Vehicle management method and vehicle management device

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle management method and vehicle management device that enable the installation of toilets in locations where toilets are needed or desired. [Solution] When a terminal D manages the operation of an autonomous vehicle 1 equipped with a toilet inside the vehicle and communicates wirelessly with the vehicle 1, the terminal D sends an operation command to the vehicle 1 via wireless communication, which is to move to a predetermined location set according to calculation processing and stop at that location.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle management method and a vehicle management device.

Background Art

[0002] In the vehicle described in Non-Patent Document 1 below, a private toilet is provided behind the second-row seat of a wagon-type vehicle.

Prior Art Document

Non-Patent Document

[0003]

Non-Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the vehicle described in Non-Patent Document 1 above, although a toilet can be installed in any location by moving the vehicle to a location where a toilet is needed or desired and stopping it, there is a concern that a person has to drive the vehicle to that location, and in some cases, a large amount of labor costs may be required. An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle management method and a vehicle management device that can install a toilet in a location where a toilet is needed or desired while keeping labor costs low.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] One aspect of the present invention relates to a system where a arithmetic processing unit manages the operation of an autonomous vehicle equipped with a toilet, which has a toilet inside the vehicle cabin, by communicating wirelessly with the autonomous vehicle equipped with a toilet. The system provides instructions to the autonomous vehicle equipped with a toilet via wireless communication to move to a predetermined location set according to the calculation process and stop at that location. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to install toilets in places where they are needed or desired, while keeping labor costs low. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is an overall diagram showing the schematic configuration of the operation management system for an autonomous vehicle equipped with a toilet according to the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the communication system between the operating facility and users of the autonomous vehicles equipped with toilets. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the autonomous vehicle equipped with a toilet. [Figure 4] Figure 2 is a block diagram of the operation management system for an autonomous vehicle equipped with a toilet, which is implemented by the processing unit. [Figure 5] Figure 2 is a flowchart of the arithmetic processing performed by the arithmetic processing unit. [Figure 6] Figure 2 is a flowchart of the arithmetic processing performed by the arithmetic processing unit. [Figure 7] Figure 2 is a flowchart of the arithmetic processing performed by the arithmetic processing unit. [Figure 8] Figure 2 is a flowchart of the arithmetic processing performed by the arithmetic processing unit. [Figure 9] Figure 2 is a flowchart of the arithmetic processing performed by the arithmetic processing unit. [Figure 10] Figure 2 is a flowchart of the arithmetic processing performed by the arithmetic processing unit. [Figure 11]Figure 2 is a flowchart of the arithmetic processing performed by the arithmetic processing unit. [Figure 12] Figure 2 is a flowchart of the arithmetic processing performed by the arithmetic processing unit. [Figure 13] Figure 2 is a flowchart of the arithmetic processing performed by the arithmetic processing unit. [Figure 14] Figure 2 is a flowchart of the arithmetic processing performed by the arithmetic processing unit. [Figure 15] Figure 2 is a flowchart of the arithmetic processing performed by the arithmetic processing unit. [Figure 16] This is a flowchart of the calculation process that is executed at a predetermined location. [Figure 17] Figure 2 is a flowchart of the arithmetic processing performed by the arithmetic processing unit. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that each drawing is schematic and may differ from reality. The operation management system shown in Figure 1 is based on the premise that an autonomous vehicle equipped with a toilet (hereinafter also simply referred to as "vehicle") 1 is operated and managed by a specific operating office O. In this embodiment, vehicle 1 includes general vehicles owned by operating office O and municipal vehicles owned by local governments. General vehicles may be owned by parties other than operating office O. An overview of the operation management of this autonomous vehicle equipped with a toilet 1 will be described. In this operation management, as an example, vehicle 1 is dispatched to a parking location on a highway designated by operating office O for use by highway users. Another example of operation management of vehicle 1 is that a user (including local government officials) who wishes to have a toilet installed contacts operating office O with the desired location and date. To achieve this, the user can contact operating office O from a terminal T such as a smartphone or personal computer (hereinafter also referred to as "PC"). In addition, operating office O can communicate wirelessly with vehicle 1. Furthermore, in order to enable autonomous driving of its own vehicle, vehicle 1 can communicate with infrastructure equipment E such as roadside units, and can also communicate with other vehicles M. Through vehicle-to-infrastructure and vehicle-to-vehicle communication, road information such as signal information, regulatory information, and congestion can be exchanged. Communication between the operating office O and vehicle 1 is also included as part of vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. In this embodiment, operating office O is configured to communicate with other offices C such as highway management offices and information management offices to obtain highway congestion information, congestion forecast information, accident occurrence information, and congestion (number of parked vehicles) information for parking areas such as service areas and parking areas. Other offices C also include service stations, which will be described later, and information on the completion of default services can be obtained from these service stations. Figure 2 shows an overview of the communication system between the user's terminal T (which will be the crew) and terminals D (such as PCs) within the operating facility O. Terminals D within the operating facility O can also communicate with database B managed by other facilities C, for example. This database B stores shared information, such as the aforementioned traffic congestion prediction information.Furthermore, terminal D at operating office O is a computer system equipped with a processor for performing calculations and a memory device for storing programs and data.

