Information processing device, information processing method, program

Abstract

To utilize mobile units with living spaces for the benefit of society. [Solution] An information processing device that is mobile and has a living space and can communicate with it includes a control unit, which acquires first location information of the unit, acquires one or more monitoring pieces of information from among (1) the state of the power generation device, (2) the state of the energy storage device, (3) the state of the water treatment device, (4) the state of the communication device, and (5) the remaining amount of food in the unit, and determines which unit to move to the destination based on the first location information of the unit and the monitoring pieces, and outputs the determination result.

Description

Technical Field

[0005] ,

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus and the like.

Background Art

[0002] As a unit that is movable and has a living space, a trailer house that can be moved to a desired location by towing has been proposed. As disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1, recent trailer houses are equipped not only with a power generation device and a power storage device but also with a water treatment device, a communication device, etc. Therefore, if disaster victims and the like can appropriately use them in the event of an emergency such as a disaster, they will play an extremely important role in maintaining life and health.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Non-Patent Document 1

[0004] An object of the present invention is to make a unit that is movable and has a living space useful to society.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with a unit that is movable and has a living space includes a control unit. The control unit acquires first position information of the unit, and acquires one or more pieces of monitoring information among (1) the state of a power generation device, (2) the state of a power storage device, (3) the state of a water treatment device, (4) the state of a communication device, and (5) the remaining amount of food in the unit. Based on the first position information of the unit and the monitoring information, the control unit determines a unit to be moved to a destination and outputs a determination result. According to a second aspect of the present invention, an information processing method for an information processing device that can communicate with a movable unit having a living space involves the control unit of the information processing device acquiring first position information of the unit, the control unit acquiring one or more monitoring information of the unit from among (1) the state of the power generation device, (2) the state of the energy storage device, (3) the state of the water treatment device, (4) the state of the communication device, and (5) the remaining amount of food, the control unit determining which unit to move to the destination based on the first position information and monitoring information of the unit, and outputting the determination result by the control unit. According to a third aspect of the present invention, a program to be executed by a computer that can communicate with a mobile unit having a living space is to cause the computer to perform the following actions: acquire first location information of the unit; acquire one or more monitoring pieces of information from among (1) the state of the power generation device, (2) the state of the energy storage device, (3) the state of the water treatment device, (4) the state of the communication device, and (5) the remaining amount of food in the unit; determine which unit to move to the destination based on the first location information and monitoring information of the unit; and output the determination result. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] A diagram showing an example of the system configuration of a communication system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] A diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the first unit controller according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] A diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the second unit controller according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] (a) A diagram showing an example of the first unit management database according to the embodiment. (b) A diagram showing an example of the second unit management database according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] A diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the display unit of the administrator terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] A flowchart showing an example of the processing flow performed by each device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7]This figure shows an example of a screen displayed on the display unit of an administrator terminal according to a modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 8] A diagram illustrating the process according to a modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 9] A diagram illustrating the process according to a modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] A diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the display unit of the administrator terminal according to the second embodiment. [Figure 11] A flowchart showing an example of the processing flow executed by the control unit of the server according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] A diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the display unit of the administrator terminal according to the third embodiment. [Figure 13] A flowchart showing an example of the processing flow executed by the control unit of the server according to the third embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] <Compliance with legal matters> Please note that the disclosures described herein are subject to compliance with the laws of the implementing country, including the confidentiality of communications, which are necessary for the implementation of these disclosures.

[0008] <Embodiment> In this specification, there are instances where the phrase "for example" is used for clarity, but please note that this does not limit the content of the embodiments described below to those specific instances.

[0009] Embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] In this specification, a system may be, for example, comprised of multiple devices. Multiple devices may be a combination of devices of the same type, a combination of devices of different types, or a combination of devices of the same type and devices of different types. Note that a system can also be considered, for example, as something in which multiple devices cooperate to perform some processing.

[0011] Also, a system related to a client (client device) and a server can be considered, for example, as any of the following at least. (1) Terminal & Server (2) Server (3) Terminal

[0012] (1) is, for example, a system including at least one terminal and at least one server. An example of this is a client-server system.

[0013] The server is constituted by, for example, the following devices, and may be a single device or a combination of multiple devices.

[0014] Specifically, the server is configured to have, for example, any one of at least one processor (e.g., CPU: Central Processing Unit, GPU: Graphics Processing Unit, APU: Accelerated Processing Unit, DSP: Digital Signal Processor (e.g., ASIC: Application Specific Integrated Circuit, FPGA: Field Programmable Gate Array), etc.), a computer device (processor + memory), a control device, an arithmetic device, a processing device, etc., and may have a configuration in which multiple of the same type of any one device are provided (e.g., CPU + CPU, homogeneous multi-core processor, etc.), or a configuration in which multiple different types of any one device are provided (e.g., CPU + DSP, heterogeneous multi-core processor, etc.), or a combination of multiple devices (e.g., processor + computer device, processor + arithmetic device, a combination of multiple devices made heterogeneous, etc.). Note that the processor may be a virtual processor.

[0015] Also, when the server executes some processing, if it is composed of a single device, the processing described in the embodiments is executed by the single device. Also, when it is composed of a plurality of devices, some processing may be executed by one device and other processing may be executed by the other device. For example, when it is composed of a processor and an arithmetic unit, the first processing may be executed by the processor and the second processing may be executed by the arithmetic unit. Also, when it is composed of a plurality of devices, each device may be physically separated from each other.

[0016] Also, the functions of the server may be provided in the form of PaaS, IaaS, or SaaS in cloud computing, for example.

[0017] Also, the control unit of the system can be at least one of the control unit of the terminal and the control unit of the server. That is, for example, any one of (1A) only the control unit of the terminal, (1B) only the control unit of the server, and (1C) both the control unit of the terminal and the control unit of the server can be the control unit of the system.

[0018] Also, the control and processing performed by the control unit of the system (hereinafter collectively referred to as "control, etc.") may be performed (1A) only by the control unit of the terminal, (1B) only by the control unit of the server, or (1C) by both the control unit of the terminal and the control unit of the server. Also, in (1C), for example, some of the control, etc. performed by the system by the control unit may be performed by the control unit of the terminal, and the remaining control, etc. may be performed by the control unit of the server. In this case, the allocation (assignment) of the control, etc. may be equal or may be assigned at different ratios rather than equally.

[0019] Furthermore, when referring to the server's communication unit, if the server is composed of a single device, it may refer to the communication unit itself provided by that single device. Also, if the server is composed of multiple devices, the server's communication unit may include the communication units provided by each of those devices. For example, if a server comprises a first device and a second device, with the first device having a first communication unit and the second device having a second communication unit, the communication unit of the server may be considered a concept that includes both the first and second communication units.

[0020] (2) can be, for example, a system consisting of multiple servers (hereinafter referred to as the "server system"). In this case, the configuration described above can be applied to each server in the same way.

[0021] The control and other functions performed by the server system may be performed by (2A) only one server, (2B) only the other servers, or (2C) one server and the other servers. Furthermore, in (2C), for example, one server may perform some of the control functions that the server system would normally perform, while other servers perform the remaining functions. In this case, the allocation of the controls may be equal, or they may be allocated in different proportions.

[0022] (3) can be, for example, a system composed of multiple terminals. This system can be, for example, as follows: A system that assigns server functions to terminals (a distributed system). This can be achieved, for example, using blockchain technology. A system in which terminals communicate wirelessly with each other. This can be achieved, for example, by using short-range wireless communication technologies such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) to communicate in a P2P (peer-to-peer) manner.

[0023] Furthermore, the above applies not only to the control unit but also to each functional unit that can be a component of the system, such as the input / output unit, communication unit, memory unit, and clock unit.

[0024] In the following embodiments, for example, a system including a terminal and a server (e.g., a client-server system) is illustrated. Furthermore, it is also possible to apply the server system described in (2) above as the server.

