Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program product

Abstract

An information processing device is provided with: a virtual map acquisition unit that acquires a virtual map, which is a three-dimensional virtual map corresponding to an actual space in which a plurality of moving bodies move, and which includes an initial position and a target position of the movement of the moving bodies; an information acquisition unit that acquires position information relating to the position of each of the plurality of moving bodies in the actual space and state information relating to the state of each of the plurality of moving bodies; and a display unit that displays the state information of each of the plurality of moving bodies at a position corresponding to the position of each of the plurality of moving bodies in the virtual map.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program products. Background Technology

[0002] Patent document 1 states that "the map is a three-dimensional map" (claim 8). Patent document 2 describes "generating three-dimensional environment map information based on distance information obtained by a distance sensor" (claim 1). Patent document 3 describes an "autonomous moving body equipped with an autonomous control unit for autonomous movement" (claim 1). Patent document 4 describes a method that "in the event of an error in the ground processing device, it is easy to locate the ground processing device" (abstract). Patent document 5 describes "efficiency of management operations related to mobile bodies or their users." (Abstract). Existing technical documents Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 7452706 Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-157478 Patent Document 3: International Publication No. 2019 / 181896 Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-156644 Patent Document 5: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-180688 Summary of the Invention

[0003] In a first aspect of the present invention, an information processing apparatus is provided. The information processing apparatus includes: a virtual map acquisition unit that acquires a virtual map, which is a three-dimensional virtual map corresponding to the actual space in which multiple mobile bodies move, and the virtual map includes an initial position and a target position of the mobile bodies; an information acquisition unit that acquires position information related to the respective positions of the multiple mobile bodies in the actual space and state information related to their respective states; and a display unit that displays the state information of the multiple mobile bodies at positions corresponding to the respective positions of the multiple mobile bodies in the virtual map.

[0004] The state of a moving object can include its movement state.

[0005] In any of the aforementioned information processing devices, the mobile body can move using power from a storage battery. The state of the mobile body may include the remaining amount of power in the storage battery.

[0006] In any of the above information processing devices, when the state of the moving body becomes a predetermined state, the display unit can display a mark on a virtual map requesting the operator to give instructions to the moving body.

[0007] In any of the above information processing devices, the display unit can display a position marker on a virtual map corresponding to the position of the moving body when its state becomes a predetermined state.

[0008] Any of the above-mentioned information processing devices may further include an instruction sending unit, which, when an instruction is given to a mobile body indicated by a display, sends an instruction to the indicated mobile body to improve a predetermined state.

[0009] Any of the aforementioned information processing devices may further include a sequence setting unit, which sets the priority order of the mobile entities to be instructed by the operator based on the respective states of the multiple mobile entities. The display unit may display indicators including the priority order on a virtual map.

[0010] In any of the above information processing devices, the state of the mobile body can be whether the mobile body is performing a task specified for the mobile body.

[0011] In any of the aforementioned information processing devices, the predetermined start time for the mobile body to begin performing its task can be determined in advance. The state of the mobile body can be either earlier or later than the predetermined start time.

[0012] In any of the aforementioned information processing devices, a first predetermined start time for the mobile body to begin performing the first task and a second predetermined start time for the mobile body to begin performing the second task can be predetermined, wherein the second predetermined start time is later than the first predetermined start time. The information acquisition unit can acquire the first actual start time for the mobile body to begin performing the first task and the second actual start time for the mobile body to begin performing the second task. The information acquisition unit can determine the relationship between a first difference between the first predetermined start time and the first actual start time, and a second difference between the second predetermined start time and the second actual start time. If the second difference is greater than the first difference, the display unit can display status information on a virtual map indicating that the mobile body's state is a state that the operator should observe.

[0013] In any of the above information processing devices, when at least one specific moving body is designated, the display unit can display an image of the actual space captured by the designated moving body.

[0014] In any of the above information processing devices, when at least one specific moving body is designated, the display unit can display images of other moving bodies captured by the designated moving body.

[0015] In any of the aforementioned information processing devices, multiple states that each of the multiple moving bodies can acquire can be predetermined. When one of the multiple states is specified, the display unit can display the moving body in that state on a virtual map, without displaying the moving bodies in the other states.

[0016] A second aspect of the present invention provides an information processing method. The information processing method includes: a virtual map acquisition stage, in which a virtual map is acquired, the virtual map being a three-dimensional virtual map corresponding to the actual space in which multiple mobile bodies move, and the virtual map including the initial position and target position of the mobile bodies; an information acquisition stage, in which position information related to the respective positions of the multiple mobile bodies in the actual space and state information related to their respective states are acquired; and a display stage, in which the state information of the multiple mobile bodies is displayed in the virtual map at positions corresponding to the respective positions of the multiple mobile bodies.

[0017] In a third aspect of the invention, a program product is provided. This program product includes an information processing program for causing a computer to perform an information processing method.

