Hospital autonomous vehicle management system

Abstract

To provide an in-hospital autonomous driving vehicle management system that achieves non-contacting and reduction in a labor load of a staff member in a hospital, and to realize unmanned conveyance of a patient.SOLUTION: An in-hospital autonomous driving vehicle management system 10 includes: an autonomous driving vehicle management unit 30; an autonomous driving vehicle 20; a hospital management server 40 that manages various kinds of facilities; a staff member terminal 50; and an operator management server 60 that performs inventory / order-placing / delivery managements of each kind of an item in the hospital. The hospital management server is configured to prepare conveyance information 47 operating the autonomous driving vehicle loading each kind of the item requested from the staff member terminal from a first place serving as a conveyance source to a second place serving as a conveyance destination. The autonomous driving vehicle management unit 30 is configured to prepare a driving route 33a from the first place to the second place on the basis of the conveyance information 47 and map data 31, and transmit the prepared driving route to the autonomous driving vehicle 20. The autonomous driving vehicle 20 is configured to convey, according to the driving route 33a, requested each kind of the item from the first place to the second place.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an in-hospital autonomous vehicle management system that manages the operation of autonomous vehicles within a hospital. [Background technology]

[0002] In general, in hospitals, the delivery or collection of used medical supplies such as surgical instruments, the delivery or collection of used linens such as sheets, towels, and pajamas, the delivery or collection of used medications including intravenous fluids, and even the collection of specimens, meals, and containers are often handled by external contractors. Some hospitals handle these medical supplies and supplies internally in a central supply room or the like, while others handle various medications internally in a pharmacy department or the like. However, all medical supplies, supplies, medications, and other items are transported to hospitals by external contractors using trucks and other transport vehicles. For this reason, transport vehicle management systems are already in place that manage the transport vehicles of multiple external contractors and manage the arrival and departure times of each vehicle to avoid concentrating transport vehicles.

[0003] However, for some items, such as linens, vendors travel around the hospital to deliver and collect them, which poses safety and hygiene management issues.

[0004] In response to this, so-called hospital management systems that collectively manage the entire hospital business have been put into practical use in some areas. A hospital management system, for example, digitizes patient medical care and manages it using electronic medical records. It also manages various departments, such as the food service department that provides meals to hospitalized patients, the injection department that stores intravenous injections, the medical supply storage department that stores medical supplies, the storage department that stores drugs and linens, and the testing department that tests samples taken from patients. It also arranges for the delivery of medical supplies, drugs, linens, meals, etc. to each department as requested by staff, manages inventory, and places orders. In response to requests from staff, this hospital management system arranges for the delivery of various items, such as medical supplies, drugs, linens, and meals, to the requested staff station, patient room, treatment room, or operating room, and the staff member delivers these items themselves or has a designated delivery company deliver them. Furthermore, the hospital management system also manages elevators and security within the hospital building.

[0005] For example, for injectable drugs for intravenous drips, an automated injectable drug dispensing system has been put into practical use. A tray containing the desired injectable drug is removed from the automated injectable drug dispensing system installed in the hospital's pharmacy, placed in a known injection cart, and transported to a designated staff station. During routine morning operations, for example, a large number of injection carts must be transported to each staff station. Currently, a notification is sent to each staff station that the injection cart is ready. Upon receiving this notification, the staff member at that staff station must go to the pharmacy to retrieve the injection cart and manually push it back to the staff station, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive. After returning to the staff station, the staff member must then perform the cumbersome task of removing each tray from the injection cart and placing it in an intravenous drip bag.

[0006] In addition, due to changes in the patient's symptoms, typically about 30% of the injections become unnecessary and must be returned, and any injectables that are not yet in use must be discarded. Furthermore, if the patient's condition suddenly changes, new injections may suddenly be required. In such cases, staff at the staff station may have to go to the automated injection dispensing system to retrieve the necessary injections.

[0007] On the other hand, within hospitals, people who cannot or have difficulty walking may be transported in wheelchairs, and patients who have been transported by ambulance may be transported to treatment rooms on stretchers. In such cases, the wheelchairs and stretchers must be transported manually, requiring additional personnel for transport.

[0008] On the other hand, automated vehicles that automatically travel designated routes within hospitals to perform security patrols, disinfection, cleaning, etc. are also becoming practical. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] In view of the above, the present invention aims to provide an in-hospital transport management system that uses autonomous vehicles to automate and contactless transport of medical supplies, drugs including injections, linens, specimens, and meals within a hospital, realizes unmanned transport of patients using autonomous vehicles, and enables each autonomous vehicle to operate smoothly with each other. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] According to the present invention, the above object is achieved by providing a hospital system including an autonomous vehicle management unit that registers three-dimensional map data relating to the surrounding environment and the paths that autonomous vehicles can travel within the hospital, an autonomous vehicle connected to the autonomous vehicle management unit via a network, a hospital management server that manages various facilities within the hospital, a plurality of staff terminals within the hospital that are connected to the hospital management server via a network, and a vendor management server that manages inventory, ordering, and delivery of various items at the hospital, The autonomous vehicle management unit includes a remote monitoring and / or remote operation unit that remotely monitors and / or remotely operates the autonomous vehicle, and a remote control unit that sets a driving route for the autonomous vehicle. Determine an operating state analysis unit that analyzes the operating state of the autonomously driven vehicle based on operation data of the autonomously driven vehicle; and the autonomously driven vehicle. , The elevator control unit and the security door control unit are connected via the hospital management server. ,and an external collaboration unit that collaborates with the the network interconnects the autonomously driven vehicle and the autonomously driven vehicle management unit, the autonomously driven vehicle management unit and the hospital management server, and the hospital management server, the staff terminal, and the contractor management server; The hospital includes departments including a pharmacy department connected to the vendor management server, a storage department for storing medical supplies such as medicines and linens, a food service department, and an inspection department, request information transmitted from the hospital management server and the plurality of staff terminals is transmitted to the corresponding departments, and the departments prepare for the transportation of the various items requested based on the request information, and when the transportation preparations are completed, the departments transmit a notification to that effect to the hospital management server; This is achieved by an in-hospital autonomous vehicle management system in which, upon request from the multiple staff terminals, the hospital management server creates transport information for an autonomous vehicle loaded with the requested items to travel from a first location, which is the source of the transport, to a second location, which is the destination, and sends the transport information to the autonomous vehicle management unit, which then creates a driving route from the first location to the second location based on the transport information and map data from the hospital management server and sends it to the autonomous vehicle, and the autonomous vehicle transports the requested items from the first location to the second location according to the driving route.

[0011] Preferably, one of the various items is an intravenous injection drug that has been removed from an injection drug dispensing unit of the injection drug department and placed on an injection tray, and an injection cart containing the injection tray at a first location is transported to a second location by an autonomous vehicle for cart transport, and an injection cart containing the empty injection tray from which the intravenous injection drug has been removed is transported from the second location to the first location by the autonomous vehicle for cart transport. Preferably, the autonomous vehicle management unit moves the autonomous vehicle to the hospital entrance in accordance with the various items included in the delivery information based on delivery information of the vehicle that will be delivered to the hospital entrance from the contractor management server. Preferably, the autonomous vehicle management unit creates driving route information including elevator information or security door information from the hospital management server, and when the autonomous vehicle travels along the driving route, it uses elevators within the hospital and opens and closes security doors in accordance with this elevator information and security door information. Preferably, the autonomous vehicle management unit transmits the driving status of the autonomous vehicle traveling from the first location to the second location to the hospital management server, and the hospital management server transmits the driving status of the autonomous vehicle to the staff terminal. Preferably, one of the various items is a meal to be delivered to individual hospital rooms, etc., and the hospital management server transmits meal delivery information from the hospital's cafeteria to the autonomous vehicle management unit, which then causes an autonomous vehicle for delivering meals to transport the meals from the cafeteria as a first location to each hospital room, etc. as a second location where the meals should be delivered, based on the meal delivery information. Preferably, one of the various items is medical supplies, medicines, linens, etc., and the hospital management server , storage section The transport information from the storage unit is transmitted to the autonomous vehicle management unit, and the autonomous vehicle management unit causes various items such as medical supplies, medicines, linens, etc. to be transported from the storage unit as a first location to a second location such as a hospital room, examination room, or treatment room based on the transport information, using autonomous vehicles for transport, and also causes surplus and used items of various items to be transported from the second location to the first location using autonomous vehicles for transport. Preferably, one of the various items is a specimen, and the hospital management server , Inspection Department The transport information from the testing unit is transmitted to the autonomous vehicle management unit, and the autonomous vehicle management unit transports the empty specimen container from the testing unit as the first location to the second location using an autonomous vehicle for transport based on the transport information, and the autonomous vehicle management unit transports the specimen container containing the specimen from the second location to the testing unit as the first location using an autonomous vehicle for transport. Preferably, one of the various items is a stretcher carrying an emergency patient, the hospital management server transmits transport information from the hospital's emergency entrance to the autonomous vehicle management unit, and the autonomous vehicle management unit transports the stretcher carrying the emergency patient from the emergency entrance as a first location to an emergency room or the like as a second location based on the transport information using an autonomous vehicle for stretcher transport. Preferably, one of the various items is a patient who is unable to walk or has difficulty walking, the hospital management server transmits transport information to the autonomous vehicle management unit, and the autonomous vehicle management unit transports the patient from the first location to the second location based on the transport information using an autonomous vehicle for patient transport. Preferably, the autonomous vehicle is an autonomous vehicle for patrol security, disinfection, or cleaning within a hospital, and the hospital management server transmits transport information based on request information regarding the autonomous vehicle for patrol security, disinfection, or cleaning to the autonomous vehicle management unit, and the autonomous vehicle management unit drives the autonomous vehicle along a predetermined driving route based on the transport information. 。 The elevator control unit preferably sends an elevator call operation signal when the autonomous vehicle approaches the elevator hall based on the autonomous vehicle's current location, elevator usage information, and elevator control information sent from the autonomous vehicle via the network through the autonomous vehicle management unit and hospital management server, and further sends an input signal for the destination floor when the autonomous vehicle enters the elevator car to allow the elevator to be used. Preferably, the autonomous vehicle is provided with a storage unit that can be locked and unlocked and a reading means unit for authenticating staff in the hospital, The ID information of the hospital staff is read by the reading means of the autonomous vehicle, The Autonomous Vehicle Management Department queries the hospital management server for staff ID information, The hospital management server receives this information and queries the hospital security management database for the staff member's ID information. When the hospital management server receives the staff member's ID authentication information from the hospital security management database, it transmits the staff member's ID authentication information to the autonomous driving vehicle management unit. Upon receiving this, the Autonomous Vehicle Management Department will issue an order to unlock the storage area for the autonomous vehicle. Preferably, the hospital management server generates transport information for traveling from the first location to a plurality of destinations in response to a request from the staff terminal; the autonomous vehicle management unit creates a driving route from the first location to a plurality of destinations based on the transportation information and the map data, and transmits the route to the autonomous vehicle; An autonomous vehicle transports various items from a first location to multiple destinations along a route. Preferably, the autonomous vehicle is connected to a network, and In the hospital The vehicle is equipped with an in-vehicle terminal that is operated by a staff member, and travel routes from the first location to a plurality of destinations are displayed on the display unit of the in-vehicle terminal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] In this way, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an in-hospital transport management system that uses autonomous vehicles to transport medical supplies, medications including injectable solutions, linens, specimens, and meals within a hospital, thereby eliminating contact and reducing the workload of staff, and also enables unmanned transport of patients using autonomous vehicles, and further enables each autonomous vehicle to operate smoothly with respect to each other. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an embodiment of an in-hospital autonomous driving vehicle management system according to the present invention; [Figure 2] 2A and 2B show the external appearance of the basic configuration of an autonomous vehicle in the hospital autonomous vehicle management system of FIG. 1, where (A) is a front perspective view and (B) is a rear perspective view. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the autonomous driving vehicle of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the transport operation of an intravenous injection solution in the in-hospital autonomous driving vehicle management system of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] This is a diagram showing the process of subjecting the collected medical materials to processing such as washing, drying, and sterilization, and then dispensing the sterilized medical materials. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a first modified example of the intra-hospital autonomous driving vehicle management system according to the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a second modified example of the intra-hospital autonomous driving vehicle management system according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on the embodiments shown in the drawings. 1 shows the overall configuration of an embodiment of an in-hospital autonomous vehicle management system according to the present invention. The in-hospital autonomous vehicle management system (hereinafter referred to as the management system) 10 is composed of an autonomous vehicle 20, an autonomous vehicle management unit 30, a hospital management server 40, a staff terminal 50, a contractor management server 60, and a network 70.

