Information processing device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

The processing load for calculating the movement path of the flying device is reduced. [Solution] The system includes an identification unit (232) that identifies voxels among the voxels as non-flyable voxels based on information indicating objects present inside each of a plurality of voxels obtained by dividing three-dimensional space into a plurality of rectangular parallelepipeds, and a generation unit (233) that generates a tentative movement path indicating the order in which the flight device will pass through any of the plurality of voxels if the flight device moves so as to minimize the movement distance of the flight device between the takeoff completion position immediately after the flight device has taken off for takeoff and the landing preparation position immediately before the flight device descends for landing, and that, if the flight device passes through a non-flyable voxel on the generated tentative movement path, generates a movement path that modifies the tentative movement path based on predetermined rules to avoid the non-flyable voxel.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program for generating a movement path for a flying device to fly. [Background technology]

[0002] Various methods have been proposed for determining a travel route for a flying device, such as a drone, that flies autonomously within a mobile space. For example, Patent Document 1 describes selecting a travel route that minimizes the cost of travel from among all travel routes available to the flying device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-033232 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The technology described in Patent Document 1 requires calculating the cost of each and every possible route along which the flying device can travel, which poses a problem of a large processing load for calculating the costs.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and aims to provide an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program that can reduce the processing load for calculating the movement path of a flying device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An information processing device of a first aspect of the present invention is an information processing device that generates a movement path of a flying device capable of flying along a predetermined movement path, and is equipped with: an identification unit that identifies voxels among a plurality of voxels obtained by dividing three-dimensional space into a plurality of rectangular parallelepipeds as non-flyable voxels, based on information indicating objects present inside each of the plurality of voxels, through which the flying device cannot fly; and a generation unit that generates a provisional movement path indicating the order in which the flying device will pass through any of the plurality of voxels if the flying device moves so as to minimize the movement distance of the flying device between a takeoff completion position immediately after the flying device takes off for takeoff and a landing preparation position immediately before the flying device descends for landing; and if the flying device passes through the non-flyable voxel on the generated provisional movement path, generates a movement path that modifies the provisional movement path based on a predetermined rule to avoid the non-flyable voxel.

[0007] The generation unit may generate the travel path so as not to include a travel pattern in which the flight device moves in a first specific direction, then moves by one voxel in a second specific direction perpendicular to the first specific direction, and then moves in the second specific direction in the opposite direction to the first specific direction, when the flight device passes through the non-flightable voxel on the generated tentative travel path and cannot avoid the non-flightable voxel by detouring in a horizontal direction.

[0008] The identification unit may identify voxels adjacent to the non-flight voxel on both sides as the non-flight voxel. The information processing device may further include an acquisition unit that acquires type information indicating a type of object present within each of the plurality of voxels, and the generation unit may generate the movement path that vertically detours around the non-flight voxel to avoid the non-flight voxel in a case where the flight device passes through the non-flight voxel in which the object of the type whose type is ground is located on the generated temporary movement path, and in a case where the flight device passes through the non-flight voxel adjacent to the non-flight voxel in which the object of the type whose type is ground is located on the generated temporary movement path.

[0009] When the flight device passes through the flight-prohibited voxel on the generated tentative movement path, the generation unit may generate the movement path by performing a first directional movement in which the flight device moves in a first direction perpendicular on a horizontal plane to the approach direction toward the flight-prohibited voxel at a voxel immediately before the flight-prohibited voxel that the flight device passes through, a second directional movement in which the flight device moves in a second direction perpendicular on the horizontal plane to the first direction along the approach direction after the first directional movement, and a second directional movement in a direction opposite to the direction of movement in the first directional movement after the second directional movement. The generation unit may generate the movement path so that the flight device does not make a round trip on the same path.

[0010] The generation unit may generate the provisional movement path along which the flight device moves from the takeoff completion position to the landing preparation position by performing a first movement along a first axis direction, a second movement along a second axis direction perpendicular to the first axis direction, and a third movement along a third axis direction perpendicular to the first axis direction and the second axis direction in a predetermined order, and if the flight device passes through the non-flightable voxels on the generated provisional movement path, the movement path may be generated by switching the order in which the first movement, the second movement, and the third movement are performed so as to avoid the non-flightable voxels on the provisional movement path.

[0011] When the flight device passes through the non-flightable voxel on the generated tentative movement path, the generation unit may generate the movement path by switching the order of performing the first movement, the second movement, and the third movement between a voxel immediately before the non-flightable voxel and a voxel immediately after the non-flightable voxel.When the flight device passes through the non-flightable voxel on the generated tentative movement path and the generation unit cannot generate the movement path to avoid the non-flightable voxel by switching the order of performing the first movement, the second movement, and the third movement, the generation unit may generate the movement path that avoids the non-flightable voxel by making a detour in a horizontal or vertical direction.

[0012] The information processing device further includes a display control unit that causes a display device to display the type of modification made to the tentative movement path generated by the generation unit to generate the movement path and the section to which the modification of the type was applied. The display control unit further causes the display device to display information for identifying objects that exist within the flight-prohibited voxels through which the flight device passes on the tentative movement path.

[0013] A second aspect of the program of the present invention causes a computer to perform the following steps: identify voxels among a plurality of voxels obtained by dividing three-dimensional space into a plurality of rectangular parallelepipeds as non-flyable voxels, based on information indicating objects present inside each of the plurality of voxels; generate a provisional movement path indicating the order in which the flight device will pass through any of the plurality of voxels if the flight device moves so as to minimize the movement distance of the flight device between a takeoff completion position immediately after the flight device has taken off for takeoff and a landing preparation position immediately before the flight device descends for landing; and, if the flight device passes through the non-flyable voxels on the generated provisional movement path, generate a movement path that modifies the provisional movement path based on predetermined rules to avoid the non-flyable voxels.

[0014] An information processing method of a third aspect of the present invention is an information processing method executed by a computer for instructing a flying device capable of flying along a predetermined movement path, the method comprising the steps of: identifying voxels among a plurality of voxels obtained by dividing three-dimensional space into a plurality of rectangular parallelepipeds as non-flyable voxels, those voxels in which the flying device cannot fly, based on information indicating objects present inside each of the plurality of voxels; generating a provisional movement path indicating the order in which the flying device will pass through any of the plurality of voxels if the flying device moves so as to minimize the movement distance of the flying device between a takeoff completion position immediately after the flying device takes off for takeoff and a landing preparation position immediately before the flying device descends for landing; and, if the flying device passes through the non-flyable voxel on the generated provisional movement path, generating a movement path by modifying the provisional movement path based on a predetermined rule to avoid the non-flyable voxel. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the processing load for calculating the movement path of a flight device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a traffic management system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a traffic management system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 shows the configuration of an information processing device. [Figure 4] An example of a voxel adjacent to a no-fly voxel is shown below. [Figure 5] Another example of a voxel adjacent to a no-fly voxel is shown. [Figure 6] Another example of a voxel adjacent to a no-fly voxel is shown. [Figure 7] 10 shows an example of a tentative movement path generated by the generation unit. [Figure 8] 10 shows an example of generation of a travel route by the generation unit. [Figure 9] 10 shows an example of generation of a travel route by the generation unit. [Figure 10] 10 shows an example of generation of a travel route by the generation unit. [Figure 11] 10 shows an example of generation of a travel route by the generation unit. [Figure 12] An example of a movement path that horizontally bypasses non-flyable voxels is shown. [Figure 13] Another example of horizontally bypassing no-fly voxels is shown below. [Figure 14] An example of a case where it is not possible to avoid a no-fly voxel horizontally is shown below. [Figure 15] Another example is shown below where no-fly voxels can be avoided horizontally. [Figure 16] An example is shown in which a flying device avoids a flight-prohibited voxel by making a detour in the vertical direction. [Figure 17] An example is shown in which a flying device avoids a flight-prohibited voxel by making a detour in the vertical direction. [Figure 18] An example is shown in which a flying device avoids a flight-prohibited voxel by making a detour in the vertical direction. [Figure 19] 10 shows an example of an image that the display control unit causes the display device to display. [Figure 20] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for generating a travel route by an information processing device. [Figure 21] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for travel route generation processing. [Figure 22] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for horizontal detouring processing. [Figure 23] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for vertical detour processing. [Figure 24] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a traffic management system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 25] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for generating information indicating a travel route and a cost by an information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] First Embodiment 1 and 2 are diagrams showing an overview of a traffic management system S according to a first embodiment. The traffic management system S includes an information processing device 200 and a traffic management device 100.

