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

Abstract

Information regarding the level of congestion in the parking area is displayed appropriately. [Solution] The information processing device comprises an acquisition means, an identification means, and an output means. The acquisition means acquires location information of multiple vehicles from each of the multiple vehicles. The identification means identifies vehicles present in a parking area based on parking area information representing the parking area and the location information. The output means outputs congestion information representing the degree of congestion in the parking area, based on the number of vehicles identified as present in the parking area.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, a program, and a storage medium.

Background Art

[0002] Techniques for estimating the congestion level of a parking lot are known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an information processing apparatus that estimates the congestion level of a parking lot based on information obtained by the running of vehicles.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a parking lot where the occupancy information managed by the parking lot cannot be used, or in other parking areas associated with a facility, it has been impossible to present the degree of congestion of the parking area to the user, and there has been a case where the user cannot grasp in advance whether the parking area can be used.

[0005] In view of the above problems, one object of the present disclosure is to provide an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, a program, and a storage medium capable of suitably displaying information regarding the congestion level in a parking area.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The invention according to the claims is an acquisition means for respectively acquiring the position information of the plurality of vehicles from the plurality of vehicles, a specifying means for specifying the vehicles existing in the parking area based on parking area information representing the parking area and the position information, An output means that outputs congestion information representing the degree of congestion in the parking area based on the number of vehicles identified as being present in the parking area, It is an information processing device.

[0007] Furthermore, the invention described in the claims is, Computers A process of acquiring location information of multiple vehicles from each of the multiple vehicles, A process of identifying the vehicle located in the parking area based on parking area information representing the parking area and the location information, Output step: Outputs congestion information representing the degree of congestion in the parking area based on the number of vehicles identified as being present in the parking area. This is an information processing method that possesses the following properties.

[0008] Furthermore, the invention described in the claims is, A means for acquiring location information of multiple vehicles from each of the multiple vehicles, A means for identifying the vehicle located in the parking area based on parking area information representing the parking area and the location information, Output means for outputting congestion information representing the degree of congestion in the parking area, based on the number of vehicles identified as being present in the parking area. It is a program that makes a computer function. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] An example configuration of the traffic information system according to the embodiment is shown. [Figure 2] An example of the general configuration of a vehicle terminal is shown. [Figure 3] An example of a general configuration of a server device is shown. [Figure 4] This diagram schematically shows an example of the data structure of a real-time parking database. [Figure 5] This diagram schematically shows an example of the data structure of a statistical parking database. [Figure 6]It is a bird's-eye view showing the movement trajectory of a vehicle in which a certain user rides. [Figure 7] It is an example of a flowchart regarding the update process of a parking user list. [Figure 8] It is an example of a flowchart of display control regarding a parking area. [Figure 9] It is an example of a display showing a map around the current location. [Figure 10] It is an example of a display for individually displaying information on a specified parking area. [Figure 11] It is another example of a display for individually displaying information on a specified parking area. [Figure 12] It is an example of a display for displaying a map around the current location together with information regarding the congestion level of a parking area.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, an information processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit that respectively acquires position information of the plurality of vehicles from the plurality of vehicles, parking area information representing a parking area, and based on the position information, a specifying unit that specifies the vehicles present in the parking area, and an output unit that outputs congestion information representing the congestion level of the parking area based on the number of the vehicles specified to be present in the parking area.

[0011] The above information processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit, a specifying unit, and an output unit. The acquisition unit respectively acquires position information of the plurality of vehicles from the plurality of vehicles. The specifying unit specifies the vehicles present in the parking area based on the parking area information representing the parking area and the position information. The output unit outputs congestion information representing the congestion level of the parking area based on the number of the vehicles specified to be present in the parking area. Examples of the output of information include display of information, audio output of information, or both, and also include control to cause another device to execute display or audio output. According to this aspect, the information processing apparatus can suitably output congestion information even for a parking area where congestion management is not performed, based on the position information acquired from the vehicles.

[0012] In one aspect of the above information processing apparatus, the parking area information includes a threshold value for determining whether the parking area is full based on the number of the vehicles, and the information processing apparatus further has a determining means for determining the congestion level based on the number of the vehicles and the threshold value.

[0013] In another aspect of the above information processing apparatus, the parking area information includes polygon information representing the position of the polygon when the parking area is regarded as a polygon, and the specifying means specifies the vehicle existing in the parking area based on the polygon information and the position information.

[0014] In another aspect of the above information processing apparatus, the specifying means generates a list of the vehicles specified as existing in the parking area. When the specifying means specifies a vehicle that has entered the parking area, the specifying means adds information about the vehicle to the list, and when the specifying means specifies a vehicle that has exited the parking area, the specifying means deletes information about the vehicle from the list.

[0015] In another aspect of the above information processing apparatus, when the specifying means specifies a vehicle that has exited the parking area, the specifying means estimates the parking time of the vehicle in the parking area based on the date and time when the vehicle entered the parking area and the date and time when the vehicle exited the parking area.

[0016] In another aspect of the above information processing apparatus, the specifying means calculates an average time for each parking area of the parking times estimated in a predetermined period, and generates statistical information for each parking area including the average time.

[0017] In another aspect of the above information processing apparatus, the acquiring means acquires vehicle type information from the plurality of vehicles together with the position information, and the specifying means specifies vehicle types that can be parked in the parking area based on the vehicle type information of the vehicles specified as existing in the parking area in a predetermined period.

[0018] In another embodiment of the above-described information processing device, the acquisition means acquires vehicle type information along with the location information from the plurality of vehicles, the identification means identifies the number of vehicles of each vehicle type present in the parking area based on the parking area information, the location information, and the vehicle type information, and the output means outputs the congestion information for each vehicle type based on the number of vehicles of each vehicle type.

[0019] In another embodiment of the above-described information processing device, the information processing device further includes a calculation means for calculating the reliability of the congestion level based on information regarding the parking area, and the output means outputs the congestion information based on the congestion level and the reliability.

[0020] In another embodiment of the above-described information processing device, the information processing device further comprises a calculation means for calculating the current stay time of the vehicle staying in the parking area, and the output means outputs stay time information relating to the current stay time and an estimated stay time in the parking area.

[0021] In another preferred embodiment, the information processing method comprises: an acquisition step in which a computer acquires location information of a plurality of vehicles from each of the plurality of vehicles; an identification step in which a computer identifies the vehicles present in the parking area based on parking area information representing the parking area and the location information; and an output step in which a computer outputs congestion information representing the degree of congestion in the parking area based on the number of vehicles identified as present in the parking area. By executing this information processing method, the computer can suitably output congestion information even for parking areas where congestion levels are not managed, based on location information acquired from the vehicles.

[0022] In yet another embodiment, the program causes a computer to function as an acquisition means for acquiring location information of multiple vehicles from each of the multiple vehicles, parking area information representing a parking area, identification means for identifying the vehicles present in the parking area based on the location information, and congestion information representing the degree of congestion in the parking area based on the number of vehicles identified as present in the parking area. By executing this program, the computer can suitably output congestion information even for parking areas where congestion levels are not managed, based on the location information acquired from the vehicles. Preferably, the program is stored in a storage medium. [Examples]

[0023] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0024] (1) System Configuration Figure 1 shows an example configuration of a traffic information system according to an embodiment. The traffic information system estimates the degree of congestion in a parking area based on probe information collected from multiple vehicles via a network and provides information on the degree of congestion in the parking area to the vehicles. The traffic information system has a vehicle terminal 1 that moves with the vehicle and a server device 2. Although Figure 1 shows only one vehicle as an example, in reality there are multiple vehicles that supply probe information to the server device 2. The "parking area" is not limited to a parking lot exclusively for parking, but may also be a parking area attached to a facility, or any other area (space) where parking is possible. Such parking areas include parking areas that are not registered in map information as individual facilities (for example, parking spaces in front of convenience stores) and parking areas where congestion status such as occupancy is not individually managed. Furthermore, "parking" also includes stopping for unloading and handling of cargo by delivery trucks (cargo vehicles).

