Delivery Support Device, System, and Delivery Support Method

Abstract

To prevent quality deterioration of articles being transported.SOLUTION: A delivery support device 20 disclosed herein supports delivery of one or more articles. The delivery support device 20 comprises a control unit configured to acquire temperature data indicating temperature of each of the one or more articles, and adjust a delivery order for the one or more articles according to temperatures indicated by the acquired temperature data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a delivery support device, a system, and a delivery support method.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for delivering packages to a plurality of delivery destinations in two stages using a road vehicle and an autonomous delivery vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When the temperature rises during the transportation of goods such as frozen foods, for example, the goods may thaw, etc., and the quality may deteriorate.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to be able to suppress the quality deterioration of goods during transportation.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The delivery support device according to the present disclosure is a delivery support device for supporting the delivery of one or more goods, comprising a control unit that acquires temperature data indicating the temperature of each of the one or more goods, and adjusts the delivery order of the one or more goods according to the temperature indicated by the acquired temperature data.

[0007] The delivery support method according to the present disclosure is a delivery support method for supporting the delivery of one or more goods, The control unit obtains temperature data indicating the temperature of each of the one or more articles, and adjusts the delivery order of the one or more articles according to the temperature indicated by the obtained temperature data. including.

Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, quality deterioration of articles during transportation is suppressed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] In each figure, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the description of this embodiment, the description of the same or corresponding parts will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0012] Referring to FIG. 1, the configuration of the system 10 according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0013] The system 10 according to the present embodiment includes at least one delivery support device 20, at least one second vehicle 30, at least one first vehicle 40, and at least one terminal device 50. The delivery support device 20 can communicate with the second vehicle 30, the first vehicle 40, and the terminal device 50 via the network 60.

[0014] The delivery support device 20 is installed in a facility such as a data center and is operated by an operator who manages the system 10. The operator is, for example, a delivery operator who receives articles such as luggage from customers and delivers them to a delivery destination designated as the destination. The delivery support device 20 is a computer such as a server belonging to a cloud computing system or other computing system.

[0015] The first vehicle 40 is, for example, an automobile of any type such as a gasoline vehicle, a diesel vehicle, a hydrogen vehicle, an HEV, a PHEV, a BEV, or an FCEV. "HEV" is an abbreviation for hybrid electric vehicle. "PHEV" is an abbreviation for plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. "BEV" is an abbreviation for battery electric vehicle. "FCEV" is an abbreviation for fuel cell electric vehicle. The first vehicle 40 is an AV in the present embodiment, but may be driven by a driver or may be automated at any level. "AV" is an abbreviation for autonomous vehicle. The level of automation is, for example, any one of levels 1 to 5 in the SAE level classification. "SAE" is an abbreviation for Society of Automotive Engineers. The first vehicle 40 may be a vehicle dedicated to MaaS. "MaaS" is an abbreviation for Mobility as a Service.

[0016] In this embodiment, the first vehicle 40 transports one or more articles. The one or more articles include items that require temperature control to maintain their quality. Items that require temperature control to maintain their quality are, for example, frozen foods. The first vehicle 40 is provided with a temperature sensor TS1 that detects the temperature of the articles mounted on the first vehicle 40. The first vehicle 40 loads the articles sent from the sender and transports them to an intermediate delivery point. In this embodiment, the intermediate delivery point is a place where the articles are handed over from the first vehicle 40 to the second vehicle 30. Specifically, the intermediate delivery point is the waiting place of the second vehicle 30 in the apartment complex. Alternatively, the intermediate delivery point is an intermediate distribution center where the articles to be delivered are temporarily stored. At the intermediate delivery point, the articles are handed over from the first vehicle 40 to the second vehicle 30.

[0017] The second vehicle 30 is a logistics robot that autonomously delivers articles. The second vehicle 30 includes any delivery vehicle that moves between waypoints by autonomous driving. The second vehicle 30 may be, for example, a humanoid robot. Alternatively, the second vehicle 30 may be any unmanned aerial vehicle that autonomously flies, such as a drone. The second vehicle 30 may be positioned as a second vehicle with respect to the first vehicle 40. The second vehicle 30 may be, for example, an in-building logistics robot installed in an apartment complex such as a condominium or an apartment, and specialized in delivering articles to each residence (each household) within the apartment complex.

[0018] One or more terminal devices 50 are held by one or more users, or installed at any location such as the user's home, and used by the user. The terminal device 50 is, for example, a mobile device such as a mobile phone, a smartphone, or a tablet, or a PC. "PC" is an abbreviation for personal computer. In the present embodiment, the user is the addressee of the article, but the user may be the sender of the article. Alternatively, the user may be the administrator of the system 10. When the user is the administrator of the system 10, the terminal device 50 may be installed in the management room of the system 10 and used by the one or more users. Alternatively, the terminal device 50 installed in the management room may be shared by two or more users.

[0019] In the present embodiment, the second vehicle 30 loads the articles delivered from the first vehicle 40 and autonomously delivers the articles to the delivery destinations of the respective articles. In the present embodiment, the delivery destination is the door of the addressee for each article. When the second vehicle 30 arrives at the delivery destination of a certain article, the second vehicle 30 delivers the article to the addressee of the article.

[0020] The network 60 includes the Internet, at least one WAN, at least one MAN, or any combination thereof. "WAN" is an abbreviation for wide area network. "MAN" is an abbreviation for metropolitan area network. The network 60 may include at least one wireless network, at least one optical network, or any combination thereof. The wireless network is, for example, an ad hoc network, a cellular network, a wireless LAN, a satellite communication network, or a terrestrial microwave network. "LAN" is an abbreviation for local area network.

[0021] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the outline of the present embodiment will be described.

[0022] In the system shown in FIG. 1, a delivery support device 20 that supports the delivery of one or more articles acquires temperature data D1 for each of the one or more articles. The temperature data D1 is data indicating the temperature of each article. The delivery support device 20 adjusts the delivery order of the one or more articles according to the temperature indicated by the acquired temperature data D1.

[0023] According to the present embodiment, the delivery order of the articles can be determined based on the information indicating the temperature of each article. Therefore, for example, articles that require temperature control to maintain quality, such as fresh food or frozen food, can be delivered prior to other articles. Thus, deterioration of the quality of the articles during transportation is suppressed.