[0018] Furthermore, the above summary of the invention does not list all the features of the invention. In addition, sub-combinations of these feature groups can also constitute inventions. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic top view of an example of the actual space 110 in which multiple moving bodies 90 move. Figure 2 It is a stereoscopic view representing an example of a three-dimensional virtual map 120 corresponding to the actual space 110. Figure 3 This is a block diagram representing an example of an information processing device 100. Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the display mode of the display unit 30. Figure 5 This is another example of the display mode of the display unit 30. Figure 6 This is another example of the display mode of the display unit 30. Figure 7 This is another example of the display mode of the display unit 30. Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of an information processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the structure of a computer 1200 that can implement the present invention in whole or in part. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The present invention will now be described through embodiments thereof, but these embodiments do not limit the invention as defined in the claims. Furthermore, not all combinations of the features described in the embodiments are necessary for the solution of the invention.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic top view illustrating an example of the actual space 110 in which multiple moving bodies 90 move. Figure 1 In the example, the multiple moving bodies 90 are moving bodies 90-1 to 90-3. The actual space 110 is, for example, a space such as a factory. The actual space 110 can be an indoor space or an outdoor space. The actual space 110 can be a space that is difficult to enter due to the influence of the environment such as radiation or harmful gases, or a space that is difficult to enter due to the presence of obstacles.

[0022] A road surface 112 can be configured in the actual space 110, and a structure 114 can be provided. If the actual space 110 is a space such as a factory, the road surface 112 is the ground of that factory. The structure 114 is, for example, a measuring instrument, a manufacturing device, or spare parts. The mobile body 90 can travel on the road surface 112 or fly in the air.

[0023] The mobile body 90 can be an autonomous robot or a robot remotely controlled by a user of the information processing device 100 (described later). The mobile body 90 may also have a control unit to control its movement. The mobile body 90 can move using battery power or other energy sources. The battery may be mounted on the mobile body 90. The mobile body 90 can be a quadruped robot that moves while in contact with the ground surface 112, a tracked or wheeled robot, or a drone that moves in the air. The mobile body 90 can be a robot that patrols in the physical space 110.

[0024] Each of the plurality of moving bodies 90 may have a camera unit 92 for capturing images of the actual space 110. In this example, moving bodies 90-1 to 90-3 each have camera units 92-1 to 92-3. The image captured of the actual space 110 may contain information relating to the physical quantities of the objects in the actual space 110.

[0025] The physical quantities of the object include, for example, the location, shape, slope, width, temperature, and condition of the road surface 112, as well as whether there are obstacles or the location, shape, and size of structures 114 on the road surface 112. The location of the object can be the relative location between multiple objects, the relative location to a set reference location, or the absolute location such as latitude and longitude.

[0026] The condition of the road surface 112 can be its unevenness, the presence or absence of cracks, its wetness, or the presence of sand or other foreign objects. Obstacles on the road surface 112 can be objects larger than a predetermined size (e.g., at least one of width, depth, and height), or objects that prevent the moving body 90 from moving. Based on images acquired when the moving body 90 is immobile, the imaging unit 92 can obtain physical quantities such as the position, shape, and size of the structure 114 or obstacles that hinder the movement of the moving body 90.

[0027] The physical quantities of the object may include the temperature, humidity, or concentration of a specific gas (e.g., carbon dioxide) in the actual space 110. The moving body 90 may have a sensor that acquires the temperature, humidity, or concentration of a specific gas (e.g., carbon dioxide) in the actual space 110.

[0028] Multiple moving bodies 90 may have a position information acquisition unit 94 that acquires the position of the moving bodies 90 in the actual space 110. The position information acquisition unit 94 is, for example, GPS (Global Positioning System). Figure 1 In the example, the mobile bodies 90-1 to 90-3 each have a position information acquisition unit 94-1 to a position information acquisition unit 94-3.

[0029] In this specification, orthogonal coordinate axes of X, Y, and Z are sometimes used to describe technical matters. In this specification, the plane parallel to road surface 112 is designated as the XY plane, and the direction perpendicular to road surface 112 is designated as the Z-axis direction. In this specification, any direction within the XY plane is designated as the X-axis direction, and any direction within the XY plane orthogonal to the X-axis is designated as the Y-axis direction. The Z-axis direction can be a direction parallel to the vertical direction, and the XY plane can be a horizontal plane.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a stereoscopic view representing an example of a three-dimensional virtual map 120 corresponding to the actual space 110. The virtual map 120 can be an existing map or a map created based on images captured by the camera unit 92 of the moving body 90. Existing maps include, for example, CAD data when constructing the actual space 110, Google Maps, etc. Maps created based on images captured by the camera unit 92 are, for example, maps created using SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) technology. Figure 2 This represents the area in the virtual map 120 that corresponds to the actual space 110.

