Simulation system, simulation program, and computer-based simulation method

Abstract

To provide a simulation system, a simulation program, and a simulation method that cause no decrease in simulation capability.SOLUTION: A simulation system simulates activities of a plurality of entities arranged in a three-dimensional virtual space constituted by arranging a plurality of virtual space bodies that virtually partition a three-dimensional space having a plane and a height relative to the plane. Each virtual space body has a plurality of layers in which entity information for identifying the entity has a plurality of layers registered according to an attribute of the entity. Entity information of other entities associated with entity information registered in a layer in response to a request of one entity associated with entity information registered in a layer is provided to one entity.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a simulation system, a simulation program, and a simulation method, and in particular to a simulation system, a simulation program, and a simulation method for simulating the activities of a plurality of entities placed in a three-dimensional virtual space constituted by arranging a plurality of virtual space bodies that virtually partition a three-dimensional space having a plane and a height relative to the plane. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, techniques have been proposed for analyzing and evaluating target entities through simulations based on various simulation models, such as the actions of military forces in military operations or the driving conditions of autonomous vehicles in a vehicle driving environment.

[0003] Patent document 1 discloses a simulation system for detecting collisions between moving entities, which determines the movable range of the entities from the simulation results, extracts entities that may collide from the overlap of the determined movable ranges, calculates the approach distance between the entities, and performs collision detection between the entities. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP2009-251519A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In this type of simulation system, the main purpose of the simulation is to evaluate the impact of the activities of a certain entity on the activities of other entities (which are often assumed to be entities existing in the vicinity of the certain entity).

[0006] In this case, since these entities adjust their travel distance and travel time based on the information processing carried out between one entity and another, the amount and time of information processed between the entities will increase, placing a strain on the simulation system and raising concerns that this will lead to a decrease in simulation capabilities.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a simulation system, a simulation program, and a simulation method that do not result in a decrease in simulation performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the simulation system of the present invention is a simulation system that simulates the activities of a plurality of entities placed in a three-dimensional virtual space formed by arranging a plurality of virtual space bodies that virtually divide a three-dimensional space having a plane and a height relative to the plane, each virtual space body having a plurality of layers in which entity information identifying an entity is registered according to the attributes of the entity, and provides entity information of another entity associated with the entity information registered in the layer to one entity in response to a request from the one entity associated with the entity information registered in the layer.

[0009] According to this, the virtual space body provides entity information of another entity to one entity in response to a request from the one entity, so that the simulation is performed without any information processing taking place between the entities.

[0010] Therefore, since there is no increase in the amount of information to be processed between entities and the processing time, a simulation system that does not lead to a decrease in simulation performance can be realized.

[0011] Each virtual space body of this simulation system provides one entity with entity information of other entities that are located at any position in the three-dimensional virtual space designated by the one entity.

[0012] Each virtual space body of this simulation system provides one entity with entity information of other entities that are located within any range of the three-dimensional virtual space specified by the one entity from the reference position, which is any position in the virtual space body in which the one entity is located.

[0013] Furthermore, each virtual space of the simulation system provides entity information of another entity to a single entity before the single entity moves when the other entity is placed on the path along which the single entity moves.

[0014] In this simulation system, a virtual space body is placed outside a three-dimensional virtual space, and entity information of an entity placed outside the three-dimensional virtual space is registered in this virtual space body.

[0015] This simulation system is composed of a number of time wheels in which multiple time intervals that are evaluated as the next time within discrete time are set as tags and the start time at which each entity placed in a three-dimensional virtual space begins to act is associated with the tag and registered as an event, and the simulation system is equipped with a hierarchical time wheel that conceals each time wheel, and application software that generates a three-dimensional virtual space in which each entity is placed and associated with the event registered in the hierarchical time wheel.

[0016] Furthermore, the simulation system may be one in which any one of the entities is an autonomous vehicle and the activity of the autonomous vehicle is simulated.

[0017] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the simulation program of the present invention is a simulation program that simulates the activities of multiple entities placed in a three-dimensional virtual space formed by arranging multiple virtual space bodies that virtually divide a three-dimensional space having a plane and a height relative to the plane, each virtual space body having multiple layers in which entity information identifying the entities is registered according to the attributes of the entities, and provides entity information of other entities associated with the entity information registered in the layer to one entity in response to a request from the one entity associated with the entity information registered in the layer.

