Delivery support device, delivery support method, and program

Abstract

To provide a delivery support apparatus configured to ensure security in delivering packages by a plurality of unmanned aircrafts, a delivery support method, and a program.SOLUTION: A delivery support apparatus 10 includes: an unmanned aircraft selection unit 11 which selects a plurality of unmanned aircrafts for which a location of destination of a package and arrival time satisfy a set condition; a score calculation unit 12 which calculates a score, for each of the selected unmanned aircrafts, on the basis of at least one of the type of the package to be delivered, arrival time, the time elapsed from receiving an order of delivery; and a delivery order determination unit 13 which determines a delivery order for each of the unmanned aircrafts by using the calculated scores of the unmanned aircrafts.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a delivery assistance device and a delivery assistance method for assisting in the delivery of parcels using unmanned aerial vehicles, and further to a program for implementing these. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, a service has been proposed in which a user orders food and drink from a terminal device such as a smartphone, and a delivery person delivers the ordered food and drink to the user's location. In addition, such a service is realized by a delivery system that works in conjunction with a dedicated application program installed in the terminal device (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] In the delivery system, a management device that manages the system first acquires user information that identifies the user, order information that identifies the ordered food and drink, and location information that identifies the location of the terminal device from the user's terminal device. The management device then sends the acquired user information, order information, and location information to a terminal device of a store that provides the ordered food and drink, and notifies the store to deliver the ordered food and drink to the user.

[0004] The store staff then instructs the delivery person to deliver the food and drink to the location specified by the location information. Then, when the delivery person receives the food and drink from the store, the delivery person delivers the received food and drink to the location specified by the location information. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-072499 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2010-149958 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the above-mentioned delivery system is premised on manual delivery. Therefore, if delivery personnel cannot be secured due to labor shortage, delivery becomes impossible. In response to this, in recent years, in order to resolve the current labor shortage, it has been proposed to use unmanned aircraft such as drones to deliver parcels instead of delivery personnel.

[0007] However, due to the nature of unmanned aerial vehicles, if multiple aircraft are in close proximity to each other, there is a risk of them colliding and crashing, which means that if multiple orders are placed in close proximity with no time interval between them, delivery cannot be made.

[0008] One example of the object of the present invention is to provide a delivery assistance device, a delivery assistance method, and a program that can solve the above problems and ensure safety in the delivery of packages using multiple unmanned aerial vehicles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, a delivery assistance device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: an unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit that selects a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles whose location and arrival time of a delivery destination of a package satisfy set conditions; a score calculation unit that calculates a score for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles based on at least one of the type of package to be delivered, the arrival time, and the elapsed time since receiving an order for delivery; A delivery order determination unit that determines a delivery order for each of the unmanned aerial vehicles using the calculated score for each of the unmanned aerial vehicles; The present invention is characterized in that it is equipped with:

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, a delivery assistance method according to one aspect of the present invention includes: An unmanned aerial vehicle selection step of selecting a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles whose location and arrival time of a delivery destination of a package satisfy set conditions; a score calculation step of calculating a score for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles based on at least one of the type of package to be delivered, the arrival time, and the elapsed time since receiving the delivery order; A delivery order determination step of determining a delivery order for each of the unmanned aerial vehicles using the calculated score for each of the unmanned aerial vehicles; The present invention is characterized in that it has the following features:

[0011] Furthermore, in order to achieve the above object, a program according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: On the computer, An unmanned aerial vehicle selection step of selecting a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles whose location and arrival time of a delivery destination of a package satisfy set conditions; a score calculation step of calculating a score for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles based on at least one of the type of package to be delivered, the arrival time, and the elapsed time since receiving the delivery order; A delivery order determination step of determining a delivery order for each of the unmanned aerial vehicles using the calculated score for each of the unmanned aerial vehicles; The present invention is characterized in that: Effect of the Invention

[0012] As described above, according to the present invention, safety can be ensured in the delivery of packages using multiple unmanned aerial vehicles. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a schematic configuration of a delivery support device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram specifically showing the configuration of the delivery support device in the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the processing performed by the unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit in the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a calculation rule used in calculating a score in the embodiment. [Diagram 5]5 to 7 are diagrams showing examples of scores calculated in the embodiment. [Figure 6] 5 to 7 are diagrams showing examples of scores calculated in the embodiment. [Figure 7] 5 to 7 are diagrams showing examples of scores calculated in the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flow diagram showing the operation of the delivery support device in the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a computer that realizes the delivery support device according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] (Embodiment) Hereinafter, a delivery support device, a delivery support method, and a program according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0015] [Device configuration] First, a schematic configuration of a delivery support device in an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a schematic configuration of a delivery support device in an embodiment.

