Operation planning system

Abstract

To propose an operation planning system that creates an operation plan properly executable by a moving vehicle according to user requests when multiple transportation tasks are performed by the same moving vehicle.SOLUTION: In human transport operations, users often have stronger demands for a person to board a moving vehicle on time than for a person to alight from the moving vehicle on time. In object transport operations, users often have stronger demands for the object to be delivered to a person on time than for the moving vehicle to receive the object on time. Therefore, in the operation planning system, an operation plan of the moving vehicle is created based on information on the respective positions and times of boarding and alighting, and the respective positions and times of receiving and delivering objects, with the degree of freedom of the boarding time and delivery time being lower than that of the alighting time and receiving time. As a result, the operation plan of the moving vehicle can be created appropriately according to the user's requests.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an operation plan creation system that creates an operation plan for a mobile object that performs multiple tasks. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes an operation plan creation system that creates operation plans for multiple mobile bodies when each of the multiple mobile bodies collects and delivers multiple items. In this operation plan creation system, operation plans for the multiple mobile bodies are created by changing at least one of the departure time and arrival time at a stopover point for the mobile bodies, which have a high degree of freedom in changing the scheduled operation times of each of the multiple mobile bodies. This makes it difficult for multiple mobile bodies to concentrate at the same stopover point. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-92971 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide an operation plan creation system that creates an operation plan that enables a mobile object to appropriately execute a plurality of transportation tasks in accordance with a user's request when the mobile object performs a plurality of transportation tasks. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In this operation planning system, when a person transporting task and an item transporting task are performed by the same mobile object, an operation plan for the mobile object is created. In a person transporting task, a user often has a stronger desire for the person to board the mobile object at the boarding time than for the person to disembark from the mobile object at the disembarking time. In an item transporting task, a user often has a stronger desire for the item to be delivered to the person at the delivery time than for the mobile object to receive the item at the pickup time. In contrast, in this operation planning system, an operation plan for a mobile object is created based on information regarding the respective positions and times of boarding and disembarking, and information regarding the respective positions and times of item delivery, with the degree of freedom for the boarding time and delivery time lower than the degree of freedom for the disembarking time and pickup time.

[0006] As a result, when transporting people and goods is performed on the same mobile vehicle, the operation plan for that mobile vehicle can be created appropriately according to the user's requests, and multiple transport tasks can be performed appropriately according to the user's requests. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram conceptually illustrating a part of an operation plan creation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation plan creation program stored in a storage unit of the centralized control center of the operation plan creation system. [Figure 3] 1A is a diagram showing an example of a tentative operation plan created by executing the above program, and FIG. 1C is a diagram showing an example of a final operation plan. FIG. 1B is a diagram conceptually showing the execution of S3 of the above program. [Figure 4] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating other examples of a tentative operation plan and a final operation plan created by executing the above program. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating still another example of a tentative operation plan and a final operation plan created by executing the above program. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] An operation plan creation system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. [Example]

[0009] 1, the operation plan creation system according to this embodiment includes a centralized control center C. The centralized control center C manages a plurality of mobile objects V1, V2, etc. (hereinafter, each of the mobile objects V1, V2, etc. will be simply referred to as a mobile object V) in response to a user request, and includes a center communication device 20, an operation plan creation device 22 mainly composed of a computer, etc. The center communication device 20 is capable of communicating with a user communication device 10, which is a communication device owned by a user, and a mobile object communication device 16, which is a communication device present in each of the mobile objects V.

[0010] These user communication device 10, mobile communication device 16, center communication device 20, etc. can be capable of communicating by voice, text, images, etc. Furthermore, these communication devices 10, 16, 20, etc. can be capable of communicating via telephone lines, or via a network, etc.

[0011] In many cases, the customer communication device 10 is a communication terminal carried by an individual user. The user communicates the details of the delivery request via communication between the customer communication device 10 and the center communication device 20.

[0012] The mobile body V transports people and goods and may be capable of automatic or manual travel. The mobile body V includes a mobile body position acquisition device 40. The mobile body position acquisition device 40 may include, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver and acquires its own two-dimensional or three-dimensional position, etc., based on a GPS signal received by the GPS receiver. The mobile body V may also include a travel status acquisition device that acquires the travel status of the mobile body V, such as its travel speed and yaw rate. By taking the travel status of the mobile body V into consideration, the position of the mobile body V can be acquired with high accuracy. Furthermore, if the mobile body V is capable of automatic travel, a travel control device 42 and the like are provided that control travel devices (drive devices, steering devices, braking devices, etc.) (not shown) based on information received by the mobile body communication device 16. If the mobile body V is capable of manual travel, a mobile body display device 44 and the like are provided that display information received by the mobile body communication device 16.