[0025] Furthermore, instead of a system that includes terminals and servers, it is also possible to apply a system that does not include servers, such as the system described in (3) above. In this case, the embodiment can be configured based on the aforementioned blockchain technology. Specifically, for example, data stored and managed on the server described in the following embodiment is stored on the blockchain. Then, when a terminal generates a transaction to the blockchain and the transaction is approved on the blockchain, the data stored on the blockchain is updated.

[0026] Furthermore, even when the term "terminal" is used, it is not limited to the meaning of a terminal as a client device in a client-server system. In other words, the term "terminal" can sometimes include the concept of a device that is not part of a client-server relationship.

[0027] Furthermore, in this specification, terms such as "related to" or "concerning" may mean, for example, "B relating to A" or "B related to A".

[0028] <System Configuration> Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of the system configuration of the communication system 1 according to this embodiment. The communication system 1 is configured by connecting, for example, a server 10, an administrator terminal 20, one or more towing vehicles 40 (towing vehicle 40A, towing vehicle 40b, ...), one or more trailer houses Ta (trailer house Ta1, trailer house Ta2, ...), and one or more trailer houses Tb (trailer house Tb1, trailer house Tb2, ...) which have different functions from trailer house Ta, via a network N.

[0029] Network N plays the role of connecting each device that constitutes communication system 1. In other words, network N refers to a communication network that provides connection paths so that the various devices described above can send and receive data after they have been connected.

[0030] One or more parts of network N may be wired or wireless networks. Network N may include, for example, an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual private network (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless WAN (WWAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), part of the internet, part of a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a mobile phone network, an integrated service digital network (ISDN), wireless LAN, LTE (long term evolution), CDMA (code division multiple access), Bluetooth (registered trademark), satellite communications, or two or more combinations thereof. Network N may include one or more networks N.

[0031] Server 10 is an information processing device (management device) that manages various devices included in the communication system 1. Server 10 receives information from and transmits information to the above-mentioned devices via the network N. Server 10 may be any information processing device capable of realizing the functions described in each embodiment, and may include, for example, a server device, a computer (e.g., desktop, laptop, tablet), a media computer platform (e.g., cable, satellite set-top box, digital video recorder), a handheld computer device (e.g., PDA, email client), or other types of computers or communication platforms. Server 10 may also be referred to as an information processing device. If there is no need to distinguish between Server 10 and a terminal, both Server 10 and the terminal may be referred to as information processing devices.

[0032] The server 10 includes, for example, a control unit 11 (CPU), a storage unit 15, a communication unit 14 (communication interface), an input / output unit 12, a display unit 13, and a clock unit 19. The hardware components of the server 10 are interconnected, for example, via a bus B.

[0033] The control unit 11 has a physically structured circuit to execute functions realized by code or instructions included in the program, and is realized, for example, by a data processing device built into the hardware. The control unit 11 is typically a central processing unit (CPU), but may also be a microprocessor, processor core, multiprocessor, ASIC, or FPGA.

[0034] The storage unit 15 has the function of storing various programs and data necessary for the server 10 to operate. The storage unit 15 is implemented using various storage media such as HDD, SSD, and flash memory.

[0035] The communication unit 14 transmits and receives various types of data via the network N. Communication may be performed via wired or wireless connections, and any communication protocol may be used as long as communication between the units is possible. The communication unit 14 has the function of communicating with various devices such as trailer house Ta1, trailer house Tb1, and administrator terminal 20 via the network N. The communication unit 14 transmits various types of data to the various devices according to instructions from the control unit 11. Furthermore, the communication unit 14 receives various types of data transmitted from the various devices and transmits them to the control unit 11. Note that if the communication unit 14 is composed of a physically structured circuit, it may be referred to as a communication circuit.

[0036] The input / output unit 12 includes devices for inputting various operations to the server 10 and devices for outputting processing results processed by the server 10. The input / output unit 12 may have an integrated input unit and an output unit, or it may have separate input and output units. The input unit is implemented by any or a combination of all types of devices capable of receiving input from the user and transmitting the information related to the input to the control unit 11. The input unit is typically implemented by hardware keys such as a keyboard or a pointing device such as a mouse. The input unit may also include, for example, a touch panel, a camera (operation input via video), or a microphone (operation input via voice).

[0037] The output unit is implemented by any or a combination of any type of device capable of outputting the processing results processed by the control unit 11. The output unit includes, for example, a touch panel, a touch display, a speaker (sound output), a lens (e.g., 3D output or hologram output), a printer, and the like.

[0038] The display unit 13 is implemented by a display or the like. Typically, the display is implemented by a monitor (for example, a liquid crystal display or an OLED (organic electroluminescence display)). The display may also be a head-mounted display (HDM) or the like.

[0039] The clock unit 19 is the built-in clock of the server 10 and outputs time information (timing information). The clock unit 19 is configured to include, for example, a hardware clock such as an RTC (Real Time Clock) or a system clock. The clock unit 19 can also be described as, for example, a timing unit or a time information detection unit.

[0040] The administrator terminal 20 is a terminal used by a designated administrator (administrator user). The administrator terminal 20 may also be a terminal that retrieves and outputs information regarding the usage status of trailer houses (units) from the server 10, or it may be a terminal on which an application program for managing the usage status of trailer houses is executed. For example, the administrator terminal 20 may be a terminal of a business operator that conducts business at the location where the trailer houses are installed (store, facility, etc.), or it may be a terminal of a business operator that conducts the movement (towing) of trailer houses as a business. For example, the business operator may be a business operator that provides accommodation services using trailer houses. In addition, the administrator terminal 20 is not limited to business operators, but may also be a terminal used by administrators of public institutions that provide disaster prevention information, such as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism or the Japan Meteorological Agency.

[0041] The towing vehicle 40 is a vehicle that tows the trailer house and may be a vehicle driven by the towing person. In this embodiment, the towing vehicle 40 is also provided with a positioning unit 45.

[0042] The trailer house Ta (hereinafter sometimes referred to as Unit 1) has a living space and is equipped with, for example, a power generation device, a power storage device, a water treatment device, a network connection device, etc. It is also equipped with a shower, a kitchen (induction cooktop, refrigerator), etc. For example, solar panels are installed on two sides of the roof and wall as a power generation device, and the electricity generated by the solar modules on the two sides can be stored in the power storage device. The stored electricity can be used for the induction cooktop, refrigerator, etc. of Unit 1.

[0043] The water treatment system has the function of filtering and circulating water used in showers and kitchens, for example, using a reverse osmosis membrane (RO membrane), and reusing it in the first unit. The network connection device has, for example, a satellite communication function that communicates with a communication satellite (e.g., an internet connection satellite), and it is possible to connect the device to network N (e.g., an internet connection satellite link), and to connect other devices that are connected to the device (a first unit controller, a second unit controller located near the first unit, or a user's terminal located near the first or second unit) to network N (e.g., an internet connection satellite link). Food can be stored in the refrigerator of the first unit, and food can also be stored in the food storage container outside the refrigerator. The first unit includes a first unit controller 50, which is a type of control device.

[0044] The trailer house Tb (sometimes referred to as the second unit) has a living space and is equipped with, for example, a power generation device, an energy storage device, and also features air conditioning, a bed, a bio-toilet, etc. For example, it is equipped with solar panels on the roof as a power generation device, and the electricity generated by one solar panel module can be stored in the energy storage device. The stored electricity can be used for the air conditioning, bio-toilet, etc. of the second unit. The second unit includes a second unit controller 60, which is a type of control device.

[0045] In this embodiment, both the first and second units are units that have living spaces. The first unit has a larger solar panel installation area (more solar cell modules) than the second unit, resulting in higher power generation, and is equipped with a water treatment device and network connection device only in the first unit, thus representing a configuration that places more emphasis on infrastructure. The second unit does not have solar panels installed on the wall, allowing for better natural lighting than the first unit, and is equipped with a water treatment device and kitchen, and has a larger living space than the first unit, thus representing a configuration that places more emphasis on livability.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, neither the first unit nor the second unit can move under its own power, but they are configured to be towed by a towing vehicle 40. The first unit and the second unit can be combined as a pair and arranged for use by a common user (e.g., one person). For example, a wooden deck may be placed between the first unit and the second unit to allow movement between them. It is also possible to use only the first unit or only the second unit without combining them. Alternatively, multiple users may share the first unit, while the second unit is used individually (i.e., more second units than first units are provided).