[0016] A delivery support device 10 according to an embodiment shown in Fig. 1 is a device for supporting delivery of packages by unmanned aerial vehicles. As shown in Fig. 1, the delivery support device 10 according to the embodiment includes an unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit 11, a score calculation unit 12, and a delivery order determination unit 13.

[0017] The unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit 11 selects a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles whose delivery destination location and arrival time of the parcel satisfy set conditions. The score calculation unit 12 calculates a score for each selected unmanned aerial vehicle based on at least one of the type of parcel to be delivered, the arrival time, and the elapsed time since receiving the delivery order. In addition, the delivery order determination unit 13 uses the calculated score for each unmanned aerial vehicle to determine the delivery order for each unmanned aerial vehicle.

[0018] In this way, delivery support device 10 can determine the optimal delivery order when the delivery locations and arrival times of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles are close to each other. Therefore, delivery support device 10 can ensure safety in the delivery of packages by multiple unmanned aerial vehicles.

[0019] Next, the configuration and functions of the delivery support device 10 in the embodiment will be specifically described with reference to Figs. 2 to 7. Fig. 2 is a configuration diagram specifically showing the configuration of the delivery support device in the embodiment. Fig. 3 is a diagram explaining the processing in the unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit in the embodiment. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a calculation rule used in calculating a score in the embodiment. Figs. 5 to 7 are diagrams showing an example of a score calculated in the embodiment.

[0020] 2, in the embodiment, the delivery support device 10 is connected to the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 via wire or wirelessly so as to be capable of data communication. The unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 is a device that manages the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 30.

[0021] When the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 receives an instruction from a sender of a package to deliver the package by the unmanned aerial vehicle 30, the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 flies the unmanned aerial vehicle 30 to the delivery destination in accordance with the instruction, and when the delivery of the package is completed, returns the unmanned aerial vehicle 30.

[0022] Specifically, first, the sender of the package inputs, via a terminal device or an input device, package delivery instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20, for example, location information that identifies the location of the package delivery destination, package information that identifies the type of package, recipient information that identifies the package recipient, and order time information that identifies the order time of the package. As a result, the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 acquires the input location information, package information, recipient information, and order time information.

[0023] Next, the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 sets several waypoints between the departure point and the delivery destination based on the position information, and sets an air route to the delivery destination of the package so as to pass through each waypoint. If an air route for another unmanned aerial vehicle 30 has already been set, the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 sets the air route so as not to collide with the unmanned aerial vehicle whose air route has already been set. Furthermore, if there is an area where flight is prohibited between the departure point and the delivery destination, the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 sets the air route by setting waypoints so as to avoid the airspace above this area.

[0024] Then, the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 predicts the scheduled delivery time based on the set flight route, and calculates the arrival time required to arrive by subtracting the current time from the predicted scheduled delivery time. The unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 also transmits arrival time information specifying the calculated arrival time to the delivery support device 10. Furthermore, the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 also transmits package information, location information, and order time information to the delivery support device 10. In addition to these pieces of information, the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 can also transmit battery information specifying the remaining battery capacity of the unmanned aerial vehicle 30, and paid service information specifying whether or not a paid service is used by a user who has used the package delivery. An example of a paid service is a service that prioritizes the delivery of packages.

[0025] After the air route is set, the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 flies the unmanned aerial vehicle 30 along the set air route. When the unmanned aerial vehicle 30 arrives at the location specified by the location information, the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 releases the package it is holding and delivers it to the recipient. However, if there are multiple unmanned aerial vehicles 30 whose delivery destination locations and arrival times satisfy the set conditions, the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 causes each unmanned aerial vehicle 30 to deliver the package in the order determined by the delivery support device 10.

[0026] Furthermore, the delivery of the package may be subject to a condition that an authentication process is performed between the unmanned aerial vehicle 30 and the recipient, and that the authentication is successful. After that, the unmanned aerial vehicle 30 is returned to the original departure point. The return flight route may be the same as the outbound flight route, or may be newly set by the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20.

