Route selection device, route selection method and program

Abstract

To select a travel route having a small effect on a passenger due to a change in temperature even when an abnormality occurs in an air conditioning system.SOLUTION: A route selection device includes a position information acquisition unit that acquires a current position of a vehicle, and a control unit. The control unit includes an abnormality detection unit, a route candidate calculation unit, an environment information acquisition unit, and a route selection unit. The abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality of an air conditioning system on the basis of air conditioning system information indicating a state of the air conditioning system included in the vehicle. The route candidate calculation unit calculates a candidate of a travel route on the basis of destination information for a passenger. The environment information acquisition unit acquires meteorological information and shade information in the candidate of the travel route. The route selection unit calculates a temperature rise amount in the destination of the passenger for each candidate of the travel route on the basis of the information indicating the abnormality, the meteorological information and the shade information, and selects a recommended route from among a plurality of candidates of the travel route calculated by the route candidate calculation unit on the basis of the temperature rise amount.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a route selection device, a route selection method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] A mixed cargo and passenger system that transports passengers and luggage together in a vehicle is known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle dispatch device for a mixed cargo and passenger system that receives a delivery request including a luggage collection point and a delivery point, and a vehicle dispatch request including a passenger boarding point and a passenger disembarking point, and determines a travel route based on the delivery request and the vehicle dispatch request. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7248192 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a cargo and passenger mixed transport system, there are cases where cargo and passengers that require temperature control are transported. The dispatching device for the cargo and passenger mixed transport system disclosed in Patent Document 1 travels along a determined route even if an abnormality occurs in the vehicle's air conditioning system. Therefore, if an abnormality occurs in the air conditioning system, the temperature of the cargo cannot be controlled, and in the case of cargo such as perishable foods that require strict temperature control, there is a risk that the quality cannot be maintained when transported. Furthermore, if the temperature in the passenger compartment cannot be controlled, there is a risk that passengers will become ill. For this reason, it is necessary to minimize the impact of temperature changes on cargo and passengers even if an abnormality occurs in the air conditioning system.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a route selection device, a route selection method, and a program that select a travel route that has minimal impact on passengers and freight due to temperature changes, even if an abnormality occurs in the air conditioning system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above object, a route selection device according to the present invention includes a location information acquisition unit that acquires the current location of a vehicle, and a control unit. The control unit includes an abnormality detection unit that detects an abnormality in the air conditioning system based on air conditioning system information indicating the status of the air conditioning system installed in the vehicle, a route candidate calculation unit that calculates candidate driving routes based on destination information of passengers and cargo, an external environment information acquisition unit that acquires weather information and shading information for the candidate driving routes, and a route selection unit that calculates a temperature rise at the destination of passengers and cargo for each candidate driving route based on the information indicating the abnormality detected by the abnormality detection unit and the weather information and shading information acquired by the external environment information acquisition unit, and selects a recommended route from among the candidate driving routes calculated by the route candidate calculation unit based on the temperature rise. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, even if an abnormality occurs in the air conditioning system, it is possible to select a travel route that minimizes the impact of temperature changes on passengers and freight. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a mobility management system according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a cargo and passenger information DB according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a control unit according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a vehicle dispatch request screen. [Figure 7] 4 is a flowchart of a pre-traveling process according to an embodiment. [Figure 8]4 is a flowchart of a process during travel according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the relationship between the amount of temperature rise and the time elapsed after a failure according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A route selection device and a mobility management system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0010] (Embodiment) A mobility management system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a mobility service system that transports passengers and freight, including users or luggage, in a vehicle 10 while controlling the temperature of the passengers and freight. For example, the mobility management system 1 is a system that transports passengers and freight from a departure point to a destination in a vehicle. The vehicles used in the mobility management system 1 are not limited to those that run autonomously, but may also be those that provide driving assistance control such as braking assistance and steering assistance, or those that provide navigation assistance such as car navigation. In this embodiment, a case will be described in which the mobility management system 1 is a delivery system that uses autonomously running vehicles.

[0011] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a mobility management system 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the mobility management system 1 includes a plurality of vehicles 10 each equipped with a vehicle control device 100 (described later), a mobile terminal 50 owned by a user, and a server 20 connected for communication with the vehicles 10 and the mobile terminal 50 via a wireless base station 30 and a network 40.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle 10 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, vehicle 10 includes an air conditioning system 11, a refrigerator compartment 12, a freezer compartment 13, a room-temperature compartment 14, and a passenger compartment 15. Air conditioning system 11 maintains refrigerator compartment 12, freezer compartment 13, room-temperature compartment 14, and passenger compartment 15 at predetermined temperatures. The configuration of the compartments provided in vehicle 10 is arbitrary and may differ for each vehicle 10. Furthermore, air conditioning system 11 may control refrigerator compartment 12 or freezer compartment 13 to be used as a room-temperature luggage compartment. In detail, air conditioning system 11 maintains, for example, refrigerator compartment 12 at 5°C, freezer compartment 13 at -10°C, and passenger compartment 15 at 20°C. The upper limit temperature of refrigerator compartment 12 is 10°C, the upper limit temperature of freezer compartment 13 is 0°C, and the upper limit temperature of passenger compartment 15 is 30°C. The upper limit temperature is the upper limit temperature at which the quality of stored luggage can be maintained or at which passengers can be prevented from becoming ill.