[0018] The operation management device 100 is, for example, a computer owned by a manager who manages the operation of a flying device. The operation management device 100 communicates with an information processing device 200 via a network. The operation management device 100 transmits a route generation request to the information processing device 200, requesting that a travel route for the flying device that can fly along a predetermined travel route be generated ((1) in FIG. 1).

[0019] The information processing device 200 communicates with the traffic management device 100 via a network. The information processing device 200 generates a movement route for a flying device that can fly along a predetermined movement route. In the example of Fig. 1, the information processing device 200 generates a movement route when it receives a route generation request from the traffic management device 100.

[0020] 2(a) and 2(b) show an overview of a method for generating a movement path by the information processing device 200. Fig. 2(a) shows an example of a takeoff start position S and a landing completion position G of a flying device. Fig. 2(b) shows an example of a movement path of the flying device.

[0021] The information processing device 200 grasps the three-dimensional space in which the flying device can move as a plurality of voxels divided into a plurality of rectangular parallelepipeds. The information processing device 200 acquires object information indicating objects present inside each of the plurality of voxels. Based on the acquired object information, the information processing device 200 identifies voxels in which the flying device cannot fly as non-flyable voxels.

[0022] The upward arrow in Figure 2(a) indicates the flight device rising from takeoff start position S for takeoff. The downward arrow in Figure 2(a) indicates the flight device descending to landing completion position G for landing. The information processing device 200 generates a tentative movement path indicating the order in which the flight device will pass through any of multiple voxels when the flight device moves so as to minimize the movement distance between takeoff completion position T immediately after the flight device rises for takeoff and landing preparation position L immediately before the flight device descends for landing.

[0023] If the flight device does not pass through any flight-prohibited voxels on the generated tentative movement path, the information processing device 200 confirms this tentative movement path as the movement path. If the flight device passes through any flight-prohibited voxels on the generated tentative movement path, the information processing device 200 generates a movement path by modifying the tentative movement path to avoid the flight-prohibited voxels based on predetermined rules described below. The multiple arrows shown in Figure 2(b) indicate an example of a modified movement path generated by the information processing device 200. The information processing device 200 transmits the modified movement path to the traffic management device 100 ((2) in Figure 1).

[0024] In this way, the information processing device 200 generates a movement path by modifying a tentative movement path that minimizes the movement distance of the flight device, thereby preventing an increase in the movement time of the flight device. Since the information processing device 200 does not search for all movement paths that the flight device can move between the takeoff completion position and the landing completion position, the processing load for calculating the movement path of the flight device can be reduced compared to searching for all movement paths that the flight device can move.

[0025] [Configuration of information processing device 200] 3 shows the configuration of the information processing device 200. The information processing device 200 includes a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a control unit 23. The control unit 23 includes an acquisition unit 231, an identification unit 232, a generation unit 233, a display control unit 234, and a communication control unit 235.

[0026] The communication unit 21 is a communication interface for communicating with the traffic management device 100. The communication unit 21 inputs information received from the traffic management device 100 to the acquisition unit 231 and the communication control unit 235. The communication unit 21 may be capable of communicating with the flight device.

[0027] The storage unit 22 is a storage medium including a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The storage unit 22 stores a program executed by the control unit 23.

[0028] The control unit 23 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 23 executes the programs stored in the storage unit 22, thereby functioning as an acquisition unit 231, an identification unit 232, a generation unit 233, a display control unit 234, and a communication control unit 235.

[0029] The acquisition unit 231 communicates with the operation management device 100 via the communication unit 21. The acquisition unit 231 acquires a route generation request that requests the creation of a movement route for the flight device. The acquisition unit 231 acquires a three-dimensional map of the flight device operation area in which the flight device can move from an external device (not shown). The acquisition unit 231 may acquire a radio wave map that shows the radio wave conditions in the three-dimensional space from the external device, and identify the area in which the flight device can move as the flight device operation area based on the acquired radio wave map.

[0030] The acquisition unit 231 acquires, based on the acquired 3D map, voxel information indicating the position of each of a plurality of voxels obtained by dividing a three-dimensional space corresponding to the flight operation area into a plurality of rectangular parallelepipeds. Based on this 3D map, the acquisition unit 231 acquires object information indicating an object present inside each of a plurality of voxels obtained by dividing the three-dimensional space into a plurality of rectangular parallelepipeds. The acquisition unit 231 acquires type information indicating the type of object present inside each of the plurality of voxels. The acquisition unit 231 outputs the acquired voxel information, object information, and type information to the identification unit 232.

[0031] The identification unit 232 identifies voxels among the plurality of voxels where the flight device cannot fly as non-flyable voxels based on the object information acquired by the acquisition unit 231. The identification unit 232 identifies voxels that partially include a building as non-flyable voxels. The identification unit 232 identifies voxels that cannot be kept at a distance greater than or equal to a reference distance from a building as non-flyable voxels. The reference distance is, for example, several tens of meters.

[0032] Based on the object information, the identification unit 232 identifies voxels that partially include the ground and voxels that cannot maintain a distance from the ground equal to or greater than a reference distance as non-flyable voxels. The identification unit 232 identifies locations that violate altitude regulations that prohibit flight above the ground by more than a permissible distance as non-flyable voxels. The permissible distance is, for example, several hundred meters.

[0033] The identification unit 232 identifies voxels adjacent to non-flight voxels on both sides as non-flight voxels. Figures 4(a) and 4(b) show examples of voxels adjacent to non-flight voxels. In the examples of Figures 4(a) and 4(b), the non-flight voxels are shown hatched. As shown in Figure 4(a), the identification unit 232 identifies voxels sandwiched between non-flight voxels as non-flight voxels.

[0034] 4(b), voxels A and B are not sandwiched between two non-flyable voxels, but are adjacent to two non-flyable voxels. In this case, the identification unit 232 does not identify voxels A and B as non-flyable voxels, but prohibits the flight device from passing between voxels A and B.

[0035] 5 shows another example of a voxel adjacent to a non-flight voxel. Voxel A shown in FIG. 5(a) is adjacent to two non-flight voxels. In this case, the identification unit 232 identifies voxel A as a non-flight voxel, as shown in FIG. 5(b).

[0036] FIG. 6 shows another example of voxels adjacent to non-flight voxels. Voxel A shown in FIG. 6(a) is a voxel sandwiched between non-flight voxels. Voxel B is a voxel adjacent to three non-flight voxels. Therefore, the identification unit 232 identifies voxel A and voxel B as non-flight voxels, as shown in FIG. 6(b). The identification unit 232 outputs information indicating the identified non-flight voxels to the generation unit 233.

[0037] [Generating a temporary movement path] The generation unit 233 generates a movement path for the flight device. Before generating a movement path, the generation unit 233 generates a tentative movement path. First, the generation unit 233 identifies the takeoff completion position (T in FIG. 2) immediately after the flight device has taken off for takeoff, and the landing preparation position (L in FIG. 2) immediately before the flight device descends for landing. The generation unit 233 identifies the order in which the flight device will pass through any of the multiple voxels when the flight device moves so that the movement distance of the flight device between the takeoff completion position T and the landing preparation position L is the shortest. The generation unit 233 generates a tentative movement path that indicates the identified order.

