Method and apparatus for determining a travel route of a vehicle in consideration of a passenger movement flow

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and device for determining a vehicle travel route taking into account passenger travel flows. The method according to an embodiment of the present invention may acquire boarding / alighting information by time period for each of a plurality of boarding / alighting points, acquire passenger-specific departure / arrival information based on the boarding / alighting information by time period, determine at least one passenger movement flow vector by time period based on the passenger-specific departure / arrival information, and determine a vehicle movement route based on the passenger movement flow vector by time period.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for determining a vehicle movement route in consideration of a passenger movement flow.

Background Art

[0002] It is possible to collect the number of boarding passengers and the number of alighting passengers for each boarding and alighting point of a vehicle. However, even at the same boarding and alighting point, the number of boarding passengers and the number of alighting passengers may show a large difference depending on the time zone.

[0003] For example, during the commuting time zone, movements such as company employees commuting from home to the company and students boarding public transportation (bus) to go to school are mainly made. Among the daytime hours, during the time zone after students leave school, many movements from home to the cram school area occur. Also, during the leaving-work time zone, many movements of company employees returning from the company to home occur.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for a technology that calculates the movement direction and the number of moving passengers by time zone and determines the vehicle movement route.

[0005] The background art described above is technical information that the inventor possessed for deriving the present invention or acquired during the derivation process of the present invention, and it is not necessarily known technology that was publicly disclosed to the general public before the filing of the present invention.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for determining a vehicle movement route in consideration of a passenger movement flow. The problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the problems described above, and other problems and advantages of the present invention not described will be understood from the following description and will be further clarified by the embodiments of the present invention. Also, it will be understood that the problems and advantages to be solved by the present invention can be realized by the means shown in the claims and combinations thereof.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] As a technical means for solving the above-described technical problems, a first aspect of the present disclosure is a method for determining a travel route of a vehicle in consideration of a passenger movement flow, the method including: obtaining boarding / alighting information by time zone for each of a plurality of boarding / alighting points; obtaining departure / arrival information for each passenger based on the boarding / alighting information by time zone; determining at least one passenger movement flow vector by time zone based on the departure / arrival information for each passenger; and determining a travel route of the vehicle based on the passenger movement flow vector by time zone.

[0008] A second aspect of the present disclosure is an apparatus for determining a travel route of a vehicle in consideration of a passenger movement flow, the apparatus including: a memory storing at least one program; and a processor that performs calculations by executing the at least one program, the apparatus obtaining boarding / alighting information by time zone for each of a plurality of boarding / alighting points, obtaining departure / arrival information for each passenger based on the boarding / alighting information by time zone, determining at least one passenger movement flow vector by time zone based on the departure / arrival information for each passenger, and determining a travel route of the vehicle based on the passenger movement flow vector by time zone.

[0009] A third aspect of the present disclosure can provide a computer-readable recording medium recording a program for executing the method according to the first aspect by a computer.

[0010] In addition to these, other methods for realizing the present invention, other systems, and a computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program for executing the method can be further provided.

Advantages of the Invention

[0011] According to the problem-solving means of the present disclosure described above, more passengers can be moved within a unit time, which helps to improve the profitability of the transportation system.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012]

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Figure 3B

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Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for determining a vehicle movement route considering a passenger movement flow.

[0014] The method according to an embodiment of the present invention can obtain boarding and alighting information by time period for each of a plurality of boarding and alighting points, and can obtain departure / arrival information for each passenger based on the boarding and alighting information by time period. Further, the method according to an embodiment of the present invention can determine at least one passenger movement flow vector by time period based on the departure / arrival information for each passenger, and can determine the movement route of the vehicle based on the passenger movement flow vector by time period.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] The advantages, features, and the method for achieving them of the present invention will become apparent by referring to the embodiments described in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented below, and can be realized in various different forms, and should be understood to include all conversions, equivalents, and alternatives included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. The embodiments presented below are provided to complete the disclosure of the present invention and to enable those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains to fully understand the scope of the invention. When it is determined that a specific description of related known technologies obscures the gist of the present invention in explaining the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0016] The terms used in this application are merely used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, terms such as "including" and "having" are used to specify the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood not to preclude the presence or possibility of addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof in advance.

[0017] Some embodiments of the present disclosure can be shown in a functional block configuration and various processing steps. Some or all of such functional blocks can be implemented with various numbers of hardware and / or software configurations that perform specific functions. For example, the functional blocks of the present disclosure can be implemented by one or more microprocessors or by a circuit configuration for a predetermined function. Also, for example, the functional blocks of the present disclosure can be implemented with various programming or scripting languages. The functional blocks can be implemented with algorithms executed by one or more processors. Further, the present disclosure can adopt the prior art for electronic environment settings, signal processing, and / or data processing, etc. Terms such as "mechanism", "element", "means", "configuration", etc. can be widely used and are not limited to mechanical and physical configurations.

[0018] Note that the connection lines or connection members between the components shown in the drawings merely exemplarily show functional connections and / or physical connections or circuit connections. In an actual device, the connections between components can be shown by various alternative or additional functional connections, physical connections, or circuit connections.

[0019] Hereinafter, the "vehicle" may mean any type of transportation means having an engine and used for moving people or things, such as an automobile, a bus, a motorcycle, a kick scooter, or a truck.

[0020] Also, the "traffic information providing system" includes collecting and analyzing traffic information related to a demand-based traffic system, in which the movement route of a vehicle can be determined in a fixed, semi-fixed, semi-dynamic, dynamic, etc. manner.

[0021] Furthermore, a "vector" is a quantity with magnitude and direction, and the "passenger movement flow vector" hereinafter may include information regarding the movement flow (direction) of passengers and information regarding the number of passengers (magnitude) included in the movement flow.

[0022] Furthermore, a "boarding / alighting point" is a term that includes all positions where passengers can board or alight. At the boarding / alighting point, a specific passenger can board, and other passengers can alight. The "boarding / alighting point" in one embodiment may be a predetermined position, and in other embodiments, the "boarding / alighting point" may be anywhere as long as the vehicle can stop there.

