Rest area guidance processing device, traffic control system, traffic control method, and traffic control program

Abstract

To alleviate congestion of a rest facility near a location of closed traffic when a traffic closure is effected and also suppress congestion on a main road.SOLUTION: A rest facility guidance device according to an embodiment is a rest facility guidance device used with a traffic control system that performs traffic control of a road where a plurality of rest facilities are located. The rest facility guidance device comprises: a traffic control processing unit that collects traffic situations on the road and effects traffic closure as necessary; a congestion status acquisition unit that acquires a congestion status of each rest facility positioned on an upstream side of a point where the traffic closure is being effected on the road; a rest facility setting unit that sets, as a guidance target rest facility to which vehicles are guided, one or more rest facilities that are closer to the location of occurrence of the traffic closure from the rest facilities whose congestion status is below a predetermined congestion status when traffic closure handling is made by a traffic control center processing device; and a guiding information generation unit that generates guiding information presenting the guiding information for guiding vehicles positioned upstream of the guidance target rest facility to the rest facility.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a rest facility guidance device, a traffic control system, a traffic control method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in a traffic control system such as a highway, information on rest facilities such as service areas or parking areas has provided occupancy information using a rest facility congestion information board. In addition, in a conventional navigation system, by predicting the increasing or decreasing trend of traffic congestion on a route and selecting a recommended rest facility in consideration of the increasing or decreasing trend of the traffic congestion, the travel time can be shortened and the fatigue of vehicle passengers can be reduced, and there has been proposed a device that can guide an appropriate rest facility.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, since the conventional traffic control system is not mainly for guiding all vehicles to an appropriate rest facility, especially when a traffic stop occurs, it is impossible to relieve the congestion of the main line and rest facilities near the traffic stop. Furthermore, conventional navigation systems that guide users to rest areas are not equipped in all vehicles, making them less effective when road closures occur.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a traffic control device, a traffic control system, a traffic control method, and a program that can alleviate congestion at rest facilities near road closures and suppress traffic congestion on the main road when road closures occur. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] Guidance to rest facilities in the embodiment process The device is used in traffic control systems that manage traffic on highways equipped with multiple rest facilities, and provides guidance for rest facilities. process The system is a traffic control device equipped with a central traffic control processing unit that collects traffic conditions on expressways and closes roads as necessary. The central traffic control processing unit also acquires congestion information for rest facilities located upstream from the point where the expressway is closed. Rest Area Congestion Management Department When the traffic control central processing unit processes a road closure, it sets one or more rest facilities that are closer to the location of the road closure, among those with a congestion level below a predetermined level, as rest facilities to guide vehicles. Guidance Processing Determination Unit Then, guidance information is created to guide vehicles located upstream of the designated rest area to that rest area. Guidance Information Creation and Provision Department It is equipped with the following. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating the overall configuration of the traffic control system. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of a block diagram illustrating the overall configuration of a rest facility guidance system. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of the conventional problems. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram of the traffic event in the first embodiment. [Figure 5]FIG. 5 is a main processing flowchart when a traffic event occurs. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory diagram of the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a processing flowchart of the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of an example of the provided guidance information. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a more detailed information provision range. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a traffic event in the second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a processing flowchart of the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of the relationship between the number N of rest facilities that can be candidates for guidance targets and the number M of rest facilities to be guided at one time. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of an example of rest facility congestion prediction information after a specified time in the third embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of the device configuration for using the rest facility congestion prediction in the third embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a processing flowchart of the third embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of an example of rest facility congestion prediction information after a specified time in the fourth embodiment. [[ID=3,6]]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0008] Next, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration block diagram of a traffic control system. The traffic control system 10 is a system that performs traffic control on a highway equipped with rest facilities such as service areas and parking areas.

[0009] The traffic control system 10 includes a traffic control central processing unit 11, a rest facility guidance processing device 12, an information collection system 13, and an information providing device group 14. In the above configuration, the traffic control central processing unit 11 functions as a traffic control processing unit, and the rest facility guidance processing device 12 functions as a congestion situation acquisition unit, a rest facility setting unit, and a guidance information creation unit.

[0010] The information collection system 13 includes vehicle sensors 13X provided at various locations on the highway to be controlled and a weather meter 13Y. Here, the weather meter collects information such as wind speed, wind direction, rainfall, and snow amount (snow accumulation amount).

[0011] The traffic control central processing unit 11 collects information such as traffic volume, vehicle speed, and time occupancy based on the output information of the vehicle sensors 13X that make up the information collection system 13. Furthermore, it collects information such as wind speed, wind direction, rainfall, and snow amount (snow accumulation amount) based on the output information of the weather meter 13Y that makes up the information collection system 13. Also, based on information such as accidents and construction work input by the controller of the traffic control central processing unit 11, it creates traffic data corresponding to the traffic situation, performs traffic situation determination processing, event information creation processing, provided information creation processing, etc., and conducts traffic control and information provision via the information providing device group 14.

[0012] The rest facility guidance processing device 12 generates guidance information for guiding a vehicle traveling on the highway to one of the rest facilities based on traffic control information such as traffic stop information from the traffic control central processing unit 11, map information, etc., and rest facility information representing the congestion situation of the rest facility from the information collection system 13, and outputs it to the traffic control central processing unit 11. congestion Based on the information, it generates guidance information for guiding a vehicle traveling on the highway to one of the rest facilities and outputs it to the traffic control central processing unit 11.

[0013] As a result, the system presents the rest facilities to be guided to to the traffic controller, who then makes any necessary corrections and finalizes the information, which is then displayed via the information presentation group 14 for guidance (the same applies in the following explanation). This is because the traffic control system 10 is a device to support the traffic controller's judgment, and the final decision rests with the traffic controller.

[0014] The information provision device group 14 includes information boards 14X installed on the roadside that display various types of information, highway radios 14Y that transmit information to vehicles via voice using radio, and VICS (registered trademark) (Vehicle Information and Communication System) 14Z that provides real-time information on traffic congestion, traffic regulations, etc. using FM multiplex broadcasting and beacons. Here, the information boards 14X are installed on the roadside near the main line and include text information boards, graphic information boards, travel time display boards, and rest facility congestion information boards. The information provision device group 14 provides traffic information, traffic control information, and rest facility information, etc.