[0025] Vehicle terminal 1 moves with the vehicle in which the user of this system is riding and provides driving assistance to the user, who is an occupant of the vehicle. The aforementioned driving assistance may include displaying a map with traffic information, route searching from the current location to the destination, route guidance, vehicle control related to automated driving to the destination, and other optional driving assistance. The vehicle on which vehicle terminal 1 is installed is also called the "target vehicle". Vehicle terminal 1 functions as a user interface for driving assistance, receiving input from the user and presenting information to the user. In this embodiment, vehicle terminal 1 performs the aforementioned driving assistance based on information received from server device 2. In addition, vehicle terminal 1 generates probe information (i.e., floating car data), which is driving information that includes at least the location information and time information (timestamp) of the target vehicle, at predetermined intervals, and transmits the generated probe information to server device 2. For example, vehicle terminal 1 generates probe information at a interval of one second and transmits the generated probe information to server device 2. In addition to the vehicle's location information, the probe information may include arbitrary data related to the vehicle's state generated by sensors installed in the vehicle.

[0026] Vehicle terminal 1 may be a navigation device installed in the target vehicle that provides route guidance to a set destination, or it may be a user's mobile device such as a smartphone with an application installed that implements route guidance and other functions. Vehicle terminal 1 may also be integrated into the target vehicle.

[0027] Server device 2 generates information necessary for the driving assistance provided by vehicle terminal 1 and supplies the generated information to vehicle terminal 1, thereby causing vehicle terminal 1 to perform driving assistance to the user. For example, server device 2 generates traffic information such as the degree of congestion in parking areas based on probe information supplied from vehicle terminal 1, and causes vehicle terminal 1 to perform driving assistance based on the generated traffic information. The traffic information may include not only information on the degree of congestion in parking areas, but also information on the degree of congestion on roads and any other traffic information that can be generated based on probe information. Server device 2 may also be a system (cloud system) consisting of multiple devices or computers that collaborate using cloud computing technology, etc. Server device 2 is an example of an "information processing device".

[0028] (2) Device configuration Figure 2 shows an example of the schematic configuration of the vehicle terminal 1. The vehicle terminal 1 mainly consists of a communication unit 11, a storage unit 12, an input unit 13, a control unit 14, a sensor group 15, a display unit 16, and a sound output unit 17. Each element within the vehicle terminal 1 is interconnected via a bus line 10.

[0029] The communication unit 11 communicates data with the server device 2 based on the control of the control unit 14. For example, under the control of the control unit 14, the communication unit 11 transmits probe information regarding the driving status of the target vehicle, which is identified based on the data output by the sensor group 15, to the server device 2. In another example, under the control of the control unit 14, the communication unit 11 receives information from the server device 2 that is necessary for controlling the output of the display unit 16 and the sound output unit 17.

[0030] The storage unit 12 is composed of various types of memory, including RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), and non-volatile memory (including hard disk drives, flash memory, etc.). The storage unit 12 stores programs and software (including applications installed on the vehicle terminal 1) that enable the vehicle terminal 1 to perform predetermined processes. The aforementioned applications may be any applications that provide content (including driving assistance) to the user on the vehicle terminal 1. The storage unit 12 is also used as working memory for the control unit 14. The programs executed by the vehicle terminal 1 and other information may be stored in external devices other than the storage unit 12 that communicate with the vehicle terminal 1 (including server devices), a storage medium that can be attached to or removed from the vehicle terminal 1, or any other storage medium.

[0031] The input unit 13 is a user interface that accepts user input, and examples of the input unit 13 include buttons, touch panels, remote controllers, and voice input devices. The display unit 16 displays information based on the control of the control unit 14. Examples of the display unit 16 include displays and projectors. The sound output unit 17 outputs sound based on the control of the control unit 14. Examples of the sound output unit 17 include speakers.

[0032] The sensor group 15 includes various sensors that perform sensing of the state of the target vehicle or the environment outside the vehicle. The sensor group 15 has an external sensor 18 and an internal sensor 19. The external sensor 18 is one or more sensors for recognizing the surrounding environment of the target vehicle, such as a camera, lidar, radar, ultrasonic sensor, infrared sensor, or sonar. The internal sensor 19 is a sensor for positioning the vehicle, such as a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver, gyro sensor, IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), vehicle speed sensor, or a combination thereof. The sensor group 15 only needs to have sensors that output data from which the control unit 14 can directly or indirectly derive the position of the target vehicle (i.e., by performing arbitrary position estimation) from the output of the sensor group 15.

[0033] The control unit 14 includes processors such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and controls the entire vehicle terminal 1.

[0034] Furthermore, the processing performed by the control unit 14 is not limited to being implemented by software through a program, but may also be implemented by a combination of hardware, firmware, and software. Additionally, the processing performed by the control unit 14 may be implemented using a user-programmable integrated circuit, such as an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) or a microcontroller. In this case, the program executed by the control unit 14 in this embodiment may be implemented using this integrated circuit.

[0035] The configuration of the vehicle terminal 1 shown in Figure 2 is an example, and various modifications may be made to the configuration shown in Figure 2. For example, at least one of the input unit 13, the display unit 16, and the sound output unit 17 may be provided inside the target vehicle as an external device to the vehicle terminal 1, and the generated signals may be supplied to the vehicle terminal 1. Also, at least some of the sensors in the sensor group 15 may be sensors installed in the target vehicle. In this case, the vehicle terminal 1 may acquire information output by the sensors installed in the target vehicle from the target vehicle based on a communication protocol such as CAN (Controller Area Network).

[0036] Figure 3 shows an example of the schematic configuration of server device 2. Server device 2 mainly consists of a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a control unit 24. Each element within server device 2 is interconnected via a bus line 20.

[0037] The communication unit 21 includes a communication antenna and a communication transceiver, and performs data communication with external devices such as the vehicle terminal 1 under the control of the control unit 24.

[0038] The storage unit 22 is composed of various types of memory, such as RAM, ROM, and non-volatile memory. The storage unit 22 stores programs for the server device 2 to perform predetermined processes. The storage unit 22 is also used as working memory for the control unit 24. Note that the programs executed by the server device 2 may be stored in storage media other than the storage unit 22.

[0039] Furthermore, the storage unit 22 stores map information 5, a probe database (DB:DataBase) 6, a real-time parking DB 7, a statistical parking DB 8, and a parking history DB 9. At least one of the real-time parking DB 7, statistical parking DB 8, and parking history DB 9 is an example of parking area information.

[0040] Map information 5 is a map database necessary for displaying a map based on a predetermined location, such as the current location. Map information 5 includes, for example, a road database (DB) that represents the road network using combinations of nodes and links, and a spot database (DB) that is a database of specific locations.

[0041] The road database registers link IDs, which are the identification information for links, and each link ID is associated with the attribute information of the corresponding link. Examples of link attribute information include location information including the start and end points of the link, the number of lanes, the direction of movement for each lane (i.e., type information for each lane, such as a lane for going straight or a lane for turning right), the link length, and the identification information (node ​​ID) of the node to which the link connects. Similarly, the road database assigns node IDs, which are the identification information for nodes, and each node ID is associated with the attribute information of the corresponding node. Examples of node attribute information include the node's location information and the link ID to which the node is connected.

[0042] The Spot Database (Spot DB) contains Spot IDs, which are the identification information for each spot, and each Spot ID is associated with the corresponding Spot attribute information. Spots registered in the Spot DB can be any facility, or any location that may be set as a destination. Spots registered in the Spot DB include parking facilities such as coin-operated parking lots, or facilities with attached parking areas. At least some of these facilities are linked to parking areas registered in the Real-Time Parking DB7 and Statistical Parking DB8, which will be described later.

[0043] Probe DB6 is a database that stores probe information received from each vehicle on the road. The probe information includes date and time information, location information representing latitude and longitude, and a user ID, which is an identifier representing the user of the transmitting vehicle. The probe information may also further include at least one of the following: identification information regarding the vehicle type (vehicle type information), information indicating whether the location where the probe information was generated is on a road, link ID and road type information if the probe information was generated on a road, and information regarding the vehicle's speed and acceleration (output of the gyro sensor).

[0044] Real-time Parking DB7 is a database that records the real-time status of parking areas and has a record for each parking area. Statistical Parking DB8 is a database that records statistical information about parking areas and also has a record for each parking area. Real-time Parking DB7 and Statistical Parking DB8 are generated based on Probe DB6. Details of Real-time Parking DB7 and Statistical Parking DB8 will be described later.