[0015] Although only one autonomous vehicle 20 and one staff terminal 50 are shown in FIG. 1, in reality, multiple autonomous vehicles 20 and multiple staff terminals 50 are deployed. The multiple staff terminals 50 are carried by staff members such as doctors, nurses, and medical technicians who are assigned to various departments within the hospital, and can be operated as needed. Smart devices such as laptop or desktop personal computers (PCs), tablets, and mobile phones can be used as the staff terminals 50. The memory units of these various staff terminals 50 store programs that link with the management system 10 according to the tasks of staff members such as doctors, nurses, and medical technicians.

[0016] The network 70 is a network of any configuration, and may be the Internet, a wireless network, a dedicated line network, a public line network, or a wireless LAN such as Wi-Fi, and by interconnecting the autonomous vehicle 20 and the autonomous vehicle management unit 30, the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 and the hospital management server 40, and the hospital management server 40 and the staff terminal 50 and the contractor management server 60, various information can be sent and received between them.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 2, autonomous vehicle 20 is composed of a main body 21 formed in a substantially cubic shape in appearance and wheels 22 serving as a running part suspended from main body 21. Main body 21 of autonomous vehicle 20 is provided with a display unit 23, a surveillance camera 24, a speaker 25, a storage unit 26 for items to be transported, lights 27, and turn signals 28, and as lights 27, front lights 27a and 27b are provided at the front of autonomous vehicle 20, and back lights 27c and 27d are provided at the rear.

[0018] In the illustrated example, the autonomous vehicle 20 is depicted as an autonomous vehicle equipped with a storage section 26 for transporting various items such as meals, medical supplies, medicines, linens, specimens, etc. However, if the autonomous vehicle 20 is equipped with a base on which a cart or the like is placed, it can be used as an autonomous vehicle 20 for transporting an injection drug dispensing section on the base, for example, an injection cart containing an injection tray carrying injection drugs for intravenous drip taken out from an automatic injection drug dispensing system, or a stretcher carrying a patient, etc.

[0019] If the autonomous vehicle 20 is a cart type equipped with a single seat, it can be used as an autonomous vehicle 20 for transporting patients who are unable or have difficulty walking. Alternatively, if the autonomous vehicle 20 is a vehicle for various tasks such as patrol surveillance, disinfection, cleaning, etc., it may be equipped with various functions depending on the application, such as an alarm, a disinfectant sprayer, a polisher, or a cleaner.

[0020] The turn indicators 28 are arranged in an ear-like shape on the upper left and right sides of the front of the autonomous vehicle 20 so that people around the autonomous vehicle 20 can see the direction to turn from the front, sides, and rear, and are made up of, for example, light-emitting diode (LED) lamps.

[0021] 2, the display unit 23 is provided on the front side of the main body 21 and displays an eye-shaped image, which will be described later. Here, the display unit 23 is composed of a display 83, which will be described later, and a pair of left and right openings 23a, 23b provided on the front side of the main body 21. As the display 83, a display device using a liquid crystal, organic EL, or light-emitting diode is preferred, and a full-color light-emitting diode display in which high-brightness light-emitting diodes are arranged at a high density is even more preferred. A speaker 25 is provided below the display unit 23.

[0022] The surveillance camera 24 is a camera that captures images of the surroundings of the autonomously driven vehicle 20, i.e., a camera that captures and monitors the conditions of the passages in front of, to the sides of, and behind the autonomously driven vehicle 20, as well as pedestrians, etc. The surveillance camera 24 is composed of a pair of front surveillance cameras 24a, 24b provided on the left and right sides of the front side of the main body 21, and a pair of side surveillance cameras 24c, 24d provided on the left and right sides of the main body 21. The surveillance camera 24 can be a monocular camera, a wide-area camera, a stereo camera, etc.

[0023] Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 2, the surveillance camera 24 may include a pair of left and right rear surveillance cameras 24e, 24f behind the main body 21. By using monocular cameras as the front surveillance cameras 24a, 24b and the rear surveillance cameras 24e, 24f, it is possible to capture images of objects, people, other autonomous vehicles, etc. in a 360-degree area around the autonomous vehicle 20, thereby monitoring the surroundings. As shown in Fig. 2(B), a storage section 26 is provided on the rear side of the main body 21, in which various items to be transported, such as medical supplies, medicines, linens, specimens, and meals, can be loaded.

[0024] 3 shows the configuration of the control system of autonomous vehicle 20. Autonomous vehicle 20 has a CPU 81 as a control unit 29, to which are connected a speaker 25, a battery 82, a display 83, a memory unit 84, a drive unit 85, and a detection unit 86. The detection unit 86 is made up of a monitoring camera 24 as an imaging unit, an attitude detection sensor 86a such as an IMU that is a sensor for controlling the traveling state of autonomous vehicle 20, a monitoring sensor 86b, a distance sensor 86c, a position sensor 86d, a bumper sensor 86e that detects contact with surrounding pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, etc., and a status transmission / reception unit 86f that transmits to and receives from network 70.

[0025] The CPU 81 and the storage unit 84 control each unit of the device mounted on the autonomously driven vehicle 20. The CPU 81 is configured by a microprocessor, a microcontroller, or the like.

[0026] The storage unit 84 is configured with nonvolatile memory such as DRAM, a hard disk drive (HDD), flash memory, or a disk using flash memory (SSD). The CPU 81 may be connected to each component of the device using a known method, such as a controller area network (CAN). Furthermore, the program that causes the autonomously driven vehicle 20 to function is recorded and stored on a storage medium that can be read by a computer that includes the CPU 81 and storage unit 84 that executes the program. Examples of storage media that can be used include a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, and a USB memory. The program may be downloaded from the autonomously driven vehicle management unit 30 to the computer's storage unit 84 via the wireless network 70, for example.

[0027] The battery 82 is a power source for the autonomously driven vehicle 20. The battery 82 is connected to the CPU 81, and the CPU 81 monitors the remaining charge of the battery 82 and other information.

[0028] The display 83 is a device that constitutes the display unit 23. In this embodiment, a predetermined eye-shaped image is displayed on the display unit 23 based on the state of the autonomously driven vehicle 20 and / or the image captured by the monitoring camera 24. Here, the state of the autonomously driven vehicle 20 refers to each driving operation state on the driving route, such as going straight, turning left, turning right, or stopping, as well as image information obtained by the monitoring camera 24 and detection information obtained by the detection unit 86 regarding the autonomously driven vehicle 20. The detection information obtained by the detection unit 86 is information from the attitude detection sensor 86a, the monitoring sensor 86b, the distance sensor 86c, the position sensor 86d, the bumper sensor 86e, etc. The image information obtained by the monitoring camera 24 and the detection information obtained by the detection unit 86 regarding the state of the autonomously driven vehicle 20 are transmitted to the autonomously driven vehicle management unit 30 (described later) by a status transmission / reception unit 86f as necessary.

[0029] The device that displays the eye-shaped image is the display 83, and an image according to a predetermined eye-shaped pattern is displayed on the display 83 in response to a light-emitting command from the CPU 81 based on a detection signal from the surveillance camera 24. When the image is displayed on the display 83, a predetermined output linked to the display of the image from the speaker 25 may be generated. Furthermore, lights 27 and turn indicators 28 are displayed according to the traveling or stopped state of the autonomously driven vehicle 20. The lights 27 and turn indicators 28 are displayed by a light-emitting driver (not shown) in response to a light-emitting command from the CPU 81.

[0030] The drive unit 85 is composed of a motor 85a and a driver 85b that drives and controls the motor 85a, and the motor 85a drives the wheels 22. Specifically, a driver L85b1 and a driver R85b2 control the motors 85a1 and 85a2, respectively, in response to a control signal from the CPU 81 to drive the left rear wheel 22c and the right rear wheel 22d. The speaker 25 is installed on the front surface of the main body 21 of the autonomously driven vehicle 20, as described above, and is a device that outputs a predetermined sound.

