Processing device, processing program and processing method

Abstract

To provide a processing device capable of grasping a position of a dropped load.SOLUTION: A processing device comprises at least one processor. The at least one processor is constituted so as to execute processing for detecting that a load conveyed by an unmanned aircraft has been dropped from a conveyed state by the unmanned aircraft, and, when detecting dropping of the load, generating positional information on the basis of radio waves received from a GPS satellite, and transmitting the positional information to a position management device via a communication line.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a processing device, a processing program, and a processing method that can be used to determine the position of a dropped package. [Background technology]

[0002] Drone-based logistics has been attracting attention for some time, and how to operate drones in the logistics field has been considered. For example, technological research has been conducted to enable efficient and long-term operation of drones. As an example of such technological research, Patent Document 1 describes a drone port system that includes a drone port arranged at an appropriate location on a flight route to park a drone, and at least a charging device installed in the drone port, and transports delivery goods from a logistics center to the drone port, and a delivery person delivers the goods from the drone port or picks them up from the delivery destination. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-89461 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, if a package being delivered by an unmanned aerial vehicle, such as a drone, falls in a location other than the intended destination, it is necessary to determine its location and retrieve the package, but technological development that takes into account the retrieval of such packages has been insufficient.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in light of the above-mentioned background, and provides a processing device, a processing program, and a processing method that are capable of grasping the position of a dropped package. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a processing device having at least one processor, the at least one processor being configured to execute a process to detect when a piece of luggage being transported by an unmanned aerial vehicle has fallen from a state in which the luggage has been transported by the unmanned aerial vehicle, and upon detecting the fall of the piece of luggage, generate location information based on radio waves received from a GPS satellite, and transmit the location information to a location management device via a communication line.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a processing program that causes a processing device having at least one processor to function as follows: detect that a piece of luggage being transported by an unmanned aerial vehicle has fallen from a state in which the luggage is being transported by the unmanned aerial vehicle, and upon detecting the fall of the piece of luggage, generate location information based on radio waves received from a GPS satellite, and transmit the location information to a location management device via a communication line.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a processing method executed by at least one processor in a processing device having the at least one processor, the processing method including: a step of detecting that a piece of luggage being transported by an unmanned aerial vehicle has fallen from a state in which the luggage is being transported by the unmanned aerial vehicle; upon detecting the fall of the piece of luggage, a step of generating location information based on radio waves received from a GPS satellite; and a step of transmitting the location information to a location management device via a communication line. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a processing device, processing program, and processing method capable of determining the location of luggage dropped from an unmanned aerial vehicle.

[0010] It should be noted that the above effects are merely illustrative for the convenience of explanation and are not limiting. In addition to or in place of the above effects, any effect described in this disclosure or any effect obvious to a person skilled in the art may be achieved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of location information acquisition in a processing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a processing system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a conveying device 500 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram that illustrates an outline of a container 502 of a conveying device 500 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a processing device 100 and a container 502 of a transfer device 500 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a processing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of the server device 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a processing sequence executed among the processing device 100, the server device 200, the GPS satellites 300, and the earth station 400 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a process flow executed in the processing device 100 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a processing system 1a according to a modified example of the embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a processing system 1b according to a modified example of the embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] The embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals are used to designate the same components.

[0013] 1. Overview of Processing System 1 According to the Present Disclosure The processing system 1 according to the present disclosure is used, for example, to grasp the location where a baggage transported by a drone, which is an example of an unmanned aerial vehicle, falls. In particular, in the processing system 1, for example, the fall of the baggage and the container is detected based on sensor information (signal) from a sensor provided in a container that contains the baggage, and the occurrence of the fall triggers the transmission of location information of the baggage. Specifically, in the processing system 1, radio waves from a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite are received by a processing device provided in the container, and location information is generated by the processing device based on the radio waves.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a diagram that shows an outline of location information acquisition related to a processing system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, FIG. 1 shows a case where, when a container containing luggage falls from a drone and reaches the sea surface, location information indicating the location where the luggage has fallen is transmitted to a server device. According to FIG. 1, first, a container containing luggage falls from a drone and reaches the sea surface. At that time, the fall is detected by a processing device (not shown) provided on the container. Then, the processing device receives radio waves emitted from a GPS satellite. Then, the processing device generates location information from the radio waves, and the location information is transmitted to a server device, which is a location management device, via a communication satellite and an earth station. The processing system according to the present disclosure is used to efficiently grasp the location information of luggage transported by a drone when the luggage falls.