[0047] Furthermore, the first unit controller 50 is equipped with a positioning unit 55, and the second unit controller 60 is equipped with a positioning unit 65. The positioning units (for example, positioning unit 45, positioning unit 55, positioning unit 65) are units configured to calculate the position of the aircraft, and are configured to have a satellite positioning unit that calculates the position of the aircraft using a satellite positioning system such as GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System: for example, GPS (Global Positioning System)). The satellite positioning unit includes, for example, an RF receiving circuit that converts RF (Radio Frequency) signals, including positioning satellite signals transmitted from positioning satellites and received by an antenna (not shown), into digital signals, and a baseband processing circuit that performs correlation calculations on the digital signals output from the RF receiving circuit to capture positioning satellite signals and calculates the position based on information such as satellite orbit data and time data extracted from the positioning satellite signals.

[0048] The positioning unit may also be configured to include an inertial measurement sensor (IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit)) that calculates position using an inertial navigation system, or a UWB positioning sensor (UWB positioning unit) that calculates position using UWB (Ultra Wide Band radio). The inertial measurement unit may have inertial sensors, which are sensors that detect information necessary for calculating position by inertial navigation calculations. These inertial sensors may include, for example, a 3-axis accelerometer or a 3-axis gyroscope. A geomagnetic sensor may also be included. The UWB positioning unit may include, for example, an ultra-wideband RF (Radio Frequency) receiving circuit that converts an ultra-wideband RF signal, including a positioning ultra-wideband pulse signal transmitted from a positioning beacon received by an antenna (not shown), into a digital signal, and a relative position calculation processing circuit that calculates the relative position between the unit and the positioning beacon based on the digital signal output from the ultra-wideband RF receiving circuit. The UWB positioning unit may also function as a positioning beacon by transmitting an ultra-wideband RF signal, including a positioning ultra-wideband pulse signal, from an antenna (not shown).

[0049] Furthermore, based on the position calculation information detected by the positioning unit, the control unit of various devices having a positioning unit may calculate the position, or the positioning unit may calculate the position and output it to the control unit.

[0050] Furthermore, the position may be calculated, for example, at every first hour interval (at regular intervals). Furthermore, the calculated position may be transmitted to the server 10 by the communication unit of the device each time a position is calculated, or it may be transmitted to the server 10 by the communication unit of the device at a second time interval that is longer than the first time interval described above.

[0051] <Functional Configuration> Figure 2 shows an example of the functional configuration of the first unit controller 50. The first unit controller 50 is configured, for example, with a control unit 51, an input / output unit 52, a communication unit 54, a positioning unit 55, a clock unit 56, and a storage unit 59.

[0052] The control unit 51 is a control device that comprehensively controls each part of the device, and is configured with, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a processor core, a multiprocessor, an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit), or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The control unit 51 has physically structured circuitry to perform functions realized by program code or instructions, and may be realized, for example, by a data processing device built into the hardware.

[0053] In this embodiment, the control unit 51 has a first unit state detection unit 511 as its main functional unit, which detects the state of the first unit (hereinafter referred to as the "first unit state"). The first unit state may include, for example, (1) the state of the power generation device, (2) the state of the energy storage device, (3) the state of the water treatment device, (4) the state of the communication device, and (5) the remaining amount of food in the first unit, and the first unit state detection unit 511 is configured to detect these first unit states.

[0054] The input / output unit 52 is a functional unit that includes devices for inputting various operations and devices for outputting processing results from the control unit 51, and includes, for example, a display unit 53. The input / output unit 52 may have an integrated input unit and an output unit, or it may have separate input and output units.

[0055] The input unit may be implemented by any or a combination of any type of device capable of receiving input from a user and transmitting the information related to the input to the control unit. The input unit may include, for example, hardware keys such as a touch panel, touch display, or keyboard, a pointing device such as a mouse, a camera (for operation input via video), or a microphone (for operation input via voice).

[0056] The output unit may be implemented by any or a combination of any type of device capable of outputting the processing results of the control unit. The output unit may include, for example, a touch panel, a touch display, a speaker (for audio output), a lens (for example, 3D output or hologram output), a printer, and the like.

[0057] Furthermore, information output may include not only external output such as display and sound output, but also, for example, information output by functional units within the device (e.g., information output to other functional units). Transmission of information to external devices by the communication unit may also be considered as information output.

[0058] The communication unit 54 is a communication device that transmits and receives various types of information via the network N. Communication may be performed via wired or wireless connections, and any communication protocol may be used as long as communication between the units is possible. The communication unit 54 has the function of communicating with various devices such as the server 10 via the network N. The communication unit 54 transmits various types of information to the server 10 and other devices according to instructions from the control unit. The communication unit 54 also receives various types of information transmitted from the server 10 and other devices and transmits it to the control unit 51. If the communication unit 54 is composed of a physically structured circuit, it may be referred to as a communication circuit. Furthermore, the communication unit 54 may have the function of communicating with external devices using Wi-Fi (registered trademark), etc.

[0059] Furthermore, the communication unit 54 of the first unit can connect to a terrestrial communication line without going through a network connection device when it is possible to connect to a terrestrial communication line (for example, when the strength of the radio waves received from a base station for data communication is relatively strong), and can communicate with the server 10, etc. On the other hand, even when it is difficult to connect to a terrestrial communication line (for example, when the strength of the radio waves received from a base station is extremely weak), it can connect to network N (satellite link for internet connection) via a network connection device, and can communicate with the server 10, etc.

[0060] Therefore, even if the first unit (communication unit 54) is installed in a location where it cannot be connected to a public communication line on land, it is possible to connect the terminals of users staying near the first unit (for example, users staying inside the first unit, users staying inside the second unit located near the first unit) to the network N via satellite communication, to connect the first unit controller 50 to the network N, and to connect the second unit controller 60 of the second unit located near the first unit to the network N.

[0061] The positioning unit 55 is as described above.

[0062] The clock unit 56 is an internal clock that outputs time information (timing information). The clock unit 56 may be configured to include, for example, a clock using a crystal oscillator. The clock unit 56 may also be referred to as a timing unit or a time information detection unit. The clock unit 56 may also have a clock that conforms to the NITZ (Network Identity and Time Zone) standard or the like.

[0063] The storage unit 59 has the function of storing various programs and data necessary for operation. The storage unit 59 may include various storage media such as HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), flash memory, RAM (Random Access Memory), and ROM (Read Only Memory). The storage unit 59 may also be referred to as memory.

[0064] (Monitoring Information) (1) The first unit state detection unit 511 is capable of detecting the state of the power generation device, and for example, it monitors the power generated and stores the monitoring information (power generated at the time of detection and information on the time progression of power generated) in the storage unit 59.

[0065] (2) The first unit state detection unit 511 is capable of detecting the state of the energy storage device, and for example, it monitors the stored power and stores the monitoring information (stored power at the time of detection and information on the time progression of the stored power) in the storage unit 59.

[0066] (3) The first unit status detection unit 511 is capable of detecting the status of the water treatment device, and for example, it monitors the volume of water used (total amount used, including the amount reused) and stores the monitoring information (total amount of water used) in the storage unit 59. In addition, for example, it stores the number of days elapsed since the date the RO membrane water purification filter was replaced as monitoring information in the storage unit 59. For example, when a user of the first unit or a maintenance manager enters the date on which the water filter was replaced into the input unit, the control unit 51 counts the elapsed time since that date, and the counted number of days is stored in the storage unit 59.