[0027] As shown in Figure 2, in an embodiment, the delivery support device 10 includes, in addition to the unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit 11, score calculation unit 12, and delivery order determination unit 13 described above, an information acquisition unit 14 and a weighting information storage unit 15.

[0028] The information acquisition unit 14 acquires information transmitted from the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20, such as arrival time information, baggage information, location information, order time information, battery information, and paid service information. The weight information storage unit 15 stores the weight information. The weight information will be described later.

[0029] In the embodiment, the unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit 11 first receives, from the information acquisition unit 14, the arrival time information and position information for each unmanned aerial vehicle 30 transmitted from the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20. Then, for each unmanned aerial vehicle 30, the unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit 11 identifies the arrival time based on the arrival time information, and identifies the position of the delivery destination of the package based on the position information.

[0030] Next, the unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit 11 sets a time range for each unmanned aerial vehicle 30, so that the range is from α minutes before to α minutes after the arrival time, as shown in the upper part of Fig. 3. The value of α is set appropriately depending on the performance of the unmanned aerial vehicle 30, weather conditions, etc., and is set to 3 minutes, for example. Next, the unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit 11 identifies unmanned aerial vehicles 30 whose time ranges overlap with each other. In the example of Fig. 3, unmanned aerial vehicles C, D, and E are identified.

[0031] Next, as shown in the lower part of FIG. 3, the unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit 11 sets an area of ​​diameter βm based on the delivery location for each unmanned aerial vehicle 30 identified by the time range. The value of β is also set appropriately according to the performance of the unmanned aerial vehicle, weather conditions, etc., and is set to, for example, 5 m. Next, the unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit 11 identifies unmanned aerial vehicles whose areas overlap with each other. In the example of FIG. 3, unmanned aerial vehicles D and E are identified from among unmanned aerial vehicles C, D, and E. Thereafter, the unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit 11 selects the finally identified unmanned aerial vehicles (D and E in the example of FIG. 3) as unmanned aerial vehicles that satisfy the set conditions.

[0032] In the embodiment, the conditions for selecting an unmanned aerial vehicle are not limited to the above example described with reference to Fig. 3. The conditions for selecting an unmanned aerial vehicle are set as appropriate.

[0033] In the embodiment, the score calculation unit 12 calculates a score based on all of the type of package to be delivered, the arrival time, and the elapsed time for each selected unmanned aerial vehicle 30. Furthermore, as described above, if the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 also transmits battery information and paid service information, the score calculation unit 12 can calculate a score for each selected unmanned aerial vehicle 30 further based on the remaining battery capacity of each unmanned aerial vehicle and whether or not paid services are used.

[0034] Specifically, the score calculation unit 12 first identifies the type of luggage for each unmanned aerial vehicle 30 based on the luggage information transmitted from the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20, and calculates a score for the luggage according to the identified type. For example, the score calculation unit 12 can calculate the score for the luggage by applying the identified type of luggage to a preset rule. An example of a rule for calculating the luggage score is the rule shown in FIG. 4. In the example of FIG. 4, the more urgently the food item needs to be delivered, the higher the score.

[0035] Next, the score calculation unit 12 identifies the arrival time of the package based on the arrival time information transmitted from the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 for each unmanned aerial vehicle 30. Then, the score calculation unit 12 calculates a score for the arrival time for each unmanned aerial vehicle 30 such that the earlier the arrival time, the higher the score. Specifically, if there are four unmanned aerial vehicles 30, the score calculation unit 12 calculates scores of 4 points, 3 points, 2 points, and 1 point, respectively, in order of earliest arrival time.

[0036] Furthermore, the score calculation unit 12 identifies the order time of the package for each unmanned aerial vehicle 30 based on the order time information, and further calculates the elapsed time from the identified order time to the present. Then, the score calculation unit 12 calculates a score for the elapsed time for each unmanned aerial vehicle 30 such that the longer the elapsed time, the higher the score. Specifically, if there are four unmanned aerial vehicles 30, the score calculation unit 12 calculates scores of 4 points, 3 points, 2 points, and 1 point, respectively, in order of the longest elapsed time.

[0037] Next, when the battery information has been transmitted, the score calculation unit 12 identifies the remaining battery capacity for each unmanned aerial vehicle 30 based on the battery information. Then, the score calculation unit 12 calculates a score for the remaining battery capacity for each unmanned aerial vehicle 30 such that the score increases as the remaining battery capacity decreases. Specifically, if there are four unmanned aerial vehicles 30, the score calculation unit 12 calculates scores of 4 points, 3 points, 2 points, and 1 point, in ascending order of remaining battery capacity.

