and the traveling distance outside the predetermined area based on the distance-related information stored in the map information DB 313. Then, based on the category of the vehicle 10 combined with each route and the information stored in the power consumption information DB 314, the traveling distance within the predetermined area is multiplied by the power consumption within the predetermined area to calculate the power required for traveling within the predetermined area. Similarly, the traveling distance outside the predetermined area is multiplied by the power consumption outside the predetermined area to calculate the power required for traveling outside the predetermined area. And an instruction for each vehicle 10 is generated such that a power amount equal to or greater than the sum of the power required for traveling within the predetermined area and the power required for traveling outside the predetermined area is charged into the battery 18.

[0113] Furthermore, in the above description, the power required for each route is calculated based on the average power consumption, but it is not limited thereto, and the power consumption can also be calculated in detail. For example, it is also possible to calculate the power consumption per unit distance when it is assumed that the vehicle 10 travels under predetermined driving conditions (which can be set to a predetermined speed and a predetermined load) and each vehicle 10 travels on each route. For the predetermined driving conditions, it can be set according to the speed limits of each road on the route, or it can be set based on the data when traveling on the same road in the past. In this case, it can also be assumed that the vehicle 10 drives smoothly at the speed limit of the road. In addition, the predetermined speed can also be set according to the attributes of the road (such as highway, arterial road, residential street, speed limit, uphill, downhill, etc.). When the attributes of the road change during the route, the power consumption per unit distance can also be calculated for each road based on the driving conditions of each attribute of the road.

[0114] In addition, for PHEV10B and HEV10C traveling outside the predetermined area, for example, the power consumption per unit distance can be calculated by assuming that the internal combustion engine 19 is operating based on the driving conditions. For example, the data of the driving conditions of each road can be obtained and stored in the auxiliary storage unit 33, and the power consumption per unit distance can be calculated based on the driving conditions by assuming that the internal combustion engine 19 is operating. For the data on driving conditions, data of other vehicles 10 that have traveled on the same road in the past can also be stored, for example, an average value can be calculated and used. In addition, the driving conditions can also be estimated based on the speed limit of each road. In this case, it can also be assumed that the vehicle 10 is driving stably at the speed limit of the road. In addition, for example, on a highway, it can also be assumed that the internal combustion engine 19 is operating.

[0115] Next, the charging plan generation process in server 30 will be described. Figure 15 This is a flowchart of a charging plan generation process according to the third embodiment. Figure 15 The processing shown is performed in the server 30 Figure 9 is executed after completion of the routine shown.

[0116] In step S401, the charging planning unit 305 executes a charging planning cycle. The charging planning cycle is repeated until the charging Figure 9 The processing of all routes generated in step S103 is completed. In step S402, the charging planning unit 305 determines whether the target route passes through the predetermined area. In step S402, the same processing as step S202 is performed. If a positive determination is made in step S402, the process proceeds to step S403, and if a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S406.

[0117] In step S403, the charging planning unit 305 calculates the travel distance within the predetermined area and the travel distance outside the predetermined area for the target route. The charging planning unit 305 calculates the travel distance within the predetermined area and the travel distance outside the predetermined area for the target route based on the information on distance stored in the map information DB 313.

[0118] In step S404, the charging planning unit 305 calculates the amount of power required for traveling in the predetermined area. The charging planning unit 305 obtains the amount of power consumption in the predetermined area stored in the power consumption information DB 314 based on the vehicle type corresponding to the target route, and multiplies the travel distance in the predetermined area calculated in step S403 by the obtained amount of power consumption in the predetermined area, thereby calculating the amount of power required for traveling in the predetermined area.

[0119] In step S405, the charging plan unit 305 calculates the amount of power required for driving outside the predetermined area. The charging plan unit 305 obtains the power consumption outside the predetermined area stored in the power consumption information DB314 based on the vehicle type corresponding to the target route, and multiplies the driving distance outside the predetermined area calculated in step S403 by the obtained power consumption outside the predetermined area, thereby calculating the amount of power required for driving outside the predetermined area.

[0120] In addition, in step S406, the charging plan unit 305 calculates the driving distance outside the predetermined area for the target route. The charging plan unit 305 calculates the driving distance outside the predetermined area for the target route based on the distance-related information stored in the map information DB313.

[0121] In addition, in step S407, the charging plan unit 305 calculates the amount of power required for driving outside the predetermined area. The charging plan unit 305 obtains the power consumption outside the predetermined area stored in the power consumption information DB314 based on the vehicle type corresponding to the target route, and multiplies the driving distance outside the predetermined area calculated in step S406 by the obtained power consumption outside the predetermined area, thereby calculating the amount of power required for driving outside the predetermined area. In addition, when the vehicle 10 traveling on the target route is an internal combustion engine vehicle 10D, the amount of power required for driving outside the predetermined area becomes 0.

[0122] In step S408, the charging plan unit 305 generates a charging instruction. The charging instruction is information for conveying a command related to charging to the vehicle 10. The charging plan unit 305 generates a charging instruction so that the amount of power equal to or greater than the sum of the amount of power required for driving outside the predetermined area and the amount of power required for driving inside the predetermined area is charged into the battery 18. And in step S409, the charging plan unit 305 sends the generated charging instruction to the corresponding vehicle 10.

[0123] As described above, according to the present embodiment, when driving in the predetermined area, the vehicle 10 is pre-charged with the power required for driving in the predetermined area, so that it is possible to suppress power shortage in the predetermined area.

