Server device, information providing system, program, voice output device, and operation method of information providing system

Abstract

To provide a server device, an information providing system, a program, an audio output device, and an information providing system that assist pedestrians in crossing and improve convenience.SOLUTION: A server device 10 includes a communication unit 21 and a control unit 22 that transmits and receives information via the communication unit. The control unit instructs an audio output device to output guidance information for guiding a pedestrian when the pedestrian crosses a roadway by voice based on attribute information indicating attributes of the pedestrian and first position information indicating the position of the pedestrian.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a server device, an information providing system, a program, a voice output device, and an information providing system.

Background Art

[0002] Techniques for assisting safe crossing of roadways by pedestrians have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a system for guiding pedestrians by irradiation light irradiated on a crosswalk, voice from a directional speaker, and the like.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] There is still room for further improvement in the convenience of pedestrians in the technology for assisting pedestrian crossing.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a server device and the like that assist a pedestrian in crossing a roadway and contribute to improved convenience.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The server device in the present disclosure includes a communication unit and a control unit that transmits and receives information via the communication unit. The control unit instructs a voice output device to output, by voice, guidance information for guiding the pedestrian when the pedestrian crosses a roadway, based on attribute information indicating the attributes of the pedestrian and first position information indicating the position of the pedestrian.

[0007] The voice output device in the present disclosure includes a control device that communicates with a server device that generates guidance information for guiding a pedestrian when the pedestrian crosses a roadway based on attribute information indicating the attributes of the pedestrian and first position information indicating the position of the pedestrian, and an output unit that outputs a voice according to the guidance information.

[0008] A method of operating an information providing system having a voice output device that communicates with a server device in the present disclosure includes a step in which the server device sends guidance information for guiding a pedestrian when the pedestrian crosses a roadway based on attribute information indicating the attributes of the pedestrian and first position information indicating the position of the pedestrian, and a step in which the voice output device outputs a voice based on the guidance information.

Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the server device and the like in the present disclosure, it is possible to assist a pedestrian in crossing a roadway and contribute to an improvement in convenience.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8A

Figure 8B

Figure 9A

Figure 9B

Figure 10

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an information providing system in an embodiment. The information providing system 1 includes, for example, one or more server devices 10, terminal devices 12, and speaker devices 13 that are connected to each other via a network 11 so as to be able to communicate information. The network 11 is, for example, the Internet, but includes an ad hoc network, a LAN, a MAN (Metropolitan Area Network), or other network or any combination thereof. The server device 10 is a computer that implements a server function. The terminal device 12 is an information terminal device having a communication function such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal device, or a wearable device. The information terminal device may have a voice output function. The speaker device 13 includes one or more directional speakers and a control device that controls the speakers and has a communication function. The directional speakers are scattered and installed within an arbitrary area such as an urban area. The area is, for example, a range covering one or more blocks arbitrarily established for the information providing service to pedestrians by the information providing system 1. The directional speakers are installed at arbitrary intervals, for example, along the roadside of the sidewalk within the area.

[0013] The network 11 is further connected to one or more imaging devices 14, floor materials 15, and vehicles 16 respectively, and these perform information communication with the server device 10 via the network 11. The imaging device 14 has, for example, one or more cameras and a control device that controls the cameras and has a communication function. The cameras are scattered and installed within the area and image pedestrians within the area. The floor material 15 has a load sensor, a light emitting unit, and a control device that controls these and has a communication function. The floor material 15 is laid over an arbitrary range of the road surface within the area. The vehicle 16 has a communication function and is, for example, a gasoline vehicle, a battery electric vehicle (BEV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), or the like. The vehicle 16 is manually driven, but a part of the driving may be automated.

[0014] The information providing system 1 supports pedestrians crossing the roadway. The control unit of the server device 10 instructs the voice output device to output, by voice, guidance information for guiding a pedestrian when the pedestrian crosses the roadway based on the attribute information indicating the attributes of the pedestrian and the position information indicating the position of the pedestrian. The voice output device is the terminal device 12 or the speaker device 13 carried by the pedestrian. Even when the pedestrian has, for example, a visual impairment and cannot visually recognize the crosswalk, by receiving the guidance information output as voice from the terminal device 12 or the speaker device 13, it becomes possible to cross the roadway more safely. Therefore, according to the information providing system 1, it is possible to support the crossing of pedestrians and contribute to the improvement of convenience.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a configuration example of the server device 10. The server device 10 includes a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, a control unit 23, an input unit 25, and an output unit 26. The server device 10 is, for example, a single computer. Alternatively, the server device 10 may be composed of two or more computers that are connected in an information - communicable manner and operate in cooperation. In that case, the configuration shown in FIG. 2 is appropriately arranged in two or more computers. The server device 10 may be configured, for example, by the cooperation of a computer installed for each area and a central server computer.