[0009] The vehicle 1 shown in Figure 3 is a wagon-type passenger vehicle with a long body, and a toilet 2 is provided at the rear of the vehicle 1. The toilet 2 in this embodiment is a so-called flush toilet and is equipped with a water supply tank 3 for storing flushing water and a wastewater tank 4 for storing wastewater. Note that the toilet 2 can also be of the type described in Non-Patent Document 1. In this example, there is a partition between the front passenger compartment of the vehicle and the toilet 2, and it is possible to enter and exit the toilet 2 through a door provided in this partition. It is also possible to enter and exit the toilet 2 from the rear gate (back door). The door that serves as the entrance to the toilet 2 and the rear gate can be locked from the inside of the toilet 2. The door that serves as the entrance to the vehicle 1 can also be locked. In other words, both the vehicle 1 and the toilet 2 can be locked from the inside, and therefore users of the toilet 2 can use the toilet 2 safely while ensuring their privacy. Toilet 2 is managed, for example, by the communication system 6 described later. The remaining number of uses of toilet 2 is detected as the remaining usage amount based on the number of times toilet 2 has been used, the amount of water remaining in the water supply tank 3, or the amount stored in the drainage tank 4. When this remaining usage amount falls below a predetermined value, vehicle 1 transmits a remaining usage limit signal to the operating office O. In addition, in the actual operation of vehicle 1, it is thought that signals will also be necessary, for example, to dispatch vehicle 1 to a designated request location in response to a user's toilet assistance request, as described later, and to notify that the use of toilet 2 in vehicle 1 has been completed. However, here only the signals for dispatching vehicle 1 to a designated location will be explained.

[0010] Furthermore, this vehicle 1 is equipped with a drive system for driving the vehicle 1, a braking system for braking the vehicle 1, and a steering system for steering the vehicle 1 (none of which are shown). The drive system is equipped with a drive source such as an engine or an electric motor, the braking system is equipped with a braking mechanism such as a hydraulic brake mechanism or an electric brake mechanism, and the steering system is equipped with a steering mechanism such as a hydraulic steering mechanism or an electric steering mechanism. Similar to current vehicles, each device is equipped with a controller to control its operating state. In addition, the vehicle 1 operating in autonomous driving mode is equipped with an environment recognition system 5 for recognizing the surrounding environment, a communication system 6 for the aforementioned vehicle-to-infrastructure and vehicle-to-vehicle communication, and an autonomous driving control device 7 for autonomous driving. The environment recognition system 5 is equipped with an environment recognition controller 5a that detects what is where around the vehicle 1 from surrounding environment information acquired by surrounding environment information acquisition means (not shown) such as cameras, radar, and sensors. The environment recognition controller 5a is equipped with a processor P that is in charge of calculation processing for analyzing the surrounding environment information, and a storage device R that stores programs executed by the processor P. The communication system 6 is configured with a communication controller 6a that controls the communication target and communication state of a communication device (not shown), such as a wireless communication device. The communication controller 6a is configured with a processor P that is in charge of calculation processing to control the communication target and communication state, i.e., communication timing and communication time, and a storage device R that stores programs executed by the processor P. The automatic driving control device 7 is configured with an automatic driving controller 7a that manages the control state of the controlled targets in the drive device, braking device, and steering device based on control inputs such as surrounding environment information obtained by the environment recognition system 5 and communication information obtained by the communication system 6. The automatic driving controller 7a is configured with a processor P that is in charge of calculation processing to obtain a control output of the operating state of the controlled target from the control input, and a storage device R that stores programs executed by the processor P. With this automatic driving control device 7, automatic driving of the vehicle 1 from the departure point to the destination, including waypoints, is achieved. The logic of this automatic driving is composed of, for example, current automatic driving logic of Level 3 or higher.

[0011] The outline of the operation logic of this vehicle 1 is shown in FIG. 4. The solid arrow in FIG. 4 indicates the operation direction of the vehicle 1 that can use the toilet 2, and the dashed arrow indicates the operation direction of the vehicle 1 when the use of the toilet 2 is in a critical state. The vehicle 1 in the toilet use critical state is returned to a base called a service station. At this service station, in addition to supplying water to the water supply tank 3 and discharging the wastewater in the wastewater tank 4, cleaning and maintenance of the vehicle 1 including the toilet 2 are performed. These processes for the vehicle 1 are defined as default services. In this embodiment, among the vehicles 1 for which the default service has been completed, general vehicles move to and stop at a waiting place specified and managed by the operation office O. On the other hand, the local government vehicles for which the default service has been completed move to and stop at an evacuation place (specific evacuation place) during disasters specified by the local government. As described above, when the default service is completed, a default service completion signal is transmitted from the service station to the operation office O. The vehicle 1 waiting at the waiting place moves to and stops at a place requested by a user other than the highway or a place where parking is possible on the highway. The user can also request the installation of the toilet 2 by designating a place where parking is possible on the highway. Further, when there is a request for the toilet 2 from the local government, the vehicle 1 moves from the specific evacuation place to the toilet request place and stops. Examples of the toilet request place from the local government include event venues such as fireworks festivals, cherry blossom viewing places, and tourist destinations during peak seasons. A command for the vehicle 1 to move to and stop at these predetermined places is defined as an operation command, and transmitting this operation command from the terminal D of the operation office O to the vehicle 1 by wireless communication is defined as "indicating the operation command". Therefore, the self-driving vehicle 1 with a toilet is "dispatched" to a "predetermined place" by the "indication" of the "operation command", and the toilet 2 can be installed there. In the actual operation of the vehicle 1, for example, there is a need to return the vehicle dispatched to a predetermined place to the waiting place or the specific evacuation place (return command), but here only the "dispatch" to the "predetermined place" is taken up, and the description of the return operation of the vehicle 1 is omitted.

