control device

Abstract

Ensure proper cooling of the computing unit. [Solution] A control device that controls a cooling device for cooling an information processing device that processes first data generated by a moving object present in a predetermined area determines the cooling parameters of the cooling device based on the number of moving objects present in the predetermined area.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to cooling of computing devices.

Background Art

[0002] There is known an information processing system capable of reducing power consumption by scaling in some of a plurality of computing devices (computers or processors) according to a load (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to appropriately cool a computing device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is a control device that controls a cooling device for cooling an information processing device that processes first data generated due to a moving body existing within a predetermined area, the control device determining an operation parameter of the cooling device based on the number of moving bodies existing within the predetermined area.

[0006] Another aspect includes a method executed by the above device, a program for causing a computer to execute the method, or a computer-readable storage medium that non-temporarily stores the program.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, the computing device can be appropriately cooled.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram illustrating the system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] Configuration diagram of the in-vehicle device and edge server according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] Configuration diagram of the central server according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] A diagram illustrating the processing flow performed by each device. [Figure 5] A diagram illustrating the process by which the central server determines operating parameters. [Figure 6] A sequence diagram of the processes performed by each device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] In information processing devices or information processing systems that include multiple computing units, a technique is known for scaling in and scaling out some of the computing units depending on the load. For example, during periods of low load, power consumption can be reduced by putting some of the information processing devices included in the system, or some of the multiple processors included in the information processing device, into standby mode.

[0010] Generally, the maximum capacity of cooling devices for computers (e.g., cooling fans installed adjacent to racks, chassis, or processors, or air conditioning units installed in server rooms) is designed based on the expected maximum heat generation. Therefore, scaling in the system If this occurs, power consumption can be reduced by decreasing the operation of the cooling system in conjunction with it.

[0011] However, in systems employing processors such as GPUs and FPGAs, heat generation temporarily decreases during scale-in, but when scale-out occurs, heat generation may immediately increase regardless of the load. Therefore, if a cooling system with poor responsiveness, such as an air conditioner that cools an entire room, is used, even if the output is increased after detecting an increase in load, cooling may not keep up, and the system may temporarily overheat. The control device relating to this disclosure solves such problems.

[0012] A control device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a control device for controlling a cooling device that cools an information processing device that processes first data generated due to a moving object present in a predetermined area, and determines the operating parameters of the cooling device based on the number of moving objects present in the predetermined area.

[0013] The information processing device relating to this disclosure is a device that processes predetermined data (first data) generated by a moving object (e.g., automobile, motorcycle, bicycle, ship, aircraft, or mobile terminal, etc.) located within a predetermined area. The first data generated by the moving object is typically sensor data obtained by the moving object performing sensing. However, the first data does not necessarily have to be data directly generated by the moving object. For example, the first data may be sensor data generated by the moving object that has undergone intermediate processing.

[0014] The control device, for example, determines the number of moving objects present within a predetermined area and, based on the determined number of moving objects, determines the operating parameters of the cooling system. Cooling devices typically include fans used to dissipate heat from the processor of an information processing device, or air conditioning units (air conditioners) used to cool the information processing device itself. The operating parameters of the cooling device typically include, for example, the rotational speed of the fan included in the cooling device, the number of operating fans, or the temperature set as the cooling target (hereinafter referred to as the set temperature). The control device can adjust the cooling capacity for the information processing device by adjusting the operating parameters of the cooling device.

[0015] For example, when the number of moving objects existing within a predetermined area is on an increasing trend, the data generated by the moving objects will also increase, so it can be predicted that the load on the information processing device will increase in the future. Conversely, when the number of moving objects existing within a predetermined area is on a decreasing trend, the data generated by the moving objects will also decrease, so it can be predicted that the load on the information processing device will also decrease. In this way, by determining the operating parameters of the cooling device based on the number of moving objects existing within a predetermined area, it becomes possible to adjust the cooling capacity at a timing earlier than the timing when the load actually increases or decreases.

[0016] The information processing device may include a plurality of processors whose heat generation amount increases or decreases according to the amount of the first data. When the information processing device has such characteristics, the heat generation amount may increase according to the number of moving objects. However, according to the control device according to the present disclosure, the cooling capacity can be adjusted at a timing earlier than the timing when the heat generation actually increases.