[0013] The server 20 is a server computer that manages information indicating the location and operating status of the vehicle 10, and has functions such as issuing driving instructions to the vehicle 10 in response to a user request and arranging for a replacement vehicle to transfer passengers and freight when a malfunction occurs in the air conditioning system 11 of the vehicle 10. The server 20 may be a single physical server or a cloud server including one or more physical servers. The server 20 also transmits meteorological information including the weather, solar radiation, temperature, humidity, or wind speed along the driving route to the vehicle 10.

[0014] The mobile terminal 50 is, for example, a smartphone, and is used by a user to request a vehicle dispatch. An application for requesting a vehicle dispatch (hereinafter, a vehicle dispatch app) is pre-installed in the mobile terminal 50, and a user uses the vehicle dispatch app to specify the destination of a passenger or freight and request a vehicle dispatch.

[0015] The vehicle control device 100 is mounted on the vehicle 10, selects a driving route to a destination, and controls the vehicle 10 to autonomously drive according to the selected driving route. The vehicle control device 100 is an example of a route selection device of the present invention. The server 20 may implement the functions of the vehicle control device 100. Alternatively, a controller mounted on the vehicle 10 may implement some of the functions of the vehicle control device 100, and the server 20 may implement the remaining functions. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the vehicle control device 100 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle control device 100 includes a location information acquisition unit 110 that acquires location information of the vehicle 10, a storage unit 120 that stores various information, a communication module 130 that wirelessly communicates with external devices, a user interface (IF) 140 that accepts user operation input, and a control unit 150 that controls the entire vehicle control device 100.

[0016] The position information acquisition unit 110 is any device, such as a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver, that can acquire the position of the vehicle 10. The GNSS receiver receives orbit information and time information from a plurality of positioning satellites, and outputs position information indicating the current position of the vehicle 10 calculated based on the received signals to the control unit 150.

[0017] The storage unit 120 is a non-volatile storage device such as a hard disk drive, a flash memory, etc. The storage unit 120 stores various information required for processing by the vehicle control device 100. For example, the storage unit 120 stores, as various information, a map information DB (database) 121, a shade information DB 122, a cargo and passenger information DB 123, and an air conditioning information DB 124.

[0018] The map information DB 121 is a database that stores map information including road information, intersection information, facility information, etc. within the range in which the vehicle 10 travels. In this embodiment, the map information stored in the map information DB 121 may also include information such as road speed limits, lane restrictions, and congestion information that is necessary for route generation.

[0019] The shade information DB 122 is a database that stores shade information indicating roads within the range in which the vehicle 10 travels and shade areas near the roads. In this embodiment, the shade information stored in the shade information DB 122 includes multiple types of information, including whether the travel route is in the shade, such as whether there is a tunnel, whether the route is under an overpass, whether there is shade from a building, whether there is shade from trees, and topographical data. The shade information for a travel route in the shade of a building, tree, or other nearby area may further include information on whether there is shade depending on the season and time of day. The shade information may also be included in the map information stored in the map information DB 121. For example, a travel route in a tunnel or under an overpass is in the shade, while a travel route in the shade of a building or near tree shade is in moderate shade.

[0020] The cargo / passenger information DB 123 is a database that stores cargo / passenger information indicating the status of cargo / passengers stored in the refrigerated compartment 12, the freezer compartment 13, the room-temperature compartment 14, and the passenger compartment 15 of the vehicle 10. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the cargo / passenger information DB 123 according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the cargo / passenger information DB 123 stores, for each cargo / passenger, information such as the "storage location," "destination," "cargo / passenger attributes," "control temperature," "upper temperature limit," and "designated time" when a vehicle dispatch request is made. The DB 123 also stores, for each "cargo / passenger attribute," information indicating a "coefficient" according to the degree of impact of temperature rise on the cargo / passenger. The "coefficient" is used to calculate a score for selecting a recommended route, and is set to a higher value for cargo that is more susceptible to deterioration due to temperature rise. When the "cargo / passenger attribute" is frozen, the degree of impact of temperature rise is significantly large, so the "coefficient" is 10. When the "cargo / passenger attribute" is fresh, the degree of impact of temperature rise is large, so the "coefficient" is 8. When the "cargo / passenger attribute" is room-temperature cargo, the degree of impact of temperature rise is small, so the "coefficient" is 0. When the "passenger / cargo attribute" is passenger, the impact of temperature rise is medium, so the "coefficient" is 4.