[0013] The mobile communication device 16 may be a communication terminal that the driver can respond to, or may be one that can automatically send and receive information. The mobile communication device 16 that can automatically send and receive information is often installed in the mobile object V. Information regarding the location of the mobile body V is supplied from the mobile body communication device 16 to the center communication device 20, and information indicating instructions for transportation work to the mobile body V, information indicating an operation plan, etc. is supplied from the center communication device 20 to the mobile body communication device 16.

[0014] At the centralized control center C, the operating status of the mobile object V is acquired based on the position of the mobile object V acquired via the center communication device 20, and the progress status of the transportation work can be acquired. Information representing the progress status of the transportation work, information based on the progress status, etc. may be supplied from the center communication device 20 to the mobile object communication device 16. The information representing the progress status of the transportation work includes information representing the degree of delay relative to the operation plan of the actual transportation work, etc. The information based on the progress status includes, for example, information regarding the optimal route, information regarding the optimal traveling speed, etc., when the actual transportation work is significantly delayed relative to the operation plan.

[0015] The center communication device 20 can be a communication terminal handled by an operator, or can be automatically handled, etc. Furthermore, information received by the center communication device 20 can be input by an operator to the operation plan creation device 22, or can be automatically input, etc. Furthermore, the operation plan of the mobile body V created in the operation plan creation device 22 can be transmitted to the mobile body communication device 16 by an operator, or can be automatically transmitted, etc.

[0016] The operation plan creation device 22 includes a storage unit, an execution unit, an input / output unit, etc., which are not shown. The storage unit stores information representing the content of a transportation request from a user, an operation plan creation program represented by the flowchart of FIG. 2, map information, information about each of the multiple moving bodies V, etc. The information about each of the multiple moving bodies V includes an operation plan for each of the multiple moving bodies V, information representing a transportation status such as a current location, etc. The execution unit creates an optimal operation plan for the moving body V based on the information stored in the storage unit. The operation plan creation device 22 can be operated by artificial intelligence (AI).

[0017] In the operation plan creation system configured as above, a case where one or more users request transportation of people (boarding and disembarking) and transportation of goods (delivery) will be described.

[0018] [1] Information indicating the contents of the transportation request received by the center communication device 20 is supplied to the operation plan creation device 22, and one moving object V that can carry out the transportation in accordance with the request is determined. The one mobile body V capable of carrying out the transportation in accordance with the request can be determined by an operator based on the information of the multiple mobile bodies V stored in the operation plan creation device 22, or can be determined automatically by the operation plan creation device 22, etc.

[0019] When a person requests boarding or alighting, the boarding location, alighting location, scheduled boarding time, scheduled alighting time, transportation date, etc. are set via communication between the user communication device 10 and the center communication device 20. (a) The scheduled alighting time can be set in the operation plan creation device 22 based on the boarding location, alighting location, and a desired boarding time as the scheduled boarding time, etc., communicated by the user. For example, based on the boarding location, alighting location, and map information, etc., the distance between the boarding location and alighting location can be acquired, the required time from the boarding location to the alighting location can be acquired, and the scheduled alighting time can be acquired and set. (b) The user may also communicate a desired alighting time as the scheduled alighting time. (c) The boarding location may be set in the centralized management center C based on the current locations of the user and the mobile object V. (d) The user may set an allowable time range for each of the scheduled boarding time and the scheduled alighting time, and the time may be set to a time within the allowable time range, for example, the latest time within the allowable time range.

[0020] On the other hand, the centralized control center C often notifies the user that the mobile object V may arrive at the boarding location or disembarking location later than the scheduled boarding time or disembarking time.

[0021] In addition, users often have a stronger desire for people to board the moving body V at the scheduled time than for people to disembark from the moving body V at the scheduled time. This is presumably because by boarding the moving body V, users gain a sense of security that they will be able to reach their destination. Therefore, in this embodiment, the degree of freedom for the scheduled boarding time is set lower than the degree of freedom for the scheduled disembarking time, and the scheduled boarding time is made less likely to be changed from the scheduled disembarking time.