[0017] Also, when the number of moving objects existing within the predetermined area exceeds a predetermined value, the control device may increase the rotational speed of the fan included in the cooling device from a default value, or may decrease the set temperature from a default value. When the number of moving objects existing within a predetermined area increases, subsequently, the amount of data leading to the load increases, and it is expected that the exhaust heat of the information processing device will also increase.

[0018] Further, the control device may receive, from one or more edge servers that communicate with the moving object in the predetermined area, the first data and second data related to the number of moving objects, and determine the number of moving objects present in the predetermined area based on one or more of the second data. When the edge server processes or preprocesses data, the edge server can count the number of moving objects. For example, the second data may include the result of counting the number of moving objects within the communicable range of the edge server.

[0019] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described based on the drawings. The hardware configuration, module configuration, functional configuration, etc. described in each embodiment are not intended to limit the technical scope of the disclosure only to those, unless otherwise specified.

[0020] (First Embodiment) [Overview of the System] The overview of the system according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. The system according to this embodiment includes an in-vehicle device 10 mounted on a vehicle, a plurality of edge servers 20 installed along the road, and a center server 30 that governs the plurality of edge servers 20.

[0021] The vehicle 1 is a connected vehicle capable of wireless communication with the edge server 20. The vehicle 1 is equipped with an in-vehicle device 10. The in-vehicle device 10 has a function of collecting sensor data during the running of the vehicle 1 and transmitting the collected sensor data to the edge server 20.

[0022] The edge server 20 is a server device capable of communicating with the vehicle 1 (in-vehicle device 10) traveling within a predetermined communication area by wireless communication. The edge server 20 is configured to be capable of wireless communication with the vehicle 1 in a predetermined communication area centered on the self-device. Further, the edge server 20 has a function of performing intermediate processing on the sensor data collected from the vehicle 1 and transmitting the result to the center server 30.

[0023] The center server 30 is a server device that performs predetermined data processing based on sensor data collected from multiple vehicles 1. For example, the center server 30 can generate three-dimensional road map data based on sensor data generated by multiple vehicles 1.

[0024] The edge server 20 is positioned between the center server 30 and the vehicle 1 and performs processing to collect sensor data from the vehicle 1. The edge server 20 also performs intermediate processing on the collected sensor data and sends the results to the center server 30. Intermediate processing may include, for example, processing to convert the sensor data into intermediate products. For example, if the center server 30 performs processing to generate a three-dimensional road map based on the sensor data, the edge server 20 may perform, for example, processing to delete duplicate sensor data or processing to estimate the three-dimensional shape of buildings. By having the edge server 20 perform information processing at a geographically close location to the vehicle 1, the load on the center server 30 and the amount of data flowing through the network can be reduced.

[0025] In this embodiment, the center server 30 has multiple processors and has a function to scale the processors according to the amount of data received from multiple edge servers 20. For example, the center server 30 puts some of the multiple processors into standby mode during periods of low data volume and increases the number of operating processors as the data volume increases. This allows for reduced power consumption.

[0026] On the other hand, the cooling system of the center server 30 is designed to dissipate heat when the processors are operating at maximum capacity, so when the processors scale in, the cooling capacity becomes excessive. Although it is possible to temporarily reduce the cooling capacity when the number of operating processors decreases, depending on the type of processor and air conditioning system, there may be cases where recooling cannot keep up when scaling out occurs. For example, if the processor in the central server 30 is a type of processor that generates a constant amount of heat regardless of the load, the amount of heat generated may increase significantly after scaling out, before the cooling capacity has increased. Also, if the cooling system is an air conditioning system installed in the server room, there may be a time lag between the actual increase in heat generation and the decrease in room temperature.

[0027] To address this problem, in this embodiment, the central server 30 collects information from the edge servers 20 to determine the number of vehicles in multiple areas under the jurisdiction of each edge server 20, and based on the determined number, the central server 30 adjusts the cooling capacity of the cooling device it owns. For example, if the number of vehicles in the area managed by each edge server 20 is increasing, the amount of data transmitted from each edge server 20 will also increase, and it can be predicted that this will cause a scale-out in the processor of the device. In such a case, the center server 30 will take measures to increase the cooling capacity of its cooling system in advance. This will prevent insufficient cooling of the server device.