[0045] The Parking History DB9 is a database that stores records of each user's parking history in parking areas. For example, each record in the Parking History DB9 includes a user ID representing the user who used the parking area, a parking area ID representing the parking area where the user stayed, the parking start date and time, the user's parking time (i.e., stay time) and / or the parking end date and time, and vehicle type information. Server device 2 adds a record to the Parking History DB9 showing the parking history of the user who left the parking area each time a user leaves the parking area. Alternatively, server device 2 may update the Parking History DB9 in batch processing instead of updating it in real time (i.e., adding records) as described above. In this case, server device 2 updates the Parking History DB9 according to a predetermined cycle, such as once a day, once a week, or once every six months.

[0046] The control unit 24 includes processors such as a CPU and GPU, and controls the entire server device 2.

[0047] For example, the control unit 24 updates the probe DB6 based on probe information received by the communication unit 21. The control unit 24 also updates the real-time parking DB7 and statistical parking DB8 at predetermined intervals based on the updated probe DB6. In this case, the interval for updating the real-time parking DB7 is shorter than the interval for updating the statistical parking DB8. For example, the control unit 24 updates the real-time parking DB7 each time probe information is received by the communication unit 21, or at intervals of a few seconds to a few minutes, and updates the statistical parking DB8 at intervals of a few days to a few months. Alternatively, the control unit 24 may perform the update process for the real-time parking DB7 and statistical parking DB8 using probe information generated within a predetermined time from the current time. The predetermined time for updating the real-time parking DB7 is set to be shorter than the predetermined time for updating the statistical parking DB8. For example, the control unit 24 may consider probe information within the last 30 minutes as the target for collection, and probe information that is no longer the target for collection may not be used in the update process for the real-time parking DB7. Furthermore, when the control unit 24 updates the statistical parking DB8, or when analyzing congestion trends by time of day, day of the week, or specific event, it may also use older probe information that is not used in the real-time parking DB7.

[0048] In another example, when the control unit 24 receives a route search request from the vehicle terminal 1 via the communication unit 21, specifying the destination, current location, and route search conditions, it performs a route search based on the current location and destination specified in the search request, referring to the road database of the map information 5. In this case, the control unit 24 may use any route search algorithm, such as Dijkstra's algorithm, to search for a recommended route. The control unit 24 then transmits the search result, showing one or more searched routes, to the vehicle terminal 1. If information indicating a route specified by the user is supplied from the vehicle terminal 1, the control unit 24 sets the specified route as the recommended route for the target vehicle. Subsequently, the control unit 24 stores the route information indicating the set recommended route in the storage unit 22.

[0049] The control unit 24 functions as a computer or the like that executes a program. The processing performed by the control unit 24 is not limited to being implemented by software through a program; it may also be implemented by a combination of hardware, firmware, and software. The control unit 24 functions as an "acquisition means," "identification means," "calculation means," "determination means," "output means," and a computer or the like that executes a program.

[0050] Note that the configuration of server device 2 shown in Figure 3 is just one example, and various modifications may be made to the configuration shown in Figure 3.

[0051] (3) Parking DB Next, we will describe specific examples of the data structure and generation methods for the real-time parking DB7 and the statistical parking DB8.

[0052] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the data structure of the Real-Time Parking DB7. Figure 4 illustrates the information contained in each record of the Real-Time Parking DB7. The Real-Time Parking DB7 has a record for each parking area. Each record of the Real-Time Parking DB7 includes, for example, "Parking Area ID", "Parking Area Name", "Polygon Information", "Number of Available Parking Spaces", "Occupancy Threshold", "Parking User List", "Congestion Level", and "Confidence Level".

[0053] The "Parking Area ID" represents the identification information of the target parking area. Note that the Parking Area ID may be the same as the Spot ID, or it may be a different ID from the Spot ID associated with the Spot ID. The "Parking Area Name" represents the name of the target parking area.

[0054] "Polygon information" is information that identifies the polygon on the map when the target parking area is considered as a polygon. Polygon information is, for example, the position information of the vertices of the polygon representing the target parking area in a two-dimensional space of latitude and longitude. "Number of parking spaces" is the number of vehicles that can be parked in the target parking area (maximum number of parking spaces). Note that the number of parking spaces may be the number of spaces that can be parked for each type of vehicle with different sizes.

[0055] The "occupancy threshold" is a threshold used to determine whether a parking area is full or not, based on the number of vehicles parked in that parking area for the vehicle supplying probe information. The occupancy threshold is set, for example, by multiplying the number of available parking spaces by the proportion of vehicles supplying probe information out of all vehicles (i.e., the share of vehicles capable of supplying probe information). The "number of vehicles parked in the target parking area for the vehicle supplying probe information" is equal to the number of users included in the parking user list described later.

[0056] The "Parking User List" is a list of users parked in the target parking area. A "User" is the user of the vehicle supplying probe information and is assigned an identification information (User ID) that the traffic information system can use to identify them. The Parking User List is updated in real time based on the probe information. For example, the Parking User List is a list of User IDs of users parked in the target parking area, and each User ID is associated with at least the vehicle type information of the parked vehicle and the parking (stay) start date and time. These User IDs, vehicle type information, and parking start date and time are identified, for example, by the User ID, vehicle type information, and date and time information included in the probe information used to determine whether the target user is staying in the parking area. Furthermore, if a user parked in the target parking area leaves the parking area, the User ID of the user who left is removed from the Parking User List, and a record of the user's parking history is added to the Parking History DB9. Details on how to update the Parking User List will be described later.

[0057] "Congestion level" represents the estimated level of congestion in the target parking area. The congestion level is a value corresponding to the occupancy rate of the parking area, with the maximum value representing a full parking area and the minimum value representing no parked vehicles. Server device 2 estimates the congestion level of each parking area based on the parking user list associated with each parking area, and registers the estimated congestion level in the real-time parking DB7, associating it with the parking area ID of the corresponding parking area. In this case, for example, if the number of users in the parking user list for a certain parking area is greater than or equal to the occupancy threshold, Server device 2 sets the congestion level of that parking area to the maximum value corresponding to a full parking area. Also, if the number of users in the parking user list for a certain parking area is less than the occupancy threshold, Server device 2 sets the congestion level of that parking area to a value corresponding to the ratio of the number of users to the occupancy threshold.

[0058] Furthermore, taking into account that trucks and other large vehicles require larger parking spaces than regular cars, server device 2 may refer to vehicle type information and adjust the congestion level based on the number of vehicles corresponding to a predetermined vehicle type in the parking user list (in other words, the number of users utilizing a predetermined vehicle type). A predetermined vehicle type is, for example, a vehicle type that is recognized as having a larger parking area than a regular car (e.g., a large vehicle), and is predetermined. For example, server device 2 determines the number of users in the parking user list by assuming that there are one or more predetermined number of users (e.g., 1.5 people) for vehicles corresponding to a predetermined vehicle type, and sets the congestion level according to the determined number of users.

[0059] Furthermore, in the case of a parking area where there are spaces for each vehicle type classification (for example, large vehicles or regular vehicles), the server device 2 may calculate the degree of congestion for each vehicle type classification. In this case, the server device 2 calculates the number of users in the parking user list for each vehicle type classification and calculates the degree of congestion for each vehicle type classification based on the occupancy threshold and the number of users for each vehicle type classification.

[0060] "Reliability" represents the degree of confidence in the corresponding congestion level. In the first example, the reliability of the estimated congestion level is considered high for parking areas where a lot of probe information is available, and the server device 2 sets a higher reliability for the estimated congestion level for parking areas with a large number of users in the parking user list. In the second example, the server device 2 considers that the congestion level can be estimated with a higher granularity and the error will be smaller for parking areas with a large number of available parking spaces, and therefore sets a higher reliability for the estimated congestion level for parking areas with a large number of available parking spaces. In these examples, for example, relational information such as a lookup table or formula showing the relationship between the number of users in the parking user list and / or the number of available parking spaces and the reliability level is stored in the storage unit 22. The server device 2 then refers to this relational information and sets the corresponding reliability level value based on the number of users in the parking user list and / or the number of available parking spaces. Because there is a discrepancy between the number of vehicles that Server Device 2 can collect probe information from and the actual number of vehicles, Server Device 2 sets a confidence level as an indicator to present the congestion level to the user, taking this discrepancy into account.

