Movement control system, and movement control method

Abstract

To hinder storage of a moving body highly required for the storage, since an open area cannot be acquired by storing the moving body with less need for the storage, in a moving body storage area.SOLUTION: A movement control system comprises a calculation part, a storage part, and a communication part. The storage part holds storage reservation information in a storage area of a moving body. The calculation part determines presence / absence of an empty area in the storage area capable of storing a first moving body, based on the storage reservation information when receiving storage reservation application information from the first moving body into the storage area; calculates movement priority of the moving body stored in the storage area, based on the storage reservation information, when there is no empty area capable of storing the first moving body; and outputs an instruction of movement for producing the empty area capable of storing the first moving body with respect to at least one moving body exhibiting high movement priority via the communication part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a movement control system for managing parking and stopping of a moving body (e.g., a vehicle).

Background Art

[0002] Currently, technologies related to autonomous driving of moving bodies are being actively developed. With autonomous driving technology, in parking and stopping accommodation areas such as parking lots, a moving body can move between driverless cabins.

[0003] The following Patent Document 1 describes an accommodation area management technology for effectively utilizing the parking and stopping accommodation area of a moving body. This document aims to "provide an accommodation area management device that can effectively utilize the accommodation area by considering the difference in the autonomous driving level for each moving body."

[0004] It discloses a technology of "an accommodation area management device that manages an accommodation area for accommodating a moving body and moves the moving body to a predetermined accommodation position within the accommodation area, the device comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires autonomous movement level information regarding the autonomous movement possible for the moving body; and a processing unit that, after the moving body enters the accommodation area, instructs the moving body to change the autonomous movement level when movement of the moving body within the accommodation area becomes necessary" (see the abstract).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] <l

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Use cases for parking in a parking and accommodating area include cases where a vehicle can freely select a parking space suitable for the conditions of the arriving vehicle and park there, and cases where a vehicle can park in a location reserved in advance by specifying the date and time. In addition, there are cases where, using technology such as that described in Patent Document 1, an accommodating area management device informs an autonomously moving vehicle of the location of the desired parking space, and the vehicle automatically parks in the designated space.

[0007] As the number of autonomous vehicles capable of driving and parking without drivers increases, vehicles without a specific purpose of travel or those simply waiting will increasingly park in designated parking areas to conserve energy or for other purposes. On the other hand, vehicles with a high need to park, such as those due to breakdowns, maintenance, energy replenishment, or user boarding / alighting, will also park in designated parking areas. The latter type of vehicle has a greater need to park in a specific parking area than the former. However, an increase in the former type of vehicle may lead to a shortage of available parking spaces in designated parking areas, potentially hindering the parking of vehicles with a high need to park, such as the latter type.

[0008] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems. According to the vehicle control system of the present invention, when a vehicle with a high need for parking requests to park, a vehicle that is autonomously capable of driving and has a low need for parking will be moved preferentially, thereby securing a parking area. The objective is to provide a technology that can effectively utilize the parking area. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve at least one of the above problems, the present invention provides a mobile control system comprising a calculation unit, a storage unit, and a communication unit, wherein the storage unit holds storage reservation information for a mobile body within a storage area, and the calculation unit, upon receiving storage reservation application information for a first mobile body within the storage area, determines, based on the storage reservation information, whether there is an available space within the storage area that can accommodate the first mobile body, and if there is no available space that can accommodate the first mobile body, calculates the movement priority of the mobile bodies stored in the storage area based on the storage reservation information, and outputs a movement instruction via the communication unit to at least one of the mobile bodies with the highest movement priority in order to generate an available space that can accommodate the first mobile body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, when a moving object (e.g., a vehicle) with a high need for parking requests to park, the parking area can be secured by prioritizing the movement of parked vehicles with a low need for parking. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those mentioned above will be clarified by the following description of the embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the general operation of the vehicle control system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 2A] This is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle control system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 2B] This is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a traffic control system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the vehicle control system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention when securing a vehicle compartment. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the general operation of the vehicle control system according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the vehicle control system according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention when securing a vehicle compartment. [Modes for carrying out the invention] [Examples]

[0012] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of the operation of the travel control system 20 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0013] Specifically, Figure 1 shows how the driving control system 20 parks vehicle 30 in the parking area 10. Note that the vehicles in this embodiment (for example, vehicle 30 and mobile vehicle 40) are examples of mobile bodies. The parking area 10 is an example of a mobile body accommodation area. Parking (i.e., parking or stopping) is an example of accommodating a mobile body in its accommodation area. The driving control system 20 is an example of a mobile control system that controls the movement of mobile bodies. The communication network 60 indicates an internet connection or the like that connects the driving control system 20 to each vehicle. The driving control system 20 parks vehicle 30 in the following order: (1) receiving parking reservation application information from vehicle 30, (2) checking for available parking spaces in the parking area 10, (3) selecting and instructing mobile vehicle 40 to move, (4) securing parking space 50, and (5) parking vehicle 30.

[0014] Here, the parking area 10 is an area capable of accommodating one or more vehicles 30 for parking. For example, the parking area 10 may be a so-called parking lot, or it may be a roadside area where parking is permitted. A vehicle compartment 50 is a compartment included in the parking area 10 that accommodates one vehicle, and each parking area 10 contains one or more vehicle compartments. Each vehicle compartment 50 may be a fixed-shape compartment separated by, for example, a wall or white line, with a fixed position and size, or it may be an irregular-shaped compartment whose position and size can change. Embodiment 1 describes an example in which each vehicle compartment 50 is a fixed-shape compartment.

[0015] In the process from the parking reservation application to parking, it would be beneficial for vehicle 30 if it could park without having to wait for a parking space to become available between driving on the roadway and parking.

