Evacuation guidance methods and evacuation guidance devices

Abstract

This allows for the creation of more efficient evacuation routes than if each user within the group were to evacuate individually. [Solution] The evacuation guidance device comprises a terminal usable by a user and a server device that connects to the terminal via a communication network and provides evacuation guidance to the user in the event of a disaster. When there are multiple terminals, the server device manages multiple groups formed by dividing the multiple terminals and associates the terminals belonging to these groups. When it receives information about a disaster, it receives terminal information from each of the multiple terminals belonging to a pre-set group, including at least the location of the terminal and at least one of the attributes of the terminal or the attributes of the user associated with the terminal. Based on the terminal information, it sets an evacuation route for at least some of the multiple terminals to evacuate together and outputs information indicating the evacuation route to at least some of the terminals.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an evacuation guidance method and an evacuation guidance device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for displaying an evacuation route to an evacuation place on a terminal in case of a disaster.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the technique described in Patent Document 1, when there are differences in means of transportation among a plurality of users included in a group, it is not possible to efficiently evacuate as a group.

[0005] The present disclosure aims to provide an evacuation guidance method and an evacuation guidance device capable of setting an evacuation route more efficient than when each of a plurality of users in a group evacuates alone.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure is an evacuation guidance method in which a server device connects to a terminal available to a user via a communication network and provides evacuation guidance to the user in the event of a disaster. The server device manages multiple groups, which are formed by dividing the multiple terminals, and the terminals belonging to these groups, in association with each other when there are multiple terminals. When it receives information about a disaster, it receives terminal information from each of the multiple terminals belonging to a pre-configured group, which includes at least the location of the terminal and at least one of the terminal's attributes or the user's attributes associated with the terminal. Based on the terminal information, it sets an evacuation route in which at least some of the multiple terminals evacuate together and outputs information indicating the evacuation route to at least some of the terminals.

[0007] Furthermore, an evacuation guidance device according to one aspect of this disclosure comprises a terminal usable by a user and a server device connected to the terminal via a communication network to provide evacuation guidance to the user in the event of a disaster. The server device manages multiple groups, which are formed by dividing the multiple terminals, and the terminals belonging to these groups, in association with each other when there are multiple terminals. When it receives information about a disaster, it receives terminal information from each of the multiple terminals belonging to a pre-configured group, which includes at least the location of the terminal and at least one of the attributes of the terminal or the attributes of the user associated with the terminal. Based on the terminal information, it sets an evacuation route for at least some of the multiple terminals to evacuate together and outputs information indicating the evacuation route to at least some of the terminals. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide an evacuation guidance method and evacuation guidance device that can set up more efficient evacuation routes than when each of the multiple users within a group evacuates individually. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This figure illustrates an example of a schematic configuration of a vehicle operation management system as an evacuation guidance device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]This figure shows an example of the contents of a group management database stored in a server according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of the contents of an evacuation location information database stored in a server according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of the contents of a movement history database stored in a server according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This flowchart shows the control procedure for the server of the mobility service center in a vehicle operation management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6A] This is a diagram (part 1) showing an example of a screen displayed on a terminal device in a vehicle operation management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6B] This is a diagram (part 2) showing an example of a screen displayed on a terminal device in a vehicle operation management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6C] This is Figure (3) showing an example of a screen displayed on a terminal device in a vehicle operation management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a detailed flowchart showing the control procedure for the mobility service center server in step ST5d described above. [Figure 8] This is an example of a travel route set by the server of the mobility service center in this embodiment. [Figure 9] This is another example of a travel route set by the mobility service center server in this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments described below are merely illustrative, and there is no intention to exclude various modifications or applications of techniques not explicitly stated below. The present invention can be implemented by various modifications (for example, by combining each embodiment) without departing from its spirit. In the following drawings, identical or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals. The drawings are schematic and do not necessarily correspond to actual dimensions or proportions. There may be parts in the drawings where the dimensional relationships and proportions differ from those of other parts.

[0011] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of a vehicle operation management system as an evacuation guidance device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle operation management system 1 of this embodiment comprises an in-vehicle device 100, a terminal device 200, and a mobility service center 300. The mobility service center 300 can exchange information with the in-vehicle device 100 and also with the terminal device 200 via a telecommunications line.

[0012] The on-board device 100 is installed in the service vehicle V. The service vehicle V is a vehicle shared by multiple users and is a so-called demand-responsive vehicle that operates according to the user's request. Examples of service vehicles V include electric vehicles equipped with an electric motor as a power source, engine vehicles equipped with an internal combustion engine as a power source, and hybrid vehicles equipped with both an electric motor and an internal combustion engine as power sources. Electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles equipped with an electric motor as a power source also include types that use a secondary battery as a power source for the electric motor and types that use a fuel cell as a power source for the electric motor. Examples of service vehicles V include regular passenger cars, buses, small passenger cars, and light passenger cars.