[0061] Instead of storing the congestion level and reliability level in the real-time parking DB7, the server device 2 may calculate the congestion level and reliability level of a designated parking area by referring to a parking user list or the like each time there is a request to output congestion information representing the congestion level of that parking area.

[0062] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the data structure of the statistical parking DB8. Figure 5 illustrates the information contained in each record of the statistical parking DB8. Each record in the statistical parking DB8 includes "parking area ID," "parking area name," "polygon information," "average parking time," "average number of parked vehicles," "congestion statistics," and "parking availability information for specific vehicle types." The "parking area ID," "parking area name," and "polygon information" are the same as the information contained in the real-time parking DB7, so their explanation is omitted.

[0063] "Average parking time" represents the average parking time of users in the target parking area. Server device 2, at the time of updating the statistical parking DB 8, refers to the parking history DB 9, calculates the average parking time for each parking area, and registers the average parking time for each parking area in the statistical parking DB 8. Furthermore, the real-time parking DB 7 preferably calculates the average parking time for each day of the week and / or time of day, and registers the average parking time for each day of the week and / or time of day in the statistical parking DB 8. In this case, at the time of updating the statistical parking DB 8, Server device 2 classifies the records in the parking history DB 9 by day of the week and / or time of day based on the parking start date and time or parking end time recorded in the parking history DB 9 for each parking area, and calculates the average parking time for each day of the week and / or time of day. Then, Server device 2 registers the average parking time for each classification by day of the week and / or time of day and for each parking area in the statistical parking DB 8.

[0064] The "average number of parked vehicles" represents the average number of parked vehicles per hour in the target parking area. When updating the statistical parking DB8, Server Device 2 refers to the parking history DB9 and calculates the average number of parked vehicles for each parking area at predetermined time intervals (for example, hourly intervals). Server Device 2 then registers the calculated average number of parked vehicles in the statistical parking DB8, associating it with the parking area ID of the corresponding parking area. In this case, for example, Server Device 2 extracts records from the parking history DB9 that represent the parking history for the most recent predetermined period, identifies the parking start time and parking end time for the extracted records, and then counts the number of parked vehicles at each corresponding time. Server Device 2 then calculates the average number of parked vehicles at each time by dividing the counted number of parked vehicles by the number of days in the predetermined period. Server Device 2 may also calculate the average number of parked vehicles for each day of the week and register the average number of parked vehicles for each day of the week in the statistical parking DB8.

[0065] The "congestion statistics" represent statistics on congestion levels by day of the week and / or by time of day. For example, server device 2 stores the congestion history recorded in the real-time parking DB 7, which is updated at a predetermined interval, in storage unit 22, associating it with the date and time recorded in the real-time parking DB 7. Then, server device 2 classifies the congestion history for each parking area by day of the week and / or by time of day, and calculates the average congestion level classified by day of the week and / or by time of day. Then, server device 2 registers the average congestion levels for each classification by day of the week and / or by time of day, and for each parking area, as congestion statistics in the statistical parking DB 8.

[0066] "Specific Vehicle Parking Availability Information" is information indicating whether a specific vehicle, such as a truck, can park in a given parking area. The specific vehicle may be a truck, a large vehicle, or multiple vehicle types that are detailed classifications of trucks (small truck, medium truck, large truck). For example, in the update process of the statistical parking DB8, the server device 2 refers to the parking history DB9, which contains vehicle type information of parked vehicles, and determines whether the history of vehicle type information for each parking area contains vehicle type information indicating a specific vehicle. Then, for parking areas that contain vehicle type information indicating a specific vehicle, the server device 2 generates specific vehicle parking availability information indicating that the specific vehicle can park there. On the other hand, for parking areas that do not contain vehicle type information indicating a specific vehicle, the server device 2 generates specific vehicle parking availability information indicating that the specific vehicle cannot park there.

[0067] Next, we will describe specific examples of updating the parking user list based on probe information and specifying parking time in the parking area.

[0068] Figure 6 is an overhead view showing the movement trajectory of a vehicle driven by a user X. Figure 6 shows a parking area 53 attached to facility A adjacent to road 52, and clearly displays five time-series positions of the same vehicle around 16:00 on October 10, 2030, along with the date and time information of the probe data generated at each position.

[0069] First, at 16:05, user X's vehicle is on road 52, and at 16:30, it is in parking area 53. In this case, server device 2 refers to the polygon information of the real-time parking DB 7 or statistical parking DB 8 corresponding to parking area 53 and determines whether the location indicated by the position information of the probe information sent from user X is within the polygon based on the polygon information of parking area 53. Then, based on the probe information sent at 16:30, server device 2 determines that user X is staying in parking area 53 at that time and adds user X to the parking user list for parking area 53. In this case, the user ID of user X, associated with the parking start date and time (16:30) and vehicle type information, is added to the parking user list.

[0070] Subsequently, at 16:02, user X parked in the designated location within parking area 53, sent the last probe information from parking area 53 at 16:30:30, and sent new probe information from road 52 at 16:30:40. In this case, server device 2 determines that the location information of user X's probe information after 16:30:30 is outside the polygon of parking area 53, considers that user X has left parking area 53, and removes user X's user ID from the parking user list of parking area 53. In this case, server device 2 adds a parking history record to parking history DB9 that includes user X's user ID, parking area ID of parking area 53, parking start date and time (16:30), parking time (30 minutes) and / or parking end date and time (16:30:30), and vehicle type information. Furthermore, the server device 2 may update the congestion level and reliability level of the real-time parking DB 7, which is stored in association with the parking area ID of parking area 53, based on the latest user parking list.

[0071] In this way, the server device 2 can determine in real time whether each user is staying in a parking area based on probe information, and can accurately update the real-time parking DB 7 to reflect the latest status of the parking area.

[0072] Figure 7 is an example of a flowchart for updating the parking user list. Server device 2 repeatedly executes the process shown in Figure 7 according to a predetermined cycle.

[0073] First, the server device 2 acquires probe information (step S11). In this case, for example, the server device 2 may execute the processing from step S12 onward each time it receives probe information received from the vehicle terminal 1, or it may store the received probe information in the probe DB 6 and extract user-specific probe information from the probe DB 6 at predetermined intervals to execute the processing from step S12 onward.

[0074] The server device 2 then determines whether the vehicle terminal 1 that sent the probe information is located within the parking area (step S12). For example, if the location indicated by the location information included in the probe information is located within the polygon indicated by the polygon information of any parking area stored in the real-time parking DB 7, the server device 2 determines that the vehicle terminal 1 that sent the probe information is located within the parking area.

[0075] Then, if the server device 2 determines that the vehicle terminal 1 that sent the probe information is located within the parking area (step S12; Yes), it determines whether the user ID representing the vehicle terminal 1 is registered in the parking user list (step S13). In this case, the server device 2 refers to the user ID included in the probe information and the parking user list for the parking area where the vehicle terminal 1 is located, and determines whether the user ID representing the sender is registered in the parking user list. If the server device 2 determines that the user ID representing the vehicle terminal 1 is registered in the parking user list (step S13; Yes), it determines that the user is still parked in the parking area and terminates the flowchart without updating the parking user list.

[0076] On the other hand, if server device 2 determines that the user of the source vehicle terminal 1 is not registered in the parking user list (step S13; No), it adds the user ID representing the source vehicle terminal 1 to the parking user list for the parking area where vehicle terminal 1 is located (step S14). In this case, for example, server device 2 adds the source user ID to the parking user list in association with the parking start date and time and vehicle type information identified based on the most recent probe information. Server device 2 also updates the congestion level and reliability level of the real-time parking DB 7 for the parking area where the parking user list has been changed, based on the changed parking user list.

[0077] On the other hand, if the server device 2 determines that the vehicle terminal 1 that sent the probe information is not located within the parking area (step S12; No), it determines whether the user ID representing the vehicle terminal 1 is registered in the parking user list (step S15). If the server device 2 determines that the user ID representing the vehicle terminal 1 is registered in the parking user list (step S15; Yes), it determines that the user who sent the information has left the parking area and removes the user ID from the parking user list in which it was registered (step S16).