[0023] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an exemplary environment of a traffic information providing system according to an embodiment.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, the traffic information providing system 10 may include a user terminal 100, a traffic information providing device 200, and a communication network 300. Further, the traffic information providing system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a transportation means terminal 400 and / or a boarding / alighting point terminal 500.

[0026] Referring to FIG. 1, the traffic information providing system 10 may include a user terminal 100, a traffic information providing device 200, a communication network 300, a transportation means terminal 400, and a boarding / alighting point terminal 500.

[0027] The user terminal 100 may be a device to which traffic information generated by the traffic information providing system 10 is provided. The user terminal 100 may mean a communication terminal capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from other devices in a wired or wireless communication environment. There may be a plurality of user terminals 100 included in the traffic information providing system 10.

[0028] The user terminal 100 may be, for example, a smartphone, a PC, a tablet PC, a smart TV, a mobile phone, a PDA (personal digital assistant), a laptop, a media player, a micro server, a GPS (global positioning system) device, an e-book terminal, a digital broadcast terminal, a navigation device, a kiosk, an MP3 player, a digital camera, a wearable device, and other mobile or non-mobile computing devices. Further, the user terminal 100 may include various devices capable of receiving touch input, such as an electronic blackboard, a touch table, and the like. Furthermore, the user terminal 100 may be an accessory such as a clock, glasses, a headband, a ring, etc. equipped with a communication function and a data processing function.

[0029] In FIG. 1, the first user terminal 100a and the second user terminal 100b are shown as smartphones, but the idea of the present invention is not limited thereto. As described above, any device capable of transmitting and receiving data with other devices in a wired or wireless communication environment can be used without limitation.

[0030] The user terminal 100 can receive traffic information from the traffic information providing device 200. The user terminal 100 can transmit traffic information to the traffic information providing device 200. That is, the user terminal 100 can transmit and receive traffic information with the traffic information providing device 200. The user terminal 100 can also display the transmitted and received traffic information as a visual signal on the display unit of the terminal, output the transmitted and received traffic information as an auditory signal from the speaker of the user terminal 100, or indicate the transmitted and received traffic information by the vibration function of the user terminal 100.

[0031] The user terminal 100 may be classified according to the location of each user terminal 100. For example, the user terminal located at the first boarding and alighting point is the first user terminal 100a, the user terminal located inside a specific means of transportation is the second user terminal 100b, and the user terminal located at the second boarding and alighting point may be the third user terminal 100c. Each user terminal 100 classified by location can transmit different types of traffic information to the traffic information providing device 200 and receive different types of traffic information from the traffic information providing device 200.

[0032] The traffic information providing device 200 may be a device that provides traffic information to the user terminal 100. The traffic information providing device 200 can provide information regarding the current location of a specific means of transportation, the scheduled arrival time at a specific boarding and alighting point, the predicted congestion level, the predicted remaining seat count, etc. The traffic information providing device 200 can provide recommendation data for recommending boarding a specific means of transportation to the user terminal 100. The functions of such a traffic information providing device 200 will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 2 and below.

[0033] Here, the traffic information providing device 200 may be a server that provides traffic information. Although FIG. 1 shows one server, there may be a plurality of servers depending on the connection volume or data volume.

[0034] The predicted congestion level of a means of transportation is a numerical value that predicts the state of how many passengers are on board the means of transportation, and can be calculated from the number of passengers currently on board the means of transportation with respect to the type, size, internal area, internal volume, total capacity, or total seat count of the means of transportation. The predicted remaining seat count of a means of transportation is a numerical value that predicts how many available seats remain on the means of transportation, and can be calculated from the number of passengers currently on board the means of transportation with respect to the total seat count of the means of transportation.

[0035] The traffic information providing device 200 can transmit different traffic information to different user terminals 100. Also, the traffic information providing device 200 can receive different traffic information from different user terminals 100. For example, the traffic information providing device 200 can receive information regarding the type of transportation means that the user of the first user terminal 100a located at the first boarding / alighting point wishes to board or the destination of the user of the terminal, from the first user terminal 100a. Also, the traffic information providing device 200 can receive information regarding the boarding / alighting point where the user of the second user terminal 100b located inside a specific transportation means wishes to alight, from the second user terminal 100b. Furthermore, the traffic information providing device 200 can receive information regarding the type of transportation means that the user of the third user terminal 100c located at the second boarding / alighting point wishes to board or the destination of the user of the terminal, from the third user terminal 100c. Furthermore, the traffic information providing device 200 can transmit information regarding the current position of a specific transportation means, the scheduled arrival time at a specific boarding / alighting point, the predicted congestion level, the predicted remaining seat count, etc., to the first user terminal 100a and / or the third user terminal 100c.

[0036] The communication network 300 can play a role in connecting the user terminal 100 and the traffic information providing device 200. That is, the communication network 300 means a communication network that provides a connection path so that data including traffic information can be transmitted and received between the user terminal 100 and the traffic information providing device 200. The communication network 300 can cover, for example, wired networks such as LANs (Local Area Networks), WANs (Wide Area Networks), MANs (Metropolitan Area Networks), ISDNs (Integrated Service Digital Networks), and wireless networks such as wireless LANs, CDMA, Bluetooth (registered trademark), satellite communication, etc., but the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0037] The transportation means terminal 400 may be a device installed in a transportation means. Here, the transportation means may be various transportation means operating along a route, and may be various transportation means operating for passengers among transportation means such as buses, trains, subways, ships, airplanes, etc., but is not limited thereto. In FIG. 1, a bus is shown as the transportation means, but the idea of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various types of transportation means can be used without limitation as described above.

[0038] The transportation means terminal 400 may be a device that transmits traffic information regarding the transportation means in which the transportation means terminal 400 is installed to the traffic information providing device 200. The transportation means terminal 400 may mean a communication terminal that can transmit and receive data with other devices in a wired or wireless communication environment.

[0039] There may be a plurality of transportation means terminals 400 included in the traffic information providing system 10. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, a first transportation means terminal 400a may be installed in the first transportation means, and a second transportation means terminal 400b may be installed in the second transportation means. Each transportation means terminal 400 can transmit information regarding the transportation means in which the transportation means terminal 400 is installed to the traffic information providing device 200.