[0016] When there is no vacancy in the passenger compartment of the parking and storage area 10, the vehicle 30 may wait until a vacancy becomes available or cancel the parking. However, if a failure occurs in the vehicle 30 while it is in motion, or if the fuel runs out or the battery runs out, the necessity of parking the vehicle 30 becomes high. Nevertheless, if the vehicle 30 cannot park in the desired passenger compartment and, for example, parks on the road, it will occupy the road and cause problems such as hindering the travel of other vehicles.

[0017] Therefore, in the first embodiment of the present invention, when parking the vehicle 30, a technology of a travel control system for efficiently securing a vacancy in the passenger compartment is provided. Thereby, it is intended to park the vehicle in the desired passenger compartment without making the vehicle with a high necessity of parking wait.

[0018] FIG. 2A is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the travel control system 20 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] The travel control system 20 includes a reservation management unit 120, a passenger compartment management unit 130, a movement candidate vehicle selection unit 140, a movement management unit 150, a passenger compartment monitor unit 160, and a passenger compartment reservation database

[0020] The reservation management unit 120 acquires parking reservation application information from the vehicle 30.

[0021] The passenger compartment management unit 130 manages section information 180 (see FIG. 2B) such as the position, size (for example, the upper limit of the size of the vehicle that can park in the passenger compartment), and load capacity of the passenger compartment where parking management by the travel control system 20 is possible. Further, the passenger compartment management unit 130 selects a passenger compartment along the desire based on the position information included in the parking reservation application information of the passenger compartment where parking is desired.

[0022] The movement candidate vehicle selection unit 140 selects a movement candidate vehicle that is the destination of the movement request from among the vehicles parked in the passenger compartment.

[0023] The mobility management unit 150 manages the movement of the selected candidate vehicles. Specifically, the mobility management unit 150 sends a movement request to the candidate vehicles and receives notification of the movement results from the candidate vehicles.

[0024] The vehicle compartment monitor unit 160 identifies whether or not there are vehicles parked in the vehicle compartment, and if there are vehicles parked there, it identifies each vehicle. For example, an image sensor installed in each vehicle compartment captures images of parked vehicles, and the vehicle compartment monitor unit 160 recognizes the license plates included in the images, thereby identifying the parked vehicles in addition to determining the parking status of the vehicle compartment.

[0025] Figure 2B is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the travel control system 20 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0026] The vehicle control system 20 is implemented by a system having, for example, a calculation unit 231, a storage unit 232, an input unit 233, a display unit 234, and a communication unit 235.

[0027] The arithmetic unit 231 can be configured using an arithmetic device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). Each functional unit of the arithmetic unit 231, such as the reservation management unit 120 to the vehicle room monitor unit 160, can be configured using circuit devices that implement those functions, or it can be configured by the arithmetic unit 231 executing software that implements those functions. Each functional unit of the arithmetic unit 231 can be configured as part of the arithmetic unit 231, or as a separate functional unit.

[0028] The storage unit 232 is a storage device that stores software executed by the arithmetic unit 231, information referenced in the processing performed by the arithmetic unit 231, and information generated as a result of the processing. The storage unit 232 may include, for example, a main memory such as DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) and an auxiliary storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive). In this embodiment, the storage unit 232 stores the parking space reservation database 170 and the parking space information 180.

[0029] The input unit 233 is a device that receives information input from the user of the traffic control system 20, and may include at least one of the following: a keyboard, mouse, and touch panel. The display unit 234 is a device for outputting information to the user of the traffic control system 20, and may be an image display device, for example. The communication unit 235 is connected to the communication network 60 and performs communication with other devices. In the example in Figure 2B, the communication unit 235 communicates with the image sensor 250 and the terminal 260 via the communication network 60.

[0030] The image sensor 250 is, for example, an optical camera or a three-dimensional scanner, and one or more image sensors 250 may be installed in each parking area 10. The image sensor 250 transmits the captured two-dimensional or three-dimensional image information to the driving control system 20. The vehicle compartment monitor unit 160 of the driving control system 20 can determine whether or not a vehicle is placed in each vehicle compartment 50 within each parking area 10 based on the image information received from the image sensor 250. The vehicle compartment monitor unit 160 may further acquire the vehicle's position, size, vehicle type, and identification information (for example, registration information read from the license plate) from the image information.

[0031] Each terminal 260 may be, for example, an in-vehicle terminal device installed in each vehicle, or a portable terminal device carried by the user of those vehicles (for example, a so-called smartphone). If terminal 260 is an in-vehicle terminal device, it may be, for example, a navigation terminal, or, if installed in an autonomous vehicle, a terminal capable of communicating with the autonomous driving control device of the vehicle to transmit instructions for movement, etc. Parking reservation application information is transmitted, for example, from terminal 260 to the driving control system 20, and the result of the application (information such as whether the reservation has been registered) is transmitted from the driving control system 20 to terminal 260. Furthermore, as will be described later, information requesting permission to move and the response thereto may be communicated between the driving control system 20 and terminal 260.

[0032] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the vehicle control system 20 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention when securing a vehicle compartment.

[0033] Specifically, Figure 3 shows the processing flow from when the traffic control system 20 receives a parking reservation request from the vehicle 30, to when it secures a parking space and notifies the vehicle 30 of the parking reservation result. The following describes each step in Figure 3.

[0034] (Figure 3: Step S301) Vehicle 30 transmits parking reservation application information to the reservation management unit 120. This transmission is performed, for example, by a terminal 260 installed in vehicle 30 or held by the user of vehicle 30. The transmitted parking reservation application information is information relating to vehicle 30's application for parking reservation to the traffic control system 20, and includes vehicle information such as the vehicle identifier, vehicle width, vehicle length and weight, location information of the parking space where parking is desired, time information regarding the parking period, and parking purpose information indicating the degree of necessity for parking.