[0018] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the simulation method of the present invention is a simulation method for simulating the activities of a plurality of entities placed in a three-dimensional virtual space constituted by arranging a plurality of virtual space bodies that virtually divide a three-dimensional space having a plane and a height relative to the plane, in which each virtual space body has a plurality of layers in which entity information identifying an entity is registered according to the attributes of the entity, and provides to one entity entity information of another entity associated with the entity information registered in the layer in response to a request from the one entity associated with the entity information registered in the layer. Effect of the Invention

[0019] According to the present invention, a simulation system, a simulation program, and a simulation method are realized that do not result in a decrease in simulation performance. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1]1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a simulation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an outline of the configuration of a computer in the simulation system according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining an outline of the configuration of a hierarchical time wheel stored in the memory of the computer of the simulation system according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an outline of the configuration of a plurality of time wheels constituting a hierarchical time wheel stored in the memory of the computer of the simulation system according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining an outline of the operation of the hierarchical time wheel stored in the memory of the computer of the simulation system according to the present embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an outline of the configuration of the storage of the computer in the simulation system according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a block diagram for explaining an outline of the configuration of scenario data in the storage of the computer of the simulation system according to the present embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an outline of the configuration of a three-dimensional virtual space developed in the memory of the computer of the simulation system according to the present embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining an outline of the configuration of a virtual space body that constitutes a three-dimensional virtual space developed in the memory of the computer of the simulation system according to this embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining an outline of processing in a virtual space body that constitutes a three-dimensional virtual space developed in the memory of the computer of the simulation system according to this embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining an outline of processing in a virtual space body that constitutes a three-dimensional virtual space developed in the memory of the computer of the simulation system according to this embodiment. [Figure 12]FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining an outline of processing in a virtual space body that constitutes a three-dimensional virtual space developed in the memory of the computer of the simulation system according to this embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining an outline of a case where a virtual space object is placed outside a three-dimensional virtual space developed in the memory of the computer of the simulation system according to the present embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of a simulation system according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Next, a simulation system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0022] 1 is a diagram for explaining an outline of a simulation system according to the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the simulation system 1 is configured by a computer 10 that generates a simulation model 100 that is realized in a three-dimensional virtual space, which will be described later.

[0023] In this embodiment, the simulation model 100 is used to evaluate autonomous vehicles, and the activities of the objects to be evaluated, such as the evaluation vehicle, other vehicles, or entities such as bicycles and pedestrians, are registered as events, and the registered events are triggered.

[0024] The calculator 10 evaluates an object based on a simulation model 100 generated by the operation of a user U, and in this embodiment is implemented by various types of computers, such as a computer that functions as a server, a desktop computer, a notebook computer, a smartphone, or a tablet computer.

[0025] 2 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of the configuration of the computer 10. As shown in the figure, the computer 10 mainly comprises a processor 11, a memory 12, a storage 13, a transmission / reception unit 14, and an input / output unit 15, which are electrically connected to each other via a bus 16.

[0026] The processor 11 is an arithmetic device that controls the operation of the computer 10, controls the transmission and reception of data between the various elements, and performs processes necessary for executing programs.

[0027] In this embodiment, the processor 11 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and executes programs stored in a storage 13 (to be described later) and deployed in a memory 12 to perform various processes.

[0028] The memory 12 includes a main storage device configured as a volatile storage device such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), and an auxiliary storage device configured as a non-volatile storage device such as a flash memory or a hard disk drive (HDD).

[0029] This memory 12 is used as a working area for the processor 11, and also stores a BIOS (Basic Input / Output System) that is executed when the computer 10 is started up, various setting information, and the like.

[0030] In this embodiment, when a hierarchical time wheel, which will be described later, is generated, the time wheels that make up the hierarchical time wheel are registered as a dictionary, and the hierarchical time wheel is stored.

[0031] The storage 13 stores programs, information used for various processes, etc. The configuration of the storage 13 will be described later.

[0032] The transceiver 14 connects the computer 10 to a network such as the Internet, and may include a short-range communication interface such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy).

[0033] The input / output unit 15 is an interface to which input / output devices are connected, and examples of these input / output devices include a keyboard, a mouse, and a display.

[0034] The bus 16 transmits, for example, address signals, data signals, and various control signals between the processor 11, memory 12, storage 13, transmission / reception unit 14, and input / output unit 15 that are connected thereto.