[0031] The virtual map 120 contains information corresponding to objects in the actual space 110. These objects are either the road surface 112 or the structure 114 in the actual space 110. Figure 2 Indicates and Figure 1 The information corresponding to road surface 112, structures 114-1 to 114-9, and moving body 90 is shown. However, in Figure 2 In the middle, the following was omitted. Figure 1 The moving bodies 90-1 and 90-3.

[0032] The virtual map 120 contains the initial position P1 and the target position P2 of the moving body 90. Figure 2 In the diagram, the initial position P1 is represented by a dashed line, and the target position P2 is represented by a dotted line. The target position P2 is the destination to which the moving body 90 should move. The destination to which the moving body 90 should move is, for example, the position of the structure 114 whose status the moving body 90 should confirm. The operator 130 (described later) can specify the target position P2 through the receiving unit 62 (described later).

[0033] The initial position P1 is the position where the mobile body 90 begins to move. When the mobile body 90 is stationary, the starting position is the stationary position of the mobile body 90. The stationary state of the mobile body 90 can refer to the mobile body 90 stopping after completing the assigned task, or it can refer to the mobile body 90 temporarily stopping during the execution of the assigned task. When the mobile body 90 is designated to move towards the target position P2, the starting position can be the position of the mobile body 90 at the time of designation.

[0034] The position information acquisition unit 94 of the moving body 90 can acquire the initial position P1. The information acquisition unit 20 (described later) can acquire the initial position P1 acquired by the position information acquisition unit 94. The display unit 30 (described later) can display the initial position P1 acquired by the information acquisition unit 20 on the virtual map 120.

[0035] The initial position P1 and the target position P2 can also be areas with a predetermined area or volume in the actual space 110. An area with a predetermined area can be an area on the road surface 112. In the case where the moving body 90 is a drone, the initial position P1 and the target position P2 can be areas in the actual space 110 with a predetermined volume. An area in the actual space 110 with a predetermined volume is, for example, a space within one or more rooms located in the actual space 110.

[0036] Figure 3This is a block diagram illustrating an example of an information processing device 100. The information processing device 100 includes a virtual map acquisition unit 10, an information acquisition unit 20, a display unit 30, and a control unit 50. The display unit 30 may be, for example, a monitor, a smartphone screen, etc. The information processing device 100 may include a sequence setting unit 60, a receiving unit 62, an instruction sending unit 64, and a storage unit 80. The receiving unit 62 may be a mouse, a keyboard, a smartphone screen, etc.

[0037] A portion or all of the information processing device 100 may be implemented by a computer. The control unit 50 may be the CPU (Central Processing Unit) of the computer. When the information processing device 100 is implemented by a computer, an information processing program for enabling the computer to function as the information processing device 100 may be installed in the computer, and an information processing program for executing the information processing methods described later may also be installed in the computer.

[0038] The virtual map acquisition unit 10 acquires the virtual map 120. The virtual map acquisition unit 10 can acquire the virtual map 120 via the Internet. The storage unit 80 can store the virtual map 120 acquired by the virtual map acquisition unit 10.

[0039] The information acquisition unit 20 acquires location information related to the respective positions of multiple moving bodies 90 in the actual space 110. The information acquisition unit 20 can acquire the respective location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 94 of each of the multiple moving bodies 90. The information acquisition unit 20 can acquire the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 94 wirelessly. The information acquisition unit 20 can acquire the location information of moving bodies 90 moving in the actual space 110 at any time.

[0040] The information acquisition unit 20 acquires state information 96 (described later) related to the respective states of the multiple mobile bodies 90 in the actual space 110. The state of a mobile body 90 refers to the nature of the mobile body 90 at a certain point in time or the nature that may change over time. The state of a mobile body 90 may include properties that are identifiable by the appearance of the mobile body 90, or properties that are difficult to identify by the appearance of the mobile body 90. Properties that are identifiable by the appearance of the mobile body 90 are, for example, the shape of the mobile body 90.

[0041] The state of the mobile body 90 may include its movement state. The movement state of the mobile body 90 is a property that changes as the position of the mobile body 90 changes over time. The movement state of the mobile body 90 may be, for example, at least one of movement speed and movement acceleration. The mobile body 90 may have a speedometer. The information acquisition unit 20 can wirelessly acquire the speed of the mobile body 90 as measured by its speedometer. The information acquisition unit 20 can acquire the speed of the mobile body 90 and, based on the acquired speed, acquire the rate of change of speed over time (i.e., acceleration).

[0042] When the mobile body 90 moves using the power of the battery, the state of the mobile body 90 can also be the remaining amount of the battery. The remaining amount of the battery can be the ratio of the current charge to the full charge of the battery.