[0031] The attitude detection sensor 86a is, for example, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), which in this embodiment is an inertial measurement device that measures angular velocity and angular acceleration for movement around each of the roll axis, pitch axis, and yaw axis of the autonomously driven vehicle 20.

[0032] The monitoring sensor 86b is a sensor used to detect people and obstacles around the autonomous vehicle 20, particularly those ahead, and measure the distance to the people and obstacles, i.e., distance measurement, two-dimensional and three-dimensional image recognition of people and obstacles, shape and color recognition, and tracking the driving path of the autonomous vehicle 20. When the monitoring sensor 86b detects a person or obstacle, it acquires position information such as the position coordinates and the person's eye height. The display 83 may be controlled based on this position information. The monitoring sensor 86b may be configured using a module that acquires position information using a monocular camera or stereo camera, a lidar, etc. The module may be configured with a CPU or GPU (image processing unit) that processes image data acquired from the monocular camera or stereo camera to generate position information, a storage device, etc. The module using the monocular camera can recognize the shape, color, and pattern of people and obstacles and can also measure approximate distances. The module using the stereo camera is used for distance measurement, three-dimensional recognition of people, vehicles, obstacles, etc., and identifying shapes and colors.

[0033] LIDAR (Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) is a sensor also known as laser radar, which performs laser image detection and ranging. LIDAR may be a two-dimensional LIDAR or a three-dimensional LIDAR. A three-dimensional LIDAR can detect a laser image ahead of the autonomous vehicle 20, measure the distance to the detected object, and measure the shape of the detected object. When LIDAR is provided, it detects an object ahead of the autonomous vehicle 20 and the distance thereto, and sends data on the distance between the laser image ahead and the detected object to the CPU 81 as a detection signal.

[0034] Furthermore, the monitoring sensor 86b may be disposed on the upper front portion of the autonomously driven vehicle 20. The monitoring sensor 86b can detect images and measure distances to people in front of the autonomously driven vehicle 20, other autonomously driven vehicles, obstacles, etc. over long distances.

[0035] The distance sensor 86c measures the distance between the autonomous vehicle 20 and obstacles, etc., and is positioned facing forward of the autonomous vehicle 20. It measures the distance to an obstacle ahead on the road by emitting ultrasonic waves or infrared rays toward the obstacle and detecting the reflected waves.

[0036] The position sensor 86d acquires the current position of the autonomously driven vehicle 20. In this embodiment, the position sensor 86d uses a GNSS receiving unit. It is possible to arbitrarily select whether the position sensor 86d and the attitude detection sensor 86a use separate devices or whether a device in which the GNSS receiving function, gyro sensor function, and acceleration sensor function are integrated into a single package is used.

[0037] The bumper sensor 86e detects contact with nearby people, obstacles, other automatically driven vehicles, etc. By detecting contact with nearby people, obstacles, or other automatically driven vehicles, the bumper sensor 86e can stop the automatic traveling of the automatically driven vehicle 20 or make an emergency stop.

[0038] The status transmitting / receiving unit 86f is configured from a communication module capable of public communication, such as a third generation (referred to as 3G), fourth generation (referred to as 4G), fifth generation (referred to as 5G), or wireless LAN.

[0039] Here, the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 is a navigation server that can remotely monitor and / or remotely operate the operation of the autonomous vehicles 20 based on the current positions of the autonomous vehicles 20 and the relative positions of the autonomous vehicles 20 with each other or between the autonomous vehicles 20 and the surrounding environment from the current positions of the autonomous vehicles 20 and previously created driving routes, and can also control an elevator control unit 44 and a security control unit 45 of the hospital building 40a via a hospital management server 40 (described later). The security control unit 45 may control security doors 45a installed in an intensive care unit (also called an ICU) through which the autonomous vehicles 20 enter and exit, facilities through which medical supplies, medicines, specimens, etc. are brought in and taken out, and facilities through which access is made for disinfection and cleaning, such as storage rooms for medical supplies and medicines, toilets, bathrooms, etc. With this configuration, the autonomous vehicle 20 is remotely monitored and / or remotely operated by the autonomous vehicle management unit 30. When the autonomous vehicle 20 approaches an elevator 41 in a hospital building 40a, the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 controls the elevator control unit 44 of the hospital building 40a, allowing the autonomous vehicle 20 to smoothly use the elevator 41 in the hospital building along its travel route. Similarly, when the autonomous vehicle 20 approaches a security door 45a, the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 controls the security control unit 45 of the hospital building 40a to open or close the security door 45a, allowing the autonomous vehicle 20 to smoothly pass through the security door 45a in the hospital building 40a along its travel route. Note that although only one elevator 41, elevator control unit 44, security control unit 45, and security door 45a are shown in FIG. 1 , in reality, a plurality of elevators 41, elevator control units 44, security control units 45, and security doors 45a are provided.

[0040] In the control circuit of the autonomous vehicle 20 configured in this manner, the CPU 81 controls the drive unit 85 to drive and drive the vehicle automatically along the driving route based on detection signals from sensors such as the attitude detection sensor 86a, the monitoring sensor 86b, the distance sensor 86c, and the position sensor 86d, and the monitoring camera 24, and a driving route that has been created in advance. Map data 31 for creating a driving route is registered in autonomous vehicle management unit 30, and control unit 33 of autonomous vehicle management unit 30 selects an autonomous vehicle 20 closest to the origin of travel from location information of the origin of travel included in transportation information 47 based on transportation information 47 sent from hospital management server 40 (described later), and then reads map data 31 based on current location information 81a of autonomous vehicle 20 and location information of the origin and destination of travel to create driving route 33a, which it sends to autonomous vehicle 20 via network 70. At that time, if driving route 33a includes elevator 41 and security door 45a in hospital building 40a, autonomous vehicle management unit 30 creates elevator usage information 33b, elevator control information 33c, and security control information 33d and sends them to hospital management server 40 via network 70. The elevator usage information 33b is information including the boarding floor and the disembarking floor for the elevator 41 in the hospital building 40a, and the elevator control information 33c is information including the call of the elevator car 43 and the designation of the disembarking floor after boarding. The security control information 33d is information for controlling the opening and closing of the security door 45a in the security system of the hospital building 40a.

[0041] Furthermore, CPU 81 transmits the current position 81a and driving state at that time to autonomously driven vehicle management unit 30 via network 70. As a result, autonomously driven vehicle management unit 30 recognizes the current position and driving state of autonomously driven vehicle 20 and manages its operation.

[0042] In this embodiment, autonomous vehicle 20 is an electric vehicle that uses battery 82 as a power source and travels by driving wheels 22 (left rear wheel 22c and right rear wheel 22d in the illustrated example) with each motor 85a of drive unit 85. Autonomous vehicle 20 displays a predetermined eye-shaped image on display unit 23 based on its traveling state and images captured by monitoring camera 24 and / or monitoring sensor 86b. Furthermore, autonomous vehicle 20 is provided with speaker 25 on the front surface of main body 21, and outputs a predetermined sound to speaker 25 based on the traveling state of autonomous vehicle 20 and / or images captured by monitoring camera 24.

[0043] The autonomous vehicle management unit 30 is a navigation server installed in an appropriate location and includes a memory unit 32 that registers map data 31 necessary for creating a driving route for the autonomous vehicle 20, and a control unit 33 that reads and writes the map data 31 from and to the memory unit 32 and controls the driving of the autonomous vehicle 20. The map data 31 is three-dimensional data containing data on the passageways and surrounding environment necessary for the autonomous vehicle 20 to travel within the area in which the autonomous vehicle 20 is capable of traveling, such as information on the location of passage boundaries. The map data 31 is registered in the memory unit 32 as a database, and map data including the vicinity of the location information can be read out based on location information. Furthermore, if the hospital building 40a is equipped with elevators 41 and security doors 45a, the map data 31 also includes information on the location of elevators 41 that can be used to travel to other floors within the hospital building 40a and the location of security doors 45a located along the driving route 33a.

[0044] Based on current location information 81a sent from autonomous vehicle 20 and location information about the transfer origin and the transfer destination from transfer information 47 (described later), control unit 33 of autonomous vehicle management unit 30 reads map data 31 of the area corresponding to the current location from the transfer origin to the transfer destination from storage unit 32, creates driving route 33a from the current location to the transfer origin and from the transfer origin to the transfer destination, and sends this to autonomous vehicle 20 via network 70. Furthermore, if the created driving route 33a includes use of an elevator and passing through a security door within hospital building 40a, control unit 33 of autonomous vehicle management unit 30 creates elevator use information 33b, elevator control information 33c, and security door use information 33d, and sends these to hospital management server 40 via network 70.

[0045] The hospital management server 40 manages electronic medical records, medical supplies, drugs, linens, meals and specimens related to the operations of each department (described later) located within the hospital building 40a, and also controls and manages the elevators 41 within the hospital building 40a.

[0046] As shown schematically in Figure 1, the elevator 41 is provided to enable easy movement between the multiple floors of the hospital building 40a, and is supported so that it can move up and down within a travel path 42 that runs vertically through the hospital building 40a.It is composed of an elevator car 43 that moves up and down by a drive unit (not shown), and an elevator control unit 44 that drives and controls the elevator car 43 to move up and down.

[0047] The elevator control unit 44 is connected to the hospital management server 40 via a gateway 44a, and the hospital management server 40 is further connected to the autonomously driven vehicle management unit 30 from a gateway 40b via a network 70. This allows the elevator control unit 44 to control the elevator 41 based on elevator usage information 33b and elevator control information 33c sent from the autonomously driven vehicle management unit 30.

[0048] The hospital management server 40 also includes a security control unit 45 for controlling and managing the security system within the hospital building 40a. The security control unit 45 monitors people at the entrances and exits of the hospital building 40a, manages staff attendance, and manages the entry and exit of contractors, as well as managing the opening and closing of security doors 45a that regulate passage within the building. The security control unit 45 is connected to the hospital management server 40 via a gateway 40c. As a result, the security control unit 45 controls the opening and closing of the security doors 45a based on security door usage information 33d sent from the autonomous vehicle management unit 30.