[0021] 3, the air conditioning information DB 124 is a database that stores air conditioning information indicating the state of the air conditioning system 11 of the vehicle 10. The air conditioning information is, for example, a collection of output signals from various sensors provided in various devices such as air conditioners including compressors of the air conditioning system 11 of the vehicle 10, thermometers, and electrical components, or internal signals from control units that control these devices.

[0022] The communication module 130 includes a wireless communication module that performs wireless communication according to any standard such as mobile phone communication, wireless LAN (Local Area Network), etc. The communication module 130 connects the vehicle control device 100 to the mobile terminal 50 or a server via a wired or wireless connection, and transmits and receives data.

[0023] The user IF 140 receives operation inputs from the user and outputs image signals or audio signals output by the control unit 150, and is, for example, a monitor, a touch panel, a microphone, or a speaker.

[0024] The control unit 150 is, for example, a control device such as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), and performs various controls of the vehicle 10. In the present embodiment, one control unit 150 is provided, but multiple control units 150 may be provided for each function. The control unit 150 includes a communication IF (interface) 151, a RAM 152, a ROM 153, and a processor 154.

[0025] The communication IF 151 has an interface circuit for connecting the control unit 150 to an in-vehicle network that complies with standards such as CAN (Controller Area Network). The control unit 150 can communicate with actuators, on-board components, various sensors, etc. of the vehicle 10 via the communication IF 151. The RAM (Random Access Memory) 152 is a volatile semiconductor memory that serves as a work area when the processor executes various processes. The ROM (Read Only Memory) 153 is a non-volatile semiconductor memory that stores control programs executed by the processor and various data used when the processor 154 executes various processes.

[0026] Processor 154 includes one or more CPUs (Central Processing Units), and performs various processes by using RAM 152 as a work area and executing control programs stored in ROM 153. Processor 154 may further include an arithmetic circuit such as a logical arithmetic unit or a numerical arithmetic unit.

[0027] 5 shows a functional block diagram of the control unit 150. The control unit 150 includes, as main functional components according to this embodiment, an abnormality detection unit 1501, a route candidate calculation unit 1502, an external environment information acquisition unit 1503, a route selection unit 1504, a vehicle control unit 1505, and a loaner vehicle search unit 1506. These functional components of the control unit 150 are realized by the control unit 150 (processor 154) executing a control program.

[0028] The abnormality detection unit 1501 detects an abnormality occurring in the air conditioning system 11 of the vehicle 10 based on the air conditioning information stored in the air conditioning information DB 124. Abnormalities include the detection of a sign of an impending failure in the air conditioning system 11 and the failure of the air conditioning system 11. Performance of the air conditioning system 11 may decline depending on the frequency of use and the operating environment. The abnormality detection unit 1501 detects an abnormality, for example, when the detected values ​​of the output signals of various sensors included in the air conditioning information are outside a predetermined range, and predicts the timing of a failure of the air conditioning system 11 based on the degree of performance decline and the degree of component deterioration. The abnormalities detected by the abnormality detection unit 1501 include abnormalities that affect the air conditioning and abnormalities that do not affect the air conditioning. Examples of abnormalities that affect the air conditioning include a compressor abnormality in which the compressor rotation speed is outside the normal range, an abnormality detected due to a discrepancy between the set temperature and the temperature detected by a temperature sensor, and an abnormality predicted based on the total usage time. Examples of abnormalities that do not affect the air conditioning include a malfunction of the interior lighting. The abnormality detection unit 1501 may detect only abnormalities that affect air conditioning.

[0029] Any method can be used as the method of anomaly detection performed by the anomaly detection unit 1501. For example, the anomaly detection unit 1501 may detect an anomaly in the air conditioning system 11 when time-series data including the compressor rotation speed falls outside the range of each signal according to predetermined conditions or rules. The anomaly detection unit 1501 may also detect an anomaly by performing invariant analysis. Invariant analysis involves building a model of the relationship between multiple sensor signals from air conditioning information under normal conditions, comparing values ​​predicted from the model with actual measured values, and detecting whether the relationship model has collapsed. The anomaly detection unit 1501 may also use machine learning to detect normal or abnormal states based on vehicle information.

[0030] Upon receiving a vehicle dispatch request from a user, the route candidate calculation unit 1502 refers to map data in the map information DB 121 and calculates multiple driving routes for the vehicle 10 from the departure point specified by the user to the destination until an abnormality is detected in the air conditioning system 11. Furthermore, when the abnormality detection unit 1501 detects an abnormality in the air conditioning system 11 of the vehicle 10 while the vehicle 10 is traveling toward the destination, the route candidate calculation unit 1502 acquires the timing at which the air conditioning system 11 will fail as predicted by the abnormality detection unit 1501, and calculates the travel margin until the air conditioning system 11 of the vehicle 10 fails. Next, the route candidate calculation unit 1502 calculates multiple driving routes from the current location to the destination.