[0015] In addition, in this disclosure, an "unmanned aerial vehicle" simply means an aircraft that can fly unmanned by remote control or automatic control. For example, an "unmanned aerial vehicle" includes a drone (multicopter) equipped with multiple propellers and a radio-controlled aircraft. In the following embodiment, a description will be given assuming that the "unmanned aerial vehicle" is a drone.

[0016] In addition, in this disclosure, the concept of "surface" includes the ground, the sea surface, the surface of a lake, the water surface of a river, and the water surface of a pond. In the following embodiment, the description assumes that the "surface" is the sea surface. However, in this disclosure, the destination where the luggage falls is not limited to the above-mentioned surface of the ground, and also includes the rooftop of a building. In addition, this processing system 1 can also be applied to a situation where the luggage is caught on a structure (a building, an electric wire, etc.) or a tree, etc.

[0017] In this disclosure, even if a description such as "first" or "second" is used, it does not mean that the description is limited to only the two elements to which the description is attached. Naturally, the description may include "third," "fourth," and more elements.

[0018] 2. Configuration of Processing System 1 FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a configuration of a processing system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. According to FIG. 2, the processing system includes a processing device 100 provided in a container that contains luggage transported by a drone, a server device 200 that is a location management device that manages the landing position of the luggage, a GPS satellite 300A that transmits radio waves used for position measurement, a communication satellite (space station) 300B that forms a satellite communication network, and an earth station 400 that is a radio base station installed on the ground. The server device 200 and the earth station 400 are communicatively connected through another communication network different from the satellite communication network. The other communication network may be, for example, an information communication network such as the Internet, and may be configured by wireless, wired, or a combination thereof.

[0019] As a satellite communication network, a network using Iridium satellite communication, which is an orbiting satellite, is particularly suitable. Cellular communication requires terrestrial infrastructure such as base stations, and the communication range is limited. However, by using Iridium satellite communication, it is possible to receive information from the processing device 100 even in areas where cellular communication is not possible. Furthermore, in the case of a satellite phone using a geostationary satellite, the direction of the satellite is fixed, so communication may be limited depending on the direction of the antenna of the processing device 100, and the direction of the antenna must be tracked and the output from the antenna must be increased. However, in the case of Iridium satellite communication using 66 orbiting satellites, there is no need to track the direction of the antenna, and it is possible to install it with a simpler configuration.

[0020] 2, only one each of the GPS satellite 300A, the communication satellite 300B, and the earth station 400 is shown, but it is possible to include two or more of each device. Also, although the server device 200 is shown as a single device, it is possible to distribute the components and processes of the server device 200 to multiple server devices or cloud server devices.

[0021] 3. Configuration of the conveying device 500 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a configuration of a conveying device 500 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The conveying device 500 includes a drone 501 that actually conveys a load, a container 502 that stores the load, a rope 503 for suspending the container 502 from the drone 501, and a weight 504 provided midway along the rope 503.

[0022] The drone 501 is a type of unmanned aerial vehicle for transporting luggage. The drone 501 moves from a predetermined position (the origin of the luggage) to another predetermined position (the destination of the luggage) by remote control or automatic piloting. The dimensions of the drone 501 are changed appropriately according to the dimensions and weight of the luggage to be transported. Note that, when the drone 501 is remotely controlled, a terminal device for remote control or the like may be included in the processing system 1 as a matter of course.

[0023] The container 502 has a function of containing the cargo to be transported and protecting it from external forces. For this reason, a relatively strong material (e.g., carbon) may be selected for the container 502, but an optimal material is appropriately selected depending on the size and weight of the cargo, the flight path of the drone 501, and the method of unloading the cargo. Naturally, the shape of the container 502 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped, and other three-dimensional shapes may be selected taking into consideration ease of transportation, etc.

[0024] One end of the rope 503 is fixed to the drone 501. As a method of fixing the rope 503 to the drone 501, an engaging member such as a hook (not shown) may be used, or one end of the rope 503 itself may be directly tied to the drone 501. The rope 503 is separated into four parts from the middle, and the other end is fixed to the corner of the container 502. As a method of fixing the rope 503 to the container 502, an engaging member such as a hook (not shown) may be used, or the container 502 may be directly tied by wrapping it around it. The dimensions and material of the rope 503 are appropriately selected from the most suitable materials depending on the dimensions and weight of the luggage, the flight path of the drone 501, and the method of unloading the luggage. The container 502 may be directly and detachably fixed to the drone 501 without using the rope 503.