[0016] The communication unit 21 includes one or more communication interfaces. The communication interface is, for example, a LAN interface. The communication unit 21 receives information used for the operation of the server device 10 and transmits information obtained by the operation of the server device 10. The server device 10 is connected to the network 11 by the communication unit 21 and performs information communication with the vehicle 16 or the terminal device 12 via the network 11.

[0017] The storage unit 22 includes, for example, one or more semiconductor memories that function as a main memory device, an auxiliary memory device, or a cache memory, one or more magnetic memories, one or more optical memories, or a combination of at least two of these. The semiconductor memory is, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a ROM (Read Only Memory). The RAM is, for example, an SRAM (Static RAM) or a DRAM (Dynamic RAM). The ROM is, for example, an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM). The storage unit 22 stores information used for the operation of the server device 10 and information obtained by the operation of the server device 10.

[0018] The control unit 23 includes one or more processors, one or more dedicated circuits, or a combination thereof. The processor is, for example, a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor such as a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) specialized for specific processing. The dedicated circuit is, for example, an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or the like. The control unit 23 executes information processing related to the operation of the server device 10 while controlling each part of the server device 10.

[0019] The input unit 25 includes one or more input interfaces. The input interface is, for example, a physical key, a capacitance key, a pointing device, a touch screen provided integrally with the display, or a microphone that receives voice input. The input unit 25 receives an operation for inputting information used for the operation of the server device 10, and sends the input information to the control unit 23.

[0020] The output unit 26 includes one or more output interfaces. The output interface is, for example, a display or a speaker. The display is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display. The output unit 26 outputs information obtained by the operation of the server device 10.

[0021] The functions of the server device 10 are realized by executing a control program with a processor included in the control unit 23. The control program is a program for causing a computer to execute the processing of the steps included in the operation of the server device 10, thereby causing the computer to realize the functions corresponding to the processing of the steps. That is, the control program is a program for causing a computer to function as the server device 10. Also, some or all of the functions of the server device 10 may be realized by dedicated circuits included in the control unit 23. Further, the control program may be stored in a non-transitory recording and storage medium readable by the server device 10, and the server device 10 may read it from the medium.

[0022] Figure 3 is a diagram for explaining a configuration example of the terminal device 12. The terminal device 12 includes a communication unit 31, a storage unit 32, a control unit 33, a positioning unit 34, an input unit 35, and an output unit 36. The terminal device 12 is an information terminal device such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal device, a wearable device, a personal computer, etc.

[0023] The communication unit 31 includes a communication module corresponding to a wired or wireless LAN standard, a module corresponding to a mobile communication standard such as LTE, 4G, 5G, etc. The terminal device 12 is connected to the network 11 via the communication unit 31 through a nearby router device or a base station of mobile communication, and performs information communication with other devices via the network 11.

[0024] The storage unit 32 includes one or more semiconductor memories, one or more magnetic memories, one or more optical memories, or a combination of at least two of these. The semiconductor memory is, for example, a RAM or a ROM. The RAM is, for example, an SRAM or a DRAM. The ROM is, for example, an EEPROM. The storage unit 32 functions as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 32 stores information used for the operation of the control unit 33 and information obtained by the operation of the control unit 33.

[0025] The control unit 33 has, for example, one or more general-purpose processors such as a CPU or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), or one or more dedicated processors specialized for specific processing. Alternatively, the control unit 33 may have one or more dedicated circuits such as an FPGA or an ASIC. The control unit 33 comprehensively controls the operation of the terminal device 12 by operating according to a control / processing program or operating according to an operation procedure implemented as a circuit. Then, the control unit 33 transmits and receives various information to and from the server device 10 etc. via the communication unit 31, and executes the operation according to this embodiment.

[0026] The positioning unit 34 includes one or more GNSS receivers. GNSS includes, for example, at least any one of GPS, QZSS, BeiDou, GLONASS, and Galileo. The positioning unit 34 acquires the position information of the terminal device 12 and sends it to the control unit 33.

[0027] The input unit 35 includes one or more input interfaces. The input interface is, for example, a physical key, a capacitance key, a pointing device, a touch screen provided integrally with a display, or a microphone that accepts voice input. The input interface may further include a camera that captures an image or an image code, or an IC card reader. The input unit 35 accepts an operation of inputting information used for the operation of the control unit 33, and sends the input information to the control unit 33.

[0028] The output unit 36 includes one or more output interfaces. The output interface is, for example, a display or a speaker. The display is, for example, an LCD or an organic EL display. Information obtained by the operation of the control unit 33 is output by display or voice.