[0031] The candidate driving routes calculated by the route candidate calculation unit 1502 include not only the shortest route to the destination but also routes with less traffic congestion. The candidate driving routes calculated by the route candidate calculation unit 1502 of this embodiment also include various combinations of driving routes, such as routes that take in shady areas and other routes that are a combination of these. The route candidate calculation unit 1502 comprehensively calculates multiple candidate driving routes. Note that, if it is nighttime or raining, the route candidate calculation unit 1502 may exclude driving routes that take in shady areas from the candidate driving routes.

[0032] The outside world information acquisition unit 1503 acquires weather information for the candidate travel route and shade information for the candidate travel route. Specifically, the outside world information acquisition unit 1503 acquires weather information including the weather, solar radiation, temperature, wind speed, or humidity for the candidate travel route transmitted from the server 20, and shade information for the candidate travel route stored in the shade information DB 122.

[0033] The route selection unit 1504 calculates the amount of temperature rise at the destination of the passengers and cargo for each candidate driving route based on information indicating the abnormality detected by the abnormality detection unit 1501 and the weather information and shade information acquired by the external environment information acquisition unit 1503, and selects a recommended route suitable for the passengers and cargo from among the multiple candidate driving routes calculated by the route candidate calculation unit 1502.

[0034] For each of the multiple travel route candidates calculated by the route candidate calculation unit 1502, the route selection unit 1504 calculates a temperature rise profile indicating the temperature rise in the refrigerator compartment 12, freezer compartment 13, room temperature compartment 14, and passenger compartment 15 after the air conditioning system 11 fails, based on the weather information and shade information acquired by the external environment information acquisition unit 1503. For example, if travel routes R1 to R3 are calculated as travel route candidates, travel route R1 has little shade and therefore a large temperature rise. Travel route R2 has shade, such as shade from buildings and trees, along the route, and therefore a medium temperature rise. Travel route R3 has a tunnel along the route, and therefore has a lot of shade, and therefore a small temperature rise. Next, the route selection unit 1504 calculates the temperature rise amount at the time of arrival of each passenger at the destination for each of the travel routes R1 to R3, based on the temperature profile information and information indicating the timing of the failure. For passengers who arrived at the destination before the failure, the temperature rise amount is set to zero. It is also possible to determine whether each compartment is in the shade or not based on its position or direction, and calculate a temperature rise profile for each of the refrigerator compartment 12, the freezer compartment 13, the room temperature compartment 14, and the guest room 15.

[0035] The route selection unit 1504 acquires information indicating a "coefficient" according to the degree of impact that a temperature rise will have on the passenger for each "passenger attribute" stored in the passenger information DB 123. If the "passenger attribute" is frozen, the "coefficient" is 10. If the "passenger attribute" is fresh, the "coefficient" is 8. If the "passenger attribute" is room temperature cargo, the "coefficient" is 0. If the "passenger attribute" is a passenger, the "coefficient" is 4. Next, the route selection unit 1504 calculates a score for each candidate travel route R1 to R3 based on the amount of temperature rise at the time each passenger arrives at their destination and the "coefficient" set for each "passenger attribute." For example, the score is calculated as follows: temperature rise at destination P1 for cargo stored in refrigerated room 12 x coefficient 8 + temperature rise at destination P2 for cargo stored in freezer room 13 x coefficient 10 + temperature rise at destination P3 for cargo stored in room temperature room 14 x coefficient 0 + temperature rise at destination P4 for passengers stored in passenger cabin 15 x coefficient 4.

[0036] The route selection unit 1504 excludes travel routes that do not meet demand, such as travel routes that cannot transport passengers by the specified time or that cannot transport passengers at temperatures below the upper limit set for each passenger. This eliminates routes that do not meet demand because they exceed the temperature limit set by the Food Sanitation Act or pose a risk of heatstroke. Next, the route selection unit 1504 selects the travel route with the smallest score from among the candidate travel routes R1 to R3 as the recommended route.

[0037] The vehicle control unit 1505 is communicatively connected to various actuators that operate the vehicle 10, and transmits control signals to the various actuators to control the vehicle 10. For example, the vehicle control unit 1505 controls the vehicle 10 so that it travels according to the recommended route selected by the route selection unit 1504.

[0038] When the replacement vehicle search unit 1506 determines that there is no driving route that meets the demand of the cargo and passengers, it accesses the server 20, searches for information on a transfer vehicle (replacement vehicle) that can transport the target cargo and passengers, and sets a driving route to the transfer point where the cargo and passengers will be transferred to the replacement vehicle.

[0039] Next, the operation of the vehicle control device 100 configured as above will be described. First, the pre-traveling process will be described. The pre-traveling process is a process executed by the vehicle control device 100 when the user requests the dispatch of the vehicle 10.