[0067] (4) The first unit state detection unit 511 is capable of detecting the state of the communication device. For example, it monitors the strength of radio waves received by the communication unit 54 from a ground base station and stores the monitoring information (first radio wave strength) in the storage unit 59. Also, for example, it monitors the strength of radio waves received by the network connection device from a communication satellite (internet connection satellite) and stores the monitoring information (second radio wave strength) in the storage unit 59.

[0068] (5) The first unit state detection unit 511 is capable of detecting the remaining amount of food. For example, when a user stores food in a refrigerator or food storage unit, the code that identifies the type and amount of food (for example, a two-dimensional code attached to the food packaging) is read by a code reader (an example of an input unit) connected to the first unit controller, and the food (type and amount) stored in the first unit is stored in the storage unit 59 as monitoring information. When food is taken out of the refrigerator or food storage unit and consumed, the code attached to the food (for example, a two-dimensional code attached to the food packaging) is read again by the code reader (an example of an input unit), and the food (type and amount) that has been consumed from the stored food is stored in the storage unit 59 as monitoring information. The remaining amount of food (type and amount) after subtracting the consumed food from the stored food is also stored in the storage unit 59 as monitoring information. Alternatively, the code reader on the user's terminal (user terminal) of the unit may be used to read the codes of the food stored in or consumed by that unit and send them to the server 10. Since the unit ID and the user's user ID (terminal ID, application ID) are associated, the server 10 can monitor the remaining amount of food. Alternatively, the amount of food stored inside the refrigerator (or food storage) can be detected by taking images of the inside of the refrigerator (or food storage) with a camera and performing image processing (for example, comparison processing based on the difference with an image of an empty refrigerator (or food storage)). Or, a weight sensor can be installed inside the refrigerator (or food storage) (or the refrigerator or food storage can be placed on a weight sensor) to detect the amount of food stored inside the refrigerator (or food storage) based on the weight of the food inside.

[0069] The monitoring information described in (1) to (5) above is transmitted from the first unit controller 50 to the server 10 at predetermined intervals or in response to a request from the server 10, and is stored in the storage unit 15 of the server 10, associated with the first unit ID of the first unit that sent the information.

[0070] Figure 3 shows an example of the functional configuration of the second unit controller 60. The second unit controller 60 is configured, for example, with a control unit 61, an input / output unit 62, a communication unit 64, a positioning unit 65, a clock unit 66, and a storage unit 69. The functions of the control unit 61, input / output unit 62, communication unit 64, positioning unit 65, clock unit 66, and storage unit 69 are the same as the functions of the corresponding units of the first unit controller 50, so a description is omitted.

[0071] The control unit 61 has a second unit state detection unit 611 as its main functional unit, which detects the state of the second unit (hereinafter referred to as the "second unit state"). The second unit state may include, for example, (1) the state of the power generation device and (2) the state of the energy storage device in the second unit, and the second unit state detection unit 611 is configured to detect these second unit states.

[0072] (Monitoring Information) (1) The second unit state detection unit 611 is capable of detecting the state of the power generation device, and for example, it monitors the power generated and stores the monitoring information (power generated at the time of detection and information on the time progression of power generated) in the storage unit 59.

[0073] (2) The second unit state detection unit 611 is capable of detecting the state of the energy storage device, and for example, it monitors the stored power and stores the monitoring information (stored power at the time of detection and information on the time progression of the stored power) in the storage unit 59.

[0074] The monitoring information described in (1) and (2) above is transmitted from the second unit controller 60 to the server 10 at predetermined intervals or in response to a request from the server 10, and is stored in the storage unit 15 of the server 10, associated with the second unit ID of the second unit that sent the information.

[0075] Figure 4(a) shows an example of the data structure of the first unit management database 151 stored in the storage unit (not shown) of the server 10 in this embodiment. The first unit management database 151 is a database that stores information about the status of each first unit, and first unit management data is stored as data for each first unit. Each first unit management data contains the first unit ID, which is the identification information set for that first unit, the latest location information of that first unit, and the monitoring information for the aforementioned (1) power generation equipment status, (2) energy storage equipment status, (3) water treatment equipment status, (4) communication equipment status, and (5) remaining food quantity.

[0076] The first unit ID may be set by the server 10 so that each first unit has a unique ID. The location information is, for example, the location information of the first unit detected at predetermined time intervals (periodic timings) by the positioning unit 55 of the first unit controller 50, and the latest location information among the location information transmitted to the server 10 may be stored.

[0077] Figure 4(b) shows an example of the data structure of the second unit management database 153 stored in the storage unit 15 of the server 10 in this embodiment. The second unit management database 153 is a database that stores information about the status of each second unit, and second unit management data is stored as data for each second unit. Each second unit management data contains the second unit ID, which is the identification information set for that second unit, the latest location information of that second unit, and the monitoring information for (1) the status of the power generation device and (2) the status of the energy storage device, as described above.

[0078] The second unit ID may be set by the server 10 so that each second unit has a unique ID. The location information is, for example, the location information of the second unit detected at predetermined time intervals (periodic timings) by the positioning unit 65 of the second unit controller 60, and the latest location information among the location information transmitted to the server 10 may be stored.

[0079] Although not shown in the diagram, the storage unit 15 of the server 10 may store information related to the towing vehicles 40, including their location information, in addition to the above. For example, the location information of each towing vehicle may be stored in association with its identification information (towing vehicle ID). Furthermore, information about the towing vehicle 40 driver or the towing vehicle's terminal, including the location information of the towing vehicle's terminal, may be stored. For example, the location information and operational information of each towing vehicle may be stored in association with the identification information (towing vehicle ID) of each towing vehicle.

[0080] <First Example> The first embodiment is an embodiment in which a server 10 (an example of an information processing device) determines which unit to move to a destination based on the unit's location information and monitoring information in the unit, and outputs the determination result. The contents described in the first embodiment can be similarly applied to other embodiments and modifications.

[0081] <Display screen> Figure 5 shows an example of a map image displayed on the display unit of the administrator terminal 20 in this embodiment. The control unit of the administrator terminal 20 acquires the location information of the first unit from the server 10, and the display unit can display the icon of the first unit at the coordinates corresponding to the acquired location information on the map image. The control unit also acquires the location information of the second unit from the server 10, and the display unit can display the icon of the second unit at the coordinates corresponding to the acquired location information on the map image. In this example, the control unit also acquires the location information of the towing vehicle 40, and the display unit can display the icon of the towing vehicle 40 at the coordinates corresponding to the acquired location information on the map image.

[0082] Furthermore, since the first and second units are often grouped together in designated locations where accommodation is possible, such as parks and campgrounds, the coordinates of units (first and second units) located within a radius of 100m may be unified on the map and displayed as a single coordinate (see coordinates PI1, PI2, PI3, and PI4). Then, the icon for the first unit (first icon) is displayed at the position corresponding to that coordinate, and the number of first units located at that coordinate is shown. Similarly, the icon for the second unit (second icon) is displayed, and the number of second units located at that coordinate is shown. Furthermore, if only one of the first or second units is placed at the given coordinates, the icon for the other unit will not be displayed.

[0083] Furthermore, since towing vehicles 40 are often grouped together in designated locations such as parking lots, the coordinates of towing vehicles 40 located within a radius of 100m may be unified on the map and displayed as a single coordinate (see coordinates PK1, PK2, PK3). Then, an icon for a towing vehicle 40 (towing icon) is displayed at the position corresponding to that coordinate, and the number of towing vehicles 40 located at that coordinate is displayed.

[0084] In this example, the first and second units are located at coordinates PI1, PI2, PI3, and PI4, respectively, and the towing vehicles 40 are located at coordinates PK1, PK2, and PK3, respectively. For example, at coordinate PI1, there are 4 first units (x4) and 4 second units (x4) located (staying), and at coordinate PK1, there are 6 towing vehicles 40 (x6) located (on standby).