[0029] The functions of the control unit 33 are realized by a processor included in the control unit 33 executing a control program. The control program is a program for causing the processor to function as the control unit 33. Also, some or all of the functions of the control unit 33 may be realized by a dedicated circuit included in the control unit 33.

[0030] FIG. 4 shows a configuration example of the speaker device 13. The speaker device 13 includes one or more speakers 41 and a control device 42. The control device 42 controls the operation of the speaker 41 in response to an instruction received from the server device 10 via the network 11. The speaker 41 is, for example, a directional speaker. The speaker 41 corresponds to the “output unit” in the speaker device 13 as an “audio output device”. The speaker 41 is provided along the path along which pedestrians in the area move. The speaker 41 is attached to, for example, utility poles, streetlights, roadside strips, and other installations provided along the roadside of the sidewalk or the boundary with the roadway. The control device 42 has a communication module corresponding to one or more wired or wireless LAN standards for connecting to the network 11. Also, the control device 42 has a general-purpose processor or a dedicated circuit that operates according to a control program. The control device 42 may be provided corresponding to each speaker 41, or may be configured such that one control device 42 controls a plurality of speakers 41.

[0031] FIG. 5 shows a configuration example of the imaging device 14. The imaging device 14 includes one or more cameras 51 and a control device 52. The control device 52 controls the operation of the camera 51 and sends the captured image to the server device 10 via the network 11. The camera 51 is, for example, a monocular camera, a stereo camera, or an omnidirectional camera. The camera 51 is attached at an arbitrary position where a pedestrian can be imaged within the area. The camera 51 is attached to utility poles, streetlights, buildings, etc. within the area. The control device 52 has a communication module corresponding to one or more wired or wireless LAN standards for connecting to the network 11. Further, the control device 52 has a general-purpose processor or a dedicated circuit that operates according to a control program. The control device 52 may be provided corresponding to each camera 51, or may be configured such that one control device 52 controls a plurality of cameras 51.

[0032] FIG. 6 shows a configuration example of the floor material 15. The floor material 15 has one or more light emitting units 60, a load sensor 61, and a control device 62. The floor material 15 has, for example, a substantially rectangular shape with one side being several tens of centimeters to several meters, and is formed, for example, by a layer structure of resin, wood-based materials, etc. The light emitting unit 60 has a light emitting element such as an LED light, for example. The light emitting unit 60 is arranged on the upper surface side when the floor material 15 is laid on the road surface so that the light of the light emitting element can be visually recognized by a pedestrian walking on the floor material 15, and is covered, for example, by a transparent cover. The load sensor 61 is provided at an arbitrary position on the lower layer side when the floor material 15 is laid on the road surface, and detects the load applied to the upper layer side. The load sensor 61 includes an acceleration sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, etc. The load sensor 61 detects the load applied to the floor material 15 when a pedestrian steps on the floor material 15 while walking. The control device 62 is provided, for example, at an arbitrary position on the lower layer side so as not to be damaged by the load applied to the upper layer side. The control device 62 performs information communication with the server device 10 via the network 11. The control device 62 controls the emission of the light emitting unit 60 according to an instruction received from the server device 10, or sends the detection result of the load sensor 61 to the server device 10. The control device 62 has a communication module corresponding to one or more wired or wireless LAN standards for connecting to the network 11. Further, the control device 62 has a general-purpose processor or a dedicated circuit that operates according to a control program. Further, the control device 62 may be provided corresponding to each floor material 15, or may be configured such that one control device 62 controls a plurality of floor materials 15.

[0033] FIG. 7 shows a configuration example of the vehicle 16. The vehicle 16 has a communication unit 71, a storage unit 72, a control unit 73, a positioning unit 74, an input unit 75, and an output unit 76. One or more of these may be configured as one control device, or may be configured by a personal computer including a tablet terminal, a smartphone terminal, or a navigation device. Alternatively, each unit may be connected so as to be able to communicate information via an in-vehicle network conforming to a standard such as CAN (Controller Area Network).

[0034] The communication unit 71 includes one or more communication interfaces. The communication interface is, for example, an interface compatible with a mobile communication standard such as LTE, 4G, or 5G. The communication unit 71 receives information used for the operation of the control unit 73 and transmits information obtained by the operation of the control unit 73. The control unit 73 is connected to the network 11 via a base station of mobile communication by the communication unit 71 and performs information communication with other devices via the network 11.

[0035] The storage unit 72 includes one or more semiconductor memories, one or more magnetic memories, one or more optical memories, or a combination of at least two of these. The semiconductor memory is, for example, a RAM or a ROM. The RAM is, for example, an SRAM or a DRAM. The ROM is, for example, an EEPROM. The storage unit 72 functions as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 72 stores information used for the operation of the control unit 73 and information obtained by the operation of the control unit 73.