[0022] When requesting the transportation of an item, the pickup location (store), delivery location, scheduled pickup time, scheduled delivery time, delivery date, etc. of the item are set through communication between the user communication device 10 and the center communication device 20. (a) The scheduled pickup time may be set as a pickup available time, which is the time when the mobile body V can pick up the item. The pickup available time may be communicated by the user or may be set through communication between the centralized management center C and the store, etc. (b) The pickup available time may be a time between the start time and end time when pickup is available, or may be a range of times when pickup is available. (c) In many cases, the user communicates a desired delivery time as the scheduled delivery time. (d) Furthermore, when the user sets an allowable time range for the delivery time, the scheduled delivery time may be set to the latest time in the allowable time range.

[0023] A user usually has a stronger desire for an item to be delivered at the scheduled delivery time than for the item to be received by the mobile body V at the available receiving time. Therefore, the degree of freedom for the available receiving time is set higher than the degree of freedom for the scheduled delivery time, and the available receiving time is made easier to change than the scheduled delivery time.

[0024] In addition, there is often a desire to shorten the delivery time, which is the time between receiving and delivering an item. This is because shortening the delivery time can often reduce damage to the item. In the case of food, shortening the delivery time can reduce deterioration in the quality of the food and ensure that it is delivered in a delicious condition.

[0025] When the centralized control center C receives information indicating the contents of these requests, it determines, either automatically or by an operator, whether the user's request can be accepted, and if it can be accepted, it notifies the user. In other words, it determines whether there is at least one mobile object V that can perform the multiple transportation tasks in accordance with the request, and if there is at least one mobile object V that can perform the multiple transportation tasks, it determines that the request can be accepted.

[0026] In recent years, it has become permitted for the same mobile vehicle to transport both people and goods. However, the needs of users differ between the transportation of people and the transportation of goods. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the same mobile vehicle is used to transport people and goods, the operation plan of the mobile vehicle is created with a lower degree of freedom for the scheduled boarding time and scheduled delivery time than for the scheduled disembarking time and available pickup time.

[0027] [2] Based on the information representing the transportation requests from these users, a provisional operation plan for the mobile unit V is created. An example of a provisional operation plan, which is a provisionally created operation plan, is shown in Figure 3(a). The provisional operation plan can be called a pre-processing operation plan.

[0028] In the provisional operation plan, the order of movement between these destinations, the movement route, the allowable movement time between two adjacent destinations, etc. are set based on the destinations (boarding location, drop-off location, pick-up location, delivery location), map information, scheduled times for the destinations (scheduled boarding time TA, scheduled drop-off time TB, available pick-up time TC, scheduled delivery time TD), etc. The order of movement between destinations is determined in order of earliest scheduled times TA, TB, TC, TD. In the case shown in Figure 3(a), the order is determined as boarding location, pick-up location, delivery location, and drop-off location.

[0029] In addition, the allowable travel time between two destinations is set based on the difference between the scheduled times at the two destinations (TC-TA, TD-TC, TB-TD).

[0030] In this case, it is desirable to set the allowable travel time from the boarding position to the disembarking position as short as possible. Users often wish to arrive at their destinations quickly. Also, at the centralized control center C, the transportation work of people ends when the person disembarks, so it is desirable for the allowable travel time between the boarding position and the disembarking position to be short. However, for example, in the case shown in Figure 3(a), it is necessary to pass through the pick-up position and the delivery position on the way from the boarding position to the disembarking position. Therefore, the route from the boarding position to the disembarking position becomes long, and the allowable travel time also becomes long.

[0031] [3] Based on the tentative operation plan, each allowable travel time between two adjacent destinations is divided into a travel time (which can be called the required time), which is the time actually required for travel, and a slack time, which is the remaining time. The slack time can be called the waiting time at the destination on the arrival side of the two adjacent destinations. In the case shown in Figure 3(b), the allowable travel time (TC-TA, TD-TC) is divided into a travel time (ΔTm, ΔTn) and a waiting time (ΔTx, ΔTy) between the boarding location and the pick-up location, and between the boarding location and the delivery location, respectively.

[0032] [4] The waiting time is adjusted and a final operation plan, in other words, a processed operation plan, is created. An example of the final operation plan is shown in Figure 3(c). As shown in Figure 3(c), for example, the waiting time ΔTy between the pickup location and the delivery location is shifted to the section before arriving at the pickup location (between the boarding location and the pickup location) (ΔTx + ΔTy). As a result, pickup can be delayed by ΔTy, and the time between pickup and delivery can be made shorter than before the waiting time was adjusted. TD-TC>TD-TC-ΔTy

[0033] For example, when a mobile object V receives a package, it is possible to receive it later than the scheduled receiving time if the package is ready for delivery at a store or the like. Also, when a mobile object V receives food, it is preferable for the user to receive it later and have a shorter delivery time. The food is in better condition at the store than at the mobile object V. From the above, by delaying the receiving time according to the waiting time ΔTy between the receiving position and the delivery position, the delivery time of the item can be shortened and the item can be delivered at the desired delivery time without increasing the allowable travel time between the boarding position and the disembarking position. Transportation work can be performed according to the user's requests.