[0040] A user who wishes to transport passengers to a destination using a vehicle 10 of the mobility management system 1 moves their mobile device 50 to a location where wireless communication with the vehicle 10 is possible. The user then launches a vehicle dispatch app on the mobile device 50 and displays a vehicle dispatch request screen 2000 for requesting a vehicle dispatch. FIG. 6 illustrates an example of the vehicle dispatch request screen 2000. Using the vehicle dispatch request screen 2000, the user inputs a departure point and a destination. If the current location is used as the departure point, inputting the departure point may be omitted. In this example, the current location of the vehicle is used as the departure point. Furthermore, on the vehicle dispatch request screen 2000 shown in FIG. 6, the user can optionally input information such as "passenger / cargo attribute" and "designated time." The "control temperature" and "upper limit temperature" are automatically input according to the "passenger / cargo attribute." If the "passenger / cargo attribute" is a passenger, the "control temperature" or "upper limit temperature" may be arbitrarily specified or may be changed during travel. If the temperature is changed during travel, the travel route may be reselected based on the changed temperature. As a result, if the driving route or arrival time changes, the terminal device 50 may be notified. After inputting the necessary information into the vehicle dispatch request screen 2000, the user touches the "Request vehicle dispatch" button. As a result, a vehicle dispatch request including information such as the departure point and destination input into the vehicle dispatch request screen 2000 is made to the vehicle control device 100. Note that if the mobile terminal 50 is in a location where it cannot communicate with the vehicle, the user may make a vehicle dispatch request from the mobile terminal 50 to the server 20. In this case, the server 20 makes a vehicle dispatch request to the vehicle control device 100 of the vehicle 10 that is closest to the mobile terminal 50. Upon receiving the vehicle dispatch request, the vehicle control device 100 executes pre-travel processing shown in FIG. 7.

[0041] First, the control unit 150 of the route selection device acquires information indicating the departure point and the destination based on the dispatch request received from the mobile terminal 50 (step S101). In this example, an example will be described in which passengers and cargo shown in Fig. 4 are moved to their respective destinations P1 to P4 (Fig. 1).

[0042] Next, the route candidate calculation unit 1502 refers to the map information in the map information DB 121 and calculates a plurality of candidate driving routes from the departure point to each of the destinations P1 to P4 (step S102).

[0043] Next, the route selection unit 1504 executes a route selection process to select a travel route suitable for transporting passengers and cargo from among the calculated travel route candidates (step S103). Here, the route selection unit 1504 selects an optimal route that can efficiently move passengers and cargo to destinations P1 to P4.

[0044] Next, the vehicle control unit 1505 confirms using an image sensor or the like that passengers and cargo have been loaded onto the vehicle 10, and then controls the vehicle to travel along the travel route selected in step S103 (step S104). This completes the pre-travel processing. If an abnormality is detected before travel, the in-travel processing shown in Fig. 8 may be executed, or information indicating the abnormality may be sent to the mobile terminal 50, and the travel of passengers and cargo may be stopped or a replacement vehicle may be provided.

[0045] Next, the in-travel processing will be described using the flowchart of Fig. 8. The in-travel processing is processing executed by the vehicle control device 100 of the vehicle 10 that is traveling to the destination with passengers and cargo on board through the pre-travel processing described above. Note that this flowchart is an example, and for example, the processing order of steps S202 to S206 may be changed, and candidate travel routes may be calculated after weather information and shade information are acquired.

[0046] First, the abnormality detection unit 1501 of the vehicle control device 100 determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the air conditioning system 11 of the vehicle 10 based on the vehicle information acquired from the air conditioning information DB 124 (step S201). Specifically, the abnormality detection unit 1501 acquires air conditioning information such as detected values ​​of output signals from various sensors provided in various devices such as the compressor and electrical components of the air conditioning system 11, or detected values ​​of internal signals of the control unit that controls these, from the air conditioning information DB 124. Then, the abnormality detection unit 1501 acquires threshold values ​​of the range for detecting an abnormality that have been set in advance based on the air conditioning information from the server 20, and determines that an abnormality has occurred if the various acquired detected values ​​are outside the predetermined range.

[0047] If it is determined that there is no abnormality in the vehicle 10 (step S201; No), step S201 is repeated to perform abnormality detection at regular intervals. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is an abnormality in the air conditioning system 11 of the vehicle 10 (step S201; Yes), the route candidate calculation unit 1502 acquires the timing of the air conditioning system 11 failure predicted by the abnormality detection unit 1501, and calculates the travel margin until the air conditioning system 11 of the vehicle 10 fails (step S202).

[0048] The route candidate calculation unit 1502 acquires passenger and cargo information including destination information of passengers and cargo from the passenger and cargo information DB 123 (step S203).