[0036] The control unit 73 includes one or more processors, one or more dedicated circuits, or a combination of these. The processor is a general-purpose processor such as a CPU or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process. The dedicated circuit is, for example, an FPGA or an ASIC. The control unit 73 executes information processing related to the operation of the vehicle 16 while controlling each part of the control unit 73.

[0037] The positioning unit 74 includes one or more GNSS receivers. GNSS includes, for example, at least any one of GPS, QZSS, BeiDou, GLONASS, and Galileo. The positioning unit 74 acquires the position information of the vehicle 16.

[0038] The input unit 75 includes one or more input interfaces. The input interface is, for example, a physical key, a capacitive key, a pointing device, a touch screen provided integrally with a display, or a microphone that accepts voice input. The input interface may further include a camera that captures an image or an image code, or an IC card reader. The input unit 75 receives an operation for inputting information used for the operation of the control unit 73, and sends the input information to the control unit 73.

[0039] The output unit 76 includes one or more output interfaces. The output interface is, for example, a display or a speaker. The display is, for example, an LCD or an organic EL display. The output unit 76 outputs information obtained by the operation of the control unit 73.

[0040] The functions of the control unit 73 are realized by executing a control program with a processor included in the control unit 73. The control program is a program for causing a computer to execute the processing of the steps included in the operation of the control unit 73, so as to cause the computer to realize the functions corresponding to the processing of those steps. That is, the control program is a program for causing a computer to function as the control unit 73. Also, some or all of the functions of the control unit 73 may be realized by a dedicated circuit included in the control unit 73.

[0041] The operation of the information providing system 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8A to 10.

[0042] Figures 8A and 8B are diagrams for explaining the situation in which the information providing system 1 operates. In Figure 8A, a part of a certain area is shown by a schematic bird's-eye view. Here, the situation is shown where a pedestrian 83 carrying the terminal device 12 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow 84 on the sidewalk 81 among the roadway 80 through which the vehicle 16 passes and the sidewalks 81 and 82 provided on both sides thereof. The floor material 15 is spread on the roadway 80 and the sidewalks 81 and 82, and the speaker devices 13 are arranged at arbitrary intervals on the roadside of the sidewalk 81, and the imaging devices 1 are scattered at positions where the sidewalk 81 and the roadway 80 can be imaged. Under the control of the server device 10, by lighting the lighting unit of the floor material 15, the crosswalk 85 is displayed at an arbitrary position on the roadway 80. Then, as shown in Figure 8B, after the pedestrian 83 moves to the position of the crosswalk 85 on the sidewalk 81, the pedestrian 83 moves from the crosswalk 85 in the direction indicated by the arrow 84' to the sidewalk 82 and crosses the roadway 80. Here, when the pedestrian 83 has, for example, a visual impairment, it may be difficult to visually recognize the crosswalk 85. The information providing system 1 supports the pedestrian 83 to cross the roadway 80 by outputting a voice for guiding the pedestrian 83 from either or both of the terminal device 12 and the speaker device 13 under the control of the server device 10.

[0043] Figures 9A and 9B are sequence diagrams showing operation examples of the information providing system 1. In Figure 9A, the operation procedures by the server device 10 and the floor material 15 are shown. In Figure 9B, the operation procedures by the server device 10, the terminal device 12, the speaker device 13, the imaging device 14, the floor material 15, and the vehicle 16 are shown.

[0044] In step S900 of Figure 9A, the server device 10 determines the position of the crosswalk 85. The control unit 23 of the server device 10 determines to display the crosswalk 85 at an arbitrary position on the roadway 80 in the area using the map information stored in the storage unit 22. The position of the crosswalk 85 is determined by an arbitrary algorithm according to traffic conditions, urban planning, etc.

[0045] In step S902, the server device 10 sends a crosswalk display instruction to the floor material 15. The control unit 23 of the server device 10 uses the identification information and arrangement information of each floor material 15 stored in the storage unit 22 to send a crosswalk display instruction for displaying the crosswalk 85 to the floor material 15 arranged at the position where the crosswalk 85 is to be displayed via the communication unit 21. The control device 62 of the floor material 15 receives the crosswalk display instruction.

[0046] In step S904, the floor material 15 displays the crosswalk. The control device 62 of the floor material 15 lights up the light emitting unit 60 in response to the crosswalk display instruction. The crosswalk 85 is displayed on the road surface by the light emission of one or more floor materials 15 arranged at the display position of the crosswalk 85.