[0025] The weight 504 is tied to the middle of the rope 503 and fixed thereto. In particular, the weight 504 is fixed at a position close to the drone 501. The reason for providing the weight 504 is that when the container 502 is dropped onto the surface of water such as the ocean, the container 502 floats on the water surface and the surface of the container 502 opposite to the surface to which the rope 503 is fixed (i.e., the back surface) is positioned above the water surface. However, the dimensions and fixed position of the weight 504 will be appropriately changed depending on the dimensions and weight of the cargo and the method of unloading the cargo.

[0026] 4. Overview of the container 502 and its condition when dropped to the water surface Fig. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an outline of a container 502 of a transport device 500 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a processing device 100 and a container 502 of a transport device 500 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, Figs. 4 and 5 show a state in which the container 502 has dropped from a drone 501 and reached the sea surface S, which is an example of the earth's surface.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 4, the weight 504 sinks in the sea, and the container 502 floats on the sea surface S. That is, the container 502 is upside down compared to the state in which it is being transported by the drone 501, and floats in a state in which the back surface of the container 502 (the surface opposite to the surface to which the rope 503 is fixed) is positioned vertically above the sea surface S. The container 502 is inverted in this manner because the state of the container 502 (the direction and inclination with respect to the ground surface, etc.) changes due to the air resistance when the container 502 and weight 504 fall and the influence of the collision with the sea surface S, and the vertical positional relationship between the container 502 and weight 504 changes.

[0028] 5, a space for installing the processing device 100 is secured in the internal space 512 of the container 502. Specifically, an equipment protection member 511 is provided on the inside of the surface of the container 502 opposite to the surface to which the rope 503 is fixed, and a mounting space 513 for the processing device 100 is formed. By forming the mounting space 513 by such equipment protection member 511, even if an item is stored in the container 502, the processing device 100 will not be damaged by the item.

[0029] 5, in the mounting space 513 of the container 502, the processing device 100 is fixed to the inner surface of the container 502. More specifically, a substrate 110 constituting the processing device 100 is fixed to the inner surface of the container 502 by a fastening member such as a mechanical member or an adhesive. A battery 111, a processor 112, a memory 113, a communication interface 114, and an impact sensor 115, which will be described later, are mounted on the substrate 110.

[0030] 5, communication interface 114 constituting processing device 100 is located on the upper side in the vertical direction. Therefore, the antenna constituting communication interface 114 faces the sky, making it easier to receive radio waves from GPS satellite 300A and improving the stability of satellite communication with communication satellite 300B. Note that, in order to make it easier to receive radio waves from GPS satellite 300A, a portion of substrate 110 and container 502 to which substrate 110 is fixed may be made of a material that easily transmits radio waves, such as acrylic.

[0031] The installation position of the substrate 110 is not limited to the inside of the surface of the container 502 opposite to the surface to which the rope 503 is fixed. If it is possible to receive radio waves from the GPS satellite 300A and to connect to the communication satellite 300B, it may be installed, for example, on the inside of the side surface of the container 502. That is, the device protection member 511 is provided on the inside of the side surface of the container 502. The substrate 110 and the device protection member 511 may also be provided on the back surface (the surface opposite to the surface to which the rope 503 is fixed) or the outside of the side surface of the container 502. In this case, the substrate 110 and the device protection member 511 may be integrated and installed detachably with respect to the container 502.

[0032] 5. Configuration of Processing Device 100 Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a processing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The processing device 100 does not need to include all of the components shown in Fig. 6, and may have a configuration in which some components are omitted, or may include other components. A typical example of the processing device 100 is a GPS transmitter with a sensor, but it is not limited to only a GPS transmitter.

[0033] 6, the processing device 100 includes a battery 111, a processor 112, a memory 113 including a RAM, a ROM, or a non-volatile memory (or a HDD in some cases), a communication interface 114 including a communication processing circuit 114a and an antenna 114b, and an impact sensor 115. These components are electrically connected to each other via control lines and data lines.

