Information Processing Apparatus and Information Processing Method

Abstract

To enable efficient vehicle operation.SOLUTION: An information processing device provided herein is configured to: identify that a first vehicle should start moving for a deadhead trip on the basis of an operation schedule generated for the first vehicle for providing a given service; determine a vehicle base to be a deadhead trip destination for the first vehicle from among a plurality of vehicle bases on the basis of availability information and facility information of the plurality of vehicle bases; and instruct the first vehicle to travel to the determined vehicle base.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the provision of services by vehicles.

Background Art

[0002] In a system that provides services to users using a plurality of vehicles, there is a technique for making an appropriate operation plan for the vehicles. In this regard, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a system that predicts the driving distance and power consumption of a vehicle in order to generate a charging plan for an electric vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to efficiently operate a vehicle.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] One aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure is determining, based on an operation plan generated for a first vehicle that provides a predetermined service, that the first vehicle starts moving for redelivery; determining, based on vacancy information and facility information of a plurality of vehicle bases, a vehicle base that becomes the redelivery destination of the first vehicle from among the plurality of vehicle bases; and instructing the first vehicle to move to the determined vehicle base. The information processing apparatus has a control unit that executes the above.

[0006] One aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure is Based on the operation plan generated for the first vehicle that provides a specified service, a first step of determining that the first vehicle starts moving for return transportation; a second step of determining, based on the vacancy information and facility information of a plurality of vehicle bases, a vehicle base among the plurality of vehicle bases that serves as the return destination of the first vehicle; and a third step of instructing the first vehicle to move to the determined vehicle base. An information processing method including these steps.

[0007] Also, as another aspect, there is a program for causing a computer to execute the above method, or a computer-readable storage medium that non-temporarily stores the program.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, the operation of the vehicle can be performed efficiently.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] There is known a transportation system that performs passenger transportation by an autonomous vehicle. In such a system, a server device that manages the operation schedules of a plurality of vehicles generates an operation plan and issues an operation command to the vehicles based on requests from users and a predetermined diagram.

[0011] Vehicles that provide services need to enter the vehicle base as needed and perform tasks such as charging and cleaning. However, since the number of parking spaces and facilities (for example, chargers) available at the vehicle base is limited, if the number of operating vehicles increases, there is a risk that vehicles will not be able to enter the vehicle base. To solve this problem, the server device that manages the operation of the vehicles needs to appropriately assign a vehicle base as the return destination to the vehicles.

[0012] The information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present disclosure determines that the first vehicle starts moving for return based on an operation plan generated for the first vehicle that provides a predetermined service, and determines a vehicle base as the return destination of the first vehicle from among the plurality of vehicle bases based on the vacancy information and equipment information of the plurality of vehicle bases, and has a control unit that instructs the first vehicle to move to the determined vehicle base.

[0013] The predetermined service can include a plurality of services such as, for example, a passenger transportation service, a freight transportation service, a freight storage service, and a mobile store service. The operation plan is the operation schedule of the vehicle. The operation plan includes, for example, a schedule for providing services to demanders and a schedule for preparations for service provision. Examples of preparations for service provision include, for example, return to a vehicle base, cleaning of the vehicle, and charging of the vehicle.

[0014] The control unit determines that the first vehicle starts the return (for example, determines that the timing to start the return has arrived), and determines a vehicle base to be the return destination of the first vehicle from among a plurality of vehicle bases. The return mentioned here is the return for the vehicle to return to the vehicle base. That is, the vehicle base that is the return destination is not specified by the operation plan, and the control unit assigns a vehicle base to be the return destination of the first vehicle at the timing when the first vehicle starts the return. The assignment of the vehicle base can be performed based on, for example, vacancy information of a plurality of vehicle bases and facility information. That is, a vehicle base where parking is possible and that has appropriate facilities is determined as the return destination of the first vehicle. Note that the determination that the first vehicle starts the return may be made based on the operation plan generated by the own device, or may be made based on data received from the first vehicle that is operating according to the operation plan.

[0015] When a vehicle base to be the return destination is assigned in advance to a plurality of vehicles, there is a possibility that the operation as per the prior assignment cannot be performed due to a delay in the schedule or the like. For example, if the schedule of a certain vehicle is delayed and the completion of charging is delayed, there is a possibility that the vehicle that should be charged next cannot enter the warehouse as scheduled. On the other hand, according to the information processing apparatus according to the present disclosure, since the vehicle base is not assigned to the vehicle in advance, even if the operation schedule of the vehicle is delayed or the like, it does not affect the operation schedules of other vehicles.

[0016] Note that multiple vehicle bases may be grouped. The multiple groups may be defined according to, for example, the types of tasks executable at the vehicle bases (such as charging, cleaning, etc.). In this case, the operation plan may only specify the tasks to be executed at the vehicle bases. For example, in the operation plan, only "returning to a chargeable vehicle base" may be specified, and when the vehicle starts to return, the information processing device may assign a chargeable vehicle base.