[0038] On this tentative movement path, the flight device moves from the takeoff completion position to the landing preparation position by performing a first movement along the X-axis (corresponding to the first axis), a second movement along the Y-axis (corresponding to the second axis) perpendicular to the X-axis, and a third movement along the Z-axis (corresponding to the third axis) perpendicular to the X-axis and Y-axis directions in a predetermined order. Hereinafter, the first movement moving one voxel in the positive direction of the X-axis will be referred to as the first movement (+X). The first movement moving one voxel in the positive direction of the Y-axis will be referred to as the second movement (+Y). The first movement moving one voxel in the positive direction of the Z-axis will be referred to as the third movement (+Z). The generation unit 233 determines the movement order of the flight device on the tentative movement path so that the occurrence frequencies of the first movement, second movement, and third movement are as even as possible.

[0039] For example, if the number of movements of the first movement (+X), second movement (+Y), and third movement (+Z) are 3, 2, and 1, respectively, the generation unit 233 evenly distributes the first movement (+X), which has the most movements, to generate the following: first movement (+X), second movement (+Y), first movement (+X), second movement (+Y), first movement (+X), and third movement (+Z). The generation unit 233 then replaces the second movement (+Y), which has the next most movements, with the third movement (+Z). In this case, the provisional movement path generated by the generation unit 233 is the first movement (+X), second movement (+Y), first movement (+X), third movement (+Z), first movement (+X), and second movement (+Y). By generating the provisional movement path in this manner, the generation unit 233 can generate a shorter provisional movement path by smoothing, which will be described later.

[0040] FIG. 7 shows an example of a tentative movement path generated by the generation unit 233. In FIG. 7, the vertical direction is the Z-axis direction, and the movement of the flight device on an XY plane perpendicular to this Z-axis direction is shown. In FIG. 7, multiple arrows indicate the order of voxels through which the flight device passes from takeoff completion position T to landing preparation position L so as to minimize the movement distance. The example in FIG. 7 shows an example of movement to landing preparation position L by repeating a first movement along the X-axis and a second movement along the Y-axis from takeoff completion position T in the order of first movement (+X), first movement (+X), second movement (+Y), first movement (+X), first movement (+X), second movement (+Y), and first movement (+X).

[0041] [Generating a movement route by changing the movement order] When the flight device passes through a flight-prohibited voxel on the generated tentative movement path, the generation unit 233 generates a movement path by modifying the tentative movement path based on a predetermined rule so as to avoid the flight-prohibited voxel. For example, the generation unit 233 generates a movement path by switching the order of the first movement, the second movement, and the third movement so as to avoid the flight-prohibited voxel on the tentative movement path. In this case, the generation unit 233 switches the order of the first movement, the second movement, and the third movement between a start voxel immediately before the flight-prohibited voxel and a target voxel immediately after the flight-prohibited voxel.

[0042] 8(a) and 8(b) show an example of generation of a movement path by the generation unit 233. Fig. 8(a) shows a tentative movement path generated by the generation unit 233. Fig. 8(b) shows how the generation unit 233 corrects the tentative movement path.

[0043] The non-flightable voxels in Figure 8(a) are shown with hatching. In the example of Figure 8(a), the tentative movement path generated by the generation unit 233 passes through one non-flightable voxel. In this case, the generation unit 233 identifies the previous start voxel (white star in Figure 8(a)) that passes through the non-flightable voxel and the next target voxel (hatched star in Figure 8(a)) that passes through the non-flightable voxel.

[0044] The flying device moves between the origin voxel identified by the generation unit 233 and the target voxel in the order of first movement (+X) and second movement (+Y). As shown in FIG. 8(b), the generation unit 233 changes the order of movement so that the flight device moves between the origin voxel and the target voxel in the order of second movement (+Y) and first movement (+X). In FIG. 8(b), the path after changing the order of movement is indicated by a thick arrow. In this way, the generation unit 233 modifies the tentative movement path to avoid the flight-prohibited voxels.

[0045] 9(a) and 9(b) show an example of generation of a movement path by the generation unit 233. Fig. 9(a) shows a tentative movement path generated by the generation unit 233. Fig. 9(b) shows how the generation unit 233 corrects the tentative movement path.

[0046] In the example of Figure 9(a), the tentative movement path generated by the generation unit 233 passes through two consecutive flight-prohibited voxels. Between the previous starting voxel (white star in Figure 9(a)) that passes through the flight-prohibited voxels and the next target voxel (hatched star in Figure 9(a)) that passes through the flight-prohibited voxels, the flight device moves in the order of first movement (+X), second movement (+Y), and first movement (+X). However, the generation unit 233 cannot avoid the flight-prohibited voxels even if it changes the order of movements.

[0047] Therefore, the generation unit 233 advances the target voxel by one step, making it the second voxel after the flight-prohibited voxel (hatched star in Figure 9(b)). Between the starting voxel and the new target voxel, the flight device moves in the order of first movement (+X), second movement (+Y), first movement (+X), and second movement (+Y).

[0048] The generation unit 233 changes the order of movement between the origin voxel and the new target voxel in the order of second movement (+Y), second movement (+Y), first movement (+X), and first movement (+X), as shown by the thick arrow in Fig. 9(b). The path in which the order of movement has been changed is shown by the thick arrow in Fig. 9(b).

[0049] 10 and 11 show examples of movement paths generated by the generation unit 233. Fig. 10(a) shows a tentative movement path generated by the generation unit 233. Fig. 10(b) shows a state in which the generation unit 233 has modified the tentative movement path so as to avoid the lower left non-flight voxel of the two non-flight voxels. Fig. 11 shows a state in which the generation unit 233 has modified the tentative movement path so as to avoid the remaining upper right non-flight voxel.

[0050] In the example of Figure 10(a), the flying device moves in the order of a first movement (+X) and a second movement (+Y) between the previous starting voxel, which passes through the no-fly voxel at the bottom left, and the next target voxel, which passes through this no-fly voxel.

[0051] The generation unit 233 changes the movement order so that the second movement (+Y) and the first movement (+X) are made in this order between the starting point voxel corresponding to the bottom-left no-fly voxel and the target voxel, as shown in Fig. 10(b). The path in which the movement order has been changed is indicated by a thick arrow in Fig. 10(b).

[0052] In the example of FIG. 10(b), the flying device moves in the order of a first movement (+X) and a second movement (+Y) between the previous starting voxel, which passes through the upper right no-fly voxel, and the next target voxel, which passes through this no-fly voxel. As shown in FIG. 11, the generation unit 233 rearranges the order of movements between the starting voxel corresponding to the upper right no-fly voxel and the target voxel, so that the second movement (+Y) and the first movement (+X) are made in that order. In FIG. 11, the movement path with the rearranged movement order is indicated by a thick arrow. In this way, the generation unit 233 rearranges the order of the first movement, the second movement, and the third movement, thereby making it possible to avoid the no-fly voxel while preventing the movement path from becoming too long.

[0053] [Horizontal or vertical detour] When the flight device passes through a flight-prohibited voxel on the generated tentative movement path, the generation unit 233 may not be able to generate a movement path that avoids the flight-prohibited voxel by switching the order of the first movement, the second movement, and the third movement. In this case, the generation unit 233 generates a movement path that avoids the flight-prohibited voxel by detouring in the horizontal or vertical direction.

[0054] First, we will explain how the generation unit 233 generates a movement path that avoids flight-prohibited voxels by making a detour in the horizontal direction. In a movement path that detours the flight-prohibited voxels in the horizontal direction, the generation unit 233 moves the flight device in a first direction (hereinafter also referred to as first-direction movement) at a starting voxel immediately before the flight-prohibited voxel through which the flight device passes. The first direction is a direction perpendicular to the approach direction from the starting voxel to the flight-prohibited voxel on a horizontal plane.