[0034] The battery 111 is a power source for the processing device 100, and is a member that supplies the power necessary for the processor 112, memory 113, and communication interface 114 to function. If the shock sensor 115 requires driving power (for example, an amplifier is built-in), the processor 112 may also supply power to the shock sensor 115. The battery 111 may be either a primary battery or a secondary battery, and may be changed as appropriate depending on the driving frequency of the processing device 100.

[0035] Processor 112 is configured with a CPU (microcomputer) and functions as a control unit that controls other connected components based on various programs stored in memory 113. Specifically, processor 112 reads out from memory 113 a program for executing an application according to the present disclosure and a program for executing an OS, and executes them. In the present disclosure, processor 112 particularly executes each process and the like described in the process sequence of FIG. 8 (details of the process are described in FIG. 8). Processor 112 may be configured with a single CPU, or may be configured with a combination of multiple CPUs and GPUs.

[0036] The memory 113 is composed of a ROM, a RAM, a non-volatile memory, a HDD, etc., and functions as a storage unit. The ROM stores instructions for executing the application and the OS according to the present disclosure as a program. The RAM is used for writing and reading data while the program stored in the ROM is being processed by the processor 112. The non-volatile memory is a memory into which data is written and read by the execution of the program, and the data written therein is saved even after the execution of the program is terminated. In the present disclosure, the memory 113 particularly stores a program for executing each process etc. described in the process sequence of FIG. 8 (details of the process will be explained in FIG. 8).

[0037] The communication interface 114 functions as a communication unit that receives radio waves from the GPS satellite 300 and transmits location information to the communication satellite 300B via the communication processing circuit 114a and the antenna 114b. The communication processing circuit 114a performs processing for receiving radio waves from the GPS satellite 300 and processing for transmitting location information to the communication satellite 300B according to the progress of processing of programs and various information used in the processing system 1.

[0038] The impact sensor 115 is an electronic component that converts acceleration (impact) into an electric signal by applying, for example, piezoelectric ceramics. That is, the impact sensor 115 detects the acceleration applied to the container 502, and therefore it becomes possible to determine whether the container 502 has fallen or not from a change in the acceleration (impact) when the container 502 collides with the ground surface or the like.

[0039] 6. Configuration of Server Device 200 Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a server device 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The server device 200 does not need to include all of the components shown in Fig. 7, and may have a configuration in which some components are omitted, or may include other components. In addition, the server device 200 does not need to include the components shown in Fig. 7 in a single housing, and each component and process of the server device 200 may be distributed to multiple server devices or cloud server devices.

[0040] 7, the server device 200 includes a memory 211 including a RAM, a ROM, a non-volatile memory, an HDD, etc., a processor 212 including a CPU, etc., and a communication interface 213. These components are electrically connected to each other via control lines and data lines.

[0041] The memory 211 includes a RAM, a ROM, a non-volatile memory, and a HDD, and functions as a storage unit. The ROM stores instructions for executing the application and the OS according to the present disclosure as a program. Such a program is loaded and executed by the processor 212. The RAM is used to write and read data while the program stored in the ROM is being processed by the processor 212. The non-volatile memory is a memory into which data is written and read by the execution of the program, and the data written therein is stored even after the execution of the program is terminated. In the present disclosure, the memory 211 particularly stores a program for analyzing the location of the package from the location information of the received package (container 502) and displaying the specific location of the package as a result of the analysis.

[0042] The processor 212 is configured with a CPU (microcomputer) and functions as a control unit for controlling other connected components based on various programs stored in the memory 211. Specifically, the processor 212 reads out from the memory 211 a program for executing an application according to the present disclosure and a program for executing an OS, and executes them. In the present disclosure, the processor 212 particularly executes processing for analyzing the location of a package from received package location information and displaying the specific location of the package as a result of the analysis. The processor 212 may be configured with a single CPU, or may be configured with a combination of multiple CPUs and GPUs.

[0043] The communication interface 213 functions as a communication unit that transmits and receives information to and from the earth station 400, other server devices, or terminal devices via a communication processing circuit and an antenna. The communication processing circuit processes programs and various information used in the processing system 1 to transmit and receive information to and from the earth station 400, other server devices, or terminal devices, etc., according to the progress of processing. In the present disclosure, particularly, location information is received from the earth station 400 via the communication interface 213.

