Information processing device, information processing system, information processing method, and information processing program

Abstract

To provide an information processing device, an information processing system, an information processing method, and an information processing program capable of giving priority to either the entrance or the exit to / from a facility.SOLUTION: An information processing device includes: an acquisition part for acquiring travel history information on vehicles entering and exiting from a facility having at least one of a plurality of entrances and exits; a region setting part for setting a vehicle-passing determination region at a position away from the facility by predetermined distance in a plurality of directions; and a generation part for generating association information on the association between the entrance and a first direction corresponding to the vehicle-passing determination region through which the vehicle has passed when entering the entrance and the exit and a second direction corresponding to the vehicle-passing determination region through which the vehicle has passed when exiting from the exit, which are identified on the basis of the travel history information acquired by the acquisition part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing device, an information processing system, an information processing method, and an information processing program. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there are navigation devices that provide route guidance from a departure point to a destination. The device described in Patent Document 1 provides guidance on the optimal route when the destination is a parking lot with multiple exits, based on the travel cost from the departure point to the parking lot, the travel cost of each route within the parking lot to the multiple exits, and the travel cost of the route after leaving one of the exits. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-105051 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A user who uses a facility may wish to smoothly enter and exit the facility, but may also wish to prioritize either entering or leaving the facility over optimizing the entire route including the outbound and return routes to the facility. The device described in Patent Document 1 is considered to aim for optimization of the entire route, and does not provide route guidance that prioritizes either entering or leaving the facility.

[0005] The present disclosure provides an information processing device, an information processing system, an information processing method, and an information processing program that can prioritize either entry into or exit from a facility. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An information processing device of one embodiment includes an acquisition unit that acquires driving history information of vehicles entering and exiting a facility that has multiple entrances and / or exits; an area setting unit that sets vehicle passage determination areas at positions a predetermined distance away in multiple directions from the facility; and a generation unit that generates correlation information regarding the correlation between an entrance and a first direction corresponding to the vehicle passage determination area that the vehicle passed through when it entered the entrance, and an exit and a second direction corresponding to the vehicle passage determination area that the vehicle passed through when it exited the exit, which are identified based on the driving history information acquired by the acquisition unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect, various correlations (correlation information) regarding the entry and exit of a facility that has multiple entrances and / or exits are generated based on the driving history information of vehicles entering and exiting the facility, so that either entry or exit from the facility can be given higher priority based on the correlations. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an information processing device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of a vehicle passage determination area. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an information processing device according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a flowchart illustrating an information processing method according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] An embodiment will be described below.

[0010] [Overview of information processing device 100] First, an overview of an information processing device 100 according to an embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an information processing device 100 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of a vehicle passage determination area.

[0011] The information processing device 100 may be configured as, for example, an association specifying device or the like that specifies an association between the entrance 411 and exit 412 of the facility 400, the direction of a point a predetermined distance away when entering the entrance 411 (for example, the direction relative to the facility 400), and the direction of a point a predetermined distance away when exiting from the exit 412 (for example, the direction relative to the facility 400). The information processing device 100 may be configured as, for example, a route search device or the like that searches for a route based on the specified association. Furthermore, the information processing device 100 may be configured as a registration device or the like that registers the association in map information. The information processing device 100 is not limited to the device described above as an example, and may be configured as various devices or the like. The information processing device 100 may be a computer such as a server, a desktop, a laptop, a tablet, or a smartphone.

[0012] The information processing device 100 may constitute an information processing system together with the vehicle 200, the server 300, a user terminal (not shown), and the like. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the information processing device 100 acquires travel history information of a vehicle 200 that enters and exits a facility 400 having an entrance 411 and an exit 412. Note that the entrance 411 and the exit 412 are not limited to being located at the same place as in the example illustrated in FIG. 1, and the entrance 411 and the exit 412 may be located at different places. Furthermore, the entrance 411 and the exit 412 may be, for example, an entrance and an exit to the grounds of the facility. As an example, the entrance 411 and the exit 412 may be, for example, an entrance and an exit to an area within the facility (e.g., a parking lot). Furthermore, the arrows indicating the entry direction and exit direction shown in FIG. 1 are merely examples. The information processing device 100 may acquire the travel history information from, for example, the vehicle 200 or the server 300. The facility 400 may have multiple entrances 411 and / or multiple exits 412. The information processing device 100 sets a vehicle passage determination area 500 (see FIG. 2). For example, the vehicle passage determination area 500 may be set at a position at a predetermined distance in multiple directions from the facility 400. As an example, as shown in Fig. 2, the vehicle passage determination area 500 may be set as a rectangular area (specifically, a square area, for example), a circular area, an elliptical area, a polygonal area, or the like, in accordance with each of the directions of east, west, south, and north, with the facility 400 as the reference.