[0035] 3 is a diagram for explaining the outline of the configuration of the hierarchical time wheel 21 registered and stored as a dictionary in the memory 12. As shown in the figure, the hierarchical time wheel 21 is composed of a plurality of time wheels respectively corresponding to a plurality of time hierarchies with different time units, and in this embodiment, it is composed of time wheels 22 to 26 corresponding to the time hierarchies of "day", "hour", "minute", "second" and "millisecond" according to the simulation model 100.

[0036] 4 is a diagram for explaining the outline of the configuration of each of the time wheels 22-26 that make up the hierarchical time wheel 21. As shown in the figure, each of the time wheels 22-26 is a timetable-type storage area in which the time interval evaluated as the next time in discrete time is set as a tag T, and these tags T are arranged in a ring with the maximum number of time differences of event processing.

[0037] An event is associated with and registered in the tag T of each of these time wheels 22-26, and the event is activated when the avails A1-A5, which are the first to nth designated positions indicating the current time and which are preset on each time wheel 22-26, match the activation time of the event associated with the tag T.

[0038] The time wheels 22 to 26 are hidden by the hierarchical time wheel 21 from a program that illegally invades the memory 12, and are therefore prevented from being detected and altered by the program.

[0039] Furthermore, because the hierarchical timewheel 21 makes each of the timewheels 22-26 invisible to the user U who operates the computer 10, the user U does not need to set each of the timewheels 22-26 that make up the hierarchical timewheel 21 when generating the hierarchical timewheel 21. Therefore, the simulation can be easily performed.

[0040] 5 is a diagram illustrating the outline of the operation of the hierarchical time wheel 21. As shown in the figure, in the case where time wheels 23 to 25 corresponding to the time hierarchical layers of "hour", "minute", and "second" are configured, time wheel 24, for example, is set as the first time wheel.

[0041] In this case, if timewheel 25, which corresponds to the time hierarchy of “seconds”, which is a lower time hierarchy than timewheel 24, is the nth timewheel, then when an event progresses from the start tag T where avail A4 of timewheel 25 is located to the end tag T, avail A3 of timewheel 24, which is the first timewheel, progresses from the current tag T to the next tag T.

[0042] In this embodiment, when an event progresses on avail A3 of the time wheel 24 from the current tag T to the next tag T, an event registered in the time wheel 23 corresponding to the time hierarchy of “time”, which is a higher time hierarchy than the time wheel 24, is started.

[0043] When performing a simulation using a time wheel configured as described above, calculation processing is performed by skipping tags that are not associated with events and are not registered, thereby enabling the processing in the simulation to be completed quickly.

[0044] 6 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of the configuration of the storage 13. As shown in the figure, the storage 13 includes scenario data 30, a simulation program 40, and a three-dimensional display processing program 50, which are stored in a memory area of ​​the storage 13.

[0045] 7 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of the configuration of the scenario data 30. As shown in the figure, the scenario data 30 is made up of space data D1, event data D2, and entity data D3.

[0046] In this embodiment, the space data D1 is data for generating a three-dimensional virtual space in which the simulation model 100 is realized.

[0047] The event data D2 is data for generating an event that is triggered in the simulation model 100, such as the passing of an emergency vehicle, a change in a traffic signal, or the walking of a pedestrian.

[0048] In this embodiment, the entity data D3 is data for generating entities that are moving objects such as autonomous vehicles or other vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, etc., or entities that are structures such as road surfaces and traffic lights.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 6, the simulation program 40 includes a time wheel generation module 41, a space generation module 42, and an event registration module 43.

[0050] In this embodiment, the time wheel generation module 41 is a module that generates any time wheels 22 to 26 required in accordance with the simulation model 100 as the hierarchical time wheel 21.

[0051] In this embodiment, the space generation module 42 is a module that generates a three-dimensional virtual space in which the simulation model 100 is realized.

[0052] 8 is a diagram for explaining an outline of the configuration of a three-dimensional virtual space. As shown in the figure, a three-dimensional virtual space 60 is configured by arranging a plurality of virtual space bodies 61.

[0053] In this embodiment, the virtual space body 61 is a cube that virtually partitions a three-dimensional space having a plane consisting of x coordinates and y coordinates and a height consisting of an h coordinate relative to this plane, and is expanded in the memory 12 of the computer 10.

[0054] 9 is a diagram for explaining an outline of the configuration of the virtual space body 61. As shown in the figure, the virtual space body 61 comprises a plurality of layers 61a to 61n. In this embodiment, entity information for identifying entities, such as the name (type) and color of the entity, is registered in these layers 61a to 61n according to the attributes of the entity.