[0044] The communication processing circuit processes based on a wideband wireless communication system such as the LTE system, but it is also possible to process based on a system related to narrowband wireless communication or a system related to non-contact wireless communication such as wireless LAN such as IEEE802.11 or Bluetooth (registered trademark). Also, wired communication can be used instead of or in addition to wireless communication.

[0045] 7. Processing sequence performed by processing system 1 8 is a diagram showing a processing sequence executed among the processing device 100 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the server device 200, the GPS satellite 300A, the communication satellite 300B, and the earth station 400. Specifically, FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a processing sequence executed among the processing device 100, the server device 200, the GPS satellite 300A, the communication satellite 300B, and the earth station 400 from when the container 502 falls from the drone 501 until the location information of the container 502 arrives at the server device 200.

[0046] First, the container 502 falls from the drone 501. The fall includes cases where the fall is intentionally performed by operating the drone 501, and cases where the fall is unintentional and not performed by operating the drone 501. Here, a case where the fall is intentionally performed by operating the drone 501 is a case where the drone 501 arrives at a predetermined position (transport destination) and the container 502 is released by operating the drone 501. When the container 502 falls in this way, the impact sensor 115 of the processing device 100 detects the impact (acceleration) when the container 502 reaches the sea surface S, and the fall of the container 502 is detected (S21).

[0047] When a drop is detected in the processing device 100, the processing device 100 also receives radio waves (T21) constantly transmitted from the GPS satellite 300A via the communication interface 114. For example, when an impact is detected by the impact sensor 115, power supply from the battery 111 to the communication interface 114 may be started, and the communication processing circuit 114a of the communication interface 114 may be driven to start receiving radio waves. This makes it possible to prevent the remaining charge of the battery 111 from decreasing due to constant radio wave reception.

[0048] Next, the processor 112 of the processing device 100 generates position information from the received radio waves (S22). Specifically, the processor 112 of the processing device 100 receives radio waves including time data from multiple GPS satellites 300A, and calculates the position based on the time data of each radio wave. More specifically, the processor 112 of the processing device 100 calculates the time taken for the radio waves to arrive based on the difference between the time the radio waves were transmitted from the GPS satellite 300A and the time the radio waves were received by the communication interface 114. The processor 112 of the processing device 100 then calculates the position of the container 502 from the time taken for the radio waves transmitted from each GPS satellite 300A to arrive.

[0049] Thereafter, the processor 112 of the processing device 100 transmits the generated location information to the communication satellite 300B via the communication interface 114 (T22). Here, the location information is transmitted using a satellite communication network. The location information transmitted to the communication satellite 300B is then transmitted to the earth station 400 using the satellite communication network (T23), and is further transmitted from the earth station 400 to the server device 200 using an information communication network such as the Internet (T24).

[0050] The processor 212 of the server device 200 performs a location management process (S23) of the location where the luggage has fallen, based on the received location information (T24). Specifically, the processor 212 stores the location information in the memory 211. The processor 212 may also read out a predetermined program from the memory 211, and display the location where the luggage has fallen on a display based on the location information and map information, or transmit the information to another terminal device. This makes it easy to know whether the luggage has certainly reached the specified destination, and further makes it easier to search for luggage that has fallen at a location other than the destination, allowing the luggage to be quickly collected.

[0051] 8. Processing flow executed by the processing device 100 Hereinafter, a process flow executed by the processing device 100 in the processes related to drop detection (S21), radio wave reception (T21), and position information generation (S22) shown in FIG. 8 will be specifically described.

[0052] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a processing flow executed in the processing device 100 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an overview of processing in which, when a container 502 containing luggage falls from a drone 501, the processing device 100 detects the drop and generates and transmits position information. The processing flow is mainly performed by the processor 112 of the processing device 100 reading and executing a program stored in the memory 113.

[0053] According to FIG. 9, the processor 112 judges whether or not acceleration has been received as sensor information from the impact sensor 115 (S111). When the processor 112 does not receive sensor information, the processor 112 ends this flow (S111: No). On the other hand, when the processor 112 receives sensor information (S111: Yes), the processor 112 judges whether or not the container 502 has fallen from the acceleration, which is the received sensor information. That is, the processor 112 detects the fall of the container 502. Specifically, when the acceleration exceeds a predetermined threshold, the processor 112 judges that the impact of the container 502 reaching the sea surface S has been detected as the acceleration, and judges that the container 502 has fallen from the drone 501. On the other hand, when the acceleration is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold, the processor 112 judges that the detected acceleration is not due to a collision of the container 502, and judges that the container 502 has not fallen. In this case, the processor 112 ends this flow (S112: No).