[0047] Steps S900 to S904 are executed once in an arbitrary time frame. The time frame is, for example, in units of several hours per time zone according to changes in traffic volume, several days to several weeks according to the day-of-week characteristics and seasonal characteristics of traffic volume, further in units of several months, and even in units of several years according to urban planning.

[0048] The procedure of FIG. 9B is executed for all pedestrians detected in the area at an arbitrary period (for example, every few seconds). In step S906 of FIG. 9B, the terminal device 12 sends the identification information of the terminal device 12, the identification information of the pedestrian using the terminal device 12, and the current location information to the server device 10. When the control unit 33 of the terminal device 12 acquires the current location information by the positioning unit 34, it sends the current location information, the identification information of the terminal device 12 and the identification information of the pedestrian pre-stored in the storage unit 32 to the server device 10 via the communication unit 31. The identification information of the pedestrian is input in advance by the pedestrian to the terminal device 12 and stored in the storage unit 32. The control unit 23 of the server device 10 receives the identification information of the terminal device 12 and the current location information via the communication unit 21. Here, the server device 10 receives the information sent from each terminal device 12 of one or more pedestrians in the area.

[0049] In step S908, the imaging device 14 sends the captured image and the identification information of the imaging device 14 to the server device 10. The control device 52 of the imaging device 14 causes the camera 50 to image a part of the area at an arbitrary timing or cycle, and sends the captured image and the identification information of the imaging device 14 to the server device 10 at an arbitrary timing or cycle. The identification information is stored in advance in the memory of the control device 52. Information such as the imaging date and time is added to the captured image. The control unit 23 of the server device 10 receives the identification information and the captured image of the imaging device 14 via the communication unit 21. Here, the server device 10 receives the information and the captured images sent from one or more imaging devices 14 within the area.

[0050] In step S910, the floor material 15 sends the load detection information and the identification information of the floor material 15 to the server device 10. The load detection information is information such as the presence or absence of load, the magnitude of the load, and the detection date and time obtained from the detection result by the load sensor 61. The control device 62 of the floor material 15 sends the load detection information to the server device 10 at an arbitrary timing or cycle. The identification information is stored in advance in the memory of the control device 62. The control unit 23 of the server device 10 receives the identification information and the load detection information of the floor material 15 via the communication unit 21. Here, the server device 10 receives the information sent from one or more floor materials 15 within the area.

[0051] In step S912, the vehicle 16 sends the identification information of the vehicle 16 and the position information of the current location to the server device 10. When the control unit 73 of the vehicle 16 acquires the position information of the current location by the positioning unit 74, it sends the position information of the current location and the identification information of the vehicle 16 stored in advance in the storage unit 72 to the server device 10 via the communication unit 71. The control unit 23 of the server device 10 receives the identification information of the vehicle 16 and the position information of the current location via the communication unit 21. Here, the server device 10 receives the information from one or more vehicles 16 within the area.

[0052] In step S914, the server device 10 determines the guidance target among the pedestrians and sends out guidance information and control information. The guidance target is a pedestrian who needs voice guidance among the pedestrians. For example, a pedestrian with visual impairment is determined as the guidance target. The guidance information is information for outputting a voice for guiding the pedestrian 83 who is the guidance target. The control information is information for controlling the vehicle 16 so as not to interfere with the guidance target person. Here, the procedure of step S914 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 10.

[0053] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the detailed procedure of the operation of step S914 by the control unit 23 of the server device 10.

[0054] In step S1002, the control unit 23 discriminates the guidance target among the pedestrians. The control unit 23 determines whether each pedestrian is a guidance target or not based on the identification information of the pedestrians collected from one or more terminal devices 12 in the area. In the storage unit 22, the attribute information of the pedestrians is stored together with the identification information of the pedestrians registered for use in advance. For example, the attribute information is sent to the server device 10 by the terminal device 12 or another information processing device and stored in the storage unit 22. The attribute information includes information indicating the necessity of guidance, such as the presence or absence of visual impairment. The control unit 23 refers to the attribute information using the identification information as a key and determines whether each pedestrian is a guidance target or not.

[0055] In step S1004, if there is a pedestrian (pedestrian 83 in FIGS. 8A and 8B) determined to be the guidance target (Yes), the control unit 23 proceeds to step S1006. The control unit 23 executes steps S1006 to S1016 for each pedestrian 83 determined to be the guidance target. On the other hand, if there is no pedestrian determined to be the guidance target (No), the procedure of FIG. 10 is terminated. The case where there is no pedestrian in the area and thus the server device 10 has not received information from the terminal device 12 is also included in the case where there is no pedestrian determined to be the guidance target. In this case, steps S916 to S926 in FIG. 9B are omitted.