[0013] Further, the service vehicle V may be a vehicle for providing a transportation service such as a bus. In the present embodiment, the service vehicle V is a vehicle that circulates within a predetermined area according to an operation plan formulated by the mobility service center 300, and stops at a set stop position to pick up and drop off users according to the request information of the users.

[0014] Alternatively, the service vehicle V may be a vehicle that can automatically drive according to the conditions desired by the user and is capable of transporting the user. Note that the entity that drives the service vehicle V is not particularly limited, and it may be a driver or a travel control device capable of controlling the travel of the vehicle.

[0015] The terminal device 200 has a GPS (Global Positioning System) function capable of specifying the current location of the user, and information on the current location of the user is added to the desired conditions of the user.

[0016] In the mobility service center 300, the operation plans of multiple service vehicles are managed, and service vehicles are arranged according to the desired conditions of the user transmitted from the terminal device 200. When the arrangement of the service vehicle is completed, the mobility service center 300 transmits the vehicle information (vehicle type, available time zone) of the service vehicle that can be arranged, the boarding position indicating the position where the user is scheduled to board, the alighting position indicating the position where the user is scheduled to alight, the scheduled arrival time at the boarding position indicating the time when the service vehicle arrives at the boarding position, and the scheduled arrival time at the alighting position indicating the time when the service vehicle arrives at the alighting position to the terminal device 200. Also, when there is already another user on board the service vehicle that can be arranged, the mobility service center 300 formulates an operation plan incorporating the driving route of the service vehicle and the stop position of the service vehicle so as to satisfy the desired conditions of the user on board and the desired conditions of the received user respectively. The user checks these information via the terminal device 200. Then, when the user approves the use of the service vehicle, the operation plan of the service vehicle is updated. The user moves to the service vehicle using a means of movement such as walking or a bicycle so as to arrive at the boarding position by the scheduled arrival time. The above is the basic configuration of the method for using the service vehicle in this embodiment.

[0017] Next, each component will be described while referring to FIG. 1. The in-vehicle device 100 includes an input device 110, an output device 120, various sensors 130, a communication device 140, a map information database 150, and an in-vehicle controller 160. Each device constituting the in-vehicle device 100 is connected by a CAN (Controller Area Network) or other in-vehicle LAN in order to exchange information with each other.

[0018] The input device 110 is a device that allows the user to input information regarding the use of the service vehicle. Examples of input devices 110 include a touch panel or joystick that allows manual input by the user, and a microphone that allows voice input by the user. The input device 110 outputs the input information entered by the user while riding to the in-vehicle controller 160.

[0019] Information from the mobility service center 300 is input to the output device 120 via the in-vehicle controller 160. The output device 120 is a device capable of displaying the input information to the user while riding in the vehicle. Examples of the output device 120 include an LCD display and a speaker. The information that the output device 120 displays to the user will be described later.

[0020] The various sensors 130 detect information related to the driving status of the service vehicle V. The various sensors 130 can be divided into devices that detect the driving status of the service vehicle V itself and devices that detect when a user gets on or off the service vehicle V. Examples of the former include a vehicle speed sensor that detects the vehicle speed, a radar that detects obstacles around the vehicle, and a GPS unit that detects the vehicle's position. Examples of the latter include an authentication device that authenticates whether or not a user is using the service vehicle V. For example, an authentication device could be one that can communicate using NFC (Near Field Communication). The authentication device reads the user's ID information from a terminal device 200 or the like when the user gets on the service vehicle V. The various sensors 130 output the detected information to the in-vehicle controller 160.

[0021] The communication device 140 is a device that can communicate with the communication device 320 installed in the mobility service center 300 via a telephone network or the like. The communication device 140 outputs the received information to the in-vehicle controller 160 and transmits the information input from the in-vehicle controller 160 to the mobility service center 300.

[0022] The map information database 150 stores road information and map information. The map information database 150 is a database accessible from the in-vehicle controller 160, and outputs information to the in-vehicle controller 160 in response to access from the in-vehicle controller 160. The road information includes information on the type of road (general road, expressway, bridge, tunnel, etc.).

[0023] The on-board controller 160 is a device for controlling the driving of the service vehicle V. The on-board controller 160 consists of a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores a program for controlling the vehicle's driving, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes the program stored in the ROM, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that functions as an accessible storage device.

[0024] The in-vehicle controller 160 includes a driving control function that drives the service vehicle V along a driving route transmitted from the mobility service center 300 or provides driving assistance for driving, by executing a program stored in ROM using the CPU; a user authentication function that authenticates the user; and a user response function that opens and closes doors at the boarding or alighting position.

