Mobility Systems and Servers

Abstract

To make it possible for users, upon using the service vehicle, to determine whether or not a service vehicle corresponds to a specific service.SOLUTION: A mobile object 2 is configured to transmit, in response to a gesture of a traffic participant existing around an own mobile object representing a stop request, an inquiry signal including location information of the traffic participant to a server 3 in order to confirm whether the own mobile object provides a specific service to which the traffic participant who has performed the gesture is subscribed. The server 3 is configured to: determine, in response to receiving the inquiry signal, whether the traffic participant who made the gesture is one of users subscribed to the specific service; and transmit an answer signal including a result of the determination to the mobile object 2. The mobile object 2 is further configured to perform, in response to receiving the answer signal, an action according to a result of the determination included in the answer signal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a mobility system and a server Regarding. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional vehicle control system that is configured to output, to the outside of the vehicle, information regarding whether or not it is possible to get in, when a person outside the vehicle raises their hand. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-73351 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Users who use mobility services such as ride-hailing services and merchandise sales services may subscribe to a specific service, such as a subscription service that allows them to use the mobility service for a fixed fee. In such cases, when using a mobility service, it is natural that the user will want to use a service vehicle that is compatible with the specific service to which they have subscribed.

[0005] However, for example, due to the existence of multiple providers of mobility services, there may be a service vehicle that is not compatible with the specific service to which the user subscribes. Therefore, when attempting to use a service vehicle, if it is not possible to determine whether the service vehicle is compatible with the specific service, the user may become dissatisfied with the quality of the service.

[0006] The present invention has been made in response to such problems, and aims to make it possible to determine whether the service vehicle to be used is a service vehicle that supports a specific service. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problem, a mobility system according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of autonomously traveling mobile objects that provide a mobility service, and a server configured to communicate with each of the plurality of mobile objects. The mobile objects are configured to detect the positions and gestures of traffic participants present around the mobile object based on surrounding data representing the situation around the mobile object, determine whether the gesture is a stop request, and, if the gesture is a stop request, transmit an inquiry signal including the position information of the traffic participants to the server to confirm whether the mobile object supports a specific service to which the traffic participant who made the gesture subscribes. Upon receiving the inquiry signal, the server is configured to determine whether the traffic participant who made the gesture is one of the users who subscribe to the specific service based on the position information of the traffic participants included in the signal and position information of each user periodically received from a device carried by each user who subscribes to the specific service, and transmit an answer signal including the result of the determination to the mobile object. Then, upon receiving the answer signal, the mobile object is configured to take an action according to the result of the determination included in the signal.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, a server configured to be able to communicate with a plurality of autonomously driven mobile bodies that provide a mobility service is configured, when it receives a predetermined inquiry signal from a terminal carried by a user who wishes to use the mobility service, to determine whether or not a mobile body corresponding to a specific service to which the user has subscribed is present in the vicinity of the user based on the user's location information contained in the signal and the location information of each of the plurality of mobile bodies that is periodically received from each of the plurality of mobile bodies, and if a mobile body corresponding to the specific service to which the user has subscribed is present in the vicinity of the user, to transmit an instruction signal to the mobile body instructing it to take action in accordance with the result of the determination. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to these aspects of the present invention, if the service vehicle (mobile body providing mobility services) to be used is a service vehicle that corresponds to a specific service, the service vehicle will take some kind of reaction (action), making it possible to determine whether the service vehicle is a service vehicle that corresponds to a specific service. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a mobility system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 10 is a diagram illustrating the content and flow of processing executed by the service vehicle and the service vehicle management device when a traffic participant makes a stop gesture toward the service vehicle traveling on the road. FIG. [Figure 3] This figure explains the content and flow of the processing performed by the user terminal, service vehicle, and service vehicle management device owned by the user when determining which service vehicle is compatible with a specific service to which the user has subscribed in a location where a large number of service vehicles are gathered. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, like components are designated by like reference numerals.