[0035] (Figure 3: Step S302) Transfer parking reservation application information to the parking space management department. When the reservation management unit 120 receives the parking reservation application information sent from the vehicle 30 in step S301, it sends it to the parking space management unit 130 and inquires with the parking space management unit 130 whether the vehicle 30's desired parking space can be reserved.

[0036] (Figure 3: Step S303) The vehicle room management unit 130 searches the list of candidate vehicle rooms. The parking space management unit 130 uses the parking reservation application information received from the reservation management unit 120 to search the parking space reservation database 170 for a list of candidate parking spaces where the vehicle 30 can park. The parking reservation application information includes vehicle information, location information, time information, and parking purpose information, as described above. On the other hand, the parking space reservation database 170 may include information such as the location, size, and load capacity limits of each parking space 50 in each parking space 10, as well as information about vehicles 30 for which reservations to park in each parking space 50 have already been confirmed. Furthermore, the parking space reservation database 170 includes information about vehicles currently parked in the parking spaces 50. This information includes at least information indicating whether the vehicle is capable of driverless autonomous driving, and information about the vehicle's parking purpose. This information may be obtained, for example, from the parking reservation application information transmitted when a vehicle makes a reservation for a parking space 50.

[0037] The parking space management unit 130 uses reservation information, vehicle information, location information, and time information as search criteria and searches for parking spaces that meet each condition from each parking space registered in the parking space reservation database 170 by referring to the section information 180. Vehicle information is used as a search criterion to determine whether the size and load capacity limits of the parking space 50 match the parking of the vehicle 30. In addition, a search using location information as a search criterion may be performed by, for example, specifying a particular location on the vehicle side using latitude, longitude, and height, and selecting a parking space within a specified distance range around that location. Alternatively, the search criterion may be that the parking space is located within a parking area within a specific facility. The search criterion for time is used to determine the availability of parking spaces 50 during the relevant time period. If one or more parking spaces that meet the search criteria are found, they are registered in the parking space candidate list.

[0038] (Figure 3: Step S304) Select a vehicle from the list of vehicle vehicle candidates. If the parking space management unit 130 finds an available parking space 50 that meets the conditions from the parking space search results in step S303 (Figure 3: Yes in step S303), it selects a parking space 50 for vehicle 30 to use from the list of candidate parking spaces. In selecting a parking space 50, priority may be given to parking spaces 50 based on factors such as parking fees and proximity to the designated location. Alternatively, the purpose of parking information included in the parking reservation application information may be used to evaluate priority. For example, if the purpose of parking is for the passengers in vehicle 30 to use a specific store, priority may be given to parking spaces 50 close to those stores, or parking spaces 50 in parking facilities affiliated with those stores.

[0039] (Figure 3: Step S305) Selection of candidate vehicles for transport If the vehicle space management unit 130 does not find any available vehicle space 50 that meets the conditions from the vehicle space search results in step S303 (Figure 3: No. in step S303), it performs the process of selecting a candidate vehicle to be moved from among the vehicles already parked in each vehicle space 50. The vehicle space management unit 130 sends the list of candidate vehicle spaces to the candidate vehicle selection unit 140 and instructs it to select a candidate vehicle to be moved.

[0040] The vehicle selection unit 140 creates a list of vehicle candidates to be moved from among the parked vehicles parked in each vehicle registered in the vehicle candidate list. First, the vehicle selection unit 140 checks whether each parked vehicle is capable of autonomous driving. It checks the functional requirements of each parked vehicle, such as whether it can move out of the vehicle compartment autonomously without a driver, and if the requirements are met, it adds the vehicle information of that parked vehicle to the vehicle candidate list.

[0041] (Figure 3: Step S306) Prioritizing candidate vehicles for relocation Next, the candidate vehicle selection unit 140 determines the priority of each vehicle in the candidate vehicle list as a candidate vehicle for movement. The parking purpose information included in the parking reservation application information for each vehicle indicates the degree of necessity for parking. This degree of necessity for parking is called the parking purpose level. The candidate vehicle selection unit 140 evaluates the parking purpose level of each candidate vehicle and evaluates them in order of priority for movement, starting with those with a low parking purpose level (i.e., those with a low need for parking).

[0042] For example, if there is a shortage of energy sources necessary for the vehicle's movement, such as a battery or fuel, or if the vehicle malfunctions, the vehicle is in a state where it needs to be replenished or repaired. If it is necessary to maintain these conditions in vehicle 30, it is difficult to move it from the parking space 50, and it is evaluated as a vehicle with a high level of parking purpose. On the other hand, if a vehicle is parked without any purpose, it is evaluated as having a low level of parking purpose. Here, a vehicle without a purpose may be, for example, a vehicle used for so-called car sharing or a rental car, which does not have a fixed user and whose current user is not yet determined, or a vehicle used exclusively by an individual that is not planned to be used in the near future.

[0043] Furthermore, for vehicles used for visiting designated stores, the vehicle will be parked in a parking space close to the vehicle user's location during the time the vehicle user is going to and from the store. In such cases, the purpose of parking is clear, and the level of purpose of parking can be considered high. However, since the vehicle is unlikely to be used while the vehicle user is at the store, the level of purpose of parking during that period may be set lower.

[0044] Furthermore, not limited to store visits, if the distance between a vehicle user and their parked vehicle is large, it will take time for the vehicle user to reach their vehicle, so the level of purpose for parking the vehicle may be lowered during that time. In this case, it is necessary to measure the location information of the vehicle user. One way to obtain location information is for the vehicle user to carry an information terminal equipped with a location estimation function such as GPS (for example, terminal 260 may be equivalent to this), and to obtain the vehicle user's location information through that information terminal. Alternatively, the vehicle user may be recognized by surveillance cameras installed in the surrounding area, and their location information may be obtained through the surveillance cameras.