[0015] Figure 2 shows an example of a block diagram illustrating the overall configuration of a rest facility guidance system. The rest facility guidance processing device 12 includes an information input unit 21, a screen display unit 22, an information processing unit 23, a data communication unit 24, and an information storage unit 25. The information input unit 21 is an input unit that is equipped with input interfaces such as a keyboard, mouse, touch panel, and microphone for voice input, and into which various types of information are entered by the operator. The screen display unit 22 is configured as a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, etc., and is a display unit that presents various information to the operator.

[0016] The information processing unit 23 is configured as a so-called computer and includes a control unit 31, a map information management unit 32, a traffic control information management unit 33, a rest facility congestion status management unit 34, a guidance processing determination unit 35, and a guidance information creation and provision unit 36.

[0017] Here, the control unit 31 is a control unit that controls the entire information processing unit 23. Map Information Management Department 32 is a management department that manages information such as the locations of rest facilities. The traffic control information management unit 33 manages event information such as accidents and road closures obtained from the traffic control central processing unit 11. The Rest Facility Congestion Management Department 34 is a management department responsible for acquiring and managing congestion information for each rest facility.

[0018] The guidance processing determination unit 35 is a determination unit that sets and manages parameters (such as congestion rate R and the number of rest facilities to be guided N) for determining guidance to rest facilities, and performs guidance determination based on a guidance determination processing flowchart that determines guidance based on the parameters. The guidance information creation and provision unit 36 ​​is a provision unit that stores guidance information (for example, guidance messages, guidance control instruction information) for vehicles traveling on the expressway.

[0019] The data communication unit 24 is a communication unit that operates as an interface for data communication with the traffic control central processing unit 11 via a dedicated line network. The information storage unit 25 includes a system database (DB) 41, a map information database (DB) 42, a rest facility information database (DB) 43, a traffic control information database (DB) 44, a rest facility congestion information database (DB) 45, and a guidance processing determination database (DB) 46.

[0020] Here, the system database (DB) 41 is a database that stores system data such as programs and data for operating the rest facility guidance processing device 12. The map information database (DB) 42 is a database that stores map information including the routes of expressways, the number of lanes, interchanges, and the locations of various rest facilities.

[0021] The Rest Facility Information Database (DB) 43 is a database that stores information such as the facilities of each rest facility (restaurants, toilets, electric vehicle charging facilities, gas stations, etc.) and the number of vehicles that can be accommodated by vehicle type (large vehicles, small vehicles, etc.). The traffic control information database (DB) 44 is a database that stores traffic control information such as accidents, road closures, and congestion conditions acquired from the traffic control central processing unit 11.

[0022] The rest facility congestion information database (DB) 45 is a database that stores and updates the congestion status of at least the parking lots of each rest facility as it goes. The congestion status of rest facilities may include the congestion status of restaurants, restrooms, electric vehicle charging facilities, and gas stations.

[0023] The guidance processing determination database (DB) 46 is a database that stores processing programs and various parameters necessary for guidance processing to rest facilities (such as the congestion rate R for each rest facility and the number of rest facilities to be guided from the location where the road closure occurs, N, etc.).

[0024] First, before describing the embodiments, we will explain the problems with conventional methods. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of the conventional problems. In Figure 3, four rest facilities (service areas or parking areas) R1 to R4 are assumed to be located along the main line RT of the expressway, and a road closure occurs at location A downstream of these rest facilities R1 to R4 due to reasons such as an accident, disaster, heavy snow, heavy rain, or strong winds.

[0025] Traditionally, when a road closure is implemented, notices are issued, and vehicles naturally gather near the closure point, causing congestion on the main road and rest facilities near the closure. For example, as shown in Figure 3, the congestion rate at rest facility R4, which is closest to the road closure point, reached 110%, and traffic congestion occurred from the road closure point A to just before rest facility R3. In contrast, the congestion rates for rest facilities R1, R2, and R3 are 20% and 40%, respectively, indicating that the congestion rates remain sufficiently low.

[0026] Therefore, it is easy to understand that if it were possible to guide vehicles to use earlier rest facilities R1-R3, either when a road closure occurs or when a road closure is predicted, it could potentially alleviate congestion and high levels of crowding.

[0027] [1] First Embodiment This first embodiment is an example in which only one rest facility is designated as the target of guidance at a time. Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram of the traffic event in the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 4, possible traffic events are classified into four categories (1st event (low importance) to 4th event (high importance)) according to their importance (urgency).

[0028] The first event is, for example, a lane restriction that restricts only some of the lanes out of several. The processing performed when the first event occurs (hereinafter referred to as "first processing") is to guide vehicles to a set number of rest facilities at once, set at 1. However, the congestion rate R of the rest facilities to be guided is capped at 70%. If this cap is exceeded, the number of rest facilities to be guided is expanded to 2 within a range of 40km, and vehicles are guided to these additional rest facilities.

[0029] In this case, the process of guiding a vehicle to one rest facility at a time is configured to guide the vehicle to rest facilities one by one, starting with the nearest rest facility located upstream from the location where the traffic event occurred (the location where the lane closure occurred).

[0030] The second event is, for example, when all lanes are closed due to an accident. The processing performed when the second event occurs (hereinafter referred to as the second process) is to guide vehicles to rest facilities with a maximum of 1 facility at a time. However, the congestion rate R of the rest facilities to be guided is capped at 80%. If this cap is exceeded, the target of guidance is expanded to include rest facilities within a range of 50km, up to a maximum of N=3 facilities, and vehicles are guided to these facilities.

[0031] The third event is, for example, the closure of all lanes due to weather conditions (heavy rain, strong winds, etc.). The processing for the occurrence of the third event (hereinafter referred to as the third process) involves guiding vehicles to rest facilities, with the number of rest facilities to be guided at one at a time being set to 1. However, the congestion rate R of the rest facilities to be guided is capped at 70%, and if this cap is exceeded, the target of guidance is expanded to include rest facilities within a range of 60km, up to a maximum of N=4 rest facilities, and vehicles are guided accordingly.

