Delivery route creation apparatus

Abstract

To allow a driver to perform the delivery of packages using a delivery vehicle while properly taking a rest during the delivery process.SOLUTION: A delivery support apparatus 40 includes a second database 49 in which position information for a place where a driver can take a rest is registered, and a control device 43. The control device 43 creates as a delivery route a route satisfying both of delivering a package to a plurality of delivery destinations on the basis of position information for the plurality of delivery destinations and the position information for the place where the driver can take a rest and allowing a delivery vehicle 10 to reach the place where the driver can take a rest for each predetermined time or at a preset rest time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a delivery route planning device that plans a delivery route for a delivery vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a system that supports the formulation of delivery plans for parcels by delivery vehicles. The system calculates an index for evaluating the validity of multiple delivery plans by performing delivery simulations for multiple delivery plans. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2022-119392 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The driver of the delivery vehicle performs the delivery work of the package according to the set delivery plan. At this time, it is desirable for the driver to take a break at a predetermined interval or at a predetermined rest time. However, if there is no place to park the delivery vehicle, the driver cannot take a break. And when the delivery work is performed according to the delivery plan, there is a possibility that the delivery vehicle cannot reach a place where the driver can take a break at an appropriate time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A delivery route creation device for solving the above problem is a device that creates a delivery route for delivering packages to multiple delivery destinations by a delivery vehicle. The delivery route creation device includes a database in which location information of resting places, which have parking spaces for parking the delivery vehicle and are places where the driver of the delivery vehicle can take a break, is registered, and a control device. Based on the location information of the multiple delivery destinations and the location information of the resting places, the control device creates, as the delivery route, a route that satisfies both of the following: delivering packages to the multiple delivery destinations, and the delivery vehicle being able to reach the resting places at predetermined intervals or at a preset rest time. Effect of the Invention

[0006] The delivery route creation device has the effect of enabling the driver of a delivery vehicle to take appropriate rest during delivery while delivering packages using the delivery vehicle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a delivery support device, which is an embodiment of a delivery route planning device, a plurality of delivery vehicles, and a plurality of information terminals. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing registration information of the first database included in the delivery support device of FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing registration information of the second database included in the delivery support device of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a series of processes executed by a control device included in the delivery support device of FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing a process flow for updating the registered information in the second database included in the delivery support device of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, one embodiment of a delivery route planning device will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 illustrates a delivery support device 40, a plurality of delivery vehicles 10, and a plurality of information terminals 20. In this embodiment, the delivery support device 40 functions as a "delivery route planning device."

[0009] <Delivery vehicles and information terminals> The delivery vehicle 10 is a vehicle that delivers packages to their recipients. The delivery vehicle 10 is equipped with a loading platform 11. The loading platform 11 can carry a plurality of packages. The delivery vehicle 10 is also equipped with a location information acquisition unit 12 that acquires its own location information.

[0010] The information terminal 20 is a communication device owned by a delivery person who boards the delivery vehicle 10. In this embodiment, the delivery person corresponds to the "driver of the delivery vehicle 10." The information terminal 20 is configured to be able to communicate with the delivery support device 40 via the communication network 100. Examples of the information terminal 20 include a smartphone and a tablet terminal.

[0011] For example, the information terminal 20 has a communicator 21, a user interface 23, and a processing circuit 25. The communicator 21 outputs information received from the delivery support device 40 via the communication network 100 to the processing circuit 25. The communicator 21 transmits the information output from the processing circuit 25 to the delivery support device 40 via the communication network 100.

[0012] The user interface 23 has a display screen and an operation unit. An example of the processing circuit 25 is an electronic control device. When the operation unit is operated by a delivery person, the processing circuit 25 executes processing according to the operation. In addition, when the communication device 21 receives information from the delivery support device 40 via the communication network 100, the processing circuit 25 displays the information received by the communication device 21 on the display screen of the user interface 23.

[0013] <Delivery support device> The delivery support device 40 includes a communication device 41, a control device 43, a first database 47, and a second database 49.

[0014] The communicator 41 is an interface of the delivery support device 40 for transmitting and receiving information to and from an external communication device via the communication network 100. For example, the communicator 41 outputs information received via the communication network 100 to the control device 43. Also, for example, the communicator 41 transmits information output by the control device 43 to the information terminal 20 via the communication network 100.

[0015] An example of the control device 43 is an electronic control device. In this case, the control device 43 has a CPU 44 and a memory 45. The memory 45 stores a control program executed by the CPU 44. When the CPU 44 executes the control program, the control device 43 executes a process of creating a delivery route for delivering packages to multiple delivery destinations by the delivery vehicle 10. The content of the creation process will be described later.