[0034] [5] The created final operation plan is provided to the mobile body V. The mobile body V is provided with information regarding each boarding location, pick-up location, delivery location, and drop-off location, as well as the work content to be performed at each location, the travel route, and the scheduled time at each destination. Information describing the work content includes information describing the number of people getting on and off when boarding or alighting, the number of items when delivering or receiving items, and the type of items. The mobile body V moves according to the operation plan.

[0035] The operation plan creation program shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2 is executed at predetermined set time intervals. In step 1 (hereinafter simply abbreviated as S1, and the same applies to other steps), information regarding requests for multiple transportation operations is acquired, and a mobile object V that will perform the transportation operations is determined. In S2, a tentative operation plan is created, in S3, waiting times are acquired based on the tentative operation plan, and in S4, the waiting times are adjusted to create a final operation plan. Then, in S5, the final operation plan is provided to the mobile object V.

[0036] In this way, in this embodiment, the degree of freedom for boarding time and delivery time is lower than the degree of freedom for disembarking time and pick-up time. As a result, the waiting time between receiving and delivering the item can be moved to before the receiving time. The time from receiving the item to delivering it, i.e., the delivery time for the item, can be shortened, and the item can be delivered according to the user's request. Furthermore, since the disembarking time is not delayed, the user's requests regarding boarding and disembarking can also be met.

[0037] Next, a brief description will be given of the case where one or more users request another transport. In the case shown in Fig. 4, the movement order of multiple destinations is set in the tentative operation plan as the pickup location, the boarding location, the delivery location, and the drop-off location. Based on the allowable travel time between each destination, there is a waiting time between the pickup location and the boarding location, and between the boarding location and the delivery location.

[0038] On the other hand, boarding times and delivery times have less flexibility than disembarking times and pick-up times. Therefore, it is difficult to move the waiting time between the delivery location and the boarding location to another section. In contrast, the waiting time between the pick-up location and the delivery location can be moved to a time before the pick-up location. As a result, it is possible to shorten the delivery time of goods and deliver goods at the delivery time without changing the boarding and disembarking times. It is possible to meet the user's requests regarding boarding and disembarking people and the transportation of goods.

[0039] Furthermore, since the receipt time can be delayed, the operating time of the moving body V can be substantially shortened, and transportation efficiency can also be improved.

[0040] In the case shown in Figure 5(a), the latest available time for pickup at the pickup location, in other words, the end time of the available pickup time range, may be determined based on the store's business hours, etc. In this case, even if the waiting time ΔTp between the pickup location and the delivery location is moved to a section before the pickup location, the pickup time cannot be delayed beyond the end time of the available pickup time range (ΔTq + ΔTp'). Therefore, the pickup time is set to the latest time in the available pickup time range, and the waiting time ΔTp * (ΔTp - ΔTp') that cannot be moved remains between the pickup location and the delivery location. Even in this case, it is possible to shorten the delivery time of the item.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 5(b), when there is a request to transport multiple items with different pickup locations and delivery locations, the order of movement of the destinations is determined in the tentative operation plan as the first pickup location, the second pickup location, the second delivery location, and the first delivery location. Based on the allowable travel time between these destinations, there is a waiting time between the first pickup location and the second pickup location, and between the second pickup location and the second delivery location. Both of these waiting times can be moved to a section before the first pickup location. As a result, it is possible to delay the first pickup time and the second pickup time, thereby improving the transportation efficiency of the mobile object V while meeting the user's requests.

[0042] In the case of Figure 5(b), it can be considered that there is a request for passengers to board and disembark along with a request to transport multiple items, or that there is no request for passengers to board and disembark but there is a request to transport multiple items.

[0043] As described above, in the above embodiment, the execution unit and the like of the operation plan creation device 22 constitute an operation plan creation unit.