[0013] For example, based on the travel history information, the information processing device 100 acquires the correlation between an entrance 411 of the facility 400, a first direction D1 (D1A, D1B, D1C...) when the vehicle 200 passes through the vehicle passage determination area 500 when entering the entrance 411, and an exit 412 of the facility 400, and a second direction D2 (D2A, D2B, D2C...) when the vehicle 200 passes through the vehicle passage determination area 500 when exiting the exit 412. In other words, based on the travel history information, the information processing device 100 identifies the correlation between the entrance 411 of the facility 400, the first direction D1 corresponding to the entrance 411, and the exit 412 of the facility 400, and the second direction D2 corresponding to the exit 412. As a more specific example, the information processing device 100 may, based on driving history information, identify the correlation between the facility entrance 411 (411A), the first direction D1 (D1A) when passing through the vehicle passage determination area 500 upon entering the entrance 411 (411A), the exit 412 (412A) through which the facility is exited, and the second direction D2 (D2A) when passing through the vehicle passage determination area 500 after exiting the exit 412 (412A). Each of the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 may be, for example, a direction relative to the facility 400. As an example, each of the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 may be any of north, south, east, and west relative to the facility 400. The information processing device 100 generates association information regarding the acquired association. For example, based on the association information, the information processing device 100 performs a route search for the facility 400. Furthermore, for example, the information processing device 100 registers the association information in map information.

[0014] [Details of the information processing device 100] Next, the information processing device 100 according to an embodiment will be described in detail. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an information processing device 100 according to an embodiment.

[0015] The information processing device 100 includes, for example, a communication unit 121, a storage unit 122, a display unit 123, and a control unit 110. The communication unit 121, the storage unit 122, and the display unit 123 may be an embodiment of an output unit. The control unit 110 includes, for example, an acquisition unit 111, an area setting unit 112, a generation unit 113, a route search unit 114, and an output control unit 115. The control unit 110 may be configured, for example, by an arithmetic processing unit of the information processing device 100. The control unit 110 (for example, an arithmetic processing unit) may realize the functions of each unit (the acquisition unit 111, the area setting unit 112, the generation unit 113, the route search unit 114, the output control unit 115, etc.) by, for example, appropriately reading and executing various programs stored in the storage unit 122, etc. The route search unit 114 may be arranged inside the information processing device 100 as described above, or may be arranged outside the information processing device 100. When the route search unit 114 is arranged outside the information processing device 100, the route search unit 114 may be arranged in the vehicle 200 or a user terminal (not shown). In this case, the information processing device 100, the vehicle 200, the server 300, the user terminal, etc. may constitute an information processing system. In other words, the route search unit 114 located outside the information processing device 100 may constitute an information processing system together with the information processing device 100, etc.

[0016] The communication unit 121 is, for example, a communication interface capable of transmitting and receiving various information to and from devices (external devices) external to the information processing device 100. The external devices may be, for example, the server 300 and the vehicle 200 (see FIG. 1), as well as a user terminal (not shown). The user terminal may be, for example, a portable terminal such as a laptop, a tablet, or a smartphone.

[0017] The storage unit 122 may store, for example, various information and programs. Examples of the storage unit 122 may be a memory, a solid state drive, a hard disk drive, etc. Note that the storage unit 122 may be, for example, a storage area or a server on a cloud.

[0018] The storage unit 122 stores map information related to road maps. The road maps may be, for example, maps on which roads and facilities are recorded. The road maps may also be, for example, maps used for route searches and route guidance.

[0019] The display unit 123 is a display capable of displaying, for example, various characters, symbols, images, and the like.

[0020] The acquisition unit 111 acquires driving history information of the vehicle 200 that enters and exits a facility that has multiple entrances and / or multiple exits. The acquisition unit 111 may acquire the driving history information from at least one of the vehicle 200, the server 300, and a user terminal (not shown), for example, via the communication unit 121. Alternatively, when an external memory (not shown) or the like that records the driving history information is inserted into an interface (not shown) arranged in the information processing device 100, the acquisition unit 111 may acquire the driving history information from the external memory.

[0021] The driving history information may be information that records a driving history such as position information, time information, and route information such as a departure point and a destination when the vehicle 200 is driving. The driving history information may also include various information such as CAN information and probe information related to the driving of the vehicle 200. The driving history information is acquired by the vehicle 200, for example. The vehicle 200 may transmit the driving history information to the information processing device 100 or the server 300, for example.

[0022] Here, the vehicle 200 may be equipped with a position information acquisition device such as GNSS, and may use the GNSS to acquire position information, time information, etc. Also, a route guidance device (for example, a navigation device, etc.) mounted on the vehicle 200 may acquire route information such as a departure point and a destination that is input when performing route search, route guidance, etc. The travel history information may be acquired not only by the vehicle 200 but also by a user terminal (not shown) that can be mounted on the vehicle 200. The user terminal may have, for example, a navigation function.

[0023] The area setting unit 112 sets vehicle passage determination areas 500 at positions at predetermined distances in multiple directions from the facility. The area setting unit 112 may set the vehicle passage determination areas 500 in, for example, east-west, north-south directions based on the facility. As an example, the vehicle passage determination area 500 may have passage determination lines set in each of the east-west, north-south, and south directions relative to the facility. The vehicle passage determination area 500 may be an area that specifies, for example, the direction in which the vehicle 200 approaches the facility and the direction in which the vehicle 200 leaves the facility. As a specific example, when a vehicle 200 heading toward a facility passes through a vehicle passage determination area 500 set on the west side of the facility, the control unit 110 (e.g., a generation unit 113, etc., described later) may estimate that the vehicle 200 entered the facility from the west side of the facility. Similarly, as a specific example, when a vehicle 200 that has exited a facility passes through a vehicle passage determination area 500 that is set on the north side of the facility, the control unit 110 (for example, a generating unit 113 described later) may estimate that the vehicle 200 has exited the facility toward the north side. The vehicle passage determination area 500 may be, for example, a rectangular area (for example, a square) based on the facility, or may be a circular area, an elliptical area, a polygonal area, or the like. Furthermore, the vehicle passage determination area 500 is not limited to the example described above, and may be, for example, an area having various shapes. The predetermined distance may be, for example, any of various distances that are set in advance.