[0016] The first database 47 and the second database 49 each store information required for the control device 43 to create a delivery route. The information registered in the first database 47 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0017] Information on a plurality of delivery destinations DL is registered in the first database 47. Specifically, delivery destination location information of a plurality of delivery destinations DL is registered in the first database 47. The delivery destination location information includes the address of the delivery destination DL. In the example shown in FIG. 2, delivery destination location information of M delivery destinations DL1, DL2, DL3, DL4, ..., DLM is registered in the first database 47. It should be noted that "M" is an integer of 5 or more.

[0018] The information registered in the second database 49 will be described with reference to FIG. The second database 49 has registered therein location information of a plurality of resting places PS. A resting place PS is a place that has a parking space for parking vehicles such as the delivery truck 10 and where the driver of the vehicle can take a rest. Examples of resting places include parks with parking lots and commercial facilities such as convenience stores with parking lots. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the N resting places include a first place PS1, a second place PS2, a third place PS3, ... and an Nth place PSN. Here, "N" is an integer equal to or greater than 4.

[0019] The second database 49 registers parking space information for a plurality of rest locations PS. The parking space information is information regarding the size of the parking space provided at the rest locations PS. Depending on the size of the parking space and the size of the delivery vehicle 10, it may not be possible to park the delivery vehicle 10 in the parking space. For this reason, parking space information for each of the rest locations PS1 to PSN is registered in the second database 49. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the parking space information for the first location PS1 indicates that the parking space is large. Therefore, even a relatively large delivery vehicle 10 can be parked in the parking space at the first location PS1. The parking space information for the second location PS2 indicates that the parking space is medium. Therefore, a relatively large delivery vehicle 10 cannot be parked in the parking space at the second location PS2, but a relatively small delivery vehicle 10 can be parked there.

[0020] The second database 49 has toilet information for a plurality of resting places PS registered. The toilet information is information on whether or not toilets are provided at the resting places PS. In the example shown in Fig. 3, the toilet information for the first place PS1 and the second place PS2 each indicates that toilets are provided. On the other hand, the toilet information for the third place PS3 and the Nth place PSN each indicates that toilets are not provided.

[0021] <Delivery route creation process> The above-mentioned delivery route creation process will be described with reference to Fig. 4. A plurality of processes constituting the creation process are executed by the control device 43 of the delivery support device 40.

[0022] In step S11, the control device 43 acquires delivery destination location information of a plurality of delivery destinations DL that are handled by a specific delivery vehicle 10 among the plurality of delivery vehicles 10 from the first database 47. For example, the control device 43 acquires delivery destination location information of a plurality of delivery destinations DL that are included in a specific delivery area.

[0023] In the next step S13, the control device 43 acquires location information of a plurality of rest possible places PS from the second database 49. For example, the control device 43 acquires location information of a plurality of rest possible places PS within the above-mentioned predetermined delivery area, among the plurality of rest possible places PS1 to PSN registered in the second database 49. The plurality of rest possible places PS acquired from the second database 49 in step S13 are referred to as "candidate places PSA."

[0024] In the following step S15, the control device 43 acquires parking space information of the multiple candidate locations PSAs from the second database 49. Furthermore, in step S17, the control device 43 acquires restroom information of the multiple candidate locations PSAs from the second database 49.

[0025] In the next step S19, the control device 43 acquires weather information, which is information about the weather on the delivery day. Then, in step S21, the control device 43 sets the length of the first predetermined time TM1 based on the weather information acquired in step S19. For example, when a delivery person drives the delivery vehicle 10 in the rain, the burden on the delivery person due to driving the delivery vehicle 10 is likely to be greater than when the delivery person drives the delivery vehicle 10 when it is not raining. The greater the burden on the delivery person, the more frequently the delivery person should take a break. Therefore, for example, when it is predicted that it will rain during delivery, the control device 43 sets the length of the first predetermined time TM1 so that the time is shorter than when it is not predicted that it will rain during delivery.

[0026] In the next step S23, the control device 43 creates a delivery route RT for a predetermined delivery vehicle 10 based on the delivery destination location information of the plurality of delivery destinations DL, the location information of the plurality of candidate locations, the parking space information of the plurality of candidate locations, and the restroom information of the plurality of candidate locations. For example, the control device 43 creates a route that satisfies any one of the following plurality of conditions (A1) to (A4) as the delivery route RT. The length of the second predetermined time TM2 is, for example, twice the length of the first predetermined time TM1.

[0027] (A1) Deliver packages to the multiple delivery destinations DL acquired in step S11. (A2) A specified delivery vehicle 10 can go to the rest area PS every first predetermined time TM1.