[0038] Furthermore, when paid service information has been transmitted, the score calculation unit 12 identifies whether or not the user is using a paid service based on the paid service information for each unmanned aerial vehicle 30. Then, since the score calculation unit 12 needs to prioritize delivery for a user who is using a paid service, it calculates a fixed score for the paid service for the unmanned aerial vehicle 30 that is delivering luggage for this user. On the other hand, the score calculation unit 12 calculates the score for the paid service as "0" for an unmanned aerial vehicle 30 that is delivering luggage for another user.

[0039] Then, the score calculation unit 12 calculates an overall score for each unmanned aerial vehicle 30 using the score for the luggage, the score for the arrival time, the score for the elapsed time, the score for the remaining battery capacity, and the score for the paid services.

[0040] Specifically, the score calculation unit 12 acquires weight information from the weight information storage unit 15. The weight information holds a preset weight (a value between 0 and 1) for each item such as luggage, arrival time, elapsed time, remaining battery capacity, and paid services. The score calculation unit 12 multiplies the score for each item by the corresponding weight, and adds up the obtained values ​​to calculate a comprehensive score (total score).

[0041] In the embodiment, the delivery order determination unit 13 determines the delivery order for each unmanned aerial vehicle based on the overall score calculated for each selected unmanned aerial vehicle 30, specifically, in descending order of the score value. Then, the delivery order determination unit 13 notifies the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 of the determined delivery order.

[0042] Here, a specific example of score calculation will be described with reference to the above-mentioned Figs. 5 to 7. Figs. 5 to 7 show cases where the number of unmanned aerial vehicles 30 is four (A to D), respectively. Furthermore, in Figs. 5 to 7, the score calculation unit 12 applies the type of luggage to the rule shown in Fig. 4 to set a score for the luggage. The weight for the luggage is set to 1.0. The score calculation unit 12 sets a score for the arrival time such that the earlier the arrival time is, the higher the score. The weight for the arrival time is set to 0.5. Furthermore, the score calculation unit 12 sets a score for the elapsed time such that the longer the elapsed time from the order time to the present is, the higher the score is. The weight for the elapsed time is set to 0.1.

[0043] Also, in Figs. 5 to 7, score calculation unit 12 sets a score for the remaining battery capacity for each unmanned aerial vehicle 30 so that the score is higher as the remaining battery capacity is smaller. The weight for the remaining battery capacity is set to 0.1. However, if the remaining battery capacity falls below a threshold (for example, 20% or less), unmanned aerial vehicle 30 needs to quickly complete delivery and return. In such a case, score calculation unit 12 sets a large value, for example "200 (no weighting)", as a set value for the score for the remaining battery capacity so that the final score is the highest.

[0044] 5 to 7, the score calculation unit 12 sets "100 (unweighted)" as the score (predetermined value) for the paid service for an unmanned aerial vehicle 30 that is delivering luggage to a user who uses the paid service. On the other hand, the score calculation unit 12 sets the score for the paid service to "0" for an unmanned aerial vehicle 30 that is delivering luggage to a user who does not use the paid service.

[0045] In the example of Figure 5, none of the users of the luggage are using the paid service, and the remaining battery capacity of none of the unmanned aerial vehicles is below the threshold value (20%). Therefore, the scores of each of the unmanned aerial vehicles A to D are as follows. Therefore, the delivery order determination unit 13 determines the delivery order to be A, C, B, D, and notifies the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 of the determined delivery order. A:5×1.0+2×0.5+1×0.1+1×0.1+0=6.2 B:3×1.0+3×0.5+4×0.1+3×0.1+0=5.2 C:3×1.0+4×0.5+3×0.1+4×0.1+0=5.7 D:1×1.0+1×0.5+2×0.1+2×0.1+0=1.9

[0046] In the example of Figure 6, the user of the parcel being delivered by unmanned aerial vehicle D is using a paid service. Therefore, the scores of each of unmanned aerial vehicles A to D are as follows. Therefore, the delivery order determination unit 13 determines the delivery order to be D, A, C, B, and notifies the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 of the determined delivery order. A:5×1.0+2×0.5+1×0.1+1×0.1+0=6.2 B:3×1.0+3×0.5+4×0.1+3×0.1+0=5.2 C:3×1.0+4×0.5+3×0.1+4×0.1+0=5.7 D:1×1.0+1×0.5+2×0.1+2×0.1+100=101.9