[0078] After step S16 is executed, the server device 2 updates the congestion level and reliability level of the real-time parking DB7 for the parking area where the parking user list has been changed, based on the changed parking user list. The server device 2 also identifies the parking end date and time based on the date and time information of the probe information last received from the sender when the sender's user ID was registered in the parking user list. The server device 2 then identifies the parking time using the parking disclosure date and time associated with the user ID removed from the parking user list and the identified parking end date and time, and adds a record associating the identified vehicle type information and parking time with the user ID to the parking history DB9. Alternatively, the server device 2 may update the parking history DB9 in batch processing instead of updating the parking history DB9 in real time (i.e., adding records) as described above. In this case, for example, the server device 2 updates the parking history DB9 according to a predetermined cycle, such as once a day, once a week, or once every six months.

[0079] On the other hand, if server device 2 determines that the user ID representing the source vehicle terminal 1 is not registered in the parking user list (step S15; No), it terminates the flowchart without updating the parking user list.

[0080] (4) Display control related to parking areas Next, we will explain how to control the display related to parking areas.

[0081] (4-1) Overview Figure 8 is an example of a flowchart for display control related to the parking area. Server device 2 repeatedly executes the processes shown in the flowchart in Figure 8.

[0082] First, the server device 2 identifies parking areas where congestion information representing the degree of congestion will be displayed on the vehicle terminal 1 (step S21). The method for identifying parking areas in step S21 will be described later.

[0083] Next, server device 2 acquires information about the identified parking area (step S21). In this case, for example, server device 2 extracts information (records) about the identified parking area from the real-time parking DB 7, the statistical parking DB 8, and the parking history DB 9. The information acquired by server device 2 includes at least the congestion level registered in the real-time parking DB 7. If the congestion level is not registered in the real-time parking DB 7, server device 2 may calculate the congestion level to be acquired in step S22 using a parking user list or the like.

[0084] Next, the server device 2 displays congestion information representing the degree of congestion in the identified parking area on the vehicle terminal 1 (step S23). In this case, the server device 2 may also display real-time congestion information on the vehicle terminal 1, taking into account the reliability obtained in step S21, as will be described later. In other examples, the server device 2 may display information based on at least one of the following on the vehicle terminal 1, along with real-time congestion information: average parking time, congestion statistics, parking availability information for specific vehicle types, or parking history DB 9, obtained from the statistical parking DB 8. Alternatively, instead of displaying the congestion information on the vehicle terminal 1, or in addition to doing so, the server device 2 may output the congestion information as audio to the vehicle terminal 1. The server device 2 may also output any other information to be displayed as audio to the vehicle terminal 1.

[0085] Here, we will describe a specific example of the parking area in step S21.

[0086] In the first example, the vehicle terminal 1 receives a parking area designation from the user via the input unit 13, sends a request for congestion information for the designated parking area to the server device 2, and the server device 2 identifies the parking area designated in the above request in step S21. In this example, the vehicle terminal 1 is a smartphone with an application installed that displays parking area information, sends a request for parking area congestion information requested by the application to the server device 2, and displays and / or outputs the parking area congestion information received from the server device 2.

[0087] In the second example, if a recommended route is set, the server device 2 identifies parking areas adjacent to roads that overlap with the recommended route in step S21. In this case, the server device 2 identifies parking areas that are within a predetermined distance from the route indicated by the route information based on the location information of parking areas registered in the spot DB or polygon information registered in the real-time parking DB 7.

[0088] In the third example, the server device 2 identifies a parking area located near the current location of the vehicle terminal 1 in step S21. In this case, for example, the server device 2 identifies a parking area located within a predetermined distance from the location indicated by the location information included in the latest probe information supplied from the vehicle terminal 1, or a parking area located on a map based on the current location, based on the location information of the parking area registered in the spot DB or the polygon information registered in the real-time parking DB 7.

[0089] In the fourth example, the server device 2 identifies parking areas located in the area of ​​the map displayed by the vehicle terminal 1 in step S21, based on the location information of the parking areas registered in the spot DB or the polygon information registered in the real-time parking DB 7. In this case, for example, the vehicle terminal 1 sends a request to the server device 2 for congestion information of parking areas located in the area of ​​the map to be displayed, and displays and / or outputs the congestion information of the parking areas received from the server device 2. In this case, the vehicle terminal 1 can output congestion information of parking areas within the range displayed by, for example, manual map scrolling or destination search, regardless of whether a recommended route has been set.

[0090] (4-2) Example of display Figure 9 shows an example of a display showing a map of the area around the current location. Based on the display information received from the server device 2, the vehicle terminal 1 displays the display screen shown in Figure 9 on the display unit 16. In this case, the server device 2 identifies the driving status of the target vehicle, such as its current location, based on probe information received from the vehicle terminal 1, and generates display information representing a map including road RD1 where the target vehicle is located and roads RD2 and RD3 connected to road RD1, based on map information 5, etc. In addition, a recommended route passing through roads RD1 and RD3 is set, and the server device 2 displays a route line 61 indicating the recommended route set on the map, along with a current location mark 60 indicating the current location of the target vehicle, based on the route information.

[0091] On the displayed map, there are three parking areas registered in the Real-Time Parking DB7 and the Statistical Parking DB8, and Server Device 2 displays parking area markers 62A to 62C indicating the locations of these three parking areas. In this way, Server Device 2 displays parking area markers indicating the locations of parking areas that are registered in the Real-Time Parking DB7 and the Statistical Parking DB8 and exist within the range of the displayed map. Server Device 2 may display parking area markers for parking areas that are located along the set recommended route, and does not need to display parking area markers for parking areas that are located away from the recommended route.

[0092] Parking area markers 62A to 62C can be selected based on user input, and server device 2 displays information for the parking area corresponding to the selected parking area marker individually.

[0093] Figure 10 shows an example of a display that individually shows information for a specified parking area. In the example shown in Figure 10, the vehicle terminal 1 detects that the parking area mark 62C has been selected by user input. Based on the detection result by the vehicle terminal 1, the server device 2 pops up an individual display window 63A on the map that shows the current status of the parking area corresponding to the parking area mark 62.

[0094] In the example shown in Figure 10, the server device 2 displays an individual display window 63A that shows the parking area name "○○ Park Parking Lot", the number of available parking spaces "X spaces", the congestion level on a 5-level scale "2-3", and whether truck parking is permitted "Permitted" for the parking area corresponding to the parking area mark 62. In this case, the server device 2 refers to records in the real-time parking DB 7 and the statistical parking DB 8, which include the parking area ID of the parking area corresponding to the parking area mark 62C, and obtains the information to be displayed in the individual display window 63A. Specifically, the server device 2 refers to the "parking area name" and "number of available parking spaces" in the real-time parking DB 7 and displays the parking area name "○○ Park Parking Lot" and the number of available parking spaces "X spaces". The server device 2 also refers to the "congestion level" and "reliability level" in the real-time parking DB 7 and displays the congestion level on a 5-level scale "2-3". Furthermore, the server device 2 refers to the truck information in the "Specific Vehicle Parking Permitted Information" in the statistical parking DB 8 and displays whether truck parking is permitted "Permitted".

[0095] Here, the server device 2 sets a range (in this case, a range of 2 levels) for the congestion level displayed in the individual display window 63A based on the reliability level. In other words, the server device 2 displays a range of congestion levels with a range corresponding to the reliability level in the individual display window 63A. In this case, the server device 2 sets a range for the corresponding congestion level when the reliability level is lower than a predetermined threshold. The threshold mentioned above is stored in the storage unit 22 in advance, for example. The server device 2 then increases the range of congestion levels to be displayed as the reliability level decreases. For example, correspondence information such as a lookup table showing the correspondence between the reliability level and the range of congestion levels to be displayed is stored in the storage unit 22, and the server device 2 refers to this correspondence information and sets the range of congestion levels to be displayed based on the reliability level. In this case, the server device 2 sets the range of congestion levels to be displayed so that it is at least the range to which the "congestion level" of the real-time parking DB 7 belongs.

[0096] Thus, the server device 2 takes into consideration that the lower the reliability of the congestion level, the larger the error in calculating the congestion level, and appropriately suppresses the transmission of false information by providing a range of congestion levels to display according to the reliability. The server device 2 may also output at least a portion of the information displayed in the individual display window 63A as audio to the vehicle terminal 1.