[0012] Next, we will sequentially explain the calculation processes executed at terminal D of the operating office O, in accordance with the operational logic of the aforementioned autonomous vehicle 1 equipped with a toilet. Note that the term "nearest" used in the following explanation refers to the location closest to a specified location when there are multiple waiting locations or service stations, for example, as mentioned above. However, if there is only one waiting location or service station, the term "nearest" will be omitted. Figure 5 shows the calculation process for operating vehicle 1, whose toilet 2 is at its limit of use, to a service station, and it starts when vehicle 1 receives a remaining usage limit signal. In this calculation process, first, in step S1, vehicle 1, which received the remaining usage limit signal, is set as the retrieval vehicle. Next, the process moves to step S2, instructing the retrieval vehicle set in step S1 to operate to the nearest service station. Next, the process moves to step S3, setting the location where the retrieval vehicle was located as the dispatch location, and then returning. This dispatch location specifies the location where vehicle 1 should be dispatched, separately from other logic, and instructs the specific vehicle 1 to operate to the dispatch location according to the calculation process described later. In this calculation process, vehicle 1, whose toilet 2 is at its limit of use, is instructed to move to a service station. Vehicle 1 then moves to the service station, stops, and can receive default service there. The remaining usage amount may also include, for example, the fuel (or electricity in the case of an electric vehicle) required for vehicle 1 to run.

[0013] FIG. 6 is an arithmetic process for operating (dispatching) the vehicle 1 for which the default service has been completed to a waiting place or a specific evacuation place, and is started by receiving a default service completion signal from the service station. The default service completion signal includes information for specifying the vehicle 1 for which the default service has been completed. In this arithmetic process, first, in step S4, the vehicle 1 for which the default service has been completed is set as the default vehicle. Next, it proceeds to step S5 to determine whether the default vehicle is a general vehicle. If the default vehicle is a general vehicle, it proceeds to step S6; otherwise, it proceeds to step S7. Here, if the default vehicle is not a general vehicle, the default vehicle is specified as a local government vehicle. In step S6, after instructing an operation command to the nearest waiting place for the default vehicle, it returns. Examples of such waiting places include service stations and car dealerships. In step S7, after instructing an operation command for the default vehicle to the specific evacuation place of that vehicle, that is, the local government corresponding to the vehicle, it returns. In this arithmetic process, if the default vehicle for which the default service has been completed is a general vehicle, the default vehicle moves to the waiting place and stops; if it is a local government vehicle, the default vehicle moves to the specific evacuation place specified by the local government and stops. Here, it is defined that the vehicle 1 (general vehicle) that has been operated to the waiting place is a waiting vehicle, and the vehicle 1 that has been operated to the specific evacuation place is a vehicle dispatched to the specific evacuation place. Note that the default service may take into account refueling of the vehicle 1 (charging for an electric vehicle).

[0014] Figure 7 shows the calculation process for dispatching vehicle 1 equipped with a toilet when a request for vehicle 1 is received from a user, and it starts when a toilet assistance request is received from the user. In this calculation process, first in step S8, the location and date / time information of the toilet request is obtained from the user's contact. In the user's contact, it is the location of the toilet request, but on the vehicle 1 service side, that location becomes a designated location, and the date and time of the toilet request becomes a designated date and time. Next, the process moves to step S9 to determine whether the designated location in step S8 is on a highway or not, and if the designated location is on a highway, the process moves to step S10, otherwise it moves to step S11. In step S10, the designated location is set as the user-specified highway dispatch location and then the process returns. Meanwhile, in step S11, the vehicle 1 that has been waiting the longest at the nearest waiting location to the designated location is set as the predetermined vehicle. Next, the process moves to step S12, an operation command is issued to the set predetermined vehicle to arrive at the designated location (=predetermined location) by the specified date and time, and then the process returns. In this calculation process, if the user's specified location is not on a highway, vehicle 1 will be driven to that location by the specified date and time, allowing the user to use toilet 2 in vehicle 1 upon arrival at the location. If the user's specified location is on a highway (generally a parking area), that location will be set as the user-specified highway dispatch location. If such a user-specified highway dispatch location exists, vehicle 1 will be dispatched to the designated parking area on the highway by the specified date and time according to the individual logic described later.