[0017] In addition, priorities may be assigned to multiple vehicle bases according to the facilities. For example, when the facility is a charging facility, priorities may be assigned according to the charging capacity (output, etc.). Also, for example, when the vehicle base also serves as a parking lot, priorities may be assigned based on the distance from the entrance / exit to the parking space, the time required for loading / unloading, etc.

[0018] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The hardware configurations, module configurations, functional configurations, etc. described in each embodiment are not intended to limit the technical scope of the disclosure only to those, unless otherwise specified.

[0019] (First Embodiment) The outline of the vehicle system according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. The vehicle system according to this embodiment includes a vehicle 10 equipped with an in-vehicle device 300, a user device 100, and a control server 200. There may be a plurality of vehicles 10 (in-vehicle devices 300) included in the system.

[0020] The vehicle 10 is an autonomous driving vehicle capable of providing a predetermined service to a customer. Examples of the predetermined service include, for example, passenger transportation, cargo transportation, cargo storage, provision of a mobile store, provision of a working space, and provision of a sleeping space. The vehicle 10 is configured to be wirelessly communicable with the control server 200 via the in-vehicle device 300 and is autonomously operated based on an instruction from the control server 200.

[0021] A user who wishes to use the service provided by vehicle 10 sends a service request to the control server 200 via the user device 100. The service request includes, for example, the type of service desired (e.g., "taxi"), the location and time at which vehicle 10 is to be dispatched, the destination (if a transportation service is desired), the name of the product (if a store service is desired), and so on.

[0022] This information can be generated and transmitted, for example, by application software for using the vehicle system installed in the user device 100. This information may be generated using a mobile terminal, or may be generated using any terminal connectable to a network (such as a smartphone, mobile phone, tablet terminal, personal information terminal, or wearable computer) or a personal computer.

[0023] Based on the service request transmitted from the user device 100, the control server 200 generates an operation schedule for vehicle 10. The control server 200 has a database for managing the operation schedules of a plurality of vehicles 10, and when the operation schedule of vehicle 10 is updated, the control server 200 updates the database. In this specification, the operation plan and the operation schedule are synonymous. In this specification, the operation plan and the operation schedule are synonymous.

[0024] Furthermore, based on the updated operation schedule, the control server 200 transmits data for instructing the operation of each vehicle (hereinafter referred to as an operation instruction) to the target vehicle 10 (in-vehicle device 300). The operation instruction is data for instructing the vehicle 10 to perform a plurality of tasks, such as "drive to a predetermined point A", "pick up the user", "drive to a predetermined point B", "drop off the user", and "return to the vehicle base". The operation instruction may include a scheduled time for the execution of each task.

[0025] The in-vehicle device 300 receives an operation command from the control server 200. When the vehicle 10 is an autonomous vehicle, the operation command is transmitted to a device mounted on the vehicle 10 that controls autonomous driving. Note that the vehicle 10 may be a manned vehicle. In this case, the operation command is provided to the crew via the in-vehicle device 300.

[0026] In the vehicle system according to the present embodiment, a plurality of user devices 100, a control server 200, and an in-vehicle device 300 are interconnected by a network. As the network, for example, a WAN (Wide Area Network) such as a worldwide public communication network like the Internet or other communication networks may be adopted. Further, the network may include a telephone communication network such as a mobile phone or a wireless communication network such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0027] Each element constituting the system will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the system configuration of the user device 100. The user device 100 is a small computer such as a smartphone, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a personal information terminal, a notebook computer, or a wearable computer (such as a smartwatch). The user device 100 includes a control unit 101, a storage unit 102, a communication unit 103, an input / output unit 104, and a position information acquisition unit 105.

[0028] The control unit 101 is an arithmetic device that controls the operations performed by the user device 100. The control unit 101 can be realized by an arithmetic processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). It can be realized. The control unit 101 is configured to have a request unit 1011 as a functional module. The functional module may be realized by executing a program stored in the storage unit 102 described later by the CPU.

[0029] The request unit 1011 acquires information necessary to request the provision of services by the vehicle from the user of the device, and transmits a service request including the information to the control server 200. The service request includes the type of service desired and details of the service content, etc. For example, when the desired service is a passenger transportation service, examples of the service content can include the desired boarding location, the desired boarding time, the desired alighting location, etc. Also, when the desired service is a mobile vending service, examples of the service content can include the type, identifier, and quantity of the product for which purchase is desired. The service content can vary depending on the type of service. The request unit 1011 acquires this information via the input / output unit 104 described later. The acquired information is transmitted to the control server 200 as a service request. FIG. 3 is an example of a service request generated by the request unit 1011. Also, the request unit 1011 performs a process of finalizing the reservation of the vehicle 10 by interacting with the control server 200.