[0055] The generation unit 233 moves the flight device in a second direction along the approach direction after this first direction movement (hereinafter also referred to as second direction movement) on a movement path that horizontally detours around the non-flightable voxels. The second direction is a direction perpendicular to the first direction on the horizontal plane. The generation unit 233 moves the flight device in a direction opposite to the direction of movement in the first direction movement after this second direction movement on a movement path that horizontally detours around the non-flightable voxels. In this way, the generation unit 233 generates a movement path that detours around the non-flightable voxels in the second direction.

[0056] Figures 12(a) to 12(c) show examples of movement paths that detour around non-flight voxels in the horizontal direction. Figure 12(a) shows a tentative movement path generated by the generation unit 233. Figure 12(b) shows an example of detour around non-flight voxels in the +Y direction. Figure 12(c) shows an example of detour around non-flight voxels in the -Y direction. In the example of Figure 12(a), the flying device passes through non-flight voxels on the tentative movement path generated by the generation unit 233.

[0057] In the example of Figure 12(a), the flying device moves between the origin voxel and the target voxel in the order of first movement (+X), then first movement (+X). In this case, the generation unit 233 cannot avoid the flight-prohibited voxel even if it changes the movement order. In this case, the generation unit 233 searches for a movement path that bypasses the flight-prohibited voxel by moving the flying device in the +Y direction or -Y direction perpendicular to the direction toward the flight-prohibited voxel in the origin voxel.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 12(b), the generation unit 233 moves the flying device in a first direction by one voxel in the +Y direction. After the first direction movement, the generation unit 233 moves the flying device in a second direction in the +X direction toward the non-flight voxel. At this time, the generation unit 233 moves the flying device in the second direction by two voxels to a position corresponding to the position of the target voxel. After the second direction movement, the generation unit 233 moves the flying device in a third direction in the -Y direction, which is opposite to the direction of movement in the first direction (+Y direction). At this time, the generation unit 233 moves the flying device in the third direction by one voxel, the same as the first direction movement.

[0059] However, the movement path shown in Figure 12(b) cannot avoid the flight-prohibited voxels. Therefore, the generation unit 233 changes the direction of the first direction movement of the flying device to the -Y direction, and searches for a movement path that detours around the flight voxels in the -Y direction.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 12(c), the generation unit 233 moves the flight device in a first direction by one voxel in the -Y direction. After moving in the first direction, the generation unit 233 moves the flight device in a second direction in the +X direction toward the flight-prohibited voxel. At this time, the generation unit 233 moves the flight device in the second direction by two voxels to a position corresponding to the position of the target voxel. After moving in the second direction, the generation unit 233 moves the flight device in a third direction in the +Y direction, which is opposite to the direction of movement in the first direction (-Y direction). At this time, the generation unit 233 moves the flight device in the third direction by one voxel, which is the same distance as the distance moved in the first direction. As shown in FIG. 12(c), this movement path allows the flight device to reach the target voxel from the starting voxel without passing through the flight-prohibited voxel.

[0061] 13(a) and 13(b) show another example of horizontally bypassing a flight-prohibited voxel. As shown in FIG. 13(b), the generation unit 233 moves the flight device in a first direction by one voxel in the -Y direction. After moving in the first direction, the generation unit 233 moves the flight device in a second direction in the +X direction toward the flight-prohibited voxel. At this time, the generation unit 233 moves the flight device in the second direction by three voxels to a position corresponding to the position of the target voxel. After moving in the second direction, the generation unit 233 moves the flight device in a third direction in the +Y direction, which is opposite to the direction of movement in the first direction (-Y direction). At this time, the generation unit 233 moves the flight device in the third direction by one voxel, which is the same distance as the distance moved in the first direction. After moving in the third direction, the generation unit 233 moves the flight device to the target voxel.

[0062] Cases where the flight device's tentative movement path is blocked by a building often occur on flat ground in urban areas, etc. In such situations, the generation unit 233 has a relatively high chance of avoiding the building by generating a movement path that detours in a "U" shape in the horizontal direction. Therefore, the generation unit 233 can efficiently avoid flight-prone voxels by detouring the flight device in a "U" shape.

[0063] The generation unit 233 generates a movement path so that the flight device does not make a round trip on the same path. When the generation unit 233 generates a movement path so that it detours around flight-prohibited voxels in the horizontal direction, the movement path may include a redundant path, such as a first direction movement (-X) immediately after a first direction movement (+X), depending on the relationship with the previous and next movement paths. For this reason, the generation unit 233 generates a movement path so as to exclude movement paths in which the flight device makes a round trip on the same path.

[0064] When the flight device passes through a flight-prohibited voxel on the generated tentative movement path, the generation unit 233 may not be able to avoid the flight-prohibited voxel by detouring horizontally. In this case, the generation unit 233 generates a movement path that detours vertically to avoid the flight-prohibited voxel.

[0065] When the generation unit 233 generates a travel path for a flight device to travel through mountainous areas, the tentative travel path may be blocked by a mountain. In this case, the identification unit 232 identifies the mountain as a flight-prohibited voxel containing an object of ground type. Similarly, when the generation unit 233 generates a tentative travel path for a flight device to travel through mountainous areas with large elevation differences, flight-prohibited voxels that violate altitude rules prohibiting flight above an allowable distance may exist on the tentative travel path. In such cases, the range in which the flight-prohibited voxels exist may occupy a relatively large area on the horizontal plane, and therefore, if the generation unit 233 attempts to horizontally bypass these flight-prohibited voxels, there is a risk that the travel path will become significantly longer.

[0066] For this reason, the generation unit 233 does not search for a movement path that avoids the non-flightable voxel by detouring horizontally in the following cases: (1) when the flight device passes through a non-flightable voxel where an object of the ground type exists on the generated tentative movement path or movement path, (2) when the flight device passes through a non-flightable voxel adjacent to a non-flightable voxel where an object of the ground type exists on the generated tentative movement path or movement path (hereinafter also referred to as an adjacent ground), or (3) when the flight device passes through a non-flightable voxel that constitutes an altitude violation that prohibits flight above the ground by more than the allowable distance (hereinafter also simply referred to as an altitude violation) on the generated tentative movement path. In these cases, the generation unit 233 generates a movement path that detours vertically around the non-flightable voxel to avoid the non-flightable voxel.

[0067] On the other hand, when the flight device passes through a flight-prohibited voxel in which an object of the type building exists on the generated tentative movement path or movement path, or when the flight device passes through a flight-prohibited voxel adjacent to this flight-prohibited voxel (hereinafter also referred to as an adjacent building) on ​​the generated tentative movement path or movement path, the generation unit 233 generates a movement path that avoids the flight-prohibited voxel by detouring in the horizontal direction, as described above. Although the above examples (1) to (3) are listed as conditions for the generation unit 233 to generate a movement path that detours around the flight-prohibited voxel in the vertical direction, there may be four or more conditions, or there may be one or two conditions for the generation unit 233 to generate a movement path that detours around the flight-prohibited voxel in the vertical direction.

[0068] Figure 14 shows an example of a case where a no-fly voxel cannot be avoided horizontally. "Building or adjacent building" in Figure 14 indicates a no-fly voxel where an object of the type building exists, or a no-fly voxel adjacent to this no-fly voxel. "Ground or adjacent ground" in Figure 14 indicates a no-fly voxel where an object of the type ground exists, or a no-fly voxel adjacent to this no-fly voxel.

[0069] In the example shown in Figure 14, the generation unit 233 moves the flying device in a first direction by two voxels in the +Y direction. After moving in the first direction, the generation unit 233 moves the flying device in a second direction by two voxels in the +X direction toward the flight-prohibited voxel. At this time, the generation unit 233 moves the flying device through a flight-prohibited voxel where an object of type ground exists. For this reason, the generation unit 233 suspends the search for a movement path to avoid the flight-prohibited voxel by making a detour in the horizontal direction.