[0015] Figure 8 shows the calculation process for circulating Vehicle 1 on a highway (circulation plan). For example, it is executed with the aim of circulating a predetermined number of Vehicle 1 within a predetermined distance section in the direction of travel on the highway. "Circulation" refers to traveling (moving) on ​​a specific highway at a specified speed, for example, 100 km / h. In this example, one Vehicle 1 is scheduled to travel in a 10 km section. This logic is easier to understand if the location and road name are specified, so as an example, there are waiting areas (waiting places) in "Atsugi" and "Gotemba". The vehicle departs from the Atsugi waiting place, gets on the Tomei Expressway at the Atsugi Interchange (IC), exits the highway at the Gotemba IC, and travels to the Gotemba waiting place. The distance between the Atsugi IC and the Gotemba IC is approximately 50 km, and in order for one Vehicle 1 to circulate every 10 km in this section, one Vehicle 1 must depart from the Atsugi waiting place approximately every 6 minutes. For the return trip from the Gotemba waiting area, the logic can be changed by swapping "Atsugi" and "Gotemba". A "circuit" is also possible where a vehicle that departs from the Atsugi waiting area re-enters the Tomei Expressway at the Gotemba Interchange and returns. The circuit plan can also be planned in advance. This calculation process is executed, for example, by a timer interrupt process with a predetermined sampling period. First, in step S13, the vehicle 1 that has been waiting the longest at the Atsugi waiting area is set as the designated vehicle. Next, the process moves to step S14, where the designated location (=destination) of the set designated vehicle is set as the Gotemba waiting area. Next, the process moves to step S15, where the Atsugi Interchange, the Tomei Expressway, and the Gotemba Interchange are set as transit points for the designated vehicle. Finally, the process moves to step S16, where the designated vehicle is instructed to depart from the Atsugi waiting area, travel via the Atsugi Interchange, the Tomei Expressway, and the Gotemba Interchange to the Gotemba waiting area and stop, and then returns to the process. In this calculation process, one vehicle patrols the Tomei Expressway between Atsugi IC and Gotemba IC, with one vehicle operating every 10 km.

[0016] Figure 9 shows the calculation process for dispatching vehicle 1 to a user-specified highway dispatch location on a highway (within a designated patrol section). This process is executed, for example, by a timer interrupt with a predetermined sampling period. First, in step S17, it is determined whether or not there is a user-specified highway dispatch location within the patrol section on the highway. If there is a user-specified highway dispatch location within the patrol section on the highway, the process proceeds to step S18; otherwise, it returns to the previous step. In step S18, information on the user-specified highway dispatch location and its specified date and time is obtained along with the patrol plan for the corresponding patrol section on the highway. Next, the process proceeds to step S19, where the specified date and time obtained in step S18 is compared with the patrol plan to determine whether or not there is a patrol plan for the specified date and time. If there is a patrol plan for the specified date and time, the process proceeds to step S20; otherwise, it returns to the previous step. This includes the possibility that if the specified date and time is too far in the future, the patrol plan for that date and time may be incomplete, in which case the dispatch plan to the user-specified highway dispatch location is reconsidered. In step S20, a patrol vehicle capable of arriving at the user-specified highway dispatch location at the specified date and time is set as the designated vehicle. Next, the process moves to step S21, where the designated location (=destination) of the set designated vehicle (=patrol vehicle) is changed to the user-specified highway dispatch location. Then, the process moves to step S22, where the operation command that has been changed to the designated vehicle is issued, and then the process returns. In this calculation process, a patrol vehicle capable of arriving at the user-specified highway dispatch location within the patrol section of the highway by the specified date and time is set as the designated vehicle, and the destination of this designated vehicle is changed to the user-specified highway dispatch location. The original destination of the patrol vehicle set as the designated vehicle was, for example, the Gotemba waiting area, so by changing this to the user-specified highway dispatch location, it becomes possible to dispatch the patrol vehicle to the user-specified highway dispatch location by the specified date and time.

[0017] Figure 10 shows the calculation process for dispatching vehicle 1 to a location where a vehicle needs to be dispatched, when that location is on a highway (within a patrol section), according to the logic described later. This process is executed, for example, by a timer interrupt with a predetermined sampling period. First, in step S23, it is determined whether or not there is a vehicle need to be dispatched within a patrol section on the highway. If there is a vehicle need to be dispatched within a patrol section on the highway, the process proceeds to step S24; otherwise, it returns to the previous step. In step S24, information on the vehicle need to be dispatched and its required date and time is obtained along with the patrol plan for the corresponding patrol section on the highway. Next, the process proceeds to step S25, where the required date and time obtained in step S24 are compared with the patrol plan to determine whether or not there is a patrol plan for the required date and time. If there is a patrol plan for the required date and time, the process proceeds to step S26; otherwise, it returns to the previous step. This includes the meaning of reconsidering the dispatch plan to the vehicle need to be dispatched if the required date and time is too far in the future, as the patrol plan for that date and time may not be complete. In step S26, a designated vehicle is selected that can arrive at the required location at the required date and time. Next, the process moves to step S27, where the designated location (=destination) of the selected vehicle (=patrol vehicle) is changed to the required location. Then, the process moves to step S28, where the operation command that has been changed is issued to the designated vehicle, and then the process returns. In this calculation process, a designated vehicle is selected that can arrive at the required location within the patrol section on the expressway by the required date and time, and the destination of this designated vehicle is changed to the required location. The original destination of the designated vehicle was, for example, the Gotemba waiting area, so by changing this to the required location, it becomes possible to dispatch the patrol vehicle to the required location by the required date and time.