[0012] (First embodiment)

[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a mobility system 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] The mobility system 100 is a system that enables a user 1 who uses a mobility service such as a ride-hailing service or a merchandise sales service to identify a service vehicle that corresponds to a specific service, such as a subscription service to which the user 1 subscribes, from among multiple service vehicles 2 that provide the mobility service.

[0015] The mobility system 100 according to this embodiment includes a service vehicle 2 and a service vehicle management device 3. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the service vehicle 2 is a taxi.

[0016] The service vehicle 2 is an autonomously driven vehicle capable of autonomous driving that provides mobility services, and includes a communication device 21, a camera 22, an external communication tool 23, and a control device 24. The communication device 21, the camera 22, the external communication tool 23, and the control device 24 are each connected to each other so as to be able to communicate via an in-vehicle network that complies with a standard such as a controller area network.

[0017] The communication device 21 has a communication interface circuit for connecting to a network configured with optical communication lines or the like, and is configured to be able to connect the service vehicle 2 to the service vehicle management device 3 via the network and communicate with it.

[0018] The camera 22 captures the surroundings of the service vehicle 2 at a predetermined frame rate (for example, 10 [Hz] to 40 [Hz]) and generates a surrounding image showing the surroundings of the service vehicle 2. The camera 22 transmits the generated surrounding image to the control device 24 every time it generates a surrounding image.

[0019] The off-vehicle communication tool 23 is a device that can be used to communicate with external traffic participants around the service vehicle 2 through the traffic participants' bodily senses (for example, sight, hearing, etc.). Examples of the off-vehicle communication tool 23 include a display device that displays text, images, etc. to traffic participants (so-called external HMI), an audio output device that outputs audio to traffic participants, a light-emitting device that emits light toward traffic participants, and a light emitting device that emits directional light toward traffic participants. The off-vehicle communication tool 23 may be a dedicated tool for communicating with traffic participants, or may be realized by reusing tools such as a horn, headlights, or hazard lights.

[0020] The control device 24 is an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls the overall operation of the service vehicle 2.

[0021] The control device 24 sequentially inputs the surrounding images received from the camera 22 into a classifier such as a convolutional neural network (CNN) having multiple convolution layers connected in series from the input side to the output side, thereby detecting the positional relationship with traffic participants in front of the service vehicle 2 and the gestures of those traffic participants, and determines whether the gesture is a stop request, such as raising a hand, and reacts according to the determination result via the off-vehicle communication tool 23.

[0022] In addition to the surrounding images mentioned above, the control device 24 also receives various data necessary for performing autonomous driving (for example, current position data acquired by a positioning sensor), and the control device 24 performs autonomous driving based on this input data.

[0023] The service vehicle management device 3 is a device for managing the service vehicles 2, and includes a first communication unit 31, a first storage unit 32, and a first processing unit 33.

[0024] The first communication unit 31 has a communication interface circuit for connecting the service vehicle management device 3 to a network consisting of optical communication lines, etc., and is configured to connect the service vehicle management device 3 to the service vehicle 2 via the network to enable communication.

[0025] The first storage unit 32 has a storage medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), or a semiconductor memory, and stores various computer programs and data used in the processing by the first processing unit 33.

[0026] The first processing unit 33 has one or more CPUs (Central Processing Units) and their peripheral circuits, and is, for example, a processor, which executes various computer programs stored in the first storage unit 32 to comprehensively control the overall operation of the service vehicle management device 3. As an example of the processing performed by the first processing unit 33, for example, based on a request from a service vehicle 2 that has detected a traffic participant making a gesture that can be presumed to be a stop request (hereinafter referred to as a "stop gesture"), the first processing unit 33 determines whether the service vehicle 2 is a service vehicle that corresponds to a specific service to which the traffic participant has subscribed, and responds with the determination result to the service vehicle 2.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the content and flow of the processing executed by the service vehicle 2 and the service vehicle management device 3 when a traffic participant makes a stop gesture toward the service vehicle 2 traveling on a road.