[0054] On the other hand, when the drop of the container 502 is detected (S112: Yes), the processor 112 starts supplying power from the battery 111 to the communication interface 114 (S113). For example, the processor 112 may perform processing to turn on a switch circuit between the battery 111 and the communication interface 114 so as to enable power to be applied from the battery 111 to the communication interface 114.

[0055] Next, the processor 112 judges whether or not radio waves have been received from a plurality of GPS satellites 300A (S114). When radio waves are received from a plurality of GPS satellites 300A and it becomes possible to generate position information (S114: Yes), the processor 112 generates position information related to the dropped position of the container 502 based on the received radio waves (S115). Specifically, the processor 112 determines the position of the container 502 based on a plurality of radio waves including time data. More specifically, the processor 112 of the processing device 100 calculates the time taken for the radio waves to arrive based on the difference between the time the radio waves were transmitted from the GPS satellite 300A and the time the radio waves were received by the communication interface 114. The processor 112 of the processing device 100 then determines the position of the container 502 from the time taken for the radio waves transmitted from each GPS satellite 300A to arrive.

[0056] Next, the processor 112 transmits the generated position information to the communication satellite 300B via the communication interface 114 (S116). Here, the position information is transmitted using a satellite communication network. This ends the present processing flow.

[0057] 9. Variations In the above embodiment, the processing device 100 transmits the location information to the server device 200 via a satellite communication network, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the processing system 1a may be configured as shown in FIG. 10, and the processing device 100a may transmit the location information to the server device 200 using another network. Here, FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram that shows a schematic configuration of the processing system 1a according to the modified embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 10, the processing system 1a includes the processing device 100a, the server device 200, the GPS satellite 300A, the communication satellite 300B, and the earth station 400. Here, the server device 200, the GPS satellite 300A, the communication satellite 300B, and the earth station 400 are the same as those in the above embodiment, and therefore their description will be omitted.

[0058] The processing device 100a can be connected not only to a satellite communication network but also to an information communication network such as the Internet. Specifically, the processing device 100a has a communication interface equipped with a communication processing circuit that enables processing based on a wideband wireless communication method such as the LTE method, or a communication processing circuit that enables processing based on a method related to narrowband wireless communication such as wireless LAN such as IEEE802.11 or Bluetooth (registered trademark) or a method related to contactless wireless communication. Thus, the processing device 100a may transmit location information to the server device 200 using an Internet line or the like.

[0059] In the above embodiment, the sensor information of the impact sensor 115 is used to detect the drop of the container 502, but this is not limiting. For example, the drop of the container 502 itself may be detected based on sensor information from an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor, instead of the impact of the drop of the container 502. In such a case, the drop of the container 502 is not limited to the ground surface, and even if the container 502 is caught on a tree, for example, it is possible to detect the drop and transmit the position information. In addition, if the container 502 falls on the water surface, a water detection sensor may be provided to determine that the container 502 has fallen. Furthermore, if the container 502 moves up and down on the water surface, the up and down movement of the container 502 (for example, wave movement) may be detected to determine that the container 502 has fallen.

[0060] Also, a detachable (for example, pin-type) joint may be provided on the rope connecting the drone 501 and the container 502, and a sensor may be provided to detect attachment and detachment of the joint. That is, the drop of the container 502 may be detected based on sensor information from a sensor that detects attachment and detachment of the container 502 to the drone 501. The sensor may be an electrical sensor that detects that no current flows due to the pin being removed, but is not limited thereto, and any commonly known sensor may be used as long as it is capable of detecting the attachment and detachment.

[0061] Then, without providing a sensor, it may be determined that the container 502 has fallen in a state where communication with the drone 501 is impossible. For example, the processing system 1b may be configured as shown in FIG. 11 so that the processing device 100b can perform short-range communication with the drone. Here, FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram that shows a schematic configuration of the processing system 1b according to a modified example of the embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 11, the processing system 1b includes the processing device 100b, the server device 200, the GPS satellite 300A, the communication satellite 300B, the earth station 400, and the drone 501. Here, the server device 200, the GPS satellite 300A, the communication satellite 300B, the earth station 400, and the drone 501 are the same as those in the above embodiment, and therefore their description will be omitted.

