Information processing device, information processing method, and information processing program

Abstract

Update the virtual map. [Solution] An information processing device is provided, comprising: a virtual map storage unit that stores a three-dimensional virtual map corresponding to real space; a map information acquisition unit that acquires map information of real space from multiple moving objects moving in real space; a difference extraction unit that extracts differences between each map information and the virtual map; and a virtual map update unit that updates the virtual map based on the differences when differences are extracted at the same location in two or more map information sources. The map information acquisition unit may acquire map information at each location in real space from multiple moving objects moving in real space. The difference extraction unit may determine the degree of similarity between the differences between the map information and the virtual map at the same location. The virtual map update unit may update the virtual map based on the degree of similarity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and an information processing program.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes that "the map is a three-dimensional map" (Claim 8). Patent Document 2 describes that "three-dimensional environmental map information is generated based on distance information acquired by a distance sensor" (Claim 1). Patent Document 3 describes that "a dynamic environmental map representing the three-dimensional positions of objects existing in the real space is generated" (Paragraph 0034). Patent Document 4 describes that "the position of the moving body is estimated using the sensor data and the map data" (Claim 1). Patent Document 5 describes that "an updated environmental map in which the updated portion is adopted or rejected according to the acceptance / rejection instruction is generated" (Claim 1). Patent Document 6 describes that "a three-dimensional map generation unit that generates a three-dimensional map" (Claim 1). Patent Document 7 describes that "the travel route setting device calculates an undetected area representing a terrain portion that cannot be measured by the surrounding monitoring sensor" (Claim 1). [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 7452706 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014-157478 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2024-62741 [Patent Document 4] International Publication No. 2018 / 179960 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-169845 [Patent Document 6] International Publication No. 2021 / 111613 [Patent Document 7] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2023-42673

Summary of the Invention

[0003] In a first embodiment of the present invention, an information processing device is provided. The information processing device includes a virtual map storage unit that stores a three-dimensional virtual map corresponding to real space; a map information acquisition unit that acquires map information of real space from a plurality of moving objects moving in real space; a difference extraction unit that extracts differences between each piece of map information and the virtual map; and a virtual map update unit that updates the virtual map based on the differences when differences are extracted at the same location in two or more pieces of map information.

[0004] The map information acquisition unit may acquire map information for each location in real space from multiple moving objects moving in real space. The difference extraction unit may determine the degree of similarity of differences between the map information and the virtual map at the same location. The virtual map update unit may update the virtual map based on the similarity.

[0005] In any of the above-described information processing devices, each of the multiple moving objects may have an imaging unit that captures map information. The difference extraction unit may determine the degree of similarity based on the resolution of the imaging unit.

[0006] In any of the above-described information processing devices, each of the multiple moving objects may have a location information acquisition unit that acquires its location. The difference extraction unit may determine the similarity based on the accuracy of the location information acquisition unit.

[0007] In any of the above-mentioned information processing devices, the map information acquisition unit may acquire the time at which map information was acquired at the same location. The difference extraction unit may extract differences based on similarity and time.

[0008] Any of the above information processing devices may further include a reception unit that receives a designation of a first location to which a moving object should move or a second location to which it should not move on a virtual map, and a movement path generation unit that generates a planned movement path for the moving object based on the designated first or second location and the current position of the moving object. If the virtual map update unit updates the virtual map, the movement path generation unit may update the planned movement path.

[0009] In any of the above-described information processing devices, the virtual map storage unit may store characteristic information of the assumed movement path of a moving object in real space. The above-described information processing device may further include a movement path generation unit that generates a planned movement path for a moving object based on the movement performance of the moving object and the characteristic information. When the virtual map update unit updates the virtual map, the movement path generation unit may update the planned movement path.

[0010] Any of the above information processing devices may further include a movement information acquisition unit that acquires movement information relating to the movement of a moving object in real space. The moving object may be capable of autonomous driving that avoids obstacles by detecting obstacles in real space. If the movement information acquisition unit acquires that the moving object has deviated from the planned movement path due to detecting an obstacle while the moving object is autonomously driving along the planned movement path, the movement path generation unit may further update the planned movement path.

[0011] Any of the above information processing devices may further include a display unit that shows the location of the moving object when it deviates from its planned movement path.

[0012] In any of the above-described information processing devices, the difference extraction unit may acquire the number of times a difference has been extracted at the same location. If the number of extractions exceeds a predetermined number, the above-described information processing device may further include a display unit that displays a predetermined information at the same location.

[0013] Any of the above information processing devices may further include a movement information acquisition unit that acquires movement information relating to the movement of a moving object in real space, and a display unit that displays the movement information on a virtual map including the initial position and target position of the moving object.

[0014] In any of the above-described information processing devices, the movement information may include at least one of the following: information about the real space in which the moving object moved, information about the real space in which the moving object is moving, and information about the position of the moving object.

[0015] Any of the above information processing apparatuses may further include an instrument information acquisition unit that acquires instrument information of instruments provided in the real space from a moving body and the instrument information.

[0016] In any of the above information processing apparatuses, the moving body may acquire instrument information. The instrument information acquisition unit may acquire the instrument information acquired by the moving body. The instrument information acquisition unit may further acquire the position of the moving body when the moving body acquires the instrument information. The display unit may display the position of the moving body.

[0017] In a second aspect of the present invention, an information processing method is provided. The information processing method includes a virtual map storage stage for storing a three-dimensional virtual map corresponding to the real space, a map information acquisition stage for acquiring map information of the real space from a plurality of moving bodies moving in the real space, a difference extraction stage for extracting differences from the virtual map for each map information, and a virtual map update stage for updating the virtual map based on the differences when differences are extracted at the same location in two or more map informations.

[0018] In a third aspect of the present invention, an information processing program is provided. The information processing program causes a computer to execute the information processing method.

[0019] Note that the above summary of the invention does not list all the features of the present invention. Also, sub-combinations of these feature groups can also be inventions.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] It is a schematic top view showing a real space 110 in which a plurality of moving bodies 90 move. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view showing an example of a three-dimensional virtual map 120 corresponding to the real space 110. [Figure 3] It is a block diagram showing an example of an information processing apparatus 100. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing an example of a display mode of a display unit 70. [Figure 5]It is a schematic top view showing another example of the real space 110. [Figure 6] It is another example of the virtual map 120. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing an example of the storage mode of the real space information storage unit 12 (see FIG. 3). [Figure 8] It is a flowchart showing an example of an information processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the computer 1200 in which a plurality of aspects of the present invention can be embodied in whole or in part.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Also, not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential for the solution means of the invention.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a schematic top view showing an example of the real space 110 in which a plurality of moving bodies 90 move. In the example of FIG. 1, the plurality of moving bodies 90 are the moving bodies 90-1 to 90-3. The real space 110 is a space such as a plant, for example. The real space 110 may be an indoor space or an outdoor space. The real space 110 may be a space where it is dangerous to enter due to the influence of an environment such as radiation or harmful gas, or a space where it is difficult to enter due to the presence of obstacles or the like, that is, a space where it is difficult for a human to enter.