[0043] Figure 4 This diagram illustrates an example of the display method of the display unit 30. In the virtual map 120, the display unit 30 displays the status information 96 of each of the multiple moving bodies 90 at positions corresponding to their respective locations. Figure 4 In the example, state information 96-1 to state information 96-3 are the state information 96 for moving bodies 90-1 to 90-3, respectively. Figure 4 In the example, the display unit 30 is positioned relative to the respective positions of the moving bodies 90-1 to 90-3 (see reference). Figure 1 The corresponding positions display status information 96-1 to status information 96-3. Thus, operator 130 can identify the status of each of the multiple moving objects 90. Figure 4 In the example, status information 96 is textual information representing the status of the moving body 90. Figure 4 In the example, the text information is displayed on the virtual map 120 via a pop-up window.

[0044] Figure 5 This diagram illustrates another example of the display method of the display unit 30. When the state of the moving object 90 is a predetermined state, the display unit 30 can display a marker 98 on the virtual map 120 requesting instructions from the operator 130 regarding the moving object 90. The marker 98 can be text or color. The marker 98 can also be a flashing indicator of the moving object 90 on the virtual map 120. Figure 5 In the example, the label 98 is a pop-up window that displays a message reminding the user to pay attention to the moving object 90-1.

[0045] When the moving body 90 is in a moving state, the predetermined state of the moving body 90 can be at least one of a predetermined speed and acceleration. When the moving body 90 preferably moves at a speed less than a specific speed, the predetermined speed of the moving body 90 can be that specific speed. This specific speed can be a speed determined based on the moving performance of the moving body 90 (e.g., a recommended moving speed). When the moving body 90 preferably moves at an acceleration less than a specific acceleration, the predetermined acceleration of the moving body 90 can be that specific acceleration. This specific acceleration can be an acceleration determined based on the moving performance of the moving body 90.

[0046] When the mobile body 90 moves using the power of the battery, the predetermined state of the mobile body 90 can be the remaining charge of the battery. The predetermined state of the mobile body 90 can be a specific charge level of the battery relative to its full charge level. This specific charge level can be the minimum charge level that should be maintained. For example, the predetermined state of the mobile body 90 can be a charge level of 1 / 2, 1 / 4, or 1 / 10 of the full charge level of the battery.

[0047] The display unit 30 can display a position marker 98 on the virtual map 120 corresponding to the position of the mobile body 90 when its state is in a predetermined state. The position of the mobile body 90 when its state is in a predetermined state can refer to the position of the mobile body 90 when its speed changes from less than a predetermined speed to a predetermined speed, or it can refer to the position of the mobile body 90 when its acceleration changes from less than a predetermined acceleration to a predetermined acceleration. The position of the mobile body 90 when its state is in a predetermined state can also refer to the position of the mobile body 90 when, when the mobile body 90 is moving using battery power, the ratio of the battery's charge level to its full charge level is a specific ratio.

[0048] The receiving unit 62 receives instructions for the moving body 90 on the virtual map 120. Figure 5 In this example, operator 130 instructs the movable body 90-1 on display unit 30 via pointer 32 displayed on display unit 30. Instructing the movable body 90-1 on display unit 30 can be done by clicking on the movable body 90-1 displayed on display unit 30.

[0049] When a mobile body 90 marked with 98 is instructed, the instruction sending unit 64 can send an instruction to the instructed mobile body 90 to improve a predetermined state. For example, an instruction to improve a predetermined state might be to control the speed of the mobile body 90 so that it travels at a speed less than a specific speed when the mobile body 90 is traveling at a speed greater than a specific speed. Another example is an instruction to control the acceleration of the mobile body 90 so that it accelerates or decelerates at an acceleration less than a specific acceleration when the mobile body 90 is accelerating or decelerating at an acceleration greater than a specific acceleration. A third example is an instruction to decelerate or stop the mobile body 90 when the battery charge is at a specific ratio to the full charge. By sending the instruction to the instructed mobile body 90, the instruction sending unit 64 can improve the mobile body 90 from a predetermined state.

[0050] Figure 6 This diagram illustrates another example of the display mode of the display unit 30. The sequence setting unit 60 sets the priority order of the multiple moving bodies 90 to be instructed by the operator 130 based on their respective states. For example, although it is preferable for a moving body 90 to move at a speed less than a specific speed Vs, if it moves at a speed V greater than or equal to the specific speed Vs, the sequence setting unit 60 sets the priority order based on the difference between speed V and speed Vs. For example, the moving body 90 with the larger the difference between speed V and speed Vs is, the higher the priority set by the sequence setting unit 60.

[0051] For example, although the moving body 90 preferably moves at an acceleration As less than a certain value, when it accelerates at an acceleration A greater than or equal to the certain acceleration As, the sequence setting unit 60 sets a priority order based on the difference between acceleration A and acceleration As. For example, the moving body 90 with a larger difference between acceleration A and acceleration As is given a higher priority by the sequence setting unit 60.