[0045] The vehicle selection unit 140 also evaluates the parking purpose level of the vehicle 30 that wishes to park and compares it with the parking purpose levels of each vehicle in the vehicle selection list. If the parking purpose level of vehicle 30 is lower than that of each vehicle in the vehicle selection list, the vehicle currently parked will be given priority to continue parking. In other words, in this case, the vehicle currently parked will not receive the move instruction (step S307) described later.

[0046] The vehicle selection unit 140 sends the vehicle information of the 30 vehicles that wish to park or stop, along with the parking purpose level of each vehicle evaluated by the means described above, to the vehicle management unit 130 as a prioritized list of vehicles to move.

[0047] The vehicle management unit 130 sends the prioritized list of candidate vehicles to be moved, obtained from the candidate vehicle selection unit 140, to the vehicle movement management unit 150, which manages the movement of the candidate vehicles, and then proceeds to manage the movement of each vehicle.

[0048] <Supplementary information on the method of evaluating priority> In evaluating the level of parking purpose, it is permissible to set a higher level of parking purpose for parking space 50 by having users pay a higher parking fee than for normal parking. This would reduce usage by vehicles with a low level of parking purpose by increasing the usage fee for parking space 50, which is in high demand.

[0049] (Figure 3: Step S307) Movement instructions and movement management The movement management unit 150 requests movement by sending movement instructions to candidate vehicles in order of priority. Autonomous parked vehicles are assumed to be able to move from the passenger compartment upon receiving movement instructions from outside the vehicle. Such vehicles are equipped with an information processing terminal (e.g., terminal 260) that can communicate with an external system (e.g., a driving control system 20). Upon receiving a movement instruction from the external system, the information processing terminal can set a destination, search for and select a route, and control the vehicle to travel along the route.

[0050] The movement management unit 150 sends movement instructions to the vehicles with the highest priority among the candidates for movement, requesting them to move out of their compartments. Vehicle 40 that receives a movement instruction checks its own status again and decides whether it is possible to move. It then responds to the movement management unit 150 with the result of its decision regarding whether it is possible to move. This decision on whether it is possible to move may also be made by inquiring about the possibility of moving the vehicle's owner or user and obtaining their approval.

[0051] The movement management unit 150, upon receiving the decision from vehicle 40, selects the next highest-priority vehicle from the priority list of candidate vehicles if movement is not possible, and sends a movement instruction. However, if the next highest-priority vehicle is vehicle 30 which wishes to park, the unit decides to cancel the parking of vehicle 30 which wishes to park. In this way, the movement management unit 150 repeatedly selects vehicles to send movement instructions to based on priority, sends movement instructions, and receives decision results, ultimately selecting the vehicles to move or deciding to cancel the parking of vehicles which wish to park.

[0052] <Selection of potential destinations> Furthermore, in step S307, the movement management unit 150 may not only send a movement instruction to the candidate vehicle to exit its parking space, but may also recommend a destination and route that aligns with the vehicle's purpose for parking. For example, if the candidate vehicle is on its way to a specific destination and its purpose for parking is to wait or rest, the unit may reserve and introduce a parking space in a new parking area closer to the specific destination, or recommend a route to a destination where the waiting time can be spent. The driving control system 20 can obtain information on parking spaces and their availability, as well as manage reservations, not only in parking areas in a specific region but also in parking areas in other regions, enabling it to issue movement instructions for vehicles across parking areas 10.

[0053] Furthermore, for example, if there is an empty parking space within the parking area 10, but that empty space does not meet the conditions for the vehicle 30 that wishes to park (for example, if the empty space does not meet the size required to park the vehicle 30), it may be possible to move a vehicle parked in another space within the parking area 10 to that empty space, thereby creating an empty space that meets the conditions for the vehicle 30 that wishes to park. In such cases, an empty space within the parking area 10 may be designated as the destination for the moving vehicle 40. On the other hand, if there is no empty space within the parking area 10, or if there is an empty space but it is not possible to obtain an empty space that meets the conditions for the vehicle 30 by moving vehicles within the parking area 10, then a location outside the parking area 10 (for example, another parking area) may be designated as the destination for the moving vehicle 40.

[0054] (Figure 3: Step S308) If a vehicle 40 that has received a movement instruction from the movement management unit 150 is able to move, the vehicle 40 returns the result of its movement decision (in this case, that it is able to move) to the movement management unit 150 and switches to its own movement control.

[0055] (Figure 3: Step S309) Once vehicle 40 has finished moving out of the vehicle compartment 50, it notifies the movement management unit 150 that the move is complete.

[0056] (Figure 3: Step S310) The movement management unit 150 receives information on the decision to move the vehicle 40 in question, and, if possible, the move result, and then notifies the vehicle compartment management unit 130 of the vehicle 40 that has completed its move.

[0057] If all parked vehicles are immobile and cannot be moved, the vehicle management unit 150 notifies the vehicle space management unit 130 to cancel the parking of the vehicle 30 that wishes to park.

[0058] (Figure 3: Step S311) Check for available parking spaces. The vehicle room management unit 130 confirms the vehicle room number of the vehicle 40 that received the movement notification in step S310, and instructs the vehicle room monitoring unit 160 to check the availability of vehicle room 50 with that vehicle room number. The vehicle room monitoring unit 160 checks the availability of vehicle room 50 that is expected to be available, for example, based on information acquired from the image sensor 250, and notifies the vehicle room management unit 130 of the confirmation result.

[0059] (Figure 3: Step S312) Reserve the selected vehicle. The parking space management unit 130 reserves parking space 50, which was confirmed to be available in step S311, as the parking space for vehicle 30. It then registers the parking reservation application information for vehicle 30 and the reservation time, associating it with the information of the parking space to be parked in the parking space reservation database 170.