[0023] In the real space 110, a road surface 112 may be arranged and a structure 114 may be provided. When the real space 110 is a space such as a plant, the road surface 112 is the floor surface of the plant. The structure 114 is, for example, a device such as an instrument, a manufacturing device, or equipment. The moving body 90 may travel on the road surface 112.

[0024] The mobile unit 90 may be an autonomously mobile robot, or a robot that can be remotely controlled by a user of the information processing device 100 (described later). The mobile unit 90 may be a quadruped robot that moves in contact with the road surface 112, a caterpillar-type or wheeled robot, or a drone that moves through the air. The mobile unit 90 may be a robot that patrols the real space 110.

[0025] The mobile body 90 may have a map acquisition unit 92 that acquires map information of the real space 110. Each of the multiple mobile bodies 90 may have a map acquisition unit 92 that acquires map information of the real space 110. In this example, mobile bodies 90-1 to 90-3 each have map acquisition units 92-1 to 92-3. Map information refers to information relating to the physical quantities of an object in the real space 110. The object may be at least one of the road surface 112 and the structure 114.

[0026] The physical quantities of the object include, for example, the position, shape, gradient, width, and temperature of the road surface 112, the condition of the road surface 112, the presence or absence of obstacles on the road surface 112, or the position, shape, and size of the structure 114. The position of the object may be a relative position between multiple objects, a relative position with respect to a set reference position, or an absolute position such as latitude and longitude.

[0027] The condition of the road surface 112 may refer to the arrangement of irregularities on the road surface 112, the presence or absence of cracks, whether or not the road surface 112 is wet, or the presence or absence of foreign matter such as sand on the road surface 112. An obstacle on the road surface 112 may refer to an object that is larger than a predetermined size (for example, at least one of the width, depth, and height), or an object that the moving body 90 could not move due to the presence of the object.

[0028] The physical quantities in question may include temperature, humidity, and the concentration of a specific gas (e.g., carbon dioxide) in the real space 110. The map acquisition unit 92 may acquire information relating to the physical quantities in the real space 110. The map acquisition unit 92 may be a sensor that acquires such information, or it may be an imaging unit (described later) that captures an image showing such information. If the map acquisition unit 92 is an imaging unit, then each of the moving bodies 90-1 to 90-3 has an imaging unit.

[0029] The map acquisition unit 92 may detect areas where the moving object 90 was able to move and areas where it was not, and acquire map information based on the detection results. The map acquisition unit 92 may determine that a road surface 112 exists in the areas where the moving object 90 was able to move, and that a structure 114 or obstacle exists in the areas where the moving object 90 was not able to move. The map acquisition unit 92 may acquire map information based on the movement results of the moving object 90 and images of the surrounding environment acquired by the imaging unit. For example, the map acquisition unit 92 may acquire physical quantities such as the position, shape, and size of a structure 114 or obstacle that is hindering the movement of the moving object 90 based on images acquired when the moving object 90 was unable to move.

[0030] Multiple mobile bodies 90 may have a location information acquisition unit 94 that acquires the location of the mobile body 90 in real space 110. The location information acquisition unit 94 is, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System). In the example in Figure 1, mobile bodies 90-1 to 90-3 each have a location information acquisition unit 94-1 to 94-3.

[0031] In this specification, technical matters may be described using the Cartesian coordinate axes X, Y, and Z. In this specification, the plane parallel to the road surface 112 is defined as the XY plane, and the direction perpendicular to the road surface 112 is defined as the Z-axis direction. In this specification, any one direction within the XY plane is defined as the X-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X-axis within the XY plane is defined as the Y-axis direction. The Z-axis direction may be parallel to the vertical direction, and the XY plane may be a horizontal plane.

[0032] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a three-dimensional virtual map 120 corresponding to the real space 110. The virtual map 120 may be an existing map, or it may be a map created based on map information acquired by the map acquisition unit 92 of the mobile body 90. Existing maps include, for example, CAD data from when the real space 110 was constructed, or Google Maps. Maps created based on map information acquired by the map acquisition unit 92 are, for example, maps created using SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) technology. Figure 2 shows the area of ​​the virtual map 120 that corresponds to the real space 110. The virtual map 120 contains information corresponding to an object in the real space 110. This object is either the road surface 112 or the structure 114 of the real space 110. In Figure 2, the code for structure 114 is shown only for structure 114 corresponding to structure 114-6 in Figure 1. The virtual map 120 may contain the same information as the map information in the real space 110. In other words, the virtual map 120 may include information relating to the physical quantities of the object in the real space 110.

[0033] The virtual map 120 may specify at least one of a first location P1 to which the mobile object 90 should move and a second location P2 to which the mobile object 90 should not move. In Figure 2, an example of the first location P1 is shown with a dashed line, and an example of the second location P2 is shown with a dashed line.

[0034] The first location P1 is, for example, a location in the physical space 110 where a user of the information processing device 100 (described later) wants to obtain map information for the mobile body 90. If the physical space 110 is a space that is difficult for humans to enter, and an unexpected event occurs at a specific first location P1 in the physical space 110, the user may want map information for the first location P1 in the physical space 110. In such a case, the user may designate the first location P1 as a place where the mobile body 90 should move. The second location P2 is, for example, a dangerous area or a restricted area in the physical space 110. If the second location P2 is such a place, the user of the information processing device 100 (described later) may designate the second location P2 as a place where the mobile body 90 should not move.

[0035] The first location P1 and the second location P2 may be predetermined areas in the physical space 110. These areas may be areas on the road surface 112. If the mobile body 90 is a drone, the first location P1 and the second location P2 may be predetermined areas in the physical space 110, and may be spatial areas with volume. A spatial area with volume is, for example, the space of one or more rooms provided in the physical space 110.

[0036] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of an information processing device 100. The information processing device 100 includes a virtual map storage unit 10, a map information acquisition unit 20, a difference extraction unit 30, a virtual map update unit 40, and a control unit 50. The information processing device 100 may also include a real-space information storage unit 12, a travel path generation unit 60, a reception unit 62, a travel information acquisition unit 64, an instrument information acquisition unit 68, and a display unit 70. The display unit 70 is, for example, a display, monitor, or smartphone screen.