[0052] For example, when the mobile body 90 moves using the power of the battery, and the ratio of the battery's charge to its full charge is below a certain percentage, the sequence setting unit 60 sets a higher priority for the mobile body 90 equipped with a battery whose charge ratio is smaller.

[0053] Display unit 30 can display a priority order marker 98 on the virtual map 120. Figure 6 In this example, the display unit 30 displays text indicating priority on the virtual map 120. Thus, the operator 130 is able to identify the moving body 90 that should be prioritized for instruction on the virtual map 120.

[0054] When the mobile body 90 is performing a specified task in the actual space 110, the state of the mobile body 90 can be determined by whether the mobile body 90 is currently performing the specified task. The task could be, for example, monitoring of the road surface 112 or the structure 114. The operator 130 can assign a task to each of the multiple mobile bodies 90 via the receiving unit 62. The specified task can be stored in the storage unit 80. The specified task can be sent to the mobile body 90 via the instruction sending unit 64.

[0055] The display unit 30 can display an indicator 98 on the virtual map 120 indicating whether the mobile body 90 is performing a specified task. Thus, the operator 130 can identify on the virtual map 120 whether the mobile body 90 is performing a specified task.

[0056] When the mobile body 90 performs a designated task, the scheduled start time for starting the task can be determined in advance. The scheduled start time can be determined in advance by the operator 130. The scheduled start time can be stored in the storage unit 80. The scheduled start time can be sent to the mobile body 90 via the instruction sending unit 64.

[0057] Mobile body 90 may be equipped with an atomic clock. Mobile body 90 can obtain the time from the atomic clock. Mobile body 90 can also obtain the time from an NTP server via the Internet.

[0058] When the mobile unit 90 begins to perform the designated task, the information acquisition unit 20 (see reference) Figure 3 The information acquisition unit 20 acquires the actual start time of the mobile body 90 starting to execute the specified task. This actual start time is the time acquired by the mobile body 90. The information acquisition unit 20 acquires status information 96 (refer to) indicating that the mobile body 90 has started to execute the specified task. Figure 5 This state information 96 can be information representing the state of the moving body 90 at the actual start time.

[0059] The state of the mobile body 90 can be either earlier or later than the planned start time. The information acquisition unit 20 can determine whether the actual start time is earlier or later than the planned start time based on the planned start time and the actual start time. If it is determined that the actual start time is earlier than the planned start time, the information acquisition unit 20 can obtain the time obtained by subtracting the planned start time from the actual start time as the earlier time. If it is determined that the actual start time is later than the planned start time, the information acquisition unit 20 can obtain the time obtained by subtracting the actual start time from the planned start time as the later time.

[0060] The mobile body 90 sometimes has difficulty starting to perform its task at the scheduled start time. For example, if there are obstacles on the road surface 112 during the movement of the mobile body 90, the mobile body 90 may have difficulty reaching the position to perform the task before the scheduled start time. For example, if the task of the mobile body 90 is to monitor multiple structures 114 (see...) Figure 1 If monitoring of one structure 114 requires a longer time than planned, the mobile body 90 may have difficulty starting monitoring of other structures 114 that are scheduled to be monitored after that one structure 114 at the scheduled start time. In this case, the actual start time may be delayed compared to the scheduled start time.

[0061] The mobile body 90 sometimes begins performing its task earlier than the scheduled start time. For example, if a sensor mounted on the mobile body 90 detects an anomaly in a predetermined structure 114 being monitored by the mobile body 90, the mobile body 90 may sometimes begin performing its task without waiting for the scheduled start time. In this case, the actual start time may be earlier than the scheduled start time.

[0062] The display unit 30 can display a marker 98 on the virtual map 120, which indicates whether the actual start time of the mobile body 90 in performing the task is earlier or later than the scheduled start time of the mobile body 90 in performing the task. Thus, the operator 130 can identify on the virtual map 120 whether the actual start time is earlier or later than the scheduled start time.

[0063] When the mobile body 90 sequentially performs the first task and the second task, the first predetermined start time for starting the first task and the second predetermined start time for starting the second task can be predetermined. Here, the second predetermined start time is a time later than the first predetermined start time. For example, when the mobile body 90 sequentially monitors multiple structures 114, the first task is the monitoring of the first structure 114 (e.g., structure 114-1), and the second task is the monitoring of the second structure 114 (e.g., structure 114-2).

[0064] Information Acquisition Department 20 (refer to) Figure 3 The information acquisition unit 20 can obtain the first actual start time of the mobile body 90 starting to execute the first task. The information acquisition unit 20 can obtain status information 96 (refer to...) indicating that the mobile body 90 has started to execute the first task. Figure 5 The information acquisition unit 20 can acquire the second actual start time of the mobile body 90 starting to execute the second task. The information acquisition unit 20 can acquire status information 96 indicating that the mobile body 90 has started to execute the second task.