[0040] Also, the transportation means terminal 400 may be a device that receives traffic information regarding the transportation means in which the transportation means terminal 400 is installed from the traffic information providing device 200. Furthermore, the transportation means terminal 400 may be a device that transmits and receives traffic information with other transportation means terminals. That is, the first transportation means terminal 400a and the second transportation means terminal 400b can transmit and receive the acquired traffic information to and from each other. In FIG. 1, it is shown that the transportation means terminal is installed outside the transportation means, but the transportation means terminal can also be installed inside the transportation means.

[0041] In addition to the role of transmitting and receiving traffic information regarding the transportation means in which the transportation means terminal 400 is installed, the transportation means terminal 400 can execute a function of acquiring the traffic information. For example, the transportation means terminal 400 can execute functions such as counting the number of passengers boarding inside the transportation means, counting the number of passengers seated inside the transportation means, counting the number of people boarding the transportation means, counting the number of people getting off the transportation means, counting the number of passengers scheduled to get off the transportation means at a specific boarding / alighting location, calculating the congestion level of the transportation means, etc. The transportation means terminal 400 may include devices such as sensors necessary for counting the number of passengers inside the transportation means and the number of boarding / alighting passengers. Alternatively, the transportation means terminal 400 may be wirelessly connected to the device for acquiring the traffic information.

[0042] The boarding / alighting location terminal 500 may be a communication device installed at the boarding / alighting location. Here, the boarding / alighting location may be, but is not limited to, a building, structure, or location where the transportation means stops for passengers to board and alight on the route on which the transportation means operates.

[0043] The boarding / alighting location terminal 500 may be a device that transmits traffic information regarding the boarding / alighting location where the boarding / alighting location terminal 500 is installed to the traffic information providing device 200. The boarding / alighting location terminal 500 may mean a communication terminal capable of transmitting and receiving data with other devices in a wired / wireless communication environment.

[0044] There may be a plurality of boarding / alighting location terminals 500 included in the traffic information providing system 10. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, a first boarding / alighting location terminal 500a may be installed at the first boarding / alighting location, and a second boarding / alighting location terminal 500b may be installed at the second boarding / alighting location. Each boarding / alighting location terminal 500 can transmit information regarding the boarding / alighting location where the boarding / alighting location terminal 500 is installed to the traffic information providing device 200.

[0045] Alternatively, the boarding / alighting point terminal 500 may be a device that receives traffic information regarding the boarding / alighting point where the boarding / alighting point terminal 500 is installed from the traffic information providing device 200.

[0046] Furthermore, the boarding / alighting point terminal 500 may be a device that transmits and receives traffic information with other boarding / alighting point terminals. That is, the first boarding / alighting point terminal 500a and the second boarding / alighting point terminal 500b can transmit and receive the acquired traffic information to and from each other. In FIG. 1, it is shown that the boarding / alighting point terminal 500 is installed so as to be attached to the outer wall portion of the boarding / alighting point, but the boarding / alighting point terminal 500 can be installed at various positions in the boarding / alighting point or in the vicinity of the boarding / alighting point according to the position or type of the boarding / alighting point.

[0047] In addition to the role of transmitting and receiving traffic information regarding the boarding / alighting point where the boarding / alighting point terminal 500 is installed, the boarding / alighting point terminal 500 can execute a function of acquiring the traffic information. For example, the boarding / alighting point terminal 500 can execute a function of counting the number of people waiting at the boarding / alighting point where the boarding / alighting point terminal 500 is installed, a function of counting the number of people who wish to board a specific means of transportation among the number of people waiting at the boarding / alighting point, a function of counting the number of people getting off at the boarding / alighting point, etc. The boarding / alighting point terminal 500 may include a device such as a sensor necessary for counting the number of people. Alternatively, the boarding / alighting point terminal 500 may be wirelessly connected to the device that acquires the traffic information.

[0048] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a method of determining a passenger movement flow vector according to an embodiment.

[0049] Referring to FIG. 2, a plurality of boarding / alighting points are displayed on the map of FIG. 2. The traffic information providing device can acquire the boarding / alighting position information of the plurality of boarding / alighting points. For example, the traffic information providing device can acquire the boarding / alighting position information from the boarding / alighting point terminal or from the user terminal.

[0050] The traffic information providing device can acquire boarding and alighting passenger number information by time period considering the times when passengers board and alight at each of a plurality of boarding and alighting points.

[0051] Referring to FIG. 2, the traffic information providing device can acquire the number of passengers boarding and alighting at each of a plurality of boarding and alighting points during the commuting time period (AM7:00 - 9:00). The number of passengers boarding at the first boarding and alighting point 211 is 20, the number of passengers alighting is 0. The number of passengers boarding at the second boarding and alighting point 212 is 10, the number of passengers alighting is 5. The number of passengers boarding at the third boarding and alighting point 213 is 5, the number of passengers alighting is 15. The number of passengers boarding at the fourth boarding and alighting point 214 is 0, the number of passengers alighting is 10.

[0052] The traffic information providing device can determine a passenger movement flow vector based on the number of passengers boarding and alighting at the first to fourth boarding and alighting points 211 - 214.

[0053] Specifically, the traffic information providing device can determine that the number of passengers boarding at the first boarding and alighting point 211 and alighting at the second boarding and alighting point 212 is 5 based on the number of boarding and alighting passengers at the first boarding and alighting point 211 and the second boarding and alighting point 212. Thus, it can be seen that 15 passengers (20 - 5 = 15) remain among those who boarded at the first boarding and alighting point 211, and the number of passengers on the vehicle is 25 (15 + 10 = 25).

[0054] The traffic information providing device can estimate that the number of passengers boarding at the first boarding and alighting point 211 and alighting at the third boarding and alighting point 213 is 9 (15×(15 / 25)=9), and the number of passengers boarding at the second boarding and alighting point 212 and alighting at the third boarding and alighting point 213 is 6 (15×(10 / 25)=6) based on the number of boarding and alighting passengers at the first boarding and alighting point 211, the second boarding and alighting point 212, and the third boarding and alighting point 213. In the said estimation process, 15 is the number of passengers alighting at the third boarding and alighting point 213.