[0037] Part or all of the information processing device 100 may be implemented by a computer. The control unit 50 may be the CPU (Central Processing Unit) of the computer. If the information processing device 100 is implemented by a computer, the computer may have an information processing program installed to make the computer function as the information processing device 100, and may also have an information processing program installed to execute the information processing method described later.

[0038] The map information acquisition unit 20 acquires map information of the real space 110 from multiple mobile bodies 90. The map information acquisition unit 20 may wirelessly acquire the map information acquired by the map acquisition unit 92 of the mobile bodies 90. The map information acquisition unit 20 may acquire the map information acquired by each of the multiple mobile bodies 90. The map information acquisition unit 20 may acquire map information for each location in the real space 110 from multiple mobile bodies 90 moving in the real space 110. The map acquisition unit 92 of the mobile bodies 90 may acquire map information as they move in the real space 110. The map information acquisition unit 20 may acquire the map information acquired by the mobile bodies 90 as they move.

[0039] The map information acquisition unit 20 may wirelessly acquire the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 94 of the mobile body 90. The map information acquisition unit 20 may acquire the location information acquired by each of the multiple mobile bodies 90. The map information acquisition unit 20 may acquire the location information of each of the multiple mobile bodies 90 moving in the real space 110. When the mobile body 90 is moving in the real space 110, the location information acquisition unit 94 of the mobile body 90 may acquire its position in the real space 110 each time. The map information acquisition unit 20 may acquire the location information acquired by the mobile body 90 each time it moves.

[0040] The virtual map storage unit 10 stores the virtual map 120. The map information acquisition unit 20 may acquire the virtual map 120 via the Internet. The virtual map storage unit 10 may store the virtual map 120 acquired by the map information acquisition unit 20.

[0041] The difference extraction unit 30 extracts differences between the real-world map information 110 acquired by each of the multiple mobile bodies 90 and the virtual map 120. The difference extraction unit 30 may extract differences between the real-world map information 110 and the virtual map 120 based on the physical quantity of the target in the real-world map information 110 and the physical quantity of the same target in the virtual map 120.

[0042] For example, the difference extraction unit 30 may compare the map information of the real space 110 with the virtual map 120 to see whether or not there are structures 114 or obstacles placed on the road surface 112. As a more specific example, if an obstacle exists in the map information of the real space 110 but does not exist in the virtual map 120, the difference extraction unit 30 may determine that there is a difference in the presence or absence of the obstacle at the location where the obstacle existed in the real space 110.

[0043] In other examples, the difference extraction unit 30 may compare the arrangement of road surfaces 112 in the map information of the real space 110 and the virtual map 120. The arrangement of road surfaces 112 refers to patterns of road surfaces 112, such as the location of road surfaces 112 at intersections, the location of road surfaces 112 at dead ends, the location of straight road surfaces 112, and the location of road surfaces 112 at corners. As a more specific example, if straight road surfaces 112 are arranged in the map information of the real space 110, but dead ends are shown in the virtual map 120, the difference extraction unit 30 may determine that the arrangement of road surfaces 112 at that location is different.

[0044] In another example, if the magnitude of the physical quantity of an object in the virtual map 120 is greater than the magnitude of the physical quantity of the same object in the map information of the real space 110, the difference extraction unit 30 extracts the object as a difference if the ratio of the magnitude of the physical quantity of the same object in the map information of the real space 110 to the magnitude of the physical quantity of the object in the virtual map 120 is less than a predetermined first threshold ratio. For example, if the magnitude of the physical quantity of an object in the virtual map 120 is smaller than the magnitude of the physical quantity of the same object in the map information of the real space 110, the difference extraction unit 30 extracts the object as a difference if the ratio of the magnitude of the physical quantity of the same object in the map information of the real space 110 to the magnitude of the physical quantity of the object in the virtual map 120 exceeds a predetermined second threshold ratio.

[0045] For example, suppose the map information acquisition unit 20 acquires that the width of the road surface 112 while the moving object 90 is moving is 0.5m. In the virtual map 120, the width of the road surface 112 is 1m. In this case, the ratio of the width of the road surface acquired by the moving object 90 to the width of the road surface 112 in the virtual map 120 is 0.5. If the first threshold ratio is, for example, 0.8, this ratio is less than the first threshold ratio. Therefore, the difference point extraction unit 30 extracts the width of the road surface 112 as a difference point. For example, suppose the map information acquisition unit 20 acquires that the width of the road surface 112 while the moving object 90 is moving is 0.9m. In the virtual map 120, the width of the road surface 112 is 1m. In this case, the ratio of the width of the road surface acquired by the moving object 90 to the width of the road surface 112 in the virtual map 120 is 0.9. If the first threshold ratio is, for example, 0.8, this ratio is greater than or equal to the first threshold ratio. Therefore, the difference extraction unit 30 does not extract the width of the road surface 112 as a difference.

[0046] For example, suppose the map information acquisition unit 20 acquires that the width of the road surface 112 while the moving object 90 is moving is 1.5m. In the virtual map 120, the width of the road surface 112 is 1m. In this case, the ratio of the width of the road surface acquired by the moving object 90 to the width of the road surface 112 in the virtual map 120 is 1.5. If the second threshold ratio is, for example, 1.2, this ratio is greater than the second threshold ratio. Therefore, the difference point extraction unit 30 extracts the width of the road surface 112 as a difference point. For example, suppose the map information acquisition unit 20 acquires that the width of the road surface 112 while the moving object 90 is moving is 1.1m. In the virtual map 120, the width of the road surface 112 is 1m. In this case, the ratio of the width of the road surface acquired by the moving object 90 to the width of the road surface 112 in the virtual map 120 is 1.1. If the second threshold ratio is, for example, 1.2, this ratio is less than or equal to the second threshold ratio. Therefore, the difference extraction unit 30 does not extract the width of the road surface 112 as a difference.

[0047] For example, suppose the map information acquisition unit 20 acquires the height of structure 114 as 1m. In the virtual map 120, the height of structure 114 is 2m. In this case, the ratio of the height of structure 114 acquired by the mobile unit 90 to the height of structure 114 in the virtual map 120 is 0.5. If the first threshold ratio is, for example, 0.8, this ratio is less than the first threshold ratio. Therefore, the difference extraction unit 30 extracts the height of structure 114 as a difference. For example, suppose the map information acquisition unit 20 acquires the height of structure 114 as 1.8m. In the virtual map 120, the height of structure 114 is 2m. In this case, the ratio of the height of structure 114 acquired by the mobile unit 90 to the height of structure 114 in the virtual map 120 is 0.9. If the first threshold ratio is, for example, 0.8, this ratio is greater than or equal to the first threshold ratio. Therefore, the difference extraction unit 30 does not extract the height of structure 114 as a difference.