[0049] Next, the route candidate calculation unit 1502 refers to the map data in the map information DB 121 and calculates a plurality of candidate travel routes based on the destination information of the passengers and cargo from the current position (step S204). Here, based on the shade information for the travel route stored in the shade information DB 122, it is preferable to include a travel route that includes shade in the candidate travel routes even if it is a roundabout travel route.

[0050] The external environment information acquisition unit 1503 acquires weather information for each candidate driving route (step S205). Specifically, the external environment information acquisition unit 1503 acquires weather information including the weather, solar radiation, temperature, wind speed, or humidity for each candidate driving route transmitted from the server 20.

[0051] The outside world information acquisition unit 1503 acquires shadow information for each candidate travel route (step S206). Specifically, the outside world information acquisition unit 1503 acquires shadow information for the travel route stored in the shadow information DB 122.

[0052] The route selection unit 1504 calculates a temperature rise profile indicating the temperature rise of passengers and cargo based on meteorological information and shade information for each of the multiple travel route candidates calculated by the route candidate calculation unit 1502 (step S207). Figure 9 is a diagram showing the relationship between the amount of temperature rise and the time elapsed since the failure, i.e., the temperature information profile. As shown in Figure 9, travel route R1 has little shade, so the temperature rise is large. Travel route R2 has shade, such as shade from buildings and trees, along the route, so the temperature rise is moderate. Travel route R3 has a tunnel along the route, so there is a lot of shade, and the temperature rise is small.

[0053] Next, the route selection unit 1504 calculates the temperature rise amount at the time of arrival at the destination for each passenger / carrier along each of the candidate travel routes R1 to R3 based on the temperature profile information and the travel margin until the air conditioning system 11 of the vehicle 10 fails, calculated in step S202 (step S208). Specifically, for each passenger / carrier, the time elapsed since the failure is calculated by subtracting the travel margin from the time of arrival at the destination, and the temperature rise amount is calculated using the temperature rise profile shown in Fig. 9. For passengers / carriers who arrived at the destination before the failure, the temperature rise amount is set to zero.

[0054] The route selection unit 1504 calculates a score for each candidate travel route R1 to R3 based on the amount of temperature rise (step S209). Specifically, the route selection unit 1504 acquires information indicating a "coefficient" according to the degree of impact that a temperature rise will have on a passenger for each "passenger attribute" stored in the passenger information DB 123 shown in FIG. 4. If the "passenger attribute" is frozen, the "coefficient" is 10. If the "passenger attribute" is fresh, the "coefficient" is 8. If the "passenger attribute" is room-temperature cargo, the "coefficient" is 0. If the "passenger attribute" is frozen or refrigerated, the "coefficient" is set high because deterioration due to a temperature rise is severe. If the "passenger attribute" is room-temperature cargo, the "coefficient" is set to 0 because deterioration due to a temperature rise is small. If the "passenger attribute" is passenger, the "coefficient" is 4. Next, the route selection unit 1504 calculates a score for each candidate travel route R1 to R3 based on the amount of temperature rise at the time of arrival of each cargo and passenger at their destination and the "coefficient" set for each "cargo and passenger attribute." For example, the score is calculated as follows: (amount of temperature rise at destination P1 of cargo stored in refrigerated room 12 × coefficient 8) + (amount of temperature rise at destination P2 of cargo stored in freezer room 13 × coefficient 10) + (amount of temperature rise at destination P3 of cargo stored in room temperature room 14 × coefficient 0) + (amount of temperature rise at destination P4 of passenger stored in passenger cabin 15 × coefficient 4).

[0055] The route selection unit 1504 excludes travel routes that do not satisfy demand, such as travel routes that cannot transport passengers by the specified time, or travel routes that cannot transport passengers at temperatures below the upper limit temperature set for each passenger (step S210). This eliminates candidate travel routes that do not satisfy demand because they exceed the temperature limit set by the Food Sanitation Act, pose a risk of heatstroke, etc.

[0056] The route selection unit 1504 determines whether or not there are any candidates for the travel route (step S211).

[0057] If it is determined that there are candidate travel routes (step S211; Yes), the route selection unit 1504 adopts the travel route with the smallest score as the recommended route (step S212). Then, the in-travel processing ends. Thereafter, the vehicle control unit 1505 controls the vehicle 10 to travel according to the recommended route adopted in step S212.

[0058] On the other hand, if it is determined that there are no candidate driving routes (step S211; No), there is a possibility that the vehicle 10 will not be able to control the temperature of the passengers and cargo due to a malfunction of the air conditioning system 11 caused by the detected abnormality. Therefore, the loaner car search unit 1506 accesses the server 20 and searches for information on a replacement vehicle (loaner car) that can transport the target passengers and cargo (step S213).