[0056] In step S1006 of FIG. 10, the control unit 23 discriminates the vehicle 16 to be controlled among the vehicles 16. The control unit 23 determines whether each vehicle 16 is a control target based on the position information collected from one or more vehicles 16 within the area. When the pedestrian 83 determined to be a guidance target crosses the crosswalk 85, if there is a high probability that the vehicle 16 will enter the crosswalk 85, that vehicle 16 is determined to be a control target. For example, the control unit 23 derives the moving speed of the terminal device 12, that is, the pedestrian 83, based on the transition of the position information of the terminal device 12. Further, the control unit 23 derives the moving speed of each vehicle 16 based on the transition of the position information of each vehicle 16. Then, the control unit 23 derives the time when the pedestrian 83 reaches one end of the crosswalk 85, and identifies the vehicle 16 that is predicted to enter the crosswalk 85 between that time and the time when the pedestrian 83 finishes crossing the crosswalk 85. The control unit 23 determines such a vehicle 16 as the vehicle to be controlled.

[0057] When the control unit 23 uses the position information of the terminal device 12 in the above processing, for example, it may appropriately correct the position information of the terminal device 12 using the captured image by the imaging device 14 or the load detection information by the floor material 15 at the position indicated by the position information. For example, the position of the imaging device 14 is stored in the storage unit 22 in advance, and the control unit 23 derives the position of the pedestrian based on the position of the imaging device 14 and the position of the pedestrian in the captured image. Alternatively, the position of the floor material 15 is stored in the storage unit 22 in advance, and the control unit 23 derives the position of the pedestrian based on the position of the floor material 15 where the load detection information is obtained. The control unit 23 uses, for example, an intermediate value between the position based on the position information of the terminal device 12 and the position of the pedestrian derived based on the captured image or the load detection information as the corrected position. By using more information in this way, it becomes possible to derive a more accurate position of the pedestrian. Alternatively, the control unit 23 may obtain the position of the pedestrian using any one or more of the position information of the terminal device 12, the position of the pedestrian derived based on the captured image or the load detection information. Further, the control unit 23 may correct or obtain the position of the vehicle 16 by the same means.

[0058] In step S1008, the control unit 23 identifies a voice output device that outputs guidance information as voice. The control unit 23 identifies, as the voice output device, the speaker device 13 that has the speaker 41 corresponding to the position of the pedestrian among the speaker devices 13. Information on the position where each speaker 41 is installed is stored in advance in the storage unit 22, for example, and the control unit 23 uses this information to identify the speaker 41 for output. As shown in FIG. 8A, when the pedestrian 83 moves on the sidewalk 81, among the speaker devices 13 provided on the roadside of the sidewalk 81, one or more speaker devices 13a near the pedestrian 83 are sequentially identified as the voice output device according to the movement of the pedestrian 83. For example, the speaker device 13a having the speaker 41 located within an arbitrary reference distance (for example, several tens of centimeters to several meters) from the pedestrian 83 is identified as the voice output device. Further, as shown in FIG. 8B, when the pedestrian 83 crosses the crosswalk 85, one or more speaker devices 13a, 13b on both ends of the crosswalk 85 are identified as the voice output device. Alternatively, the control unit 23 may identify the terminal device 12 as the voice output device instead of or in addition to the speaker device 13.

[0059] In step S1010, the control unit 23 sends out guidance information to the specified voice output device. The guidance information includes the guidance text (hereinafter referred to as the guidance text) to be output as voice and an instruction to output the guidance text as voice. When the speaker device 13 is specified as the voice output device, the information for instructing the direction of the speaker 41 is included in the guidance information. The control unit 23 generates an instruction for controlling the directivity toward the position of the pedestrian 83 and a guidance text corresponding to the position of the pedestrian 83. For example, when the pedestrian 83 is moving on the sidewalk 81, the control unit 23 derives the distance to the crosswalk 85 and generates a guidance text such as "There is a crosswalk XX meters ahead" to convey the distance to the crosswalk 85. Further, when the pedestrian 83 is located at one end of the crosswalk 85, the control unit 23 generates a guidance text such as "This is a crosswalk" to convey that the crosswalk 85 has been reached. Furthermore, before the pedestrian 83 crosses the crosswalk 85, if the vehicle 16 approaches the crosswalk 85 by more than an arbitrary reference distance, the control unit 23 generates a guidance text such as "A vehicle is approaching, so please do not cross" or "A vehicle is entering the crosswalk, so please wait until it passes" to prompt caution to avoid interference with the vehicle 16. Furthermore, when the pedestrian 83 crosses the crosswalk 85, the control unit 23 derives the distance to the opposite sidewalk 82 and generates a guidance text such as "It is the sidewalk in another XX meters" to convey the distance to the opposite sidewalk 82. Furthermore, when the pedestrian 83 reaches the other end of the crosswalk 85, the control unit 23 generates a guidance text such as "The crossing is completed" to convey that the crossing is completed. Such guidance text may be stored in the storage unit 22 in advance for each situation corresponding to the position of the pedestrian 83, for example.