[0048] For example, suppose the map information acquisition unit 20 acquires the height of structure 114 as 3m. In the virtual map 120, the height of structure 114 is 2m. In this case, the ratio of the height of structure 114 acquired by the mobile unit 90 to the height of structure 114 in the virtual map 120 is 1.5. If the second threshold ratio is, for example, 1.2, this ratio is greater than the second threshold ratio. Therefore, the difference extraction unit 30 extracts the height of structure 114 as a difference. For example, suppose the map information acquisition unit 20 acquires the height of structure 114 as 2.2m. In the virtual map 120, the height of structure 114 is 2m. In this case, the ratio of the height of structure 114 acquired by the mobile unit 90 to the height of structure 114 in the virtual map 120 is 1.1. If the second threshold ratio is, for example, 1.2, this ratio is less than or equal to the second threshold ratio. Therefore, the difference extraction unit 30 does not extract the height of structure 114 as a difference.

[0049] In this example, the difference extraction unit 30 extracts a first difference between the first map information acquired by the mobile body 90-1 and the virtual map 120, a second difference between the second map information acquired by the mobile body 90-2 and the virtual map 120, and a third difference between the third map information acquired by the mobile body 90-3 and the virtual map 120. The virtual map update unit 40 updates the virtual map 120 based on the differences when differences are extracted between two or more map information sources and the virtual map 120 at the same location. When differences are extracted between two or more map information sources and the virtual map 120 at the same location, there is a high probability that the map information in the virtual map 120 and the current situation in the real space 110 are different at that location. Therefore, the virtual map update unit 40 updates the virtual map 120 based on the differences when differences are extracted between two or more map information sources and the virtual map 120 at the same location. This allows the current situation of the real space 110 to be reflected in the virtual map 120. The virtual map update unit 40 may update the virtual map 120 by updating the physical quantities related to the differences in the virtual map 120 to the physical quantities of the same objects in the map information of the real space 110.

[0050] Figure 4 shows an example of the display mode of the display unit 70. In this example, the display unit 70 is a display. The display unit 70 may display the virtual map 120. The display unit 70 may display the updated virtual map 120. The display unit 70 may display locations where differences have been extracted between two or more map information sources. In the example of Figure 4, the virtual map 120 shown in Figure 2 is displayed on the display unit 70. However, in Figure 4, the first location P1 and the second location P2 shown in Figure 2 are omitted.

[0051] The display unit 70 may display a predetermined indication at the location where the difference has been extracted. A predetermined indication is, for example, a display that highlights the location where the difference has been extracted, such as surrounding the location with a frame or making it blink. In the example in Figure 4, the location Pd where the difference has been extracted is surrounded by a black frame. Location Pd is adjacent to structure 114-7 (see Figure 1) in the X-axis direction in real space 110, and adjacent to structure 114-9 (see Figure 1) in the opposite direction in the Y-axis direction.

[0052] Figure 5 is a schematic top view showing another example of real space 110. In Figure 5, an obstacle Ob exists at position Pb in real space 110 as shown in Figure 1. In this example, position Pb is a position on the XY plane. In Figure 4, the obstacle Ob is shown as an elliptical shape. Position Pb is between structures 114-5 and 114-7 in the X-axis direction.

[0053] The difference extraction unit 30 may determine the degree of similarity between the differences between the map information and the virtual map 120 at the same location. For example, the difference extraction unit 30 may determine the degree of similarity between the first difference between the map information obtained from the mobile unit 90-1 and the virtual map 120, and the second difference between the map information obtained from the mobile unit 90-2 and the virtual map 120 at the same location Pb.

[0054] The difference extraction unit 30 may reflect the content indicated by the first and second difference points in the virtual map 120 if both the first and second difference points indicate the same content (i.e., the degree of similarity is maximized). The difference points being the same means, for example, that the presence or absence of a structure 114 or obstacle Ob placed on the road surface 112 matches. As a more specific example, if an obstacle Ob does not exist in the virtual map 120 but exists in the first and second difference points, the difference extraction unit 30 may determine that the first and second difference points indicate the same content.

[0055] Other examples of identical differences include cases where the patterns of the road surface 112 are the same, such as the location of the road surface 112 at intersections, the location of the road surface 112 at dead ends, the location of the road surface 112 on straight sections, and the location of the road surface 112 at corners.

[0056] Figure 6 is another example of the virtual map 120. Figure 6 is a more specific example in which the first and second differences extracted by the difference extraction unit 30 both refer to the same content. In the example of Figure 6, another structure 114 is placed at a position on the virtual map 120 that corresponds to the space between structures 114-4 and 114-6 in the real space 110 along the X-axis. The virtual map 120 in Figure 6 differs from the virtual map 120 in Figure 2 in this respect. In Figure 6, the other structure 114 is shown with a thick line.

[0057] In the virtual map 120 of Figure 6, the placement of other structures 114 prevents the moving body 90 from passing through the road surface 112 between structures 114-4 and 114-6 in the Y-axis direction (it's a dead end). However, in real space 110, the positions of the other structures 114 in the virtual map 120 are passable. If the difference extraction unit 30 extracts a first difference and a second difference at that position, the difference extraction unit 30 may determine that the first difference and the second difference refer to the same thing.

[0058] In another example, suppose the map information acquisition unit 20 acquires that at the same location, mobile body 90-1 acquires the width of road surface 112 as 0.5m, and mobile body 90-2 acquires the width of road surface 112 as 0.7m. In the virtual map 120, the width of road surface 112 is assumed to be 1m. In this case, the ratio of the width of road surface 112 acquired by mobile body 90-1 to the width of road surface 112 in the virtual map 120 is 0.5, and the ratio of the width of road surface 112 acquired by mobile body 90-1 is 0.7. If the first threshold ratio is, for example, 0.8, these ratios are less than the first threshold ratio. Therefore, the difference point extraction unit 30 extracts the width of road surface 112 as the first difference point and the second difference point.