[0028] In this embodiment, each user 1 of a mobility service who has subscribed to a specific service periodically transmits his / her own location information to the service vehicle management device 3 via a user terminal 4 (see FIG. 1), such as a smartphone or tablet computer, which is capable of communicating with the service vehicle management device 3 via a network configured with optical communication lines or the like. That is, in this embodiment, the service vehicle management device 3 is capable of grasping the current location of each user 1 of a mobility service who has subscribed to a specific service.

[0029] In step S1, the control device 24 of the service vehicle 2 detects the position of a traffic participant present in front of its own vehicle based on the surrounding image received from the camera 22, and determines whether the traffic participant is making a stop gesture. If the traffic participant is making a stop gesture and its own vehicle is in a state where it can accept a stop request (for example, an empty vehicle state), the control device 24 of the service vehicle 2 transmits an inquiry signal including the position information of the traffic participant who made the stop gesture and the identification information (for example, a vehicle number) and position information of its own vehicle to the service vehicle management device 3 in order to confirm whether its own vehicle supports the subscription service to which the traffic participant who made the stop gesture subscribes.

[0030] If the control device 24 of the service vehicle 2 is in a state where the vehicle cannot accept a stop request, the control device 24 notifies the traffic participant who made the stop gesture of this fact via the external communication tool 23.

[0031] In step S2, upon receiving the inquiry signal, the service vehicle management device 3 determines whether the traffic participant is one of the users of the mobility service who subscribe to the specific service, based on the location information of the traffic participant who made the stop gesture included in the signal and the location information of each user 1 of the mobility service who subscribes to the specific service, for example, based on the degree of coincidence between them. Furthermore, the service vehicle management device 3 identifies the service vehicle 2 that sent the signal based on the identification information included in the inquiry signal, and temporarily disables the identified service vehicle 2 from accepting other stop requests or pick-up requests (online reservations, etc.) from the service vehicle management device 3.

[0032] In step S3, the service vehicle management device 3 transmits a response signal including a determination result as to whether or not the traffic participant who made the stop gesture is a user 1 who subscribes to a specific service to the service vehicle 2 that transmitted the inquiry signal. In other words, the service vehicle management device 3 transmits a response signal including a determination result as to whether or not the service vehicle 2 that transmitted the inquiry signal is a service vehicle that corresponds to the specific service to which the traffic participant who made the stop gesture subscribes to, to the service vehicle 2.

[0033] In step S4, when the control device 24 of the service vehicle 2 receives the response signal, it reacts via the external communication tool 23 in accordance with the determination result contained in the signal.

[0034] For example, if the external communication tool 23 is a display device (so-called external HMI) that displays text, images, etc. to traffic participants, and if the vehicle is a service vehicle that supports a specific service to which the traffic participant who made the stop gesture has subscribed, content to that effect (first notification) can be displayed on the display device. If the vehicle is a service vehicle that does not support the specific service to which the traffic participant who made the stop gesture has subscribed, content to that effect (second notification different from the first notification) can be displayed on the display device.

[0035] Furthermore, for example, if the external vehicle communication tool 23 is a light-emitting device that emits light to traffic participants, and the vehicle is a service vehicle that supports a specific service to which the traffic participant who made the stop gesture has subscribed, the traffic participants can be notified of this by a first light-emitting manner (color, number of flashes, etc.). If the external vehicle communication tool 23 is an audio output device, the traffic participants can be notified of this by a first audio output manner (audio guidance display, number of honks, etc.). If the vehicle is a service vehicle that does not support the specific service to which the traffic participant who made the stop gesture has subscribed, the traffic participants can be notified of this by a second light-emitting manner that is different from the first light-emitting manner. If the external vehicle communication tool 23 is an audio output device, the traffic participants can be notified of this by a second audio output manner that is different from the first audio output manner.

[0036] For example, if the external vehicle communication tool 23 is a light emitting device that emits directional light toward a traffic participant, and the vehicle is a service vehicle that corresponds to a specific service to which the traffic participant who made the stop gesture subscribes, the light can be emitted toward the traffic participant who made the stop gesture.