[0060] (Figure 3: Step S313) Notify the reservation management department of the reservation result. The parking space management unit 130 notifies the reservation management unit 120 of the reservation result for the vehicle 30's parking reservation application. This result includes the parking space number if the reservation is successful.

[0061] The reservation management unit 120 notifies the vehicle 30 of the reservation result.

[0062] (Figure 3: Step S314) Upon receiving the reservation result, vehicle 30, if the reservation is successful, sets its destination to the designated parking space 50 and controls its movement to that parking space 50. On the other hand, if the reservation is not possible, it issues a new parking reservation application or creates a new driving plan, such as continuing to drive until a parking space reservation becomes available.

[0063] To prevent vehicles that have not made a reservation from mistakenly parking in a reserved parking space 50, the reservation management unit 120 notifies vehicles that are currently parked or vehicles that wish to park in the parking space 50 of the reservation status of each parking space 50 in the parking space reservation database 170.

[0064] <Regarding the vehicle incentive program> According to the vehicle control system 20 in this embodiment, vehicles with a low parking purpose level will be instructed to move and will leave the parking lot. In this case, the vehicle 40 will consume more energy than if it were parked, or if it has paid a parking fee in advance, it may incur a loss due to the reduced usage time. To address such losses, the vehicle control system 20 may provide an incentive for the moving vehicle 40, such as partially refunding the parking fee paid in advance, or having the user or owner of a new vehicle 30 wishing to park pay compensation for the loss. In other words, when the vehicle control system 20 instructs the vehicle 40 to move, it may calculate and output the compensation for the move to be paid to the user or owner of the vehicle 40.

[0065] <Example 1: Summary> The vehicle control system 20 according to Embodiment 1 compares and evaluates the parking purpose level of the vehicle 30 that wishes to park with that of each parked vehicle, and determines that vehicles with a low parking purpose level have a low need for a parking space, i.e., vehicles that will move out of the parking space. Movement instructions are sent to vehicles in order of priority, and vehicles that can move move out of the parking space by autonomous driving. The vehicle control system 20 confirms the movement of the vehicles and the availability of parking spaces, reserves a parking space for vehicle 30, and notifies vehicle 30 of the reservation result. This makes it possible to efficiently secure parking space availability when vehicle 30 is to park. [Examples]

[0066] Next, Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described. Except for the differences described below, each part of the system in Embodiment 2 has the same function as each part denoted by the same reference numerals in Embodiment 1, so their descriptions will be omitted.

[0067] In Example 1, in order to secure parking spaces 50 for vehicles wishing to park, priority vehicles were selected from among the parked vehicles based on their level of need for parking, and these vehicles were moved out of parking spaces 50. If the divisions of parking spaces 50 are predetermined, the relationship between parking spaces 50 and vehicles is fixed. However, when vehicles of various sizes are parked, dynamically changing the divisions of parking spaces 50 is an effective way to utilize the parking space.

[0068] In Example 2, priority is given to securing passenger compartment space by reducing the distance (vehicle spacing) between parked vehicles. By dynamically moving the individual compartments of parked vehicles, the passenger compartment space is effectively utilized for parking vehicles with various passenger compartment space requirements. In the following description, moving vehicles to reduce the distance between vehicles will also be referred to as "side-pushing," but this can be either movement to reduce the distance between adjacent vehicles in the longitudinal direction or movement to reduce the distance between adjacent vehicles in the lateral direction, as long as it secures space for the vehicle 30 that wishes to park. The total amount of movement of each vehicle due to side-pushing is at least equivalent to the width or length of the newly desired vehicle, and it is assumed that even if the parking purpose level of each vehicle is high, the movement will not be contrary to that purpose. Therefore, a characteristic of Example 2 is to secure new passenger compartment space by side-pushing parked vehicles as much as possible.

[0069] The following describes a specific example of Embodiment 2, in which the compartment layout is dynamically changed to secure a space for a vehicle that newly wishes to park or stop. The configuration of the traffic control system 20 is the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0070] Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of the operation of the travel control system 20 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0071] Specifically, Figure 4 shows the process by which the traffic control system 20 parks the vehicle 30 in Example 2. The parking area 200 is a parking area where the partitions of the vehicle compartments are not predetermined. The traffic control system 20 parks the vehicle 30 in the following order: (1) receiving parking reservation request information from the vehicle 30, (2) designing the requirements for the vehicle compartment area for the vehicle 30, (3) confirming the space for the vehicle compartment, (4) selecting the vehicle to move and issuing a movement instruction, (5) securing the vehicle compartment, and (6) parking the vehicle 30.

[0072] The processing flow of Example 2 differs from steps S303, S304, S305, S306, and S307 described in Example 1.

[0073] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the vehicle control system 20 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention when securing a vehicle compartment.

[0074] Specifically, Figure 5 is a partial flowchart for aligning the processing steps from step S303 to step S307 in Embodiment 1 with the processing steps in Embodiment 2. That is, in Embodiment 2, steps S303 to S307 in Figure 3 are replaced by steps S501 to S505 in Figure 5, respectively.

[0075] (Figure 5: Step S501) In this second embodiment, the vehicle space management unit 130 uses the parking reservation application information received from the reservation management unit 120 to design the vehicle space requirements necessary for parking the vehicle 30. The vehicle space requirements here refer to the conditions of the space necessary for the vehicle 30 to park, and define the length and width, vehicle height, and load capacity. The vehicle space requirements also include the space necessary around the vehicle 30, such as the space necessary for people to get in and out of the vehicle and for loading and unloading goods.