[0024] In the present embodiment, in the system 10, one or more articles are delivered to a residence (unit) within a condominium (apartment, mansion, etc.). With reference to FIG. 2, the basic procedure until the article P1 addressed to the resident of the residence 132 and the article P2 addressed to the resident of the residence 111 within the condominium 100 are delivered to their respective addressees will be described.

[0025] In FIG. 2, the condominium 100 has a plurality of residences 111, 112, 121, 122, 131, 132. Further, within the facilities of the condominium 100, a second vehicle 30 for delivering articles to each residence is permanently installed. The condominium 100 includes a standby space 101 where the second vehicle 30 waits. In FIG. 2, one second vehicle 30 is illustrated, but the number of second vehicles 30 is not limited to one, and a plurality of second vehicles 30i to 30n may be permanently installed.

[0026] In this embodiment, the delivery process of delivering one or more articles includes a first delivery process in which one or more articles are transported by the first vehicle 40, and a second delivery process in which one or more articles are transferred from the first vehicle 40 to a second vehicle 30 different from the first vehicle 40 and transported by the second vehicle 30. More specifically, the first delivery process is a process from when one or more articles are loaded onto the first vehicle 40 until they are transported by the first vehicle 40 to an intermediate delivery point and transferred from the first vehicle 40 to the second vehicle 30 at the intermediate delivery point. The second delivery process is a process from when one or more articles are transferred to the second vehicle 30 until they are transported by the second vehicle 30 to the respective destinations of the one or more articles and transferred to the respective addressees of the one or more articles.

[0027] Based on a command from the delivery support device 20, the first vehicle 40 loads one or more articles and moves to the apartment complex 100. The one or more articles include article P1 and article P2. In addition to the articles to be delivered to the apartment complex 100, the first vehicle 40 may also be loaded with articles for another house to be delivered collectively.

[0028] The first vehicle 40 arrives at the waiting space 101 of the apartment complex 100 and transfers one or more articles including article P1 and article P2 to the second vehicle 30 waiting in the waiting space 101. In this embodiment, the waiting space 101 where the second vehicle 30 waits serves as the intermediate delivery point. In this embodiment, the intermediate delivery point is a place where each article is transferred from the first vehicle 40 to the second vehicle 30. The transfer of each article is performed using at least one of the drive unit provided in the first vehicle 40 or the drive unit 37 provided in the second vehicle 30. The drive unit provided in the first vehicle 40 or the drive unit 37 provided in the second vehicle 30 includes at least one of an arm mechanism driven by a motor and a slide mechanism capable of linearly sliding the article. Alternatively, the transfer of each article may be performed by an operator who has come onto the first vehicle 40.

[0029] The delivery support device 20 transmits operation route information indicating the operation route when transporting each article to the second vehicle 30. Specifically, the operation route is the route from the standby space 101 to the destinations of article P1 and article P2. In the present embodiment, for article P1 sent with the resident of house 132 as the addressee, house 132 is registered as the destination of article P1. Similarly, for article P2 sent with the resident of house 111 as the addressee, house 111 is registered as the destination of article P2. In the present embodiment, the operation route is the route from the standby space 101 where the second vehicle 30 is waiting, via house 132 which is the destination of article P1 and house 111 which is the destination of article P2. Alternatively, when the second vehicle 30 is at a location other than the standby space 101, the operation route may be, for example, the route from the location where the second vehicle 30 is to the destination for each article.

[0030] The second vehicle 30 moves self - propelled within the apartment complex 100 and transports each article according to the operation route indicated by the operation route information transmitted from the delivery support device 20. The method for determining the operation route by the delivery support device 20 will be described later. The second vehicle 30 transports article P1 to house 132 within the apartment complex 100 according to the operation route indicated by the operation route information transmitted from the delivery support device 20. The second vehicle 30 transports article P2 to house 111 within the apartment complex 100 according to the operation route indicated by the operation route information transmitted from the delivery support device 20. The method of delivering the article by the second vehicle 30 may be so - called drop - off delivery where the article is placed in front of the destination house. However, when the second vehicle 30 is provided with an output unit 35 described later, it is desirable to notify the arrival of the article to the addressee by voice or the like and directly hand over the article to the addressee. In this way, article P1 and article P2 are delivered to their respective addressees.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 3, the configuration of the delivery support device 20 according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0032] The delivery support device 20 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a communication unit 23.

[0033] The control unit 21 includes at least one processor, at least one programmable circuit, at least one dedicated circuit, or any combination thereof. The processor is a general-purpose processor such as a CPU or GPU, or a dedicated processor specialized for specific processing. "CPU" is an abbreviation for central processing unit. "GPU" is an abbreviation for graphics processing unit. The programmable circuit is, for example, an FPGA. "FPGA" is an abbreviation for field-programmable gate array. The dedicated circuit is, for example, an ASIC. "ASIC" is an abbreviation for application specific integrated circuit. While controlling each part of the delivery support device 20, the control unit 21 executes processing related to the operation of the delivery support device 20.

[0034] The storage unit 22 includes at least one semiconductor memory, at least one magnetic memory, at least one optical memory, or a combination of at least two of these. The semiconductor memory is, for example, a RAM or a ROM. "RAM" is an abbreviation for random access memory. "ROM" is an abbreviation for read only memory. The RAM is, for example, an SRAM or a DRAM. "SRAM" is an abbreviation for static random access memory. "DRAM" is an abbreviation for dynamic random access memory. The ROM is, for example, an EEPROM. "EEPROM" is an abbreviation for electrically erasable programmable read only memory. The storage unit 22 functions as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 22 stores data used for the operation of the delivery support device 20 and data obtained by the operation of the delivery support device 20.

[0035] The communication unit 23 includes at least one communication interface. The communication interface is, for example, a LAN interface. The communication unit 23 communicates with one or more second vehicles 30, one or more first vehicles 40, and one or more terminal devices 50. The communication unit 23 receives data used for the operation of the delivery support device 20 and transmits data obtained by the operation of the delivery support device 20.

[0036] The functions of the delivery support device 20 are realized by executing the program according to the present embodiment with a processor as the control unit 21. That is, the functions of the delivery support device 20 are realized by software. The program causes a computer to execute the operation of the delivery support device 20, thereby causing the computer to function as the delivery support device 20. That is, the computer functions as the delivery support device 20 by executing the operation of the delivery support device 20 according to the program.