[0025] The onboard controller 160, through its driving control function, drives the service vehicle V along the route transmitted from the mobility service center 300 or performs driving assistance. For example, if the service vehicle V is a bus, the onboard controller 160 performs driving assistance by presenting route information to the driver via the output device 120, allowing the driver to drive along the route. Also, for example, if the service vehicle V is a vehicle that can be driven automatically without a driver, the onboard controller 160 controls the various drive devices (illustrated) of the service vehicle V to enable it to drive along the route. Furthermore, when the onboard controller 160 drives the service vehicle V along the route, it uses map information and road information stored in the map information database 150.

[0026] The in-vehicle controller 160 uses a user authentication function to authenticate whether or not a user intending to board the vehicle is a user who will be using the service vehicle V. For example, when the in-vehicle controller 160 obtains a user ID from an authentication device included in various sensors 130, it requests the ID information of the user who sent the desired conditions to the mobility service center 300 and performs a verification process.

[0027] The in-vehicle controller 160, through its user response function, flashes the turn signals or hazard lights to indicate that the vehicle is stopped when the user gets in or out of the service vehicle V, and also controls the opening and closing of the doors.

[0028] Next, the terminal device 200 will be described. The terminal device 200 (an example of a terminal) includes an input device 210, an output device 220, a communication device 230, and a controller 240. The terminal device 200 is portable to the user and capable of wireless communication. Examples of the terminal device 200 include a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and a smartphone.

[0029] The input device 210 is a component that allows the user to input various types of information, such as a touch panel or joystick that can be operated manually by the user. When using a service vehicle, the user can input desired conditions, such as their desired boarding location, via the input device 210. The user can also accept or reject suggested information from the mobility service center 300 via the input device 210. The input device 210 outputs the information entered by the user to the controller 240.

[0030] The output device 220 receives information from the mobility service center 300 via the communication device 230 and the controller 240. The output device 220 is a device that presents information from the mobility service center 300 to the user, and examples include a display and a speaker.

[0031] The communication device 230 is a device that can communicate with the communication device 320 installed in the mobility service center 300 via a telephone network or the like. The communication device 230 outputs information received from the mobility service center 300 to the controller 240 and transmits information input from the controller 240 to the mobility service center 300.

[0032] The controller 240 is a control device that executes a predetermined program or the like when a user uses a service vehicle, enabling the user to start using the service vehicle. It consists of a CPU, ROM, and RAM. For example, the controller 240 has a dedicated application for using the service vehicle pre-stored in ROM. When the user initiates the application via the input device 210, the controller 240 executes the dedicated application. As a result, the screen of the dedicated application is displayed on the output device 220, and the user can use the service vehicle.

[0033] Next, the Mobility Service Center 300 will be described. The Mobility Service Center 300 is a facility equipped with a server 310 (an example of a server device) and manages the operation schedule of service vehicles. The Mobility Service Center 300 collects information to formulate an operation schedule suitable for multiple users who utilize the service vehicles. Specifically, the Mobility Service Center 300 collects information on users' desired conditions for service vehicles, information on the location of service vehicles, and road traffic information. Based on the collected information and the information stored in the database of the server 310 (described later), the Mobility Service Center 300 performs various processes, such as arranging service vehicles, calculating the stopping positions of service vehicles where users board and alight, and calculating the travel route, either serially or in parallel. The server 310 is the device that executes these processes.

[0034] Server 310 includes a communication device 320, a road map information database 330, a road traffic information database 340, a group management database 350, an evacuation site information database 351, a movement history database 352, and a controller 360.

[0035] The communication device 320 is capable of communicating with the communication device 140 installed in the service vehicle V and the communication device 230 installed in the terminal device 200 via a telephone network or the like. The communication device 320 outputs information received from the in-vehicle device 100 and the terminal device 200 to the controller 360, and transmits information input from the controller 360 to the in-vehicle device 100 or the terminal device 200. The communication device 320 can also communicate with the Road Traffic Information Communication System VICS (registered trademark) (Vehicle Information and Communication System), and the controller 360 can grasp the current traffic situation based on information from VICS. The communication device 320 outputs information received from VICS to the Road Traffic Information Database 340 via the controller 360.

[0036] The road map information database 330 stores map information and road information that the controller 360 uses to calculate the travel route of the service vehicle V. The map information and road information are represented by a combination of links and nodes. Updated map information and road information are entered into the road map information database 330 at predetermined intervals. This allows the controller 360 to calculate the travel route of the service vehicle V according to the actual terrain and road shape.

[0037] Information from VICS is entered into the road traffic information database 340 at predetermined intervals. The road traffic information database 340 stores the latest congestion information, the latest traffic disruption information, and the latest traffic regulation information. This allows the controller 360 to calculate the travel route of the service vehicle V according to the actual traffic conditions.