[0030] The storage unit 102 is configured to include a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. The main storage device is a memory in which programs executed by the control unit 101 and data used by the control programs are expanded. The auxiliary storage device is a device in which programs executed in the control unit 101 and data used by the control programs are stored. The auxiliary storage device may store the programs executed by the control unit 101 packaged as applications. Also, an operating system for executing these applications may be stored. The programs stored in the auxiliary storage device are loaded into the main storage device and executed by the control unit 101, whereby the processes described later are performed.

[0031] The main storage device may include a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a ROM (Read Only Memory). Also, the auxiliary storage device may be an EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM) or a hard It may include a disk drive (HDD, Hard Disk Drive). Furthermore, the auxiliary storage device may include a removable medium, that is, a portable recording medium.

[0032] The communication unit 103 is a wireless communication interface for connecting the user device 100 to a network. The communication unit 103 provides access to the network via, for example, a wireless LAN or mobile communication services such as 3G, LTE, 4G, 5G, etc. The input / output unit 104 is a means for receiving input operations performed by the device user and presenting information. In this embodiment, it consists of a single touch panel display. That is, it is composed of a liquid crystal display and its control means, a touch panel and its control means.

[0033] Next, the configuration of the control server 200 will be described. The control server 200 can be configured as a computer having a processor such as a CPU or GPU, a main storage device such as a RAM or ROM, and an auxiliary storage device such as an EPROM, a hard disk drive, or a removable medium. The auxiliary storage device stores an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, etc., and by executing the programs stored therein, various functions that meet predetermined purposes, as described later, can be realized. However, some or all of the functions may be realized by a hardware circuit such as an ASIC or FPGA. Note that the control server 200 may be configured by a single computer or by a plurality of computers that cooperate with each other.

[0034] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the system configuration of the control server 200. The control server 200 is configured to include a control unit 201, a storage unit 202, and a communication unit 203.

[0035] The control unit 201 is an arithmetic unit that controls the operations performed by the control server 200. The control unit 201 can be realized by an arithmetic processing device such as a CPU. The control unit 201 is configured to include two functional modules: a plan generation unit 2011 and a base point determination unit 2012. Each functional module may be realized by executing a program stored in the auxiliary storage means by the CPU.

[0036] First, the plan generation unit 2011 updates data for managing the operation schedule of the vehicle 10 based on the service request received from the user device 100. Second, the plan generation unit 2011 transmits an operation command to the vehicle 10 based on the operation schedule. In this embodiment, operation data is exemplified as the data for managing the operation schedule of the vehicle 10. The operation data is a set of operation schedules of a plurality of vehicles 10 (which will be described later in the description of the storage unit 202). Specifically, when a service request is transmitted, the plan generation unit 2011 refers to the operation schedule for each vehicle, determines the vehicle 10 that provides the service, and updates the operation schedule of the vehicle. When the operation schedule is determined, the plan generation unit 2011 generates an operation command for operating the vehicle 10 in accordance with the operation schedule, and transmits it to the target vehicle 10.

[0037] FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation schedule of the vehicle 10. FIG. 5(A) is a diagram showing a state where no operation schedule is set for the vehicle 10. In this case, the vehicle 10 is in a standby state at a predetermined vehicle base point. FIG. 5(B) is an example of an operation schedule updated based on a service request for requesting a transportation service. The operation schedule includes a plurality of tasks such as, for example, "standby", "return trip", and "service provision". In this example, the vehicle 10 departs from the vehicle base point at time T1 and heads to the designated location. Also, at time T2, the vehicle picks up the user and provides a transportation service.

[0038] When the provision of the service ends, the vehicle 10 is transported back to the vehicle base for charging. In the present embodiment, the plan generation unit 2011 does not specify in advance the vehicle base to which the vehicle is to be transported back, and at the timing of starting the transportation back, the base determination unit 2012, which will be described later, determines to which vehicle base the vehicle 10 is to be transported back. That is, until the execution of the transportation service is completed, in the operation schedule, only the time zone and the type of vehicle base (for example, "a vehicle base where charging is possible") are specified as shown by reference numeral 501. Therefore, the vehicle base from which the vehicle 10 departs and the vehicle base to which the vehicle 10 returns can be different. The vehicle base to which the vehicle 10 is to be transported back is dynamically determined by the base determination unit 2012 based on, for example, the type of vehicle base, the geographical distance, or the status of the parking space. The detailed process for determining the vehicle base to which the vehicle is to be transported back will be described later.

[0039] When charging is completed at time T3, the vehicle 10 returns to the standby state and becomes capable of responding to another request.

[0040] In the example of FIG. 5, "charging" is exemplified as the task executed at the vehicle base to which the vehicle is transported back. However, the type of task executed at the vehicle base to which the vehicle is transported back and the execution order of the tasks may be determined based on a predetermined rule. For example, a priority may be assigned to each of a plurality of tasks, and based on the priority, the execution order of the tasks executed at the vehicle base may be determined. In the following description, the tasks executed at the vehicle base are referred to as preparation tasks.