[0076] (Figure 5: Step S502) The parking space management unit 130 searches the parking space reservation database for available spaces that meet the requirements of the vehicle 30. If available, it redefines the space as a parking space and reserves it (Yes in step S501). During this search, the position of each parked vehicle is determined via the parking space monitor unit 160 and registered in the parking space reservation database.

[0077] (Figure 5: Step S503) If there is no area that meets the requirements for the vehicle compartment space, in Example 2 as well, the vehicle compartment space is secured by moving a parked vehicle (No. in step S501). The vehicle compartment management unit 130 creates a list of parked vehicles from the vehicle compartment reservation database 170 and sends it to the vehicle selection unit 140. The vehicle selection unit 140 checks whether each parked vehicle is capable of autonomous driving. The vehicle selection unit 140 checks the functional conditions of each parked vehicle, such as whether it can move out of the vehicle compartment autonomously without a driver, and if the conditions are met, it adds the vehicle information to the vehicle selection unit list. It also acquires parking purpose information for each parked vehicle, evaluates the parking purpose level as in Example 1, and adds it to the vehicle information.

[0078] (Figure 5: Step S504) The movement management unit 150 creates a movement plan for parked vehicles to secure an area suitable for the passenger compartment requirements of vehicle 30. Based on the position information of each vehicle from the list of candidate vehicles to move, it calculates the amount of movement required for the vehicle to move closer to the curb. For example, in Figure 4, the first candidate vehicle 210 and the second candidate vehicle 220 move forward in sequence, shortening the distance between them to secure passenger compartment space for vehicle 30 behind the second candidate vehicle 220. In step S504, the amount of movement and the order of movement required for these first candidate vehicle 210 and second candidate vehicle 220 to move closer to the curb is determined as a movement plan.

[0079] (Figure 5: Step S505) Based on the movement plan created in step S504, the movement management unit 150 instructs the first candidate vehicle 210 and the second candidate vehicle 220 to move forward in order of movement. Each vehicle that receives a movement instruction makes a decision on whether it is possible to move, confirms with the owner or user, starts movement control, and notifies the movement management unit 150 of the movement result or the decision on whether it is possible to move, similar to step S307 in Embodiment 1.

[0080] Furthermore, if the movement management unit 150 determines that it is not possible to secure a space for vehicle 30 to park by moving each candidate vehicle within the parking area 200 (i.e., moving it closer), it may output an instruction to move at least one of the candidate vehicles outside the parking area 200 (for example, to another parking area).

[0081] Once the movement of the candidate vehicle is complete, the vehicle space management unit 130 reserves the area secured by the movement as a vehicle space and notifies the vehicle 30 that wished to park there of the reserved space.

[0082] Furthermore, if the train control system 20 has reserved a passenger compartment area, it may display a reserved mark on that area so that users and each vehicle know that it is a reserved area. It may also notify each vehicle that it is reserved.

[0083] <Example 2: Summary> The driving control system 20 according to this second embodiment prioritizes securing passenger compartment space by moving the parked vehicle closer to the vehicle, and by dynamically moving each passenger compartment of the parked vehicle, it can effectively utilize passenger compartment space for parked vehicles with various passenger compartment space requirements.

[0084] <Regarding variations of the present invention> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are included. For example, the embodiments described above are described in detail to make the present invention easier to understand, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described. Furthermore, it is possible to replace parts of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add configurations from other embodiments to the configuration of one embodiment. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace parts of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations.

[0085] Each of the above configurations, functions, processing units, and processing means may be implemented in hardware, in whole or in part, for example, by designing them as integrated circuits. Alternatively, each of the above configurations and functions may be implemented in software by a processor interpreting and executing programs that implement each function. Information such as programs, tables, and files that implement each function can be stored in memory, a recording device such as a hard disk or SSD (Solid State Drive), or a computer-readable non-temporary data recording medium such as an IC card or SD card. Furthermore, control lines and information lines are shown only if deemed necessary for explanation, and not all control lines and information lines are necessarily shown in the actual product. In practice, it can be assumed that almost all configurations are interconnected.

[0086] The system of the embodiment of the present invention may be configured as follows, for example.

[0087] (1) A mobile control system comprising a calculation unit (e.g., calculation unit 231), a storage unit (e.g., storage unit 232), and a communication unit (e.g., communication unit 235), wherein the storage unit holds storage reservation information (e.g., vehicle compartment reservation database 170) for a storage area (e.g., parking storage area 10 or 200) for a mobile body (e.g., a vehicle), and the calculation unit, upon receiving storage reservation application information for a first mobile body (e.g., a vehicle 30) to the storage area, determines, based on the storage reservation information, whether there is an available space in the storage area that can accommodate the first mobile body (e.g., step S303), and if there is no available space that can accommodate the first mobile body, calculates the movement priority of the mobile bodies stored in the storage area based on the storage reservation information (e.g., step S306), and outputs a movement instruction via the communication unit to at least one mobile body with a high movement priority (e.g., at least one of mobile vehicle 40, first mobile candidate vehicle 210, and second mobile candidate vehicle 220) in order to generate an available space that can accommodate the first mobile body (e.g., step S307).

[0088] This allows for the securing of parking space when a new vehicle with a high need for parking (e.g., a vehicle) requests parking, by prioritizing the movement of vehicles with a low need for parking.

[0089] (2) In (1) above, the accommodation reservation information includes information indicating the degree of need for accommodation of the accommodated mobile body, and the calculation unit calculates the movement priority such that the higher the need for accommodation, the lower the movement priority.

[0090] This allows for the priority relocation of parked vehicles that do not have a strong need to be parked.

[0091] (3) In (2) above, the degree of necessity for housing the housinged mobile body is determined based on at least one of the following: the condition of the housinged mobile body, the positional relationship between the housing area and the user of the housinged mobile body, and the fee paid by the user for housing.