[0032] The fourth event is, for example, a complete road closure due to a disaster or weather conditions (heavy snow). The processing for the occurrence of the fourth event (hereinafter referred to as the fourth process) involves guiding vehicles to rest facilities, with a maximum of 1 facility to be guided at a time. However, the congestion rate R of the rest facilities to be guided is capped at 70%. If this cap is exceeded, the number of facilities to be guided is expanded to 5, within a range of 75km where the rest facilities to be guided or the facilities to be guided exist, and vehicle guidance is carried out accordingly.

[0033] Figure 5 shows the main processing flowchart when a traffic event occurs. The main processing flow processes events in order of severity. First, in step S11, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 determines whether or not a fourth event has occurred. In the decision made in step S11, if the fourth event occurs (step S11; Yes), the process proceeds to step S12, the fourth process is executed, and the process ends.

[0034] In the determination in step S11, if the fourth event has not occurred (step S11; No), the process proceeds to step S13, where the rest facility guidance processing device 12 determines whether or not the third event has occurred. In the decision made in step S13, if a third event occurs (step S13; Yes), the process proceeds to step S14, the third process is executed, and the process ends.

[0035] In the determination in step S13, if the third event has not occurred (step S13; No), the process proceeds to step S15, where the rest facility guidance processing device 12 determines whether or not the second event has occurred. In the decision made in step S15, if a second event occurs (step S15; Yes), the process proceeds to step S16, the second process is executed, and the process ends.

[0036] In the determination in step S15, if the second event has not occurred (step S15; No), the rest facility guidance processing device 12 determines whether or not the first event has occurred (step S17). In the determination in step S17, if the first event occurs (step S17; Yes), proceed to step S16, execute the first process, and terminate the process.

[0037] In the determination in step S17, if the first event has not occurred (step S15; No), the rest facility guidance processing device 12 terminates processing.

[0038] In this way, we address the events from the first to the fourth occurrence, starting with the most severe ones.

[0039] Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the embodiment. In Figure 6, we assume that there are four rest areas R1 to R4 along the main highway line RT. Furthermore, we assume that a road closure occurs at location A downstream of these rest areas R1 to R4 due to reasons such as an accident, disaster, heavy snow, heavy rain, or strong winds.

[0040] Furthermore, in this case, at the initial time t1, the congestion rates of each rest facility R1 to R4 before guidance are assumed to be: rest facility R1 = 20%, rest facility R2 = 20%, rest facility R3 = 40%, and rest facility R4 = 40%.

[0041] Subsequently, at time t2, the congestion rate of rest facility R4, which was the designated rest facility for guidance, increased to 72%. At this time, compared to the upper limit of the congestion rate of rest facility R4 shown in Figure 4, the congestion rate cr=72% > congestion rate R=70%, exceeding the upper limit, so rest facility R3, located one level upstream, was selected as the new rest facility for guidance and guidance was initiated. As a result, the congestion rate of rest facility R3 increased to 50%.

[0042] Furthermore, at time t3, the congestion rate of rest facility R3, which is the designated rest facility for guidance, has increased to a congestion rate of 75%. Compared to the upper limit of congestion rate shown in Figure 4, rest facility R3 has exceeded the upper limit with a congestion rate of 75% (cr=75%), and rest facility R4 has also exceeded its upper limit with a congestion rate of 80% (cr=80%) (r=70%). Therefore, rest facility R2, located one level upstream, has been selected as the new designated rest facility for guidance, and guidance is being initiated there. As a result, the congestion rate of rest facility R2 has increased to 40% (r2=40%).

[0043] Furthermore, at time t4, the congestion rate of rest facility R2, which is the designated rest facility for guidance, is 71%. At this time, compared to the upper limit of congestion shown in Figure 4, the congestion rate of 71% is higher than the congestion rate of 70%. Moreover, the congestion rates of both rest facilities R4 and R3 are still 80%, which is higher than the congestion rate of 70%. Therefore, rest facility R1, located one level upstream, has been designated as the new rest facility for guidance and is being guided there. As a result, the congestion rate of rest facility R1 has increased to 40%.

[0044] Next, the specific operation of the first embodiment will be described. Figure 7 is a processing flowchart of the first embodiment. First, in step S21, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 acquires traffic event information from the traffic control central processing device 11 as traffic control information, such as the occurrence of accidents or traffic congestion.

[0045] Next, in step S22, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 determines whether or not a road closure has occurred based on the acquired traffic event information. In the determination made in step S22, if no road closure has occurred (step S12; No), the process is terminated without directing the vehicle to a rest facility (step S31).

[0046] In the determination in step S22, if a road closure is occurring (step S22; Yes), in step S23, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 selects a process corresponding to the traffic event that corresponds to the traffic control information (in the example in Figure 4, the first to fourth processes, where the number of rest facilities to guide at one time is 1).

[0047] Therefore, in step S24, parameters for determining the guidance process required for the first to fourth processes are set, with the number of rest facilities to guide passengers to at one time being set to 1. For example, in the example shown in Figure 7, the parameters used to determine whether a rest facility is crowded or not are the congestion rate R and the number of rest facilities to be guided to N.

[0048] In this case, the congestion rate R and the number of rest facilities N are set appropriately according to the traffic volume and the number of parking spaces at the rest facilities. For example, in situations with heavy traffic and limited parking, the congestion rate R is set to be smaller, and the number of rest facilities N to which traffic is directed is set to be larger. This is because congestion will be reached faster than usual in this case, requiring the next steps to be taken sooner. Conversely, when traffic volume is low and there are many parking spaces, the congestion rate R is increased and the number of rest facilities N targeted for guidance is decreased. These settings are adjusted as appropriate based on past congestion levels of rest facilities.

[0049] Next, in step S25, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 determines the rest facility located upstream of the location where the road closure event occurred and closest to the location where the road closure event occurred (guidance target rest facility identification parameter n=1) as the guided rest facility (candidate).

[0050] Next, in step S26, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 acquires congestion information for the rest facility to be guided. Here, congestion information refers to, for example, the current congestion rate (cr). The current congestion rate (cr) is calculated as a percentage of the number of vehicles currently using (parked in or entering) the designated rest facility, divided by the parking capacity of that facility.

[0051] Next, in step S27, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 determines whether the currently designated rest facility is crowded or not. In other words, we determine whether the current congestion rate cr > congestion rate R.