[0049] Thus, in the intra-hospital autonomous vehicle management system 10, the autonomous vehicle 20, the autonomous vehicle management unit 30, and the hospital management server 40 are interconnected with the hospital building 40a, the elevator 41, and the security door 45a. In this way, the electrical equipment inside the hospital building 40a, such as the elevator 41 and the security door 45a, is controlled by the control unit 33 of the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 via the network 70.

[0050] Here, the elevator 41 can also be an elevator installed in a building that employs a so-called robot management platform, which can operate facilities such as the elevator 41 in cooperation with a robot so that the unmanned autonomous robot can easily move around for transportation, security, disinfection, and cleaning. As a result, the elevator control unit 44 sends an elevator call operation signal when the autonomous vehicle 20 approaches the elevator hall, based on the current position 81a of the autonomous vehicle 20, elevator use information 33b, and elevator control information 33c sent from the autonomous vehicle 20 via the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 and the hospital management server 40 through the network 70, and also sends an input signal for the destination floor when the autonomous vehicle 20 gets into the elevator car 43, allowing the elevator 41 to be used.

[0051] In addition, based on the current location 81a of the autonomous vehicle 20 and security usage information 33d sent from the autonomous vehicle 20 via the network 70, the autonomous vehicle management unit 30, and the hospital management server 40, the security control unit 45 sends a security door opening signal 45b to open the security door 45a when the autonomous vehicle 20 approaches the security door 45a, and sends a security door closing signal 45c to close the security door 45a after the autonomous vehicle 20 has passed through the security door 45a.

[0052] According to the above configuration, when the autonomous vehicle 20 travels along the travel route 33a from a first location to a second location within the hospital, the elevator 41 can be called and the destination floor specified when getting on and off the elevator, and the security door 45a can be opened and closed in conjunction with the movement of the autonomous vehicle 20, allowing smooth movement within the hospital.

[0053] Furthermore, when the hospital management server 40 receives request information 51 from the staff terminal 50, it selects each of the departments 61 to 65 in accordance with the types of various items included in the request information 51, creates transport information 47 with each of the departments 61 to 65 as the transport source and the transport destination included in the request information 51, and sends this to the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 via the network 70. The hospital management server 40 also creates request information 46 regarding medicines, linens, meals, etc. based on, for example, electronic medical records, etc., and sends this to the supplier management server 60, and also creates further transport information 47 in the same way as the above-mentioned request information 51, and sends this to the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 via the network 70.

[0054] When hospital management server 40 receives delivery information 60a from supplier management server 60 for the hospital's loading dock by a supplier, it selects from the types of items to be delivered and delivery dates and times included in this delivery information 60a those that correspond to untransported request information 51, creates transport information 47 by associating it with request information 51, and sends this to autonomous vehicle management unit 30. In response, autonomous vehicle management unit 30 selects an appropriate autonomous vehicle 20, and creates a driving route 33a from the current position, via the hospital's loading dock, to the transport destination from current position information 81a of that autonomous vehicle 20, and sends this to that autonomous vehicle 20.

[0055] Furthermore, when a request for emergency hospitalization is received, the hospital management server 40 creates transport information 47 for emergency transport and sends it to the autonomous vehicle management unit 30. In response to this, the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 selects an autonomous vehicle 20 for stretcher transport, and creates a driving route 33a from the current position to the emergency room or the like via the emergency entrance based on the current position information 81a of that autonomous vehicle 20, and sends this to the autonomous vehicle 20.

[0056] Furthermore, when the hospital management server 40 receives request information 51 for transporting a patient from the staff terminal 50, it creates transport information 47 for transporting the patient, etc., and sends it to the autonomous vehicle management unit 30. In response to this, the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 selects an autonomous vehicle 20 for transporting the patient, and creates a driving route 33a from the current position to the transport destination via the transport origin based on the current position information 81a of that autonomous vehicle 20, and sends this to the autonomous vehicle 20.

[0057] The staff terminal 50 is a mobile terminal such as a PC, mobile phone, smartphone, or tablet, and is connected to the hospital management server 40 via the network 70 or via other networks such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) lines or wired LANs. By installing a dedicated app, the staff terminal 50 can request various necessary items from the hospital management server 40. The staff terminal 50 is carried by staff members such as doctors and nurses assigned to each department in the hospital. When the staff member operates the staff terminal 50, they can create request information 51 including the destination and the type and quantity of various items required and send it to the hospital management server 40. The staff terminal 50 also receives arrival information 48 sent from the hospital management server 40. This allows the staff member to know when the various items they requested have arrived, being transported by the autonomous vehicle 20. The hospital management server 40 creates this arrival information 48 and sends it to the staff terminal 50 corresponding to the destination when the autonomous vehicle 20 approaches the destination.

[0058] The vendor management server 60 is connected to the hospital management server 40 and manages the inventory, ordering, and delivery of various items in the injection drug department 61, medical supply storage department 62, storage department 63, food service department 64, and testing department 65. It also places orders with the vendors in charge of items that are running low on stock and manages deliveries by those vendors. The injection drug department 61 is located within the pharmacy department and may also be called an injection drug room or injection room. The medical supply storage department 62 may also be called a supply department or central supply room, but it has the functions of collecting, cleaning, sterilizing, and dispensing medical supplies. The vendor management server 60 receives delivery information 60a from the supplier, including delivery items and delivery dates and times, and transmits it to the hospital management server 40. Furthermore, the vendor management server 60 transmits the request information 46 transmitted from the hospital management server 40 and the request information 51 transmitted from the staff terminal 50 to the corresponding departments, namely the injection drug department 61, medical material storage department 62, storage department 63, food supply department 64, and testing department 65. As a result, the injection drug department 61, medical material storage department 62, storage department 63, food supply department 64, and testing department 65 prepare to transport the various items requested based on the request information 51 and 46. Then, when the injection drug department 61, medical material storage department 62, storage department 63, food supply department 64, and testing department 65 have completed their preparations for transport, they notify the hospital management server 40 of this fact.

[0059] The injection drug section 61 uses, for example, a commercially available automatic injection drug dispensing system shown in FIG. 4 as an injection drug dispensing section, and removes an injection drug for infusion from dispensing section 61a shown in FIG. 4(A), places it on injection tray 61b shown in FIG. 4(B), and stores it in injection cart 61c shown in FIG. 4(C). If the injection drug section 61 is an existing injection drug dispensing section, a staff member may remove the injection drug for infusion from the existing injection drug dispensing section, place it on injection tray 61b shown in FIG. 4(B), and store it in injection cart 61c shown in FIG. 4(C). This injection cart 61c is placed on a base of an autonomous vehicle 20 for cart transportation shown in FIG. 4(D), and can be transported by the autonomous vehicle 20 shown in FIG. 4(E).

[0060] According to the above configuration, in the injection drug section 61, the injection drug for infusion taken out from the injection drug dispensing section and placed on the injection tray 61b can be automatically transported by the injection cart 61c containing the injection tray 61b from a first location, which is the injection drug section 61 as the transport source, to a second location, which is, for example, a staff station as the transport destination, without contact or manual intervention, by the autonomous cart transport vehicle 20.

[0061] The medical material storage unit 62 utilizes a commercially available automatic medical material transport, cleaning, drying and sterilization system. As shown in Figure 5, medical materials collected by the self-driving vehicle 20 are sorted by type, washed and dried, and the necessary sets of medical materials are assembled, sterilized and stored, and the sterilized medical materials are dispensed and transported when required.

[0062] The storage section 63 is a storage section for medicines, linens, etc., where medicines, linens, etc. delivered by suppliers are stored, and when requested, the requested medicines, linens, etc. are dispensed and transported. Note that the storage section 63 may also be called a medicine storage section, linen room, linen storage section, etc. depending on the materials stored.

[0063] The food service department 64 prepares meals based on request information 46 from the hospital management server 40 and serves them on trays for each patient, for example. The food service department may also be called the nutrition department or the nutrition department.

[0064] Based on request information 51 from the staff terminal 50 or request information 46 from the hospital management server 40, the testing unit 65 first dispenses empty specimen containers, then collects specimen containers containing specimens collected by the autonomous vehicle 20, and tests the specimens contained in the specimen containers.

[0065] The intra-hospital autonomous vehicle management system 10 according to the present invention is configured as described above. In the intra-hospital autonomous vehicle management system 10, in response to a request from a staff terminal 50, the hospital management server 40 confirms the inventory and storage location of the requested items with the vendor management server 60, creates transportation information 47 including the item name, transportation origin, and transportation destination of the items, and transmits it to the autonomous vehicle management unit 30. In response, the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 reads map data 31 from the transportation origin to the transportation destination included in the transportation information 47, creates a driving route 33a from the first location (origin) to the second location (destination) based on the transportation information 47 and the map data 31, and transmits it to the autonomous vehicle 20. As a result, after the autonomous vehicle 20 loads the items at the first location, it travels from the first location to the second location along the driving route 33a. In this way, the items requested by the staff terminal 50 can be automatically transported by the autonomous vehicle 20 from the first location to the second location without contact or human intervention.

[0066] According to the above configuration, when a delivery vehicle arrives at the hospital's entrance (also called the backyard), the autonomous vehicle 20 moves to the entrance, so that the various items unloaded from the delivery vehicle can be loaded and transported more quickly onto the autonomous vehicle 20. Here, the transportation of the above medical supplies, various medicines, linens, specimen collection, meal delivery or container collection, etc. to the hospital or from the hospital to the outside is all carried out by external companies using transport vehicles such as trucks.

[0067] First, the case of transporting an injection drug for intravenous drip will be described. When a request for an intravenous injection is made by a staff member operating the staff terminal 50, request information 51 including the delivery destination and the type and quantity of the requested intravenous injection is created and sent to the hospital management server 40.

[0068] The hospital management server 40 selects an injection drug section 61 corresponding to the intravenous injection drug, which is one of the various items included in the request information 51, creates transport information 47 specifying the injection drug section 61 as the transport source and the transport destination included in the request information 51, and transmits this information to the autonomous vehicle management section 30 via the network 70. At the same time, the hospital management server 40 transmits the request information 51 to the selected injection drug section 61. As a result, the injection drug section 61 dispenses the requested intravenous injection drug, and this intravenous injection drug is placed on the injection tray 61b and stored in the injection cart 61c.