[0062] The processing device 100b can be connected not only to a satellite communication network but also to an information communication network such as the Internet. Specifically, the processing device 100b has a communication interface including a communication processing circuit that enables processing based on a wideband wireless communication method such as the LTE method, and a communication processing circuit that enables processing based on a method related to narrowband wireless communication such as wireless LAN or Bluetooth (registered trademark) such as IEEE802.11, or a method related to non-contact wireless communication. This enables the processing device 100b to transmit and receive information to and from the drone 501 using short-range wireless communication. Naturally, the drone 501 is also provided with a communication interface that enables short-range wireless communication. In the case of FIG. 11, the processor of the processing device 100b detects that short-range wireless communication with the drone 501 is no longer possible, and determines that the container 502 has fallen from the drone 501.

[0063] It should be noted that the accuracy of such drop detection may be improved by combining various methods. For example, drop detection based on sensor information and drop detection based on the disconnection of short-range wireless communication may be combined to reduce false positives regarding drops.

[0064] The processes and procedures described herein can be realized not only by those explicitly described in this disclosure, but also by software, hardware, or a combination thereof. Specifically, the processes and procedures described herein can be realized by implementing logic corresponding to the processes in a medium such as an integrated circuit, a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, a magnetic disk, or an optical storage. In addition, the processes and procedures described herein can be implemented as computer programs and executed by various computers including terminal devices and server devices.

[0065] Although the processes and procedures described herein are described as being executed by a single device, software, component, or module, such processes or procedures may be executed by multiple devices, multiple software, multiple components, and / or multiple modules. Furthermore, although the various information described herein is described as being stored in a single memory or storage unit, such information may be stored in multiple memories provided in a single device or multiple memories distributed across multiple devices. Furthermore, the software and hardware elements described herein may be realized by integrating them into fewer components or breaking them down into more components.

[0066] 10. Summary of the embodiments of the present disclosure The processing device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is a processing device having at least one processor 112, and the at least one processor 112 is configured to execute a process for detecting that a baggage transported by a drone 501 has fallen from a state of being transported by the drone 501, and when the falling of the baggage is detected, generating location information based on radio waves received from a GPS satellite 300, and transmitting the location information to the server device 200 via a communication line. With such a configuration, the location information of the baggage is transmitted in response to detection of the falling of the baggage, and it becomes possible to accurately and quickly grasp the location where the baggage has fallen. In addition, when the falling of the baggage is detected, reception of radio waves from the GPS satellite 300 is started, so it is possible to reduce power consumption in the processing device. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of a state in which location information cannot be transmitted due to a lack of battery.

[0067] In the above configuration, at least one processor 112 may receive sensor information from an impact sensor 115 provided in a container 502 that contains luggage, and may detect from the sensor information that the container 502 has fallen from a state of being transported by the drone 501. In this case, at least one processor 112 may detect that the container 502 has reached the ground based on the sensor information. Then, when the container 502 reaches the ground surface such as the sea surface S, the at least one processor 112 may transmit the position information when the antenna 114b that receives the radio waves is positioned vertically above the ground surface. With such a configuration, the fall of the container 502 can be detected more accurately, and further, the transmission of the position information can be reliably performed.

[0068] In the above configuration, the impact sensor 115 may detect the acceleration of the container 502, or more specifically, may detect the impact when the container 502 reaches the ground. Also, a sensor that detects the shaking of the container 502 on the water surface may be used instead of the impact sensor 115. With such a configuration, the drop of the container 502 can be detected more accurately.

[0069] In the above configuration, the processing device includes a substrate 110 on which at least one processor 112 is mounted, and the substrate 110 may be fixed to the inside of the container 502. With such a configuration, the dropping of the container 502 can be detected more accurately, and the position information can also be transmitted reliably.

[0070] In the above configuration, when the wireless communication connection with the drone 501 is disconnected, at least one processor 112 may determine that the drone 501 has fallen from the state of being carried by the drone 501 and transmit the location information. With such a configuration, it becomes unnecessary to mount a sensor, and it becomes possible to respond to a fall or the like to a place other than the ground surface.