[0059] The virtual map update unit 40 may update the virtual map 120 based on the similarity of the differences. For example, the virtual map update unit 40 updates the virtual map 120 if it determines that the similarity of the differences is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold similarity. In this example, the ratio for the first difference is 0.5, and the ratio for the second difference is 0.7. The similarity of the differences may be, for example, the ratio of the other ratios to the maximum value of the ratios related to the differences. In this example, the ratio is 0.5 / 0.7 (≒0.71). If the predetermined threshold similarity is, for example, 0.80, the ratio is smaller than the threshold similarity. Therefore, the virtual map update unit 40 does not update the virtual map 120. For example, if the map information acquisition unit 20 acquires that the width of the road surface 112 of the mobile body 90-2 is 0.6m, the ratio for the second difference is 0.6. In this case, the ratio of the ratio of the first difference to the ratio of the second difference is 0.5 / 0.6 (≒0.83). If the predetermined threshold similarity is, for example, 0.80, then this ratio is greater than or equal to the threshold similarity. Therefore, the virtual map update unit 40 updates the virtual map 120.

[0060] Multiple mobile units 90 may each have an imaging unit (see Figure 1) for capturing map information. The imaging unit is an example of a map acquisition unit 92. In the example in Figure 1, mobile unit 90-1 has a first imaging unit for capturing first map information, mobile unit 90-2 has a second imaging unit for capturing second map information, and mobile unit 90-3 has a third imaging unit for capturing third map information.

[0061] The difference extraction unit 30 may determine the similarity of the differences based on the resolution of the imaging unit. For example, if the first resolution of the first imaging unit is A (ppi (pixels per inch)), the second resolution of the second imaging unit is B (ppi), and the third resolution of the third imaging unit is C (ppi), the difference extraction unit 30 may calculate the similarity of the differences by setting the weight of the first difference point to A / (A+B+C), the weight of the second difference point to B / (A+B+C), and the weight of the third difference point to C / (A+B+C). The higher the resolution of the imaging unit, the more accurate the ratio related to the differences tends to be, and the lower the resolution of the imaging unit, the less accurate the ratio related to the differences tends to be. For this reason, the difference extraction unit 30 may set the weight of the differences higher when the resolution of the imaging unit is high, and the weight of the differences lower when the resolution of the imaging unit is low. This allows the difference extraction unit 30 to extract differences while reflecting the resolution.

[0062] For example, if the first resolution is 200 ppi, the second resolution is 300 ppi, and the third resolution is 350 ppi, the weighting of the first difference is 0.235, the weighting of the second difference is 0.353, and the weighting of the third difference is 0.412. For example, if the ratio related to the first difference is 0.5, the ratio related to the second difference is 0.7, and the ratio related to the third difference is 0.75, the weighted average of the first to third differences is 0.673 (= 0.5 × 0.235 + 0.7 × 0.353 + 0.75 × 0.412). The difference extraction unit 30 may use this weighted average value as the similarity of the differences. If the predetermined threshold similarity is, for example, 0.80, then this weighted average value is less than the threshold similarity. Therefore, the virtual map update unit 40 does not update the virtual map 120.

[0063] The difference extraction unit 30 may determine the similarity of the differences based on the accuracy of the location information acquisition unit 94. For example, if the first accuracy of the location information acquisition unit 94-1 is α(m), the second accuracy of the location information acquisition unit 94-2 is β(m), and the third accuracy of the location information acquisition unit 94-3 is γ(m), and α>β>γ, then the difference extraction unit 30 may calculate the similarity of the differences by setting the weight of the first difference to the third difference as γ / (α+β+γ), the weight of the second difference to the third difference as β / (α+β+γ), and the weight of the third difference as α / (α+β+γ). The higher the accuracy of the location information acquisition unit 94, the higher the accuracy of the ratio related to the differences tends to be, and the lower the accuracy of the location information acquisition unit 94, the lower the accuracy of the ratio related to the differences tends to be. Therefore, the difference extraction unit 30 may assign higher weights to the differences as the accuracy of the location information acquisition unit 94 increases, and lower weights to the differences as the accuracy of the location information acquisition unit 94 decreases. This allows the difference extraction unit 30 to extract differences that reflect the accuracy of the location information.

[0064] For example, if the first precision is 3m, the second precision is 2m, and the third precision is 1m, the weighting of the first difference is 0.167 (=1 / 6), the weighting of the second difference is 0.333 (=2 / 6), and the weighting of the third difference is 0.5 (=3 / 6). For example, if the ratio related to the first difference is 0.5, the ratio related to the second difference is 0.7, and the ratio related to the third difference is 0.75, the weighted average of the first to third differences is 0.6916 (=0.5 × 0.167 + 0.7 × 0.333 + 0.75 × 0.5). The difference extraction unit 30 may use this weighted average value as the similarity of the differences. If the predetermined threshold similarity is, for example, 0.80, then this weighted average value is less than the threshold similarity. Therefore, the virtual map update unit 40 does not update the virtual map 120.

[0065] The map information acquisition unit 20 may acquire the time at which map information was acquired at the same location. For example, the map information acquisition unit 20 may acquire the first time at which mobile body 90-1 acquired map information and the second time at which mobile body 90-2 acquired map information at the same location. The map information acquisition unit 20 may acquire the acquisition interval between the first time and the second time.

[0066] The difference extraction unit 30 may extract differences based on the similarity of differences at the same location and the time at which the map information acquisition unit 20 acquired map information at that location. For example, as described above, if the ratio for the first difference is 0.5, the ratio for the second difference is 0.6, and a predetermined threshold similarity is, for example, 0.80, then the ratio of the ratio for the first difference to the ratio for the second difference (0.5 / 0.6 (≒0.83)) is greater than or equal to the threshold similarity. Therefore, the virtual map update unit 40 can update the virtual map 120. In this case, if the acquisition interval between the first time and the second time exceeds a predetermined time threshold, the virtual map update unit 40 does not need to update the virtual map 120. If the acquisition interval between the first time and the second time is less than or equal to the time threshold, the virtual map update unit 40 may update the virtual map 120. The time thresholds are, for example, 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours (one day), 48 hours (two days), 120 hours (five days), and 168 hours (one week).

[0067] The condition of the road surface 112 or structure 114 (see Figure 1) at the same location may change over time. If the condition of the road surface 112 or structure 114 at the same location differs from that at the second time point, the virtual map 120 at the first time point may differ from the virtual map 120 at the second time point. Therefore, if the acquisition interval between the first and second time points exceeds a time threshold, the virtual map 120 used for extracting differences may differ between the first and second time points. If the virtual maps 120 differ, it is difficult to compare the differences at the first time point with the differences at the second time point using the same criteria. Therefore, even if the similarity of the differences at the same location is equal to or greater than the threshold similarity, if the acquisition interval between the first and second time points exceeds a predetermined time threshold, the virtual map update unit 40 does not need to update the virtual map 120. This allows the virtual map update unit 40 to update the virtual map 120 more accurately.