[0070] 15(a) and 15(b) show other examples of cases where it is not possible to avoid a flight-prohibited voxel in the horizontal direction. FIG. 15(a) shows an example of moving the flight device in the first direction in the -Y direction. FIG. 15(b) shows an example of moving the flight device in the first direction in the +Y direction. In the example of FIG. 15(a), if the generation unit 233 moves the flight device in the first direction by one voxel in the -Y direction, the flight device will pass through a flight-prohibited voxel. Therefore, the generation unit 233 cannot avoid a flight-prohibited voxel by moving the flight device in the first direction in the -Y direction.

[0071] In the example of FIG. 15(b), the generation unit 233 moves the flight device in a first direction by two voxels in the +Y direction. After moving in the first direction, the generation unit 233 moves the flight device in a second direction in the +X direction toward the flight-prohibited voxel. At this time, the generation unit 233 moves the flight device in the second direction by two voxels to a position corresponding to the position of the target voxel. After moving in the second direction, the generation unit 233 moves the flight device in a third direction in the -Y direction, which is opposite to the direction of movement in the first direction (+Y direction). At this time, as shown in FIG. 15(b), because the flight device passes through the flight-prohibited voxel during its movement in the third direction, the generation unit 233 cannot avoid the flight-prohibited voxel by moving the flight device in the +Y direction in the first direction. In this case, the generation unit 233 suspends the search for a movement path that horizontally bypasses the flight-prohibited voxel.

[0072] 16 to 18 show examples in which the flying device avoids flight-prohibited voxels by making a detour in the vertical direction. FIG. 16 shows a tentative movement path generated by the generation unit 233. The n+1 layer in FIG. 16 indicates a voxel layer one voxel above the n layer. The double circle in FIG. 16 indicates movement in the vertically upward direction (hereinafter also referred to as the +Z direction). In the example of FIG. 16, the generation unit 233 moves in the first direction (+X), second direction (+Y), third direction (+Z), and first direction (+X) in this order between the origin voxel in the n layer and the target voxel in the n+1 layer. In this case, as shown in FIG. 16, the flying device passes through multiple flight-prohibited voxels on the tentative movement path.

[0073] The n+2 layer in Figure 17 indicates a voxel layer one voxel above the n+1 layer. The n+3 layer indicates a voxel layer one voxel above the n+2 layer. In the example of Figure 17, in order for the flying device to avoid non-flyable voxels, the generation unit 233 increases the number of movements in the third direction (+Z) by one voxel between the origin voxel and the target voxel, and increases the number of movements in the third direction (-Z) by one voxel between the origin voxel and the target voxel, compared to the example of Figure 16.

[0074] The generation unit 233 increases the number of movements in the third direction (+Z) and the third direction (-Z) between the origin voxel and the target voxel, and then changes the order of movements between the origin voxel and the target voxel. At this time, the generation unit 233 stores the increased number of movements in the third direction (-Z) until the flight device reaches the target voxel or the airspace above the target voxel, and after the flight device reaches the target voxel or the airspace above the target voxel, the flight device moves in the third direction (-Z).

[0075] The double diamond in Fig. 17 indicates a third directional movement in the -Z direction. The number "2" inside the diamond indicates a third directional movement of two voxels in the -Z direction. In the example of Fig. 17, the generation unit 233 moves between the origin voxel in the nth layer and the target voxel in the n+1th layer in the following order: third directional movement (+Z), first directional movement (+X), third directional movement (+Z), second directional movement (+Y), third directional movement (+Z), first directional movement (+X), third directional movement (-Z), and third directional movement (-Z).

[0076] In the example of FIG. 17, the generation unit 233 can generate a movement path that avoids flight-prohibited voxels by making a detour in the vertical direction, but this movement path includes redundant movement paths. To eliminate redundant movement paths, the generation unit 233 generates a movement path that does not include a predetermined movement pattern. For example, a predetermined movement pattern is a pattern in which the flying device moves in a first specific direction, then moves one voxel in a second specific direction perpendicular to the first specific direction, and then moves in the opposite direction from the first specific direction after moving in the second specific direction. In the example of FIG. 17, this movement pattern corresponds to a movement path in which the flying device moves in a third direction (+Z) on the n+2 layer, then moves in the first direction (+X) on the n+3 layer, and then moves in the third direction (-Z).

[0077] Figure 18 shows an example in which the generation unit 233 has excluded the third direction movement (+Z) and the third direction movement (-Z) from the movement patterns in the movement path shown in Figure 17. In the example of Figure 18, the generation unit 233 moves between the origin voxel and the target voxel in the order of third direction movement (+Z), first direction movement (+X), third direction movement (+Z), second direction movement (+Y), first direction movement (+X), and third direction movement (-Z). In this way, the generation unit 233 generates a movement path that does not include redundant movement paths, thereby shortening the movement time of the flying device.

[0078] [Smoothing of movement path] The generation unit 233 smooths the generated movement path. In smoothing, the generation unit 233 adjusts the movement path so that the angle at which the flight device turns on the movement path is gentler and the movement path is shorter. In smoothing, the generation unit 233 does not change the order in which the flight device passes through multiple voxels. The generation unit 233 outputs information indicating the movement path after smoothing to the display control unit 234 and the communication control unit 235.

[0079] [View Image] The display control unit 234 communicates with a display device (not shown) via the communication unit 21. The display device is, for example, a display for displaying an image generated by the traffic management device 100. The display device may also be a display for displaying an image generated by the information processing device 200. The display control unit 234 causes the display device to display the type of correction content that the generation unit 233 has used to correct the tentative travel route in order to generate a travel route, and the section to which the type of correction has been applied.

[0080] The types of corrections include, for example, changing the order of the first, second, and third movements of the flying device, horizontally bypassing the non-flight voxel, or vertically bypassing the non-flight voxel. The display control unit 234 further displays on the display device information for identifying an object that exists within the non-flight voxel that the flying device passes through on the tentative movement path. The information for identifying the object is, for example, the type of object. The information for identifying the object may also be, for example, a captured image of the object.

[0081] Fig. 19 shows an example of an image that the display control unit 234 displays on the display device. The display control unit 234 displays the movement route generated by the generation unit 233 for each section. The shortest route in Fig. 19 indicates a section that has not been corrected by the generation unit 233 in the tentative movement route generated by the generation unit 233 so as to minimize the movement distance of the flying device.

[0082] 19 indicates a section of a movement path that detours around a no-fly voxel in the horizontal direction, generated by the generation unit 233. For example, this section starts at a starting voxel identified by the generation unit 233 to generate a movement path that detours around a no-fly voxel in the horizontal direction, and ends at a specified target voxel.

[0083] 19 indicates a section in which the generation unit 233 generates a movement path that avoids flight-prohibited voxels by switching the movement order of the first, second, and third movements of the flight device. The vertical detour in Fig. 19 indicates a section in which the generation unit 233 generates a movement path that detours flight-prohibited voxels in the vertical direction.

[0084] The distance values ​​in Figure 19 indicate the length of each section. The distance values ​​in parentheses indicate the length of the original provisional movement path corresponding to each section. The text "Avoid Building" below the second-from-the-left "Horizontal Detour" section indicates that the type of object present in the flight-prohibited voxel that is avoided by detouring horizontally is a "building." The "Detouring Rate" in Figure 19 indicates the rate at which the flight device detouring to avoid the flight avoidance voxel along the entire movement path from takeoff completion position T to landing preparation position L. The detouring rate is calculated by the generation unit 233 dividing the total distance traveled by the flight device along a path including all voxels passed through on the path from takeoff completion position T to landing preparation position L by the straight-line distance from takeoff completion position T to landing preparation position L.