[0024] The generation unit 113 generates association information regarding the association between an entrance and a first direction D1 corresponding to the vehicle passage determination area 500 that the vehicle 200 passed through when entering the entrance, which are identified based on the travel history information acquired by the acquisition unit 111, and an exit and a second direction D2 corresponding to the vehicle passage determination area 500 that the vehicle 200 passed through when exiting the exit. A facility may have at least a plurality of entrances and exits. Each of the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 may be, for example, a direction relative to the facility. The first direction D1 may be, for example, a direction relative to the facility when the vehicle 200, having entered the entrance of the facility, passes through the vehicle passage determination area 500 that is set at a predetermined distance from the facility. The second direction D2 may be, for example, a direction relative to the facility when the vehicle 200, having exited the exit of the facility, passes through the vehicle passage determination area 500 that is set at a predetermined distance from the facility.

[0025] As an example, each of the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 may be any of the north, south, east, and west directions relative to the facility. That is, as a specific example, when a vehicle 200 heading toward a facility passes the west side of the vehicle passage determination area 500, the generation unit 113 may estimate that the vehicle 200 entered the entrance of the facility from the west side (first direction D1) of the facility. Similarly, as a specific example, when a vehicle 200 leaving a facility passes the north side of the vehicle passage determination area 500, the generation unit 113 may estimate that the vehicle 200 left the facility toward the north side (second direction D2).

[0026] For example, the generation unit 113 may identify the correlation between the entrance, the first direction D1, the exit, and the second direction D2 by associating the entrance through which the vehicle 200 enters the facility with the first direction D1, and the exit through which the vehicle 200 exits the facility with the second direction D2, based on travel history information regarding a series of travels of the vehicle 200 (for example, travel history information for one trip, etc.). Furthermore, "association" may be rephrased as "association," for example.

[0027] The generation unit 113 may record in the association information the association between an area within the facility to which the vehicle 200 heads from the entrance and an exit to which the vehicle 200 heads from the area within the facility, which is specified based on the travel history information acquired by the acquisition unit 111. The area within the facility may be, for example, a parking lot. That is, the generation unit 113 may generate the association information by specifying, for example, based on the travel history information, the association between an entrance to the facility, the direction from which the vehicle 200 came when entering through the entrance (first direction D1), an area within the facility to which the vehicle 200 heads after entering through the entrance (for example, a parking lot), an exit to which the vehicle 200 heads after leaving the area within the facility, and the direction to which the vehicle 200 heads after leaving the exit (second direction D2). In this case, the specification of "association" may be rephrased as "association" or "correspondence," for example, as in the above-mentioned cases.

[0028] The generation unit 113 may acquire travel times between a facility and a position corresponding to the vehicle passage determination area 500 for each direction from the facility, based on the travel history information acquired by the acquisition unit 111, and include the travel times in the association information. That is, the generation unit 113 may acquire travel times of the vehicle 200 between the facility and a position corresponding to the vehicle passage determination area 500 for each of a plurality of directions (e.g., for each direction such as east, west, north, south, etc.) of the vehicle passage determination area 500 with respect to the facility, based on the position information and time information recorded in the travel history information. As an example, the generation unit 113 may acquire travel times between each of one or more entrances arranged at the facility and a position corresponding to the vehicle passage determination area 500 for each direction toward each of the entrances. Similarly, as another example, the generation unit 113 may acquire travel times between each of one or more exits arranged at the facility and a position corresponding to the vehicle passage determination area 500 for each direction toward each of the entrances.

[0029] The generation unit 113 may acquire travel times between a facility and a position at a predetermined distance from the facility for each direction based on the travel history information, and include the travel times in the association information. That is, the generation unit 113 may identify at least one of the time period when the vehicle 200 entered the facility and the time period when the vehicle 200 left the facility, based on time information or the like, and acquire the travel times between the facility and a position corresponding to the vehicle passage determination area for each time period. In other words, the generation unit 113 may include, in the association information, the travel times for each direction when entering the facility and the travel times for each direction when leaving the facility for each time period. Note that the above-mentioned "time period" may include concepts such as "each day of the week."

[0030] Here, the above-mentioned predetermined distance may be, for example, the distance from the facility to the vehicle passage determination area 500 or the distance to another position other than the vehicle passage determination area 500. The generation unit 113 may acquire, for example, a travel time (first travel time) from the vehicle passage determination area 500 to the entrance of the facility for each direction from the facility based on the travel history information. Similarly, the generation unit 113 may acquire, for example, a travel time (second travel time) from the facility to the vehicle passage determination area 500 for each direction from the facility based on the travel history information. The generation unit 113 may acquire the above-mentioned travel time for each time period (which may include, for example, a concept such as "each day of the week"). For example, when the difference between the first travel time and the second travel time is equal to or greater than a threshold value for each direction from a facility, the generation unit 113 may assign an attribute (attribute information) indicating that entering the facility and leaving the facility are incompatible for each direction. As a specific example, an attribute may be assigned to the facility indicating that entering the facility from the west direction and leaving the facility in the west direction are incompatible. The threshold may be set appropriately taking into consideration various conditions such as the facility, the area where the facility is located, and the traffic volume near the facility. For example, the generation unit 113 may include the attribute information in the association information.