[0018] Figure 11 shows the calculation process for setting the aforementioned vehicle dispatch locations in congested sections of expressways, and starts with the acquisition of expressway congestion information. In this calculation process, in step S29, the system sets the available parking locations within the congested section as vehicle dispatch locations based on the acquired congestion information, and then returns to the starting point. In this calculation process, if congestion occurs on the expressway, the available parking locations within that congested section are set as vehicle dispatch locations. Note that the required date and time in this case is the present. Figure 12 shows the calculation process for setting the aforementioned vehicle dispatch locations for vehicle 1 in congestion prediction sections of expressways, and starts with the acquisition of expressway congestion prediction information for a predetermined time. In this calculation process, in step S30, the system determines from the acquired congestion prediction information whether or not there is a congestion prediction section on the expressway after the predetermined time. If there is a congestion prediction section, the system proceeds to step S31; otherwise, it returns to the starting point. In step S31, the system sets the available parking locations within the congestion prediction section as vehicle dispatch locations, and then returns to the starting point. In this calculation process, if congestion is predicted to occur on the expressway after a predetermined time, the available parking locations within that congestion prediction section are set as vehicle dispatch locations. In this case, the required date and time is a predetermined time. Figure 13 shows the calculation process for setting the aforementioned vehicle dispatch location for vehicle 1 before the accident site when an accident occurs on a highway, and it starts with the acquisition of accident information on the highway. In this calculation process, accident site information is acquired in step S32. Next, the process moves to step S33, where the vehicle dispatch location is set as the vehicle dispatch location, which is before the accident site in the direction of travel and is closest to the accident site, and then returns. In this calculation process, when an accident occurs on a highway, the nearest parking location before the accident site in the direction of travel is set as the vehicle dispatch location. In this case, the required date and time is the present. Generally, when an accident occurs on a highway, traffic congestion occurs starting from the accident site. Also, no matter how long the traffic congestion (section), it is not very long immediately after it occurs, and the congestion lengthens starting from the site of the congestion. If traffic congestion information, including traffic congestion predictions associated with accidents, can be acquired frequently, it is possible to set parking locations on the highway as vehicle dispatch locations from near the location of the congestion. As mentioned above, the locations where vehicle dispatch is required are the locations to which vehicle 1 will be dispatched preferentially.In congested areas, the demand for toilets tends to be high. By designating parking spaces within congested (predicted) areas as locations where vehicles need to be dispatched, it becomes possible to prioritize the dispatch of autonomous vehicles equipped with toilets, providing convenience to users at these locations. For example, if two vehicles are to be dispatched to each parking space on a highway designated as a location where vehicles need to be dispatched, one method would be to list the same parking space twice in the list of locations where vehicles need to be dispatched.

[0019] Figure 14 shows the calculation process for setting the aforementioned vehicle dispatch locations from available parking locations on the highway, and is executed, for example, by a timer interrupt process with a predetermined sampling period. In this calculation process, first, in step S34, potential parking locations on the highway are selected according to individual calculation processes not shown. These potential parking locations may be selected one by one from the near side in the direction of travel on the highway, or they may be selected randomly by a computer system. Next, the process moves to step S35 to obtain congestion (parking) information for the potential parking locations. Next, the process moves to step S36 to determine whether the congestion level of the potential parking locations is above a predetermined value. If the congestion level is above a predetermined value, the process moves to step S37; otherwise, it returns. The congestion level is expressed, for example, as the ratio of the actual number of parked vehicles to the number of toilets at the potential parking location. In step S37, the potential parking locations are set as vehicle dispatch locations and then the process returns. In this calculation process, parking locations on highways with high congestion levels are set as vehicle dispatch locations. In service areas and parking areas with high levels of congestion, toilets tend to be scarce. By designating such parking locations as locations requiring vehicle dispatch, it becomes possible to prioritize the dispatch of autonomous vehicles equipped with toilets (vehicle 1), providing convenience to users in these locations. In this example, the more congested a parking location is on the highway, the more vehicles (vehicle 1) can be dispatched to that location. This means that the more users there are relative to the number of toilets, the more vehicles (vehicle 1) will be dispatched, and thus more toilets will be installed, improving user convenience. It is also possible to record the congestion levels at specific parking locations on the highway, for example, on a daily basis, and then, based on the congestion levels at those locations on certain days and times, dispatch vehicles (vehicle 1) to those times on those days.