[0069] On the other hand, based on the transport information 47 sent from the hospital management server 40, the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 selects an autonomous vehicle 20 for transporting a cart that is close to the source and destination included in the transport information 47, reads map data 31 of the area corresponding to the travel route from the current position to the source and destination based on current position information 81a of the autonomous vehicle 20, creates travel route 33a, and transmits it to the autonomous vehicle 20. As a result, the autonomous vehicle 20 travels along this travel route 33a from the current position to the injection solution unit 61, which is the source of transport, and the injection cart 61c is loaded onto the base at the injection solution unit 61.

[0070] Thereafter, autonomous vehicle 20 automatically travels along travel route 33a from injection drug section 61, which is the source of transport, to the destination. Here, if elevator 41 or security door 45a is included in travel route 33a, when autonomous vehicle 20 approaches elevator 41 or security door 45a, hospital management server 40 transmits elevator use information 33b and elevator control information 33c or security control information 33d to elevator control section 44 or security control section 45, respectively, thereby allowing autonomous vehicle 20 to use elevator 41 or pass through by opening or closing security door 45a.

[0071] When the autonomously driven vehicle 20 approaches the destination, the hospital management server 40 transmits arrival information 48 to the staff terminal 50 at the destination of the transport information 47 based on the current location information 81a of the autonomously driven vehicle 20. As a result, the staff member carrying the staff terminal 50 waits at the destination in preparation for the arrival of the autonomously driven vehicle 20. When the autonomously driven vehicle 20 arrives at the destination, the staff member removes the injection cart 61c from the base of the autonomously driven vehicle 20, takes out the injection tray 61b, and receives the requested intravenous injection. Thus, the transport of the intravenous injection is completed.

[0072] Next, the case of transporting medical materials will be described. When a request for medical supplies is made by a staff member operating the staff terminal 50, request information 51 including the type and quantity of the requested medical supplies is created and sent to the hospital management server 40. The hospital management server 40 creates transport information 47 that specifies the medical supply storage unit 62 as the transport source and the transport destination included in the request information 51, corresponding to the various items of medical supplies included in the request information 51, and sends this to the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 via the network 70. At the same time, the hospital management server 40 sends the request information 51 to the selected medical supply storage unit 62. As a result, the medical supply storage unit 62 dispenses the medical supplies that have already been sterilized and stored.

[0073] On the other hand, the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 selects an autonomous vehicle 20 for transport that is close to the source and destination included in the transport information 47, based on the transport information 47 sent from the hospital management server 40, and reads map data 31 of the area corresponding to the driving route from the current location to the source and destination based on the current location information 81a of the autonomous vehicle 20, creates a driving route 33a, and sends this to the autonomous vehicle 20. As a result, the autonomous vehicle 20 drives along this driving route 33a from its current location to the medical material storage unit 62, which is the source of the transport, and the medical materials are loaded into the storage unit 26 at the medical material storage unit 62. Thereafter, the autonomous vehicle 20 automatically drives along the driving route 33a from the injection drug department 61, which is the source of the transport, to the destination.

[0074] When the autonomous vehicle 20 approaches the destination, the hospital management server 40 transmits arrival information 48 to the staff terminal 50 of the destination of the transport information 47 based on the current location information 81a of the autonomous vehicle 20. As a result, the staff member carrying the staff terminal 50 waits at the destination in preparation for the arrival of the autonomous vehicle 20. When the autonomous vehicle 20 arrives at the destination, the staff member unloads the medical supplies from the storage section 26 of the autonomous vehicle 20, takes out the injection tray 61b, and receives the requested intravenous injection.

[0075] The staff then stores the used medical supplies in the storage section 26 of the autonomous vehicle 20. After confirming that the storage section 26 is closed, the autonomous vehicle 20 returns from its destination to its origin, the medical supply storage section 62. In the medical supply storage section 62, the used medical supplies are removed from the storage section 26 and collected. The collected medical supplies are sorted, washed, dried, set, and sterilized in the medical supply storage section 62, and then stored for the next use. This completes the transport of the medical supplies.

[0076] Next, the transportation of medicinal liquids and linens will be described. When a request for medicinal liquids or linens is made by a staff member operating the staff terminal 50, request information 51 including the type and quantity of the requested medicinal liquids or linens is created and transmitted to the hospital management server 40. The hospital management server 40 creates transportation information 47 specifying the storage unit 63 as the transportation source and the transportation destination included in the request information 51 in accordance with the medicinal liquids or linens, which are various items included in the request information 51, and transmits this information to the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 via the network 70. At the same time, the hospital management server 40 transmits the request information 51 to the selected storage unit 63. As a result, the storage unit 63 dispenses the stored medicinal liquids or linens.

[0077] On the other hand, based on the transport information 47 sent from the hospital management server 40, the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 selects an autonomous vehicle 20 for transport that is close to the source and destination included in the transport information 47, reads map data 31 of the area corresponding to the driving route from the current location to the source and destination using current location information 81a of the autonomous vehicle 20, creates driving route 33a, and sends it to the autonomous vehicle 20. As a result, the autonomous vehicle 20 drives from its current location to the storage unit 63, which is the source of the transport, along this driving route 33a, and the medicines or linens are loaded into the storage unit 26 in the storage unit 63. Thereafter, the autonomous vehicle 20 automatically drives along the driving route 33a from the storage unit 63, which is the source of the transport, to the destination.

[0078] When the autonomous vehicle 20 approaches the destination, the hospital management server 40 transmits arrival information 48 to the staff terminal 50 at the destination of the transport information 47 based on the current location information 81a of the autonomous vehicle 20. This causes the staff member carrying the staff terminal 50 to wait at the destination in preparation for the arrival of the autonomous vehicle 20. When the autonomous vehicle 20 arrives at the destination, the staff member receives the requested medication or linen from the storage unit 26 of the autonomous vehicle 20.

[0079] Thereafter, the staff member stores any unused surplus medications or used linens in the storage section 26 of the autonomous vehicle 20. After confirming that the storage section 26 is closed, the autonomous vehicle 20 returns from the destination to the storage section 63, which is the origin of the transportation. In the storage section 63, the unused medications are stored as they are, and the used linens are collected from the storage section 26 and either sorted within the hospital or handed over to a linen laundering company. Thus, the transportation of the medications or linens is completed.

[0080] According to the above configuration, based on transport information 47 for various designated items such as medical supplies, medicines, linens, etc., the automated transport vehicle 20 loaded with the various designated items in the medical supply storage unit 62 or the storage unit 63 as a first location travels along the travel route 33a to a second location. This allows the various designated items to be automatically transported by the automated transport vehicle 20 without contact and without human intervention.

[0081] Next, the transportation of meals will be described. Hospital management server 40 creates request information 46 that includes food service department 64, which is the source of delivery, and the destination to which the meal should be delivered, in accordance with the specified meal time, and also creates delivery information 47 that specifies food service department 64 as the source of delivery and the destination included in request information 46 in accordance with the various meal items included in request information 46, and sends this information to autonomous vehicle management department 30 via network 70. At the same time, hospital management server 40 sends request information 46 to food service department 64. As a result, food service department 64 places the meals on trays for each destination and dispenses them.

[0082] On the other hand, based on transport information 47 sent from hospital management server 40, autonomous vehicle management unit 30 selects an autonomous vehicle 20 for transport that is close to the source and destination included in transport information 47, reads map data 31 of the area corresponding to the driving route from the current location to the source and destination using current location information 81a of autonomous vehicle 20, creates driving route 33a, and sends it to autonomous vehicle 20. As a result, autonomous vehicle 20 travels along driving route 33a from its current location to cafeteria 64, which is the source of transport, and the meals are loaded into storage unit 26 at cafeteria 64. Thereafter, autonomous vehicle 20 automatically travels along driving route 33a from cafeteria 64, which is the source of transport, to the destination.

[0083] When autonomous vehicle 20 approaches the destination, hospital management server 40 transmits arrival information 48 to staff terminal 50 at the destination of transport information 47 based on current location information 81a of autonomous vehicle 20. This causes staff carrying staff terminal 50 to wait at the destination in preparation for the arrival of autonomous vehicle 20. When autonomous vehicle 20 arrives at the destination, the staff member receives the meal from storage section 26 of autonomous vehicle 20.

[0084] After that, if there is a tray with used dishes on it, the staff member stores this tray in storage section 26 of self-driving vehicle 20. After confirming that storage section 26 is closed, self-driving vehicle 20 returns from the destination to its origin, cafeteria section 64. In cafeteria section 64, the dishes placed on the tray are collected, and if any ingredients remain in the dishes, they are discarded, and the used dishes are washed and stored in a dish storage area. This completes the meal transportation.

[0085] According to the above configuration, based on transport information 47, autonomous meal transport vehicle 20 loaded with meals at food service section 64 as a first location travels along travel route 33a to each hospital room or the like as a second location where the meals should be delivered. As a result, meals are automatically transported by autonomous meal transport vehicle 20 in a non-contact manner without human intervention.

[0086] Next, the transport of the sample will be described. When a request for specimen collection is made by a staff member on the staff terminal 50, request information 51 including the requested specimen collection is created and transmitted to the hospital management server 40. The hospital management server 40 creates transport information 47 specifying the testing department 65 as the transport source in accordance with the specimen collection item included in the request information 51 and the transport destination included in the request information 51, and transmits the transport information 47 to the autonomous vehicle management department 30 via the network 70. At the same time, the hospital management server 40 transmits the request information 51 to the selected testing department 65. As a result, the testing department 65 dispenses an empty specimen container that is stored.

[0087] On the other hand, the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 selects an autonomous vehicle 20 for transport that is close to the source and destination included in the transport information 47, based on the transport information 47 sent from the hospital management server 40, reads map data 31 of the area corresponding to the driving route from the current location to the source and destination based on the current location information 81a of the autonomous vehicle 20, creates a driving route 33a, and transmits this to the autonomous vehicle 20. As a result, the autonomous vehicle 20 travels along this driving route 33a from its current location to the testing unit 65, which is the source of the transport, and the empty specimen container is loaded into the storage unit 26 at the testing unit 65. Thereafter, the autonomous vehicle 20 automatically travels along the driving route 33a from the testing unit 65, which is the source of the transport, to the destination.