[0037] Furthermore, if, as a result of the reaction according to the judgment result, the traffic participant who made the stop gesture indicates an intention to cancel the ride (for example, if they make a gesture indicating an intention to cancel, or if they do not board for a certain period of time after stopping), the control device 24 of the service vehicle 2 will resume driving without allowing the traffic participant who made the stop gesture to board.

[0038] The mobility system 100 according to the present embodiment described above comprises a plurality of autonomously driven service vehicles 2 (mobile bodies) that provide mobility services, and a service vehicle management device 3 that is configured to be able to communicate with each of the plurality of service vehicles 2.

[0039] The service vehicle 2 is configured to detect the positions and gestures of traffic participants present in the vicinity of its own vehicle based on surrounding data that indicates the situation around its own vehicle, determine whether the gesture is a stop request, and if the gesture is a stop request and the state of its own vehicle is such that it can accept a stop request, transmit an inquiry signal including the position information of the traffic participant to the service vehicle management device 3 in order to confirm whether its own vehicle supports a specific service to which the traffic participant who made the gesture has subscribed. Furthermore, upon receiving the inquiry signal, the service vehicle management device 3 is configured to determine whether the traffic participant who made the gesture is one of the subscribed users based on the position information of the traffic participant included in the signal and the position information of each subscribed user that is periodically received from a terminal carried by each subscribed user who subscribes to the specific service, and transmit a response signal including the result of the determination to the service vehicle 2.

[0040] The service vehicle 2 is further configured to, upon receiving the response signal, perform an action according to the result of the determination contained in the signal. Specifically, the service vehicle 2 includes an exterior communication tool 23 for communicating with traffic participants, and is configured to notify the traffic participant who made the stop gesture in a first manner via the exterior communication tool 23 when the traffic participant is one of the subscribed users, and to notify the traffic participant who made the stop gesture in a second manner different from the first manner via the exterior communication tool 23 when the traffic participant is not one of the subscribed users.

[0041] According to this embodiment, when a user 1 who wishes to use a mobility service makes a gesture to stop the service vehicle 2, the service vehicle 2 reacts to inform the user whether it supports the specific service, so that the user 1 can easily determine whether the service vehicle 2 is a vehicle that supports the specific service to which the user 1 has subscribed.

[0042] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it allows a user 1 to identify a service vehicle 2 that is compatible with a specific service to which the user 1 has subscribed in a location where many service vehicles 2 are gathered, such as in front of a station, a commercial facility, or an accommodation facility. The following description will focus on this difference.

[0043] Figure 3 is a diagram that explains the content and flow of the processing performed by the user terminal 4, service vehicle 2, and service vehicle management device 3 carried by user 1 when user 1 determines, at a location where a large number of service vehicles 2 are gathered, which service vehicle 2 corresponds to a specific service to which user 1 has subscribed.

[0044] In this embodiment, the service vehicles 2 periodically transmit their own vehicle position information to the service vehicle management device 3. That is, in this embodiment, the service vehicle management device 3 is capable of grasping the current position of each service vehicle 2.

[0045] In step S11, the user 1 operates the user terminal 4 to start a predetermined application, and makes a search request on the application for a service vehicle 2 that corresponds to a specific service to which the user 1 has subscribed. When the search request is made via the application, the user terminal 4 transmits an inquiry signal including the location information of the user 1 to the service vehicle management device 3.

[0046] In step S12, when the service vehicle management device 3 receives the inquiry signal, it determines whether there is a service vehicle 2 that is present around the user 1 and corresponds to the specific service to which the user 1 has subscribed, based on the location information of the user 1 contained in the signal and the location information of each service vehicle 2 that is periodically received from each service vehicle 2.

[0047] In step S13, if there is a service vehicle 2 around the user 1 that corresponds to a specific service to which the user 1 has subscribed, the service vehicle management device 3 sends an instruction signal to the service vehicle 2 and also sends a notification signal to the user terminal 4 that sent the inquiry signal.

[0048] The instruction signal is a signal for instructing the service vehicle 2 to take action to notify surrounding traffic participants that the vehicle is a service vehicle 2 that supports a specific service. The notification signal is a signal for instructing the user terminal 4 that is the sender of the inquiry signal to notify the user 1 via the app of the action that the service vehicle 2 that supports a specific service will take.