[0037] The program can be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The non-transitory computer-readable medium is, for example, a flash memory, a magnetic recording device, an optical disk, a magneto-optical recording medium, or a ROM. The distribution of the program is performed, for example, by selling, transferring, or lending a portable medium such as an SD card, a DVD, or a CD-ROM storing the program. "SD" is an abbreviation for Secure Digital. "DVD" is an abbreviation for digital versatile disc. "CD-ROM" is an abbreviation for compact disc read only memory. The program may be stored in the storage of a server and transferred from the server to other computers to distribute the program. The program may be provided as a program product.

[0038] A computer stores, for example, a program stored in a portable medium or a program transferred from a server in a main memory device once. Then, the computer reads the program stored in the main memory device by a processor and executes processing according to the read program by the processor. The computer may directly read a program from a portable medium and execute processing according to the program. The computer may sequentially execute processing according to the received program each time a program is transferred from a server to the computer. Processing may be executed by a so-called ASP type service that realizes functions only by execution instructions and result acquisition without transferring a program from a server to a computer. "ASP" is an abbreviation for application service provider. A program includes information for use in processing by an electronic computer and things conforming to the program. For example, data that is not a direct instruction to a computer but has a property of defining the processing of the computer corresponds to "things conforming to the program".

[0039] Some or all functions of the delivery support device 20 may be realized by a processor as the control unit 21, a programmable circuit, or a dedicated circuit. That is, some or all functions of the delivery support device 20 may be realized by hardware.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 4, the configuration of the second vehicle 30 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[0041] The second vehicle 30 includes a control unit 31, a storage unit 32, a communication unit 33, an input unit 34, an output unit 35, a positioning unit 36, and a drive unit 37.

[0042] The control unit 31 includes at least one processor, at least one programmable circuit, at least one dedicated circuit, at least one ECU, or any combination thereof. "ECU" is an abbreviation for electronic control unit. The processor is a general-purpose processor such as a CPU or GPU, or a dedicated processor specialized for specific processing. The programmable circuit is, for example, an FPGA. The dedicated circuit is, for example, an ASIC. The control unit 31 executes processing related to the operation of the second vehicle 30 while controlling each functional component of the second vehicle 30.

[0043] The storage unit 32 includes at least one semiconductor memory, at least one magnetic memory, at least one optical memory, or a combination of at least two of these. The semiconductor memory is, for example, a RAM or a ROM. The RAM is, for example, an SRAM or a DRAM. The ROM is, for example, an EEPROM. The storage unit 32 functions as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. Data used for the operation of the second vehicle 30 and data obtained by the operation of the second vehicle 30 are stored in the storage unit 32.

[0044] The communication unit 33 includes at least one communication interface. The communication interface is, for example, an interface corresponding to a mobile communication standard such as LTE, 4G standard, or 5G standard, an interface corresponding to short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), or a LAN interface. "LTE" is an abbreviation for Long Term Evolution. "4G" is an abbreviation for 4th generation. "5G" is an abbreviation for 5th generation. The communication unit 33 receives data used for the operation of the second vehicle 30 and transmits data obtained by the operation of the second vehicle 30.

[0045] The input unit 34 includes at least one input interface. The input interface is, for example, a physical key, a capacitive key, a pointing device, a touch screen provided integrally with the display, or a microphone. The input unit 34 receives an operation for inputting data used for the operation of the second vehicle 30. Instead of being provided in the second vehicle 30, the input unit 34 may be connected to the second vehicle 30 as an external input device. As a connection method, for example, any method such as USB, HDMI (registered trademark), or Bluetooth (registered trademark) can be used. "USB" is an abbreviation for Universal Serial Bus. "HDMI (registered trademark)" is an abbreviation for High-Definition Multimedia Interface. The input unit 34 includes a means for inputting information to the second vehicle 30. The input unit 34 may include any means for acquiring information around the second vehicle 30. For example, the input unit 34 includes a temperature sensor TS2 that detects the temperature of an article mounted on the second vehicle 30. The temperature sensor TS2 may be able to measure the temperature around the second vehicle 30. The input unit 34 may include a voice recognition function together with a means for inputting voice information. The input unit 34 may include any imaging module capable of imaging the periphery of the second vehicle 30. The imaging module may have a function of reading a delivery destination display attached to an article. The imaging module may include one or more cameras. Each camera is arranged at an appropriate position of the second vehicle 30 so as to be able to image the periphery of the second vehicle 30.

[0046] The output unit 35 includes at least one output interface. The output interface is, for example, a display or a speaker. The display is, for example, an LCD or an organic EL display. "LCD" is an abbreviation for liquid crystal display. "EL" is an abbreviation for electro luminescence. The output unit 35 outputs data obtained by the operation of the second vehicle 30. Instead of being provided in the second vehicle 30, the output unit 35 may be connected to the second vehicle as an external output device. As a connection method, for example, any method such as USB, HDMI (registered trademark), or Bluetooth (registered trademark) can be used. The output unit 35 outputs data received from the delivery support device 20, data stored in the second vehicle 30, or data obtained by the operation of the second vehicle 30, etc., to the user, for example, in the form of characters, images, or sounds.

[0047] The positioning unit 36 includes at least one GNSS receiver. "GNSS" is an abbreviation for global navigation satellite system. GNSS is, for example, GPS, QZSS, BeiDou, GLONASS, or Galileo. "GPS" is an abbreviation for Global Positioning System. "QZSS" is an abbreviation for Quasi-Zenith Satellite System. The satellites of QZSS are called quasi-zenith satellites. "GLONASS" is an abbreviation for Global Navigation Satellite System. The positioning unit 36 measures the position of the second vehicle 30. The positioning unit 36 may constantly acquire the position information of the second vehicle 30, or may acquire it periodically or non-periodically.

[0048] The drive unit 37 includes a drive mechanism related to the movement and travel of the second vehicle 30. Further, the drive unit 37 includes any drive mechanism that enables loading of articles onto the second vehicle 30, delivery of the articles loaded on the second vehicle 30 to the addressee, and unloading of the articles loaded on the second vehicle 30 at a designated location. For example, the drive unit 37 includes at least one of an arm mechanism driven by a motor and a slide mechanism that can linearly slide the articles.