[0055] Finally, based on the number of boarding and alighting passengers at the first boarding / alighting point 211, the second boarding / alighting point 212, the third boarding / alighting point 213, and the fourth boarding / alighting point 214, the traffic information providing device can estimate that the number of passengers boarding at the first boarding / alighting point 211 and alighting at the fourth boarding / alighting point 214 is 6, the number of passengers boarding at the second boarding / alighting point 212 and alighting at the fourth boarding / alighting point 214 is 4, and the number of passengers boarding at the third boarding / alighting point 213 and alighting at the fourth boarding / alighting point 214 is 5.

[0056] The traffic information providing device can obtain boarding / alighting information for each time period regarding a plurality of boarding / alighting points, and obtain departure / arrival information for each passenger based on the boarding / alighting information for each time period, thereby determining at least one passenger movement flow vector indicating the flow and magnitude of passenger movement in that time period. Referring to FIG. 2, the passenger movement flow vector is indicated by a thick arrow, where the direction of the arrow indicates the passenger movement flow, and the thickness of the arrow indicates the number of passengers included in the movement flow.

[0057] FIGS. 3A to 3C are diagrams for explaining a method of determining a passenger movement flow vector for each time period according to an embodiment.

[0058] Even at the same boarding / alighting point, the boarding / alighting passenger number information can differ depending on the time period. For example, during the commuting time period (AM7:00 - 9:00), there are many movements of company employees commuting from home to the company and students going to school from home. During the daytime time period (PM3:00 - 5:00), there are many movements of students going from school to the cram school area after school. During the leaving work time period (PM5:00 - 8:00), there are many movements of company employees leaving work and going home.

[0059] During the commuting hours (AM7:00 - 9:00), there are many passengers boarding at the boarding and alighting points located around the residential area, and many passengers alighting at the boarding and alighting points located around the commercial area. During the daytime hours (PM3:00 - 5:00), there are many passengers boarding at the boarding and alighting points located around the school, and many passengers alighting at the boarding and alighting points located around the tutoring school street. During the leaving work hours (PM5:00 - 8:00), conversely, there are many passengers boarding at the boarding and alighting points located around the commercial area, and many passengers alighting at the boarding and alighting points located around the residential area, which is the opposite of the commuting hours (AM7:00 - 9:00).

[0060] Referring to FIG. 3A, during the commuting hours (AM7:00 - 9:00), the passenger movement flow vector from the first boarding and alighting point 311 to the second boarding and alighting point 312 can be determined, and the passenger movement flow vector from the third boarding and alighting point 313 to the fourth boarding and alighting point 314 can be determined. Conversely, referring to FIG. 3B, during the leaving work hours (PM5:00 - 8:00), the passenger movement flow vector from the second boarding and alighting point 312 to the first boarding and alighting point 311 can be determined, and the passenger movement flow vector from the fourth boarding and alighting point 314 to the third boarding and alighting point 313 can be determined. The traffic information providing device can estimate that the first boarding and alighting point 311 and the third boarding and alighting point 313 are in the residential area, and the second boarding and alighting point 312 and the fourth boarding and alighting point 314 are in the commercial area, considering the passenger movement flow vectors during the commuting hours (AM7:00 - 9:00) and the leaving work hours (PM5:00 - 8:00).

[0061] Also, referring to FIG. 3C, during the daytime hours (PM3:00 - 5:00), the passenger movement flow vector from the fifth boarding and alighting point 315 and the seventh boarding and alighting point 317 to the sixth boarding and alighting point 316 can be determined. The traffic information providing device can estimate that the fifth boarding and alighting point 315 and the seventh boarding and alighting point 317 are around the school, and the sixth boarding and alighting point 316 is around the tutoring school street, considering the passenger movement flow vector during the daytime hours (PM3:00 - 5:00).

[0062] On the one hand, referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, it can be seen that the thickness of the arrow between the first boarding and alighting point 311 and the second boarding and alighting point 312 is thicker than the thickness of the arrow between the third boarding and alighting point 313 and the fourth boarding and alighting point 314. As described above with reference to FIG. 2, since the thickness of the arrow corresponds to the magnitude of the passenger movement flow vector, the traffic information providing device can determine that the number of passengers included in the movement flow between the first boarding and alighting point 311 and the second boarding and alighting point 312 is larger than the number of passengers included in the movement flow between the third boarding and alighting point 313 and the fourth boarding and alighting point 314.

[0063] Similarly, referring to FIG. 3C, the traffic information providing device can determine that the number of passengers moving from the seventh boarding and alighting point 317 to the sixth boarding and alighting point 316 is larger than the number of passengers moving from the fifth boarding and alighting point 315 to the sixth boarding and alighting point 316.

[0064] The traffic information providing device can determine the passenger movement flow vector by time period using the method described above. The passenger movement flow vector can include information regarding the movement flow (direction) of passengers and information regarding the number of passengers (magnitude) included in the movement flow. The traffic information providing device can determine the movement route of the vehicle based on the passenger movement flow vector.

[0065] Hereinafter, for the traffic information providing device to determine the movement route of the vehicle based on the passenger movement flow vector by time period, it may include estimating the passenger movement flow vector by time period and determining the movement route of the vehicle. That is, the traffic information providing device can not only determine the movement route of the vehicle based on the passenger movement flow vector regarding a specific day of the week and a specific time period, but also determine the movement route of the vehicle by estimating the passenger movement flow vector on the same day of the week and time period as the specific day of the week and the specific time period.

[0066] For example, referring to FIG. 3A, during the commuting time period (AM7:00 - 9:00), considering the directions of the first passenger movement flow vector 321 and the second passenger movement flow vector 322, the traffic information providing device can determine the movement route of the vehicle so that the vehicle departs from the first pick-up / drop-off point 311 and arrives at the second pick-up / drop-off point 312, and can also determine the movement route of the vehicle so that the vehicle departs from the third pick-up / drop-off point 313 and arrives at the fourth pick-up / drop-off point 314. In addition, considering the magnitudes of the first passenger movement flow vector 321 and the second passenger movement flow vector 322, the traffic information providing device can schedule vehicle allocation so that the number of vehicles operating along the first passenger movement flow vector 321 is even greater than the number of vehicles operating along the second passenger movement flow vector 322.