[0065] Information Acquisition Department 20 (refer to) Figure 3This allows us to obtain a first difference between a first predetermined start time and a first actual start time, and a second difference between a second predetermined start time and a second actual start time. If the first actual start time is delayed relative to the first predetermined start time, the first difference can be the time obtained by subtracting the first actual start time from the first predetermined start time. The same applies to the second difference. If the first actual start time is earlier than the first predetermined start time, the first difference can be the time obtained by subtracting the first predetermined start time from the first actual start time. The same applies to the second difference.

[0066] The information acquisition unit 20 can determine the relationship between the first difference and the second difference. If the second difference is greater than the first difference, the display unit 30 (see reference)... Figure 3 The display unit 30 can display status information 96 on the virtual map 120, indicating that the state of the moving body 90 is a state that the operator 130 should be watching. If the actual start time is delayed relative to the predetermined start time, and the second difference is greater than the first difference, the delay in the actual start time increases over time. If the actual start time is advanced relative to the predetermined start time, and the second difference is greater than the first difference, the advancement in the actual start time increases over time. The display unit 30 displays status information 96 indicating that the state of the moving body 90 is a state that the operator 130 should be watching, thereby enabling the operator 130 to recognize that the moving body 90 is in a state that should be watched.

[0067] Figure 7 This diagram illustrates another example of the display method of the display unit 30. The display unit 30 can be divided into multiple regions 34. In this example, the display unit 30 is divided into four regions 34 (regions 34-1 to 34-4). In this example, a virtual map 120 is displayed in region 34-1. Figures 4-6 In this example, a virtual map 120 is displayed on the entire display unit 30. The information processing device 100 is capable of switching... Figures 4-6 Display method and Figure 7 The display method.

[0068] The camera unit 92 of the moving body 90 (see reference) Figure 1 The image of the actual space 110 is captured. The image of the actual space 110 may include an image of the road surface 112 or an image of the structure 114. The image of the actual space 110 may also include images of other moving bodies 90 (e.g., moving body 90-2) captured by the capturing unit 92 (e.g., capturing unit 92-1) of a specific moving body 90 (e.g., moving body 90-1). Information acquisition unit 20 (see reference...) Figure 3 It can obtain images captured by the camera unit 92.

[0069] The display unit 30 can display the camera unit 92 of the moving body 90 (see reference). Figure 1 Images captured by the camera unit 92-1. For example, the display unit 30 can display images captured by the camera unit 92-1 in area 34-2, images captured by the camera unit 92-2 in area 34-3, and images captured by the camera unit 92-3 in area 34-4.

[0070] Operator 130 can designate at least one specific moving body 90 through receiving unit 62. When a specific moving body 90 is designated, display unit 30 can display an image captured by the imaging unit 92 of the designated moving body 90. For example, if moving body 90-1 is designated, display unit 30 can display the image captured by imaging unit 92-1 in any one of areas 34-1 to 34-3. Display unit 30 can also display the image captured by imaging unit 92 on virtual map 120.

[0071] When at least one specific moving body 90 is specified, the display unit 30 can display images of other moving bodies 90 captured by the imaging unit 92 of the specified moving body 90. For example, if moving body 90-1 is specified, the display unit 30 displays an image of moving body 90-2 captured by the imaging unit 92-1. In the information acquisition unit 20 (see reference...) Figure 3 If the location and status information 96 of the mobile body 90 cannot be obtained, the mobile body 90 may be in an abnormal state. An abnormal state may be, for example, a state in which the mobile body 90 is unable to move due to tipping over. If there is a high probability that the mobile body 90 is in an abnormal state, by taking an image of the mobile body 90 with a different mobile body 90 and displaying it on the display unit 30, the operator 130 can confirm the actual state of the mobile body 90 that is likely to be in an abnormal state on the display unit 30.

[0072] The mobile body 90 can be in multiple predetermined states. These predetermined states may include, for example, an operating state (on state) and a non-operating state (off state). The operating state may include one or more modes. For example, the operating state may include a low-speed mode and a high-speed mode. Each of the multiple mobile bodies 90 can be in multiple predetermined states.

[0073] Operator 130 can specify one of multiple states through receiving unit 62. When one of the multiple states is specified, display unit 30 can display a moving body 90 in that state on virtual map 120, or it can choose not to display moving bodies 90 in other states. For example, if the state of moving body 90 is specified as "operating", display unit 30 can display moving bodies 90 in the operating state, or it can choose not to display moving bodies 90 in the non-operating state. This improves the visual recognition of virtual map 120 for operator 130.

[0074] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of an information processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 Taking the information processing apparatus 100 shown as an example, an information processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. The information processing method includes a virtual map acquisition stage S100, an information acquisition stage S110, and a display stage S120.