[0097] Figure 11 shows another example of displaying information for a specified parking area individually. In the example shown in Figure 11, the vehicle terminal 1 detects that the parking area mark 62C has been selected on the display screen shown in Figure 9. Based on the detection result by the vehicle terminal 1, the server device 2 pops up a detailed display window 63B on the map that shows detailed information about the parking area corresponding to the parking area mark 62. The detailed display window 63B includes the parking area name "○○ Park Parking Lot", the number of parking spaces "X", the congestion level on a 5-level scale "2-3", and whether truck parking is permitted "Yes", all of which were displayed in the individual display window 63A.

[0098] In the example shown in Figure 11, in addition to the content displayed in the individual display window 63A, the server device 2 displays the average parking stay time of "40 minutes," the parking status table 64, and the average number of parked vehicles graph 65 on the detailed display window 63B.

[0099] The average parking stay time indicates the average stay time for all users in the target parking area (in this case, "○○ Park Parking Lot"). Server device 2 extracts records associated with the parking area ID of the target parking area from the parking history DB9, and displays the average of the parking times shown in the extracted records as the average stay time in the target parking area.

[0100] The parking status table 64 is a table that shows the current parking status for each user, and the average number of parked cars graph 65 is an example of a statistical graph related to the target parking area, showing the average number of parked cars at each time.

[0101] The parking status table 64 has columns corresponding to "Anonymous User ID," "Vehicle Type," "Current Stay Time (minutes)," and "Average Stay Time." Server device 2 generates the parking status table 64 by referring to records in the real-time parking DB 7 and statistical parking DB 8 that are linked to the parking area ID corresponding to the parking area mark 62C. The "Anonymous User ID" in the parking status table 64 represents an anonymized user ID from the standpoint of protecting personal information. That is, the parking status table 64 displays an ID with a different notation than the genuine user ID registered in the parking user list. Server device 2 may hide information related to user IDs from the parking status table 64 instead of displaying the anonymous user ID.

[0102] First, server device 2 identifies the unanonymized user IDs in the parking user list of the real-time parking DB7 that are associated with the parking area ID corresponding to the parking area mark 62C. Then, server device 2 determines an anonymous user ID corresponding to each identified user ID according to a predetermined rule or randomly, and lists the determined anonymous user IDs in the parking status table 64. Server device 2 also identifies the vehicle type category ("medium truck," "small truck," etc.) corresponding to each anonymous user ID based on the vehicle type information associated with the unanonymized user ID in the parking user list. Furthermore, server device 2 calculates the time difference in minutes between the parking start date and time associated with the unanonymized user ID in the parking user list and the date and time at the time of current processing, as the current dwell time for each anonymous user ID.

[0103] Furthermore, Server Device 2 calculates the average parking time for each anonymous user ID as the average stay time corresponding to each anonymous user ID. In this case, Server Device 2 extracts records associated with each user ID before anonymization from the parking history DB9, and calculates the average of the parking times shown in the extracted records as the average stay time for each anonymous user ID. For example, Server Device 2 calculates the average parking time for anonymous user ID "AAA" using the parking time in the parking history DB9 associated with the user ID before anonymization of anonymous user ID "AAA", and uses the calculated average as the average stay time displayed in association with anonymous user ID "AAA". The average stay time serves as an estimate of the stay time for each anonymous user ID. As a result, Server Device 2 can display an average stay time that accurately represents the past stay time of users for each parking area.

[0104] As described above, the server device 2 can output information accurately representing the parking status of users parked in the target parking area to the vehicle terminal 1 by displaying the parking status table 64. Specifically, by displaying the current stay time and average stay time for each user side by side, the user of the vehicle terminal 1 can roughly grasp when users of the parking area of ​​interest will leave the parking area. In addition, by using the average stay time in the parking lot, the server device 2 can output information that serves as an estimate of the stay time in the parking area to the vehicle terminal 1 in a suitable manner, similar to the average stay time in the parking status table 64.

[0105] Let me provide some additional information about the effect of displaying the average dwell time for each user. Generally, in stores such as convenience stores, delivery vehicles may stay for only a short time, about 5 minutes. Therefore, delivery vehicles tend to have a short average dwell time. Accordingly, by displaying the average dwell time for each user, the server device 2 can effectively allow users to understand the presence of vehicles that are temporarily stopped for unloading or handling based on the trend of average dwell times.

[0106] Furthermore, instead of displaying the average stay time as a guideline for the duration of stay, or in addition to this, the server device 2 may also display a guideline for rest time based on laws, regulations, or notices as a guideline for the duration of stay. For example, the server device 2 may link an anonymous user ID whose vehicle type is classified as a truck and display a guideline for the duration of stay based on standards for improving the working hours of motor vehicle drivers. For example, the standards for improving the working hours of motor vehicle drivers stipulate that drivers must stop driving within 4 hours of starting to drive or immediately after 4 hours have passed and take a rest of 30 minutes or more. Therefore, the server device 2 may associate an anonymous user ID whose vehicle type is classified as a truck and display a rest time of 30 minutes or more as a guideline for the duration of stay. This also allows for the output of information that serves as a guideline for the duration of stay of trucks in the parking area to the vehicle terminal 1.

[0107] Alternatively, instead of displaying the current and average stay times of each user in the parking area in a table, the server device 2 may display at least one of the current and average stay times of users in the parking area using a statistical graph such as a histogram. In other examples, the server device 2 may display representative values ​​such as the average, maximum, and minimum values, or other statistics, for the current and average stay times of users in the parking area.

[0108] The average number of parked vehicles graph 65 represents the average number of parked vehicles over a 24-hour period, broken down hourly. Server device 2 extracts records from the statistical parking DB 8 associated with the parking area ID of the target parking area, and generates the average number of parked vehicles graph 65 based on the average number of parked vehicles included in the extracted records. Preferably, in this case, server device 2 sets the upper limit of the average number of parked vehicles on the vertical axis of the average number of parked vehicles graph 65 (15 vehicles in this case) to the occupancy threshold of the real-time parking DB 7 associated with the parking area ID of the target parking area.

[0109] In this way, the server device 2 can appropriately allow the user to understand the statistical usage status of the parking area selected by the user by displaying the average number of parked vehicles graph 65. Alternatively, the server device 2 may display statistical information regarding the congestion level of the target parking area instead of, or in addition to, the average number of parked vehicles graph 65. For example, the server device 2 may extract records from the statistical parking DB 8 associated with the parking area ID of the target parking area, and based on the congestion statistics included in the extracted records, display a graph representing the hourly congestion level of the target parking area. In this case as well, the server device 2 can appropriately allow the user to understand the statistical congestion level of the parking area selected by the user. The server device 2 may also output at least a portion of the information displayed in the detailed display window 63B as audio to the vehicle terminal 1. The average parking stay, parking status table 64, and average number of parked vehicles graph 65 on the detailed display window 63B are examples of stay time information.

[0110] Furthermore, when displaying a map, server device 2 may add and display information indicating the degree of congestion for each parking area on the map.

[0111] Figure 12 shows an example of a display that shows a map of the area around the current location along with information on the congestion level of parking areas. Based on the display information received from the server device 2, the vehicle terminal 1 displays the display screen shown in Figure 12 on the display unit 16. In this case, the server device 2 identifies the driving status of the target vehicle, such as its current location, based on probe information received from the vehicle terminal 1, and generates display information representing a map including roads RD1 to RD3 based on map information 5, etc. The server device 2 also displays a current location mark 60 indicating the current location of the target vehicle, a route line 61 indicating the recommended route for the target vehicle, and parking area marks 62Aa to 62Ca indicating the locations of three parking areas present on the displayed map.

[0112] Here, server device 2 includes text information representing the real-time congestion level in parking area marks 62Aa to 62Ca, based on the congestion level and confidence level contained in the records of the real-time parking DB7 corresponding to the three parking areas. Here, server device 2 determines the range of congestion levels for the parking areas corresponding to parking area marks 62Aa to 62Ca based on the confidence level mentioned above.

[0113] Specifically, the reliability level corresponding to parking area mark 62Aa is the highest, and server device 2 displays a congestion level (in this case, 5) with a width of one level corresponding to the reliability level for parking area mark 62Aa. Furthermore, since the congestion level of parking area mark 62Aa is the maximum value "5" which corresponds to a full parking lot, server device 2 displays parking area mark 62Aa in a different manner (for example, a different color) than the other parking area marks 62Ba and 62Ca to make it clear that the parking lot is full. On the other hand, the reliability level corresponding to parking area mark 62Ba is the lowest, and server device 2 displays a congestion level (in this case, 2 to 4) with a width of three levels corresponding to the reliability level for parking area mark 62Ba. Furthermore, server device 2 displays a congestion level (in this case, 2 to 3) with a width of two levels corresponding to the reliability level for parking area mark 62Ca. Note that server device 2 may also display parking area marks 62Ba and Ca other than parking area mark 62Aa, which corresponds to a full parking lot, using colors or other methods corresponding to the congestion level.