[0038] As shown in Figure 2, the group management database 350 stores data representing the correspondence between multiple user groups TG1 to TGm (where m is an integer), which are formed by dividing users who own terminal devices 200 (referred to here as terminals T1 to Ti (where i is an integer)), multiple terminals belonging to these user groups TG1 to TGm, the residential area where the users live, information indicating whether or not the users own a vehicle, and information indicating whether or not there are disabled or elderly people among the users.

[0039] Multiple user groups TG1 to TGm are groups formed during normal times for checking on the safety of others, such as family or friends. Terminals T1 to Ti include IVI installed in vehicles, smartphones and smartwatches owned by users. Information indicating the residential area includes mountainous areas, plains, and urban areas. User group TG1 includes terminals T1, T2, and T3, each user living in a mountainous area and not owning a vehicle. The user who owns terminal T3 is, for example, an elderly person over 60 years old. User group TG2 includes terminals T4, T5, T6, and T7, each user living in a mountainous area and owning a vehicle. User group TG3 includes terminals T8, T9, and T10, each user living in an urban area and not owning a vehicle. Users who possess the T9 device are, for example, people with disabilities who have difficulty walking upright.

[0040] As shown in Figure 3, the evacuation shelter information database 351 stores data representing the correspondence between multiple local L1, L2, and L3, which are constructed by dividing evacuation shelters ES1 to ESn (where n is an integer), and lists of multiple evacuation shelters belonging to these local L1, L2, and L3. Local L1 belongs to evacuation shelters ES1, ES2, and ES3. Local L2 belongs to evacuation shelters ES4, ES5...ESn. Local L3 does not contain any evacuation shelters.

[0041] As shown in Figure 4, the movement history database 352 stores data representing the correspondence between past movement dates and times of other users, movement routes, information indicating whether or not there were secondary disasters, and information indicating whether or not the mobile body could pass through. In the past XX:XX:△△, the user moved to the evacuation site via movement route R1, there were no secondary disasters, and the mobile body could reach the evacuation site. In the past XX:△×:XX, the user moved to the evacuation site via movement route R2, there were secondary disasters, and the mobile body could not reach the evacuation site. In the past XX:XX:△×, the user moved to the evacuation site via movement route R3, there were secondary disasters, and the mobile body could reach the evacuation site.

[0042] Controller 360 is a control device for planning the operation of service vehicles V and guiding users to evacuation sites, and consists of a CPU, ROM, and RAM. By executing programs stored in ROM using the CPU, Controller 360 implements group management functions for managing multiple terminals T1 to Ti for each user group TG1 to TGm, as well as terminal information request functions, terminal information reception functions, evacuation route setting functions, and evacuation route notification functions. Each function will be described below.

[0043] The group management function manages multiple terminals T1 to Ti for each user group TG1 to TGm by referring to the group management database 350. Each terminal T1 to Ti is registered in the corresponding user group TG1 to TGm in the group management database 350 when powered on.

[0044] The terminal information request function, upon receiving information regarding a disaster or emergency, sends terminal information requests to the relevant terminals, such as T1, T2, and T3 belonging to user group TG1, and terminals T4, T5, T6, and T7 belonging to user group TG2. Terminal information includes the terminal's location and attributes. Terminal attributes include whether it is a mobile device (vehicle) or owned by a user. In the case of a vehicle, it includes information such as passenger capacity, driving range (fuel level, battery level), vehicle size, and whether it has a third-party relocation function when left unattended. In the case of a user-owned terminal, it includes information indicating whether the user is able to move, can wait, and the user's preference (e.g., it's okay to walk, please come quickly), based on the user's biometric information received by the terminal or the user's selection.

[0045] The terminal information receiving function receives terminal information from multiple terminals T1 to Ti that have been returned in response to a request for terminal information. For users whose terminal information could not be received, the server 310 may periodically display the last location information it received. The user may choose whether or not to use this last location information to set an evacuation route.

[0046] The evacuation route setting function sets an evacuation route for terminals T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, and T7 belonging to user groups TG1 and TG2, respectively, based on the terminal information received for each user group TG1 to TGm. In this case, the CPU stores information indicating the determined evacuation route in RAM.

[0047] The evacuation route notification function outputs information indicating the set evacuation route, that is, information indicating the evacuation route stored in RAM, to the corresponding terminals T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, and T7.

[0048] (Operation of the vehicle operation management system) Next, the operation of the vehicle operation management system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be explained using Figures 5, 6A, 6B, and 6C. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the control procedure of the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 that performs evacuation guidance. Figures 6A, 6B, and 6C show examples of screens displayed on the terminal device 200 when evacuation guidance is performed.

[0049] First, when the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 receives information about an emergency such as a disaster or war from the communication network at the controller 360 (step ST5a), it refers to the group management database 350 and sends requests for terminal information to the terminals T1, T2, T3 belonging to user group TG1 and terminals T4, T5, T6, T7 belonging to user group TG2, respectively (step ST5c).