[0028] [System Configuration] Next, we will describe the hardware and software configurations of each device that makes up the system. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of an in-vehicle device 10 that can be mounted on a vehicle 1 and an edge server 20 that communicates with the in-vehicle device 10.

[0029] The in-vehicle device 10 can be configured as a computer having a processor (CPU, GPU, etc.), main memory (RAM, ROM, etc.), and auxiliary storage (EPROM, hard disk drive, removable media, etc.). The auxiliary storage contains an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, etc., and by executing the programs stored therein, various functions (software modules) that match a predetermined purpose, as described later, can be realized. However, some or all of the functions may be realized as hardware modules by hardware circuits such as ASICs and FPGAs.

[0030] The in-vehicle device 10 comprises a control unit 101, a storage unit 102, a communication unit 103, and an input / output unit 104. The in-vehicle device 10 is also connected to the sensor group 11.

[0031] The control unit 101 is a computing unit that realizes various functions of the in-vehicle device 10 by executing a predetermined program. The control unit 101 can be implemented by a hardware processor such as a CPU. The control unit 101 may also be configured to include RAM, ROM (Read Only Memory), cache memory, etc.

[0032] In this embodiment, the control unit 101 of the in-vehicle device 10 is configured to include a data transmission unit 1011 as a software module. This software module may be implemented by the control unit 101 (CPU, etc.) executing a program stored in the storage unit 102.

[0033] The data transmission unit 1011 periodically collects and transmits sensor data necessary for the center server 30 to generate a three-dimensional road map. For example, the data transmission unit 1011 periodically performs the process of transmitting images acquired by the on-board cameras included in the sensor group 11, and data obtained by analyzing those images, to the edge server 20 located near the vehicle.

[0034] The memory unit 102 is a means for storing information and is composed of storage media such as RAM, magnetic disks, and flash memory. The memory unit 102 stores programs executed by the control unit 101, data used by those programs, and so on.

[0035] The communication unit 103 is a wireless communication interface for sending and receiving wireless signals to and from the edge server 20. The communication unit 103 is configured to send and receive wireless signals conforming to standards such as wireless LAN or DSRC. The communication range of the wireless signals can be, for example, several hundred meters to several kilometers.

[0036] The input / output unit 104 is a unit that receives input from the vehicle occupants and presents information to them. Specifically, the input / output unit 104 consists of a touch panel and its control means, and a liquid crystal display and its control means. In this embodiment, the touch panel and liquid crystal display consist of a single touch panel display.

[0037] Furthermore, the in-vehicle device 10 is connected to a group of sensors (sensor group 11) for acquiring sensor data used during the driving of the vehicle 1. The sensors included in sensor group 11 may acquire physical quantities or image data, etc. For example, examples of sensors included in the sensor group include a sensor for detecting vehicle speed, an image sensor for acquiring visible light images and distance images of the area in front of the vehicle, a sensor for acquiring position information, a radar sensor, and a LiDAR.

[0038] Next, we will describe the configuration of edge server 20. The edge server 20 can be configured as a computer having a processor (CPU, GPU, etc.), main memory (RAM, ROM, etc.), and auxiliary storage (EPROM, hard disk drive, removable media, etc.), similar to the in-vehicle device 10.

[0039] The edge server 20 is comprised of a control unit 201, a storage unit 202, and communication units 203A and 203B.

[0040] The control unit 201 is a computing unit that realizes various functions of the edge server 20 by executing a predetermined program. The control unit 201 can be implemented by a hardware processor such as a CPU. The control unit 201 may also be configured to include RAM, ROM (Read Only Memory), cache memory, etc.

[0041] In this embodiment, the control unit 201 of the edge server 20 is configured to include a task processing unit 2011 and a vehicle count determination unit 2012 as software modules. These software modules may be implemented by the control unit 201 (CPU, etc.) executing a program stored in the storage unit 202.