[0092] This allows for a proper assessment of the need to stop or park.

[0093] (4) In (3) above, the calculation unit determines the level of need to accommodate the accommodated mobile body in such a way that the need to accommodate the accommodated mobile body is high in at least one of the following cases: when there is an abnormality in the accommodated mobile body, when there is a high need to replenish the energy of the accommodated mobile body, when the distance between the accommodation area and the user of the accommodated mobile body is short, and when the fee that the user pays for accommodation is high.

[0094] This allows for a proper assessment of the need to stop or park.

[0095] (5) In (2) above, the accommodation reservation application information includes information indicating the degree of need for accommodation of the first mobile body, and the calculation unit does not output an instruction to move the accommodated mobile body if the need for accommodation of the accommodated mobile body is higher than the need for accommodation of the first mobile body.

[0096] This prevents the movement of vehicles that have a relatively high need to park or stop.

[0097] (6) In (1) above, the accommodation reservation information includes at least one of the following: information indicating an abnormality of the accommodated mobile body and information indicating the need for energy replenishment. The calculation unit calculates the movement priority such that the movement priority of the mobile body is lowered when the accommodated mobile body is abnormal or when there is a high need for energy replenishment.

[0098] This allows for the automatic determination of which vehicles should be prioritized for movement based on predetermined conditions.

[0099] (7) In (1) above, the accommodation reservation information includes information indicating the purpose of accommodating the accommodated mobile body, and when the calculation unit instructs a mobile body accommodated in the accommodation area to move, it outputs information recommending the destination and the route to the destination based on the purpose of accommodating the mobile body.

[0100] This can reduce the inconveniences users experience due to travel.

[0101] (8) In the above (1), when the calculation unit instructs a mobile object with a high movement priority to move, it sends information to the user of the mobile object requesting consent for the move, and when consent is obtained, it instructs the mobile object to move.

[0102] This can reduce the inconveniences users experience due to travel.

[0103] (9) In the above (1), when the calculation unit instructs a mobile object with a high movement priority to move, it outputs information indicating the price to be paid to the owner or user of the mobile object.

[0104] This can reduce the inconveniences users experience due to travel.

[0105] (10) In (1) above, the storage area includes one or more compartments (e.g., vehicle compartments) each accommodating one mobile body, the storage unit holds information indicating the location of each compartment, and information indicating at least one of the conditions for the size and weight of a mobile body that can be accommodated in each compartment (e.g., compartment information 180), the storage reservation request information from the first mobile body includes the size and weight of the first mobile body, the calculation unit determines that there is no available space to accommodate the first mobile body if there is no available compartment in the storage area that satisfies the conditions for the size and weight of the first mobile body (e.g., step S303), and the instruction to move to generate an available space to accommodate the first mobile body is an instruction to move to another compartment within the storage area, or an instruction to move outside the storage area.

[0106] This allows for accurate determination of movement in the case of fixed compartments.

[0107] (11) In (1) above, the accommodation reservation information includes the position and size of a mobile body already accommodated in the accommodation area, and the accommodation reservation application information from the first mobile body includes the size of the first mobile body. The calculation unit determines whether it is possible to create an available space to accommodate the first mobile body by moving at least one mobile body with high movement priority within the accommodation area if there is no available space to accommodate the first mobile body. If it is possible to create an available space to accommodate the first mobile body, the calculation unit outputs an instruction to move at least one mobile body with high movement priority within the accommodation area. If it is not possible to create an available space to accommodate the first mobile body, the calculation unit outputs an instruction to move at least one mobile body with high movement priority outside the accommodation area (steps S503 to S505).

[0108] This allows for accurate determination of movement in the case of variable-route passenger compartments.

[0109] (12) In (1) above, the accommodation reservation information includes information indicating whether the mobile body accommodated in the accommodation area is capable of autonomous movement, and the calculation unit calculates the movement priority of the mobile bodies that are capable of autonomous movement among the mobile bodies accommodated in the accommodation area (for example, steps S305, S306).

[0110] This allows for the selection of autonomous vehicles as the target of movement.

[0111] (13) The above (1) further comprises a terminal device (e.g., terminal 260) connected to the communication unit via a network, the terminal device transmitting accommodation reservation application information for accommodating the first mobile body in the accommodation area (e.g., step S301).

[0112] This allows users to make parking reservation requests via the network.

[0113] (14) The above (1) further comprises a terminal device (e.g., terminal 260) connected to the communication unit via a network, and when the terminal device receives a movement instruction, it transmits the movement instruction to the control device of the moving body.

[0114] This makes it possible to move autonomous vehicles. [Explanation of symbols]

[0115] 10: Parking and vehicle storage area 20: Traffic Control System 30: Vehicles 40: Mobile vehicles 50: Vehicle interior 60: Communication Networks 120: Reservation Management Department 130: Cabin management department 140: Selection Department for Vehicles to be Moved 150:Mobility Management Department 160: In-cabin monitor unit 170: Parking space reservation database 180: Lot Information 200: Parking / Stopping Area 210: First moving candidate vehicle 220:Second movement candidate vehicle 231: Arithmetic section 232: Storage section 233: Input section 234: Display section 235: Communications Department

Claims

1. A mobile control system, comprising: The apparatus includes a calculation unit, a storage unit, and a communication unit, The storage unit holds accommodation reservation information for an accommodation area of ​​a moving object, The accommodation reservation information includes the positions and sizes of moving objects already accommodated in the accommodation area, The calculation unit is When receiving accommodation reservation application information from a first moving object to the accommodation area, including the size of the first moving object, determining whether or not there is an empty space in the accommodation area that can accommodate the first moving object based on the accommodation reservation information; if there is no free space capable of accommodating the first moving object, calculate a movement priority of the moving objects accommodated in the accommodation area based on the accommodation reservation information, and determine whether or not a free space capable of accommodating the first moving object can be generated by moving at least one of the moving objects having a high movement priority within the accommodation area; When a free area capable of accommodating the first moving object can be generated, outputting, via the communication unit, an instruction to move at least one of the moving objects having a high movement priority within the accommodation area as a movement instruction for generating a free area capable of accommodating the first moving object; A mobility control system characterized by outputting, via the communication unit, an instruction to move at least one of the moving bodies having a high movement priority outside the accommodation area as a movement instruction to create free space capable of accommodating the first moving body when it is not possible to generate free space capable of accommodating the first moving body.