[0114] As described above, when the server device 2 displays a map, it displays information representing the degree of congestion for each parking area on the map according to its reliability, thereby enabling it to output information representing the congestion status of each parking area to the vehicle terminal 1 in a suitable manner.

[0115] Alternatively, instead of determining the range of congestion values ​​based on reliability, the server device 2 may display the reliability along with the congestion value. Even in this case, the server device 2 can appropriately allow the user of the vehicle terminal 1 to understand how reliable the displayed congestion value is.

[0116] (5) Variation The control for outputting information about the parking area may be performed by the vehicle terminal 1 instead of the server device 2. In this case, the vehicle terminal 1 obtains the real-time parking DB 7, statistical parking DB 8, and parking history DB 9, etc., from the server device 2, and based on the obtained information, the vehicle terminal 1 performs the output control of information about the parking area on behalf of the server device 2. In this case, the vehicle terminal 1 functions as an information processing device, and the control unit 14 functions as an "acquisition means," "identification means," "calculation means," "determination means," "output means," and a computer that executes a program.

[0117] Instead of displaying parking area congestion information on the vehicle terminal 1 by referring to the real-time parking DB 7, etc., the server device 2 may display parking area congestion information on the vehicle terminal 1 based on congestion information (e.g., occupancy information) supplied by the parking area management company. In this case, for example, the server device 2 receives information on the congestion level of the parking area from the parking area management company. Then, for parking areas where congestion information should be displayed and for which congestion information has been provided by the management company, the server device 2 displays the congestion information received from the management company on the vehicle terminal 1. In this way, the server device 2 may also present occupancy information, etc., provided by the management company, etc., to the user for parking areas where such information is available.

[0118] (6) Means of disclosure This specification discloses inventions relating to the following means 1, means 2, and means 3.

[0119] (Measure 1) In parking lots or other parking areas attached to facilities where parking lot occupancy information managed by the parking lot management system is unavailable, it was not possible to show users the degree of congestion in the parking area, and users were sometimes unable to know in advance whether the parking area was available.

[0120] The invention of Means 1 was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and one of its objectives is to provide an information processing device, an information processing method, a program, and a storage medium that can suitably display information regarding the degree of congestion in a parking area.

[0121] In a preferred embodiment of means 1, the information processing device includes an acquisition means for acquiring location information of a plurality of vehicles from each of the plurality of vehicles; a parking area information representing a parking area; an identification means for identifying the vehicles present in the parking area based on the location information; and an output means for outputting congestion information representing the degree of congestion of the parking area based on the number of vehicles identified as present in the parking area.

[0122] The above-described information processing device comprises an acquisition means, an identification means, and an output means. The acquisition means acquires location information of each of the multiple vehicles. The identification means identifies vehicles present in a parking area based on parking area information representing the parking area and the location information. The output means outputs congestion information representing the degree of congestion in the parking area, based on the number of vehicles identified as present in the parking area. Examples of information output include displaying the information, outputting the information audibly, or both, and also include control to cause another device to perform the display or audible output. According to this embodiment, the information processing device can suitably output congestion information even for parking areas where congestion levels are not managed, based on location information acquired from vehicles.

[0123] In one embodiment of the above-described information processing device, the parking area information includes a threshold for determining whether the parking area is full based on the number of vehicles, and the information processing device further includes a determination means for determining the degree of congestion based on the number of vehicles and the threshold.

[0124] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the parking area information includes polygon information representing the position of the polygon when the parking area is considered as a polygon, and the identifying means identifies the vehicle present in the parking area based on the polygon information and the position information.

[0125] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the identification means generates a list of vehicles identified as being present in the parking area, and when the identification means identifies a vehicle that has entered the parking area, it adds information about that vehicle to the list, and when it identifies a vehicle that has left the parking area, it removes information about that vehicle from the list.

[0126] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, when the identifying means identifies the vehicle that has left the parking area, it estimates the parking time of the vehicle in the parking area based on the date and time the vehicle entered the parking area and the date and time the vehicle left the parking area.

[0127] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the identifying means calculates the average parking time for each parking area estimated over a predetermined period and generates statistical information for each parking area including the average parking time.

[0128] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the acquisition means acquires vehicle type information along with the location information from the plurality of vehicles, and the identification means identifies vehicle types that can be parked in the parking area based on the vehicle type information of the vehicles identified as being present in the parking area during a predetermined period.

[0129] In another embodiment of the above-described information processing device, the acquisition means acquires vehicle type information along with the location information from the plurality of vehicles, the identification means identifies the number of vehicles of each vehicle type present in the parking area based on the parking area information, the location information, and the vehicle type information, and the output means outputs the congestion information for each vehicle type based on the number of vehicles of each vehicle type.

[0130] In another embodiment of the above-described information processing device, the information processing device further includes a calculation means for calculating the reliability of the congestion level based on the parking area information, and the output means outputs the congestion information based on the congestion level and the reliability.

[0131] In another embodiment of the above-described information processing device, the information processing device further comprises a calculation means for calculating the current stay time of the vehicle staying in the parking area, and the output means outputs stay time information relating to the current stay time and an estimated stay time in the parking area.

[0132] In another preferred embodiment, the information processing method comprises: an acquisition step in which a computer acquires location information of a plurality of vehicles from each of the plurality of vehicles; an identification step in which a computer identifies the vehicles present in the parking area based on parking area information representing the parking area and the location information; and an output step in which a computer outputs congestion information representing the degree of congestion in the parking area based on the number of vehicles identified as present in the parking area. By executing this information processing method, the computer can suitably output congestion information even for parking areas where congestion levels are not managed, based on location information acquired from the vehicles.

[0133] In yet another embodiment, the program causes a computer to function as an acquisition means for acquiring location information of multiple vehicles from each of the multiple vehicles, parking area information representing a parking area, identification means for identifying the vehicles present in the parking area based on the location information, and congestion information representing the degree of congestion in the parking area based on the number of vehicles identified as present in the parking area. By executing this program, the computer can suitably output congestion information even for parking areas where congestion levels are not managed, based on the location information acquired from the vehicles. Preferably, the program is stored in a storage medium.

[0134] (Measure 2) When presenting users with estimated parking lot congestion levels based on information obtained from vehicle traffic, there was a problem in that users did not know how much they could trust the presented congestion level, as it was merely an estimate.

[0135] The invention of means 2 was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and one of its objectives is to provide an information processing device, an information processing method, a program, and a storage medium that can suitably display information regarding the degree of congestion in a parking area.

[0136] In a preferred embodiment of means 2, the information processing device includes an acquisition means for acquiring the degree of congestion of a designated parking area, a calculation means for calculating the reliability of the degree of congestion based on information about the parking area, and an output means for outputting congestion information related to the degree of congestion based on the reliability.

[0137] The above-described information processing device includes an acquisition means, a calculation means, and an output means. The acquisition means acquires the degree of congestion of a designated parking area. The calculation means calculates the reliability of the congestion degree based on the information regarding the parking area. The output means outputs congestion information based on the reliability. Examples of information output include displaying the information, outputting the information audibly, or both, and also include controlling another device to perform the display or audible output. According to this embodiment, the information processing device can output congestion information that takes into account the reliability of the congestion degree.

[0138] In one embodiment of the above-described information processing device, the output means outputs congestion information for which a range has been set for the congestion level value when the reliability is lower than a predetermined threshold.

[0139] In another embodiment of the above-described information processing device, the output means sets the width to be larger as the reliability decreases.

[0140] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the information relating to the parking area is the number of vehicles present in the parking area, identified based on location information received from multiple vehicles, and the calculation means calculates the confidence level based on the number of vehicles.

[0141] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the information relating to the parking area is the number of vehicles that can be parked in the parking area, and the calculation means calculates the reliability based on the number of vehicles that can be parked.