[0031] The generation unit 113 may record the generated association information in the map information. That is, the generation unit 113 may record, for example, association information regarding the association between a facility entrance, the direction from which the vehicle 200 came when entering through the entrance (first direction D1), a facility exit, and the direction to which the vehicle 200 heads after leaving the exit (second direction D2) in the road map (map information) stored in the storage unit 122. Similarly, the generation unit 113 may record, for example, association information regarding the association between a facility entrance, the first direction D1, an area within the facility to which the vehicle 200 heads after entering through the entrance (e.g., a parking lot), the facility exit to which the vehicle 200 heads after leaving the area within the facility, and the second direction D2 in the road map (map information) stored in the storage unit 122. In this case, the generation unit 113 may also record, for example, a travel time between the facility and a position corresponding to the vehicle passage determination area 500 in the map information.

[0032] The route search unit 114 performs a route search to the facility based on the association information generated by the generation unit 113. That is, the route search unit 114 may perform a route search for entering and exiting the facility from the departure point based on, for example, map information stored in the storage unit 122 (for example, map information in which association information is recorded). As a specific example, when heading to a destination located north of a facility, the route search unit 114 may first identify a second direction D2 that passes through a vehicle passage determination area north of the facility based on the association information, and then identify an exit associated with the identified second direction D2. Next, the route search unit 114 may, for example, identify an entrance corresponding to the identified exit based on the association information. Next, the route search unit 114 may, for example, search for a route to the identified entrance. As a specific example, when heading towards a facility from a departure point on the west side of the facility, the route search unit 114 may identify a first direction D1 that passes through a vehicle passage determination area on the west side of the facility based on the correlation information, and perform a route search to an entrance associated with the identified first direction D1.

[0033] In this case, when prioritizing exit from the facility when searching for a route between the departure point and the facility, the route search unit 114 may select an exit that requires a relatively short travel time depending on the direction from the facility to the destination based on the correlation information, identify an entrance that has a relatively high correlation with that exit, and search for a route to that entrance. A case in which prioritizing exit from the facility to the destination from a facility may be, for example, when it is desired to shorten at least one of the travel time and travel distance from the facility to the destination.

[0034] Here, the route search unit 114 may, for example, specify a relatively short travel time according to the direction from the facility to the destination based on the travel time between the facility and a position (vehicle passage determination area 500) that is a predetermined distance away from the facility for each direction, which is acquired by the generation unit 113. In other words, the route search unit 114 may, for example, determine the travel time between the facility and the vehicle passage determination area 500 for each direction, which is acquired by the generation unit 113, as the travel time from the facility to the destination. Furthermore, the route search unit 114 may, for example, specify the shortest travel time from among travel times from the facility to the destination that correspond to a plurality of directions.

[0035] In this case, the route search unit 114, for example, refers to map information (e.g., map information in which correlation information is recorded) recorded in the storage unit 122, and identifies an exit that will relatively shorten at least one of the travel time and travel distance from the facility to the destination. Furthermore, the route search unit 114, for example, refers to the correlation information, and identifies an entrance that has a relatively high correlation (or the highest correlation) with the identified exit. The route search unit 114, for example, refers to map information, and searches for a travel route from the departure point to the identified entrance.

[0036] The route search unit 114 may perform a route search to the entrance of a facility that prioritizes exiting from the facility based on the association information as described above, not only when traveling round trip between the departure point and a facility, but also when heading to the destination from the departure point via a facility (when the departure point and the destination are different). That is, the route search unit 114 may perform a route search that prioritizes the return route, as in the case of traveling round trip between the departure point and a facility. Furthermore, the route search unit 114 may perform a route search that prioritizes the route from the facility to the destination, for example, when heading from the departure point to the destination via a facility.

[0037] Furthermore, when prioritizing entry into a facility when searching for a route between the departure point and a facility, the route search unit 114 may select an entrance that requires a relatively short travel time depending on the direction from the departure point to the facility based on the association information, and search for a route to that entrance. Prioritizing entry into a facility from the departure point may be, for example, when it is desired to shorten at least one of the travel time and travel distance from the departure point to the facility.

[0038] Here, the route search unit 114 may, for example, specify a relatively short travel time depending on the direction from the departure point to the facility based on the travel time between the facility and a position (vehicle passage determination area 500) that is a predetermined distance away from the facility for each direction, which is acquired by the generation unit 113. In other words, the route search unit 114 may, for example, determine the travel time between the facility and the vehicle passage determination area 500 for each direction, which is acquired by the generation unit 113, as the travel time from the departure point to the facility. Furthermore, the route search unit 114 may, for example, specify the shortest travel time from among travel times from the departure point to the facility that correspond to a plurality of directions.