[0020] Figure 15 shows a calculation process that, when the number of vehicles to be dispatched to a designated dispatch location within a congested section of an expressway reaches its upper limit, directs vehicle 1, which is heading towards that dispatch location as a result of the calculation process in Figure 10, to pass through the congested section and proceed to its original destination (e.g., Gotemba Waiting Area). This calculation process is executed, for example, by a timer interrupt process with a predetermined sampling period. First, in step S38, it is determined whether or not there is congestion within the patrol section of the expressway. If there is congestion, the process proceeds to step S39; otherwise, it returns to the previous step. In step S39, it is determined whether or not there is a dispatch location within the congested section. If there is a dispatch location within the congested section, the process proceeds to step S40; otherwise, it returns to the previous step. In step S40, the dispatch number information for the dispatch location identified in step S39 is obtained. Next, the process moves to step S41, where it is determined whether the number of vehicles to be dispatched to the location identified in step S39 has reached its upper limit. If the number of vehicles to be dispatched has reached its upper limit, the process moves to step S42; otherwise, the process returns to the previous step. In step S42, a patrol vehicle heading to the location identified in step S39, i.e., a patrol vehicle whose location is set to a predetermined location, is set as the predetermined vehicle. Next, the process moves to step S43, where the predetermined location (destination) of the set predetermined vehicle (patrol vehicle) is changed to its original destination (Gotemba waiting area). Finally, the process moves to step S44, where the operation command is issued to the predetermined vehicle with the changed setting, and then the process returns to the previous step. In this calculation process, if a location requiring vehicle dispatch exists within a congested section of the expressway and the number of vehicles to be dispatched to that location has reached its upper limit, the patrol vehicle heading to that location is made to pass through the congested section and proceed to its original destination, the Gotemba waiting area, thereby preventing too many automated driving vehicles 1 with toilets from being dispatched to parking spaces.

[0021] Figure 16 shows a calculation process for setting a specific predetermined location where vehicle 1 will stop (park) in a designated place, particularly on a highway. This calculation process is executed as a subroutine for setting the "predetermined location" in each calculation process. In this calculation process, first, in step S45, location information of the toilet at the set predetermined location (=parkable location) is obtained. Next, the process moves to step S46 to obtain parking location information close to the toilet at the predetermined location. Then, the process moves to step S47 to set the obtained parking location close to the toilet as the predetermined location before returning. In this calculation process, for vehicle 1 that is moving toward or in motion toward the predetermined location, the parking location close to the toilet at the predetermined location is set as the parking (stopping) location for vehicle 1. For example, a user in a service area or parking area who wants to use the toilet moves toward the toilet. At this time, if the toilet is crowded or there is a wait, and an autonomous driving vehicle 1 with a toilet is stopped nearby, it is possible to provide convenience to the user by using the toilet 2 of that vehicle 1.

[0022] Figure 17 shows the calculation process for dispatching the requested number of autonomous vehicles equipped with toilets to the requested toilet location when a request for toilets is received from a local government. This process begins upon receipt of a toilet assistance request from the local government. In this calculation process, first, in step S48, information on the requested toilet location, the number of vehicles requested, and the date and time of the request is obtained. Next, the process moves to step S49 to obtain information on the specific evacuation site of the local government that made the toilet request. Next, the process moves to step S50, and according to individual calculation processes (not shown), the requested number of vehicles are set as predetermined vehicles from the vehicles 1 dispatched to the specific evacuation site. For example, the vehicles that have been dispatched to the specific evacuation site for a long time may be selected in order. Next, the process moves to step S51, and an operation command is issued to the predetermined vehicles to arrive at the requested location by the requested date and time, and then the process returns. In this calculation process, when a request for toilets is received from a local government, the requested number of vehicles are selected from the vehicles 1 dispatched to the specific evacuation site of that local government and are dispatched to the requested location by the requested date and time. As mentioned earlier, locations where toilets are requested include event venues such as fireworks displays, cherry blossom viewing spots, and tourist destinations during peak seasons. These locations typically have few toilets, or if they do, they are often not very clean. By deploying autonomous vehicles equipped with toilets to such locations, it is possible to not only provide convenience to users but also resolve the toilet installation problems faced by local governments, avoid unnecessary toilet installations, and most importantly, make effective use of autonomous vehicles equipped with toilets that are deployed to designated evacuation sites.