[0049] With reference to FIGS. 5 to 7, the operation of the delivery support device 20 according to the present embodiment will be described. This operation corresponds to the delivery support method according to the present embodiment.

[0050] In step S101 of FIG. 5, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 acquires temperature data D1 indicating the temperature of each of one or more articles. In the present embodiment, the one or more articles are article P1 and article P2. The control unit 21 acquires, as the temperature data D1, data indicating the temperature t1 of article P1 and the temperature t2 of article P2.

[0051] The temperature data D1 may be acquired by the delivery support device 20 by any means, but in the present embodiment, it is acquired by the following procedure.

[0052] When articles P1 and P2, which are one or more articles delivered from the first vehicle 40, are loaded onto the second vehicle 30, a temperature sensor TS2 provided as an input unit 34 of the second vehicle 30 detects the temperature t1 of article P1 and the temperature t2 of article P2. The second vehicle 30 transmits, as the temperature data D1, information indicating the value detected by the temperature sensor TS2 to the delivery support device 20 via the communication unit 33. The control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 receives the temperature data D1 transmitted from the second vehicle 30 via the communication unit 23. Alternatively, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 may communicate with the temperature sensor TS2 via the communication unit 23 and directly receive the temperature data D1 transmitted from the temperature sensor TS2 from the temperature sensor TS2.

[0053] As a modification of this embodiment, the temperature data D1 may be transmitted from the first vehicle 40. Specifically, when the article P1 and the article P2, which are one or more articles sent from the sender, are loaded onto the first vehicle 40, the temperature sensor TS1 provided on the first vehicle 40 detects the temperature t1 of the article P1 and the temperature t2 of the article P2. The first vehicle 40 transmits information indicating the value detected by the temperature sensor TS1 to the delivery support device 20 as the temperature data D1. The control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 receives the temperature data D1 transmitted from the first vehicle 40 via the communication unit 23.

[0054] In this way, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 acquires the temperature data D1 indicating the temperature of each of the one or more articles for each article. In this embodiment, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 acquires, as the temperature data D1, data indicating the temperature t1 of the article P1 and the temperature t2 of the article P2.

[0055] In step S102 of FIG. 5, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 adjusts the delivery order of the one or more articles according to the temperature indicated by the temperature data D1 acquired in step S101. Specifically, the control unit 21 adjusts the delivery order of the article P1 and the article P2 according to the temperature t1 of the article P1 and the temperature t2 of the article P2.

[0056] Referring to FIG. 6, the process of adjusting the delivery order in step S102 of FIG. 5 will be described.

[0057] In step S1021 of FIG. 6, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 compares the temperature indicated by the acquired temperature data D1 with the threshold Th for each of the one or more articles. Specifically, the control unit 21 compares the temperature t1 of the article P1 and the temperature t2 of the article P2 indicated by the temperature data D1 with the threshold Th, respectively. In this embodiment, the threshold Th is a temperature predetermined within the limit recognized as necessary to prevent quality deterioration during transportation. As an example, assuming frozen food as an item that requires temperature management, the threshold Th is set to -15°C.

[0058] In this embodiment, assume that the temperature t1 of the article P1 is -20°C. The control unit 21 determines in step S1021 that the temperature t1 of the article P1 is less than the threshold value Th. When it is determined in step S1021 that the temperature is less than the threshold value Th, the process of step S1022 is performed.

[0059] In step S1022 of FIG. 6, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 sorts the article P1 into the first group G1.

[0060] On the other hand, in this embodiment, assume that the temperature t2 of the article P2 is 5°C. The control unit 21 determines in step S1021 that the temperature t2 of the article P2 is equal to or higher than the threshold value Th. When it is determined in step S1021 that the temperature is equal to or higher than the threshold value Th, the process of step S1023 is performed.

[0061] In step S1023 of FIG. 6, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 sorts the article P2 into a second group G2 different from the first group G1.

[0062] In step S1024 of FIG. 6, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 determines the overall delivery order of one or more articles. Specifically, a higher order is assigned to the articles sorted into the first group G1 than to the articles sorted into the second group G2. In this example, the article P1 is sorted into the first group and the article P2 is sorted into the second group. The control unit 21 assigns a higher order to the article P1 than to the article P2.

[0063] In this way, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 compares the temperature indicated by the acquired temperature data D1 with the threshold value Th for each of the one or more articles, and sorts the articles determined to have a temperature less than the threshold value Th among the one or more articles into the first group G1, and sorts the articles determined to have a temperature equal to or higher than the threshold value Th into the second group G2. The control unit 21 adjusts the delivery order by assigning a higher priority to the articles sorted into the first group G1 than to the articles sorted into the second group G2. In the present embodiment, the control unit 21 adjusts the delivery order by assigning the first order to the article P1 and the second order later than the first order to the article P2.

[0064] Note that, as a result of performing the processes of step S1021 and step S1022 in FIG. 6 for one or more articles, assume that a plurality of articles P1i... P1n are sorted into the first group G1. In this case, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 may determine the order among the plurality of articles P1i... P1n sorted into the first group G1 before step S1024. The order may be determined by any procedure. For example, the control unit 21 may determine the order by arranging the articles P1i... P1n in descending order of temperature. The same applies to the case where a plurality of articles P2i... P2n are sorted into the second group G2 as a result of performing the processes of step S1021 and step S1023 in FIG. 6 for one or more articles. Arranging in descending order of temperature is generally because it is considered that the higher the temperature, the more likely the quality will deteriorate, and it is necessary to deliver it earlier.

[0065] In step S103 of FIG. 5, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 determines the running route of the second vehicle 30 according to the delivery order adjusted in step S102. In the present embodiment, the first order is assigned to the article P1 and the second order later than the first order is assigned to the article P2. Therefore, the control unit 21 determines the running route of the second vehicle 30 so that the article P1 and the article P2 are delivered by the second vehicle 30 in the order of article P1 and article P2.

[0066] Referring to FIG. 7, the process of determining the operation route in step S103 of FIG. 5 will be described.