[0068] The difference extraction unit 30 may obtain the number of times a difference has been extracted at the same location. The extraction count may be the sum of the extraction counts for the map information from each of the multiple mobile bodies 90. For example, if a difference is extracted twice at a specific location for the first map information from mobile body 90-1, once at the same specific location for the second map information from mobile body 90-2, and once at the same specific location for the third map information from mobile body 90-3, the difference extraction unit 30 will obtain an extraction count of 4.

[0069] If the number of extractions exceeds a predetermined number, the display unit 70 may display a predetermined indication at the location where the differences were extracted. The predetermined number of extractions may be 2, 5, or 10. The predetermined indication is, for example, a display that emphasizes that the location where the differences were extracted has been identified more than the predetermined number of times, such as by surrounding the location where the differences were extracted with a frame or making it flash.

[0070] Locations in real space 110 that are frequently identified as differences are highly likely to be places where events causing changes in map information have occurred. Events causing changes in map information include, for example, when the structure 114 itself constantly vibrates, changing its position in real space 110, which in turn changes the width of the road surface 112 adjacent to the structure 114. Therefore, when a difference has been identified in a location more than a predetermined number of times, the display unit 70 displays a predetermined message, allowing the user of the information processing device 100 to recognize locations in real space 110 that require attention.

[0071] Figure 7 shows an example of the storage configuration of the real-space information storage unit 12 (see Figure 3). The real-space information storage unit 12 stores information of the real space 110. The real-space information storage unit 12 may store map information acquired by the map information acquisition unit 20. The real-space information storage unit 12 may store the map information acquired by the map information acquisition unit 20 in association with location information. In this example, the real-space information storage unit 12 stores n locations in the real space 110, physical quantities related to the road surface 112 at each location, and physical quantities related to the structure 114 at each location in association with each other. In this example, the physical quantities related to the road surface 112 are the shape sh, gradient sl, width wa, state st, and presence or absence of obstacles. In this example, the physical quantities related to the structure 114 are the shape sh', height h, width wb, and depth d of the structure 114.

[0072] The reception unit 62 (see Figure 3) accepts the designation of either a first location P1 (see Figure 2) or a second location P2 (see Figure 2) on the virtual map 120. As described above, the first location P1 is the location to which the mobile object 90 should move, and the second location P2 is the location to which the mobile object 90 should not move. The movement path generation unit 60 generates a planned movement path for the mobile object 90 based on the first location P1 or the second location P2 and the current location of the mobile object 90. The movement path generation unit 60 may generate a planned movement path for the mobile object 90 based on the first location P1 or the second location P2, the current location of the mobile object 90, and information about the real space 110 stored in the real space information storage unit 12. For example, the movement path generation unit 60 generates the shortest movement path from the current location to the first location P1 as the planned movement path for the mobile object 90. For example, the movement path generation unit 60 generates the shortest movement path from the current position to the first location P1, and a path that does not pass through the second location P2. The real-space information storage unit 12 stores physical quantities related to the road surface 112 and physical quantities related to the structure 114. Therefore, the movement path generation unit 60 can generate a planned movement path for the moving object 90 based on the first location P1 or the second location P2, the current position of the moving object 90, and at least one of the physical quantities related to the road surface 112 and the physical quantities related to the structure 114.

[0073] The virtual map storage unit 10 (see Figure 3) may store characteristic information of the assumed movement path that the mobile object 90 will take in real space 110. The assumed movement path may be the path of the mobile object 90 assumed by the user of the information processing device 100. The characteristic information of the assumed movement path refers to at least one of the following: shape, gradient, width, condition (presence or absence of bumps, etc.), and presence or absence of obstacles. The characteristic information may be included in the virtual map 120. The map information acquisition unit 20 may acquire the virtual map 120 containing the characteristic information of the assumed movement path. The virtual map storage unit 10 may store the virtual map 120 containing the characteristic information.

[0074] The movement path generation unit 60 may generate a planned movement path for the mobile body 90 based on the movement performance of the mobile body 90 and the characteristic information of the assumed movement path. The movement performance of the mobile body 90 includes, for example, the maximum speed of the mobile body 90, the width of the path that the mobile body 90 can traverse, and the gradient of the path that the mobile body 90 can traverse. For example, the movement path generation unit 60 generates a planned movement path in which the gradient of the assumed movement path in the characteristic information is less than the maximum gradient that the mobile body 90 can traverse. For example, the movement path generation unit 60 generates a planned movement path in which the width of the assumed movement path in the characteristic information is less than the width of the path that the mobile body 90 can traverse. For example, the movement path generation unit 60 generates a planned movement path that avoids assumed movement paths that are said to have obstacles in the characteristic information. As a result, the mobile body 90 can reliably move along the planned movement path.

[0075] The movement path generation unit 60 may generate a planned movement path for the mobile body 90 based on the first location P1 or the second location P2, the current position of the mobile body 90, the movement performance of the mobile body 90, and characteristic information of the assumed movement path. This ensures that the mobile body 90 can reliably move along the planned movement path from its current position to the first location P1.

[0076] When the virtual map update unit 40 (see Figure 3) updates the virtual map 120, the travel path generation unit 60 may update the planned travel path. When the virtual map 120 is updated, the information of the real space 110 stored in the real space information storage unit 12 may also be updated. For this reason, it is preferable for the travel path generation unit 60 to update the planned travel path when the virtual map update unit 40 (see Figure 3) updates the virtual map 120.

[0077] The mobile body 90 may have a detection unit for detecting obstacles in the real space 110. This detection unit may be an imaging unit (an example of a map acquisition unit 92; see Figure 1). An obstacle in the real space 110 is an object in the real space 110 that makes it difficult for the mobile body 90 to move, even though the virtual map 120 indicates that the mobile body 90 can move in that location. An obstacle is, for example, a structure 114 that has fallen onto the road surface 112 due to an earthquake or the like, blocking the path. Such a structure 114 is not displayed on the virtual map 120.

[0078] The movement information acquisition unit 64 acquires movement information relating to the movement of the moving object 90 in the physical space 110. The movement information may be information about the physical space 110 to which the moving object 90 has moved (see Figure 7), or information about the physical space 110 to which the moving object 90 will move (see Figure 7). Information about the physical space 110 to which the moving object 90 has moved refers to information about the physical space 110 to which the moving object 90 has moved so far. Information about the physical space 110 to which the moving object 90 will move refers to information about the physical space 110 to which the moving object 90 will move in the future. The movement information may also be position information of the moving object 90. Position information of the moving object 90 may be the current position information of the moving object 90 in the physical space 110, or it may be information about a first location P1 to which the moving object 90 should move, or it may be information about a second location P2 to which the moving object 90 should not move.