[0050] For example, when terminal T1 receives a request for terminal information from the mobility service center 300, it displays its own location and a selection screen for the user, as shown in Figure 6A, with options such as "Available to move," "Available to wait," "Can walk," and "Please come quickly." If the user of terminal T1 selects "Available to wait" and taps "Send" (not shown), terminal T1 sends the terminal information to the server 310 of the mobility service center 300.

[0051] When the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 receives terminal information from the relevant terminals T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, and T7 (step ST5c), it determines, based on the terminal information, an evacuation site where terminals T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, and T7 belonging to user groups TG1 and TG2, respectively, will evacuate together, and a location to leave the vehicles if it is impossible to move them to the evacuation site (step ST5d). In this case, the server 310 sends information indicating candidate evacuation routes to the relevant terminals T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, and T7.

[0052] For example, when terminal T4 receives information from the mobility service center 300 indicating candidate evacuation routes, as shown in Figure 6B, it displays the location and attributes of other users, as well as a selection screen for candidate evacuation route 1 ("Allow," "Deny") and candidate evacuation route 2 ("Allow," "Deny," "Walk"). Here, the user of terminal T4 belongs to another user group TG1, and the elderly user of terminal T3 is nearby, so the user selects "Allow" for evacuation route 1 and "Deny" for evacuation route 2, and taps "Send" (not shown), and terminal T4 sends the information indicating the selected evacuation route 1 to the server 310 of the mobility service center 300.

[0053] When the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 receives information indicating the selected evacuation route 1 from the relevant terminals T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, and T7, it sets the evacuation route (step ST5e) and transmits information indicating the evacuation route to the relevant terminals T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, and T7 (step ST5f).

[0054] For example, when terminal T4 receives information indicating an evacuation route from the mobility service center 300, it displays screens showing the configured "evacuation route," "vehicle's current location," "location where the vehicle was abandoned / planned to be abandoned," and "location / attributes of other users," as shown in Figure 6C.

[0055] Thereafter, the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 periodically outputs information indicating the evacuation route and location information to the relevant terminals T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, and T7 until the evacuation is complete (step ST5g).

[0056] Figure 7 is a detailed flowchart showing the control procedure of the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 in step ST5d described above. When the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 receives terminal information from the corresponding terminals T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, and T7, it identifies the local L1 where, for example, user groups TG1 and TG2 are located based on the terminal information, reads a list of evacuation sites belonging to local L1 from the evacuation site information database 351, notifies the nearest evacuation site ES1 of the number of evacuees via the communication network (step ST5d1), and determines whether or not it can accept them (step ST5d2).

[0057] If acceptance is refused (step ST5d2: No), the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 searches for the next candidate evacuation site ES2 from the list of evacuation sites (step ST5d3) and proceeds to the process of step ST5d1. Also, if there is no evacuation site, such as local L3, the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 reads the list of nearby local L2 evacuation sites and performs the processes of steps ST5d1 and ST5d2 for the local L2 evacuation sites.

[0058] On the other hand, if acceptance is possible (Step ST5d2: Yes), the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 periodically notifies the relevant terminals T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, and T7 of information indicating evacuation site ES1 (Step ST5d4), and determines whether it is possible to travel to evacuation site ES1 by vehicle (Step ST5d5).

[0059] If it is determined that movement is possible (Step ST5d5: Yes), the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 compares the time it would take for a user traveling on foot to reach evacuation site ES1 on foot with the time it would take to reach evacuation site ES1 by boarding an available vehicle, and based on the result of the comparison, determines the shortest route to evacuation site ES1 (Step ST5d6).

[0060] On the other hand, if it is determined that movement is possible (Step ST5d5: Yes), the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 refers to the movement history database 352 and, based on the movement history of other users in the past, determines places where a secondary disaster is likely to occur if a vehicle is driven through, and places where leaving a vehicle would not be an obstruction, and then determines the location among these places where the cost of traveling the remaining distance on foot is minimized (Step ST5d7).

[0061] Then, the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 determines a travel route that switches to walking from the location where the vehicle was left (step ST5d8), and sets the server 310 to a mode that grants the third party's terminal permission to operate the vehicle for a short period of time by communicating with the third party's terminal via NFC or the like, so that the authorized third party can move the vehicle (step ST5d9).

[0062] (Example of setting a travel route) Next, an example of the operation when setting a travel route will be described. Figure 8 shows an example of a travel route set by the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 in this embodiment.

[0063] In the example shown in Figure 8, the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 identifies the location where each user of user group TG1 was staying as the location P1 from which each user of user group TG1 began to move. The server 310 of the mobility service center 300 also identifies the evacuation site ES1. Furthermore, the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 determines that it is impossible to reach the evacuation site ES1 by vehicle.