[0055] In this embodiment, for example, in layer 61a, entity information of entities having an attribute of "object" that appear in the simulation model 100 is registered. Entities having an attribute of "object" are assumed to be, for example, autonomous vehicles, other vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, and the like that are targets.

[0056] In this embodiment, the layer 61b registers entity information of entities having an attribute of "obstacle" that appear in the simulation model 100. Assumed entities having an attribute of "obstacle" include, for example, buildings, topography, and construction status.

[0057] In this embodiment, the layer 61c registers entity information of entities having an attribute of "road" that appear in the simulation model 100. As an entity having an attribute of "road", for example, a road network consisting of roads and intersections on which the target autonomous vehicle and other vehicles run is assumed.

[0058] On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the layer 61d registers entity information of entities having an attribute of "signal" that appear in the simulation model 100. A traffic light is assumed as an entity having an attribute of "signal".

[0059] In this embodiment, such a virtual space body 61 provides entity information of another entity associated with entity information registered in layers 61a to 61n to the entity in response to a request from the entity.

[0060] As shown in Figure 10, a virtual space body 61 provides entity information of another entity E2 (e.g., another vehicle) placed at any position in the three-dimensional virtual space 60 specified by one entity E1 (e.g., an autonomous vehicle that is a target) placed in the virtual space body 61 to the one entity E1.

[0061] Specifically, when one entity E1 specifies the x, y and h coordinates (e.g., x: 8, y: 3, h: 6) of the three-dimensional virtual space 60 via the x, y and h coordinates on the virtual space body 61, and also specifies any layer from layers 61a to 61n (e.g., layer 61a in which entity information of an entity having an "object" attribute is registered), the virtual space body 61 provides the one entity E1 with entity information of another entity E2 that is located on layer 61a at the specified position (x: 8, y: 3, h: 6).

[0062] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 11, the virtual space body 61 provides to one entity E1 entity information of another entity E2 that is located within any range of the three-dimensional virtual space 60 specified by the one entity E1 from the reference position S, which is an arbitrary position of the virtual space body 61 where the one entity E1 is located.

[0063] Specifically, an arbitrary range is specified by one entity E1 projecting a fan-shaped search sensor P from a reference position S in the virtual space body 61 in which the one entity E1 is placed, and an arbitrary range of the three-dimensional virtual space 60 is specified via the arbitrary range specified in the virtual space body 61.

[0064] In this embodiment, the virtual space body 61 provides one entity E1 with entity information of another entity E2 that is placed within a range designated by the projection of the search sensor P.

[0065] The search sensor P projected onto the virtual space body 61 is not limited to a sector shape, but may have various shapes or forms, such as a rectangle, an ellipse, or a cube.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 12, when another entity E2 is placed on the path along which one entity E1 moves, the virtual space body 61 provides entity information of the other entity E2 to the one entity E1 before the one entity E1 moves.

[0067] Specifically, when the path along which one entity E1 moves is, for example, direction N as indicated by arrow N, entity information of another entity E2 positioned in direction N is provided to the one entity E1 before the one entity E1 moves.

[0068] As a result, one entity E1 can detect another entity E2 before moving in the N direction, and can avoid a collision with the other entity E2 by moving in a direction other than the N direction (for example, the E direction, NE direction, W direction and NW direction indicated by the arrows E, NE, W and NW, respectively).

[0069] 13 is a diagram for explaining an outline of a case where a virtual space body 61 is placed outside a three-dimensional virtual space 60. As shown in the figure, outside the three-dimensional virtual space 60, a single virtual space body 61 is further placed.

[0070] In this virtual space body 61, entity information of entities acting outside the activity range of the entities assumed in the simulation model 100 is registered in a plurality of layers 61a to 61n according to the attributes of the entities.

[0071] In this embodiment, in a simulation model 100 for evaluating autonomous vehicles, for example, when another vehicle approaching from a distant area relative to an area in which an activity range is defined is treated as an entity, the entity information of the entity is registered in a virtual space body 61 located outside the three-dimensional virtual space 60.

[0072] This makes it possible to simulate the activities of an entity operating outside its range of activity without expanding the range of activity in the simulation model 100, thereby avoiding a decrease in the processing power of the simulation system 1 due to the consumption of resources of the computer 10 associated with the expansion of the range of activity.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, the event registration module 43 is a module that associates an event with any tag T of any time wheel 22 to 26 of the hierarchical time wheel 21 generated by the time wheel generation module 41 and registers the event.