[0041] The plan generation unit 2011 may also reflect the actual results in the operation schedule based on the data received from the vehicle 10 (in-vehicle device 300) (hereinafter referred to as vehicle data). For example, the hatched portion in FIG. 5(C) represents the tasks that have already been completed. For a specific vehicle, which tasks have been completed can be determined from the vehicle data received from the vehicle 10 (in-vehicle device 300).

[0042] The base determination unit 2012 determines that there is a vehicle 10 that has finished providing a service (hereinafter also referred to as business) and has started moving towards a vehicle base, and determines the vehicle base that will be the destination for transporting the vehicle.

[0043] FIG. 6(A) is an example of an operation schedule generated for a certain vehicle 10. In this example, two operations indicated by reference numeral 601 and an operation indicated by reference numeral 602 are continuously performed. As described above, in the present embodiment, when the vehicle 10 performs multiple businesses, it is not specified in advance to which vehicle base the vehicle 10 will be transported in the middle. When there is a vehicle 10 that has finished business and started transportation, the base determination unit 2012 assigns a vehicle base that satisfies the following conditions to the vehicle 10. (A) A vehicle base with available parking space (B) A vehicle base with facilities for performing specified preparation tasks (C) A vehicle base at a distance that allows for the start of the next business in time In this example, the base determination unit 2012 searches for a vehicle base where the task of "charging" can be performed, parking is possible, and it is possible to arrive at a specified location by time T3, and assigns it as the waiting location for the vehicle 10. The assignment can be made based on data regarding the availability status for each vehicle base and data defining the tasks that can be performed for each vehicle base (described later).

[0044] FIG. 6(B) is an example of the operation schedule after the base determination unit 2012 has assigned the vehicle base that will be the destination for transporting the vehicle 10.

[0045] The base determination unit 2012 acquires data regarding a plurality of vehicle bases (hereinafter referred to as base data), determines the destination for transporting the vehicle 10 based on this, and modifies the operation schedule. In the present embodiment, the operation command issued by the plan generation unit 2011 does not include the specification of the destination for transportation after the business is completed. The vehicle base that will be the destination for transportation is determined by the base determination unit 2012 at the timing when the vehicle 10 has finished business, and is instructed to the vehicle 10.

[0046] The storage unit 202 includes a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. The main storage device is a memory in which programs executed by the control unit 201 and data used by the control programs are expanded. The auxiliary storage device is a device that stores programs executed in the control unit 201 and data used by the control programs. The storage unit 202 stores operation data 202A, base data 202B, and vehicle data 202C.

[0047] The operation data 202A is data that records the operation schedules of a plurality of vehicles 10. The operation data 202A is, for example, data that represents the operation schedules of the vehicles 10 in time series as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0048] The base data 202B includes data related to a plurality of vehicle bases. FIG. 7 is an example of the base data 202B. The base data is data that associates an identifier of a vehicle base, position information of the vehicle base, occupancy information (information on the availability of parking spaces), types of preparatory tasks that can be executed, and facility information. The facility information is information related to details of facilities (for example, charging facilities) for executing preparatory tasks. The base data 202B can also be said to be data that groups a plurality of vehicle bases according to preparatory tasks that can be executed. By referring to the base data 202B, it is possible to determine to which vehicle base the vehicle 10 should be returned in order to execute a predetermined preparatory task. Note that the occupancy information may be periodically acquired from an external device that manages the availability of parking spaces.

[0049] The vehicle data 202C is a set of vehicle data received from the vehicle 10 (in-vehicle device 300). As described above, the vehicle data is data that represents the current situation of the vehicle 10. FIG. 8 is an example of vehicle data. The vehicle data includes an identifier of vehicle 10, date and time information, position information of vehicle 10, and a processing status of a task (for example, which of a plurality of given tasks has been completed or which is currently being executed). The processing status of the task may include a delay time from a scheduled schedule.

[0050] The communication unit 203 is a communication interface for connecting the control server 200 to the network. The communication unit 203 includes, for example, a network interface board and a wireless communication circuit for wireless communication.

[0051] Here, the flow of the processing executed by the plan generation unit 2011 and the base determination unit 2012 described above will be described in more detail.

[0052] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the flow of processing for determining the operation schedule of vehicle 10 based on a service request and instructing the vehicle 10 to operate. Based on the service request received from the user device 100, the plan generation unit 2011 determines vehicle 10 that provides the service. Vehicle 10 that provides the service can be determined based on the operation data 202A. For example, when the requested service is a transportation service, the plan generation unit 2011 schedules a series of tasks such as "going from the vehicle base to a specified location, providing a transportation service, returning to the vehicle base again, and charging" and determines vehicle 10 capable of doing so. When there is vehicle 10 that can schedule a series of tasks, the operation schedule shown in FIG. 5(A) is updated as shown in FIG. 5(B). When the operation schedule is determined, the plan generation unit 2011 generates a corresponding operation command and transmits the operation command to the in-vehicle device 300 mounted on the target vehicle 10.