[0064] Then, when each user of user group TG2 gets into a vehicle and starts moving, the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 sets a travel route (shown as a thick line in Figure 8) that picks up each user of user group TG1 at the boarding location O1 and stops the vehicle at the nearest disembarking location D1 from the evacuation location ES1, based on the starting location P1 and evacuation location ES1 of each user of user group TG1. Subsequently, the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 notifies each user of user group TG1 and each user of user group TG2 of the travel route (shown as a dotted line in Figure 8) to walk to the evacuation location ES1. Furthermore, the server 310 notifies each user of user group TG1 that a vehicle owned by user group TG2 is on its way.

[0065] (Other examples of setting travel routes) Next, we will describe another example of the operation when setting a travel route. Figure 9 shows another example of a travel route set by the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 in this embodiment.

[0066] In the example shown in Figure 9, the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 identifies the location where each user of user group TG3 was staying as the location P2 from which each user of user group TG3 began to move. The server 310 of the mobility service center 300 also identifies the evacuation site ES2. Furthermore, the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 determines that the vehicle each user of user group TG2 is riding in can only accommodate one more person.

[0067] Then, when each user of user group TG2 boards a vehicle and starts moving, the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 first picks up users (people with disabilities) who are carrying terminals T9 of user group TG3 at boarding location O2, based on the location P2 and evacuation location ES2 from which each user of user group TG3 started moving, and sets a travel route to evacuation location ES2 (shown by a thick line in Figure 9). At this time, the server 310 notifies each user of user group TG3 that a vehicle owned by user group TG2 is on its way.

[0068] Subsequently, the server 310 of the mobility service center 300 sets up a travel route (shown as a thick line in Figure 9) to pick up the remaining users of user group TG3 who are waiting at boarding location O2, in order to minimize costs, after each user of user group TG2 and the user (person with a disability) possessing terminal T9 have disembarked at evacuation location ES2.

[0069] (Effects of the embodiment) (1) An evacuation guidance method in which a server 310 connects to a terminal device 200 available to a user via a communication network and provides evacuation guidance to the user in the event of a disaster, wherein when there are multiple terminals T1 to Ti, the server 310 manages multiple user groups TG1 to TGm, which are formed by dividing the multiple terminals T1 to Ti, and associates the terminals belonging to these user groups TG1 to TGm, and when it receives information about the occurrence of a disaster, it receives terminal information from each of the multiple terminals belonging to a pre-configured group, which includes at least the location of the terminal and at least one of the attributes of the terminal or the attributes of the user associated with the terminal, and based on the terminal information, sets an evacuation route in which at least some of the multiple terminals evacuate together, and outputs information indicating the evacuation route to at least some of the terminals. Therefore, by grouping multiple terminals T1 to Ti and associating this user group TG1 to TGm with terminals T1 to Ti, when disaster-related information is received, multiple terminals receiving terminal information can be identified. Based on the location of the terminals included in the received terminal information and the attributes of the terminals or the attributes of the users associated with the terminals, evacuation routes can be set for the user group TG1 to TGm, making it possible to set up more efficient evacuation routes than if each user were to evacuate individually.

[0070] (2) When the attributes of a terminal or user included in the multiple terminal information include a rideable vehicle and a user traveling on foot, the server 310 sets an evacuation route with the location of the rideable vehicle as an intermediate stop and the evacuation site as the destination. Therefore, by having users traveling on foot be picked up by a mobile vehicle, it becomes possible to set up more efficient evacuation routes than when evacuating alone.

[0071] (3) The server 310 compares the time it takes for a user traveling on foot to reach the evacuation site with the time it takes to travel to the destination by riding in a rideable vehicle, and sets the shortest travel route based on the result of the comparison. Therefore, by comparing the time it takes for a user traveling on foot to reach an evacuation site with the time it takes to reach their destination by riding on a rideable vehicle, it is possible to set the optimal evacuation route for each time required to reach the evacuation site. For example, if the time it takes for a user traveling on foot to reach an evacuation site is short, an evacuation route for walking is set, while if the time it takes to reach their destination by riding on a rideable vehicle is short, an evacuation route for riding on a rideable vehicle is set.

[0072] (4) If the number of users traveling on foot is greater than the limited number of people that can be boarded by a mobile vehicle, the server 310 will set up a route for picking up users traveling on foot, prioritizing users whose location would incur a high cost to travel to the evacuation site on foot. Therefore, even if the number of users traveling on foot exceeds the limited capacity of the mobile vehicle, the system can efficiently set up routes for picking up users who would otherwise incur significant costs to travel to the evacuation site on foot, without refusing to allow users to board the vehicle.

[0073] (5) The cost is at least one of the following: travel time, distance traveled, speed traveled, altitude traveled, and estimated physical exertion. Therefore, priority can be given to users located relatively far from evacuation centers, users in mountainous areas, and people with disabilities or the elderly, who can be picked up by mobile vehicles.