[0052] In the determination in step S27, if the rest facility to be guided corresponding to the parameter n is crowded, that is, if the current congestion rate cr > congestion rate R of the rest facility to be guided (step S27; if Yes), the process proceeds to step S28. In step S28, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 sets the parameter for identifying the rest facility to be guided to n=n+1 and determines that the rest facility located one level upstream from the currently crowded rest facility to be guided to be the new rest facility to be guided to.

[0053] Next, in step S29, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 determines whether the parameter n for identifying the rest facility to be guided is less than or equal to the number of rest facilities to be guided N, that is, whether n ≤ N.

[0054] In the determination in step S29, if the parameter n for identifying the rest facility to be guided is not less than or equal to the number of rest facilities to be guided N, i.e., n > N (step S29; No), then in step S30, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 terminates the process without guiding the passenger to a rest facility because there are no effective rest facilities that would significantly contribute to alleviating congestion.

[0055] In the determination in step S29, if the rest facility guidance processing device 12 determines that the parameter n for identifying the rest facility to be guided is less than or equal to the number of rest facilities to be guided N, that is, n ≤ N (step S29; if Yes), it proceeds to step S26 and repeats the process described above.

[0056] In the determination in step S27, if the rest facility to be guided corresponding to the parameter n is not crowded, that is, if the current congestion rate cr of the rest facility to be guided is less than or equal to the congestion rate R (step S27; No), then in step S31, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 creates guidance information to forcibly guide the vehicle to the rest facility to be guided and notifies the traffic control central processing device 11.

[0057] As a result, the traffic control central processing unit 11 creates guidance information with different enforcement levels (enforcement force) corresponding to the provision level for the traffic event that occurred. After the controller confirms and decides on the content of the guidance information that determines the rest facility to be guided, the controller controls the information provision device group 14 and notifies the vehicle via text information boards, graphic information boards, travel time display boards, and rest facility congestion information boards.

[0058] Next, we will describe an example of guidance information to provide vehicles with the results of the process described above, which determined the designated rest facilities to guide them to. Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of guidance information provided to a vehicle. For each traffic event, guidance information is stored with associated details such as the scope of coverage, the type of information provided (fixed / inclined), and examples of the guidance information content.

[0059] First, in the event of a first event, such as a partial road closure including a single lane closure, guidance information at the first provision level will be provided within the information provision scope of provision level 0 (details to be provided later) with a fixed information provision method. Next, in the event of a second event, which involves the closure of all lanes due to an accident, guidance information at the second level of provision will be provided within the information provision scope of provision level = 0, with the information provision method = fixed. Furthermore, in the event of a third event, such as a road closure of all lanes due to weather conditions (heavy rain, strong winds, etc.), guidance information at the third level of information provision will be provided within an information provision range of level +1, with a fixed information provision method. Furthermore, in the event of a fourth event, such as a complete road closure due to a disaster or weather conditions (heavy snow), guidance information at the fourth level of information provision will be provided within the information provision range of level +2.

[0060] The following explains the scope of information provided, the information provided (fixed / sloping), and examples of the content of the information provided to guide users. First, the definition of the scope level is as follows: Information provision level 0 refers to a level where the information provision range covers the section between the downstream rest facility among the guided rest facilities and the rest facility one level upstream from the upstream rest facility. Similarly, the information provision range of provision level = +1 is a level that provides information between the rest facility located furthest downstream among the rest facilities targeted for guidance and the rest facility two (=1+1) upstream from the furthest upstream rest facility. Furthermore, information provision level +2 covers the section between the downstream rest facility and the rest facility three (=1+2) upstream from the upstream rest facility.

[0061] At each level of information provision, guidance information is provided on the information boards 14X (text information boards, graphic information boards, time display boards, or rest facility congestion information boards) that constitute the group of information provision devices 14 located within the information provision area.

[0062] Next, we will explain the information provision method, which is fixed / inclined. First, the fixed method of information provision means that the same compulsory information is provided to all information provision devices (text information boards, graphic information boards, time display boards, or rest facility congestion information boards) that make up the information provision device group 14 and are located within the information provision range. In contrast, a gradient method of information provision is one in which the wording provided is not fixed. For example, it is set so that the enforceability of the wording decreases as you move further away from the location of the road closure.

[0063] Furthermore, guidance information consists of specific instructions for vehicles, such as those issued from information boards. The guidance information provided, which contains specific instructions for vehicles, is expressed in a more forceful manner for events of a higher severity.

[0064] Here, the guidance information at the first level of provision refers to guidance information classified as recommended by the traffic control central processing unit 11, such as information like, "There are lane restrictions at XX. Why not spend time at a rest facility until the traffic congestion clears?" Here, the guidance information at the second level of provision refers to guidance information classified as having low enforcement power by the traffic control central processing unit 11, for example, guidance information such as "An accident has occurred at XX, please take a break at rest facility △△."

[0065] Here, the third level of guidance information refers to guidance information classified as having a "medium enforcement force" by the traffic control central processing unit 11, for example, information such as, "Due to heavy rain, the road is closed from XX. Rest facilities beyond YY are full, so please take a rest at rest facility □□." Here, the guidance information at the fourth level of provision refers to guidance information that is classified as having a high enforcement force by the traffic control central processing unit 11, for example, information such as, "Road closed from XX due to heavy snow. Rest facilities beyond YY are full, please enter rest facility □□!" is provided.

[0066] Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram detailing the scope of information provided. Figure 9(A) is an explanatory diagram for the case where the service provision level is 0 and the number of rest facilities targeted at one time, M, is 1. In this case, the rest facility to be guided is rest facility R5. Therefore, the information provision area is defined as the area between rest facility R5 and the rest facility R4 located one level upstream. Between rest facility R5 and rest facility R6, guidance information will be provided to guide passengers to rest facility R6.

[0067] Figure 9(B) is an explanatory diagram for the case where the service provision level is 0 and the number of rest facilities targeted at one time, M, is 3. In this case, the rest facilities to be guided are rest facilities R6 through R4, so the information provision area is defined as the section from rest facility R6 to rest facility R3, which is one rest facility upstream of rest facility R4. Then, between rest facilities R4 and R5, guidance information will be provided to guide to rest facility R5, and between rest facilities R5 and R6, guidance information will be provided to guide to rest facility R6.