[0042] The task processing unit 2011 executes a predetermined task assigned to the edge server 20. In this embodiment, the predetermined task executed by the task processing unit 2011 is a task that performs intermediate processing on sensor data collected from the vehicle 1 and transmits the processing results to the center server 30. This task is executed in response to the periodic transmission of sensor data from the vehicle 1. In this embodiment, the data obtained by the intermediate processing is referred to as intermediate data. The transmission of intermediate data to the server 30 may be performed at predetermined intervals.

[0043] The vehicle count determination unit 2012 counts the number of vehicles 1 located within the communication range of its own device. The vehicle count determination unit 2012 counts, for example, vehicles 1 (in-vehicle devices 10) with which communication has been established within a predetermined period, and performs a process (reporting process) to report the result to the center server 30. The vehicle count determination unit 2012 may perform the reporting process periodically (for example, every minute). The vehicle count determination unit 2012 may also count only vehicles that can transmit sensor data to its own device, because vehicles that cannot transmit sensor data are irrelevant to the load on the center server 30. Hereafter, the data transmitted by the vehicle count determination unit 2012 to the center server 30 will be referred to as counting data. In this embodiment, multiple edge servers 20 each transmit counting data to the center server 30.

[0044] The memory unit 202 is a means for storing information and is composed of storage media such as RAM, magnetic disks, and flash memory. The memory unit 202 stores programs executed by the control unit 201, data used by those programs, and so on.

[0045] The communication unit 203A is a wireless communication interface for sending and receiving wireless signals to and from the in-vehicle device 10. The communication unit 203A is configured to send and receive wireless signals that conform to standards such as wireless LAN or DSRC. The communication unit 203B is a communication interface for sending and receiving data with the center server 30. The communication unit 203B is a communication interface that conforms to standards such as Ethernet (registered trademark).

[0046] Next, the configuration of the central server 30 will be described. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the central server 30. The center server 30 can be configured as a computer having a processor (CPU, GPU, etc.), main memory (RAM, ROM, etc.), and auxiliary storage (EPROM, hard disk drive, removable media, etc.), similar to the edge server 20.

[0047] The center server 30 is comprised of a control unit 301, a storage unit 302, a communication unit 303, and a cooling fan 304.

[0048] The control unit 301 is a computing unit that realizes various functions of the center server 30 by executing a predetermined program. The control unit 301 can be implemented by a hardware processor such as a CPU. The control unit 301 may also be configured to include RAM, ROM (Read Only Memory), cache memory, etc.

[0049] In this embodiment, the control unit 301 is implemented by multiple hardware processors. The multiple hardware processors are configured to scale out and scale in according to the load. The scaling out and scaling in of the hardware processors may be performed automatically by middleware (not shown).

[0050] In this embodiment, the control unit 301 of the center server 30 is configured to include a task processing unit 3011 and a cooling control unit 3012 as software modules. These software modules may be implemented by the control unit 301 (CPU, etc.) executing a program stored in the storage unit 302.

[0051] The task processing unit 3011 executes a process to generate or update a three-dimensional road map based on the intermediate data collected from the edge server 20. The cooling control unit 3012 adjusts the operating parameters of the cooling device (cooling fan 304 and air conditioner 40), described later, based on the counting data received from the edge server 20. Specifically, the cooling control unit 3012 changes the airflow of the cooling fan 304, the set temperature of the air conditioner 40, or the airflow of the air conditioner 40 (in this embodiment, these are collectively referred to as the operating parameters of the cooling device) based on the counting data received from multiple edge servers 20.

[0052] In this embodiment, the cooling control unit 3012 changes the operating parameters of the cooling system in stages depending on whether the number of vehicles in a predetermined area exceeds a threshold.

[0053] For example, the cooling control unit 3012 sets the airflow of the cooling fan 304 to a first value when the number of vehicles in a predetermined area exceeds a threshold, and sets the airflow of the cooling fan 304 to a second value lower than the first value when the number of vehicles in the predetermined area falls below the threshold. Alternatively, the cooling control unit 3012 sets the set temperature of the air conditioning unit 40 to a first value when the number of vehicles in a predetermined area exceeds a threshold, and sets the set temperature of the air conditioning unit 40 to a second value that is higher than the first value when the number of vehicles in the predetermined area falls below the threshold.