[0053] Figure 10 shows an example of an operation instruction. As shown in the figure, the operation instruction includes a plurality of tasks to be executed by vehicle 10. Each task may be associated with a scheduled start time, a scheduled end time, or a deadline time. As described above, at the stage when the operation schedule is determined, it is not specified which vehicle base vehicle 10 will return to after business hours (reference numeral 1001).

[0054] Returning to FIG. 9, the description will be continued. The plan generation unit 2011 can periodically receive vehicle data from vehicle 10 (in-vehicle device 300) and update the operation schedule based on this. For example, the plan generation unit 2011 may determine that the operation schedule of vehicle 10 is delayed based on the vehicle data received from vehicle 10. Whether the schedule is delayed can be determined, for example, based on the processing status of the tasks included in the vehicle data. If the operation schedule is delayed, the plan generation unit 2011 may modify or regenerate the operation schedule in order to recover from the delay. In addition, if it is impossible to recover from the delay or if the subsequent schedule is delayed as a result, the plan generation unit 2011 may send a notice to that effect to the system administrator or the user device 100.

[0055] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the process flow in which the base determination unit 2012 determines the vehicle base to which vehicle 10 is to be towed, modifies the operation schedule of vehicle 10, and instructs vehicle 10 of the determined vehicle base.

[0056] The base determination unit 2012 determines that vehicle 10 has ended business (that is, it is at the timing to start towing) based on the vehicle data received from vehicle 10. The base determination unit 2012 refers to the operation data 202A and the base data 202B, and extracts a vehicle base that satisfies all of the following conditions. (A) There is an available parking space (B) There is equipment (e.g., charging equipment) for executing the specified preparation task (C) At a distance that allows for the start of the next operation In addition, in order to determine the above (C), the base determination unit 2012 may calculate the time required for round-trip transportation and the time required for preparation tasks. The time required for preparation tasks can be calculated based on, for example, the current charge level, the target charge level, the cleaning status, etc. of the vehicle 10. In addition, when there are multiple specified preparation tasks (for example, charging and cleaning, etc.), all vehicle bases capable of executing them are the targets of extraction.

[0057] When the vehicle base to be the return destination is determined, the base determination unit 2012 updates the operation data 202A based on the determination and transmits an operation command instructing the return to the vehicle 10. The operation command includes the identifier of the vehicle base to be the return destination. In addition, when it is impossible to allocate the vehicle base to be the return destination, the base determination unit 2012 may transmit a notice to that effect to the system administrator or the like.

[0058] Next, the configuration of the in-vehicle device 300 will be described. The in-vehicle device 300 is a computer mounted on the vehicle 10. The in-vehicle device 300 exchanges information related to operation by communicating with the control server 200. The in-vehicle device 300 may also serve as a device that provides information to the crew or passengers of the vehicle 10. In addition, the in-vehicle device 300 may be an electronic control unit (ECU) that the vehicle platform has. In addition, the in-vehicle device 300 may be a data communication module (DCM) having a communication function. The in-vehicle device 300 has a function of performing wireless communication with an external network. The in-vehicle device 300 may have a function of downloading traffic information, road map data, etc. by communicating with the external network.

[0059] The in-vehicle device 300 can be configured as a computer having a processor such as a CPU or GPU, a main storage device such as a RAM or ROM, and an auxiliary storage device such as an EPROM, a hard disk drive, or a removable medium. The auxiliary storage device stores an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, etc., and by executing the programs stored therein, various functions that meet a predetermined purpose, as described later, can be realized. However, some or all of the functions may be realized by a hardware circuit such as an ASIC or FPGA.

[0060] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the components of the in-vehicle device 300 in detail. The in-vehicle device 300 is configured to include a control unit 301, a storage unit 302, a communication unit 303, and an input / output unit 304.

[0061] The control unit 301 is an arithmetic unit that realizes various functions of the in-vehicle device 300 by executing a predetermined program. The control unit 301 may be realized by, for example, a CPU or the like. The control unit 301 may realize its function by executing the stored program by the CPU.

[0062] The control unit 301 acquires or generates data related to the operation of the vehicle 10 (vehicle data) at a predetermined timing and transmits it to the control server 200. The vehicle data includes, for example, position information, the processing state of tasks, and the like. Also, the control unit 301 has a function of acquiring position information via a GPS module or the like.

[0063] The storage unit 302 is a means for storing information and is composed of a storage medium such as a RAM, a magnetic disk, or a flash memory. The storage unit 302 stores various programs executed by the control unit 301, data used by the programs, and the like.