[0060] In step S1012, the control unit 23 sends control information to the identified target vehicle 16. The control unit 23 generates control information for each vehicle 16. The control information includes the text to be voice - output to the driver (hereinafter referred to as the caution text) and an instruction to voice - output the caution text. The control unit 23 generates a caution text according to the position of the pedestrian 83 and the position of the vehicle 16. For example, when the pedestrian 83 is located at one end of the sidewalk 81 and the vehicle 16 is approaching the crosswalk, the control unit 23 derives the distance to the crosswalk 85 and generates a caution text such as "A pedestrian will cross the crosswalk XX meters ahead, so please stop temporarily", which conveys the distance to the crosswalk 85 and generates a caution text to prompt a temporary stop. Alternatively, when the pedestrian 83 is located at one end of the crosswalk 84 and the vehicle 16 is stopped in a state of having entered the crosswalk due to traffic congestion, the control unit 23 generates a caution text such as "A pedestrian will cross the crosswalk, so please move forward and clear the crosswalk" to generate a caution text to move from the crosswalk 85. Such caution texts may be stored in the storage unit 22 in advance for each situation according to the position of the pedestrian 83, for example. When the vehicle 16 is in autonomous driving, the control information may include an instruction for the vehicle 16 to execute an operation as suggested by the caution text instead of the caution text.

[0061] Corresponding to steps S1010 and S1012, steps S916, S920, and S924 in FIG. 9B are executed.

[0062] When the speaker device 13 is identified as the voice - output device, in step S916, the control unit 23 of the server device 10 sends guidance information to the speaker device 13 via the communication unit 21. The control device 42 of the speaker device 13 receives the guidance information. Then, in step S918, the speaker device 13 outputs a guidance voice. The control device 42 directs the directivity of the speaker 41 in the direction specified by the guidance information and causes the speaker 41 to voice - output the guidance text.

[0063] When the terminal device 12 is specified as the voice output device, in step S920, the control unit 23 of the server device 10 sends guidance information toward the terminal device 12. The control unit 33 of the terminal device 12 receives the guidance information via the communication unit 31. Then, in step S922, the terminal device 12 outputs a guidance voice. The control unit 33 causes the speaker of the output unit 36 to output the guidance statement as voice.

[0064] Furthermore, in step S920, the control unit 23 of the server device 10 sends control information toward the vehicle 16. The control unit 73 of the vehicle 16 receives the control information by the communication unit 71. Then, in step S926, the vehicle 16 outputs a caution voice. The control unit 73 causes the speaker of the output unit 76 to output the caution statement as voice. Alternatively, when the vehicle 16 is in autonomous driving, the control unit 73 controls the vehicle 16 according to the control information.

[0065] Returning to FIG. 10, in step S1016, the control unit 23 determines whether the guidance has been completed. When the position of the pedestrian 63 has changed and the current position of the pedestrian is at the end where the pedestrian has crossed the crosswalk 85, the control unit 23 determines that the guidance has been completed (Yes) and ends the process. On the other hand, when it is determined from the change in the position of the pedestrian that the pedestrian is before or in the middle of crossing the crosswalk 85, the control unit 23 determines that the guidance is not completed (No), and in step S1020, acquires the position information of the terminal device 12.

[0066] Corresponding to step S1020, steps S934 and S936 in FIG. 9B are executed.

[0067] In step S934, the control unit 23 of the server device 10 sends a request for position information to the terminal device 12 via the communication unit 21. The control unit 33 of the terminal device 12 receives the request for position information. Then, in step S936, the terminal device 12 sends the position information to the server device 10. The control unit 33 sends the position information indicating the current position acquired by the positioning unit 34 to the server device 10 via the communication unit 31. The control unit 23 of the server device 10 receives the position information via the communication unit 21.

[0068] Returning to FIG. 10, the control unit 23 of the server device 10 returns to step S1006 using the newly acquired position information of the terminal device 12. Then, the control unit 23 executes the steps after step S1006 until it determines that the guidance is completed in step S1016.

[0069] In the operation of the information providing system 1 described above, the case where the control of the vehicle 16 is appropriately omitted and the control related to the guidance of the pedestrian is executed is also included in the scope of the present embodiment.