[0054] This is because an increase in the number of vehicles within a designated area will increase the amount of data transmitted from the vehicles, which will cause the processor to scale out and generate more heat. The designated area can be the sum of the areas (communication ranges) managed by each of the multiple edge servers 20 under the control of the central server 30. The threshold for the number of units can be, for example, the value at which a processor scale-out is expected to occur within a predetermined time. The extent to which the number of vehicles in the area needs to increase to cause a processor scale-out within a predetermined time may be determined based on past performance.

[0055] The difference between the first and second values ​​(for example, the difference in fan speed or air conditioning temperature settings) may be set based on the predicted increase in heat generation. For example, when scaling out increases the number of operating processors from one to three. To compensate for the heat generated by two units, the rotation speed of the cooling fan should be increased.

[0056] Furthermore, if the amount of data decreases, the processor may scale in. In this case, the cooling control unit 3012 reduces the cooling capacity after the scale-in has actually occurred. This is because even if the number of vehicles begins to decrease, if the data processing load has not yet decreased, the amount of heat generated will not decrease, and therefore the cooling capacity should not be reduced.

[0057] The memory unit 302 is a means for storing information and is composed of storage media such as RAM, magnetic disks, and flash memory. The memory unit 302 stores programs executed by the control unit 301, data used by those programs, and so on.

[0058] The communication unit 303 is a communication interface for communicating with the edge server 20. This communication interface may be a wired interface or a wireless interface.

[0059] The cooling fan 304 is a fan for dissipating heat from the multiple hardware processors of the center server 30. The cooling fan 304 may be mounted on the chassis of the center server 30, or on a chassis housing the multiple processors. Alternatively, it may be directly mounted on each of the multiple processors.

[0060] The cooling fan 304 can change its rotation speed based on commands from the control unit 301. Furthermore, if the cooling fan 304 includes multiple fans, it can change the number of fans operating based on commands from the control unit 301.

[0061] Commands to the cooling fan 304 may be issued by middleware that manages processor scaling, etc. For example, the fan may be configured to rotate at a higher speed (or more fans to operate) as the number of operating processors increases. Alternatively, the fan may be configured to rotate at a lower speed (or fewer fans to operate) as the number of operating processors decreases. Furthermore, commands to the cooling fan 304 may be issued by a software module unique to this embodiment, such as the cooling control unit 3012. This allows the cooling capacity for the processor to be adjusted independently of the current scaling state.

[0062] The air conditioning unit 40 is a device for adjusting the room temperature of the server room where the center server 30 is located. The air conditioning unit 40 may be, for example, an air conditioner. The air conditioning unit 40 can change the set temperature based on commands from the control unit 301. Commands to the air conditioning unit 40 may be issued by middleware or the like that manages processor scaling. For example, the air conditioning unit may be configured to operate at a lower set temperature as the number of operating processors increases. Alternatively, the air conditioning unit may be configured to operate at a higher set temperature as the number of operating processors decreases. Furthermore, commands to the air conditioning unit 40 may be issued by software modules unique to this embodiment, such as the cooling control unit 3012. This allows the cooling capacity for the processor to be adjusted independently of the current scaling status.

[0063] [Process Overview] Next, we will explain the processing flow performed by the in-vehicle device 10, the edge server 20, and the center server 30. Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the data flow when sensor data is generated in the in-vehicle device 10.

[0064] In this embodiment, the vehicle 1 (in-vehicle device 10) periodically transmits sensor data acquired from the sensor group 11 to the edge server 20. For example, the data transmission unit 1011 of the in-vehicle device 10 acquires sensor data output from in-vehicle cameras and various sensors and periodically transmits it to the edge server 20. The sensor data is received by the edge server 20 (task processing unit 2011), and intermediate processing is performed. Intermediate processing is, for example, the process of converting sensor data into intermediate products (intermediate data). Examples of such processing include conversion, aggregation, filtering, removal of outliers, and data compression of sensor data. The edge server 20 (task processing unit 2011) receives sensor data from multiple in-vehicle devices 10 and performs intermediate processing.