[0079] The mobile body 90 may be capable of autonomous driving to avoid obstacles in the real space 110 by detecting such obstacles. If the mobile body 90 detects an obstacle while autonomously driving along a planned travel path, the mobile body 90 may deviate from the planned travel path. If the travel information acquisition unit 64 (see Figure 3) acquires that the mobile body 90 has deviated from the planned travel path, the travel path generation unit 60 may further update the planned travel path. As a result, the mobile body 90 can reach the first location P1 even if it deviates from the planned travel path.

[0080] The virtual map 120 may include the initial position and destination position of the moving object 90. The reception unit 62 (see Figure 3) may accept the specification of the initial position and destination position. The virtual map 120 may display the specified initial position and destination position. The display unit 70 (see Figure 3) may display the movement information of the moving object 90 on the virtual map 120, which includes the initial position and destination position of the moving object 90. If the moving object 90 deviates from the planned movement path, the display unit 70 may display the position of the moving object 90 that deviated from the planned movement path. If the moving object 90 deviates from the planned movement path due to the detection of an obstacle, the position that deviated from the planned movement path may be the position of the obstacle.

[0081] The instrument information acquisition unit 68 acquires instrument information of instruments installed in the physical space 110. The mobile body 90 may acquire instrument information. The imaging unit of the mobile body 90 may acquire instrument information of instruments installed in the physical space 110. For example, if the instrument is a pressure gauge in a nuclear power plant, the imaging unit acquires the pressure value indicated by the pressure gauge by imaging it. The instrument information acquisition unit 68 may acquire the instrument information acquired by the mobile body 90. For example, the instrument information acquisition unit 68 acquires the pressure value acquired by the imaging unit.

[0082] The instrument information acquisition unit 68 may further acquire the position of the mobile body 90 when the mobile body 90 acquires the instrument information. The mobile body 90 position information acquisition unit 94 may acquire the position of the mobile body 90 when the mobile body 90 acquires the instrument information. The instrument information acquisition unit 68 may acquire the position acquired by the position information acquisition unit 94.

[0083] The display unit 70 may display instrument information acquired by the instrument information acquisition unit 68. For example, the display unit 70 may display the pressure value of the pressure gauge acquired by the instrument information acquisition unit 68. The display unit 70 may also display the instrument information acquired by the instrument information acquisition unit 68 and the position of the mobile body 90 when the mobile body 90 acquired the instrument information.

[0084] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of an information processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention. An information processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention will be explained using the information processing device 100 shown in Figure 3 as an example.

[0085] The virtual map storage stage S100 is the stage in which the virtual map storage unit 10 stores a three-dimensional virtual map 120 corresponding to the real space 110. The virtual map storage stage S100 may also be the stage in which the virtual map storage unit 10 stores the virtual map 120 acquired by the map information acquisition unit 20.

[0086] The map information acquisition stage S120 is the stage in which the map information acquisition unit 20 acquires map information of the real space 110 from multiple moving objects 90 moving in the real space 110. The difference extraction stage S130 is the stage in which the difference extraction unit 30 extracts differences between each map information and the virtual map 120. The virtual map update stage S140 is the stage in which the virtual map update unit 40 updates the virtual map 120 based on the differences extracted at the same location in two or more map information.

[0087] Figure 9 shows an example of the configuration of a computer 1200 in which multiple embodiments of the present invention may be embodied in whole or in part. A program installed on the computer 1200 can cause the computer 1200 to function as an operation associated with an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, or as one or more "parts" of said apparatus, or to execute said operation or said one or more "parts", and / or to cause the computer 1200 to execute a process or a stage of said process according to an embodiment of the present invention. Such a program may be executed by the CPU 1212 to cause the computer 1200 to execute a specific operation associated with some or all of the blocks of the flowcharts and block diagrams described herein. Furthermore, a process or a stage of said process according to an embodiment of the present invention may be executed on the cloud.

[0088] The computer 1200 according to this embodiment includes a CPU 1212, RAM 1214, a graphics controller 1216, and a display device 1218, which are interconnected by a host controller 1210. The computer 1200 also includes input / output units such as a communication interface 1222, a hard disk drive 1224, a DVD-ROM drive 1226, and an IC card drive, which are connected to the host controller 1210 via an input / output controller 1220. The computer also includes legacy input / output units such as a ROM 1230 and a keyboard 1242, which are connected to the input / output controller 1220 via an input / output chip 1240.

[0089] The CPU 1212 operates according to the programs stored in the ROM 1230 and RAM 1214, thereby controlling each unit. The graphics controller 1216 acquires the image data generated by the CPU 1212 and stores it in the frame buffer provided in the RAM 1214 or within the graphics controller 1216 itself, and displays the image data on the display device 1218.

[0090] The communication interface 1222 communicates with other electronic devices via a network. The hard disk drive 1224 stores programs and data used by the CPU 1212 in the computer 1200. The DVD-ROM drive 1226 reads programs or data from the DVD-ROM 1201 and provides them to the hard disk drive 1224 via the RAM 1214. The IC card drive reads programs and data from the IC card and / or writes programs and data to the IC card.

[0091] The ROM 1230 internally stores a boot program, etc., that is executed by the computer 1200 when activated, and / or programs that depend on the computer 1200's hardware. The input / output chip 1240 may also connect various input / output units to the input / output controller 1220 via a parallel port, serial port, keyboard port, mouse port, etc.

[0092] The program is provided on a computer-readable storage medium such as a DVD-ROM 1201 or an IC card. The program is read from the computer-readable storage medium and installed on a hard disk drive 1224, RAM 1214, or ROM 1230, which are examples of computer-readable storage media, and executed by the CPU 1212. The information processing described within these programs is read by the computer 1200, resulting in coordination between the program and the various types of hardware resources described above. The apparatus or method may be configured to realize the operation or processing of information in accordance with the use of the computer 1200.

[0093] For example, when communication is performed between a computer 1200 and an external device, the CPU 1212 may execute a communication program loaded into RAM 1214 and, based on the processing described in the communication program, instruct the communication interface 1222 to perform communication processing. Under the control of the CPU 1212, the communication interface 1222 reads transmission data stored in a transmission buffer area provided in a recording medium such as RAM 1214, a hard disk drive 1224, a DVD-ROM 1201, or an IC card, transmits the read transmission data to the network, or writes received data received from the network to a reception buffer area provided on the recording medium.