[0085] When the communication control unit 235 (described later) receives information indicating that the administrator selects one of the multiple sections displayed while the travel route generated by the generation unit 233 is displayed section by section, the display control unit 234 displays a 3D map including this section. The display control unit 234 may display, on this 3D map, captured images or the like of objects present in flight-prohibited voxels through which the flight device passes on the tentative travel route.

[0086] [Sending and receiving various information] The communication control unit 235 communicates with the traffic management device 100 and the flight device via the communication unit 21. The communication control unit 235 transmits information indicating the travel route generated by the generation unit 233 to the traffic management device 100.

[0087] The communication control unit 235 receives selection information in which the manager selects one of the multiple sections displayed when the display control unit 234 is causing the display device to display the travel route generated by the generation unit 233 for each section. The communication control unit 235 outputs the received selection information to the display control unit 234. The communication control unit 235 receives approval information in which the manager approves the travel route when the display control unit 234 is causing the display device to display the travel route generated by the generation unit 233. When the communication control unit 235 receives the approval information, it may transmit this travel route to the flight device as a confirmed travel route.

[0088] [Processing Procedure for Generating Travel Routes by Information Processing Device 200] 20 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for generating a movement route by the information processing device 200. This processing procedure starts, for example, when the acquisition unit 231 acquires, from the traffic management device 100, a route generation request requesting generation of a movement route for the flying device.

[0089] First, the acquisition unit 231 acquires voxel information indicating the positions of each of a plurality of voxels obtained by dividing a three-dimensional space corresponding to the flight operation area into a plurality of rectangular parallelepipeds. The acquisition unit 231 acquires type information indicating the type of object present within each of the plurality of voxels (S101). The identification unit 232 identifies voxels within which the flight device cannot fly as non-flyable voxels (S102). The generation unit 233 identifies a takeoff completion position T immediately after the flight device takes off for takeoff and a landing preparation position L immediately before the flight device descends for landing (S103).

[0090] The generation unit 233 determines the order in which the flight device will pass through any of the multiple voxels when the flight device moves so that the travel distance of the flight device is the shortest between the takeoff completion position T and the landing preparation position L. The generation unit 233 generates a tentative travel path indicating the determined order (S104). The generation unit 233 performs a travel path generation process to generate a travel path for the flight device (S105). The communication control unit 235 transmits information indicating the generated travel path to the traffic management device 100 (S106), and ends the process.

[0091] Figure 21 is a flowchart showing the processing steps of the movement path generation process (S105) of Figure 20. The generation unit 233 determines whether or not there is a flight-prohibited voxel on the generated temporary movement path (S201). If the generation unit 233 determines that there is a flight-prohibited voxel on the generated temporary movement path (YES in S201), it identifies the start voxel immediately before the flight-prohibited voxel that the flying device passes through and the target voxel immediately after the flight-prohibited voxel (S202).

[0092] The generation unit 233 determines whether the flight device only moves in the same direction between the origin voxel and the target voxel. For example, if the flight device only makes the first movement (+X) between the origin voxel and the target voxel, the generation unit 233 will not be able to avoid the flight-prohibited voxel even if the movement order is changed. On the other hand, if the flight device makes the first movement (+X) and the second movement (+Y) between the origin voxel and the target voxel, the generation unit 233 may be able to avoid the flight-prohibited voxel by changing the movement order.

[0093] If the generation unit 233 determines that the flight device does not move only in the same direction between the origin voxel and the target voxel (NO in S203), it searches for a movement order that can avoid the flight-prohibited voxels by changing the movement order between the origin voxel and the target voxel (S204). The generation unit 233 determines whether or not there is a movement order that can avoid the flight-prohibited voxels (S205). If the generation unit 233 determines that there is a movement order that can avoid the flight-prohibited voxels (YES in S205), it determines whether or not the landing preparation position L can be reached on the movement path after changing the movement order (S206). If the generation unit 233 determines that the landing preparation position L can be reached (YES in S206), it smooths the movement path (S207) and ends the movement path generation process.

[0094] If the generation unit 233 determines in the judgment of S203 that the movement of the flying device between the starting voxel and the target voxel is only in the same direction (YES in S203), it performs horizontal detour processing (S209) and determines whether it is possible to reach the landing preparation position L on the movement path after the horizontal detour processing (S206).

[0095] If the generation unit 233 determines in the determination of S205 that there is no movement order that can avoid the flight-prohibited voxel (NO in S205), the process proceeds to S209. If the generation unit 233 determines in the determination of S206 that it is not possible to reach the landing preparation position L (NO in S206), the process returns to the determination of S203.

[0096] Figure 22 is a flowchart showing the processing steps of the horizontal detour process (S209) of Figure 21. The generation unit 233 determines whether the type of object present in the flight-prohibited voxel that the flight device will pass through is ground, the flight-prohibited voxel that the flight device will pass through is adjacent ground, or the flight-prohibited voxel that the flight device will pass through is an altitude violation (S301). If the generation unit 233 determines that the type of object present in the flight-prohibited voxel that the flight device will pass through is not ground, the flight-prohibited voxel that the flight device will pass through is adjacent ground, or the flight-prohibited voxel that the flight device will pass through is an altitude violation (NO in S301), it searches for a movement path to horizontally detour around the flight-prohibited voxel (S302).

[0097] The generation unit 233 determines whether it is possible to move to the target voxel without passing through the non-flyable voxels on the movement path for horizontally detouring the non-flyable voxels (S303). When it is determined that it is possible to move to the target voxel without passing through the non-flyable voxels on the movement path for horizontally detouring the non-flyable voxels (YES in S303), the generation unit 233 ends the horizontal detouring process.

[0098] If the generation unit 233 determines in S301 that the type of object present in the flight-prohibited voxel that the flight device will pass through is at least one of the following: the ground, the flight-prohibited voxel that the flight device will pass through is adjacent ground, or the flight-prohibited voxel that the flight device will pass through is an altitude violation (YES in S301), it performs vertical detour processing (S304) and terminates horizontal detour processing.If the generation unit 233 determines in S303 that it is not possible to move to the target voxel without passing through the flight-prohibited voxel on the movement path for horizontally detouring the flight-prohibited voxel (NO in S303), it performs vertical detour processing (S304) and terminates horizontal detour processing.

[0099] Figure 23 is a flowchart showing the processing steps of the vertical detour process (S304) in Figure 22. The generation unit 233 determines whether the flight-prohibited voxel that the flight device passes through is an altitude violation (S401). If the flight-prohibited voxel that the flight device passes through is an altitude violation (YES in S401), the generation unit 233 determines whether the movement of the flight device that reaches the flight-prohibited voxel on the tentative movement path is at least one of a first directional movement (+X), a first directional movement (-X), a second directional movement (+Y), or a second directional movement (-Y) (S402).

[0100] When the generation unit 233 determines that the movement of the flight device that will reach the flight-prohibited voxel on the tentative movement path is at least one of the first direction movement (+X), the first direction movement (-X), the second direction movement (+Y), and the second direction movement (-Y) (YES in S402), it adds one third direction movement (-Z) when rearranging the movement order between the origin voxel and the target voxel.The generation unit 233 further adds one third direction movement (+Z) when rearranging the movement order between the origin voxel and the target voxel, and stores this increased third direction movement (+Z) until it reaches the target voxel or the space above the target voxel (S403).

[0101] The generation unit 233 determines whether the switching of the movement order between the origin voxel and the target voxel has enabled the flight device to move forward one step and identify a new origin voxel (S404). If the generation unit 233 determines that the switching of the movement order between the origin voxel and the target voxel has enabled the flight device to move forward one step and identify a new origin voxel (YES in S404), it determines whether the target voxel can be reached without passing through any flight-prohibited voxels (S405).

[0102] If the generation unit 233 determines that the target voxel can be reached without passing through any flight-prohibited voxels (YES in S405), it performs the stored third directional movement (+Z) or the stored third directional movement (-Z) after reaching the target voxel or the space above the target voxel, and ends the vertical detouring process. After completing the vertical detouring process, the generation unit 233 proceeds to a process of determining whether the landing preparation position L can be reached (S206 in FIG. 21).