[0071] In the above configuration, at least one processor 112 may receive sensor information from a sensor that detects attachment / detachment of the container 502 that contains the cargo to / from the drone 501, and detect from the sensor information that the container 502 has fallen from the state of being transported by the drone 501. With such a configuration, the fall of the container 502 can be detected more accurately.

[0072] A processing program according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may cause at least one processor 112 in a processing device 100 having at least one processor 112 to detect that a baggage transported by a drone 501 has fallen from a state of being transported by the drone 501, and when the falling of the baggage is detected, generate position information based on radio waves received from a GPS satellite 300, and transmit the position information to a server device 200 via a communication line. With such a configuration, the position information of the baggage is transmitted in response to detection of the falling of the baggage, and it becomes possible to accurately and quickly grasp the location where the baggage has fallen. In addition, when the falling of the baggage is detected, reception of radio waves from the GPS satellite 300 is started, so that it is possible to reduce power consumption in the processing device. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of a state in which it is not possible to transmit position information due to a lack of battery.

[0073] The processing method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is a processing method executed by at least one processor 112 in a processing device 100 having at least one processor 112, and may include a step of detecting that a baggage transported by a drone 501 has fallen from a state of being transported by the drone 501, a step of generating position information based on radio waves received from a GPS satellite 300 when the drop of the baggage is detected, and a step of transmitting the position information to a server device 200 via a communication line. With such a configuration, the position information of the baggage is transmitted in response to detection of the drop of the baggage, and it is possible to accurately and quickly grasp the location where the baggage has fallen. In addition, when the drop of the baggage is detected, reception of radio waves from the GPS satellite 300 is started, so it is possible to reduce power consumption in the processing device. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of a state in which the position information cannot be transmitted due to a lack of battery. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 100 Processing equipment 200 Server device 300 GPS satellites 400 earth station 500 Transport device 501 Drone 502 Container

Claims

1. A processing device comprising at least one processor, The at least one processor: Detecting that a load being transported by the unmanned aerial vehicle has fallen from a state in which the load is being transported by the unmanned aerial vehicle; When the dropping of the baggage is detected, location information is generated based on radio waves received from a GPS satellite; Transmitting the location information to a location management device via a communication line; 2. A processing device configured to perform processing for:

2. The at least one processor: receiving sensor information from a sensor provided in a container that contains the luggage; detecting, from the sensor information, that the container has fallen from the state of being transported by the unmanned aerial vehicle; The processing device of claim 1 .

3. The at least one processor: Detecting that the container has reached the ground surface based on the sensor information. The processing device according to claim 2 .

4. The at least one processor: When the container reaches the ground surface, an antenna for receiving the radio waves is positioned vertically above the ground surface and away from the ground surface, and the antenna transmits the location information. The processing device according to claim 3 .

5. The sensor detects an acceleration of the container. The processing device according to claim 3 .

6. The sensor detects an impact when the container reaches the surface. The processing device according to claim 5 .

7. The sensor detects the swaying of the container on the water surface. The processing device according to claim 3 .

8. a substrate having the at least one processor mounted thereon; The substrate is fixed to the inside of the container. The processing device according to claim 2 .

9. The at least one processor: When the wireless communication connection to the unmanned aerial vehicle is disconnected, it is determined that the unmanned aerial vehicle has fallen from the state of being carried by the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the location information is transmitted. The processing device of claim 1 .

10. The at least one processor: receiving sensor information from a sensor that detects attachment / detachment of a container that contains the luggage to / from the unmanned aerial vehicle; detecting, from the sensor information, that the container has fallen from the state of being transported by the unmanned aerial vehicle; The processing device of claim 1 .

11. In a processing device having at least one processor, the at least one processor is Detecting that a load being transported by the unmanned aerial vehicle has fallen from a state in which the load is being transported by the unmanned aerial vehicle; When the dropping of the baggage is detected, location information is generated based on radio waves received from a GPS satellite; Transmitting the location information to a location management device via a communication line; A processing program that makes it function as such.

12. 1. A processing method executed by at least one processor in a processing device having the at least one processor, comprising: detecting that a load being transported by the unmanned aerial vehicle has fallen from a state of being transported by the unmanned aerial vehicle; generating location information based on radio waves received from GPS satellites when the drop of the luggage is detected; transmitting the location information to a location management device via a communication line; A processing method comprising:

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