[0088] When the autonomous vehicle 20 approaches the destination, the hospital management server 40 transmits arrival information 48 to the staff terminal 50 at the destination of the transport information 47 based on the current location information 81a of the autonomous vehicle 20. This causes the staff member carrying the staff terminal 50 to wait at the destination in preparation for the arrival of the autonomous vehicle 20. When the autonomous vehicle 20 arrives at the destination, the staff member receives the empty specimen container from the storage unit 26 of the autonomous vehicle 20.

[0089] The staff member then places the specimen in a specimen container and stores the specimen container in the storage unit 26 of the autonomous vehicle 20. After confirming that the storage unit 26 is closed, the autonomous vehicle 20 returns from its destination to its origin, the inspection unit 65. In the inspection unit 65, the specimen container containing the specimen is removed from the storage unit 26, and the specimen is inspected in the inspection unit 65. Thus, specimen collection is completed.

[0090] According to the above configuration, based on the transport information 47, the autonomous transport vehicle 20 loaded with empty test containers at the inspection unit 65 serving as a first location travels along the travel route 33a to the second location, the empty test containers are unloaded at the second location, and the autonomous transport vehicle 20 loaded with specimen containers containing specimens at the second location travels along the travel route 33a from the second location to the inspection unit 65 serving as the first location. As a result, the empty specimen containers are transported from the inspection unit 65 serving as the first location to the second location by the autonomous transport vehicle 20, and the specimen containers containing specimens are transported from the second location to the inspection unit 65 serving as the first location by the autonomous transport vehicle 20, and the specimen containers are automatically transported between the first location and the second location without contact and without human intervention.

[0091] Next, the transportation of emergency patients will be described. When a request for emergency admission or emergency examination is received, the hospital management server 40 creates transport information 47 specifying the hospital's emergency entrance as the transport origin and an emergency treatment room or the like as the transport destination, and sends this information to the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 via the network 70. At the same time, the hospital management server 40 sends emergency acceptance information to the hospital's emergency department. As a result, the emergency department prepares at least a stretcher at the emergency entrance to accept the emergency patient.

[0092] On the other hand, based on transport information 47 sent from hospital management server 40, autonomous vehicle management unit 30 selects an autonomous vehicle 20 for stretcher transport that is close to the source and destination included in transport information 47, reads map data 31 for the area corresponding to the driving route from the current location to the source and destination using current location information 81a of autonomous vehicle 20, creates driving route 33a, and sends it to autonomous vehicle 20. As a result, autonomous vehicle 20 drives along driving route 33a from its current location to the emergency entrance, which is the source of transport, and a stretcher carrying the emergency patient is loaded at the emergency entrance. Thereafter, autonomous vehicle 20 automatically drives along driving route 33a from the emergency entrance, which is the source of transport, to the destination, such as an emergency room.

[0093] When autonomous vehicle 20 approaches the destination, hospital management server 40 transmits arrival information 48 to staff terminal 50 of the emergency room or the like that is the destination of the transport information 47, based on current location information 81a of that autonomous vehicle 20. As a result, staff members of the emergency room or the like who are carrying staff terminal 50 wait in the emergency room or the like in preparation for the arrival of autonomous vehicle 20. When autonomous vehicle 20 arrives at the emergency room or the like, the staff members unload the stretcher from autonomous vehicle 20. In this way, the transport of the emergency patient is completed. With this configuration, based on the transport information 47, a stretcher carrying an emergency patient at an emergency entrance as a first location can be automatically transported from the emergency entrance to a second location such as an emergency room by autonomous vehicle 20 for stretcher transport, without contact or manual intervention.

[0094] Next, the transportation of the patient will be described. When a request for patient transport is made by a staff member operating the staff terminal 50, request information 51 including the origin and destination of the requested patient transport is created and sent to the hospital management server 40. The hospital management server 40 creates transport information 47 specifying the origin and destination included in the request information 51 and sends it to the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 via the network 70. At the same time, the hospital management server 40 sends the request information 51 to the origin of transport, which causes the origin of transport to prepare for patient transport.

[0095] On the other hand, based on transport information 47 sent from hospital management server 40, autonomous vehicle management unit 30 selects an autonomous vehicle 20 for transporting a patient that is close to the source and destination included in transport information 47, reads map data 31 for the area corresponding to the driving route from the current location to the source and destination using current location information 81a of autonomous vehicle 20, creates driving route 33a, and sends it to autonomous vehicle 20. As a result, autonomous vehicle 20 drives from the current location to the source along driving route 33a, and the patient boards autonomous vehicle 20 at the source. Thereafter, autonomous vehicle 20 automatically drives from the source to the destination along driving route 33a.

[0096] When the autonomously driven vehicle 20 approaches the destination, the hospital management server 40 transmits arrival information 48 to the staff terminal 50 at the destination of the transport information 47 based on the current location information 81a of the autonomously driven vehicle 20. This causes the staff member carrying the staff terminal 50 to wait at the destination in preparation for the arrival of the autonomously driven vehicle 20. When the autonomously driven vehicle 20 arrives at the destination, the patient gets out of the autonomously driven vehicle 20. Thus, the transport of the patient is completed. According to this configuration, based on the transportation information 47, an autonomous patient transport vehicle 20 carrying a patient who is unable to walk or has difficulty walking travels from a first location along a travel route 33a to a second location, and the patient who is unable to walk or has difficulty walking is automatically transported by the autonomous patient transport vehicle 20 without contact or manual intervention.

[0097] When the vendor management server 60 receives notification of delivery from a supplier regarding the various items that it has ordered, it creates delivery information 60a including the type, quantity, and delivery date and time of the various items and sends this information to the hospital management server 40. In response, the hospital management server 40 selects the type and delivery date and time of the various items to be delivered that correspond to the untransported request information 51 from the types and delivery dates and times included in the delivery information 60a, creates transport information 47 in association with the request information 51, and sends this information to the autonomous vehicle management unit 30. The autonomous vehicle management unit 30 selects an autonomous vehicle 20 that is closest to the hospital's loading entrance based on the transport information 47, and creates a driving route 33a from the current position of the autonomous vehicle 20, passing through the hospital's loading entrance, to the transport destination, using current position information 81a of the autonomous vehicle 20, and sends this to the autonomous vehicle 20.

[0098] As a result, autonomous vehicle 20 travels along this travel route 33a from its current location to the service entrance of the hospital that is the source of the transport, and at the service entrance, the various delivered items are loaded into storage unit 26. Thereafter, autonomous vehicle 20 automatically travels along travel route 33a from the service entrance of the hospital that is the source of the transport to the destination of the transport.

[0099] When autonomous vehicle 20 approaches the destination, hospital management server 40 transmits arrival information 48 to staff terminal 50 at the destination of the transport information 47 based on current location information 81a of autonomous vehicle 20. Staff carrying staff terminal 50 waits at the destination in preparation for the arrival of autonomous vehicle 20, and when autonomous vehicle 20 arrives at the destination, the staff receives the various delivered items from storage section 26 of autonomous vehicle 20.

[0100] Finally, the work of patrol security, disinfection, or cleaning performed by the autonomous vehicle 20 will be described. The hospital management server 40 creates request information 46 regarding patrol security, disinfection or cleaning work along a predetermined driving route 33a, for example, at predetermined time intervals, creates transportation information 47 that returns to the starting point (second location) via a predetermined patrol route, with the waiting location of the autonomous vehicle 20 for patrol security, disinfection or cleaning work as the starting point (first location), and transmits it to the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 via the network 70.

[0101] Based on the transport information 47 sent from the hospital management server 40, the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 selects an autonomous vehicle 20 for patrol security, disinfection, or cleaning that is close to the starting point included in the transport information 47. Based on the autonomous vehicle's current location information 81a, the autonomous vehicle management unit 30 reads map data 31 for the area corresponding to the driving route from the current location to the starting point via a predetermined patrol route, creates a driving route 33a, and transmits it to the autonomous vehicle 20. The autonomous vehicle 20 then starts traveling from its current location along this driving route 33a, automatically traveling while performing patrol security, disinfection, or cleaning, and returning to its current location. With this configuration, the autonomous vehicle 20 for patrol security, disinfection, or cleaning travels along the predetermined driving route 33a within the hospital, coexisting with the autonomous vehicles 20 for transport, including the aforementioned cart transport, meal transport, and stretcher transport, thereby ensuring safety and maintaining cleanliness within the hospital. Thus, the autonomous vehicle 20's patrol security, disinfection, or cleaning work is completed.

[0102] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an intra-hospital transport management system 10 that uses an autonomous vehicle 20 to transport medical supplies, medicines including injections, linens, specimens, and meals within a hospital, thereby eliminating contact and reducing the workload of staff, and that enables unmanned transport of patients using the autonomous vehicle 20 and enables each autonomous vehicle to operate smoothly with each other.

[0103] (First modified example of the intra-hospital transport management system) Next, a modified example of the in-hospital autonomous vehicle management system having an autonomous vehicle management unit 30A that can cooperate with the facilities and operations within the hospital will be described. Figure 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a first modified example of an intra-hospital autonomous vehicle management system according to the present invention. The intra-hospital autonomous vehicle management system 10A shown in Figure 6 differs from the autonomous vehicle operation system 10 shown in Figure 1 in that the autonomous vehicle management unit 30A further includes a remote monitoring and / or remote operation unit 35, a driving route setting unit 36, an operating status analysis unit 37, an external linkage unit 38, and a user interface 39. The remote monitoring and / or remote operation unit 35 has the same functions as the intra-hospital autonomous vehicle management system 10 described above, and also has the function of issuing an alarm in an emergency.

[0104] The autonomous vehicle management unit 30A is a server installed in an appropriate location. The autonomous vehicle management unit 30A is configured as a computer including a storage device with a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device, a calculation device that performs arithmetic operations such as four basic arithmetic operations, and a control device 33A that controls the storage device 32A and the calculation device. Like the autonomous vehicle management unit 30, the storage device 32A includes map data 31, a setting database 32a, an analysis database 32b, and an external linkage database 32c. The auxiliary storage device stores a data processing program for the intra-hospital autonomous vehicle management system, i.e., an intra-hospital autonomous vehicle program (also referred to as a management app). When the management app program is loaded into the calculation device, the control device 33A, storage device 32A, remote monitoring and / or remote operation unit 35, driving route setting unit 36, operating status analysis unit 37, external linkage unit 38, and user interface 39 of the autonomous vehicle management unit 30A shown in FIG. 6 operate.