[0065] The edge server 20 (task processing unit 2011) sends the intermediate data obtained as a result of intermediate processing to the task processing unit 3011 of the center server 30. Furthermore, the task processing unit 2011 transmits data regarding the number of vehicles within the communication range of its device to the vehicle count determination unit 2012. For example, the task processing unit 2011 may transmit the identifier of vehicle 1, received along with the sensor data, to the vehicle count determination unit 2012 along with time information.

[0066] The vehicle count determination unit 2012 estimates how many vehicles are within the communication range of its device based on data acquired from the task processing unit 2011. For example, if the in-vehicle device 10 transmits sensor data to the edge server 20 at a 1-minute interval, the vehicle count determination unit 2012 estimates the number of vehicles in the past The number of vehicles that transmitted data per minute may be counted. Alternatively, the number of vehicles may be determined using machine learning models or the like. The vehicle count determination unit 2012 transmits data (counting data) including the determined number of vehicles to the center server 30. The center server 30 (cooling control unit 3012) receives the counting data from each of the multiple edge servers 20.

[0067] The task processing unit 3011 of the central server 30 executes a process to generate three-dimensional map data based on intermediate data sent from multiple edge servers 20.

[0068] Furthermore, the cooling control unit 3012 of the central server 30 determines the operating parameters of the cooling system based on the counting data transmitted from the multiple edge servers 20. In this embodiment, a cooling fan 304 and an air conditioning unit 40 are exemplified as cooling devices for the center server 30. The cooling fan 304 is a fan for cooling the multiple hardware processors (i.e., control units 301) of the center server 30. The air conditioning unit 40 is an air conditioning unit that adjusts the room temperature of the server room where the center server 30 is installed.

[0069] When the cooling control unit 3012 determines that further cooling of its own equipment is necessary, it sends a command to the cooling fan 304 to increase the fan speed or to increase the number of operating fans. It also sends a command to the air conditioning unit 40 to lower the set temperature. The cooling control unit 3012 makes such determinations based on counting data. For example, if the number of vehicles in a predetermined area, as indicated by the counting data, exceeds a threshold, the cooling control unit 3012 may determine that the load and heat generation of its own equipment will increase, and therefore further cooling will be necessary.

[0070] Figure 5(A) is a graph showing the relationship between the number of vehicles in a given area, the threshold for the number of vehicles, and the processing load (heat generation) of the center server 30. In the example shown, the number of vehicles in the area increases, and the heat generation of the center server 30 increases with a delay. Time t2 is the time when processor scale-out occurs, and in the example in Figure 5(A), the heat generation increases sharply from this time t2 onward. In conventional methods, it was not possible to change the cooling capacity of the cooling device until the processing load actually increased and processor scaling out occurred (i.e., until the amount of heat generated began to increase). However, in this embodiment, the cooling capacity of the cooling device is increased at the moment when the number of vehicles in the area exceeds a threshold (time t1). This makes it possible to reach the moment when the amount of heat generated increases (time t2) with sufficient cooling capacity.

[0071] [Processing Sequence Diagram] Figure 6 is a sequence diagram of the processes performed by the in-vehicle device 10, the edge server 20, and the center server 30.

[0072] First, the in-vehicle device 10 acquires sensor data output from the in-vehicle camera and various sensors, and periodically transmits the acquired sensor data to the edge server 20 (step S11). This sensor data is received by the edge server 20 (task processing unit 2011).

[0073] The edge server 20, having received sensor data from multiple vehicles 1, performs two operations: counting the number of vehicles within its area and performing intermediate processing on the sensor data. While either processing can be performed first, it is preferable to send the count data to the center server 30 before the intermediate data. Therefore, in this example, vehicle counting is performed first. The number of vehicles can be counted at predetermined intervals. The predetermined interval is, for example, within the communication range. The frequency may be set to ensure that sensor data is received at least once from all vehicles within the enclosure. For example, if the frequency of sensor data transmission is every minute, the edge server 20 may check the sensor data reception status every minute and count only the vehicles that have received sensor data within that period.

[0074] In step S21, when the number of vehicles is counted, the edge server 20 generates counting data and sends the generated data, along with its own device identifier, to the center server 30. The center server 30 receives the counting data sent from multiple edge servers 20.

[0075] In step S31, the center server 30 calculates the total number of vehicles within a predetermined area (the area under the jurisdiction of its own device) based on the received counting data. Then, based on the calculation result, it adjusts the operating parameters of the cooling system of its own device.