[0067] In step S1031 of FIG. 7, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 acquires destination data D2 indicating the destination registered in advance for each of one or more articles. The destination is, for example, the address of the addressee for each article. Specifically, the control unit 21 acquires, as the information indicating the destination data D2, the information indicating the destination of the house 132 registered in advance for the article P1 and the destination of the house 111 registered in advance for the article P2. The destination data D2 may be acquired by an arbitrary procedure, but in the present embodiment, it is acquired by the following procedure.

[0068] The article P1 or the article P2 is brought into the consignment store of the delivery company by the sender and received by the store clerk of the consignment store. The store clerk of the consignment store that has received the article P1 or the article P2 inputs, for example, as part of the procedure for receiving the article P1 or the article P2, the destination designated by the sender of the article P1 or the article P2 into the consignment store terminal device installed in the consignment store. The consignment store terminal device transmits the information indicating the input destination to the delivery support device 20 as the destination data D2. The control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 receives the destination data D2 transmitted from the consignment store terminal device via the communication unit 23. The control unit 21 stores the received destination data D2 in the storage unit 22. In this way, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 acquires the destination data D2.

[0069] As a modification example of the present embodiment, the destination data D2 may be pre-written in an information storage medium attached to each article. The information storage medium is, for example, an electronic tag, an IC tag, or an RF tag. "IC" is an abbreviation for integrated circuit. "RF" is an abbreviation for radio frequency. In this example, the second vehicle 30 may read the destination data D2 written in the information storage medium by the input unit 34 and transmit the read destination data D2 from the second vehicle 30 to the delivery support device 20 via the communication unit 33. The control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 receives the destination data D2 transmitted from the second vehicle 30 via the communication unit 23 and stores the received destination data D2 in the storage unit 22. In this way, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 may acquire the destination data D2.

[0070] In step S1032 of FIG. 7, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 determines the waypoints and the order of passing through of the second vehicle 30. Specifically, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 refers to the delivery order adjusted in step S102 of FIG. 5. Specifically, the control unit 21 refers to the delivery order in which the article P1 is in the first order and the article P2 is in the second order. Then, the control unit 21 refers to the destination data D2 acquired in step S1031 of FIG. 7, and sets the house 132, which is the destination registered for the article P1 whose delivery order is the first order, as the first waypoint, and the house 111, which is the destination registered for the article P2 whose delivery order is the second order, as the second waypoint. The control unit 21 determines the route passing through the house 132, which is the first waypoint, and the house 111, which is the second waypoint, in this order as the running route of the second vehicle 30. In this way, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 determines the running route of the second vehicle 30 such that it reaches the first location, which is the destination registered for the articles sorted into the first group, before the second location, which is the destination registered for the articles sorted into the second group. In this way, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 determines the running route of the second vehicle 30 according to the delivery order adjusted in step S102.

[0071] In step S104 of FIG. 5, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 notifies the second vehicle 30 of the travel route data D3 indicating the travel route. Specifically, the control unit 21 transmits the travel route data D3 indicating the travel route determined in step S103 to the second vehicle 30 via the communication unit 23. The second vehicle 30 receives the travel route data D3 transmitted from the delivery support device 20 via the communication unit 33. The control unit 31 of the second vehicle 30 performs control to run the second vehicle 30 according to the travel route indicated by the travel route data D3. That is, the second vehicle 30 delivers the articles P1 and P2 via the house 132 which is the destination of the article P1 and the house 111 which is the destination of the article P2 in this order.

[0072] As described above, in the present embodiment, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 acquires the temperature data D1 indicating the temperature for each of one or more articles. The control unit 21 adjusts the delivery order of the one or more articles according to the temperature indicated by the acquired temperature data D1.

[0073] For example, articles that require temperature management such as frozen foods may have their quality deteriorated due to temperature rise during delivery. According to the present embodiment, an article with a temperature equal to or lower than the threshold Th is determined as a priority delivery target, and the second vehicle 30 can be directed to the destination of the article determined as the priority delivery target earlier than the destinations of other articles. Therefore, articles that require temperature management can be quickly delivered to the addressee. As a result, the quality deterioration of the articles during transportation is suppressed.

[0074] Referring to FIG. 8, another operation of the delivery support device 20 according to the present embodiment will be described. This operation also corresponds to the delivery support method according to the present embodiment.

[0075] In step S111 of FIG. 8, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 calculates the time required for the second vehicle 30 to reach the first point on the travel route determined in step S103 of FIG. 5. Specifically, the control unit 21 acquires the travel information of the second vehicle 30 and calculates the time required for the second vehicle 30 to reach the first point on the determined travel route based on the acquired travel information. In the present embodiment, the travel information is information indicating the position and speed of the second vehicle 30. In the present embodiment, the first point is the residence 132, which is the first waypoint.

[0076] The travel information may be acquired in an arbitrary procedure. For example, it is acquired in the following procedure. The control unit 31 of the second vehicle 30 acquires information indicating the position measured by the positioning unit 36. The position is indicated by, for example, two-dimensional coordinates or three-dimensional coordinates. Further, the control unit 31 of the second vehicle 30 acquires information indicating the speed measured by a sensor such as an acceleration sensor attached to the second vehicle 30. The control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 acquires the information indicating the position and speed indicated by the acquired information as the travel information of the second vehicle 30.

[0077] The control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 calculates the time required for the second vehicle 30 to reach the first point on the determined travel route based on the acquired travel information. As an example, assume that the distance from the position of the second vehicle 30 indicated by the travel information to the first point is 100 meters and the speed of the second vehicle 30 indicated by the travel information is 10 meters per minute. In this case, the control unit 21 calculates that the time required for the second vehicle 30 to reach the first point is 10 minutes.