[0085] <Processing> Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow performed by each device in this embodiment. In this figure, from left to right, the processing performed by the control unit 51 of the first unit controller 50 and / or the control unit 61 of the second unit controller 60 is shown, the processing performed by the control unit 11 of the server 10 is shown, and the processing performed by the control unit (not shown) of the administrator terminal 20 is shown. Here, the administrator terminal 20 is described as the terminal of an administrator who requests (requests) the movement of a unit, but it is not limited to this. Furthermore, the processing on the left may be performed by the control unit 51 of the first unit controller 50 and / or the control unit 61 of the second unit controller 60, but for simplicity, it will be described below as processing performed by the control unit 51 of the first unit controller 50. The same may apply when the control unit 61 of the second unit controller 60 performs the same action.

[0086] The control unit 51 of the first unit controller 50 starts the process of sending the ID of the first unit and the monitoring information (1) to (5) of the first unit to the server 10 via the communication unit 54 (A110).

[0087] When the communication unit 14 receives monitoring information, the control unit 11 of the server 10 starts updating the information on the first unit status (monitoring information) in the first unit management data for the corresponding first unit ID based on the received monitoring information (S110). Thereafter, the information may be updated each time monitoring information is received from the first unit controller. The ID of the first unit may be stored in the first unit management data in advance, for example, and the information on the first unit status may be updated accordingly.

[0088] Although not shown in the diagram, the control unit 11 of the server 10 may acquire the location information of the towing vehicle 40 and store the acquired location information in the storage unit 15. Furthermore, the control unit 11 may acquire the location information of the towing terminal 30 of the towing driver who operates the towing vehicle 40 and tows the unit, and store the acquired location information in the storage unit 15.

[0089] The control unit of the administrator terminal 20 transmits information request information to the server 10 via the communication unit, requesting various types of information about the first unit and the towing vehicle 40, based on user input regarding the provision of information (B110). In response, the control unit 11 of the server 10 transmits various information regarding the first unit and the towing vehicle 40 to the administrator terminal 20 via the communication unit 14 (S120). In response, the control unit of the administrator terminal 20 displays the received information on the display unit (B120), as illustrated in Figure 5.

[0090] The control unit of the administrator terminal 20 transmits destination information indicating the destination (destination) to the server 10 via the communication unit (B130), based on user input for setting a destination (for example, tapping the destination location on the map in Figure 5). The destination information may also be movement request information requesting that the unit be moved to the destination.

[0091] In response, the control unit 11 of the server 10 selects candidate first units to be moved to the destination based on the location information of the first units stored in the first unit management data of the first unit management database 151 and the location information of the destination (S130). Specifically, for example, based on the latest location information of each first unit (an example of first location information) and the location information of the destination, it selects, for example, N first units in order of proximity to the destination as candidate first units to be moved.

[0092] Next, the control unit 11 of the server 10 determines which first unit to move to the destination from among the candidates for the first unit selected in S130 (S140), based on the monitoring information (unit status information) stored in each first unit management data of the first unit management database 151. Specifically, for example, from among the N candidates for the first unit selected in S130, it determines M (M≦N) first units whose first unit status satisfies predetermined conditions and decides which first units to move to the destination.

[0093] The predetermined conditions may include, for example, that at least one of the following conditions in the first unit—the state of the power generator, the state of the energy storage device, the state of the water treatment device, the state of the communication device, and the remaining amount of food—meets a predetermined standard that can be considered to be in a good state. Since food is particularly important in emergencies, the remaining amount of food may be made a mandatory condition for determining whether the conditions are met. Alternatively, monitoring information (information on the status of the first unit) used for condition determination may be set in advance, the set monitoring information may be obtained from the first unit management data, and condition determination may be performed based on the obtained monitoring information.

[0094] (1) Determination based on the state of the power generation equipment For example, if the power generated by a first unit is less than a predetermined value despite the weather being sunny and the time of day being daytime, it is determined that the power generation device (or power generation system including the power generation device) of that first unit is not in good condition. Furthermore, if the power generated by a first unit is relatively low compared to other first units located near its location (for example, within the same park), it may be determined that the power generation device of that first unit is not in relatively good condition. In addition, if the power generated remains extremely low for a predetermined period despite the weather being sunny, it may be determined that there is a possibility of a malfunction. In this way, monitoring information from each device can be used to determine the operating status, including whether or not each device is in a normal state.

[0095] (2) Determination based on the state of the energy storage device For example, if the stored energy, based on the relationship between the power generated by the first unit and the power consumed by the first unit, is less than a predetermined value, it is determined that the energy storage device (which may also be an energy storage system including the energy storage device) of the first unit is not in good condition. Furthermore, if the stored energy (stored energy, based on the relationship between the power generated and power consumed by each first unit) is relatively small compared to other first units located near the location where the first unit is situated (for example, within the same park), it may be determined that the power generation device of the first unit is not in relatively good condition.

[0096] (3) Determination based on the state of the water treatment equipment For example, if the number of days elapsed since the water purification filter was replaced exceeds a predetermined number of days, the water treatment device's capacity (purification capacity) is determined to be poor. Also, if the volume of water used since the water purification filter was replaced (total usage) exceeds a predetermined amount, the water treatment device's capacity (purification capacity) is determined to be poor. Furthermore, if the number of days elapsed since the water purification filter was replaced is relatively high compared to other first units located near the first unit's location (for example, within the same park), the water treatment device of that first unit may be determined to be in relatively poor condition. Similarly, if the total amount of water used since the water purification filter was replaced is relatively high compared to other first units, the water treatment device of that first unit may be determined to be in relatively poor condition.

[0097] (4) Determination based on the status of the communication device (i) For example, if the signal strength from the communication satellite received by the network connection device is weaker than a predetermined strength, it is determined that the communication device (in this case, the network connection device) is not in good condition. Note that if an active phased array antenna receives radio waves from the communication satellite and the antenna's orientation is automatically adjusted by a motor, the above condition may be set on the premise that if there is a malfunction in the automatic orientation adjustment function, the signal strength will be weaker than a predetermined strength. Note that if the signal strength received from the communication satellite by the first unit is relatively weaker compared to other first units located near the location where the first unit is situated (for example, in the same park), it may be determined that the communication device of the first unit is not in relatively good condition. (ii) On the other hand, for example, if the first unit is located in a position (within range) where it can communicate with a ground base station for data communication, but the strength of the radio waves it receives from the base station is weaker than a predetermined strength, it may be determined that the communication device (in this case, the communication unit 54) is not in good condition. Furthermore, if the strength of the radio waves it receives from the base station is relatively weaker compared to other first units located near the location where the first unit is situated (for example, in the same park), it may be determined that the communication device of the first unit is not in relatively good condition.

[0098] (5) Determination based on the amount of food remaining For example, if the amount of food remaining in the refrigerator or pantry is less than a predetermined amount, it is determined that the amount of food is insufficient (not good). However, if the code attached to the food (for example, a two-dimensional code attached to the food packaging) includes the expiration date of the food, only food with a predetermined period or more remaining until the expiration date may be counted as remaining food.

[0099] If, as a result of the judgments in (1) to (5) above, there are no judgments of "not good," then the first unit will be selected as the first unit to be moved to the destination. Alternatively, the evaluations in (1) to (5) may each be divided into three levels (good, average, not good), and only those that are all "good" may be selected as the first unit to be moved to the destination. Alternatively, the evaluations in (1) to (5) may each be scored on a five-level scale (level 1 (lowest) - 5 (highest)), and if the average is 4 or higher, or the total is 20 or higher, then the unit may be selected as the first unit to be moved to the destination.

[0100] Next, the control unit 11 of the server 10 transmits the decision information regarding the first unit determined in S130 to the administrator terminal 20 via the communication unit 14 (S150). The decision information may include information such as the number of first units to be moved (M), their identification information (e.g., first unit ID), and the time required to reach the destination.

[0101] The same processing as described above may be performed on the second unit as well. In S140, for example, the second unit to be moved may be determined based on monitoring information of the second unit (such as the status of the power generator or the status of the energy storage device).

[0102] When the communication unit receives the decision information, the control unit of the administrator terminal 20 displays the received decision information on the display unit (B150).