[0094] Furthermore, the CPU 1212 may read all or necessary parts of files or databases stored on external recording media such as the hard disk drive 1224, DVD-ROM drive 1226 (DVD-ROM 1201), or IC card into the RAM 1214, and perform various types of processing on the data in the RAM 1214. The CPU 1212 may then write the processed data back to the external recording media.

[0095] Various types of information, such as various types of programs, data, tables, and databases, may be stored on the recording medium for information processing. The CPU 1212 may perform various types of processing on the data read from RAM 1214, including various types of operations, information processing, conditional judgments, conditional branching, unconditional branching, information retrieval / replacement, etc., as described throughout this disclosure and specified by the program instruction sequence, and write the results back to RAM 1214. The CPU 1212 may also retrieve information in files, databases, etc., within the recording medium. For example, if multiple entries are stored in the recording medium, each having an attribute value of a first attribute associated with an attribute value of a second attribute, the CPU 1212 may search among the multiple entries for an entry that matches the specified condition for the attribute value of the first attribute, read the attribute value of the second attribute stored in that entry, and thereby obtain the attribute value of the second attribute associated with the first attribute that satisfies the predetermined condition.

[0096] The program or software module described above may be stored on or near the computer 1200 in a computer-readable storage medium. Alternatively, a recording medium such as a hard disk or RAM provided within a server system connected to a dedicated communication network or the Internet can be used as a computer-readable storage medium, thereby providing the program to the computer 1200 via the network.

[0097] Although the present invention has been described above using embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It will be clear from the claims that such modified or improved forms may also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0098] It should be noted that the execution order of operations, procedures, steps, and stages in the apparatus, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, specifications, and drawings is not explicitly stated as "before," "prior to," etc., and that these can be implemented in any order unless the output of a previous process is used in a later process. Even if the operation flow in the claims, specifications, and drawings is described using phrases such as "first," "next," etc. for convenience, it does not mean that it is essential to perform the operations in that order. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0099] 10...Virtual map storage unit, 12...Real space information storage unit, 20...Map information acquisition unit, 30...Difference extraction unit, 40...Virtual map update unit, 50...Control unit, 60...Movement path generation unit, 62...Reception unit, 64...Movement information acquisition unit, 68...Instrument information acquisition unit, 70...Display unit, 90...Moving body, 92...Map acquisition unit, 94...Location information acquisition unit, 100...Information processing device, 110...Real space, 112...Road surface, 114...Structure, 120...Virtual map, 1200 Computer, 1201 DVD-ROM, 1210 Host controller, 1212 CPU, 1214 RAM, 1216 Graphics controller, 1218 Display device, 1220 Input / Output controller, 1222 Communication interface, 1224 hard disk drives, 1226 DVD-ROM drives, 1230 ROMs, 1240 input / output chips, 1242 keyboards

Claims

1. A virtual map storage unit that stores a three-dimensional virtual map corresponding to real space, A map information acquisition unit that acquires map information of the real space from multiple moving objects moving in the real space, A difference extraction unit extracts the differences between each of the aforementioned map information and the aforementioned virtual map, A virtual map update unit updates the virtual map based on the differences when the same location is extracted in two or more of the aforementioned map information, An information processing device equipped with the following features.

2. The map information acquisition unit acquires the map information for each of the locations in the real space from the plurality of moving bodies that are moving in the real space. The difference extraction unit determines the degree of similarity of the differences between the map information and the virtual map at the same location. The virtual map updating unit updates the virtual map based on the similarity. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. Each of the aforementioned multiple moving bodies has an imaging unit that captures the map information, The difference extraction unit determines the similarity based on the resolution of the imaging unit. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2.

4. Each of the aforementioned multiple moving bodies has a location information acquisition unit that acquires the location, The difference extraction unit determines the similarity based on the accuracy of the position information acquisition unit. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2.

5. The map information acquisition unit acquires the time at which the map information was acquired at the same location. The difference extraction unit extracts the differences based on the similarity and the time. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2.

6. A reception unit that receives designations for a first location to which the moving object should move or a second location to which it should not move, on the aforementioned virtual map, A movement path generation unit generates a planned movement path for the moving body based on the designated first or second location and the current position of the moving body, Furthermore, When the virtual map update unit updates the virtual map, the travel path generation unit updates the planned travel path. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

7. The virtual map storage unit stores characteristic information of the assumed movement path along which the moving object moves in the real space. The system further includes a movement path generation unit that generates a planned movement path for the moving body based on the movement performance of the moving body and the characteristic information. When the virtual map update unit updates the virtual map, the travel path generation unit updates the planned travel path. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

8. The system further includes a movement information acquisition unit that acquires movement information relating to the movement of the moving object in the aforementioned real space, The mobile body is capable of autonomous driving that avoids obstacles by detecting obstacles in the real space. When the mobile body is autonomously traveling along the planned travel path, if the movement information acquisition unit acquires that the mobile body has deviated from the planned travel path due to detecting an obstacle, the movement path generation unit further updates the planned travel path. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6 or 7.

9. If the moving body deviates from the planned movement path, the system further includes a display unit that shows the position of the moving body that deviated from the planned movement path. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8.

10. The difference extraction unit obtains the number of times the difference was extracted at the same location, The system further includes a display unit that displays a predetermined message in the same location if the number of extractions exceeds a predetermined number. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

11. A movement information acquisition unit that acquires movement information relating to the movement of the moving object in the real space, A display unit that displays the movement information on the virtual map including the initial position and target position of the moving object, The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising:

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the movement information includes at least one of the information of the real space in which the moving body moved, the information of the real space in which the moving body is moving, and the position information of the moving body.

13. An instrument information acquisition unit that acquires instrument information of instruments installed in the real space from the aforementioned mobile body, A display unit that displays the aforementioned instrument information, The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising:

14. The mobile unit acquires the instrument information, The instrument information acquisition unit acquires the instrument information acquired by the moving body, The instrument information acquisition unit further acquires the position of the moving body when the moving body acquires the instrument information, The display unit displays the position of the moving body. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13.

15. A virtual map storage stage that stores a three-dimensional virtual map corresponding to the real space, A map information acquisition step in which map information of the real space is acquired from multiple moving objects moving in the real space, A difference extraction step in which differences between each of the aforementioned map information and the aforementioned virtual map are extracted, A virtual map update step in which, when the differences are extracted at the same location in two or more of the aforementioned map information, the virtual map is updated based on the differences, An information processing method comprising the following:

16. An information processing program for causing a computer to execute the information processing method described in claim 15.

Images