[0067] Also, referring to FIG. 3B, during the leaving work time period (PM5:00 - 8:00), considering the directions of the third passenger movement flow vector 323 and the fourth passenger movement flow vector 324, the traffic information providing device can determine the movement route of the vehicle so that the vehicle departs from the second pick-up / drop-off point 312 and arrives at the first pick-up / drop-off point 311, and can also determine the movement route of the vehicle so that the vehicle departs from the fourth pick-up / drop-off point 314 and arrives at the third pick-up / drop-off point 313. In addition, considering the magnitudes of the third passenger movement flow vector 323 and the fourth passenger movement flow vector 324, the traffic information providing device can schedule vehicle allocation so that the number of vehicles operating along the third passenger movement flow vector 323 is even greater than the number of vehicles operating along the fourth passenger movement flow vector 324.

[0068] Furthermore, referring to FIG. 3C, during the daytime time period (PM3:00 - 5:00), considering the directions of the fifth passenger movement flow vector 325 and the sixth passenger movement flow vector 326, the traffic information providing device can determine the movement route of the vehicle such that the vehicle departs from the fifth boarding / alighting point 315 or the seventh boarding / alighting point 317 and arrives at the sixth boarding / alighting point 316. In addition, considering the magnitudes of the fifth passenger movement flow vector 325 and the sixth passenger movement flow vector 326, the traffic information providing device can schedule vehicle dispatching such that the number of vehicles operating along the sixth passenger movement flow vector 326 is even more than the number of vehicles operating along the fifth passenger movement flow vector 325.

[0069] In one embodiment, the traffic information providing device can determine the movement route of the vehicle by further considering at least one of the boarding time for each passenger and the waiting time for each passenger in addition to the passenger movement flow vectors by time period. The boarding time for each passenger means the time when the passenger is in a state of boarding the vehicle, and the waiting time for each passenger may mean the time when the passenger is waiting outside the vehicle until boarding the vehicle.

[0070] The traffic information providing device can calculate the boarding time of a given passenger using the difference between the time when the passenger boards the vehicle and the time when the passenger gets off the vehicle. Also, based on the position information of a given passenger (for example, the GPS information of the user terminal), the traffic information providing device can calculate the waiting time of the passenger using the difference between the time when the passenger arrives at a specific boarding / alighting point and the time when the passenger boards the vehicle.

[0071] The traffic information providing device determines the moving route of the vehicle based on the passenger movement flow vector, and can determine the final moving route by adjusting the moving route of the vehicle so that the boarding time of the passengers boarding the vehicle is equal to or less than the first threshold value and the waiting time of the passengers waiting for the vehicle is equal to or less than the second threshold value. For example, even if a moving route passing through 10 boarding and alighting points is determined based on the passenger movement flow vector, if there are passengers among the passengers whose boarding time exceeds the first threshold value (for example, 1 hour) or whose waiting time exceeds the second threshold value (for example, 30 minutes), the traffic information providing device can determine the final moving route by removing some of the boarding and alighting points from the moving route.

[0072] In the present disclosure, by determining the moving route of the vehicle in consideration of at least one of the boarding time for each passenger and the waiting time for each passenger in addition to the passenger movement flow vector for each time period, the convenience of the passengers can be improved.

[0073] In one embodiment, the traffic information providing device can update the passenger movement flow vector for each time period at a predetermined time interval. For example, the traffic information providing device can update the passenger movement flow vector at two-hour intervals.

[0074] Further, the traffic information providing device can be set so that the update cycle varies according to the magnitude of the passenger movement flow vector. The larger the number of passengers included in the movement flow, the larger the magnitude of the passenger movement flow vector, and the larger the passenger movement flow vector, the longer the direction of the passenger movement flow vector is maintained.

[0075] Specifically, when the magnitude of the passenger movement flow vector is equal to or greater than the first threshold value and less than the second threshold value, the traffic information providing device can update at the first time interval. Further, when the magnitude of the passenger movement flow vector is equal to or greater than the second threshold value, the traffic information providing device can update at the second time interval. Here, the first time interval may be set shorter than the second time interval.

[0076] For example, referring to FIG. 3A, the traffic information providing device can determine that the magnitude of the first passenger movement flow vector 321 is equal to or greater than a second threshold value, and that the magnitude of the second passenger movement flow vector 322 is equal to or greater than a first threshold value and less than the second threshold value. Thereby, the traffic information providing device can update the first passenger movement flow vector 321 at one-hour intervals and update the second passenger movement flow vector 322 at 30-minute intervals.

[0077] In the present disclosure, by setting the update period to be different according to the magnitude of the passenger movement flow vector, when at least one of the magnitude and direction of the passenger movement flow vector changes in a short period, the passenger movement flow vector can be updated at a period shorter than the reference interval. In the present disclosure, by determining the movement route of the vehicle based on the updated passenger movement flow vector and scheduling the vehicle allocation, more passengers can be moved within a unit time.

[0078] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of generating a boarding and alighting cluster and determining a movement route of a vehicle according to an embodiment.

[0079] The traffic information providing device can cluster a plurality of boarding and alighting points included in a first area where boarding passengers are concentrated during a predetermined time period to generate a boarding cluster 410. Further, the traffic information providing device can cluster a plurality of boarding and alighting points included in a second area where alighting passengers are concentrated during a predetermined time period to generate an alighting cluster 420. The boarding and alighting clusters are determined for each time period, and different areas may be determined as the boarding and alighting clusters when the time period changes.

[0080] Referring to FIG. 4, the traffic information providing device can determine the passenger movement flow vector 430 during the commuting time period (AM7:00 - 9:00) based on the departure / arrival information for each passenger by time period for each of a plurality of boarding and alighting points. At this time, the traffic information providing device can determine the passenger movement flow vector 430 during the commuting time period (AM7:00 - 9:00) using the boarding cluster 410 and the alighting cluster 420.