[0047] In the example of Figure 7, the user of the parcel being delivered by unmanned aerial vehicle D is using a paid service, and the remaining battery capacity of unmanned aerial vehicle C is below a threshold value (20%). Therefore, the scores of each of unmanned aerial vehicles A to D are as follows. Therefore, the delivery order determination unit 13 determines the delivery order to be C, D, A, B, and notifies the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 of the determined delivery order. A:5×1.0+2×0.5+1×0.1+1×0.1+ 0=6.2 B:3×1.0+3×0.5+4×0.1+3×0.1+ 0=5.2 C:3×1.0+4×0.5+3×0.1+200 + 0=205.3 D:1×1.0+1×0.5+2×0.1+2×0.1+100=101.9

[0048] [Device operation] Next, the operation of delivery support device 10 in the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 8. FIG. 8 is a flow diagram showing the operation of the delivery support device in the embodiment. In the following description, reference will be made to FIGS. 1 to 7 as appropriate. Also, in the embodiment, a delivery support method is implemented by operating delivery support device 10. Therefore, the description of the delivery support method in the embodiment will be replaced with the following description of the operation of delivery support device 10.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 8, first, the information acquisition unit 14 acquires arrival time information, luggage information, location information, order time information, battery information, and paid service information transmitted from the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 (step A1).

[0050] Next, the unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit 11 identifies the location of the delivery destination of the package for each unmanned aerial vehicle 30 based on the location information obtained in step A1, and identifies the arrival time based on the arrival time information obtained in step A1 (step A2).

[0051] Next, the unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit 11 selects a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles whose location and arrival time of the parcel delivery destination satisfy the set conditions, based on the location and arrival time of the parcel delivery destination identified in step A2 (step A3).

[0052] Specifically, in step A3, the unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit 11 sets a time range for each unmanned aerial vehicle 30, as shown in the upper part of Fig. 3, and identifies unmanned aerial vehicles whose time ranges overlap with each other. Next, the unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit 11 sets a region for each unmanned aerial vehicle 30 identified in step A3, as shown in the lower part of Fig. 3, and identifies unmanned aerial vehicles whose regions overlap with each other. Thereafter, the unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit 11 selects the unmanned aerial vehicles identified as having overlapping regions as unmanned aerial vehicles that satisfy the set conditions.

[0053] Next, for each unmanned aerial vehicle 30 selected in step A3, the score calculation unit 12 uses the information acquired in step A2 to calculate a score for each item, such as the type of parcel to be delivered, arrival time, elapsed time, remaining battery capacity, and whether or not paid services are used (step A4).

[0054] Specifically, in step A4, the score calculation unit 12 calculates a score for the package according to the type of package based on the package information. The score calculation unit 12 identifies the arrival time of the package based on the arrival time information, and calculates a score for the arrival time. Furthermore, the score calculation unit 12 calculates the elapsed time from the order time to the present based on the order time information, and calculates a score for the elapsed time. Furthermore, the score calculation unit 12 calculates a score for the remaining battery capacity based on the battery information. Furthermore, the score calculation unit 12 calculates a score for the paid service based on the paid service information.

[0055] Next, the score calculation unit 12 calculates an overall score for each unmanned aerial vehicle 30 selected in step A4 using the scores calculated for each item and the weights for each item registered in the weight information (step A5).

[0056] Next, the delivery order determination unit 13 determines the delivery order of each unmanned aerial vehicle based on the overall score for each unmanned aerial vehicle 30 calculated in step A5 (step A6). After that, the delivery order determination unit 13 notifies the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 of the determined delivery order. As a result, the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20 causes each unmanned aerial vehicle 30 to hand over the packages in the order determined by the delivery support device 10.

[0057] As described above, in the embodiment, the optimal delivery order can be determined when the delivery locations and arrival times of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles are close to each other, etc. Therefore, the delivery support device 10 can ensure safety in the delivery of packages by multiple unmanned aerial vehicles.

[0058] In addition, in the embodiment, when a user uses a paid service, the delivery is given priority, so that it is expected that the profit of the delivery service will increase. Also, when the remaining battery capacity of the unmanned aerial vehicle is extremely low, the delivery is given top priority, so that the occurrence of an accident due to a dead battery can be avoided.