[0039] In this case, the route search unit 114, for example, refers to map information (e.g., map information in which association information is recorded) recorded in the storage unit 122, and identifies an entrance where at least one of the travel time and travel distance from the departure point to the facility is relatively short. The route search unit 114 may also identify an entrance where at least one of the travel time and travel distance to an area within the facility after passing through the entrance is relatively short. The route search unit 114, for example, refers to map information, and searches for a travel route from the departure point to the identified entrance.

[0040] As in the case where exit is prioritized as described above, the route search unit 114 may search for a route to the entrance of a facility that prioritizes entry to the facility based on the association information as described above, not only when traveling round trip between the departure point and a facility, but also when traveling from the departure point to the destination via a facility (where the departure point and the destination are different). That is, the route search unit 114 may search for a route that prioritizes the outbound route, as in the case of traveling round trip between the departure point and a facility. Furthermore, the route search unit 114 may search for a route that prioritizes the route from the departure point to the facility, for example, when traveling from the departure point to the destination via the facility.

[0041] The route search unit 114 may search for a route to the entrance of the facility based on at least one of the distance between the area within the facility and the representative location of the facility, the congestion state of the area within the facility, and the parking fee required in the area within the facility, and the association information. The area within the facility may be, for example, a parking lot.

[0042] For example, if the facility is a commercial facility such as a supermarket, department store, or mass retailer, or a public facility such as a museum, art gallery, library, city hall, or prefectural office, the representative location of the facility may be the building that houses the facility. Also, if the facility is a tourist facility such as an amusement park, zoo, or aquarium, the representative location of the facility may be the entrance or ticket booth of the facility. For example, the route search unit 114 may acquire the distance between the area within the facility and the representative location of the facility from a road map (map information) stored in the memory unit 122, or may acquire the distance from content published on a communication network (for example, web information) via the communication unit 121.

[0043] The congestion status of the area within the facility may be, for example, the congestion status of a parking lot, etc. The route search unit 114 may acquire the congestion status of the area within the facility via the communication unit 121, for example, from a site that provides the congestion status of the parking lot (for example, a site provided by the facility, etc.) or from content published on a communication network (for example, web information, etc.).

[0044] The route search unit 114 may obtain parking fees, for example, via the communication unit 121 from a road map (map information) stored in the memory unit 122, from a site that provides information on parking fees (for example, a site provided by a facility, etc.), or from content published on a communication network (for example, web information, etc.).

[0045] The route search unit 114 identifies an area within the facility that satisfies at least one of the following conditions: the distance between the area within the facility and the representative location of the facility is relatively short, the area within the facility is not congested, and the parking fee is relatively low. Furthermore, the route search unit 114 may refer to association information (e.g., map information in which association information is recorded) to identify an entrance that has a relatively high association with the identified area within the facility (e.g., the entrance with the highest association), and search for a route to that entrance.

[0046] The route search unit 114 may, for example, search for parking lots (e.g., coin parking lots) in urban areas where there are relatively many one-way streets by a specified area, and if multiple candidates are obtained, it may prioritize the smoothness of either entering or exiting the parking lot, or may output an input prompt to the user. In this case, the route search unit 114 may provide the user with at least one comparison factor selected from the group consisting of the distance between the destination facility and the parking lot (for example, the distance when traveling on foot), the time it takes to park the vehicle 200 after entering the parking lot (for example, the time it takes depending on the availability of the parking lot), and the parking fee. In this case, the route search unit 114 may accept input from the user, having the user take into consideration, for example, at least one comparison factor and the smoothness of either entering or exiting the parking lot. The route search unit 114 may receive input from the user via various input devices (input units) (not shown) such as soft keys and hard keys, or via the communication unit 121, for example. The "availability of parking spaces" that is the comparison factor described above may be information that is updated relatively quickly (for example, real-time information).

[0047] The output control unit 115 may control the output unit to output, for example, at least one of the association information (association) generated by the generation unit 113 and the route searched by the route search unit 114. The output unit may be, for example, the communication unit 121, the storage unit 122, the display unit 123, etc. That is, the output control unit 115 may control the communication unit 121 to transmit at least one of the association information (association) and the route to an external device. Here, the external device may be, for example, the server 300, the vehicle 200, or a user terminal (not shown). The output control unit 115 may control the storage unit 122 to store at least one of the association information (association) and the path, for example. The output control unit 115 may control the display unit 123 to display at least one of the association information (association) and the path, for example.

[0048] Furthermore, the output control unit 115 may control the output unit to output, for example, map information in which the association information is recorded. That is, the output control unit 115 may control the communication unit 121 to transmit the map information in which the association information is recorded to an external device, or may control the display unit 123 to display the map information in which the association information is recorded. As described above, the external device may be, for example, the server 300, the vehicle 200, or a user terminal (not shown), etc.

[0049] [Information processing method] Next, an information processing method according to an embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an information processing method according to an embodiment.

[0050] In step ST101, the acquisition unit 111 acquires travel history information of the vehicle 200 that enters and leaves a facility that has multiple entrances and / or multiple exits.

[0051] In step ST102, the generation unit 113 generates correlation information regarding the correlation between an entrance identified based on the driving history information acquired in step ST101, a first direction D1 corresponding to the vehicle passage determination area 500 that the vehicle 200 passed through when it entered the entrance, and a second direction D2 corresponding to the exit and the vehicle passage determination area 500 that the vehicle 200 passed through when it exited the exit. Here, before the generation unit 113 generates the association information, the area setting unit 112 may set the vehicle passage determination areas 500 at positions that are a predetermined distance away from the facility in multiple directions.