[0064] The communication unit 303 includes an antenna and a communication module for performing wireless communication. The antenna is an antenna element that inputs and outputs wireless signals. In this embodiment, the antenna is suitable for mobile communication (for example, mobile communication such as 3G, LTE, 5G, etc.). Note that the antenna may be configured to include a plurality of physical antennas. For example, when performing mobile communication using radio waves in a high-frequency band such as microwaves or millimeter waves, a plurality of antennas may be distributed and arranged to achieve communication stabilization. The communication module is a module for performing mobile communication.

[0065] The input / output unit 304 is a means for receiving the input operation and presenting information. In this embodiment, it consists of a single touch panel display. That is, it is composed of a liquid crystal display and its control means, and a touch panel and its control means.

[0066] Note that the configurations shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and 12 are examples, and all or part of the illustrated functions may be executed using a dedicatedly designed circuit. Also, storage or execution of the program may be performed by a combination of a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device other than those illustrated.

[0067] Next, the processing executed by each device will be described. FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram of the process in which the control server 200 receives a service request. The illustrated process is started based on the operation of the user.

[0068] First, in step S11, the user device 100 (request unit 1011) generates a service request. In this step, the user is made to input the service to be requested and data regarding the content thereof via a predetermined interface. The service request includes the type of the desired service and the details of the service, etc. For example, when the desired service is a passenger transportation service, examples of the service details can include the pick-up location, the pick-up time, the drop-off location, etc. Also, when the desired service is a mobile vending service, examples of the service details can include the type, identifier, and quantity of the product to be purchased. The request unit 1011 transmits the generated service request to the control server 200 (the plan generation unit 2011).

[0069] In step S12, the control server 200 (the plan generation unit 2011) determines the vehicle 10 that provides the service based on the operation data 202A and generates its operation schedule. The vehicle 10 that provides the service can be determined based on the time required to provide the requested service and the attributes of the vehicle 10, etc. When the operation schedule is determined, the plan generation unit 2011 generates a corresponding operation command and transmits the operation command to the in-vehicle device 300 mounted on the target vehicle 10. Also, the plan generation unit 2011 transmits the reservation result to the user device 100, and the request unit 1011 outputs this (step S13). Thereby, the user can confirm that the reservation of the vehicle 10 is established. Also, the in-vehicle device 300 transmits the operation command to the device that controls autonomous driving or provides it to the crew. Thereby, the operation of the vehicle 10 is started.

[0070] Figure 14 is a sequence diagram of the process in which the in-vehicle device 300 and the control server 200 transmit and receive vehicle data. The illustrated process is repeatedly executed by the control unit 301 at a predetermined cycle during the operation of the vehicle 10. In this example, it is assumed that the in-vehicle device 300 transmits vehicle data at a predetermined cycle, but the transmission of vehicle data may be performed only at the timing when a predetermined event occurs. Examples of such timing include, for example, the timing when the vehicle 10 starts a new task, the timing when the task being executed by the vehicle 10 is completed, or the timing when the vehicle 10 arrives at a predetermined spot.

[0071] First, in step S21, the in-vehicle device 300 determines whether a predetermined transmission cycle has arrived. If the predetermined cycle (for example, every minute) has arrived, the process transitions to step S22. If the predetermined cycle has not arrived, it waits for a predetermined time and repeats the process. In step S22, the in-vehicle device 300 generates vehicle data. The generated vehicle data is transmitted to the control server 200.

[0072] In step S23, the control server 200 (planning generation unit 2011) determines, based on the vehicle data transmitted from the in-vehicle device 300, that the vehicle 10 is at the timing to start the return trip. Note that for the return trip, there is the return trip for returning to the vehicle base after business hours and the return trip for going from the vehicle base to a designated location for business, and here, the former is the target. If the timing for the vehicle 10 to start the return trip has arrived, the process transitions to step S24. In step S24, the base determination unit 2012 refers to the operation data 202A and determines the preparation tasks to be executed by the vehicle 10. In this step, based on the preparation tasks (for example, charging) to be executed by the vehicle 10, the facilities (for example, charging facilities) that the vehicle base at the return destination should have are determined. Also, a vehicle base that has the said facilities and where parking is possible is selected. The selection of the vehicle base can be performed based on the conditions (A) to (C) described above.

[0073] When the vehicle base as the return destination is selected, the base determination unit 2012 updates the operation schedule of the vehicle 10 to return the vehicle 10 to the selected vehicle base. Also, an operation command for the vehicle 10 is generated and transmitted to the vehicle 10 (in-vehicle device 300). The said operation command includes data specifying the determined vehicle base.

[0074] In addition to the processing shown in FIG. 14, the control server 200 may execute processing for modifying the operation schedule of the vehicle 10 (for example, processing for recovering a delay by changing the period of a preparation task when a delay occurs in the schedule, etc.) based on the received vehicle data.