[0028] (A3) A specified delivery vehicle 10 can go to the rest area PS at a preset rest time. (A4) A specified delivery vehicle 10 can go to a rest area PS where a toilet is installed every second specified time TM2.

[0029] In order for a delivery person to take a break during delivery, it is necessary to park the specified delivery vehicle 10. That is, the delivery person can take a break by having the specified delivery vehicle 10 go to a resting place PS that has a parking space large enough to park the specified delivery vehicle 10.

[0030] Therefore, the control device 43 excludes locations where the specified delivery vehicle 10 cannot be parked from among the multiple candidate locations PSA. The delivery destination to which the specified delivery vehicle 10 heads immediately before the time when the delivery person is allowed to take a rest during delivery is set as the previous delivery destination DLA, and the delivery destination to which the specified delivery vehicle 10 heads next to the previous delivery destination DLA is set as the next delivery destination DLB. At this time, the control device 43 selects a candidate location PSA located near both the previous delivery destination DLA and the next delivery destination DLB from among the multiple candidate locations PSA. Then, the control device 43 creates a delivery route RT so that the specified delivery vehicle 10, having delivered the parcel to the previous delivery destination DLA, heads to the next delivery destination DLB after going to the selected candidate location PSA. In this way, the control device 43 can create a delivery route RT that satisfies all of the above conditions (A1), (A2), and (A3).

[0031] In addition, the control device 43 selects a resting place PS where a restroom is installed as the resting place PS to which the predetermined delivery van 10 goes every second predetermined time TM2. This allows the control device 43 to create a delivery route RT that also satisfies the above condition (A4).

[0032] <Update of registration information in the second database> The flow of a process for updating the registered information in the second database 49 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0033] Assume that the delivery person finds a new resting place PS while driving the delivery vehicle 10. The new resting place PS is a place that is not registered in the second database 49. In this case, the delivery person operates his / her information terminal 20 to register information about the new resting place PS in the second database 49.

[0034] That is, in step S101, the processing circuit 25 of the information terminal 20 displays an input screen for allowing the delivery person to input location information of the new resting place PS on the display screen of the user interface 23. Then, the delivery person inputs, for example, the address of the new resting place PS as the location information of the new resting place PS by operating the operation unit of the user interface 23. When the delivery person inputs the location information of the new resting place PS, the processing circuit 25 shifts the process to step S103.

[0035] In step S103, the processing circuit 25 displays an input screen for prompting the delivery person to input parking space information of the new rest area PS on the display screen of the user interface 23. The delivery person then inputs the parking space information of the new rest area PS by operating the operation unit of the user interface 23. When the parking space information is input by the delivery person, the processing circuit 25 transitions the process to step S105.

[0036] In step S105, the processing circuit 25 displays an input screen for prompting the delivery person to input restroom information of the new rest area PS on the display screen of the user interface 23. Then, the delivery person inputs the restroom information of the new rest area PS by operating the operation unit of the user interface 23. When the restroom information is input by the delivery person, the processing circuit 25 transitions the process to step S107.

[0037] In step S107, the communication device 21 of the information terminal 20 transmits to the delivery support device 40 the information input by the delivery person, that is, the position information of the new rest area PS, the parking space information, and the restroom information.

[0038] When the communication device 41 of the delivery support device 40 receives information about a new rest area PS from the information terminal 20, the control device 43 of the delivery support device 40 executes the process of step S201.

[0039] In step S201, the control device 43 adds information on a new rest area PS to the second database 49, thereby updating the registered information in the second database 49.

[0040] <Actions and Effects of the Present Embodiment> (1) The control device 43 creates a delivery route RT based on the delivery destination location information of multiple delivery destinations covered by the delivery van 10 and the location information of resting places PS. In detail, the control device 43 can create a delivery route RT that satisfies any of the above conditions (A1) to (A3).

[0041] The delivery vehicle 10 performs delivery operations according to the delivery route RT created by the delivery support device 40. As a result, the delivery vehicle 10 periodically passes near the resting place PS during delivery. As a result, the delivery person aboard the delivery vehicle 10 can take a rest as needed by parking the delivery vehicle 10 at the resting place PS.

[0042] Therefore, the delivery support device 40 can allow the delivery person to take an appropriate break during delivery while delivering packages using the delivery vehicle 10. (2) The control device 43 creates the delivery route RT so that the delivery vehicle 10 periodically passes near resting places PS that have parking spaces large enough to accommodate the delivery vehicle 10. This allows the delivery support device 40 to prevent the delivery person from being unable to take a break because the delivery vehicle 10 cannot be parked in a parking space.

[0043] (3) The control device 43 creates a delivery route RT so that the delivery vehicle 10 can reach a rest area PS where a restroom is installed every second predetermined time TM2. The delivery person performs delivery work according to the delivery route RT, so that the delivery person can go to the restroom as needed.