[0023] The above describes a vehicle operation management system according to an embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the autonomous driving vehicle 1 with a toilet is owned only by the operating company O, except for local governments. However, the owner of this vehicle 1 may be someone else, and the operation management may not be carried out solely by the operating company O. As an example, a leasing company leases the autonomous driving vehicle 1 with a toilet to a local government, and the operating company or leasing company manages the operation of the leased vehicle. In this case, during the period that the vehicle 1 is leased to the local government, the local government is considered to own the vehicle 1. Furthermore, the form of the vehicle and the form of the toilet are not limited to the above embodiment. For example, a vehicle such as a current bus equipped with multiple toilets may be used. In addition, the system may be configured to swap the vehicle 1 with the larger remaining usage amount patrolling the congested section of the highway with the vehicle 1 parked in the congested section, depending on the remaining usage amount of the vehicle 1 patrolling the congested section and the vehicle 1 parked in the congested section. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, vehicles 1 patrolling the expressway are operated to locations on the expressway where vehicle dispatch is required, including user-designated expressway dispatch locations, and vehicles 1 from waiting locations (designated evacuation locations) other than the expressway are operated to locations other than the expressway. However, this does not prevent expressway patrol vehicles from operating to locations other than the expressway, or from operating from waiting locations other than the expressway to locations on the expressway.

[0024] Thus, in this embodiment, when a toilet is provided inside the vehicle and terminal D manages the operation of an autonomous vehicle 1 equipped with a toilet that is capable of autonomous driving by communicating wirelessly with the vehicle 1, terminal D sends an operation command to vehicle 1 via wireless communication to move to a predetermined location set according to calculation processing and stop at that location. This makes it possible to install toilets in places where they are needed or desired while keeping labor costs low. Furthermore, by designating parking spaces on the highway as specific destinations for vehicle 1, it becomes possible to alleviate the shortage of toilets on the highway during traffic congestion or peak seasons. Furthermore, by having vehicle 1 patrol the highway, if a designated location arises on the highway—that is, a location requiring vehicle dispatch or a user-specified highway dispatch location—the patrolling vehicle 1 is instructed to proceed to that designated location. This makes it possible to quickly bring the autonomous vehicle 1 equipped with a toilet to a parking location on the highway, even in the event of traffic congestion. Furthermore, by having multiple vehicles 1 patrol the highway at predetermined intervals, it becomes possible to quickly bring the autonomous vehicle 1 equipped with a toilet to various parking locations along the highway. Furthermore, if the user designates a parking location on the highway as the stopping point for vehicle 1, the system sets that designated location as a predetermined location and issues a driving command to vehicle 1. This makes it possible to quickly bring the autonomous vehicle 1 equipped with a toilet to the parking location on the highway designated by the user.

[0025] Furthermore, if traffic congestion occurs on the highway, designated parking areas within the congested section are set, and dispatch instructions are issued accordingly. This makes it possible to prioritize the deployment of autonomous vehicles equipped with toilets to parking areas within congested sections where toilet demand is high, providing convenience to users at those parking locations. Furthermore, if traffic congestion is predicted on the highway, designated parking areas within the predicted congestion zone are set, and operational commands are issued accordingly. This makes it possible to prioritize the deployment of autonomous vehicles equipped with toilets to parking areas within congested zones where toilet demand is high, providing convenience to users at those parking locations. Furthermore, if the level of congestion at available parking spaces on the highway exceeds a predetermined value, the system will set the parking space to a designated location and issue a dispatch command. This makes it possible to prioritize the deployment of autonomous vehicles equipped with toilets to crowded parking spaces where toilets tend to be scarce, thereby providing convenience to users at those parking spaces. Furthermore, the degree of congestion is expressed as the ratio of the number of parked vehicles to the number of toilets at available parking spots on the highway. The greater the congestion at a parking spot, the more vehicles are instructed to go to that spot. This improves convenience for users at the parking spots.

[0026] Furthermore, if a traffic jam occurs on the highway and the number of vehicles 1 stopped in available parking spaces within that congested section reaches the maximum limit, the dispatch command for vehicles 1 heading towards those parking spaces will be canceled. This prevents too many autonomous vehicles 1 equipped with toilets from being dispatched to parking spaces. Furthermore, by swapping Vehicle 1 patrolling within the congested section of the highway with Vehicle 1 parked within the congested section, according to the remaining usage of Vehicle 1 patrolling within the congested section and Vehicle 1 parked within the congested section, it becomes possible to replace Vehicle 1 parked within the congested section with Vehicle 1 traveling within the congested section before it becomes unusable as a toilet. Furthermore, if the user specifies a stopping location for the autonomous vehicle 1 equipped with a toilet, the system will set that location as a predetermined spot and issue a driving command. This allows the system to respond to the user's toilet assistance request. Furthermore, if there is a toilet in a designated location, i.e., a parking area on the highway, the operation command will instruct the vehicle to stop at a parking area close to that toilet. This will make it possible to provide even greater convenience to users who are in parking areas on the highway.

[0027] Furthermore, the system issues operational commands to autonomous vehicles equipped with toilets, owned by local governments, setting designated locations as evacuation sites in the event of a disaster as specified by the local government. This enables the installation of toilets at designated evacuation sites by local governments. Furthermore, if a local government requests a stopping location for the autonomous vehicle 1 equipped with a toilet, the requested location will be changed to a designated location, and a dispatch command will be issued to the vehicle 1 parked at the designated evacuation site. This not only provides convenience to users but also resolves the toilet installation problem faced by local governments, avoids the unnecessary installation of toilets, and allows for the effective use of the autonomous vehicle 1 equipped with a toilet that is deployed at the designated evacuation site.