[0075] As described above, in the vehicle system according to the first embodiment, at the timing when the vehicle 10 starts the tow, the control server 200 determines the vehicle base to be the tow destination. If the vehicle bases to be the tow destinations are pre-assigned to a plurality of vehicles, there is a possibility that the operation according to the pre-assignment cannot be performed due to a schedule delay or the like. However, according to this embodiment, it becomes possible to appropriately assign vehicle bases according to the situation.

[0076] (Second Embodiment) In the first embodiment, the control server 200 determined the vehicle base to be the tow destination of the first vehicle according to the facilities that the vehicle base has. For example, when the vehicle 10 needs to be charged, the tow destination of the vehicle 10 was determined from among the group of vehicle bases having charging facilities.

[0077] On the other hand, even for vehicle bases that can execute the same preparation task, there may be differences in their facilities. For example, when executing a preparation task such as charging, there may be cases where a vehicle base capable of rapid charging and a vehicle base capable of normal charging are available. Also, there can be charging methods such as a plug-in method that requires manual operation and a non-contact method that enables unmanned charging. The second embodiment is an embodiment in which priorities are given to a plurality of vehicle bases according to the facilities that the vehicle bases have, and the vehicle base to be the tow destination is determined based on the priorities.

[0078] FIG. 15 shows an example of the base data 202B stored in the storage unit 202 in the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, information on the facilities available at the vehicle base and priorities are associated with the base data 202B. In this example, the type of charger is illustrated as the information on the facilities. Also, in this example, values corresponding to the types of facilities are illustrated as the priorities. Here, the highest priority is given to the vehicle base having a non-contact rapid charger.

[0079] In the second embodiment, in step S24, when a plurality of vehicle bases are selectable, the vehicle base to be the return destination is selected based further on the priorities. For example, the vehicle base with the highest priority is selected from among the available vehicle bases. According to such a configuration, it becomes possible to select the most suitable vehicle base for the vehicle 10.

[0080] Note that which vehicle base is suitable as the return destination may vary depending on the attributes of the vehicle 10. For example, when the vehicle 10 is an unmanned vehicle and needs to be charged, a vehicle base having a non-contact charger that allows unmanned charging is suitable. On the other hand, when the vehicle 10 is a manned vehicle, a vehicle base having a plug-in charger may be selected. Also, when there is room in the operation schedule of the vehicle 10, it may be better to perform normal charging rather than rapid charging. Therefore, the priorities may be dynamically changed according to the attributes and situation of the vehicle 10. That is, the definition of the priorities is not limited to being fixed as shown in FIG. 15. Examples of the attributes and situation of the vehicle 10 include the availability of autonomous driving, the current charge level, the target charge level, the degree of delay from the schedule, the time until the next schedule, and the relative position with respect to the vehicle base.

[0081] Also, in this example, a charging facility is illustrated as the facility available at the vehicle base, but the facility available at the vehicle base may be other than this. For example, the types of parking lots at vehicle bases can include flat, multi-story, mechanical, etc. For example, for vehicle 10 with little time margin until the next schedule, it is preferable to preferentially allocate a vehicle base with a flat parking space that has no time for entry and exit. Also, for vehicle 10 with a time margin until the next schedule, a vehicle base with a mechanical parking space may be allocated. Thus, the priority may be assigned according to the type of parking lot at the vehicle base.

[0082] Also, when multiple vehicle bases with the same priority are selectable, the vehicle base for return transportation may be determined based on distance or required time. For example, the vehicle base closest to vehicle 10, the vehicle base that can be reached in the shortest time, or the vehicle base with the shortest driving distance until the next business starts may be selected.

[0083] (Modification example) The above embodiments are merely examples, and the present disclosure can be appropriately modified and implemented without departing from the gist thereof. For example, the processes and means described in the present disclosure can be freely combined and implemented as long as no technical contradiction occurs.

[0084] Also, in the description of the embodiment, an example of on-demand operation of vehicle 10 in response to a request from a customer is given, but vehicle 10 may have a predetermined operation schedule and operation route.

[0085] In the description of the embodiment, the timing at which the vehicle 10 starts the return trip is determined based on the data (vehicle data) received from the vehicle 10. However, the timing at which the vehicle 10 starts the return trip may be determined based on other data. For example, the control server 200 may determine that the timing for a certain vehicle 10 to end its business has arrived based on the operation schedule recorded in the operation data 202A. Further, the control server 200 may determine that the user has gotten off the vehicle 10 (that is, the business of the vehicle 10 has ended) based on the data received from the terminal possessed by the user.

[0086] Also, the processes described as being performed by one device may be shared and executed by a plurality of devices. Alternatively, the processes described as being performed by different devices may be executed by one device. In a computer system, it is possible to flexibly change how each function is realized by a hardware configuration (server configuration). It doesn't matter. In a computer system, it is possible to flexibly change how each function is realized by a hardware configuration (server configuration).