[0076] Meanwhile, in step S22, each of the multiple edge servers 20 performs intermediate processing based on the received sensor data. The intermediate data obtained as a result of the intermediate processing is transmitted from each edge server 20 to the central server 30. The central server 30 performs the process of generating a three-dimensional road map based on the received intermediate data (step S32). If the number of vehicles in the area is increasing, the amount of data to be processed will also increase, causing the processor to scale out. However, since the process in step S31 is performed before the amount of heat generated increases, cooling can continue without any problems.

[0077] As described above, in the first embodiment, the center server 30 adjusts the cooling capacity of its device based on the number of vehicles 1 that generate sensor data within a predetermined area. If the cooling capacity is adjusted based on the operating status of the processor, cooling may not be able to keep up if the amount of heat generated increases rapidly. However, according to this embodiment, the cooling capacity can be increased in advance in anticipation of an increase in processing load.

[0078] (Modification of the first embodiment) In the first embodiment, the cooling capacity of the center server 30 was controlled in two stages depending on whether the number of vehicles in a predetermined area exceeded a threshold. However, the center server 30 may also be configured to more finely control the cooling capacity of its own device based on the number of vehicles.

[0079] For example, as shown in Figure 5(B), data defining the relationship between the number of vehicles in a predetermined area and the cooling capacity may be stored in the storage unit 302 of the center server 30. In the figure, "vehicle count class" refers to a class assigned according to the number of vehicles in the area. Similarly, "cooling capacity class" refers to a class assigned according to the cooling capacity. For example, if the number of vehicles in the area falls under the "small" class, operating parameters corresponding to the "small" cooling capacity class (e.g., fan rotation speed, number of operating fans, set temperature of the air conditioning unit, etc.) are set for the cooling unit. Thus, the cooling control unit 3012 may set the cooling capacity in multiple stages based on the data and the number of vehicles in the area obtained from the edge server 20.

[0080] (modified version) The embodiments described above are merely examples, and this disclosure may be modified as appropriate without departing from its essence. For example, the processes and means described in this disclosure can be freely combined and implemented, as long as no technical inconsistencies arise.

[0081] Furthermore, a process described as being performed by one device may be divided and executed by multiple devices. Alternatively, a process described as being performed by different devices may be performed by one device. It's fine if it's executed that way. In a computer system, the hardware configuration (server configuration) used to implement each function can be flexibly changed.

[0082] The present disclosure can also be realized by supplying a computer program implementing the functions described in the embodiments above to a computer, and having one or more processors in the computer read and execute the program. Such a computer program may be provided to the computer by a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium that can be connected to the computer's system bus, or it may be provided to the computer via a network. Non-temporary computer-readable storage mediums include, for example, any type of disk such as magnetic disks (floppy disks, hard disk drives (HDDs), etc.), optical disks (CD-ROMs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), EPROM, EEPROM, magnetic cards, flash memory, optical cards, and any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 10...In-vehicle equipment 11. Sensor group 20. Edge Server 30... Center Server 40...Air conditioner 101, 201, 301... Control Unit 102,202,302...Storage section 103,203,303... Communications Department 104...Input / output section 304... Cooling fan

Claims

1. A control device for controlling a cooling device that cools an information processing device that processes first data generated due to a moving object located within a predetermined area, The operating parameters of the cooling device are determined based on the number of moving objects present within the predetermined area. Control device.

2. The information processing device includes a plurality of processors whose heat generation increases or decreases according to the amount of the first data. The control device according to claim 1.

3. If the number of moving objects within the predetermined area exceeds a predetermined value, the rotation speed of the fan included in the cooling device is increased from a default value, or the set temperature of the cooling device is decreased from a default value. The control device according to claim 2.

4. The aforementioned operating parameters include the rotation speed of the fan included in the cooling device, or the set temperature of the cooling device. The control device according to claim 1.

5. From one or more edge servers communicating with the mobile body in the predetermined area, the first data and the second data relating to the number of mobile bodies are received. Based on one or more of the second data, the number of moving objects present in the predetermined area is determined. The control device according to claim 1.

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