[0103] After A110, the control unit 51 of the first unit controller 50 determines whether or not to terminate the process (A190). If it determines to continue the process (A190: NO), it performs the termination determination A190 again. On the other hand, if it determines to terminate the process (A190: YES), it terminates the process.

[0104] After S150, the control unit 11 of the server 10 determines whether to terminate the process (S190). If it determines to continue the process (S190: NO), it returns to a point before, for example, S120. On the other hand, if it determines to terminate the process (S190: YES), it terminates the process.

[0105] After B150, the control unit of the administrator terminal 20 determines whether to terminate the process (B190). If it determines to continue the process (B190: NO), it returns to, for example, B110. On the other hand, if it determines to terminate the process (B190: YES), it terminates the process.

[0106] The control unit 11 of the server 10 may also display information regarding the candidate units selected in S130 and information regarding the unit decided in S140 (e.g., decision information) on the display unit 13.

[0107] Furthermore, the movement request information transmitted from the administrator terminal 20 to the server 10 in B130 may include information on the number of units (M units) whose movement is requested. In this case, the control unit 11 of the server 10 may, for example, select N (N>M) candidate first units in S130 and determine the M first units in S140. Here, the M first units may be determined, for example, by prioritizing those with high evaluations based on (1) to (5) described above from among the N first units. Alternatively, among those whose evaluations based on (1) to (5) described above are above a predetermined evaluation, those with the shortest distance to the destination may be determined first.

[0108] <Effects of the First Example> According to this embodiment, an information processing device (e.g., server 10) that can communicate with a mobile unit having a living space (e.g., a trailer house, a self-propelled unit) includes a control unit (e.g., control unit 11). The control unit acquires first location information of the unit (e.g., the latest location information of the unit) and acquires one or more monitoring information of the unit from among (1) the status of the power generation device, (2) the status of the energy storage device, (3) the status of the water treatment device, (4) the status of the communication device, and (5) the remaining amount of food. The control unit then determines which unit to move to the destination based on the first location information and monitoring information of the unit, and outputs the determination result (e.g., displayed on the display unit 13 of the server 10, transmitted to various administrator terminals 20). Based on the unit's primary location information and one or more monitoring pieces of information from the following: (1) the status of the power generator, (2) the status of the energy storage device, (3) the status of the water treatment device, (4) the status of the communication device, and (5) the remaining amount of food, the system can appropriately determine which unit to move to the destination and output the determination result. Furthermore, the unit can be immediately and effectively utilized at the destination.

[0109] Furthermore, the evaluation of the unit only requires the use of one or more of the monitoring information from (1) to (5). For example, only the status of the water treatment device (3) may be considered, only the status of the communication device (4) may be considered, or only the remaining amount of food (5) may be considered.

[0110] <Modification of the first embodiment (1)> For example, disaster prevention information (including disaster information) may be acquired, and the destination of the unit in the event of a disaster may be set based on the acquired disaster prevention information.

[0111] Figure 7 shows an example of the screen displayed on the administrator terminal 20 when a destination for the unit's transport is set in this modified example. For example, a destination on a map is a disaster-stricken area identified based on disaster prevention information, and the coordinates of the disaster-stricken area may be identified based on disaster prevention information provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's server (an example of an external management device that can communicate with server 10 and administrator terminal 20), or based on disaster prevention information provided by the Japan Meteorological Agency's server (an example of an external management device that can communicate with server 10 and administrator terminal 20).

[0112] In this modified example, for instance, the control unit 11 of the server 10 sets a destination based on the location information of the disaster site and the degree of disaster risk identified from disaster prevention information. That is, the destination is determined based on factors such as being a location easily accessible to disaster victims from the disaster site (for example, a nearby and safe location) and meeting the criteria for unit installation (a location that can be towed by a towing vehicle), among other things, from a location pre-registered as an evacuation center. The destination set in the event of such a disaster is a location where the unit should be moved urgently, and in the case of a high-risk disaster, a location with a larger parking space may be determined as the destination, assuming that more units will be needed. Disaster prevention information may be received by the server 10 from an external management device, and the control unit 11 may automatically set the destination based on the disaster site. Alternatively, the control unit of the administrator terminal 20 may automatically set the destination based on disaster prevention information received from the external management device at the administrator terminal 20, or it may set the destination based on the administrator's operation and send the destination to the server 10.

[0113] The control unit 11 of the server 10 determines which units (first unit, second unit) can travel to the destination within a predetermined time (for example, 12 hours). In other words, units that are positioned (located) in a location that has a high probability of arriving at the destination quickly are extracted. The extracted units may be those whose distance to the destination is less than a predetermined distance, or those whose arrival time (estimated travel time) to the disaster area is shorter than a predetermined time. In the latter case, the position of the towing vehicle 40 does not need to be considered (i.e., the determination may be made on the premise that the unit can be towed without significant delay due to the arrangement of the towing vehicle 40), or, as will be described later, the determination may be made while also considering the position of the towing vehicle 40. In this example, units that can reach their destination within 12 hours are highlighted more than other units, and the unit at coordinates PI1,PI2 is displayed more prominently than the unit at other coordinates (PI3,PT4).

[0114] Then, the control unit 11 of the server 10 identifies each state (state of the power generator, state of the energy storage device, state of the water treatment device, state of the communication device, and remaining amount of food) for each extracted unit (first unit, second unit) based on the monitoring information, and determines, based on the evaluation method described above, to be a unit that is in a relatively good state and suitable for emergency use as an emergency-available unit.

[0115] At each location where units are deployed, the number of units (Unit 1, Unit 2) and the number of units that have been determined to be available for emergency use are displayed. In this example, two out of four units (2 / 4) of the first unit at coordinate PI1 are determined to be available for emergency use, and three out of four units (3 / 4) of the second unit are determined to be available for emergency use.

[0116] In this modified version, the control unit (e.g., control unit 11) of the information processing device (e.g., server 10) acquires disaster prevention information and sets a destination based on the acquired disaster prevention information. This allows for setting destinations for units based on acquired disaster prevention information, enabling the immediate dispatch of highly-rated units to disaster-stricken areas for effective use.

[0117] <Modification of the first embodiment (2)> In the above embodiment, the server 10 may also take into consideration the location information of the towing vehicle 40 when determining (deciding) which unit to move to the destination.

[0118] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating this. In (a), the trailer home TaV is located 2 hours away from the destination, while the towing vehicle 40V is located 6 hours away from the trailer home TaV. In contrast, in (b), the trailer house TaW is located four hours from the destination. Although the trailer house TaW is located further from the destination than the trailer house TaV in (a), the towing vehicle 40W is located two hours away from the trailer house TaW. Therefore, as a result, the total time required to move the trailer home to its destination is shorter in (b) than in (a). For this reason, in this example, server 10, • (b) Trailer House TaW: Unit to be moved to the destination • (b) Towing vehicle 40W: Towing vehicle that tows the unit You may decide on each of these options accordingly.

[0119] In this case, for example, in step S140 of the process in Figure 6, the server 10 may determine M trailer houses and the towing vehicles 40 that will tow them from among the N trailer houses selected in step S130, taking into account monitoring information as well as the location information of the towing vehicles 40.

[0120] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the communication system 1 may include a terminal 30 used by the towing driver who operates the towing vehicle 40 (hereinafter referred to as the "towing driver terminal"), and the server 10 may also consider the location information of the towing driver terminal 30 when determining which unit to move to the destination.

[0121] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating this. In (a), the trailer house TaX is located 2 hours away from the destination, and the towing vehicle 40X is located 2 hours away from the trailer house TaX. However, the towing terminal 30X is located 5 hours away from the towing vehicle 40X. In contrast, in (b), trailer house TaY is located 3 hours away from the destination, and towing vehicle 40Y is located 3 hours away from this unit. Trailer house TaY is located further from the destination than trailer house TaX in (a), and towing vehicle 40Y is located further from the trailer house than towing vehicle 40X in (a), but the towing terminal 30Y is located 2 hours away from towing vehicle 40Y. Therefore, as a result, the total time required to move the trailer home to its destination is shorter in (b) than in (a). For this reason, in this example, server 10, • (b) Trailer House TaY: Unit to be moved to the destination • (b) Towing vehicle 40Y: Towing vehicle that tows the unit (b) User of towing terminal 30Y: Driver of towing vehicle 40 You may decide on each of these options accordingly.