[0059] 2, the delivery assistance device 10 is constructed outside the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20, but the embodiment is not limited to this example. The delivery assistance device 10 may be constructed as a part of the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20.

[0060] [program] The program in the embodiment may be a program that causes a computer to execute steps A1 to A6 shown in Fig. 8. By installing and executing this program in a computer, the delivery support device 10 and the delivery support method in the embodiment can be realized. In this case, the processor of the computer functions as the unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit 11, the score calculation unit 12, the delivery order determination unit 13, and the information acquisition unit 14 and performs processing.

[0061] In addition, in this embodiment, the weight information storage unit may be realized by storing the data files that constitute it in a storage device such as a hard disk provided in the computer, or it may be realized by a storage device of another computer.

[0062] In addition, examples of the computer that executes the program in the embodiment include a general-purpose PC, a smartphone, and a tablet terminal device. In addition, if the delivery support device 10 is constructed as a part of the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20, the computer may also be a computer that constructs the unmanned aerial vehicle management device 20. Furthermore, if any of the unmanned aerial vehicles 30 is equipped with a computer, examples of the computer that executes the program in the embodiment include a computer mounted on the unmanned aerial vehicle 30.

[0063] The program in the embodiment may be executed by a computer system constructed by a plurality of computers. In this case, for example, each computer may function as any one of the unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit 11, the score calculation unit 12, the delivery order determination unit 13, and the information acquisition unit 14.

[0064] [Physical configuration] Here, a computer that realizes the delivery support device 10 by executing a program in the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of a computer that realizes the delivery support device in the embodiment.

[0065] 9, a computer 110 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 111, a main memory 112, a storage device 113, an input interface 114, a display controller 115, a data reader / writer 116, and a communication interface 117. These components are connected to each other via a bus 121 so as to be able to communicate data with each other.

[0066] Furthermore, the computer 110 may include a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) or an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) in addition to or instead of the CPU 111. In this embodiment, the GPU or FPGA can execute the programs in the embodiments.

[0067] The CPU 111 loads a program in the embodiment, which is composed of a group of codes and is stored in the storage device 113, into the main memory 112, and executes each code in a predetermined order to perform various calculations. The main memory 112 is typically a volatile storage device such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory).

[0068] Moreover, the program in the embodiment is provided in a state stored in a computer-readable recording medium 120. The program in the embodiment may be distributed on the Internet connected via the communication interface 117.

[0069] Specific examples of the storage device 113 include a hard disk drive and a semiconductor storage device such as a flash memory. The input interface 114 mediates data transmission between the CPU 111 and input devices 118 such as a keyboard and a mouse. The display controller 115 is connected to a display device 119 and controls the display on the display device 119.

[0070] Data reader / writer 116 mediates data transmission between CPU 111 and recording medium 120, reads programs from recording medium 120, and writes processing results in computer 110 to recording medium 120. Communication interface 117 mediates data transmission between CPU 111 and other computers.

[0071] Specific examples of the recording medium 120 include general-purpose semiconductor storage devices such as CF (Compact Flash (registered trademark)) and SD (Secure Digital), magnetic recording media such as a flexible disk, or optical recording media such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory).

[0072] The delivery support device 10 in the embodiment can be realized by using hardware corresponding to each part, instead of a computer with a program installed. Furthermore, the delivery support device 10 may be realized in part by a program and the remaining part by hardware.

[0073] A part or all of the above-described embodiment can be expressed by (Additional Notes 1) to (Additional Notes 12) described below, but is not limited to the following descriptions.

[0074] (Appendix 1) an unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit that selects a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles whose location and arrival time of a delivery destination of a package satisfy set conditions; a score calculation unit that calculates a score for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles based on at least one of the type of package to be delivered, the arrival time, and the elapsed time since receiving an order for delivery; A delivery order determination unit that determines a delivery order for each of the unmanned aerial vehicles using the calculated score for each of the unmanned aerial vehicles; Equipped with A delivery assistance device comprising:

[0075] (Appendix 2) 2. A delivery assistance device according to claim 1, The score calculation unit calculates a score for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles based on the type of the package to be delivered, the arrival time, and the elapsed time. A delivery assistance device comprising:

[0076] (Appendix 3) 3. A delivery assistance device according to claim 2, the score calculation unit further calculates a score for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles based on a remaining battery capacity of the unmanned aerial vehicle and whether or not a paid service is used by a user who has used the package delivery service; A delivery assistance device comprising:

[0077] (Appendix 4) A delivery support device according to any one of appendix 1 to 3, The unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit identifies the unmanned aerial vehicle in which a time range around the arrival time and an area based on the location of the delivery destination overlap each other, and selects the identified unmanned aerial vehicle. A delivery assistance device comprising:

[0078] (Appendix 5) An unmanned aerial vehicle selection step of selecting a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles whose location and arrival time of a delivery destination of a package satisfy set conditions; a score calculation step of calculating a score for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles based on at least one of the type of package to be delivered, the arrival time, and the elapsed time since receiving the delivery order; A delivery order determination step of determining a delivery order for each of the unmanned aerial vehicles using the calculated score for each of the unmanned aerial vehicles; having A delivery assistance method comprising:

[0079] (Appendix 6) A delivery assistance method according to claim 5, In the score calculation step, a score is calculated for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles based on the type of the package to be delivered, the arrival time, and the elapsed time. A delivery assistance method comprising:

[0080] (Appendix 7) 7. The delivery assistance method according to claim 6, In the score calculation step, a score is further calculated for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles based on a remaining battery capacity of the unmanned aerial vehicle and whether or not a paid service is used by a user who has used the package delivery service. A delivery assistance method comprising:

[0081] (Appendix 8) A delivery support method according to any one of appendix 5 to 7, In the unmanned aerial vehicle selection step, the unmanned aerial vehicle in which a time range around the arrival time and an area based on the location of the delivery destination overlap each other is identified, and the identified unmanned aerial vehicle is selected. A delivery assistance method comprising:

[0082] (Appendix 9) On the computer, An unmanned aerial vehicle selection step of selecting a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles whose location and arrival time of a delivery destination of a package satisfy set conditions; a score calculation step of calculating a score for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles based on at least one of the type of package to be delivered, the arrival time, and the elapsed time since receiving the delivery order; A delivery order determination step of determining a delivery order for each of the unmanned aerial vehicles using the calculated score for each of the unmanned aerial vehicles; A program to execute.

[0083] (Appendix 10) 10. The program of claim 9, In the score calculation step, a score is calculated for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles based on the type of the package to be delivered, the arrival time, and the elapsed time. A program characterized by:

[0084] (Appendix 11) 11. The program of claim 10, In the score calculation step, a score is further calculated for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles based on a remaining battery capacity of the unmanned aerial vehicle and whether or not a paid service is used by a user who has used the package delivery service. A program characterized by:

[0085] (Appendix 12) The program according to any one of appendices 9 to 11, In the unmanned aerial vehicle selection step, the unmanned aerial vehicle in which a time range around the arrival time and an area based on the location of the delivery destination overlap each other is identified, and the identified unmanned aerial vehicle is selected. A program characterized by: [Industrial Applicability]

[0086] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to ensure safety in the delivery of packages using a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles. The present invention is useful in a delivery system that uses unmanned aerial vehicles such as drones. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 10 Delivery Support Device 11 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Selection Department 12 Score calculation section 13 Delivery Order Determination Unit 14 Information acquisition department 15 Weight information storage section 20 Unmanned aircraft management device 30 Unmanned aerial vehicle 110 Computer 111 CPU 112 Main memory 113 Storage device 114 Input Interface 115 Display Controller 116 Data Reader / Writer 117 Communication Interface 118 Input Devices 119 Display device 120 Recording media 121 Bus

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit which, from information transmitted from an unmanned aerial vehicle management device which manages the flights of a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, identifies the location and arrival time of the delivery destination of the parcel for each of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, and uses the identified delivery destination location and arrival time of the parcel to select the unmanned aerial vehicle which satisfies set conditions defined by the time range before and after the arrival time and the area set as the delivery destination location; a score calculation unit that, based on the package information transmitted from the unmanned aerial vehicle management device, identifies at least one of the type of package to be delivered, the arrival time, and the elapsed time since receiving the delivery order for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles, and calculates a score by applying the identified information to a preset rule; A delivery order determination unit that determines a delivery order for each of the unmanned aerial vehicles using the calculated score for each of the unmanned aerial vehicles; Equipped with A delivery assistance device comprising:

2. The delivery assistance device according to claim 1, The score calculation unit specifies the type of parcel to be delivered, the arrival time, and the elapsed time for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles, calculates a score for each of the type of parcel to be delivered, the arrival time, and the elapsed time using a rule for each of the types, and calculates an overall score from the calculated scores. A delivery assistance device comprising:

3. The delivery assistance device according to claim 2, The score calculation unit further identifies, for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles based on the luggage information, the remaining battery capacity of the unmanned aerial vehicle and whether or not the user who used the luggage delivery service used a paid service, calculates a score for each of the identified remaining battery capacity and whether or not the paid service was used using respective rules, and calculates the overall score using the scores calculated for each of the remaining battery capacity and whether or not the paid service was used. A delivery assistance device comprising:

4. The delivery assistance device according to claim 1, The unmanned aerial vehicle selection unit selects the unmanned aerial vehicle based on a set condition that a time range before and after the arrival time and an area based on the location of the delivery destination overlap with each other. A delivery assistance device comprising:

5. A computer-implemented method comprising: an unmanned aerial vehicle selection step for identifying a location and arrival time of a parcel's delivery destination for each of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles from information transmitted from an unmanned aerial vehicle management device that manages the flights of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, and using the identified location and arrival time of the parcel's delivery destination to select the unmanned aerial vehicle that satisfies set conditions defined by a time range before and after the arrival time and an area set as the delivery destination location; a score calculation step of identifying, for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles based on the package information transmitted from the unmanned aerial vehicle management device, at least one of the type of package to be delivered, the arrival time, and the elapsed time since receiving the delivery order, and applying the identified information to a preset rule to calculate a score; A delivery order determination step of determining a delivery order for each of the unmanned aerial vehicles using the calculated score for each of the unmanned aerial vehicles; having A delivery assistance method comprising:

6. The delivery assistance method according to claim 5, In the score calculation step, for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles, a type of parcel to be delivered, the arrival time, and the elapsed time are identified, and a score is calculated for each of the type of parcel to be delivered, the arrival time, and the elapsed time using a rule for each of the types, and an overall score is calculated from the calculated scores. A delivery assistance method comprising:

7. The delivery assistance method according to claim 6, In the score calculation step, for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles, based on the package information, the remaining battery capacity of the unmanned aerial vehicle and whether or not the user who used the package delivery service used a paid service are further identified, and a score is calculated using each of the identified remaining battery capacity and whether or not the paid service was used, using respective rules, and the overall score is calculated using the scores calculated for the remaining battery capacity and whether or not the paid service was used. A delivery assistance method comprising:

8. The delivery assistance method according to claim 5, In the unmanned aerial vehicle selection step, the unmanned aerial vehicle is selected based on the condition that a time range around the arrival time and an area based on the location of the delivery destination overlap with each other. A delivery assistance method comprising:

9. On the computer, an unmanned aerial vehicle selection step for identifying a location and arrival time of a parcel's delivery destination for each of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles from information transmitted from an unmanned aerial vehicle management device that manages the flights of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, and using the identified location and arrival time of the parcel's delivery destination to select the unmanned aerial vehicle that satisfies set conditions defined by a time range before and after the arrival time and an area set as the delivery destination location; a score calculation step of identifying, for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles based on the package information transmitted from the unmanned aerial vehicle management device, at least one of the type of package to be delivered, the arrival time, and the elapsed time since receiving the delivery order, and applying the identified information to a preset rule to calculate a score; A delivery order determination step of determining a delivery order for each of the unmanned aerial vehicles using the calculated score for each of the unmanned aerial vehicles; A program to execute.

10. The program according to claim 9, In the score calculation step, for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles, a type of parcel to be delivered, the arrival time, and the elapsed time are identified, and a score is calculated for each of the type of parcel to be delivered, the arrival time, and the elapsed time using a rule for each of the types, and an overall score is calculated from the calculated scores. A program characterized by:

11. The program according to claim 10, In the score calculation step, for each of the selected unmanned aerial vehicles, based on the package information, the remaining battery capacity of the unmanned aerial vehicle and whether or not the user who used the package delivery service used a paid service are further identified, and a score is calculated using each of the identified remaining battery capacity and whether or not the paid service was used, using respective rules, and the overall score is calculated using the scores calculated for the remaining battery capacity and whether or not the paid service was used. A program characterized by:

12. The program according to claim 9, In the unmanned aerial vehicle selection step, the unmanned aerial vehicle is identified based on a set condition that a time range around the arrival time and an area based on the location of the delivery destination overlap with each other, and the identified unmanned aerial vehicle is selected. A program characterized by:

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