[0081] Specifically, the traffic information providing device can identify the first area where boarding passengers concentrate during the commuting time period (AM7:00 - 9:00), cluster a plurality of boarding and alighting points included in the first area, and generate the boarding cluster 410. Also, the traffic information providing device can identify the second area where alighting passengers concentrate during the commuting time period (AM7:00 - 9:00), cluster a plurality of boarding and alighting points included in the second area, and generate the alighting cluster 420. The traffic information providing device can determine the passenger movement flow vector 430 indicated by the arrow. Here, the direction of the arrow may be from the boarding cluster 410 to the alighting cluster 420, and the thickness of the arrow may reflect the number of passengers moving from the boarding cluster 410 to the alighting cluster 420.

[0082] In addition, the traffic information providing device can determine the final movement route 431 of the vehicle based on the passenger movement flow vector 430.

[0083] Specifically, the traffic information providing device can determine the final movement route 431 of the vehicle by setting a first movement route that connects a plurality of boarding and alighting points included in the boarding cluster 410, setting a second movement route that connects a plurality of boarding and alighting points included in the alighting cluster 420, and setting a connection route that connects the boarding cluster 410 and the alighting cluster 420. The traffic information providing device can set the first movement route, the second movement route, and the connection route based on criteria such as the shortest time and the shortest distance. Further, the traffic information providing device can set the first movement route, the second movement route, and the connection route by further considering at least one of the boarding time for each passenger and the waiting time for each passenger. However, the determination method is not limited thereto.

[0084] In addition, the traffic information providing device can determine the number of vehicles operating the final movement route 431 in a predetermined time period based on the magnitude of the passenger movement vector 430 and the number of passengers boarding the vehicle.

[0085] In one embodiment, the traffic information providing device can be set such that the update interval of the passenger movement vector inside the boarding and alighting clusters 410, 420 is different from the update interval of the passenger movement vector 430 between the boarding cluster 410 and the alighting cluster 420. Although not shown in FIG. 4, the passenger movement vector can be determined by the movement of passengers even inside the boarding and alighting clusters 410, 420.

[0086] Specifically, the traffic information providing device can determine that the magnitude of the passenger movement vector inside the boarding and alighting clusters 410, 420 is less than a second threshold value, and can update the passenger movement vector at 30 - minute intervals. Further, the traffic information providing device can determine that the magnitude of the passenger movement vector 430 between the boarding cluster 410 and the alighting cluster 420 is greater than or equal to the second threshold value, and can update the passenger movement vector at 1 - hour intervals. For example, the first route and the second route may be updated at 30 - minute intervals, and the connection route may be updated at 1 - hour intervals.

[0087] FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of vehicle allocation considering the number of passengers moving between cluster pairs according to an embodiment.

[0088] By the method described above with reference to FIG. 4, the traffic information providing device can generate a plurality of clusters 510, 520, 530, 540, 550. Referring to FIG. 5, the first cluster 510 and the third cluster 530 correspond to boarding clusters, and the second cluster 520, the fourth cluster 540, and the fifth cluster 550 correspond to alighting clusters.

[0089] The traffic information providing device can match a boarding cluster and an alighting cluster to generate a cluster pair. A boarding cluster and an alighting cluster connected by a passenger movement flow vector can form a cluster pair. One cluster can belong to a plurality of cluster pairs, and one cluster can be determined as a boarding cluster for some of the plurality of clusters and as an alighting cluster for other clusters.

[0090] Referring to FIG. 5, the traffic information providing device can match the first cluster 510 and the fifth cluster 550 to generate a first cluster pair, and match the first cluster 510 and the fourth cluster 540 to generate a second cluster pair. In a similar manner, the traffic information providing device can match the second cluster 520, the fourth cluster 540, and the fifth cluster 550 with the third cluster 530 respectively to generate the third to fifth cluster pairs.

[0091] The traffic information providing device can acquire information on the number of operable vehicles.

[0092] The traffic information providing device can dispatch vehicles by comparing the magnitudes of a plurality of passenger movement flow vectors indicating the number of moving passengers with the number of operable vehicles. When the number of operable vehicles is sufficient, the traffic information providing device can dispatch vehicles to each of all the cluster pairs shown in FIG. 5. The movement route of the vehicle dispatched to the cluster pair can be determined by the direction of the passenger movement flow vector corresponding to the cluster pair. Here, when the number of passengers that can be accommodated differs for each vehicle, the traffic information providing device can dispatch vehicles in consideration of the magnitudes of the passenger movement flow vectors. That is, the larger the passenger movement flow vector, the vehicle with a larger number of passengers that can be accommodated can be dispatched to the movement route.

[0093] On the other hand, when the number of operable vehicles is insufficient, the traffic information providing device can dispatch vehicles to cluster pairs in which the magnitude of the passenger movement flow vector is equal to or greater than a predetermined value in consideration of the number of operable vehicle information. For example, when there are only 2 operable vehicles, the traffic information providing device can dispatch vehicles to the first cluster pair (matching of the first cluster 510 and the fifth cluster 550) and the third cluster pair (matching of the third cluster 530 and the second cluster 520) where the magnitude of the passenger movement flow vector, that is, the thickness of the arrow is thick. Here, when the number of passengers that can be accommodated by the two vehicles differs, the traffic information providing device can dispatch the vehicle that can accommodate more passengers to the first cluster pair.

[0094] In the present disclosure, by dispatching vehicles to cluster pairs in consideration of the number of operable vehicle information, more passengers can be moved within a unit time.

[0095] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a vehicle return method according to an embodiment.

[0096] The traffic information providing device can determine the passenger movement flow vector by time period based on the boarding and alighting position information of a plurality of boarding and alighting points and the boarding and alighting passenger number information by time period considering the time when passengers board and alight at each of the plurality of boarding and alighting points. In the first map 601 of FIG. 6, the passenger movement flow vector 610 in the commuting time period (AM7:00 - 9:00) is shown.

[0097] Referring to the second map 602 of FIG. 6, the traffic information providing device can determine the first movement route 611 of the vehicle based on the passenger movement flow vector 610. The traffic information providing device can determine the first movement route 611 passing through the boarding and alighting points used to determine the passenger movement flow vector 610. On the other hand, as described above, the traffic information providing device can further consider at least one of the boarding time for each passenger and the waiting time for each passenger to determine the movement route of the vehicle.