[0044] (4) The control device 43 adjusts the length of the first predetermined time TM1 depending on the weather. This enables the delivery support device 40 to adjust the timing of the delivery person's rest in accordance with changes in the delivery person's workload depending on the weather.

[0045] (5) If the delivery person finds a new resting place PS during delivery, the registration information in the second database 49 is updated. By updating the registration information in the second database 49 in this way, the control device 43 can create a delivery route RT that makes it easier for the delivery person to take a rest when creating a delivery route RT in the future.

[0046] <Example of change> The above embodiment can be modified as follows: The above embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other to the extent that no technical contradiction occurs.

[0047] The control device 43 does not need to vary the length of the first predetermined time TM1 depending on the weather. The control device 43 may generate the delivery route RT without taking into account the restroom information. In this case, the second database 49 does not need to register the restroom information of the rest areas PS.

[0048] The control device 43 may generate the delivery route RT without taking into account the parking space information. In this case, the second database 49 does not need to register the parking space information of the rest areas PS.

[0049] The control device 43 may create a route that does not satisfy the above condition A3 as the delivery route RT, as long as it can satisfy both the above conditions (A1) and (A2). The control device 43 may create a route that does not satisfy the above condition A2 as the delivery route RT, as long as it can satisfy both of the above conditions (A1) and (A3).

[0050] It is not essential that the control device 43 updates the registration information in the second database 49 based on the information transmitted from the information terminal 20 to the delivery support device 40. The control device 43 may update the registration information in the second database 49 by a method different from the method shown in FIG.

[0051] The control device 43 is not limited to a device having a CPU and a ROM and executing software processing. That is, the control device 43 may have any one of the following configurations (a), (b), and (c).

[0052] (a) The control device 43 includes one or more processors that execute various processes according to a computer program. The processor includes a CPU and memory such as RAM and ROM. The memory stores program codes or instructions that are configured to cause the CPU to execute processes. The memory, i.e., computer-readable media, includes any available media that can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer.

[0053] (b) The control device 43 includes one or more dedicated hardware circuits for executing various processes. Examples of the dedicated hardware circuits include application specific integrated circuits, i.e., ASIC and FPGA. ASIC is an abbreviation for "Application Specific Integrated Circuit" and FPGA is an abbreviation for "Field Programmable Gate Array."

[0054] (c) The control device 43 includes a processor that executes some of the various processes in accordance with a computer program, and a dedicated hardware circuit that executes the remaining processes among the various processes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 10: delivery vehicle, 20: information terminal, 21: communication device, 23: user interface, 40: delivery support device, 41: communication device, 43: control device, 47: first database, 49: second database, DL, DL1 to DLM: delivery destination, PS, PS1 to PSN: resting place, RT: delivery route.

Claims

1. A delivery route creation device that creates a delivery route for delivering packages to multiple delivery destinations by a delivery vehicle, A database having a parking space where the delivery vehicle can be parked and in which location information of rest areas where the driver of the delivery vehicle can take a rest is registered, and a control device are provided; The control device includes: Based on the location information of the plurality of delivery destinations and the location information of the resting place, Delivering packages to the multiple delivery destinations; and The delivery vehicle can go to the rest area at a predetermined time interval or at a preset rest time; A route that satisfies all of the above is created as the delivery route. Delivery route planning device.

2. The database further includes parking space information, which is information regarding the size of the parking spaces in the plurality of rest areas, and The control device includes: Based on the location information of the plurality of delivery destinations, the location information of the plurality of rest areas, and the parking space information, Delivering packages to the multiple delivery destinations; and The delivery vehicle can go to a rest location having the parking space where the delivery vehicle can be parked among the plurality of rest locations at each predetermined time or at the rest time; A route that satisfies all of the above is created as the delivery route. The delivery route planning device according to claim 1.

3. The database registers toilet information, which is information regarding whether or not the rest area has a toilet available for the driver, The control device includes: Based on the location information of the plurality of delivery destinations, the location information of the rest areas, and the toilet information, Delivering packages to the multiple delivery destinations; and The delivery vehicle can go to the rest area where the toilet is installed at predetermined intervals; A route that satisfies all of the above is created as the delivery route. The delivery route planning device according to claim 1.

4. The control device adjusts the length of the predetermined time period depending on the weather. The delivery route planning device according to claim 1.

5. A communication device is provided for communicating with an information terminal owned by the driver of the delivery vehicle, When the driver finds a new resting place, the information terminal is capable of transmitting location information of the new resting place to the delivery route creation device, When the communication device receives the position information of the new rest area from the information terminal, the control device adds the position information of the new rest area to the database. A delivery route planning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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