[0068] Figure 9(C) is an explanatory diagram for the case where the service area level is +1 and the number of rest facilities targeted at one time, M, is 3. In this case, the rest facilities to be guided are rest facilities R6 to R4, so the information provision area is defined as the section between rest facility R6 and rest facility R2, which is two (1+1) upstream from rest facility R4. Then, between rest facilities R3 and R4, guidance information will be provided to guide to rest facility R4; between rest facilities R4 and R5, guidance information will be provided to guide to rest facility R5; and between rest facilities R5 and R6, guidance information will be provided to guide to rest facility R6.

[0069] Figure 9(D) is an explanatory diagram for the case where the service area level is +2 and the number of rest facilities targeted at one time, M, is 3. In this case, the rest facilities to be guided are rest facilities R6 to R4, so the information provision area is defined as the area between rest facility R6 and rest facility R4 (1+2) and the upstream rest facility R1.

[0070] Then, between rest facilities R1 and R4, guidance information will be provided to guide users to rest facility R4; between rest facilities R4 and R5, guidance information will be provided to guide users to rest facility R5; and between rest facilities R5 and R6, guidance information will be provided to guide users to rest facility R6.

[0071] As described above, according to this first embodiment, when a road closure occurs, congestion at rest facilities near the road closure can be alleviated, and traffic congestion on the main road can also be suppressed.

[0072] In other words, according to this first embodiment, by controlling the traffic flow (reducing vehicle speed) on the road before the point where congestion occurs or is likely to occur, it is possible to suppress the inflow of vehicles into the point where congestion occurs or is likely to occur, thereby suppressing or mitigating congestion.

[0073] [2] Second embodiment This second embodiment is an embodiment in which, when a traffic event occurs, people are simultaneously guided to multiple guidance facilities. Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram of a traffic event in the second embodiment. As shown in Figure 10, there are four possible traffic events, ranging from Event 1 (low importance) to Event 4 (high importance), depending on their severity (urgency). In this embodiment, the number of rest facilities to which traffic is directed at one time can be set to multiple levels, depending on the severity of the traffic event.

[0074] The first event is, for example, a lane restriction that restricts some of the lanes out of several lanes. The processing performed when the first event occurs (hereinafter referred to as "first processing") is to guide vehicles to a set number of rest facilities at once, set at 1. However, the number of rest facilities to be guided is limited to those with a congestion rate R of 70%. If this limit is exceeded, the target of guidance is expanded to include rest facilities within a range of 40 km, up to a maximum of N=2, and vehicles are guided to these facilities.

[0075] In this case, the process of guiding a vehicle to one rest facility at a time is configured to guide the vehicle to rest facilities one by one, starting with the nearest rest facility upstream from the location where the traffic event occurred (the location where the road closure occurred).

[0076] From the second event onward, the process involves directing participants to multiple rest facilities at once. The second event could be, for example, a road closure of all lanes due to an accident. The processing performed when the second event occurs (hereinafter referred to as the second process) is to guide vehicles to rest facilities, with a maximum of 2 facilities to be guided at a time. The maximum congestion rate R for the rest facilities to be guided is 80%. If this limit is exceeded, the number of rest facilities to be guided will be set to N=2, or the range of rest facilities to be guided will be expanded to include up to N=3 facilities within a 50km radius, and vehicles will be guided to these facilities.

[0077] The third event is, for example, the closure of all lanes due to weather conditions (heavy rain, strong winds, etc.). The processing for the occurrence of the third event (hereinafter referred to as the third process) involves guiding vehicles to rest facilities, with a maximum of 2 facilities to be guided at a time. The rest facilities to be guided are limited to those with a congestion rate R of 70%. If this limit is exceeded, the target of guidance is expanded to include rest facilities within a range of 60 km, up to a maximum of N=4 facilities, and vehicles are guided to these facilities.

[0078] The fourth event is, for example, a complete road closure due to a disaster or weather conditions (heavy snow). The processing for the occurrence of the fourth event (hereinafter referred to as the fourth process) is to guide vehicles to four rest facilities at a time. The rest facilities to be guided are limited to those with a congestion rate R of 70%. If this limit is exceeded, the target of guidance is expanded to include rest facilities within a range of 75 km, up to a maximum of N=5 rest facilities, and vehicles are guided to these facilities.

[0079] Figure 11 is a processing flowchart of the second embodiment. First, in step S41, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 acquires traffic event information from the traffic control central processing device 11 as traffic control information, such as the occurrence of accidents or traffic congestion.

[0080] Next, in step S42, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 determines whether or not a road closure has occurred based on the acquired traffic event information. In the determination made in step S42, if no road closure has occurred (step S42; No), the process is terminated without directing the vehicle to a rest facility (step S52).

[0081] In the determination in step S42, if a road closure is in effect (step S42; Yes), in step S43, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 selects a process corresponding to the traffic event that corresponds to the traffic control information, as shown in an example in Figure 10. In this case, the second embodiment is such that the first event guides one rest facility at a time, while the second to fourth events guide multiple rest facilities at a time (2 to 4 in the example in Figure 10).

[0082] Next, in step S44, the parameters required for determining the induction process are set. For example, in the example shown in Figure 11, the parameters used to determine guidance processing in response to an event are set as: M, the number of facilities to guide to at once; R, the congestion rate used to determine whether or not a rest facility is crowded; and N, the number of rest facilities to be guided to.

[0083] In this case, the number of facilities M to guide traffic to at once is set to a value predetermined for the traffic event that occurred in Figure 10 (1 to 4 in the example of Figure 10). Furthermore, the congestion rate R and the number of rest facilities N are set appropriately according to the traffic volume and the number of parking spaces at the rest facilities. For example, when traffic volume is high and the number of parking spaces is low, the congestion rate R is set to be small and the number of rest facilities N targeted for guidance is set to be large. Conversely, when traffic volume is low and the number of parking spaces is large, the congestion rate R is set to be large and the number of rest facilities N targeted for guidance is set to be small. These settings are set appropriately based on past congestion data of rest facilities.