[0049] In step S14, when the service vehicle 2 receives the instruction signal, it notifies the surroundings via the exterior communication tool 23 that the vehicle is a service vehicle 2 that supports a specific service.

[0050] In step S15, upon receiving the notification signal, the user terminal 4 notifies the user 1 via the app of the content of the action that the service vehicle 2 that supports the specific service will now perform.

[0051] This allows the user 1 to easily distinguish the service vehicle that is compatible with the specific service to which the user 1 has subscribed from among a plurality of service vehicles 2 present in the vicinity.

[0052] If the result of the determination in step S12 is that there is no service vehicle 2 that supports the specific service around the user 1, then it is sufficient to send only a notification to that effect to the user terminal 4 that is the sender of the inquiry signal.

[0053] The service vehicle management device 3 (server) according to the present embodiment described above is configured to, when it receives a predetermined inquiry signal from a user terminal 4 (possessed terminal) possessed by a user 1 who wishes to use a mobility service, determine whether or not a service vehicle 2 corresponding to a specific service to which the user 1 has subscribed is present around the user 1 based on the location information of the user 1 contained in the signal and the location information of each of the multiple service vehicles 2 received periodically from each of the service vehicles 2, and if a service vehicle 2 corresponding to a specific service to which the user 1 has subscribed is present around the user 1, transmit an instruction signal to the service vehicle 2 instructing it to take action according to the result of the determination.

[0054] In addition, the service vehicle management device 3 according to this embodiment is configured to send a notification signal to the user terminal 4 of the user 1 instructing it to notify the user 1 of the details of the action to be performed by the service vehicle 2 when a service vehicle 2 corresponding to a specific service to which the user 1 has subscribed is present in the vicinity of the user 1.

[0055] This allows the user 1 to easily identify the service vehicle that is compatible with the specific service to which the user 1 has subscribed from among the multiple service vehicles 2 present in the vicinity.

[0056] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above embodiments merely illustrate some of the application examples of the present invention, and it is not intended that the technical scope of the present invention be limited to the specific configurations of the above embodiments.

[0057] For example, in the above embodiment, the computer programs executed in the control device 24 of the service vehicle 2, the service vehicle management device 3, and the user terminal 4 may be provided in a form recorded on a computer-readable portable recording medium such as a semiconductor memory, a magnetic recording medium, or an optical recording medium. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1 user 2 Service vehicles 3. Service vehicle management device (server) 4. User device (owned device) 100 Mobility Systems

Claims

1. a plurality of autonomously driven mobile objects that provide mobility services; a server configured to be able to communicate with each of the plurality of mobile objects; A mobility system comprising: The moving body is Detecting positions and gestures of traffic participants present around the own moving body based on surrounding data representing the surrounding conditions of the own moving body; determining whether the gesture is a stop request; If the gesture is a stop request, the mobile unit is configured to send an inquiry signal including location information of the traffic participant to the server in order to confirm whether the mobile unit supports a specific service to which the traffic participant who made the gesture subscribes; The server Upon receiving the inquiry signal, the mobile unit determines whether the traffic participant who made the gesture is one of the users who subscribe to the specific service based on the location information of the traffic participant included in the signal and the location information of each user who subscribes to the specific service periodically received from a terminal carried by each user, determines whether the mobile unit supports the specific service to which the traffic participant who made the gesture subscribes, and transmits a response signal including the result of the determination to the mobile unit; The moving body further comprises: When the response signal is received, an action is performed according to the result of the determination contained in the response signal. Mobility systems.

2. The moving body is a communication tool for communicating with the traffic participants; If the traffic participant who made the gesture is one of the users who subscribe to the specific service, a notification to that effect is given via the communication tool in a first manner. The mobility system of claim 1 .

3. The moving body is If the traffic participant who made the gesture is not a user who subscribes to the specific service, a notification to that effect is given via the communication tool in a second manner different from the first manner. The mobility system of claim 2 .

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