[0105] The remote monitoring and / or remote operation unit 35 has the function of remotely monitoring and / or remotely operating the operation of the autonomous vehicles 20A, similar to the intra-hospital autonomous vehicle management system 10 described above, and further has the function of issuing alarms in emergencies. The remote monitoring and / or remote operation unit 35 can monitor the status of each autonomous vehicle 20i, such as its current position, in real time using image information from the monitoring cameras 24 attached to each autonomous vehicle 20i and current position information 81a from the position sensors 86d. For example, the current position of each autonomous vehicle 20i can be displayed on a two-dimensional or three-dimensional map based on the map data 31 on the display of the autonomous vehicle management unit 30A.

[0106] Regarding remote control, the plurality of automatically driven vehicles 20A (20a to 20i to 20n) may be controlled by algorithms such as group control, optimal route generation, and optimal route search so as to prevent collisions between each other.

[0107] When the monitoring sensor 86b of the autonomous vehicle 20 detects a person or an obstacle, the remote monitoring and / or remote control unit 35 may display an alarm on the display of the autonomous vehicle management unit 30A indicating that a person or an obstacle has been detected.

[0108] As described above, based on transport information 47 sent from hospital management server 40, driving route setting unit 36 ​​has the function of selecting an autonomously driven vehicle 20A that is closest to the origin of transport from the location information of the origin of transport included in transport information 47, and then reading map data 31 based on current location information 81a of autonomously driven vehicle 20A and the location information of the origin and destination of transport to create driving route 33a and send it to autonomously driven vehicle 20A via network 70. It also has functions such as managing multiple autonomously driven vehicles 20A and managing schedules for each autonomously driven vehicle 20. Setting data related to the management and schedules of multiple autonomously driven vehicles 20A is stored in setting database 32a of storage unit 32A.

[0109] The operating status analysis unit 37 has functions such as collecting and reporting data related to the operating status of the autonomously driven vehicle, simulating using this data, and optimizing the operating status. The operating data related to the operating status of the autonomously driven vehicle 20A includes the usage rate of each operating mode, operating time, remaining battery power, total distance traveled, and the number of errors, and is used to analyze the operation of multiple autonomously driven vehicles 20A by date. The operating data is stored in the analysis database 32b of the memory unit 32A.

[0110] The external linking unit 38 has the functions of linking with a plurality of elevators 41A, a plurality of security doors 45a, and the hospital management server 40, and linking (notifying, calling, etc.) with the hospital's electronic medical records and business systems. These links are executed by an API (Application Program Interface, also called an application programming interface) stored in the external linking database 32c of the storage unit 32A.

[0111] The external linking unit 38 has the function of connecting the multiple autonomous vehicles 20A with the multiple elevators 41A in the hospital and, as necessary, with security doors 45a and the like. The external linking unit 38 supports various communication protocols so that it can support communication methods specific to the manufacturers of the multiple autonomous vehicles 20A. Examples of communication methods include MQTT (short for MQ Telemetry Transport, a protocol used for communication between devices), PLC (Programmable Logic controller), and OPC UA (an open source industrial interface by the OPC Foundation).

[0112] User interface 39 is an interface for sending the remote monitoring screen of autonomous vehicles 20 acquired by remote monitoring and / or remote control unit 35 to display 40c of hospital management server 40. In this case, staff managing autonomous vehicles 20 at the hospital can monitor the operating status of multiple autonomous vehicles 20A by visually checking display 40c. Display 40c may be provided not only on hospital management server 40, but also on a management server of a company outside the hospital that has been entrusted with monitoring by the hospital.

[0113] (Second variant of the hospital autonomous vehicle management system) Next, a modified example of the in-hospital autonomous vehicle management system that can manage the locking and unlocking of the storage compartment of the autonomous vehicle 20 will be described. Figure 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a second modified example of an intra-hospital autonomous vehicle management system according to the present invention. The intra-hospital autonomous vehicle management system 10B shown in Figure 7 differs from the intra-hospital autonomous vehicle management system 10 shown in Figure 1 in that it further includes an autonomous vehicle 20B equipped with a mechanism 26a capable of locking and unlocking storage unit 26B and a reader 87 that authenticates hospital staff, an autonomous vehicle management unit 30B equipped with a storage unit management database 32d in memory unit 32B, and a hospital management server 40B equipped with a hospital security management database 49. Other configurations are the same as those of the intra-hospital autonomous vehicle management system 10 shown in Figure 1.

[0114] In storage unit 26B of autonomous vehicle 20B, mechanism 26a that can automatically unlock and lock is composed of an electromagnetic lock for fixing the doors (not shown) of storage unit 26B of autonomous vehicle 20B, and operating devices such as plungers for automatically opening and closing each door. Storage unit 26B may be provided with a sensor that detects the presence or absence of stored medical materials or drugs.

[0115] The reading unit 87, which authenticates hospital staff, has a function of reading, for example, a QR code (registered trademark) displayed on an ID card or an ID card with built-in near-field communication (hereinafter referred to as NFC) that is carried by the hospital staff. A scanner can be used to read the QR code (registered trademark). The surveillance camera 24 of the autonomously driven vehicle 20B may also be used as the scanner. By holding an ID card carried by the hospital staff over the reading unit 87 of the autonomously driven vehicle 20B, the hospital staff's ID information 87a can be read. The read staff member's ID information 87a is transmitted by the CPU 81 of the autonomously driven vehicle 20B to the autonomously driven vehicle management unit 30B via the status transmitting / receiving unit 86f and the network 70.

[0116] In response to this, the control unit 33B of the autonomous vehicle management unit 30B queries the hospital management server 40B for the received staff ID information 87a. The hospital management server 40B queries the hospital security management database 49 for the received staff ID information 87a and authenticates the received staff ID information 87a. The hospital management server 40B receives staff ID authentication information 87b from the hospital security management database 49, that is, once authentication is successful, it transmits the staff ID authentication information 87b to the autonomous vehicle management unit 30B via the network 70B. The control unit 33B of the autonomous vehicle management unit 30B transmits an instruction to unlock the storage unit 26B to the autonomous vehicle 20B that has read the ID card of the staff member in the hospital based on the staff ID authentication information 87b. In response to this, the autonomous vehicle 20B controls the CPU 81 to control the unlocking mechanism 26a to unlock storage unit 26B, allowing the staff member to receive the medical supplies, medication, etc. delivered from storage unit 26B of autonomous vehicle 20B. The staff member then stores the used medication or medical supplies in storage unit 26B of autonomous vehicle 20B. After confirming that storage unit 26B is closed, autonomous vehicle 20B returns from the destination to the injection drug section 61 or medical supply storage section 62, which is the source of the transport.

[0117] Records of staff ID authentication information 87b from staff within the hospital 40a, i.e., access logs, can be stored in the accommodation unit management database 32d of the autonomous vehicle management unit 30B and / or the hospital security management database 49 of the hospital management server 40B.

[0118] The present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the embodiment described above, arrival information 48 is transmitted to staff terminal 50 when autonomous vehicle 20 approaches the transport source, but this is not limited to this; instead, the current location of autonomous vehicle 20 may be notified successively as driving status information instead of arrival information 48. With this configuration, when autonomous vehicle 20 is driving to transport various items, the driving status of autonomous vehicle 20 is transmitted to staff terminal 50, allowing hospital staff carrying staff terminal 50 to successively grasp transport status 47 of various items by autonomous vehicle 20, and thus enable various preparations to be made in preparation for the arrival of the various items to be transported.

[0119] In the embodiment described above, the autonomously driven vehicle 20 is equipped with a status transmission / reception unit 86f that transmits and receives data to and from the network 70. However, this is not limited to this. The status transmission / reception unit 86f of the autonomously driven vehicle 20 may be configured as an in-vehicle terminal 90 (see FIG. 7) that transmits and receives data to and from the network 70 and on which staff perform various operations. The in-vehicle terminal 90 is an information terminal device such as a commercially available tablet terminal, and its display unit 90a is positioned so that it is easily visible to staff. The in-vehicle terminal 90 may also be equipped with a reader 90b for the staff ID information 87a described above. In the above-described embodiment, autonomous vehicle 20 travels according to travel route 33a created by autonomous vehicle management unit 30. However, this travel route 33a may be displayed on display unit 90a of on-board terminal 90 of autonomous vehicle 20B. As described above, autonomous vehicle 20B travels to a second location along travel route 33a after being loaded with the various items at a first location. However, autonomous vehicle 20B may also travel from the second location to a third location to deliver intravenous injection drugs, medical supplies, medicinal solutions, linens, meals, etc. In this case, after receiving intravenous injection drugs, medical supplies, meals, etc. from autonomous vehicle 20B, the staff member may automatically drive autonomous vehicle 20B to the next destination displayed on display unit 90a of on-board terminal 90. If display unit 90a is a touch panel, the staff member can automatically drive autonomous vehicle 20B to the next destination by touching the display of the next destination displayed on the touch panel.

[0120] (Transportation to multiple destinations) According to the intra-hospital autonomous vehicle management system 10B, in response to a request from a staff terminal 50, the hospital management server 40B confirms the inventory and storage location of the requested items with the vendor management server 60, creates transportation information 47A including the item names, transportation origin, and multiple transportation destinations of the various items, and sends it to the autonomous vehicle management unit 30B. In response, the autonomous vehicle management unit 30B reads map data 31 from the transportation origin to the transportation destinations included in this transportation information 47A, and creates driving routes 33a from a first location, which is the transportation origin, to the multiple transportation destinations based on the transportation information 47A and map data 31, and sends this to the autonomous vehicle 20B. In other words, in response to a request from the staff terminal 50, the hospital management server 40B creates transportation information 47A for travel from a first location to multiple destinations, and the autonomous vehicle management unit 30B creates a driving route 33a from the first location to the multiple destinations based on the transportation information 47A and map data 31 and sends it to the autonomous vehicle 20B, and the autonomous vehicle 20B can transport various items from the first location to the multiple destinations according to the driving route 33a.