[0052] Furthermore, the generation unit 113 may record in the association information the association between the area within the facility to which the vehicle 200 heads from the entrance and the exit to which the vehicle 200 heads from the area within the facility, which is identified based on the travel history information acquired in step ST101. The area within the facility may be, for example, a parking lot.

[0053] In addition, the generation unit 113 may obtain the travel time between the facility and a position corresponding to the vehicle passage determination area 500 for each direction from the facility based on the driving history information obtained in step ST101, and include the travel time in the association information. In this case, the generation unit 113 may acquire, based on the travel history information, travel times between a facility and a position (e.g., a position corresponding to the vehicle passage determination area 500) that is a predetermined distance away from the facility in each direction according to the time period, and include the travel times in the association information. Note that the above-mentioned "time period" may include concepts such as "each day of the week."

[0054] The generating unit 113 may record the generated association information in the map information.

[0055] In step ST103, the route search section 114 performs a route search to the facility based on the association information generated in step ST102.

[0056] When searching for a route between a departure point and a facility and prioritizing exit from the facility, the route search unit 114 may select an exit that results in a relatively short travel time depending on the direction from the facility to the destination based on the correlation information, identify an entrance that has a relatively high correlation with that exit, and search for a route to that entrance. Alternatively, when searching for a route between the departure point and a facility and prioritizing entry into the facility, the route search unit 114 may select an entrance that requires a relatively short travel time depending on the direction from the departure point to the facility based on the correlation information, and search for a route to that entrance.

[0057] The route search unit 114 may search for a route to the entrance of the facility based on at least one of the distance between the area within the facility and the representative location of the facility, the congestion level of the area within the facility, and the parking fee required in the area within the facility, and the correlation information.

[0058] In step ST104, the output control section 115 may control the output section to output, for example, at least one of the association information (association) generated in step ST102 and the route searched for in step ST103. Furthermore, for example, when the generation unit 113 records association information in the map information in step ST102, the output control unit 115 may control the output unit to output the map information in which the association information is recorded. The output unit may be, for example, a communication unit 121, a storage unit 122, a display unit 123, and the like.

[0059] Each unit of the information processing device 100 described above may be realized as a function of a computer's arithmetic processing unit, etc. That is, the acquisition unit 111, area setting unit 112, generation unit 113, route search unit 114, and output control unit 115 (control unit 110) of the information processing device 100 may be realized as an acquisition function, area setting function, generation function, route search function, and output control function (control function), respectively, by a computer's arithmetic processing unit, etc. The information processing program can cause a computer to realize each of the above-mentioned functions. The information processing program may be recorded on a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium, such as a memory, a solid-state drive, a hard disk drive, or an optical disk. The recording medium may also be referred to as a non-transitory computer-readable medium. Furthermore, as described above, each unit of the information processing device 100 may be realized by an arithmetic processing unit of a computer or the like. The arithmetic processing unit or the like is configured by, for example, an integrated circuit or the like. Therefore, each unit of the information processing device 100 may be realized as a circuit that constitutes the arithmetic processing unit or the like. That is, the acquisition unit 111, the area setting unit 112, the generation unit 113, the route search unit 114, and the output control unit 115 (control unit 110) of the information processing device 100 may be realized as an acquisition circuit, an area setting circuit, a generation circuit, a route search circuit, and an output control circuit (control circuit) that constitute the arithmetic processing unit of a computer or the like. Furthermore, the communication unit 121, the storage unit 122, and the display unit 123 (output unit) of the information processing device 100 may be realized as a communication function, a storage function, and a display function (output function) including the functions of an arithmetic processing device, etc. Furthermore, the communication unit 121, the storage unit 122, and the display unit 123 (output unit) of the information processing device 100 may be realized as a communication circuit, a storage circuit, and a display circuit (output circuit) by being configured, for example, by an integrated circuit, etc. Furthermore, the communication unit 121, the storage unit 122, and the display unit 123 (output unit) of the information processing device 100 may be configured as a communication device, a storage device, and a display device (output device) by being configured, for example, by being configured by a plurality of devices.

[0060] The information processing device 100 can combine one or any combination of the above-mentioned multiple units. In this disclosure, the term "information" is used, but the term "information" can be replaced with "data" and the term "data" can be replaced with "information."

[0061] [Aspects and Effects of the Present Embodiment] Next, one aspect of this embodiment and the effects of each aspect will be described. Note that each aspect described below is an example at the time of filing, and this embodiment is not limited to the aspects described below. In other words, this embodiment is not limited to the aspects described below, and may be realized by appropriately combining the above-mentioned parts. Furthermore, a lower-level aspect may be able to cite any of the higher-level aspects. The effects described below are merely examples, and the effects of each aspect are not limited to those described below. Each aspect may, for example, achieve at least one of the effects described below.