[0075] The virtual map acquisition stage S100 is the stage where the virtual map acquisition unit 10 acquires a virtual map 120. This virtual map 120 is a three-dimensional virtual map corresponding to the actual space 110 in which the multiple moving bodies 90 move, and it includes the initial position and target position of the moving bodies 90. The information acquisition stage S110 is the stage where the information acquisition unit 20 acquires position information related to the respective positions of the multiple moving bodies 90 in the actual space 110, as well as state information 96 related to their respective states. The display stage S120 is the stage where the display unit 30 displays the state information 96 of the multiple moving bodies 90 at positions corresponding to their respective positions on the virtual map 120.

[0076] Figure 9 This diagram illustrates an example of the structure of a computer 1200 that can implement the present invention wholly or partially. Through programs installed on the computer 1200, the computer 1200 can perform operations associated with an apparatus or one or more "parts" of that apparatus as embodiments of the present invention, or execute that operation or one or more "parts," and / or the computer 1200 can execute processes or stages of processes that are embodiments of the present invention. To enable the computer 1200 to perform specific operations associated with several or all of the modules in the flowcharts and block diagrams described in this specification, such programs can be executed by the CPU 1212. Furthermore, processes or stages of processes that are embodiments of the present invention can also be executed in the cloud.

[0077] The computer 1200 of this embodiment includes a CPU 1212, RAM 1214, a graphics controller 1216, and a display device 1218, which are interconnected via a main controller 1210. The computer 1200 also includes input / output units such as a communication interface 1222, a hard disk drive 1224, a DVD-ROM drive 1226, and an IC card drive, which are connected to the main controller 1210 via an input / output controller 1220. The computer also includes conventional input / output units such as a ROM 1230 and a keyboard 1242, which are connected to the input / output controller 1220 via an input / output chip 1240.

[0078] CPU 1212 operates according to the program stored in ROM 1230 and RAM 1214, thereby controlling each unit. Graphics controller 1216 obtains image data generated by CPU 1212 from frame buffers or other storage provided in RAM 1214 or from within itself, and displays the image data on display device 1218.

[0079] The communication interface 1222 enables communication with other electronic devices via a network. The hard disk drive 1224 stores programs and data used by the CPU 1212 within the computer 1200. The DVD-ROM drive 1226 reads programs or data from the DVD-ROM 1201 and provides programs or data to the hard disk drive 1224 via RAM 1214. The IC card drive reads programs and data from the IC card and / or writes programs and data to the IC card.

[0080] ROM1230 contains boot programs and / or programs dependent on the hardware of computer 1200 that are executed by computer 1200 when it is activated in internal storage. Input / output chip 1240 can also connect various input / output units to input / output controller 1220 via parallel port, serial port, keyboard port, mouse port, etc.

[0081] The program is provided by a computer-readable storage medium such as a DVD-ROM 1201 or an IC card. The program is read from the computer-readable storage medium and installed in a hard disk drive 1224, RAM 1214, or ROM 1230, which are also examples of computer-readable storage media, and executed by the CPU 1212. The information processing described within these programs is read into the computer 1200, thereby enabling cooperation between the program and the aforementioned various types of hardware resources. The apparatus or method can be configured to perform information manipulation or processing in conjunction with the use of the computer 1200.

[0082] For example, when communication is performed between computer 1200 and an external device, CPU 1212 can execute a communication program loaded in RAM 1214 and instruct communication interface 1222 to perform communication processing based on the processing described in the communication program. Under the control of CPU 1212, communication interface 1222 reads transmission data stored in a transmission buffer area provided in a storage medium such as RAM 1214, hard disk drive 1224, DVD-ROM 1201, or IC card, sends the read transmission data to the network, or writes received data received from the network to a receive buffer area provided on the storage medium, etc.

[0083] Furthermore, the CPU 1212 can read all or necessary portions of files or databases stored on external storage media such as hard disk drive 1224, DVD-ROM drive 1226 (DVD-ROM 1201), IC cards, etc., into RAM 1214, and perform various types of processing on the data in RAM 1214. Then, the CPU 1212 can write the processed data back to the external storage media.

[0084] Various types of information, such as programs, data, tables, and databases, can be stored in the storage medium for information processing. The CPU 1212 can perform various types of processing described throughout this invention on data read from RAM 1214 and write the results back to RAM 1214. These various types of processing include various types of operations specified by a sequence of program instructions, information processing, conditional judgments, conditional branches, unconditional branches, information retrieval / replacement, etc. Furthermore, the CPU 1212 can retrieve information from files, databases, etc., within the storage medium. For example, when multiple entries, each having an attribute value of a first attribute associated with a second attribute value, are stored in the storage medium, the CPU 1212 can retrieve from these multiple entries an entry that matches the condition specifying the first attribute value, and read the attribute value of the second attribute stored in that entry, thereby obtaining the attribute value of the second attribute associated with the first attribute satisfying a predetermined condition.