[0070] According to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to more safely guide a pedestrian crossing a crosswalk. For example, even when a pedestrian cannot visually recognize the crosswalk due to visual impairment or the like, by receiving the guidance information output as sound, it is possible to cross the road more safely. Therefore, according to the information providing system 1, it is possible to support the crossing of pedestrians and contribute to the improvement of convenience.

[0071] In the above-described embodiment, the processing / control program that defines the operation of the control unit 33 of the terminal device 12 may be stored in the storage unit 22 of the server device 10 or the storage unit of another server device, and may be downloaded to the terminal device 12 via the network 11, or may be stored in a non-transitory recording / storage medium readable by the terminal device 12, and the terminal device 12 may read it from the medium.

[0072] In the above, the embodiments have been described based on the drawings and examples, but it should be noted that those skilled in the art can easily make various modifications and corrections based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and corrections are included in the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the functions included in each means, each step, etc. can be rearranged so as not to be logically contradictory, and a plurality of means, steps, etc. can be combined into one or divided.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0073] 1 Information providing system 10 Server device 11 Network 12 Terminal device 13 Imaging device 14 Speaker device 15 Floor material 16 Vehicle 20, 31, 71 Communication unit 21, 32, 72 Memory unit 22, 33, 75 Control unit 34, 74 Positioning unit 25, 35, 75 Input unit 26, 36, 76 Output unit 41 Speaker 42, 52, 62 Control device 51 Camera 60 Light emitting unit 61 Load sensor

Claims

1. a communication unit, and a control unit that transmits and receives information via the communication unit, the control unit determines whether the pedestrian is a pedestrian to be guided based on attribute information indicating the attributes of the pedestrian, which is stored in association with the identification information collected from the terminal device of the pedestrian within the area, and when it is determined that the pedestrian is a pedestrian to be guided, based on first position information indicating the position of the pedestrian to be guided, which is acquired by the positioning unit of the terminal device, and second position information indicating the position of the vehicle, which is acquired by the positioning unit of the vehicle, when the pedestrian to be guided crosses the roadway, the voice output device is instructed to output, by voice, guidance information for guiding the pedestrian to be guided so as not to interfere with the vehicle, and when the pedestrian to be guided is located at one end of the crosswalk and the vehicle has stopped in a state of entering the crosswalk, the vehicle is instructed to output, by voice, control information for moving the pedestrian to be guided away from the crosswalk so as not to interfere with the pedestrian to be guided, and when it is determined that the pedestrian is not a pedestrian to be guided or when there is no pedestrian within the area, the voice output device is instructed not to output the guidance information, A server device.

2. In claim 1, the control unit instructs the voice output device to output, by voice, the guidance information using the terminal device carried by the pedestrian to be guided, A server device.

3. In claim 2, the control unit instructs the voice output device to output, by voice, the guidance information using a directional speaker provided near the path along which the pedestrian to be guided moves A server device.

4. In claim 2, the control unit receives the first position information from the terminal device, A server device.

5. In any one of claims 1 to 4, further having a storage unit that stores the attribute information Server device.

6. In any one of Claims 1 to 5, the control unit sends an instruction to display a crosswalk on the flooring material laid on the road lane. Server device.

7. An information providing system having the server device according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 and an audio output device.

8. A program that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to operate as the server device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4.

9. An operation method of an information providing system having a server device, an audio output device, and a vehicle that communicate with the server device respectively, the server device determines whether the pedestrian is a pedestrian to be guided based on attribute information indicating the attributes of the pedestrian, which is stored in association with the identification information collected from the terminal device of the pedestrian in the area, and when it is determined that the pedestrian is a pedestrian to be guided, based on first position information indicating the position of the pedestrian to be guided, which is obtained by the positioning unit of the terminal device, and second position information indicating the position of the vehicle, which is obtained by the positioning unit of the vehicle, when the pedestrian to be guided crosses the road lane, sends guidance information for guiding the pedestrian to be guided so as not to interfere with the vehicle to the audio output device, and when the pedestrian to be guided is located at one end of the crosswalk and the vehicle has stopped in a state of entering the crosswalk, sends control information for moving the pedestrian to be guided from the crosswalk so as not to interfere with the pedestrian to be guided to the vehicle, when it is determined that the pedestrian is not a pedestrian to be guided or when there is no pedestrian in the area, the guidance information is not sent, the audio output device outputs a voice based on the guidance information the vehicle outputs a voice based on the control information. An operation method.

10. In Claim 9, the audio output device is the terminal device carried by the pedestrian to be guided. Operation method.

11. In claim 10, the voice output device has a directional speaker provided near a path along which the pedestrian to be guided moves, Operation method.

12. In claim 10, the server device receives the first position information from a terminal device carried by the pedestrian to be guided, Operation method.

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