[0103] If the determination in S401 that the flight-prohibited voxel passed through by the flight device is not an altitude violation (NO in S401), the generation unit 233 determines whether the flight device's movement along the tentative movement path to reach the flight-prohibited voxel is at least one of the first direction movement (+X), the first direction movement (-X), the second direction movement (+Y), and the second direction movement (-Y) (S407).If the generation unit 233 determines that the flight device's movement along the tentative movement path to reach the flight-prohibited voxel is at least one of the first direction movement (+X), the first direction movement (-X), the second direction movement (+Y), and the second direction movement (-Y) (YES in S407), the generation unit 233 adds one third direction movement (+Z) when switching the movement order between the origin voxel and the target voxel (S408).

[0104] The generation unit 233 adds one more third direction movement (-Z) when switching the movement order between the origin voxel and the target voxel, and stores this increased third direction movement (-Z) until the target voxel or the space above the target voxel is reached (S408), and then proceeds to the determination of S404. If the generation unit 233 determines in the determination of S402 that the movement of the flying device that reaches the flight-prohibited voxel on the tentative movement path is third direction movement (+Z) (NO in S402), it deletes one third direction movement (+Z) when switching the movement order between the origin voxel and the target voxel (S409).

[0105] The generation unit 233 adds one more third direction movement (+Z) when switching the movement order between the origin voxel and the target voxel, and stores this increased third direction movement (+Z) until the target voxel or the space above the target voxel is reached (S409), and then proceeds to the determination of S404. If the generation unit 233 determines in the determination of S407 that the movement of the flying device that reaches the flight-prohibited voxel on the tentative movement path is third direction movement (-Z) (NO in S407), it deletes one third direction movement (-Z) when switching the movement order between the origin voxel and the target voxel (S410).

[0106] The generation unit 233 adds one more third direction movement (-Z) in the interchange of the movement order between the origin voxel and the target voxel, and stores this increase in the third direction movement (-Z) until it reaches the target voxel or the space above the target voxel (S410), and then proceeds to the determination of S404. If the generation unit 233 determines in the determination of S404 that the flight device cannot move forward by one step due to the interchange of the movement order between the origin voxel and the target voxel (NO in S404), it determines that the search for the movement path has failed (S411).

[0107] In this case, the generation unit 233 uses the Dijkstra algorithm or the like to search for all possible routes that the flight device can take between the takeoff completion position T and the landing preparation position L, and selects the route with the smallest cost. If the generation unit 233 determines in the determination of S405 that it is not possible to reach the target voxel without passing through a flight-prohibited voxel (NO in S405), it returns to the determination of S401.

[0108] <Second embodiment> In the second embodiment, an example will be described in which a vehicle and a flying device work together to transport luggage. Fig. 24 is a diagram showing an overview of an operation management system S of the second embodiment. The operation management system S includes an operation management device 100, an information processing device 200, and a vehicle management device 300. The operation management device 100 communicates with the information processing device 200 and the vehicle management device 300 via a network.

[0109] The traffic management device 100 causes the transport of luggage by vehicles and flight devices from the departure point D to the landing completion position G. The traffic management device 100 causes the transport of luggage by vehicles within the vehicle operation area. The traffic management device 100 causes the transport of luggage by flight devices within the flight device operation area.

[0110] The traffic management device 100 transfers cargo from vehicles to flight devices at multiple takeoff and landing points P1 to P3 where multiple flight devices take off and land. A vehicle may transport the flight device loaded with cargo to the multiple takeoff and landing points P1 to P3. The traffic management device 100 transmits a route generation request to the information processing device 200, requesting the information processing device 200 to calculate the travel route that the flight device will take if it transports the cargo from each of the takeoff and landing points P1 to P3 to the landing completion position G, and the cost of the flight device traveling along each route. The cost is calculated from the perspective of the transport time required to transport the cargo or the battery consumption consumed by transporting the cargo. The traffic management device 100 receives from the information processing device 200 the multiple travel routes generated by the information processing device 200 and cost information indicating the cost corresponding to each travel route.

[0111] The traffic management device 100 transmits a route generation request to the vehicle management device 300, requesting the vehicle management device 300 to calculate the travel routes that a flight device will take to transport luggage from the departure point D to each of the takeoff and landing points P1 to P3, and the cost of the vehicle traveling along each of these travel routes. The cost is calculated from the perspective of the transport time required to transport the luggage or the fuel consumption consumed by transporting the luggage. The traffic management device 100 receives from the vehicle management device 300 the multiple travel routes generated by the vehicle management device 300 and the costs corresponding to each travel route. The traffic management device 100 references the information indicating the travel routes and costs received from the information processing device 200 and the vehicle management device 300, and selects the takeoff and landing points that minimize the total cost of transporting the luggage from the departure point D to the landing completion position G.

[0112] The generation unit 233 of the information processing device 200 generates a movement path along which the flight device will move from each of the multiple takeoff and landing points P1 to P3 to the landing completion position G. The method by which the generation unit 233 generates a movement path is the same as in the first embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted. The generation unit 233 calculates the cost required for the flight device to move along the generated movement path. At this time, the generation unit 233 takes into account the wind direction and wind volume, and accumulates the cost required for horizontal movement each time the flight device moves horizontally.

[0113] The generation unit 233 accumulates the cost required for vertical movement each time the flight device moves vertically. In this way, the generation unit 233 calculates the cost required for the flight device to move from each of the multiple takeoff and landing points P1 to P3 to the landing completion position G. The communication control unit 235 transmits to the traffic management device 100 information indicating each of the multiple movement routes generated by the generation unit 233 and the cost of the flight device moving along each movement route.

[0114] [Processing Procedure of Information Processing Device 200 of Second Embodiment] 25 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for generating information indicating a travel route and a cost by the information processing device 200 of the second embodiment. This processing procedure starts, for example, during communication between the information processing device 200 and the fleet management device 100. The processing procedures from S503 to S507 are the same as S101 to S105 in FIG. 20, and therefore will not be described.

[0115] The acquisition unit 231 receives a route generation request from the traffic management device 100, which requests calculation of a travel route when a flight device transports cargo from each of the takeoff and landing points P1 to P3 to the landing completion position G, and the cost of traveling along each of the travel routes (S501). The generation unit 233 identifies pairs of each of the multiple takeoff and landing points P1 to P3 for which a travel route is to be generated and the landing completion position G (S502), and proceeds to processing in S503.

[0116] After executing the movement path generation procedure in S507, the generation unit 233 calculates the cost required for the flight device to move along the movement path generated in S508 (S508). The generation unit 233 calculates the cost in terms of the transportation time required to transport the luggage, the battery consumption consumed by transporting the luggage, etc.

[0117] The generation unit 233 determines whether or not there are any pairs of takeoff and landing points and landing completion positions G for which the generation of movement routes and the cost calculation have not been completed (S509). If there are no pairs of takeoff and landing points and landing completion positions G for which the generation of movement routes and the cost calculation have not been completed (NO in S509), the generation unit 233 transmits information associating each of the multiple generated movement routes with the corresponding costs to the traffic management device 100 (S510), and ends the processing. If it is determined in S509 that there are any pairs of takeoff and landing points and landing completion positions G for which the generation of movement routes and the cost calculation have not been completed (YES in S509), the generation unit 233 returns to the processing of S503.

[0118] [Effects of the information processing device 200] According to the information processing device 200 of the first and second embodiments, the generation unit 233 generates a movement path by modifying a tentative movement path that minimizes the movement distance of the flight device, thereby preventing an increase in the movement time of the flight device. Since the generation unit 233 does not search for all possible movement paths that the flight device can take between the takeoff completion position and the landing completion position, the processing load for calculating the movement path of the flight device can be reduced compared to searching for all possible movement paths that the flight device can take.