[0059] Next, the loaner vehicle search unit 1506 sets the transfer point for the loaner vehicle searched for in step S213 (step S214). Specifically, the loaner vehicle search unit 1506 sets the transfer point to, for example, a point near the midpoint between the vehicle 10 and the loaner vehicle, which allows them to meet in the shortest distance or time, and where the vehicle can safely stop. By setting the transfer point near the midpoint, delivery can be made efficiently with a short travel distance or a short travel time. Note that the transfer point is not limited to near the midpoint, and may be determined based on information such as travel margin and traffic information. Alternatively, the vehicle 10 may be evacuated to a shaded area, the evacuation location may be set as the transfer point, and the loaner vehicle may be directed to the evacuation location of the vehicle 10. Then, the loaner vehicle search unit 1506 notifies the loaner vehicle of the set transfer point via the server 20, and sets a driving route toward the transfer point where the cargo and passengers will be transferred to the loaner vehicle (step S215). After this, the vehicle control unit 1505 controls the vehicle 10 to travel toward the transfer point according to the set travel route, and issues an instruction to the loaner vehicle to travel to the intermediate point. This allows the user to transfer passengers and cargo from the vehicle 10 to the loaner vehicle at the transfer point. This completes the in-travel processing.

[0060] As described above, in the vehicle control device 100 according to this embodiment, when the abnormality detection unit 1501 detects an abnormality in the air conditioning system 11, the route candidate calculation unit 1502 calculates candidate driving routes, the external environment information acquisition unit 1503 acquires weather information and shade information for the candidate driving routes, the route selection unit 1504 calculates the temperature rise at the passenger's destination for each candidate driving route, and selects a recommended route from among the candidate driving routes based on the temperature rise. As a result, even if the air conditioning system 11 fails, the vehicle control device 100 can select a recommended route for passengers who require temperature control that minimizes the impact of temperature changes on the passengers. By having the vehicle 10 travel along the recommended route, specifically, if the passengers are carrying cargo such as perishable foods that require strict temperature control, the quality of the cargo can be maintained while the cargo is transported. Furthermore, passengers' physical condition due to temperature rise can be prevented.

[0061] Furthermore, according to the vehicle control device 100 of this embodiment, the route selection unit 1504 calculates the amount of temperature rise at the passenger's destination after a failure of the air conditioning system 11 for each candidate driving route, calculates a score for each driving route based on the amount of temperature rise and the passenger's attributes, and selects the driving route with the smallest score as the recommended route. The score is calculated according to the degree of impact that the temperature rise will have on the passenger. This makes it possible to select the recommended route that is optimal for the passenger, taking into account the passenger's attributes.

[0062] Furthermore, according to the vehicle control device 100 of this embodiment, if a passenger cannot be transported by the specified time or if the passenger cannot be transported at or below the upper temperature limit set for each passenger, the loaner vehicle search unit 1506 searches for a loaner vehicle that can transport the passenger and sets a driving route to a transfer point where the passenger will be transferred to the loaner vehicle. As a result, if there is a possibility that the passenger cannot be transported while controlling their temperature, the passenger can be transferred to the loaner vehicle and transported to the destination while controlling their temperature.

[0063] (Variation) The hardware configuration, functional configuration, flowchart, etc. shown in the above embodiment are merely examples and can be modified or applied as desired. For example, the above embodiment describes a vehicle dispatch system using an autonomous vehicle 10, but the present invention can also be applied to other systems such as a car sharing system and a ride sharing system.

[0064] For example, in the above embodiment, when the route selection unit 1504 selects a route, the vehicle control unit 1505 immediately controls the vehicle 10 to travel according to the selected recommended route. However, the vehicle 10 may be controlled after waiting for user confirmation. For example, the route selection unit 1504 may display candidate driving routes selected by the route selection unit 1504 on a touch panel, which is the user IF 140, for the user to confirm, and control the vehicle 10 when a confirmation operation is received from the user. The route selection unit 1504 may also select multiple candidate driving routes. For example, the route selection unit 1504 may select the top three candidate driving routes or multiple candidate driving routes with scores equal to or greater than a threshold, and display these multiple candidate driving routes selectable on the touch panel. Then, when a user operation to select a driving route is received, the vehicle 10 may be controlled according to the selected driving route. The recommended route selected by the route selection unit 1504 may be displayed on a monitor or the like, and the user may perform the driving themselves. That is, the vehicle control device 100 may be a navigation system.

[0065] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the route selection unit 1504 calculates a score for each travel route based on the amount of temperature rise and the "passenger / cargo attributes," and selects the travel route with the smallest score as the recommended route. The route selection unit 1504 may calculate the amount of temperature rise at the passenger / cargo destination for each candidate travel route, and select a recommended route from among multiple candidate travel routes based on the calculated amount of temperature rise; this is not limited to an example in which the recommended route is selected by score calculation. For example, the route selection unit 1504 may select a recommended route from among multiple candidate travel routes based on one or more of weather information, shade information, "destination," "passenger / cargo attributes," "management temperature," "upper limit temperature," or "designated time."