[0044] Furthermore, the present invention can be embodied in various forms with various modifications and improvements made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 10: User communication device 16: Mobile communication device 20: Center communication device 22: Operation plan creation device C: Centralized control center V: Mobile Patentable invention

[0046] (1) An operation planning system for creating an operation plan for a mobile vehicle when multiple transportation operations including boarding and disembarking of people and delivery of goods are performed on the same mobile vehicle, comprising: An operation plan creation system including an operation plan creation unit that creates an operation plan for the mobile object based on information about a plurality of positions and times, including information about the positions and times of boarding and disembarking, and information about the positions and times of pick-up and delivery, by setting the degree of freedom of at least the boarding time and the delivery time lower than the degree of freedom of the disembarking time and the pick-up time.

[0047] Information related to time includes, for example, information representing the time, information representing an approximate time, etc. Time can be represented, for example, as the arrival time or departure time at a destination, which is the location where boarding, disembarking, picking up, handing over, etc. takes place, the time when work such as boarding or picking up is performed, or the start or end time of work. Time can be represented, for example, as a desired time desired by the user, a scheduled time, an available time, etc. Information representing an approximate time includes, for example, information representing these time ranges. A time range can be represented as an allowable time range allowed by the user, a available time range in which work can be performed, a desired time range, etc. The same applies to information related to location. Information representing the location where boarding, disembarking, etc. takes place, information representing the approximate location where boarding, disembarking, etc. takes place (for example, around an intersection, etc.), etc.

[0048] A low degree of freedom means that there is a strong demand for work to be completed on time, and it is desirable that work at a destination with a low degree of freedom be completed on time. A high degree of freedom means that there is a weak demand for work to be completed on time, and it is acceptable for work at a destination with a low degree of freedom to be completed later than the scheduled time.

[0049] (2) The operation plan creation system described in (1) in which the operation plan creation unit acquires the operation order of the destinations, which are the multiple locations, and the travel allowance time, which is the time difference between the adjacent destinations determined by the operation order, acquires the leeway time when the mobile body moves between the adjacent destinations based on the travel allowance time between the adjacent destinations, and creates the operation plan by adjusting the leeway time.

[0050] The travel time is the time given to a mobile unit when traveling between two destinations, and often includes the time required for travel and a slack time. The slack time can also be thought of as the waiting time at the destination of the two adjacent destinations.

[0051] (3) An operation plan creation system according to (1) or (2), in which the operation plan creation unit provisionally determines an operation plan based on each of the plurality of destination locations and the times at the plurality of destinations, and creates a final operation plan, which is a final operation plan, by adjusting the margin time between two adjacent destinations based on the provisional operation plan, which is the provisionally determined operation plan.

[0052] The tentative operation plan can be created based on the operation sequence of a plurality of destinations and the allowable travel time between adjacent destinations determined by the operation sequence.

[0053] (4) The operation plan creation system described in paragraph (3) above, wherein the operation plan creation unit creates the final operation plan based on the provisional operation plan by delaying the time of the first destination in accordance with the margin of travel between the first and second destinations when the degree of freedom of the time of the first destination is higher than the degree of freedom of the time of the second destination, for the two adjacent destinations, that is, a first destination which is a departure destination and a second destination which is a destination.

[0054] In the case shown in FIG. 3, the first destination is the pick-up location and the second destination is the delivery location.

[0055] (5) The operation plan creation system according to either one of (3) or (4), including: means for acquiring information relating to each of the plurality of destinations and the time via a communication device; means for creating the tentative operation plan based on the information relating to each of the plurality of destinations and the time acquired via the communication device; means for adjusting the slack time based on the tentative operation plan to create the final operation plan; and means for transmitting the created final operation plan to the mobile body.

[0056] (6) An operation plan creation system that creates an operation plan for a mobile object that performs multiple transportation operations, An operation plan creation system including an operation plan creation unit that creates an operation plan by delaying the time of the first destination in accordance with the time leeway when there is leeway in travel between a first destination and a second destination, which are two adjacent destinations among a plurality of destinations, based on information related to destinations that are locations where each of a plurality of tasks is performed and the time at the destination.

[0057] Since the degree of freedom of the time at the first destination is higher than the degree of freedom of the time at the second destination, the time at the first destination can be delayed. The operation plan creation system of this section can employ the technical features described in any of sections (1) to (5).

Claims

[Claim 1] An operation plan creation system that creates an operation plan for a mobile object when a plurality of transportation operations including getting on and off people and handing over goods are performed on the same mobile object, comprising: An operation plan creation system including an operation plan creation unit that creates an operation plan for the mobile object based on information about a plurality of positions and times, including information about the positions and times of boarding and disembarking, and information about the positions and times of pick-up and delivery, by setting the degree of freedom of at least the boarding time and the delivery time lower than the degree of freedom of the disembarking time and the pick-up time.

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