[0028] Furthermore, for an autonomous vehicle 1 equipped with a toilet whose toilet function is at a predetermined limit, a service station capable of restoring the toilet function is set up in a predetermined location, and an operation command is issued. This makes it possible to make effective use of the autonomous vehicle 1 equipped with a toilet, and also reduces the labor costs required for the function avoidance suit. Furthermore, by having vehicles 1 that are not instructed to operate wait at designated waiting locations such as service stations or car dealerships, a separate waiting area is not required. [Explanation of symbols]

[0029] 1...Vehicle (autonomous vehicle with toilet), 2...Toilet, 7...Autonomous driving control device, 7a...Autonomous driving controller, B...Database, D...Terminal (processing unit)

Claims

1. A vehicle management method in which a processing unit manages the operation of an autonomous vehicle equipped with a toilet, which has a toilet inside the vehicle cabin, by communicating wirelessly with the autonomous vehicle equipped with a toilet, The vehicle management method is characterized in that the processing unit issues a command to the autonomous vehicle equipped with a toilet via wireless communication, instructing it to move to a predetermined location set according to the processing and to stop at that location.

2. The vehicle management method according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined location is a parking area on a highway.

3. The vehicle management method according to claim 2, characterized in that the processing unit causes the autonomous vehicle equipped with a toilet to patrol on the highway, and when the predetermined location occurs on the highway, it issues the operation command to that predetermined location.

4. The vehicle management method according to claim 3, characterized in that the processing unit causes a plurality of the self-driving vehicles equipped with toilets to patrol the highway at predetermined intervals.

5. The vehicle management method according to claim 2, characterized in that when the user designates a parking space on the highway as a stopping place for the autonomous vehicle equipped with a toilet, the processing unit sets the designated location to the predetermined location and issues the operation command.

6. The vehicle management method according to claim 2, characterized in that, when a traffic jam occurs on a highway, the processing unit sets a parking space within the congested section to the predetermined location and issues the operation command.

7. The vehicle management method according to claim 2, characterized in that, when congestion is predicted on the expressway, the processing unit sets a parking space within the predicted congestion section to the predetermined location and issues the operation command.

8. The vehicle management method according to claim 2, characterized in that the processing unit sets the parking area to the predetermined location and issues the operation command when the degree of congestion of a parking area on the highway exceeds a predetermined value.

9. The vehicle management method according to claim 8, wherein the degree of congestion is the ratio of the number of parked vehicles to the number of toilets at the parking spaces on the highway, and the processing unit issues the operation command to more of the autonomous vehicles equipped with toilets to the parking spaces as the degree of congestion increases.

10. The vehicle management method according to claim 2, characterized in that, when a traffic jam occurs on a highway and the number of autonomous vehicles equipped with toilets that are stopped at the predetermined location within the congested section reaches the upper limit, the processing unit cancels the operation command to the autonomous vehicles equipped with toilets that are moving toward the predetermined location.

11. The vehicle management method according to claim 3, characterized in that the processing unit swaps the autonomous vehicle with a toilet that is patrolling within a congested section of a highway with the autonomous vehicle with a toilet that is parked within the congested section, in accordance with the remaining amount of use of the toilet function of the autonomous vehicle with a toilet that is patrolling within a congested section of a highway and the remaining amount of use of the autonomous vehicle with a toilet that is parked within the congested section.

12. The vehicle management method according to claim 1, characterized in that when the user specifies a stopping location for the autonomous vehicle equipped with a toilet, the processing unit sets the specified location to the predetermined location and issues the operation command.

13. The vehicle management method according to claim 2, characterized in that the processing unit issues the operation command to stop at a parking position close to the toilet if there is a toilet at the predetermined location.

14. The vehicle management method according to claim 1, characterized in that the processing unit issues the operation command to the autonomous vehicle equipped with a toilet owned by the local government, setting the evacuation site in the event of a disaster, which is specified by the local government, to the predetermined location.

15. The vehicle management method according to claim 10, characterized in that when the processing unit receives a request from the local government for a stopping place for the autonomous vehicle equipped with a toilet, it changes the requested location to a predetermined location and issues the operation command to the autonomous vehicle equipped with a toilet that is stopped at the evacuation site.

16. The vehicle management method according to claim 1, characterized in that the processing unit issues the operation command to the automated driving vehicle equipped with a toilet, which is in a predetermined limit state of function as a toilet, by setting a base capable of restoring the toilet function at the predetermined location.

17. The vehicle management method according to claim 1, characterized in that the processing unit causes the autonomous vehicle equipped with a toilet, for which no operation command has been issued, to wait at a predetermined waiting location.

18. A vehicle management system in which a processing unit manages the operation of an autonomous vehicle equipped with a toilet, which has a toilet inside the vehicle, by communicating wirelessly with the autonomous vehicle equipped with a toilet, The vehicle management device is characterized in that the processing unit issues an operational command to the automated driving vehicle equipped with a toilet via wireless communication, instructing it to move to a predetermined location set according to the processing and to stop at that location.

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