[0122] In this case, for example, in step S140 of the process in Figure 6, the server 10 may determine M units, the towing vehicles 40 that tow them, and their drivers from among the N units selected in step S130, taking into account monitoring information, as well as the location information of the towing vehicle 40 and the location information of the towing terminal 30.

[0123] <Second Example> The second embodiment relates to estimating the demand for units at an event based on the popularity of the event being held. The contents described in the second embodiment are similarly applicable to other embodiments and other modifications.

[0124] Figure 10 shows an example of a screen displayed on the display unit of the administrator terminal 20 in this embodiment. This screen displays event information (see Event Information EI1, EI2) for two events held in a particular region: the "XX Peninsula Summer Festival" (referred to as "Event 1" for convenience) and the "YY Bay Fireworks Display" (referred to as "Event 2" for convenience). Specifically, a marker is displayed at the event location, and associated with that marker, along with an image of the event, the event dates, and the number of tourists are displayed.

[0125] Furthermore, the units currently located at each event location are displayed as coordinates on the map (see coordinates PI21 and PI22). At the corresponding coordinates, the icon for the first unit (first icon) and the number of first units located at that coordinate are displayed, as well as the icon for the second unit (second icon) and the number of second units located at that coordinate. In this example, at coordinate PI21, the number of units located in the first unit is displayed as "14" (x14) and the number of units located in the second unit is displayed as "16" (x16). At coordinate PI2, the number of units located in the first unit is displayed as "4" (x4) and the number of units located in the second unit is displayed as "4" (x4). The location where a unit is currently located may be the destination location for the unit in the corresponding event.

[0126] In this embodiment, based on information about the location and number of participants of each event, the server 10 estimates the number of units to be moved to the destination corresponding to the event at the time the event is held, and the estimation result is displayed on the display unit of the administrator terminal 20. In this example, looking at the number of tourists for the first and second events over a specified number of years, we can see that the second event has more tourists than the first event (i.e., it is more popular). However, the number of units currently staying is lower for the second event than for the first event. Therefore, when the second event takes place, some of the units currently staying at the location of the first event will be moved to the destination of the second event.

[0127] Figure 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow executed by the control unit 11 of the server 10 in this embodiment. In addition to this processing, the processing of each step in Figure 6 may also be performed separately.

[0128] First, the control unit 11 acquires event information (S210). The event information may be stored in the storage unit 15 in advance, or it may be received and acquired from an external device. The event information may also include various information about the event, such as the name of the event, the timing of the event (which may include the date), the location (where the event was held), the number of past participants, the content of the event, and image information of the event. For upcoming events, it may also include information on the expected number of participants (hereinafter referred to as "expected number of participants"). The control unit 11 may also transmit event information to the administrator terminal 20, so that the administrator terminal 20 can display the event information (see event information EI1, EI2) on its display unit, for example, as shown in Figure 10.

[0129] Next, the control unit 11 estimates (predicts) the number of units to be moved to the venue (the destination corresponding to the venue) at the time of the upcoming event (scheduled event) (hereinafter referred to as "number of moving units") (S250). In this case, the control unit 11 may estimate the number of units required for the planned event based on an artificial intelligence model (e.g., a machine learning model). The artificial intelligence model in this case may be an event-specific artificial intelligence model, which may be a regression model with the number of participants as the explanatory variable and the number of units required as the dependent variable, and may be a trained model that has been trained using past data. The control unit 11 may then input the expected number of participants for the planned event into the trained model and obtain the number of units required for the planned event as the output. The expected number of participants for the planned event may also be estimated based on the past number of participants for that event (for example, by averaging the past number of participants). The control unit 11 then calculates the required number of units for each of several different scheduled events, and based on the calculated required number of units and the number of units currently staying at the event location, it calculates the number of units to move from events with a small expected number of participants to events with a large expected number of participants (i.e., the number of units to move from unpopular events to popular events).

[0130] The above is merely one example; for instance, one could estimate the required number of units by performing a regression analysis (e.g., linear regression) on the past attendance figures for planned events. Alternatively, the number of units required may be estimated based on the expected number of participants in the planned event (for example, one unit for every 5,000 participants).

[0131] Next, the control unit 11 transmits the estimated result information, including the number of mobile units estimated in S230, to the administrator terminal 20 via the communication unit 14 (S250). Then, the control unit 11 terminates the process.

[0132] Although not shown in the diagram, when the administrator terminal 20 receives the estimated result information, it may cause the control unit to display the received estimated result information on the display unit.

[0133] <Effects of the second example> In this embodiment, the control unit (e.g., control unit 11) of the information processing device (e.g., server 10) acquires the location of the event and the number of participants in the event, and based on the acquired information, estimates the number of units to be moved to the destination corresponding to the event location at the time the event is held. This makes it possible to estimate the demand for units based on the popularity of the event.

[0134] <Third Example> The third embodiment is an embodiment relating to estimating (forecasting) the demand for a unit at a given location in accordance with seasonal factors. The contents described in the third embodiment are similarly applicable to other embodiments and other modifications.

[0135] Figure 12 shows an example of a screen displayed on the display unit of the administrator terminal 20 in this embodiment. This screen displays information (see information LI1 and LI2) about two locations in a given region, "AA Northern Plateau" (referred to as "Location 1" for convenience) and "BB Southern Peninsula" (referred to as "Location 2" for convenience), on a map of that region. In this example, a marker is displayed at the corresponding location, and associated with this marker is a bar graph with the horizontal axis representing months and the vertical axis representing the number of units stayed, along with an image of that location.

[0136] Furthermore, the units currently located at each location are displayed as coordinates on the map (see coordinates PI31 and PI32). At the positions corresponding to each coordinate, the icon of the first unit (first icon) and the number of first units located at that coordinate are displayed, as well as the icon of the second unit (second icon) and the number of second units located at that coordinate. In this example, at coordinate PI31, the number of units located in the first unit is displayed as "35" (x35), and the number of units located in the second unit is displayed as "35" (x35). At coordinate PI32, the number of units located in the first unit is displayed as "25" (x25), and the number of units located in the second unit is displayed as "25" (x25). The location where a unit is currently located may be the destination location of the unit at the corresponding location.

[0137] In this embodiment, based on the annual trend of the number of units staying at each location (annual trend of unit location information), the server 10 estimates the number of units to be moved to that location (the destination of that location) at a predetermined time, and the estimation result is displayed on the display unit of the administrator terminal 20. In this example, looking at the annual trend in the number of units staying at the first location, the number of units staying decreases during the winter compared to other times of the year. On the other hand, looking at the annual trend in the number of units staying at the second location, the number of units staying increases during the winter compared to other times of the year. Therefore, during the winter, the server 10 estimates the number of units that should be moved from the location of the first location to the destination of the second location. However, the opposite is true during the summer months.

[0138] <Processing> Figure 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow executed by the control unit 11 of the server 10 in this embodiment. In addition to this processing, the processing of each step in Figure 6 and the processing in Figure 11 may also be performed separately.

[0139] First, the control unit 11 acquires various information regarding the candidate site (predetermined location) (S310).