[0142] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the information relating to the parking area includes the number of specific vehicle types present in the parking area, which is determined based on location information received from multiple vehicles, and the calculation means corrects the degree of congestion based on the number of specific vehicle types.

[0143] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the acquisition means identifies one or more parking areas present on the map to be displayed, or a parking area selected from the one or more parking areas, as the designated parking area.

[0144] In another preferred embodiment, the computer provides an information processing method comprising: an acquisition step of acquiring the degree of congestion of a designated parking area; a calculation step of calculating the reliability of the degree of congestion based on information about the parking area; and an output step of outputting congestion information related to the degree of congestion based on the reliability. By executing this information processing method, the computer can output congestion information that takes into account the reliability of the degree of congestion.

[0145] In yet another embodiment, the program causes a computer to function as an acquisition means for acquiring the congestion level of a designated parking area, a calculation means for calculating the reliability of the congestion level based on information about the parking area, and an output means for outputting congestion information related to the congestion level based on the reliability. By executing this program, the computer can output congestion information that takes into account the reliability of the congestion level. Preferably, the program is stored in a storage medium.

[0146] (Measure 3) When displaying the level of congestion in a parking area, if a potential parking area is crowded, the user cannot determine how long the congestion will continue, as the usage status of that parking area is not available.

[0147] The invention of means 3 was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and one of its objectives is to provide an information processing device, an information processing method, a program, and a storage medium that can suitably display the usage status of a parking area.

[0148] In a preferred embodiment of means 3, the information processing device includes an acquisition means for acquiring location information of a plurality of vehicles from each of the plurality of vehicles; a parking area information representing a designated parking area; a identification means for identifying the vehicle staying in the parking area based on the location information; a calculation means for calculating the current stay time of the vehicle staying in the parking area; and an output means for outputting stay time information relating to the current stay time and an estimated stay time in the parking area.

[0149] The above-described information processing device includes an acquisition means, an identification means, a calculation means, and an output means. The acquisition means acquires location information for multiple vehicles from multiple vehicles. The identification means identifies vehicles staying in a designated parking area based on parking area information representing a designated parking area and location information. The calculation means calculates the current stay time of vehicles staying in the parking area. The output means outputs stay time information relating to the current stay time and an estimated stay time in the parking area. Examples of information output include displaying the information, outputting the information audibly, or both, and also include control to cause another device to perform the display or audible output. According to this embodiment, the information processing device can suitably output the stay time of vehicles staying in a designated parking area along with an estimated stay time.

[0150] In one embodiment of the above-described information processing device, the output means determines the average parking time for each user of the plurality of vehicles as the guideline stay time.

[0151] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the output means determines the average parking time in the parking area as the guideline stay time.

[0152] In another embodiment of the above-described information processing device, the output means sets the recommended rest period based on laws, regulations, or notifications as the recommended stay time.

[0153] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the output means displays the current stay time and the estimated stay time in the parking area, associated with each vehicle staying in the parking area.

[0154] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the output means outputs the stay time information, including a statistical graph representing the number of parked vehicles or the degree of congestion in the parking area per hour.

[0155] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the identification means identifies the duration of stay of the vehicle in the parking area based on the parking area information and the location information, and the output means determines the estimated duration of stay based on the duration of stay identified by the identification means over a predetermined period.

[0156] In another preferred embodiment, the computer performs an information processing method comprising: an acquisition step of acquiring location information for each of the multiple vehicles; an identification step of identifying the vehicle staying in the parking area based on the location information and parking area information representing a designated parking area; a calculation step of calculating the current stay time of the vehicle staying in the parking area; and an output step of outputting stay time information relating to the current stay time and an estimated stay time in the parking area. By executing this information processing method, the computer can suitably output the stay time of the vehicle staying in the designated parking area along with an estimated stay time.

[0157] In another preferred embodiment, the program causes a computer to function as an acquisition means for acquiring location information of multiple vehicles from each of the multiple vehicles, a parking area information representing a designated parking area, a identification means for identifying the vehicle staying in the parking area based on the location information, a calculation means for calculating the current stay time of the vehicle staying in the parking area, and an output means for outputting stay time information relating to the current stay time and an estimated stay time in the parking area. By executing this program, the computer can suitably output the stay time of the vehicle staying in the designated parking area along with an estimated stay time. Preferably, the program described above is stored in a storage medium.

[0158] In each of the embodiments described above, the program can be stored using various types of non-transitory computer-readable medium and supplied to a control unit, which is a computer. Non-transitory computer-readable medium includes various types of tangible storage medium. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable medium include magnetic storage medium (e.g., flexible disks, magnetic tapes, hard disk drives), magneto-optical storage medium (e.g., magneto-optical disks), CD-ROM (Read Only Memory), CD-R, CD-R / W, and semiconductor memory (e.g., mask ROM, PROM (Programmable ROM), EPROM (Erasable PROM), flash ROM, RAM (Random Access Memory)).

[0159] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Various modifications to the structure and details of the present invention can be made that are understandable to those skilled in the art within the scope of the present invention. That is, the present invention naturally includes the full disclosure, including the claims, and various modifications and alterations that those skilled in the art could make in accordance with the technical idea. Furthermore, each disclosure of the above-mentioned patent documents and other references is incorporated herein by reference. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0160] 1. Vehicle terminal 2 Server devices 5. Map Information 6. Probe DB 7. Real-time parking database 8 Statistical Parking DB8 9 Parking History Database 11, 21 Communications Department 12, 22 Storage section 13, 23 Input section 14, 24 Control Unit 15 Sensor Groups 16 Display 17. Sound output section

Claims

1. A means for acquiring location information of multiple vehicles from each of the multiple vehicles, A means for identifying the vehicle located in the parking area based on parking area information representing the parking area and the location information, An output means that outputs congestion information representing the degree of congestion in the parking area based on the number of vehicles identified as being present in the parking area, An information processing device having

2. The parking area information includes a threshold for determining whether the parking area is full or not based on the number of vehicles. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising determination means for determining the degree of congestion based on the number of vehicles and the threshold.

3. The parking area information includes polygon information representing the position of the polygon when the parking area is considered as a polygon. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identifying means identifies the vehicle located in the parking area based on the polygon information and the location information.

4. The identification means generates a list of the vehicles identified as being present in the parking area, The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the identifying means identifies a vehicle that has entered the parking area, adds information about the vehicle to the list, and identifies a vehicle that has left the parking area, deletes information about the vehicle from the list.

5. The information processing device according to claim 4, wherein, when the identifying means identifies the vehicle that has left the parking area, it estimates the parking time of the vehicle in the parking area based on the date and time the vehicle entered the parking area and the date and time the vehicle left the parking area.

6. The information processing device according to claim 5, wherein the identifying means calculates the average time for each parking area estimated over a predetermined period and generates statistical information for each parking area including the average time.

7. The acquisition means acquires vehicle type information along with the location information from the multiple vehicles, The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the identifying means identifies vehicle types that can be parked in the parking area based on the vehicle type information of the vehicle identified as being present in the parking area during a predetermined period of time.

8. The acquisition means acquires vehicle type information along with the location information from the multiple vehicles, The identification means identifies the number of vehicles of each vehicle type present in the parking area based on the parking area information, the location information, and the vehicle type information. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output means outputs the congestion information for each vehicle type based on the number of vehicles for each vehicle type.

9. The system further includes a calculation means for calculating the reliability of the congestion level based on the aforementioned parking area information, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output means outputs the congestion information based on the congestion level and the reliability level.

10. The system further includes a calculation means for calculating the current dwell time of the vehicle staying in the parking area, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output means outputs information relating to the current stay time and the estimated stay time in the parking area.

11. Computers A process of acquiring location information of multiple vehicles from each of the multiple vehicles, A process of identifying the vehicle located in the parking area based on parking area information representing the parking area and the location information, Output step: Outputs congestion information representing the degree of congestion in the parking area based on the number of vehicles identified as being present in the parking area. An information processing method having

12. A means for acquiring location information of multiple vehicles from each of the multiple vehicles, A means for identifying the vehicle located in the parking area based on parking area information representing the parking area and the location information, Output means for outputting congestion information representing the degree of congestion in the parking area, based on the number of vehicles identified as being present in the parking area. A program that makes a computer function.

13. A storage medium characterized by storing the program described in claim 12.

Images