[0074] (6) When the server 310 goes to pick up the remaining users again in a mobile vehicle after the users have disembarked at the evacuation site, if there are users who will arrive at the evacuation site faster than the time it would take to travel on foot, the server 310 sets up a travel route that goes around twice. Therefore, when a user with a high-priority problem is identified, the cost for the remaining users can be minimized after resolving the problem of the high-priority user.

[0075] (7) The server 310 notifies the terminal device 200 of information indicating that a mobile object is on its way. Therefore, users who are walking to an evacuation center can check whether or not a moving vehicle is on its way, allowing them to decide whether they should continue walking to the evacuation center or wait for the vehicle to arrive.

[0076] (8) Server 310 sets a priority route for picking up users with mobile devices when the user's attributes make it difficult to move or wait. Therefore, for example, in the case of people with disabilities or the elderly, it is possible to efficiently set up transportation routes that prioritize pickup by mobile vehicles.

[0077] (9) The server 310 notifies the evacuation site of the number of evacuees via the communication network and confirms whether or not they can accept them. If the site is refused, the server 310 searches for another evacuation site, and if it is accepted, it periodically notifies the terminal of the new site. Therefore, the system communicates with evacuation centers to confirm whether they can accommodate the number of evacuees. This allows for the creation of optimal evacuation routes to different evacuation centers based on the number of evacuees. If an evacuation center refuses to accept evacuees, the system searches for another center, and if an evacuation center accepts evacuees, it periodically notifies the terminal of the new center's location.

[0078] (10) When there are multiple evacuation sites, the server 310 stores in advance a list of evacuation sites belonging to each of the multiple locals that are formed by dividing the multiple evacuation sites, and when it receives information about a disaster, it sets an evacuation route to a nearby evacuation site within the local where the user is located, or an evacuation route to an evacuation site within a neighboring local via the communication network. Therefore, when there are multiple evacuation sites, by dividing these evacuation sites locally and associating these local areas with a list of evacuation sites, it is possible to identify the nearest evacuation site for each local area where the user is located. For example, in areas with many evacuation sites, such as downtown areas and urban areas, it is possible to set an evacuation route to an evacuation site close to the user's location, and in areas with few evacuation sites, such as suburbs and rural areas, it is possible to set an evacuation route to an evacuation site belonging to a nearby local area.

[0079] (11) If the server 310 determines that it is not possible to move to the evacuation site by mobile means, it sets a route that switches to walking, with a predetermined location as an intermediate point. Therefore, if the mobile device cannot reach the evacuation site, a designated location where the mobile device can be left without obstruction can be used as a waypoint, allowing for an efficient route to the evacuation site on foot.

[0080] (12) The designated location is a place where secondary disasters are likely to occur if the mobile vehicle passes through, and a place where leaving the mobile vehicle unattended will not cause any obstruction, and where the cost of traveling the remaining section on foot is minimized. Therefore, by setting the evacuation route to a location where secondary disasters are likely to occur if the mobile device is used, and where leaving the mobile device unattended will not cause any obstruction, and where the cost of traveling the remaining section on foot is minimized, users can reach evacuation sites safely and at low cost.

[0081] (13) Server 310 determines, based on the movement history of other users after the disaster, locations where secondary disasters are likely to occur, locations where leaving a moving object will not be an obstruction, and routes that the moving object can travel. Therefore, by utilizing the movement history of other users after a disaster or emergency, it is possible to easily determine locations where secondary disasters are likely to occur, places where leaving a moving object will not cause an obstruction, and routes through which a moving object can pass.

[0082] (14) When the mobile object is left unattended, the server 310 is set to a mode that grants the third party's terminal the authority to operate the mobile object for a predetermined period of time by communicating between the third party's terminal and the mobile object, so that an authorized third party can move the mobile object. Therefore, by communicating between the authorized third-party terminal and the mobile object, the third-party terminal can be granted the authority to operate the mobile object for a short period of time. This allows the third party to operate the mobile object and move it to a safe location or a location that does not interfere with other mobile objects, without leaving the mobile object unattended.