[0119] Furthermore, this invention will make it possible to contribute to Goal 9 of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is "Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and promote innovation and resilience."

[0120] The present invention has been described above using embodiments, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, all or part of the device can be configured by functionally or physically distributing or integrating any unit. Furthermore, new embodiments resulting from any combination of multiple embodiments are also included in the embodiments of the present invention. The effects of the new embodiments resulting from the combination also have the effects of the original embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0121] 21 Communications Department 22 Memory section 23 Control Unit 100 Operation control device 200 Information processing device 231 Acquisition Department 232 Specific part 233 Generation part 234 Display control unit 235 Communication Control Unit 300 Vehicle management device

Claims

1. An information processing device that generates a movement path of a flying device that can fly along a predetermined movement path, an identification unit that identifies, based on information indicating objects present inside each of a plurality of voxels obtained by dividing a three-dimensional space into a plurality of rectangular parallelepipeds, voxels within which the flight device cannot fly as non-flyable voxels; an acquisition unit that acquires type information indicating a type of reason why the flight device is unable to fly in each of the flight-unavailable voxels; A tentative movement path is generated that indicates the order in which the flight device will pass through any of the plurality of voxels when the flight device moves so that the movement distance of the flight device is the shortest between a takeoff completion position immediately after the flight device has taken off for takeoff and a landing preparation position immediately before the flight device descends for landing. Based on the type information, the flight device is determined to pass through a voxel that is not flyable for the type of flight on the generated tentative movement path if it is determined that the flight device will pass through a voxel that is not flyable for the type of flight on the generated tentative movement path because the ground exists therein, or if it is determined that the flight device will pass through a voxel that is not flyable for the type of flight on the generated tentative movement path because the type of flight is flying above the ground by more than an allowable distance, thereby violating the altitude rule. a generation unit that generates the travel path that vertically detours around the non-flyable voxel when it is determined that the flight device will pass through a non-flyable voxel whose type is not that there is ground inside, that is not the altitude violation, and that is not ... the An information processing device comprising:

2. the generating unit generates the travel path that detours in a vertical direction so as to avoid the non-flightable voxels when the flight device passes through the non-flightable voxels on the generated tentative travel path and cannot avoid the non-flightable voxels by detouring in a horizontal direction; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. The generation unit generates the movement path so as not to include a movement pattern in which the flight device moves in a first specific direction, then moves by one voxel in a second specific direction perpendicular to the first specific direction, and then moves in the second specific direction and then moves in a direction opposite to the first specific direction.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The identification unit identifies voxels adjacent to the non-flight voxel on both sides as the non-flight voxel.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. When the flight device passes through the flight-prohibited voxel on the generated tentative movement path, the generation unit performs a first directional movement in which the flight device moves in a first direction perpendicular on a horizontal plane to the approach direction toward the flight-prohibited voxel at the voxel immediately before the flight-prohibited voxel that the flight device passes through, a second directional movement in which the flight device moves in a second direction perpendicular on the horizontal plane to the first direction along the approach direction after the first directional movement, and a second directional movement in which the flight device moves in a direction opposite to the movement direction of the first directional movement after the second directional movement, thereby generating the movement path that detours the flight-prohibited voxel in the second direction.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2.

6. the generation unit generates the movement path so that the flight device does not travel back and forth on the same path.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2.

7. the generation unit generates the tentative movement path along which the flight device moves from the takeoff completion position to the landing preparation position by performing a first movement along a first axis direction, a second movement along a second axis direction perpendicular to the first axis direction, and a third movement along a third axis direction perpendicular to the first axis direction and the second axis direction in a predetermined order; and when the flight device passes through the non-flightable voxels on the generated tentative movement path, the generation unit generates the movement path by switching the order of performing the first movement, the second movement, and the third movement so as to avoid the non-flightable voxels on the tentative movement path.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2.

8. When the flight device passes through the flight-prohibited voxel on the generated tentative movement path, the generation unit generates the movement path by switching the order of the first movement, the second movement, and the third movement between the voxel immediately before the flight-prohibited voxel and the voxel immediately after the flight-prohibited voxel. The information processing device according to claim 7 .

9. When the flight device passes through the flight-prohibited voxel in the generated tentative movement path and the movement path cannot be generated so as to avoid the flight-prohibited voxel by switching the order of the first movement, the second movement, and the third movement, the generation unit generates the movement path that avoids the flight-prohibited voxel by making a detour in a horizontal or vertical direction. The information processing device according to claim 7 .

10. a display control unit that causes a display device to display a type of modification made to the provisional travel route generated by the generation unit to generate the travel route and a section to which the modification of the type has been applied; 3. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2.

11. The display control unit further displays, on the display device, information for identifying an object present in the flight-prohibited voxel through which the flight device passes on the tentative movement path. The information processing device according to claim 10.

12. On the computer, A step of identifying, as non-flyable voxels, voxels in which the flight device cannot fly, among a plurality of voxels obtained by dividing a three-dimensional space into a plurality of rectangular parallelepipeds, based on information indicating objects present inside each of the plurality of voxels; acquiring type information indicating a type of reason why the flight device is unable to fly in each of the flight-unavailable voxels; generating a tentative movement path indicating the order in which the flight device passes through any of the plurality of voxels when the flight device moves so that the movement distance of the flight device is shortest between a takeoff completion position immediately after the flight device has taken off for takeoff and a landing preparation position immediately before the flight device descends for landing; generating a travel route that vertically detours around the non-flyable voxel when it is determined based on the type information that the flight device will pass through a non-flyable voxel whose type is flying above the ground by more than an allowable distance, or when it is determined that the flight device will pass through a non-flyable voxel whose type is flying above the ground by more than an allowable distance, and when it is determined that the flight device will pass through a non-flyable voxel whose type is adjacent to the non-flyable voxel whose type is flying above the ground by more than an allowable distance, and when it is determined that the flight device will pass through a non-flyable voxel whose type is not flying above the ground by more than an allowable distance, and when it is determined that the flight device will pass through a non-flyable voxel whose type is not flying above the ground by more than an allowable distance, and when it is determined that the flight device will pass through a non-flyable voxel whose type is not flying above the ground by more than an allowable distance, and when it is determined that the flight device will pass through a non-flyable voxel whose type is not flying above the ground by more than an allowable distance, and A program that executes the following.

13. The computer executes An information processing method for instructing a flight device capable of flying along a predetermined movement path, the flight path comprising: a step of identifying, as non-flyable voxels, voxels in which the flight device cannot fly, among a plurality of voxels obtained by dividing a three-dimensional space into a plurality of rectangular parallelepipeds, based on information indicating objects present inside each of the plurality of voxels; acquiring type information indicating a type of reason why the flight device is unable to fly in each of the flight-unavailable voxels; generating a tentative movement path indicating the order in which the flight device passes through any of the plurality of voxels when the flight device moves so that the movement distance of the flight device is shortest between a takeoff completion position immediately after the flight device has taken off for takeoff and a landing preparation position immediately before the flight device descends for landing; generating a travel route that vertically detours around the non-flyable voxel when it is determined based on the type information that the flight device will pass through a non-flyable voxel whose type is flying above the ground by more than an allowable distance, or when it is determined that the flight device will pass through a non-flyable voxel whose type is flying above the ground by more than an allowable distance, and when it is determined that the flight device will pass through a non-flyable voxel whose type is adjacent to the non-flyable voxel whose type is flying above the ground by more than an allowable distance, and when it is determined that the flight device will pass through a non-flyable voxel whose type is not flying above the ground by more than an allowable distance, and when it is determined that the flight device will pass through a non-flyable voxel whose type is not flying above the ground by more than an allowable distance, and when it is determined that the flight device will pass through a non-flyable voxel whose type is not flying above the ground by more than an allowable distance, and An information processing method comprising:

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