2. The mobile control system according to claim 1, The accommodation reservation information includes information indicating the degree of necessity of accommodating the accommodated mobile object, A movement control system, characterized in that the calculation unit calculates the movement priority such that the movement priority becomes lower as the need for accommodation becomes higher.

3. The mobile control system according to claim 2, A mobile control system characterized in that the degree of necessity for accommodating the accommodated mobile body is determined based on at least one of the state of the accommodated mobile body, the positional relationship between the accommodation area and the user of the accommodated mobile body, and the fee paid by the user for accommodation.

4. The mobile control system according to claim 3, The mobile control system is characterized in that the calculation unit determines the level of necessity for accommodating the accommodated mobile body so that the necessity for accommodating the accommodated mobile body becomes high in at least one of the following cases: when there is an abnormality in the accommodated mobile body, when there is a high need for energy replenishment of the accommodated mobile body, when the distance between the accommodation area and the user of the accommodated mobile body is close, and when the fee paid by the user for accommodation is high.

5. The mobile control system according to claim 2, the accommodation reservation application information includes information indicating a degree of necessity for accommodating the first moving object, A mobile control system characterized in that the calculation unit does not output the movement instruction to the accommodated moving body when the need to accommodate the accommodated moving body is higher than the need to accommodate the first moving body.

6. The mobile control system according to claim 1, the accommodation reservation information includes at least one of information indicating an abnormality in the accommodated moving object and information indicating a need for energy replenishment, A mobile control system characterized in that the calculation unit calculates the movement priority of the accommodated mobile body so that the movement priority of the mobile body is low when the accommodated mobile body is abnormal or there is a high need for energy replenishment.

7. The mobile control system according to claim 1, The accommodation reservation information includes information indicating a purpose of accommodation of the accommodated mobile object, A mobility control system characterized in that, when instructing a mobile body accommodated in the accommodation area to move, the calculation unit outputs information recommending a destination and a route to the destination based on the purpose of accommodating the mobile body.

8. The mobile control system according to claim 1, A mobility control system characterized in that, when instructing a mobile body with a high mobility priority to move, the calculation unit transmits information to the user of the mobile body requesting consent to the move, and instructs the mobile body to move only when consent is obtained.

9. The mobile control system according to claim 1, A mobility control system characterized in that the calculation unit outputs information indicating a price to be paid to an owner or user of a mobile body when instructing the mobile body with a high mobility priority to move.

10. The mobile control system according to claim 1, the containment area includes one or more compartments each containing one of the moving objects; the storage unit holds information indicating a position of each of the sections, and information indicating at least one of a size and a weight of a moving object that can be accommodated in each of the sections; the accommodation reservation application information from the first moving object includes a size and a weight of the first moving object, the calculation unit determines that there is no free space capable of accommodating the first moving object when there is no free space within the accommodation area in which the size and weight of the first moving object satisfy the condition, A mobile control system characterized in that the movement instruction to create free space capable of accommodating the first moving body is an instruction to move to another section within the storage area, or an instruction to move outside the storage area.

11. A mobile control system as claimed in claim 1, the accommodation reservation information includes information indicating whether the moving object accommodated in the accommodation area is capable of autonomous movement; A mobility control system characterized in that the calculation unit calculates the mobility priority of autonomously movable bodies among the mobile bodies accommodated in the accommodation area.

12. A mobile control system as claimed in claim 1, The communication device further includes a terminal device connected to the communication unit via a network. A movement control system characterized in that the terminal device transmits the accommodation reservation application information for accommodating the first moving object in the accommodation area.

13. A mobile control system as claimed in claim 1, The communication device further includes a terminal device connected to the communication unit via a network. A mobile control system characterized in that, when the terminal device receives the movement instruction, the terminal device transmits the movement instruction to a control device of the mobile object.

14. A mobile control method executed by a mobile control system, comprising: The mobile control system includes a calculation unit, a storage unit, and a communication unit, The storage unit holds accommodation reservation information for an accommodation area of ​​a moving object, The accommodation reservation information includes the positions and sizes of moving objects already accommodated in the accommodation area, The movement control method includes: a step of determining, when the calculation unit receives accommodation reservation application information from a first moving object to the accommodation area, the accommodation reservation application information including the size of the first moving object, whether or not there is an empty space in the accommodation area that can accommodate the first moving object based on the accommodation reservation information; a step of the calculation unit, when there is no free space capable of accommodating the first moving body, calculating a movement priority of the moving bodies accommodated in the accommodation area based on the accommodation reservation information, and determining whether a free space capable of accommodating the first moving body can be generated by moving at least one moving body having a high movement priority within the accommodation area; a step of outputting, when a free space capable of accommodating the first moving object can be generated, an instruction by the calculation unit to move at least one of the moving objects having a high movement priority within the accommodation area as a movement instruction for generating a free space capable of accommodating the first moving object via the communication unit; A mobility control method characterized by including a step of: when it is not possible to generate free space capable of accommodating the first moving body, the calculation unit outputs, via the communication unit, an instruction to move at least one of the moving bodies having a high mobility priority out of the accommodation area as a mobility instruction to generate free space capable of accommodating the first moving body.

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