[0084] Next, in step S45, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 determines the rest facility located upstream of the location where the road closure event occurred and closest to the location where the road closure event occurred (guidance facility number parameter m=1, guidance target rest facility identification parameter n=1) as the guided rest facility (candidate).

[0085] Next, in step S46, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 acquires congestion information for the rest facility to be guided. Here, congestion information refers to, for example, the current congestion rate (cr). The current congestion rate (cr) is calculated as a percentage of the number of vehicles currently using (parked in or entering) the designated rest facility, divided by the parking capacity of that facility.

[0086] Next, in step S47, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 determines whether the currently guided rest facility is crowded or not. That is, it determines whether the current congestion rate cr > congestion rate R.

[0087] In the determination in step S47, if the rest facility to be guided corresponding to the parameter n is not crowded, that is, if the current congestion rate cr of the rest facility to be guided is less than or equal to the congestion rate R (step S47; if No), then proceed to step S54. In step S54, the designated rest facility is determined to be a rest facility, m = m + 1, and the process proceeds to step 48.

[0088] On the other hand, in the determination in step S47, if the rest facility to be guided corresponding to the parameter n is crowded, that is, if the current congestion rate cr > congestion rate R of the rest facility to be guided (step S47; if Yes), then proceed to step S48. In step S48, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 sets the parameter for identifying the rest facility to be guided to n=n+1, determines that the rest facility located one level upstream from the currently crowded rest facility to be guided to be the new rest facility to be guided to, and proceeds to step S49.

[0089] Next, in step S49, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 determines whether the parameter m for the number of rest facilities to be guided is less than or equal to the number of rest facilities M to be guided at one time, that is, whether m ≤ M. In the determination in step S49, if the parameter m for the number of guided rest facilities is less than or equal to the number of rest facilities M to be guided at one time (step S49; if Yes), the process proceeds to step S50. In step S50, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 determines whether the parameter n for identifying the rest facility to be guided is less than or equal to the number of rest facilities to be guided N, that is, whether n ≤ N.

[0090] In the determination in step S50, if the rest facility guidance processing device 12 determines that the parameter n for identifying the rest facility to be guided is less than or equal to the number of rest facilities to be guided N, that is, n ≤ N (step S50; if Yes), it proceeds to step S46 and repeats the process described above.

[0091] In the determination in step S50, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 determines whether the parameter for the number of rest facilities to be guided, m=1, if the parameter for identifying the rest facility to be guided, n, is not less than or equal to the number of rest facilities to be guided, i.e., n>N (step S50; No).

[0092] If the parameter m=1 in the determination in step S51 (step S51; Yes), there are no effective rest facilities that would significantly contribute to alleviating congestion, so in step S52, the process is terminated without guiding the passenger to a rest facility.

[0093] In the determination in step S49, if the parameter m for the number of guided rest facilities exceeds the number M of rest facilities to be guided at once (step S49; No), or if the parameter m for the number of guided rest facilities is not 1 (step S51; No), the process proceeds to step S53. In step S53, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 creates guidance information to forcibly guide the vehicle to the designated rest facility and notifies the traffic control central processing device 11.

[0094] As a result, the traffic control central processing unit 11 controls the information provision device group 14 and processes information to forcibly guide passengers via text information boards, graphic information boards, travel time display boards, and rest area congestion information boards.

[0095] Here, referring to the diagram, we will explain the relationship between the parameter n for specifying the target rest facility and the parameter m for the number of target rest facilities.

[0096] Figure 12 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the relationship between the number of rest facilities N that could potentially be targeted for guidance and the number of rest facilities M targeted for guidance at one time. In the example shown in Figure 12, we will explain the case where the number of rest facilities N=5 and the number of rest facilities targeted for guidance at one time M=3, assuming that the congestion rate cr = 70% or less when selecting rest facilities to be guided.

[0097] Figure 12(A) shows that rest facilities R5 (equivalent to N=2) and R4 (equivalent to N=3), which are located upstream from rest facility R6 (equivalent to N=1) closest to the location A where the road closure is occurring, all have a congestion rate of 20% and a congestion rate of 70% or less. Therefore, rest facilities R6 to R4 will be designated as rest facilities to be guided, and guidance will be provided to them simultaneously.

[0098] In contrast, rest facility R1 (and rest facilities located further upstream) are considered to have an N=6 equivalent to N=6, and therefore cannot be designated as a rest facility for traffic guidance. In other words, because they are far from the road closure point, their impact on congestion relief is considered small, and they are excluded from consideration. The same applies to subsequent sections.

[0099] Figure 12(B) shows that rest facility R6 (equivalent to N=1), which is closest to location A where the road closure is occurring, has a congestion rate of 90%, and is therefore excluded from the list of rest facilities to be guided. In contrast, the rest facilities R5 to R3 (corresponding to N=2 to 4) located further upstream all have a congestion rate of 20%, and the congestion rate cr is 70% or less. Therefore, rest facilities R5 to R3 will be designated as the rest facilities to be guided, and guidance will be provided to them simultaneously.

[0100] Figure 12(C) shows that the congestion rate for rest facilities R6 (equivalent to N=1) and R4 (equivalent to N=3), which are closest to location A where the road closure is occurring, is 90%, and both are excluded from the list of rest facilities to be guided. In contrast, rest facilities R5, R3, and R2 (corresponding to N=2, 4, and 5) all have a congestion rate of 20%, and since the congestion rate cr is 70% or less, rest facilities R5, R3, and R2 will be designated as rest facilities to be guided, and guidance will be provided to them simultaneously.

[0101] Figure 12(D) shows that the congestion rates for rest facilities R6 (equivalent to N=1), R4 (equivalent to N=3), and R3 (equivalent to N=4), which are closest to location A where the road closure is occurring, are 90%, and all of them are excluded from the list of rest facilities to be guided. In contrast, both rest facilities R5 and R2 (equivalent to N=2 and N=5) have a congestion rate of 20%, and since the congestion rate cr is 70% or less, rest facilities R5 and R2 will be designated as rest facilities to be guided, and guidance will be provided to them simultaneously. Therefore, even though the number of rest facilities targeted for guidance at one time is M=3, the number of rest facilities that can be guided simultaneously is limited to 2 due to the constraint on the number of rest facilities that can be candidates for guidance, N.