[0062] (Aspect 1) An information processing device of one embodiment includes an acquisition unit that acquires driving history information of vehicles entering and exiting a facility that has multiple entrances and / or exits; an area setting unit that sets vehicle passage determination areas at positions a predetermined distance away in multiple directions from the facility; and a generation unit that generates correlation information regarding the correlation between an entrance and a first direction corresponding to the vehicle passage determination area that the vehicle passed through when it entered the entrance, and an exit and a second direction corresponding to the vehicle passage determination area that the vehicle passed through when it exited the exit, which are identified based on the driving history information acquired by the acquisition unit. That is, when a facility has multiple entrances and / or multiple exits, the information processing device can identify the correlation between entrances (entrances) and exits (exits). At this time, the information processing device can also identify the correlation between the direction toward the facility entrance (e.g., a direction based on the facility) (first direction) and the direction after leaving the facility exit (e.g., a direction based on the facility) (second direction). This makes it possible to provide guidance to the most suitable entrances and exits, giving priority to entrances to or exits from the facility. Furthermore, the information processing device can associate an entrance, a traveling direction of the vehicle before heading to the entrance (first direction), an exit, and a traveling direction of the vehicle after leaving the exit (second direction) with a route that the vehicle can travel, based on the association recorded in the association information. That is, the information processing device can identify a combination of an entrance, a first direction, an exit, and a second direction that the vehicle can travel.

[0063] (Aspect 2) In one embodiment of the information processing device, the generation unit may record in the correlation information the correlation between the area within the facility to which the vehicle heads from the entrance and the exit to which the vehicle heads from the area within the facility, which is identified based on the driving history information acquired by the acquisition unit. That is, the information processing device can generate correlations between areas within the facility in addition to the entrance, the direction of travel of the vehicle before heading toward the entrance (first direction), the exit, and the direction of travel of the vehicle after leaving the exit (second direction) based on the correlations recorded in the correlation information. In other words, the information processing device can identify a combination of the entrance, the first direction, the area within the facility after passing through the entrance, the exit after leaving the area within the facility, and the second direction in which the vehicle can travel.

[0064] (Aspect 3) In one embodiment of the information processing device, the generation unit may acquire travel times between a facility and a position corresponding to a vehicle passage determination area for each direction from the facility based on the driving history information acquired by the acquisition unit, and include the travel times in the correlation information. This allows the information processing device to search for a route that will result in a relatively short travel time.

[0065] (Aspect 4) An information processing system according to one aspect may include a route search unit that searches for a route to a facility based on the association information generated by the generation unit included in the information processing device according to the above aspect. This allows the information processing system to search for a route from the departure point to the facility, giving priority to entry into or exit from the facility.

[0066] (Aspect 5) In one embodiment of the information processing system, when searching for a route between a departure point and a facility and prioritizing exiting the facility, the route search unit may select an exit that results in a relatively short travel time depending on the direction from the facility to the destination based on the correlation information, identify an entrance that has a relatively high correlation with that exit, and search for a route to that entrance. This allows the information processing system to search for a route that allows for smooth exit from the facility and subsequent travel, etc. In other words, the information processing device can perform a route search that prioritizes exit out of entering and exiting the facility, rather than optimizing the entire route including the outbound and return routes. As a specific example, when the facility is a supermarket, etc., the user may wish to return home, etc., earlier from the facility after purchasing frozen food in the summer or hot snacks such as takoyaki in the winter. In such an example, the information processing system may search for a route that prioritizes exiting the facility in a route search before the user leaves home, identify an exit that will allow for smooth exit from the facility and subsequent travel, and search for a route to an entrance associated with the identified exit.

[0067] (Aspect 6) In one embodiment of the information processing system, when prioritizing entry into a facility when searching for a route between the departure point and the facility, the route search unit may select an entrance that will result in a relatively short travel time depending on the direction from the departure point to the facility based on the correlation information, and search for a route to that entrance. This allows the information processing system to search for a route that allows smooth entry into the facility and smooth driving before that. As a specific example, a user may wish to arrive at a facility earlier if the facility is a supermarket, etc., or may want to line up earlier for an event held at the facility, or may want to shorten travel time because the user has children. In such an example, if the information processing system performs a route search that prioritizes entry into the facility in a route search before the user leaves home, the information processing system can identify an entrance that will make entry into the facility and the driving before that smooth, and perform a route search to the identified entrance.

[0068] (Aspect 7) The information processing device according to one aspect may include a storage unit that stores map information relating to a road map, and the generation unit may record the generated association information in the map information. This allows the information processing device to search for a route to a facility by using map information in which association information is recorded.

[0069] (Aspect 8) In one embodiment of the information processing device, the generation unit may obtain travel times between a facility and a location a predetermined distance away from the facility in each direction based on the driving history information, according to the time period, and include the travel times in the correlation information. This allows the information processing device to perform an appropriate route search according to the time of day, even when the congestion status of roads, facility areas, etc. changes depending on the time of day. In other words, the information processing device can search for a route that is free of traffic jams (or where the traffic jams are relatively not severe), for example.

[0070] (Aspect 9) In one embodiment of the information processing system, the route search unit may search for a route to the entrance of the facility based on at least one of the distance between the area within the facility and the representative location of the facility, the congestion level of the area within the facility, and the parking fee required in the area within the facility, as well as correlation information. As a result, the information processing system can select at least one of an area within the facility where the distance between the area and the representative location of the facility is relatively short, an area within the facility where congestion is relatively low, and an area within the facility where parking fees are relatively low, and identify an entrance to the facility that is associated with that area within the facility. The information processing system can then search for a route to the identified entrance.