[0085] The programs or software modules described above can be stored on or near the computer 1200 in a computer-readable storage medium. Alternatively, storage media such as hard disks or RAM provided in a server system connected to a dedicated communication network or the Internet can be used as computer-readable storage media, thereby providing the programs to the computer 1200 via the network.

[0086] The present invention has been described above using embodiments, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. As can be seen from the claims, such modifications or improvements may also be included within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0087] The execution order of actions, processes, steps, and stages in the apparatus, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, description, and drawings is not specifically stated as "earlier" or "before." Furthermore, it should be noted that any order is permissible as long as the output of the preceding process is not used in the subsequent process. Even if the flow of actions in the claims, description, and drawings is described using terms such as "firstly," "next," etc., for ease of explanation, it does not imply that the actions must be performed in that order. Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0088] 10 Virtual map acquisition unit, 20 Information acquisition unit, 30 Display unit, 32 Pointer, 34 Area, 50 Control unit, 60 Sequence setting unit, 62 Receiving unit, 64 Command sending unit, 80 Storage unit, 90 Moving body, 92 Imaging unit, 94 Position information acquisition unit, 96 Status information, 98 Marker, 100 Information processing device, 110 Actual space, 112 Road surface, 114 Structure, 120 Virtual map, 130 Operator, 1200 Computer, 1201 DVD-ROM, 1210 Main controller, 1212 CPU, 1214 RAM, 1216 Graphics controller, 1218 Display device, 1220 Input / output controller, 1222 Communication interface, 1224 Hard disk drive, 1226 DVD-ROM drive, 1230 ROM, 1240 Input / output chip, 1242 Keyboard.

Claims

1. An information processing device, characterized in that... have: The virtual map acquisition unit acquires a virtual map, which is a three-dimensional virtual map corresponding to the actual space in which multiple moving bodies move, and the virtual map includes the initial position and target position of the moving bodies. The information acquisition unit acquires position information related to the position of each of the multiple moving bodies in the actual space, as well as state information related to their respective states. as well as The display unit shows the status information of each of the multiple moving objects at positions corresponding to the positions of each of the multiple moving objects in the virtual map.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The state of the moving body includes the movement state of the moving body.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mobile body is moved using power from a storage battery. The state of the mobile body includes the remaining amount of the battery.

4. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, When the state of the moving body becomes a predetermined state, the display unit displays a mark on the virtual map requesting instructions from the operator for the moving body.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The display unit displays the marker on the virtual map corresponding to the position of the mobile body when the mobile body's state is in the predetermined state.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The information processing device further includes an instruction sending unit, which, when the instruction is given to the mobile body displaying the indicated mark, sends an instruction to the indicated mobile body to improve the predetermined state.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The information processing device further includes a sequence setting unit, which sets the priority order in which the operator should request the indicated mobile body based on the states of the plurality of mobile bodies. The display unit shows an indicator containing the priority order on the virtual map.

8. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The state of the mobile body refers to whether the mobile body is performing a task specified for the mobile body.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, A predetermined start time is determined beforehand when the mobile body begins to perform the task. The state of the mobile body refers to whether the actual start time of the mobile body starting to execute the task is earlier or later than the predetermined start time.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that, A first predetermined start time for the mobile body to begin executing the first task and a second predetermined start time for the mobile body to begin executing the second task are predetermined, wherein the second predetermined start time is later than the first predetermined start time. The information acquisition unit acquires the first actual start time when the mobile body begins to execute the first task and the second actual start time when it begins to execute the second task. The information acquisition unit determines the relationship between a first difference between the first predetermined start time and the first actual start time, and a second difference between the second predetermined start time and the second actual start time. If the second difference is greater than the first difference, the display unit displays status information on the virtual map indicating that the state of the moving object is a state that the operator should be watching.

11. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, When at least one specific moving body is designated, the display unit shows an image of the actual space captured by the designated moving body.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, When at least one specific moving body is designated, the display unit shows images of other moving bodies captured by the designated moving body.

13. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, A plurality of states that each of the plurality of moving bodies can acquire are predetermined. When one of the multiple states is specified, the display unit shows the moving body in one of the states on the virtual map, but does not show the moving bodies in the other states.

14. An information processing method, characterized in that... have: In the virtual map acquisition stage, a virtual map is acquired. The virtual map is a three-dimensional virtual map corresponding to the actual space in which multiple moving bodies move, and the virtual map contains the initial position and target position of the moving bodies. During the information acquisition phase, position information related to the respective positions of the multiple moving bodies in the actual space and state information related to their respective states are acquired. as well as During the display phase, the status information of each of the multiple moving objects is displayed in the virtual map at positions corresponding to the respective positions of the multiple moving objects.

15. A program product, characterized in that, It includes an information processing program for causing a computer to perform the information processing method of claim 14.

Images