[0102] Figure 12(E) shows that from rest facility R6 (equivalent to N=1), which is closest to location A where the road closure is occurring, to rest facilities R5 (equivalent to N=2) through R3 (equivalent to N=4), all have a congestion rate of 90%, and since the congestion rate cr exceeds 70%, all of them are excluded from the list of rest facilities to be guided. As a result, only rest facility R2 will be designated as a rest facility to be guided, and guidance will be provided to it independently.

[0103] As described above, according to this second embodiment, when a road closure occurs, congestion at rest facilities near the road closure can be alleviated, and traffic congestion on the main road can also be suppressed. Furthermore, it becomes possible to guide vehicles to multiple rest facilities simultaneously, making it possible to suppress or reduce traffic congestion more quickly.

[0104] [3] Third embodiment Next, a third embodiment will be described. This third embodiment is an embodiment in which the destination is determined based on the congestion status of the rest facility after a predetermined period of time. After a road closure is imposed, it is expected that the congestion at rest facilities will increase over time. Since each vehicle needs time to travel from the point of guidance (for example, the location of the information board) to the rest facility, it is often preferable to determine the destination by considering the expected congestion at the rest facilities after a predetermined time has elapsed, rather than just the current congestion level.

[0105] Figure 13 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of rest facility congestion prediction information in the third embodiment. The "rest area congestion forecast information after a specified time" displays congestion forecast information for a certain period of time (for example, 15 minutes later in the example in Figure 13). Alternatively, congestion forecast information for a predetermined time period (for example, 1 minute to 30 minutes later) may be accumulated, and the average value or maximum value may be used as the rest area congestion forecast information.

[0106] Here, we will explain the equipment configuration for using the rest area congestion prediction feature. Figure 14 is an explanatory diagram of the device configuration for utilizing the rest area congestion prediction of the third embodiment. In Figure 14, the same reference numerals are used for parts that are the same as those in Figure 2. Furthermore, rest facility congestion information CR and rest facility congestion prediction information CRP are calculated by the information collection system 13 and input to the rest facility guidance processing device 12.

[0107] The difference between the rest facility guidance processing device 12 in Figure 14 and the rest facility guidance processing device 12 in Figure 2 is that the rest facility congestion status prediction management unit 47 and the rest facility congestion prediction information database 48 are included. The rest facility congestion forecast management unit 47 calculates and stores the rest facility congestion information CR and rest facility congestion forecast information CRP, which are calculated by the information collection system 13 and entered, in the rest facility congestion forecast information database 48 as needed.

[0108] As a result, the rest facility congestion forecasting management unit 47 will refer to the rest facility congestion forecasting information database 48 and provide rest facility congestion information CR and rest facility congestion forecasting information CRP when determining whether a derivative small rest facility is available.

[0109] Figure 15 is a processing flowchart of the third embodiment. In Figure 15, the same reference numerals are used for parts that are the same as those in Figure 7, and their explanations are omitted. Steps S21 through S23 are the same as in Figure 7, so the explanation will be based on that.

[0110] Next, in step S24, the parameters required for determining the induction process are set. For example, in the example shown in Figure 15, the parameters used to determine whether a rest facility is crowded or not are the congestion rate R and the number of rest facilities to be guided to N.

[0111] Next, in step S25, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 determines the rest facility located upstream of the location where the road closure event occurred and closest to the location where the road closure event occurred (guidance target rest facility identification parameter n=1) as the guided rest facility (candidate). Next, in step S26A, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 acquires information predicting the congestion of the rest facility to be guided after a specified time.

[0112] In step S27A, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 then determines whether the currently designated rest facility is crowded or not. In other words, we determine whether the current congestion rate cr > congestion rate R.

[0113] In the determination in step S27A, if the rest facility to be guided corresponding to the parameter n is crowded, that is, if the current congestion rate cr > congestion rate R of the rest facility to be guided (step S27A; Yes), then proceed to step S28. In step S28, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 sets the parameter for identifying the rest facility to be guided to n=n+1 and determines that the rest facility located one level upstream from the currently crowded rest facility to be guided to be the new rest facility to be guided to.

[0114] Next, in step S29, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 determines whether the parameter n for identifying the rest facility to be guided is less than or equal to the number of rest facilities to be guided N, that is, whether n ≤ N. In the determination in step S30, if the parameter n for identifying the rest facility to be guided is not less than or equal to the number of rest facilities to be guided, i.e., n > N (step S30; No), the rest facility guidance processing device 12 terminates the process without guiding the passenger to a rest facility, because there are no effective rest facilities that would significantly contribute to alleviating congestion.

[0115] In the determination in step S29, if the rest facility guidance processing device 12 determines that the parameter n for identifying the rest facility to be guided is less than or equal to the number of rest facilities to be guided N, that is, n ≤ N (step S29; if Yes), it proceeds to step S26A and repeats the process described above.

[0116] In the determination in step S29, if the rest facility to be guided corresponding to the parameter n is not crowded, that is, if the current congestion rate cr of the rest facility to be guided is less than or equal to the congestion rate R (step S29; if No), the process proceeds to step S31. In step S31, the rest facility guidance processing device 12 creates guidance information to forcibly guide the vehicle to the designated rest facility and notifies the traffic control central processing device 11.

[0117] As described above, according to this third embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first or second embodiment, the destination can be determined by taking into account the congestion status of the rest facilities at the time of guidance. Therefore, the rest facilities will not become unnecessarily crowded after guidance, and guidance to each rest facility can be carried out efficiently, making it possible to suppress or reduce traffic congestion.

[0118] [4] Fourth Embodiment The fourth embodiment is one in which the destination rest facility is determined by considering the time required from the information provision device to each rest facility.

[0119] Furthermore, this fourth embodiment provides the congestion rate after the time required to reach the next downstream rest facility, rather than the time required to reach the nearest rest facility. The reason for using the time required to reach the next downstream rest facility instead of the nearest rest facility is to give the vehicle more options in choosing which rest facility to use. Therefore, this embodiment allows for guidance to a more upstream rest facility if the designated rest facility is crowded.

[0120] Here, the time required from the rest area to the interchange or junction is constantly calculated by the traffic control central processing unit 11 in order to understand the traffic situation, so this value can be used.