[0078] In step S112, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 predicts the temperature of the articles sorted into the first group after the elapse of the required time calculated in step S111. Specifically, the control unit 21 predicts the temperature of the article P1 after 10 minutes have elapsed. The temperature of the article may be predicted by any procedure, but in this embodiment, it is predicted by the following procedure. The control unit 21 acquires the surrounding information of the second vehicle 30. In this embodiment, the surrounding information is information indicating the ambient temperature around the second vehicle 30. The surrounding information may be acquired by any procedure, but for example, it is acquired by the following procedure. The control unit 31 of the second vehicle 30 acquires information indicating the temperature around the second vehicle 30 measured by the temperature sensor TS2 as the input unit 34. The control unit 31 of the second vehicle 30 transmits the acquired information to the delivery support device 20 via the communication unit 33. The control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 receives the information transmitted from the second vehicle 30 via the communication unit 23. The control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 acquires the information indicating the temperature indicated by the received information as the surrounding information of the second vehicle 30. The control unit 21 predicts the temperature of the article P1 after the elapse of the calculated required time based on the temperature indicated by the acquired surrounding information and the required time calculated in step S111. As an example, assume that the temperature indicated by the surrounding information is 25°C and the temperature rise per minute of the article P1 when the ambient temperature is 25°C is 1°C. When the temperature t1 of the article P1 is -20°C and the required time calculated in step S111 is 10 minutes, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 predicts that the temperature of the article P1 after the elapse of the required time is -10°C.

[0079] In step S113, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 compares the temperature predicted in step S112 with the threshold Th. Specifically, the control unit 21 determines whether the temperature predicted in step S112 is equal to or higher than the threshold Th. If it is determined that the temperature predicted in step S112 is equal to or higher than the threshold Th, the process of step S114 is performed. On the other hand, if it is determined that the predicted temperature is lower than the threshold Th, the process of FIG. 8 ends. In the above example, the temperature of the article P1 is predicted to be -10°C in step S112. In the present embodiment, since the threshold Th is -15°C, the control unit 21 determines that the temperature predicted in step S112 is equal to or higher than the threshold Th.

[0080] In step S114, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 notifies the user of an alarm. Specifically, the control unit 21 generates a message notifying a sign of quality deterioration of the article as an alarm, and outputs the generated message. For example, the control unit 21 generates a message notifying that there is a risk of quality deterioration of the article P1 as an alarm. As an example, the control unit 21 generates a message "Your package is in transit. There is a risk of quality deterioration due to temperature rise." The control unit 21 transmits the generated message to the user's terminal device 50 via the communication unit 23. Specifically, the control unit 21 transmits the generated message to the terminal device 50 of the user who is the addressee of the article P1 via the communication unit 23. The control unit 21 may also transmit information indicating the position shown by the driving information acquired from the second vehicle 30 together with the generated message.

[0081] As described above, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 acquires driving information indicating the position or speed of the second vehicle 30, and calculates the time required for the second vehicle 30 to reach the first point on the determined driving route based on the acquired driving information. The control unit 21 acquires ambient information indicating the ambient temperature around the second vehicle 30, and predicts the temperature of the articles sorted into the first group after the calculated required time based on the acquired ambient information and the calculated required time. The control unit 21 compares the predicted temperature with a threshold value Th, and notifies the user of an alarm when it is determined that the predicted temperature is equal to or higher than the threshold value Th.

[0082] For example, when the number of articles is large and delivery takes a long time, or when the temperature is high such as in summer and the temperature of the articles rises in a short time, it may be difficult to deliver the articles to the addressee before the temperature rises beyond the limit recognized as necessary to prevent quality deterioration during transportation. In the present embodiment, even in such a case, an alarm can be notified to the user in advance. The user notified of the alarm can take countermeasures for suppressing the quality deterioration of the article P1, such as going to the second vehicle 30 by himself / herself to receive the article P1. Therefore, the quality deterioration of the articles during transportation is further suppressed.

[0083] As a modification of the present embodiment, a flag may be set in advance for articles that require temperature management. The control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 may adjust the delivery order by sorting the articles with the flag set into the first group G1 and the articles without the flag set into the second group G2 among one or more articles.

[0084] As a further modification of this modification example, the control unit 21 of the delivery support device 20 may compare the temperature indicated by the temperature data D1 with the threshold value Th for the articles with the flag set, and output an alarm when the temperature is equal to or higher than the threshold value Th. According to this modification example, even for articles that require temperature management, when the temperature has risen above the threshold value Th for some reason, an abnormal temperature rise that may lead to quality deterioration of the articles can be detected. Therefore, the quality deterioration of the articles during transportation is further suppressed.

[0085] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, two or more blocks described in the block diagram may be integrated, or one block may be divided. Instead of executing two or more steps described in the flowchart in chronological order according to the description, they may be executed in parallel or in a different order according to the processing capabilities of the device that executes each step or as necessary. In addition, changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

[0086] For example, the delivery support device 20 may be provided in the first vehicle 40.

[0087] For example, the article P1 is not limited to frozen food and may be fresh food. In this case, the threshold value Th may be a temperature range having a certain width, such as from 5°C to -5°C, or a temperature range including a certain error, such as around 0°C.