[0071] (Aspect 10) In one aspect of the information processing method, a computer executes an acquisition step of acquiring driving history information of vehicles entering and exiting a facility having multiple entrances and / or exits; an area setting step of setting vehicle passage determination areas at positions a predetermined distance away from the facility in multiple directions; and a generation step of generating correlation information regarding the correlation between an entrance and a first direction corresponding to the vehicle passage determination area passed when the vehicle entered the entrance, and an exit and a second direction corresponding to the vehicle passage determination area passed when the vehicle exited the exit, which are identified based on the driving history information acquired by the acquisition step. As a result, the information processing method can achieve the same effects as the information processing device and information processing system of the above-described aspect.

[0072] (Aspect 11) One embodiment of an information processing program causes a computer to implement an acquisition function that acquires driving history information of vehicles entering and exiting a facility that has multiple entrances and / or exits; an area setting function that sets vehicle passage determination areas at positions a predetermined distance away from the facility in multiple directions; and a generation function that generates correlation information regarding the correlation between an entrance and a first direction corresponding to the vehicle passage determination area that the vehicle passed through when it entered the entrance, and an exit and a second direction corresponding to the vehicle passage determination area that the vehicle passed through when it exited the exit, which are identified based on the driving history information acquired by the acquisition function. As a result, the information processing program can achieve the same effects as the information processing device and information processing system of the above-described aspect. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 100 Information processing device 110 control section 111 Acquisition Department 112 Area setting section 113 Generation part 114 Route Search Unit 115 Output control section 121 Communications Department 122 Storage section 123 Display section 200 vehicles 300 servers 400 facilities 500 Vehicle passing detection area 411 Entrance 412 Exit D1 1st direction D2 2nd direction

Claims

1. an acquisition unit that acquires driving history information of vehicles entering and exiting a facility that has multiple entrances and / or multiple exits; an area setting unit that sets vehicle passage determination areas at positions that are separated by predetermined distances in a plurality of directions from the facility; a generating unit that generates correlation information regarding correlation between an entrance, a first direction corresponding to a vehicle passage determination area that the vehicle passed through when it entered the entrance, and an exit, a second direction corresponding to a vehicle passage determination area that the vehicle passed through when it exited the exit, the correlation information being specified based on the driving history information acquired by the acquiring unit; An information processing device comprising:

2. The generation unit records, in association information, association between an area within the facility to which the vehicle is heading from the entrance and the exit to which the vehicle is heading from the area within the facility, which association is specified based on the driving history information acquired by the acquisition unit. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. The generation unit acquires travel times between a facility and a position corresponding to the vehicle passage determination area for each direction from the facility based on the travel history information acquired by the acquisition unit, and includes the travel times in the association information. The information processing device according to claim 2 .

4. The information processing device according to claim 3 further comprises a route search unit that searches for a route to a facility based on the association information generated by the generation unit. Information processing system.

5. When prioritizing exit from a facility when searching for a route between a departure point and a facility, the route search unit selects an exit that requires a relatively short travel time depending on the direction from the facility to the destination based on the correlation information, identifies an entrance that has a relatively high correlation with the selected exit, and searches for a route to the selected entrance. The information processing system according to claim 4 .

6. When prioritizing entrance to a facility when searching for a route between the departure point and the facility, the route search unit selects an entrance that requires a relatively short travel time depending on the direction from the departure point to the facility based on the association information, and searches for a route to the selected entrance. The information processing system according to claim 4 .

7. a storage unit for storing map information relating to a road map; The generating unit records the generated association information in map information. The information processing device according to claim 3 .

8. The generation unit acquires travel times between a facility and a position at a predetermined distance from the facility in each direction according to a time period based on the travel history information, and includes the travel times in the association information. The information processing device according to claim 7 .

9. The route search unit searches for a route to the entrance of the facility based on at least one of the distance between the area within the facility and the representative location of the facility, the congestion state of the area within the facility, and the parking fee required in the area within the facility, and the association information. The information processing system according to claim 4 .

10. The computer an acquisition step of acquiring driving history information of vehicles entering and exiting a facility having a plurality of entrances and / or exits; an area setting step of setting vehicle passage determination areas at positions separated by predetermined distances in multiple directions from the facility; a generating step of generating association information regarding associations between an entrance, a first direction corresponding to a vehicle passage determination area that the vehicle passed through when it entered the entrance, and an exit, a second direction corresponding to a vehicle passage determination area that the vehicle passed through when it exited the exit, the association information being specified based on the driving history information acquired in the acquiring step; An information processing method that performs the above.

11. On the computer, an acquisition function for acquiring driving history information of vehicles entering and exiting a facility having multiple entrances and / or multiple exits; an area setting function for setting vehicle passage determination areas at positions at predetermined distances in multiple directions from the facility; a generation function that generates correlation information regarding the correlation between an entrance, a first direction corresponding to a vehicle passage determination area that the vehicle passed through when it entered the entrance, and an exit, a second direction corresponding to a vehicle passage determination area that the vehicle passed through when it exited the exit, which are specified based on the driving history information acquired by the acquisition function; and An information processing program that makes this possible.

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