[0087] The present disclosure can also be realized by supplying a computer program that implements the functions described in the above embodiments to a computer and having one or more processors included in the computer read and execute the program. Such a computer program may be provided to the computer by a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium connectable to the system bus of the computer, or may be provided to the computer via a network. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium includes, for example, any type of disk such as a magnetic disk (floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk drive (HDD), etc.), an optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD disk, Blu-ray disk, etc.), a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an EPROM, an EEPROM, a magnetic card, a flash memory, an optical card, and any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0088] 10 ··· Vehicle 100 ··· User device 200 ··· Control server 300 ··· In-vehicle device 101, 201, 301 ··· Control unit 102, 202, 302 ··· Memory unit 103, 203, 303 ··· Communication unit 104, 304 ··· Input / output unit 105 ··· Position information acquisition unit

Claims

1. Determining a timing at which it is possible to start moving for return after the first vehicle has finished providing the service, based on data received from the first vehicle that provides a predetermined service; After the determined timing, determining, from among the plurality of vehicle bases, a vehicle base to be the return destination of the first vehicle, based on an operation plan generated for the first vehicle, vacancy information of the plurality of vehicle bases, and facility information; Instructing the first vehicle to move to the determined vehicle base; An information processing apparatus having a control unit that executes the above.

2. Each of the plurality of vehicle bases belongs to one of a plurality of groups; The operation plan includes information specifying a group corresponding to the return destination of the first vehicle; The control unit determines the vehicle base to be the return destination of the first vehicle from among the vehicle bases belonging to the specified group. The information processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

3. The plurality of groups are defined according to the types of tasks that can be executed at the vehicle bases; The operation plan includes a specification of a task to be executed at the vehicle base. The information processing apparatus according to Claim 2.

4. The operation plan is shared with the first vehicle and does not include information specifying the vehicle base that is the return destination of the first vehicle. The information processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

5. A priority according to the facility is assigned to the plurality of vehicle bases; The control unit determines the vehicle base to be the return destination of the first vehicle based on the priority. The information processing apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 4.

6. The control unit selects, as the return destination of the first vehicle, a vehicle base that has a vacancy in the parking lot and has the facility with the highest priority from among the plurality of vehicle bases. The information processing apparatus according to Claim 5.

7. The plurality of vehicle bases are vehicle bases having charging facilities; The priority is defined according to the charging capacity of the charging facilities. The information processing apparatus according to Claim 5.

8. The plurality of vehicle bases are vehicle bases having charging facilities; The priority is defined according to the type of the charging facilities. The information processing apparatus according to Claim 5.

9. The priority is defined according to the type of the parking lot. The information processing apparatus according to Claim 6.

10. When there are a plurality of vehicle bases with the same priority, the control unit determines the vehicle base to be the return destination of the first vehicle based on the distance from the first vehicle. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6.

11. A first step of determining a timing at which the first vehicle can start moving for return after finishing providing the service based on data received from the first vehicle that provides a predetermined service; A second step of determining, from among the plurality of vehicle bases, a vehicle base to be the return destination of the first vehicle based on an operation plan generated for the first vehicle, vacancy information of the plurality of vehicle bases, and facility information after the determined timing; A third step of instructing the first vehicle to move to the determined vehicle base; An information processing method including the above.

12. Each of the plurality of vehicle bases belongs to one of a plurality of groups, the operation plan includes information specifying a group corresponding to the return destination of the first vehicle, in the second step, the vehicle base to be the return destination of the first vehicle is determined from among the vehicle bases belonging to the specified group. The information processing method according to claim 11.

13. The plurality of groups are defined according to the types of tasks executable at the vehicle base, the operation plan includes a specification of a task to be executed at the vehicle base. The information processing method according to claim 12.

14. The operation plan is shared with the first vehicle and does not include information specifying the vehicle base that is the return destination of the first vehicle. The information processing method according to claim 11.

15. A priority according to the equipment is assigned to the plurality of vehicle bases, based on the priority, the vehicle base to be the return destination of the first vehicle is determined. The information processing method according to any one of claims 11 to 14.

16. In the second step, from among the plurality of vehicle bases, a vehicle base that has a vacancy in the parking lot and has the facility with the highest priority is selected as the return destination of the first vehicle. The information processing method according to claim 15.

17. The plurality of vehicle bases are vehicle bases having charging facilities, the priority is defined according to the charging capacity of the charging facilities. The information processing method according to claim 15.

18. The plurality of vehicle bases are vehicle bases having charging facilities, The priority is defined according to the type of the charging facilities, The information processing method according to claim 15.

19. The priority is defined according to the type of the parking lot, The information processing method according to claim 16.

20. When there are a plurality of vehicle bases with the same priority, In the second step, based on the distance from the first vehicle, the vehicle base to which the first vehicle is to be towed is determined, The information processing method according to claim 15.

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