[0074] For an event registered in any one of the time wheels 22-26, the time difference of the event processing is stored as the start time, and if the start time of the event spans multiple time hierarchies with different time units, the event is registered across all or any of the multiple time wheels 22-26 of the hierarchical time wheel 21.

[0075] The three-dimensional display processing program 50 is a program for processing the simulation model 100 so as to display it in three dimensions on a display connected to the computer 10 .

[0076] Next, a procedure for using the simulation system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0077] In this embodiment, first, the simulation model 100 and the hierarchical time wheel 21 generated in response to an event triggered by the simulation model 100 are registered as a dictionary in the memory 12 for each of the time wheels 22 to 26, and the hierarchical time wheel 21 is generated.

[0078] For example, if the start time of an event spans the time hierarchy of "hours," "minutes," and "seconds," the time wheels 23-25 ​​are registered and stored as a dictionary, and the hierarchical time wheel 21 is generated by the time wheels 23-25.

[0079] Next, in the memory 12, a plurality of virtual space bodies 61 are generated and arranged in accordance with the simulation model 100, and a three-dimensional virtual space 60 is constructed.

[0080] Next, an event is registered. In this embodiment, the event to be registered is, for example, the time and position at which the evaluation vehicle, which is an entity generated based on the entity data D3, or other vehicles, such as emergency vehicles and bicycles, which are also entities, appear in the three-dimensional virtual space 60.

[0081] On the other hand, the entity information of the entity registered as an event is registered in a plurality of layers 61a to 61n of each virtual space body 61 constituting the three-dimensional virtual space 60 according to the attribute of the entity.

[0082] Next, a simulation is executed based on the simulation model 100, and the autonomous driving of the evaluation vehicle is evaluated based on the simulation of the autonomous driving of the evaluation vehicle. At this time, the simulation model 100 is displayed in three dimensions on a display connected to the computer 10 in this embodiment.

[0083] In a simulation executed by the simulation system 1 of this embodiment, the virtual space body 61 provides one entity with entity information of another entity in response to a request from the one entity.

[0084] For example, when one entity E1 specifies a position on the virtual space body 61 and any one of the layers 61a to 61n, or specifies any range by projecting a search sensor P from a reference position S, the virtual space body 61 provides the one entity E1 with entity information of another entity E2 that is positioned on any one of the layers at the specified position.

[0085] Furthermore, when another entity E2 is placed on the path along which one entity E1 moves, the virtual space body 61 provides entity information of the other entity E2 to the one entity E1 before the one entity E1 moves.

[0086] On the other hand, in this embodiment, a single virtual space body 61 is further placed outside the three-dimensional virtual space 60, and entity information of an entity operating outside the activity range of an entity assumed in the simulation model 100 is registered, making it possible to simulate the activity of the entity operating outside the activity range of an entity in the simulation model 100.

[0087] Thus, according to the simulation system 1 of this embodiment, the virtual space body 61 provides entity information of another entity to one entity in response to a request from the one entity, so that the simulation is performed without any information processing taking place between the entities.

[0088] Therefore, the amount of information to be processed between entities and the processing time are not increased, and therefore a simulation system 1 is realized that does not lead to a decrease in simulation performance.

[0089] (Other embodiments) Next, a simulation system 2 according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0090] In the simulation system 2, the same components as those in the simulation system 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0091] As shown, the simulation system 2 is realized by a hierarchical model including a computer 10, a hierarchical timewheel 21 running on the computer 10, a simulation program 40 that generates the hierarchical timewheel 21 and registers events on the generated hierarchical timewheel 21, and application software 70 that generates entities on the hierarchical timewheel 21.

[0092] In this simulation system 2, a hierarchical time wheel 21 can be used as an OS (Operating System) of a computer 10 that simulates a simulation model.

[0093] On the other hand, in the simulation system 2, an environment for developing application software 70 that generates entities to be registered as events on the hierarchical time wheel 21 is provided, for example, by an API (Application Programming Interface) or by making the source code of the application software 70 publicly available.

[0094] In this embodiment, the application software 70 generates a virtual space body 61, a three-dimensional virtual space 60 in which multiple virtual space bodies 61 are arranged, and entities included in a simulation model to be placed in this three-dimensional virtual space 60.

[0095] Examples of application software 70 include space generation application software that generates the virtual space body 61 and the three-dimensional virtual space 60, as well as, for example, in the case of the simulation model 100, moving body generation application software that generates moving bodies such as autonomous vehicles and other vehicles, and structure generation application software that generates structures such as the road surface or terrain on which autonomous vehicles etc. travel.