[0140] Next, the control unit 11 estimates the number of units to be moved to each candidate location (destination) at a predetermined time based on the information acquired in S310 (S330). The predetermined time can be any future time (month, season, etc.). In this case, the control unit 11 may, for example, estimate the number of units required at a candidate site at a predetermined time based on an artificial intelligence model (e.g., a machine learning model). The artificial intelligence model may be, for example, an artificial intelligence model for each candidate site, which is a regression model with time (month or season) as an explanatory variable and the number of units required at that time as the dependent variable, and may be a trained model that has been trained using past data. The control unit 11 may then input the predetermined time into the trained model and obtain the number of units required at this predetermined time as an output. The control unit 11 then calculates the required number of units for each of several different candidate locations, and adjusts the number of units to be moved between candidate locations at a predetermined time based on the calculated required number of units and the latest number of units currently staying at each candidate location (current number of units staying). In other words, it adds or removes units to fill the gap between the number of units currently staying and the required number of units.

[0141] Next, the control unit 11 transmits the estimated result information, including the number of mobile units estimated in S330, to the administrator terminal 20 via the communication unit 14 (S350). Then, the control unit 11 terminates the process.

[0142] Although not shown in the diagram, when the administrator terminal 20 receives the estimated result information, it may cause the control unit to display the received estimated result information on the display unit.

[0143] <Effects of the third embodiment> In this embodiment, the control unit (e.g., control unit 11) of the information processing device (e.g., server 10) estimates the number of units to be moved to a destination corresponding to a predetermined location at a predetermined time, based on information about the annual trend of the number of units based on the location information (first location information) of the units at a predetermined location (e.g., candidate location). This makes it possible to estimate the demand for units in accordance with seasonal factors.

[0144] (Other variations) (1-1) In the above embodiment, the units (first unit, second unit) may be owned by the business operator and made available to users on an hourly basis (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.) based on reservations (requests) from users. Alternatively, a business operator may lease the units from a business operator that manufactures, sells, maintains, etc., and make the units available to users upon request. It is also possible to allow the use of only the first unit or only the second unit. For example, the second unit may be deployed only during periods when there is a shortage of rooms in an accommodation facility (peak season, etc.).

[0145] (1-2) Alternatively, the user using the unit may also be the owner of the unit, and one unit may be shared by multiple users. In this case, one unit may be divided into, for example, 12 units, and the user may pay a portion of the purchase price corresponding to the number of units they own (for example, 1 / 12 if they own 1 unit), and be able to use the unit for the amount corresponding to the number of units they own (for example, 1 month if they own 1 unit).

[0146] When recruiting co-owners, for example, users living in nearby areas may be matched with users living in distant areas. In the former case, there are advantages such as being able to share the unit's parking space, while in the latter case, there are advantages such as expanding the unit's range of activity. In addition, matching users who wish to stay at the same location may help to reduce the number of towing trips and towing distances. Furthermore, matching a first user with a second user under the condition that [the second user lives near the location where the first user wants to use the unit] and [the first user lives near the location where the second user wants to use the unit] may also help to reduce the number of towing trips and towing distances.

[0147] Furthermore, the system may be designed to match users with towing licenses with users without towing licenses, and one or more users with towing licenses may be included among the co-owners of a single unit. The usage fee for users who perform the towing themselves may be lower than the fee for users who request towing from a towing service.

[0148] (1-3) In the event of an emergency such as a disaster, a confirmation of consent may be sent to the user's, prospective user's, or owner's terminal to allow for temporary priority in supporting disaster victims due to the need for emergency response. Only if consent is obtained may the unit be used for emergency purposes (emergency transport to the disaster area). In other words, the conditions for emergency use of a unit may include the consent of the user or prospective user.

[0149] (2-1) In the above embodiment, with respect to candidate locations where the unit will stay, an administrator who wants to place the unit at a desired location and use it for an event or business may request new registration from the server 10 by operating the administrator terminal 20. For example, candidate locations set by the administrator on the administrator terminal 20 may be registered as new candidate locations by the control unit 11 of the server 10 and displayed on the map as places where units can be moved (candidate destinations), and information about events that the administrator wants to hold may be displayed in association with those locations.

[0150] (2-2) If the operator owns or leases a unit, the operator may notify the user's terminal of the availability of the unit to encourage its use. For example, the diagram shown in Figure 5 may be displayed on the user's terminal, showing the schedule (availability) of each unit. The user can then select an available unit that is available on their desired dates from among the units located in the location where they wish to stay, thereby completing the reservation for that unit.

[0151] (3) In the above embodiments, a towable trailer house was given as an example of a unit, but the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to any movable unit having a living space (for example, a self-propelled camper van).

[0152] <Other> The information processing device in the above embodiment is not limited to a server, but may be an information processing device other than a server. Furthermore, at least some of the processing that the server 10 is supposed to perform in the above embodiment may be performed by the administrator terminal 20. Conversely, at least some of the processing that the administrator terminal 20 is supposed to perform in the above embodiment may be performed by the server 10. The same may apply to the towing terminal 30.

[0153] Furthermore, the processes described in the above embodiments may be implemented by a single server, or they may be implemented by a server system consisting of multiple servers. Furthermore, a system consisting of one or more servers may be defined as a server system, and a server may also be considered a server system.

[0154] Furthermore, while the above embodiments describe methods for realizing the present invention using a client-server system, the invention is not limited to this. As mentioned above, it may also be realized by a distributed system or other system in which the functions of a server or server system are provided to terminals such as the administrator terminal 20. For example, the processes described in the flowchart above as being performed by a server or server system may be performed by terminals such as the administrator terminal 20.

[0155] Furthermore, as mentioned above, each of the above embodiments, their variations, and other descriptions can be applied in combination. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0156] 1. Communication System 10 servers 20 Administrator terminals 30 Towing terminal 40 Towing vehicles Ta Trailer House (Unit 1) Tb Trailer House (Unit 2)

Claims

1. An information processing device that is mobile and has a living space and can communicate with it, Equipped with a control unit, The control unit, The first position information of the unit is acquired, The unit acquires one or more monitoring information from among (1) the status of the power generation device, (2) the status of the energy storage device, (3) the status of the water treatment device, (4) the status of the communication device, and (5) the remaining amount of food. Based on the first position information and monitoring information of the unit, the unit to be moved to the destination is determined. Output the judgment result. Information processing device.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, The monitoring information includes at least (5) the amount of food remaining, Information processing device.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, The control unit, The second position information of the towing vehicle that is pulling the aforementioned unit is acquired, Based on the first location information, the monitoring information, and the second location information, the unit to be moved to the destination is determined. Information processing device.

4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 3, The control unit, The third location information of the terminal of the towing person driving the aforementioned towing vehicle is acquired, Based on the first location information and the monitoring information, the second location information and the third location information, the unit to be moved to the destination is determined. Information processing device.

5. An information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The control unit, Obtain disaster prevention information, Based on the aforementioned disaster prevention information, the aforementioned destination is set. Information processing device.

6. An information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The control unit estimates the number of units to be moved to the destination. Information processing device.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 6, The control unit, Obtain the event location and the number of participants. Based on the acquired information, estimate the number of units to be moved to the destination corresponding to the venue at the time the event is held. Information processing device.

8. An information processing apparatus according to claim 6, The control unit estimates the number of units to be moved to the destination corresponding to the predetermined location at a predetermined time, based on information regarding the annual trend of the number of units based on the first location information at the predetermined location. Information processing device.

9. An information processing method for an information processing device that is mobile and has a living space and can communicate with it, The control unit of the information processing device acquires the first position information of the unit, The control unit acquires one or more monitoring information from among (1) the status of the power generation device, (2) the status of the energy storage device, (3) the status of the water treatment device, (4) the status of the communication device, and (5) the remaining amount of food in the unit. Based on the first position information and monitoring information of the unit, the control unit determines which unit to move to the destination. The control unit outputs the determination result. Information processing methods.

10. A program to be executed by a computer that can communicate with a mobile unit having a living space, To acquire the first position information of the aforementioned unit, The unit acquires one or more monitoring pieces of information from among (1) the status of the power generation device, (2) the status of the energy storage device, (3) the status of the water treatment device, (4) the status of the communication device, and (5) the remaining amount of food. Based on the first position information and monitoring information of the unit, the unit to be moved to the destination is determined. Output the judgment result, A program to cause the aforementioned computer to execute.

Images