[0088] Some of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be illustrated below. However, it should be noted that the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to these. [Appendix 1] A delivery support device for supporting the delivery of one or more articles, A delivery support device including a control unit that acquires temperature data indicating the temperature of each of one or more articles and adjusts the delivery order of the one or more articles according to the temperature indicated by the acquired temperature data. [Appendix 2] The control unit compares the temperature indicated by the acquired temperature data with a threshold value for each of the one or more articles, sorts the articles determined to have a temperature less than the threshold value into a first group among the one or more articles, sorts the articles determined to have a temperature greater than or equal to the threshold value into a second group different from the first group, and assigns an earlier order to the articles sorted into the first group than the articles sorted into the second group, thereby adjusting the delivery order. The delivery support device according to Appendix 1. [Appendix 3] The delivery process of delivering one or more items includes a first delivery process from when one or more items are loaded onto a first vehicle until the first vehicle transports them to an intermediate delivery point and hands them over at the intermediate delivery point from the first vehicle to a second vehicle different from the first vehicle, and a second delivery process from when one or more items are handed over to the second vehicle until the second vehicle transports them to the respective destinations of the one or more items and hands them over to the respective addressees of the one or more items. The control unit determines the running route of the second vehicle according to the adjusted delivery order, and the delivery support device described in Appendix 1 or Appendix 2. [Appendix 4] For each of the one or more items, the control unit acquires destination data indicating the destination registered in advance for each item. The control unit refers to the acquired destination data and determines, as the running route of the second vehicle, a route that reaches a first location, which is the destination registered for the items sorted into the first group, earlier than a second location, which is the destination registered for the items sorted into the second group. The delivery support device described in any one of Appendix 1 to Appendix 3. [Appendix 5] The second vehicle is provided with a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of each of the one or more items handed over from the first vehicle. The delivery support device further includes a communication unit that communicates with the second vehicle. The control unit receives, via the communication unit, data indicating the value detected by the temperature sensor and transmitted from the second vehicle, and acquires the received data as temperature data. The delivery support device described in any one of Appendix 1 to Appendix 4. [Appendix 6] The control unit acquires running information indicating the position or speed of the second vehicle, and calculates, based on the acquired running information, the required time for the second vehicle to reach a first location on the determined running route. The control unit acquires ambient information indicating the ambient temperature around the second vehicle, and predicts the temperature of the items sorted into the first group after the calculated required time has elapsed, based on the acquired ambient information and the calculated required time. The control unit compares the predicted temperature with a threshold value, and when it is determined that the predicted temperature is equal to or higher than the threshold value, notifies the user of an alarm. A delivery support device according to any one of Appendices 1 to 5. [Appendix 7] The control unit generates a message notifying a sign of quality deterioration of an article as an alarm, and outputs the generated message. A delivery support device according to any one of Appendices 1 to 6. [Appendix 8] The delivery support device further includes a communication unit that communicates with a terminal device held by a user. The control unit transmits information indicating an alarm to the terminal device via the communication unit. A delivery support device according to any one of Appendices 1 to 7. [Appendix 9] The delivery support device further includes a communication unit that communicates with a first vehicle. The control unit receives, as temperature data, data indicating the temperature of each of one or more articles transmitted from the first vehicle via the communication unit. A delivery support device according to any one of Appendices 1 to 8. [Appendix 10] A delivery support device according to any one of Appendices 1 to 9, and a second vehicle A system comprising the same. [Appendix 11] A delivery support device according to any one of Appendices 1 to 9, and a terminal device A system comprising the same. [Appendix 12] A delivery support device according to any one of Appendices 1 to 9, and a first vehicle A system comprising the same. [Appendix 13] A delivery support method for supporting the delivery of one or more articles, wherein the control unit acquires temperature data indicating the temperature of each of one or more articles, and adjusts the delivery order of the one or more articles according to the temperature indicated by the acquired temperature data A delivery support method including the same. [Appendix 14] Adjusting includes, by the control unit, for each of one or more articles, comparing the temperature indicated by the acquired temperature data with a threshold value, sorting the articles among the one or more articles determined to have a temperature less than the threshold value into a first group, sorting the articles determined to have a temperature greater than or equal to the threshold value into a second group different from the first group, and assigning an order earlier than that of the articles sorted into the second group to the articles sorted into the first group, the delivery support method described in Supplementary Note 13. [Supplementary Note 15] The delivery process of delivering one or more articles includes a first delivery process from when the one or more articles are loaded onto a first vehicle until they are transported by the first vehicle to an intermediate delivery point and handed over from the first vehicle to a second vehicle different from the first vehicle at the intermediate delivery point, and a second delivery process from when the one or more articles are handed over to the second vehicle until they are transported by the second vehicle to the respective destinations of the one or more articles and handed over to the respective addressees of the one or more articles. The delivery support method described in Supplementary Note 13 or Supplementary Note 14 further includes, by the control unit, determining the running route of the second vehicle according to the adjusted delivery order. [Supplementary Note 16] The delivery support method further includes, by the control unit, for each of one or more articles, acquiring destination data indicating a destination registered in advance for each article. Determining the running route of the second vehicle includes, by the control unit, referring to the acquired destination data and determining, as the running route, a route that reaches a first location, which is the destination registered for the articles sorted into the first group, earlier than a second location, which is the destination registered for the articles sorted into the second group, among the delivery support methods described in any one of Supplementary Notes 13 to 15. [Supplementary Note 17] The second vehicle is provided with a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of each of the one or more articles handed over from the first vehicle. Acquiring temperature data includes, by the communication unit, receiving data indicating a value detected by the temperature sensor and transmitted by the second vehicle, and, by the control unit, acquiring the data received by the communication unit, among the delivery support methods described in any one of Supplementary Notes 13 to 16. [Appendix 18] The control unit acquires driving information indicating the position or speed of the second vehicle, and calculates the required time to the first point of the second vehicle on the determined driving route based on the acquired driving information; The control unit acquires ambient information indicating the ambient temperature around the second vehicle, and predicts the temperature of the articles sorted into the first group after the calculated required time has elapsed based on the acquired ambient information and the calculated required time; The control unit compares the predicted temperature with a threshold value, and when it is determined that the predicted temperature is equal to or higher than the threshold value, notifies the user of an alarm. The delivery support method according to any one of Appendices 13 to 17, further including the above. [Appendix 19] Notifying the pre-alarm includes, by the control unit, generating a message notifying a sign of quality deterioration of the article as an alarm and outputting the generated message. The delivery support method according to any one of Appendices 13 to 18. [Appendix 20] Notifying the alarm includes transmitting information indicating the alarm to a terminal device held by the user by the communication unit. The delivery support method according to any one of Appendices 13 to 19.

[0089] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, two or more blocks described in the block diagram may be integrated, or one block may be divided. Instead of executing two or more steps described in the flowchart in time series according to the description, each step may be executed in parallel or in a different order according to the processing ability of the device that executes the steps, or as necessary. In addition, changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0090] 10 System 20 Delivery Support Device 21 Control Unit 22 Storage Unit 23 Communication Unit 30 Second Vehicle 31 Control Unit 32 Memory Unit 33 Communication Unit 34 Input Unit 35 Output Unit 36 Positioning Unit 37 Driving Unit 40 First Vehicle 50 Terminal Device 60 Network 100 Apartment Building 101 Waiting Space 111, 112, 121, 122, 131, 132 Housing Unit P1, P2 Articles

Claims

1. A delivery support device for supporting the delivery of one or more items, comprising: a control unit that acquires temperature data indicating the temperature of each of the one or more items, and adjusts the delivery order of the one or more items according to the temperature indicated by the acquired temperature data; The control unit compares the temperature indicated by the acquired temperature data with a threshold value for each of the one or more items, sorts the items determined to have a temperature less than the threshold value into a first group, and sorts the items determined to have a temperature greater than or equal to the threshold value into a second group different from the first group, and adjusts the delivery order by assigning an earlier order to the items sorted into the first group than the items sorted into the second group. In the delivery support device, The delivery process of delivering the one or more items includes a first delivery process from when the one or more items are loaded on a first vehicle until the first vehicle transports them to an intermediate delivery point and delivers them from the first vehicle to a second vehicle different from the first vehicle at the intermediate delivery point, and a second delivery process from when the one or more items are delivered to the second vehicle until the second vehicle transports each of the one or more items to its respective destination and delivers them to their respective addressees. The control unit adjusts the delivery order by determining the order among the plurality of items sorted into the first group by arranging them in descending order of the temperature of each item. The intermediate delivery point is a waiting place for the second vehicle in an apartment complex. The one or more items include a first item with the first house in the apartment complex registered as the destination and a second item with a second house different from the first house in the apartment complex registered as the destination. The operating route of the second vehicle is a route passing through the first house and the second house from the waiting place. The control unit determines the operating route of the second vehicle by determining which of the first house and the second house to pass through first according to the adjusted delivery order. A delivery support device.