[0096] Furthermore, application software related to the utility of the entity is also envisioned, such as direction control application software that controls the direction of travel of a moving object, and display control application software that controls the display of the simulation model 100 on a display.

[0097] The simulation program 40 may also be implemented by the application software 70 .

[0098] Thus, according to the simulation system 2 of this embodiment, each of the time wheels 22 to 26 constituting the hierarchical time wheel 21 is concealed by the hierarchical time wheel 21 and executed on the computer 10, thereby preventing the hierarchical time wheel 21 from being detected and altered by a program that illegally invades the memory 12.

[0099] On the other hand, since the hierarchical timewheel 21 makes each of the timewheels 22-26 invisible to the developer developing the application software 70, the developer does not need to configure each of the timewheels 22-26 that make up the hierarchical timewheel 21 when developing the application software 70, and the development of the application software 70 can be easily carried out.

[0100] Therefore, in a safe environment where the hierarchical time wheel 21 cannot be altered by a program that invades the memory 12, the hierarchical time wheel 21 can be flexibly constructed in accordance with the simulation model using application software 70 generated without being aware of each of the time wheels 22-26, thereby realizing a highly versatile simulation system 2.

[0101] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and other embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0102] In the above embodiment, the other entity E2 is described as being another vehicle relative to the autonomous vehicle that is being evaluated as one entity E1, but it may also be various other entities such as pedestrians, bicycles, traffic lights, buildings, or road networks.

[0103] In the above embodiment, the simulation model 100 has been described as being used for evaluating an autonomous vehicle. However, the simulation model can be used for various evaluations, such as evaluating the flight path of a drone, controlling the flight space of an aircraft, evaluating the operation of railroad and bus transportation networks, evaluating the behavior of military forces, analyzing radio communication between radio wave sources and searching for sources of interference, and analyzing logistics inside and outside a factory.

[0104] 1, 2 Simulation system 10 Calculator 21 Layered Time Wheel 22~26 Time Wheel 30 Scenario Data 40 Simulation Program 41 Time Wheel Generation Module 42 Space Generation Module 60 3D Virtual Space 61 Virtual Space 61a~61n Layer 70 Application Software E1 One entity E2 Other entities P Search Sensor U User

Claims

1. A simulation system for simulating activities of a plurality of entities including at least flying objects disposed in a three-dimensional virtual space constituted by arranging a plurality of virtual space bodies that virtually partition a three-dimensional space having a plane and a height relative to the plane, comprising: Each of the virtual space bodies is The entity information for identifying the entity includes a plurality of layers in which the entity information is registered according to attributes of the entity, providing, to one of the entities associated with the entity information registered in the layer, the entity information of the other entities associated with the entity information registered in the layer in response to a request from the one of the entities associated with the entity information registered in the layer; Simulation system.

2. A simulation system for simulating activities of a plurality of entities including at least flying objects disposed in a three-dimensional virtual space constituted by arranging a plurality of virtual space bodies that virtually partition a three-dimensional space having a plane and a height relative to the plane, comprising: When another entity is located on a route along which one of the entities moves, entity information identifying the other entity is provided to the one of the entities. Simulation system.

3. The simulation system according to claim 2, Each of the virtual space bodies is The entity information for identifying the entity is registered in a plurality of layers according to attributes of the entity. Simulation system.

4. The simulation system according to claim 2 or 3, When the other entity is located on a path along which the one entity moves, entity information identifying the other entity is transmitted to direction control application software that controls a direction of travel of the one entity before the one entity moves. Simulation system.

5. The simulation system according to claim 2 or 3, When the other entity is arranged on a path along which the one entity moves, entity information for identifying the other entity is transmitted to display control application software that controls display on a display before the one entity moves. Simulation system.

6. A simulation program for simulating the activities of a plurality of entities including at least flying objects arranged in a three-dimensional virtual space constituted by arranging a plurality of virtual space bodies that virtually partition a three-dimensional space having a plane and a height relative to the plane, the program comprising: A simulation program comprising a step of providing entity information for identifying another entity to one of the entities when the other entity is located on a path along which the one of the entities moves.

7. A simulation method for simulating, by a computer, the activities of a plurality of entities including at least flying objects arranged in a three-dimensional virtual space constituted by arranging a plurality of virtual space bodies that virtually partition a three-dimensional space having a plane and a height relative to the plane, comprising: When another entity is located on a route along which one of the entities moves, entity information identifying the other entity is provided to the one of the entities. Computer simulation methods.

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