[0066] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the vehicle control device 100 includes a loaner vehicle search unit 1506 that, when it determines that there is no travel route that meets the demand of the passengers, searches for a loaner vehicle that can transport the passengers and sets a travel route to a transfer point where the passengers will be transferred to the loaner vehicle. When it determines that there is no travel route that meets the demand of the passengers, the vehicle control device 100 may transmit to the mobile terminal 50 information that there is no travel route that meets the demand of the passengers and information indicating the transportable range, and may allow the user to select a change of destination of the passengers or immediate disembarkation. In this way, the quality of the passengers can be maintained.

[0067] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the control unit 150 executes a control program to realize each function, but the control unit 150 may also be configured with dedicated hardware that realizes each function.

[0068] Furthermore, a control program for executing the operations of the above-described embodiments may be stored and distributed on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), an MO (Magneto Optical Disc), or a memory card, and the program may be installed on a computer to configure control unit 150 that can realize each function. When each function is realized by sharing the work between an OS (Operating System) and an application, or by cooperation between the OS and an application, only the parts other than the OS may be stored on the recording medium.

[0069] The present invention allows various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments are intended to explain the present invention and do not limit the scope of the present invention. In other words, the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and the meaning of the disclosure equivalent thereto are considered to be within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 1...mobility management system, 10...vehicle, 20...server, 30...wireless base station, 40...network, 50...mobile terminal, 100...vehicle control device, 110...location information acquisition unit, 120...memory unit, 121...map information DB, 122...shade information DB, 123...cargo and passenger information DB, 124...air conditioning information DB, 130...communication module, 140...user IF, 150...control unit, 1501 abnormality detection unit, 1502...route candidate calculation unit, 1503...external world information acquisition unit, 1504...route selection unit, 1505...vehicle control unit, 1506...loan car search unit, 2000...vehicle dispatch request screen.

Claims

1. A route selection device including a location information acquisition unit that acquires a current location of a vehicle and a control unit, The control unit an abnormality detection unit that detects an abnormality in the air conditioning system based on air conditioning system information indicating a state of the air conditioning system provided in the vehicle; a route candidate calculation unit that calculates candidate driving routes based on destination information of passengers and cargo; an external environment information acquisition unit that acquires weather information and shade information for the candidate travel route; calculating a temperature rise amount at the destination of the passengers for each of the travel route candidates based on the information indicating the abnormality detected by the abnormality detection unit and the weather information and the shade information acquired by the external environment information acquisition unit; a route selection unit that selects a recommended route from among the plurality of candidate travel routes calculated by the candidate route calculation unit based on the temperature rise amount; A route selection device comprising:

2. the route selection unit calculates, for each of the candidate travel routes, an amount of temperature rise at the destination of the passengers after the air conditioning system has failed, based on the information indicating the abnormality, the weather information, and the shade information; calculates a score for each of the travel routes, based on the amount of temperature rise and the attributes of the passengers; and selects the travel route with the smallest score as a recommended route.

2. The route selection device according to claim 1.

3. The score is calculated according to the degree of impact that a temperature rise has on the passengers.

3. The route selection device according to claim 2.

4. The route selection unit excludes a travel route that cannot transport the passengers by a specified time, or a travel route that cannot transport the passengers at or below an upper limit temperature set for each passenger.

3. The route selection device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The control unit includes a replacement vehicle search unit that, when determining that there is no travel route that satisfies the demand of the passengers, searches for a replacement vehicle that can transport the passengers, and sets a travel route to a transfer point where the passengers are transferred to the replacement vehicle.

5. The route selection device according to claim 4.

6. Detecting an abnormality in the air conditioning system based on air conditioning system information indicating the state of the air conditioning system provided in the vehicle; Calculates possible routes based on passenger and cargo destination information, Obtaining weather information and shade information for the candidate driving route; calculating a temperature rise at the destination of the passengers and cargo for each of the candidate travel routes based on the information indicating the detected abnormality and the acquired weather information and shade information; selecting a recommended route from among the plurality of candidate travel routes calculated by the route candidate calculation unit based on the amount of temperature rise; Route selection method.

7. Computer, an abnormality detection unit that detects an abnormality in the air conditioning system based on air conditioning system information indicating a state of the air conditioning system provided in the vehicle; a route candidate calculation unit that calculates candidate driving routes based on destination information of passengers and cargo; an external environment information acquisition unit that acquires weather information and shade information for the candidate travel route; calculating a temperature rise amount at the destination of the passengers for each of the travel route candidates based on the information indicating the abnormality detected by the abnormality detection unit and the weather information and the shade information acquired by the external environment information acquisition unit; a route selection unit that selects a recommended route from among the plurality of candidate travel routes calculated by the candidate route calculation unit based on the amount of temperature rise; A program that functions as a

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