[0124] <Other Embodiments>

[0125] The above-described embodiments are merely examples, and the present disclosure can be appropriately modified and implemented without departing from its gist.

[0126] For the processes and units described in the present disclosure, as long as there is no technical contradiction, they can be freely combined and implemented.

[0127] In addition, the processes described as being performed by one device can also be executed by multiple devices sharing the load. Or, the processes described as being performed by different devices can also be executed by one device. The hardware structure (server structure) for implementing each function in the computer system can be flexibly changed. For example, server 30 can have a part of the functions of vehicle 10. Additionally, for example, vehicle 10 can have a part or all of the functions of server 30.

[0128] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, vehicle 10 was described as an autonomous driving vehicle, but the same can be applied even to a vehicle manually driven by a driver. In this case, the route received from server 30 can be displayed on the display of vehicle 10, for example, to guide the user. Additionally, the user terminal 40 can receive the route from server 30 and display the route on the display 45 of the user terminal 40 to guide the user.

[0129] The present disclosure can also be implemented by providing a computer program installed with the functions described in the above-described embodiment to a computer, and having one or more processors of the computer read and execute the program. Such a computer program can be provided to the computer either through a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that can be connected to the system bus of the computer or via a network. Non-transitory computer-readable storage media include, for example, any type of disk such as a magnetic disk (floppy disk, registered trademark, hard disk drive (HDD), etc.), an optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD disk, Blu-ray disk, etc.), a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an EPROM, an EEPROM, a magnetic card, a flash memory, an optical card, and any type of medium suitable for storing electronic commands.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus having a control unit, wherein the control unit executes: generating operation instructions for a plurality of vehicles having different types of vehicles capable of traveling by an electric motor based on information related to a predetermined area, the predetermined area being an area where only vehicles capable of traveling by the electric motor are permitted to pass, wherein the operation instructions include information related to the selection of the drive source of each of the plurality of vehicles, and the control unit executes: determining a combination of a plurality of routes and the plurality of vehicles; and generating operation instructions for each of the plurality of vehicles based on the determined combination of the plurality of routes and the plurality of vehicles, wherein the control unit determines the combination of the plurality of routes and the plurality of vehicles in such a manner that vehicles capable of traveling by the electric motor among the plurality of vehicles are combined with the routes passing through the predetermined area among the plurality of routes, for a first route passing through the predetermined area, combining any one of a vehicle having an electric motor as a drive source, i.e., a vehicle capable of traveling only by the electric motor (BEV), a hybrid vehicle (PHEV) capable of charging a battery from a commercial power source, and a hybrid vehicle (HEV) incapable of charging from a commercial power source, with the highest priority for BEV and the priority decreasing in the order of PHEV and HEV, wherein the operation instructions include information related to the location where the drive sources of PHEV and HEV are switched.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generation of the operation instructions includes the generation of a route bypassing the predetermined area.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when there is no vehicle among the plurality of vehicles that can be combined with the route passing through the predetermined area, the control unit generates a route bypassing the predetermined area and combines vehicles incapable of traveling by the electric motor in the predetermined area with the route bypassing the predetermined area.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the control unit gives a reward to a user riding in a vehicle traveling on a route bypassing the predetermined area.

5. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the operation instructions include a charging plan for a battery supplying power to the electric motor.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control unit generates the charging plan for each of the plurality of vehicles based on the amount of electric power required when the plurality of vehicles travel in the predetermined area and the amount of electric power required when the plurality of vehicles travel outside the predetermined area.

7. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, having a storage unit that stores information related to the predetermined area and map information.

8. An information processing method, wherein a computer executes: receiving information related to a predetermined area, the predetermined area being an area where only vehicles capable of traveling by an electric motor are permitted to pass; and generating operation instructions for a plurality of vehicles having different types of vehicles capable of traveling by the electric motor based on the information related to the predetermined area. The operation instructions include information related to the selection of the drive sources of the respective multiple vehicles, The computer executes: Determining combinations of multiple routes and the multiple vehicles; and Based on the determined combinations of the multiple routes and the multiple vehicles, generating operation instructions for the multiple vehicles respectively, The computer determines the combinations of the multiple routes and the multiple vehicles in such a manner that for the route combinations among the multiple routes that pass through the predetermined area, the vehicles among the multiple vehicles that can travel using the electric motor are combined, For the first route passing through the predetermined area, a vehicle with the drive source set to an electric motor is combined, that is, a vehicle that can travel only using the electric motor, namely a BEV, a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) that can charge the battery from a commercial power supply, and a hybrid vehicle (HEV) that cannot be charged from a commercial power supply. Among them, the priority of the BEV is the highest, and the priorities decrease in the order of PHEV and HEV, The operation instructions include information related to the locations where the drive sources of the PHEV and the HEV are switched.

9. The information processing method according to claim 8, When there are no vehicles among the multiple vehicles that can be combined with the routes passing through the predetermined area, the computer generates a route that bypasses the predetermined area and combines the vehicles that cannot travel using the electric motor in the predetermined area with the route that bypasses the predetermined area.

10. The information processing method according to claim 8 or 9, The operation instructions include a charging plan for the battery that supplies power to the electric motor, The computer generates the charging plan based on the amount of electric power required for the multiple vehicles to travel within the predetermined area and the amount of electric power required for the multiple vehicles to travel outside the predetermined area.

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