[0098] Based on the first movement route 611 of the vehicle, the traffic information providing device can identify the departure point 620, the via point 640, and the arrival point 630 from among the plurality of boarding and alighting points.

[0099] Referring to the third map 603 of FIG. 6, an example is shown in which after the vehicle arrives at the arrival point 630 from the departure point 620 via the via point 640 along the first movement route 611, it returns to the departure point 620 again.

[0100] In one embodiment, when the vehicle returns to the departure point 620 after arriving at the arrival point 630, the traffic information providing device can determine the return route 612 of the vehicle so that it immediately returns to the departure point 620 without passing through the via point 640.

[0101] In other embodiments, when the vehicle returns to the departure point 620 after arriving at the arrival point 630, the traffic information providing device can also determine the return route 612 of the vehicle so that it returns to the departure point 620 via at least a part of the via point 640.

[0102] In the present disclosure, when determining the return route 612 of the vehicle, after comparing the number of passenger movements per unit time between the route passing through at least a part of the waypoint 640 and the route directly returning to the departure point 620 without passing through the waypoint 640, the return route 612 of the vehicle can be determined.

[0103] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method for determining a movement route of a vehicle considering a passenger movement flow according to an embodiment.

[0104] Since the method for determining the movement route of the vehicle considering the passenger movement flow shown in FIG. 7 relates to the embodiment described in the above figure, hereinafter, even if the omitted content, the content described in the above figure can also be applied to the method of FIG. 7.

[0105] Referring to FIG. 7, in step 710, the processor can obtain boarding / alighting information for each time period regarding each of a plurality of boarding / alighting points.

[0106] In step 720, the processor can obtain departure / arrival information for each passenger based on the boarding / alighting information for each time period.

[0107] In step 730, the processor can determine at least one passenger movement flow vector for each time period based on the departure / arrival information for each passenger.

[0108] The processor can cluster a plurality of boarding / alighting points included in a first area where boarding passengers are concentrated in a predetermined time period to generate a boarding cluster. Also, the processor can cluster a plurality of boarding / alighting points included in a second area where alighting passengers are concentrated in a predetermined time period to generate an alighting cluster. The processor can determine a passenger movement flow vector for a predetermined time period based on the boarding cluster and the alighting cluster. The processor can determine a passenger movement flow vector for a predetermined time period based on the number of passengers boarding at the boarding cluster and alighting at the alighting cluster.

[0109] The processor can match a boarding cluster and an alighting cluster to generate a plurality of cluster pairs, and can determine the passenger movement flow vector for each of the plurality of cluster pairs. Further, the processor can obtain the number of available vehicles information, and allocate a vehicle to a cluster pair in which the magnitude of the passenger movement flow vector is equal to or greater than a predetermined value in consideration of the number of available vehicles information.

[0110] In step 740, the processor can determine the movement route of the vehicle based on the passenger movement flow vector by time period.

[0111] The plurality of boarding and alighting points may include a first boarding and alighting point and a second boarding and alighting point. The processor can determine the magnitude of the passenger movement flow vector for a predetermined time period based on the number of passengers boarding at the first boarding and alighting point and alighting at the second boarding and alighting point during a predetermined time period. Further, the processor can determine the direction of the passenger movement flow vector for a predetermined time period based on the position information of the first boarding and alighting point and the position information of the second boarding and alighting point.

[0112] In one embodiment, the processor can update the passenger movement flow vector by time period at a predetermined time interval. When the magnitude of the passenger movement flow vector by time period is equal to or greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold, the processor can update it at a first time interval, and when the magnitude of the passenger movement flow vector by time period is equal to or greater than the second threshold, the processor can update it at a second time interval. Here, the first time interval may be set shorter than the second time interval.

[0113] In one embodiment, the processor can further determine the movement route of the vehicle in consideration of at least one of the passenger movement flow vector by time period, the boarding time for each passenger, and the waiting time for each passenger.

[0114] In one embodiment, the processor can identify a departure point, a transit point, and an arrival point from among a plurality of boarding and alighting points based on the movement route of the vehicle. After the vehicle arrives at the arrival point, the processor can determine a return route so that the vehicle returns to the departure point without passing through the transit point.

[0115] FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a traffic information providing apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0116] Referring to FIG. 8, the traffic information providing apparatus 800 may include a communication unit 810, a processor 820, and a DB 830. Only the components related to the embodiment are shown in the traffic information providing apparatus 800 of FIG. 8. Therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that other general-purpose components may be further included in addition to the components shown in FIG. 8.

[0117] The communication unit 810 may include one or more components that enable wired / wireless communication with an external server or an external device. For example, the communication unit 810 may include at least one of a short-range communication unit (not shown), a mobile communication unit (not shown), and a broadcast receiving unit (not shown).

[0118] The DB 830 is hardware that stores various data processed within the traffic information providing apparatus 800, and can store programs for the processing and control of the processor 820. The DB 830 can store payment information, user information, and the like.

[0119] DB830 includes RAM (random access memory) such as DRAM (dynamic random access memory) and SRAM (static random access memory), ROM (read-only memory), EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory), CD-ROM, Blu-ray or other optical disk storage, HDD (hard disk drive), SSD (solid state drive), or flash memory.

[0120] Processor 820 controls the overall operation of traffic information providing device 800. For example, by executing a program stored in DB830, processor 820 can generally control an input unit (not shown), a display (not shown), communication unit 810, DB830, etc. Processor 820 can control the operation of traffic information providing device 800 by executing a program stored in DB830.

[0121] Processor 820 can control at least a part of the operations of the traffic information providing device described above in FIGS. 1 to 7.

[0122] Processor 820 can be implemented using at least one of ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), DSPs (digital signal processors), DSPDs (digital signal processing devices), PLDs (programmable logic devices), FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays), controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, and other electrical units for performing other functions.