[0121] As a result, after loading the various items at the first location, autonomous vehicle 20B travels along travel route 33a from the first location to multiple destinations such as a second location, a third location, etc. In this way, various items requested by staff terminal 50 can be automatically transported by autonomous vehicle 20B from the first location to multiple destinations without contact or human intervention. Specifically, autonomous vehicle management unit 30B reads map data 31 from the transport origin to multiple transport destinations, which is included in transport information 47A, and creates a driving route 33a from a first location, which is the transport origin, to multiple transport destinations (predetermined locations such as second and third locations), based on transport information 47A and map data 31, and transmits this to status transmitting / receiving unit 86f of autonomous vehicle 20 or in-vehicle terminal 90. In response to this, CPU 81 of autonomous vehicle 20B controls drive unit 85 to cause autonomous driving along driving route 33a that includes multiple transport destinations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0122] 10, 10A, 10B Hospital Autonomous Vehicle Management System 20, 20A, 20B Autonomous Vehicles 21 Main body 22 wheels 23 Display section 24 Surveillance Cameras 25 speakers 26,26B storage section 26a Locking and unlocking mechanism 27 Light 28 Turn signal 29 Control Unit 30, 30A, 30B Autonomous Vehicle Management Department 31 Map Data 32 Storage section 32a Configuration database 32b analytical database 32c External link database 32d Containment Unit Management Database 33, 33A, 33B control section 33a Travel route 33b Elevator information 33c Elevator Control Information 33d Security Control Information 35 Remote monitoring and / or remote control unit 36 Travel route setting unit 37 Operational Status Analysis Unit 38 External Collaboration Department 39 User Interface 40,40B Hospital management server 40a Hospital Building 40c display 40b, 44a Gateway 41,41A Elevator 42 Migration Path 43 Elevator car 44 Elevator control unit 45 Security control section 45a Security Door 45b Security door open signal 46,51 Request information 47,47A Transport Information 48 Arrival Information 49 Hospital Security Management Database 50 Staff terminal 60 Vendor management server 60a Delivery Information 61 Injection Department 61a Dispensing section 61b Injection tray 61c Injection Cart 62 Medical Supplies Storage Department 63 Storage 64 School Lunch Department 65 Inspection Department 70 Network 81 CPU 81a Current location information 82 Battery 83 Display 84 Memory section 85 Drive unit 85a motor 85b driver 86 Detector 86a Attitude detection sensor 86b Monitoring sensor 86c Distance Sensor 86d Position Sensor 86e bumper sensor 86f Status transmission / reception unit 87 Reading unit 87a Staff ID information 87b Staff ID Credentials 90 In-vehicle terminal 90a Display section 90b Reading unit

Claims

1. The hospital includes an autonomous vehicle management unit that registers three-dimensional map data relating to the surrounding environment and the paths that autonomous vehicles can travel within the hospital, a plurality of autonomous vehicles connected to the autonomous vehicle management unit via a network, a hospital management server that manages various facilities within the hospital, a plurality of staff terminals within the hospital that are connected to the hospital management server via the network, and a vendor management server that manages inventory, ordering, and delivery of various items at the hospital, The autonomous driving vehicle management unit, a remote monitoring and / or remote operation unit that remotely monitors and / or remotely operates the autonomous driving vehicle; a travel route setting unit that sets a travel route for the autonomously driven vehicle; an operating state analysis unit that analyzes an operating state of the autonomously driven vehicle based on operation data of the autonomously driven vehicle; an external linking unit that links the autonomous driving vehicle with an elevator control unit and a security door control unit via the hospital management server; the network interconnects the autonomously driven vehicle and the autonomously driven vehicle management unit, the autonomously driven vehicle management unit and the hospital management server, and the hospital management server, the plurality of staff terminals, and the contractor management server; The hospital includes departments including a pharmacy department connected to the vendor management server, a storage department for storing medical supplies such as medicines and linens, a food service department, and an inspection department, request information transmitted from the hospital management server and the plurality of staff terminals is transmitted to the corresponding departments, and the departments prepare for the transportation of the various items requested based on the request information, and when the transportation preparations are completed, the departments transmit a notification to that effect to the hospital management server; the hospital management server, in response to requests from the plurality of staff terminals, creates transport information for an autonomous vehicle loaded with the requested items to travel from a first location that is the source of transport to a second location that is the destination of transport, and transmits the transport information to the autonomous vehicle management unit; the autonomous driving vehicle management unit creates a driving route from the first location to the second location based on the transport information and the map data from the hospital management server, and transmits the created route to the autonomous driving vehicle; An intra-hospital autonomous vehicle management system, wherein the autonomous vehicle transports various requested items from the first location to the second location according to the driving route.

2. One of the various items is an intravenous injection drug taken out from an injection drug dispensing unit and placed on an injection tray, and an injection cart containing the injection tray at the first location is transported to the second location by an automated cart transport vehicle, The in-hospital autonomous vehicle management system according to claim 1, wherein an injection cart containing an empty injection tray after the intravenous injection drug has been removed is transported from the second location to the first location by an autonomous vehicle for transporting the cart.

3. 2. The in-hospital autonomous vehicle management system according to claim 1, wherein the autonomous vehicle management unit moves the autonomous vehicle to the entrance of the hospital in accordance with various items included in the delivery information based on delivery information of the vehicle to be delivered to the entrance of the hospital from the contractor management server.

4. the autonomous driving vehicle management unit creates driving route information including elevator information or security door information from the hospital management server, 2. The in-hospital autonomous vehicle management system according to claim 1, wherein the autonomous vehicle uses elevators within the hospital and opens and closes security doors according to the elevator information and security door information when traveling along the travel route.

5. the autonomous vehicle management unit transmits to the hospital management server a driving status of the autonomous vehicle traveling from the first location to the second location; The in-hospital autonomous vehicle management system according to claim 1 , wherein the hospital management server transmits the driving status of the autonomous vehicle to the staff terminal.

6. One of the various items is a meal to be delivered from the food service department to individual hospital rooms, etc. The hospital management server transmits transportation information regarding meals to be delivered from the hospital's food service department to the autonomous vehicle management department, 2. The in-hospital autonomous vehicle management system of claim 1, wherein the autonomous vehicle management unit causes an autonomous vehicle for transporting meals to transport meals from a first location, the cafeteria, to a second location, such as each hospital room where the meals should be served, based on the transport information.

7. One of the various items is medical supplies, medicines, linens, etc. the hospital management server transmits transportation information from the storage unit to the autonomous driving vehicle management unit; The automated driving vehicle management unit transports various items such as medical supplies, medicines, linens, etc. from the storage unit as a first location to a second location such as a hospital room, examination room, or treatment room using an automated driving vehicle for transport based on the transport information, The in-hospital autonomous vehicle management system according to claim 1 , wherein the autonomous vehicle management unit transports surplus and used items of various types from the second location to the first location using an autonomous vehicle for transportation.

8. One of the various items is a specimen to be collected from a patient or the like and tested in the testing unit, The hospital management server transmits transport information from the examination department to the autonomous driving vehicle management department, The automated vehicle management unit transports empty specimen containers from the testing unit as a first location to a second location by an automated vehicle for transport based on the transport information, The in-hospital autonomous vehicle management system according to claim 1, wherein the autonomous vehicle management unit transports a specimen container containing a specimen from the second location to the testing unit as the first location using an autonomous vehicle for transport.

9. One of the various items is a stretcher carrying an emergency patient, The hospital management server transmits transport information from the hospital's emergency entrance to the autonomous driving vehicle management unit, 2. The intra-hospital autonomous vehicle management system according to claim 1, wherein the autonomous vehicle management unit transports a stretcher carrying an emergency patient from an emergency entrance as a first location to an emergency treatment room or the like as a second location based on the transport information by an autonomous vehicle for stretcher transport.

10. One of the various items is a patient who is unable to walk or has difficulty walking, The hospital management server transmits transport information to the autonomous driving vehicle management unit, The in-hospital autonomous vehicle management system according to claim 1, wherein the autonomous vehicle management unit transports a patient who is unable to walk or has difficulty walking from a first location to a second location using an autonomous vehicle for patient transport based on the transport information.

11. The autonomous vehicle is an autonomous vehicle for patrol security, disinfection, or cleaning in a hospital, The hospital management server transmits transportation information based on request information regarding the autonomous vehicle for patrol security, disinfection, or cleaning to an autonomous vehicle management unit, The in-hospital autonomous vehicle management system according to claim 1 , wherein the autonomous vehicle management unit causes the autonomous vehicle to travel along a predetermined travel route based on the transportation information.

12. 2. The in-hospital autonomous vehicle management system according to claim 1, wherein the elevator control unit sends a signal for an elevator call operation when the autonomous vehicle approaches an elevator hall based on the current position of the autonomous vehicle, elevator usage information, and elevator control information sent from the autonomous vehicle via the network, the autonomous vehicle management unit, and the hospital management server, and further sends an input signal for a destination floor when the autonomous vehicle gets into an elevator car, thereby allowing the elevator to be used.

13. The autonomous vehicle is provided with a storage unit that can be locked and unlocked and a reading means unit for authenticating staff in the hospital, ID information of staff in the hospital is read by the reading means unit of the autonomous driving vehicle, The autonomous driving vehicle management unit queries the hospital management server for ID information of the staff member, Upon receiving this, the hospital management server queries a hospital security management database for the staff member's ID information, and upon receiving the staff member's ID authentication information from the hospital security management database, transmits the staff member's ID authentication information to the autonomous driving vehicle management unit; The in-hospital autonomous vehicle management system according to claim 1 , wherein the autonomous vehicle management unit receives the instruction to unlock the storage unit of the autonomous vehicle.

14. the hospital management server creates the transport information for travel from the first location to a plurality of transport destinations in response to a request from the staff terminal; the autonomous vehicle management unit creates a driving route from the first location to the plurality of destinations based on the transportation information and the map data, and transmits the created driving route to the autonomous vehicle; The hospital autonomous vehicle management system according to claim 1 , wherein the autonomous vehicle transports the various items from the first location to the multiple destinations according to the driving route.

15. 15. The in-hospital autonomous vehicle management system of claim 14, wherein the autonomous vehicle is connected to the network and has an in-vehicle terminal operated by staff in the hospital, and a driving route from the first location to the multiple transport destinations is displayed on a display unit of the in-vehicle terminal.

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