[0083] The embodiments described above are provided to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Therefore, each element disclosed in the above embodiments is intended to include all design modifications and equivalents that fall within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0084] 1. Vehicle Operation Management System 100 Onboard equipment 110 Input Device 120 Output device 130 Various Sensors 140 Communication equipment 150 Map Information Database 160 In-Car Controllers 200 terminal devices 210 Input device 220 Output device 230 Communication equipment 240 controllers 300 Mobility Service Center 310 Servers 320 Communication equipment 330 Road Map Information Database 340 Road Traffic Information Database 350 Group Management Databases 351 Evacuation Shelter Information Database 352 Movement History Database 360 Controller D1 Disembarking Point ES1~ESn Evacuation Shelters IVI Vehicle Multiple local units constructed by dividing L1 (where n is an integer) L1, L2, L3 Local O1, O2 boarding locations P1, P2: The location where the user started moving. R1~R3 ​​Travel Route T1~Ti terminals TG1~TGm User Group V Service Vehicles

Claims

1. An evacuation guidance method in which a server device connects to a terminal available to the user via a communication network and provides evacuation guidance to the user in the event of a disaster or emergency, The server device is When there are multiple terminals, the system manages multiple groups formed by dividing the multiple terminals, and associates the terminals belonging to these groups. Upon receiving information regarding a disaster or emergency, the system receives terminal information from each of several terminals belonging to a pre-configured group, including at least the location of the terminal and at least one of the attributes of the terminal or the attributes of a user associated with the terminal. An evacuation guidance method comprising setting an evacuation route for at least some of the multiple terminals to evacuate jointly based on the terminal information, and outputting information indicating the evacuation route to at least some of the terminals.

2. The evacuation guidance method according to claim 1, wherein the server device, when the attributes of the terminal or user included in the plurality of terminal information include a rideable vehicle and a user traveling on foot, sets an evacuation route with the location of the rideable vehicle as an intermediate stop and the location of the user traveling on foot as the destination.

3. The evacuation guidance method according to claim 2, wherein the server device compares the time it takes for a user traveling on foot to move to the evacuation site on foot with the time it takes to move to the destination by riding in the rideable mobile vehicle, and sets a travel route that is the shortest based on the result of the comparison.

4. The evacuation guidance method according to claim 2, wherein, if the number of users traveling on foot is greater than the limited number of people who can ride on the mobile vehicle, the server device sets a travel route for picking up users traveling on foot, prioritizing users whose location would incur a high cost to travel to the evacuation site on foot.

5. The evacuation guidance method according to claim 4, wherein the cost is at least one of the following: travel time, travel distance, travel speed, travel altitude, and estimated physical load.

6. The evacuation guidance method according to claim 2, wherein the server device sets a travel route that makes two loops when it goes to pick up the remaining users again with the mobile vehicle after the users have disembarked at the evacuation site, and if there are users who arrive at the evacuation site faster than the time it would take to travel on foot.

7. The evacuation guidance method according to claim 3, wherein the server device notifies the terminal of information indicating that the moving object is approaching.

8. The evacuation guidance method according to claim 2, wherein the server device sets a movement route for which the mobile body will prioritize picking up the user when the user's attributes make movement or waiting difficult.

9. The evacuation guidance method according to claim 1, wherein the server device notifies the evacuation site of the number of evacuees via the communication network and confirms whether or not it can accept them, searches for another evacuation site if it is refused, and periodically notifies the terminal of the acceptance site if it is accepted.

10. The server device is When there are multiple evacuation sites, multiple local areas formed by dividing the multiple evacuation sites, and a list of evacuation sites belonging to these local areas are stored in advance in association with each other. The evacuation guidance method according to claim 1, wherein, upon receiving information regarding a disaster or emergency, the user sets an evacuation route to a nearby evacuation shelter within the local area where the user is located, or an evacuation route to a nearby local area via the communication network.

11. The evacuation guidance method according to claim 2, wherein the server device determines that it is not possible to move to the evacuation site by the mobile body, and sets a travel route that switches to walking, with a predetermined location as an intermediate point.

12. The evacuation guidance method according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined location is a place where a secondary disaster is likely to occur if the mobile body passes through, and a place where leaving the mobile body unattended will not cause an obstruction, and the cost of traveling the remaining section on foot is minimized.

13. The evacuation guidance method according to claim 11, wherein the server device determines, based on the movement history of other users after a disaster or emergency, a place where a secondary disaster is likely to occur, a place where the moving object can be left without obstruction, and a route through which the moving object can pass.

14. The evacuation guidance method according to claim 11, wherein the server device is set to a mode that grants the terminal of an authorized third party the authority to operate the mobile body within a predetermined time by communicating between the terminal of the third party and the mobile body, so that when the mobile body is left unattended, an authorized third party can move the mobile body.

15. The devices available to the user, The system includes a server device that connects to the terminal via a communication network and provides evacuation guidance to the user in the event of a disaster or emergency, The server device is When there are multiple terminals, the system manages multiple groups formed by dividing the multiple terminals, and associates the terminals belonging to these groups. Upon receiving information regarding a disaster or emergency, the system receives terminal information from each of several terminals belonging to a pre-configured group, including at least the location of the terminal and at least one of the attributes of the terminal or the attributes of a user associated with the terminal. An evacuation guidance device that, based on the terminal information, sets an evacuation route for at least some of the multiple terminals to evacuate together, and outputs information indicating the evacuation route to at least some of the terminals.

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