[0123] In one embodiment, the traffic information providing device 800 may be an electronic device with mobility. For example, the traffic information providing device 800 can be realized by a smartphone, a tablet PC, a PC, a smart TV, a PDA (personal digital assistant), a laptop, a media player, a navigation device, a device with a camera, and other mobile electronic devices. Also, the traffic information providing device 800 can be realized by a wearable device such as a clock, glasses, a headband, a ring, etc. equipped with a communication function and a data processing function.

[0124] In other embodiments, the traffic information providing device 800 may be an electronic device incorporated into a vehicle. For example, the traffic information providing device 800 may be an electronic device inserted into a vehicle by tuning after the manufacturing process.

[0125] In still other embodiments, the traffic information providing device 800 may be a server located outside the vehicle. The server can be realized by a computer device or a plurality of computer devices that communicate via a network to provide instructions, codes, files, contents, services, etc. The server can receive data necessary to determine the moving route of the vehicle from a device mounted on the vehicle and determine the moving route of the vehicle based on the received data.

[0126] Embodiments according to the present invention can be realized in the form of a computer program executable by various components on a computer, and such a computer program can be recorded on a computer-readable medium. Here, the medium includes magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, magnetic tapes, optical recording media such as CD-ROMs, DVDs, magneto-optical media such as floptical disks, and hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program instructions such as ROMs, RAMs, and flash memories.

[0127] On the one hand, the computer program may be specially designed and configured for the present invention, or it may be known and usable by those skilled in the field of computer software. Examples of computer programs include not only machine language code generated by a compiler, but also high-level language code executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like.

[0128] According to one embodiment, the methods according to various embodiments of the present disclosure can be provided included in a computer program product. The computer program product can be made to be traded between a seller and a purchaser as a commodity. The computer program product can be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)), or TM through an application store (e.g., the App Store ), or directly online between two user devices (e.g., download or upload). In the case of online distribution, at least a part of the computer program product can be at least temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a machine-readable storage medium such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.

[0129] Regarding the steps constituting the method according to the present invention, if there is no clear description of the order or a description to the contrary, the above steps can be performed in an appropriate order. The present invention is not necessarily limited to the order of description of the above steps. The use of all examples or exemplary terms (e.g., etc.) in the present invention is merely for explaining the present invention in detail, and the scope of the present invention is not limited by the above examples or exemplary terms unless otherwise limited by the claims. Also, those skilled in the art will understand that they can be configured according to design conditions and factors within the scope of the claims or their equivalents with various modifications, combinations, and changes added.

[0130] Therefore, the idea of the present invention should not be defined as being limited to the above-described embodiments, and it can be said that not only the appended claims but also all ranges equivalent to or equivalently modified from those claims belong to the scope of the idea of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for determining a vehicle's travel route considering the passenger movement flow, comprising: obtaining boarding / alighting information by time period for each of a plurality of boarding / alighting points; obtaining departure / arrival information for each passenger based on the boarding / alighting information by time period; determining at least one passenger movement flow vector by time period based on the departure / arrival information for each passenger; determining the vehicle's travel route based on the passenger movement flow vector by time period, wherein the method further comprises: updating the passenger movement flow vector by time period at predetermined time intervals, wherein the updating step: updates at a first time interval when the magnitude of the passenger movement flow vector by time period is equal to or greater than a first threshold value and less than a second threshold value, and updates at a second time interval when the magnitude of the passenger movement flow vector by time period is equal to or greater than the second threshold value; the first time interval is different from the second time interval.

2. The plurality of boarding / alighting points includes a first boarding / alighting point and a second boarding / alighting point, wherein the step of determining the passenger movement flow vector by time period: determines the magnitude of the passenger movement flow vector for the predetermined time period based on the number of passengers boarding at the first boarding / alighting point and alighting at the second boarding / alighting point in the predetermined time period; determines the direction of the passenger movement flow vector for the predetermined time period based on the location information of the first boarding / alighting point and the location information of the second boarding / alighting point. The method according to claim 1.

3. The step of determining the passenger movement flow vector by time period: clustering a plurality of boarding / alighting points included in a first area where boarding passengers are concentrated in a predetermined time period to generate a boarding cluster; clustering a plurality of boarding / alighting points included in a second area where alighting passengers are concentrated in the predetermined time period to generate an alighting cluster; determining the passenger movement flow vector for the predetermined time period based on the boarding cluster and the alighting cluster.

4. The step of determining the passenger movement flow vector by time period: matching the boarding cluster and the alighting cluster to generate a plurality of cluster pairs; determining the passenger movement flow vector for each of the plurality of cluster pairs. A step of obtaining the number information of operable vehicles; The method according to claim 3, further comprising a step of dispatching a vehicle to a cluster pair in which the magnitude of the passenger movement flow vector is equal to or greater than a predetermined value in consideration of the number information of the operable vehicles. The method according to claim 1.

5. The step of determining the movement route of the vehicle includes: The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of determining the movement route of the vehicle in further consideration of at least one of the passenger movement flow vectors by time period and the boarding time and waiting time of each passenger.

6. The method includes: Based on the movement route of the vehicle, identifying a departure point, a transit point, and an arrival point from among a plurality of boarding and alighting points; The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of determining a return route so that the vehicle returns to the departure point without passing through the transit point after arriving at the arrival point.

7. In an apparatus for determining a movement route of a vehicle in consideration of a passenger movement flow, A memory storing at least one program; A processor that performs calculations by executing the at least one program, The processor: Obtains boarding and alighting information by time period for each of a plurality of boarding and alighting points; Obtains departure / arrival information for each passenger based on the boarding and alighting information by time period; Determines at least one passenger movement flow vector by time period based on the departure / arrival information for each passenger; Determines the movement route of the vehicle based on the passenger movement flow vector by time period, and the processor further updates the passenger movement flow vector by time period at a predetermined time interval. The updating: Includes updating at a first time interval when the magnitude of the passenger movement flow vector by time period is equal to or greater than a first threshold value and less than a second threshold value, and updating at a second time interval when the magnitude of the passenger movement flow vector by time period is equal to or greater than the second threshold value, The first time interval is different from the second time interval. An apparatus.

8. A computer-readable recording medium recording a program for executing the method according to claim 1 by a computer.

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