2. The control unit acquires destination data indicating the destination registered in advance for each of the one or more items. The control unit determines, with reference to the acquired destination data, a route for the second vehicle to reach a first location, which is the registered destination for the articles sorted into the first group, before reaching a second location, which is the registered destination for the articles sorted into the second group, as the operation route of the second vehicle. The delivery support device according to claim 1.

3. The second vehicle is provided with a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of each of the one or more articles delivered from the first vehicle. The delivery support device further includes a communication unit that communicates with the second vehicle. The control unit receives, via the communication unit, data indicating the value detected by the temperature sensor and transmitted from the second vehicle, and acquires the received data as the temperature data. The delivery support device according to claim 1 or claim 2.

4. The control unit acquires travel information indicating the position or speed of the second vehicle, and calculates the required time for the second vehicle to reach the first location on the determined operation route based on the acquired travel information. The control unit acquires ambient information indicating the ambient temperature around the second vehicle, and predicts the temperature of the articles sorted into the first group after the calculated required time has elapsed based on the acquired ambient information and the calculated required time. The control unit compares the predicted temperature with the threshold value, and when it is determined that the predicted temperature is equal to or higher than the threshold value, notifies the user of an alarm. The delivery support device according to claim 2.

5. The control unit generates a message notifying of a sign of quality deterioration of the article as the alarm, and outputs the generated message. The delivery support device according to claim 4.

6. The delivery support device further includes a communication unit that communicates with a terminal device held by the user. The control unit transmits, via the communication unit, information indicating the alarm to the terminal device. The delivery support device according to claim 4 or claim 5.

7. The delivery support device further includes a communication unit that communicates with the first vehicle. The control unit receives, via the communication unit, data indicating the temperature of each of the one or more articles and transmitted from the first vehicle as the temperature data. The delivery support device according to claim 1.

8. A delivery support device according to claim 1, and the second vehicle comprising a system.

9. A delivery support device according to claim 6, and the terminal device comprising a system.

10. A delivery support device according to claim 7, and the first vehicle A system comprising

11. A delivery support method for supporting the delivery of one or more items, comprising: The control unit obtains temperature data indicating the temperature for each of the one or more items, and adjusts the delivery order of the one or more items according to the temperature indicated by the obtained temperature data. Including The adjustment includes the control unit comparing the temperature indicated by the obtained temperature data with a threshold for each of the one or more items, sorting the items determined to have a temperature less than the threshold among the one or more items into a first group, and sorting the items determined to have a temperature greater than or equal to the threshold into a second group different from the first group, and assigning an earlier order to the items sorted into the first group than the items sorted into the second group. In the delivery support method, The delivery process of delivering the one or more items includes a first delivery process from when the one or more items are loaded on a first vehicle until the first vehicle transports them to an intermediate delivery point and they are transferred from the first vehicle to a second vehicle different from the first vehicle at the intermediate delivery point, and a second delivery process from when the one or more items are transferred to the second vehicle until the second vehicle transports each of the one or more items to its respective destination and delivers them to the respective addressees of the one or more items. The adjustment further includes determining the order among the plurality of items sorted into the first group by arranging them in descending order of the temperature of each item. The intermediate delivery point is a waiting location for the second vehicle in an apartment complex. The one or more items include a first item with the first residence in the apartment complex registered as the destination and a second item with a second residence different from the first residence in the apartment complex registered as the destination. The operating route of the second vehicle is a route passing through the first residence and the second residence from the waiting location. The delivery support method further includes the control unit determining the operating route of the second vehicle by determining which of the first residence and the second residence to pass through first according to the adjusted delivery order.

12. The control unit further obtains destination data indicating the destination pre-registered for each of the one or more items. Determining the travel route of the second vehicle includes, by the control unit, referring to the acquired destination data and determining, as the travel route, a route that reaches a first location, which is the registered destination for the articles sorted into the first group, earlier than a second location, which is the registered destination for the articles sorted into the second group. The delivery support method according to claim 11.

13. The second vehicle is provided with a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of each of the one or more articles delivered from the first vehicle. Acquiring the temperature data includes, by the communication unit, receiving data indicating a value detected by the temperature sensor and transmitted by the second vehicle, and, by the control unit, acquiring the data received by the communication unit. The delivery support method according to claim 11 or claim 12.

14. The control unit acquires running information indicating the position or speed of the second vehicle, and calculates the time required for the second vehicle to reach the first location on the determined travel route based on the acquired running information. The control unit acquires ambient information indicating the ambient temperature around the second vehicle, and predicts the temperature of the articles sorted into the first group after the calculated required time has elapsed based on the acquired ambient information and the calculated required time. The control unit compares the predicted temperature with the threshold value, and when it is determined that the predicted temperature is equal to or higher than the threshold value, notifies the user of an alarm. The delivery support method according to claim 12, further including the above.

15. Notifying the pre-alarm includes, by the control unit, generating, as the alarm, a message notifying of a sign of quality deterioration of the article, and outputting the generated message. The delivery support method according to claim 14.

16. Notifying the alarm includes transmitting information indicating the alarm to a terminal device held by the user by the communication unit. The delivery support method according to claim 14 or claim 15.

17. Acquiring the temperature data includes receiving, via the communication unit, data indicating the temperature of each of the one or more articles and transmitted from the first vehicle as the temperature data. The delivery support method according to claim 11.

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