[0121] Furthermore, if the time required from the information provision device to the rest facility has not been calculated by the traffic control central processing unit 11, the time required may be set in advance based on the installation location of the information provision device (distance from the rest facility to the information provision device) and the standard passing speed of vehicles.

[0122] Figure 16 is an explanatory diagram of a specific example of the fourth embodiment. First, if there are no road closures and the predicted congestion rate for rest facility R4 is sufficiently low (for example, 20%), the information board 14C will display the predicted congestion rate and information about the rest facility to be guided, including the congestion rate corresponding to the required travel time (TMC) for rest facility R4.

[0123] Now, let's assume a road closure occurs. The road closure will be displayed on information boards 14A, 14B, and 14C. Furthermore, information board 14C switches to displaying congestion prediction information for rest facility R4, using the TMC (Time Management Machine) which is the estimated time required from information board 14C to the designated rest facility R4.

[0124] At this time, the information board 14B uses the time TMB (Time Meter) to reach the nearest rest facility R4, which is one stop downstream from the nearest rest facility R3, rather than the time required from the information board 14B to the most recent rest facility R3, to set and display congestion prediction information for rest facilities R3 and R4 (in Figure 16, the predicted congestion rate 17 minutes later). The reason for using the TMB (Time Required Boundary) to indicate the travel time to rest facility R4 is that it is expected that rest facility R4 will be crowded. Therefore, displaying the TMB will indicate that it is highly likely to be unavailable, which will be an effective way to warn people not to go there.

[0125] Similarly, for information board 14A, instead of the time TMB required from information board 14A to the nearest rest facility R3, the time TMA required to the rest facility R3 one downstream from the target rest facility R3 is used to set and display congestion prediction information for rest facilities (R2, R3) (in Figure 16, the predicted congestion rate 13 minutes later).

[0126] As a result, even when the predicted congestion rate of the designated rest facility R4 is low or high, it is possible to more reliably make the rest facility available and avoid congestion on the main road caused by road closures.

[0127] Furthermore, when distributing information via the internet or other means, it is preferable to use the time required between rest facilities to set the congestion prediction information for those rest facilities.

[0128] As described above, according to this fourth embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first or second embodiment, the destination can be determined while also considering the time required to reach each rest facility. Therefore, the rest facilities after guidance will not become more crowded than expected, guidance to each rest facility can be carried out efficiently, and it becomes easier to suppress or reduce traffic congestion.

[0129] The traffic control device (rest area guidance processing device) of this embodiment includes a control device such as a CPU, a storage device such as ROM (Read Only Memory) or RAM, an external storage device such as an HDD or CD drive, a display device such as a display device, and an input device such as a keyboard or mouse, and has a hardware configuration that uses a normal computer.

[0130] The program executed by the traffic control device of this embodiment is provided as an installable or executable file recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), USB memory, SSD, or other semiconductor memory device.

[0131] Furthermore, the program executed by the traffic control device of this embodiment may be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and provided by being downloaded via the network. Alternatively, the program executed by the traffic control device of this embodiment may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

[0132] Furthermore, the program for the traffic control device of this embodiment may be provided pre-installed in a ROM or the like.

[0133] The program executed by the traffic control device of this embodiment has a modular configuration that includes the above-mentioned parts (congestion status acquisition unit, rest facility setting unit, guidance information creation unit, etc.). In actual hardware, the CPU (processor) reads the program from the storage medium and executes it, loading the above-mentioned parts onto the main memory, and the congestion status acquisition unit, rest facility setting unit, guidance information creation unit, etc. are generated on the main memory.

[0134] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be carried out in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0135] 10. Traffic control system 11. Traffic Control Central Processing Unit (Traffic Control Processing Unit) 12. Rest area guidance processing device (congestion status acquisition unit, rest area setting unit, guidance information creation unit) 13. Information Gathering System 14 Information provision equipment group 14A~14C Information board 21 Information Input Section 22 Screen display section 23. Information Processing Unit (Congestion Status Acquisition Unit, Rest Facility Setting Unit, Guidance Information Creation Unit) 24 Data Communications Department 25 Information storage section 31 Control Unit 32 Map Information Management Department 33 Traffic Control Information Management Department 34 Rest Area Congestion Management Department 35. Guidance Processing Determination Unit 36 Guidance Information Creation and Provision Department 47 Rest Area Congestion Prediction and Management Department 48 Rest Facility Congestion Prediction Information Database A (Road Closure) Location CR Rest Area Congestion Information CRP Rest Area Congestion Prediction Information EL organic M Number of rest facilities N Number of rest facilities R congestion rate R1~R6 Rest Areas RT Main Line TMA to TMC Estimated time CR congestion rate m parameter for the number of guided rest facilities n Specific parameters for designated rest facilities

Claims

1. In a rest facility guidance processing device used in a traffic control system that manages traffic on a highway equipped with multiple rest facilities, The traffic control system includes a central traffic control processing unit that collects traffic conditions on the expressway and closes the road as necessary. The aforementioned traffic control central processing unit includes a rest area congestion management unit that acquires the congestion status of rest areas located upstream from the point on the expressway where traffic is closed, When the traffic control central processing unit processes a road closure, a guidance processing determination unit sets one or more rest facilities that are closer to the location where the road closure occurred, among the rest facilities whose congestion level is below a predetermined congestion level, as guided rest facilities to guide vehicles. A guidance information creation and provision unit creates guidance information for guiding vehicles located upstream of the aforementioned rest facility to the said rest facility, A rest facility guidance processing device equipped with the following:

2. The number of rest facilities that are candidates for the aforementioned guided rest facilities is predetermined. The guidance processing determination unit sets the guided rest facility within the range of the number of candidate rest facilities to guide. The rest facility guidance processing device according to claim 1.

3. The guidance processing determination unit determines that the candidate rest facilities for guidance are rest facilities located within a predetermined distance from the location where the road closure occurred, or rest facilities that are within a predetermined order when the rest facilities are counted sequentially upstream along the expressway from the location where the road closure occurred. The rest facility guidance processing device according to claim 2.

4. The number of rest facilities to which the vehicle will be guided simultaneously is predetermined. The guidance processing determination unit sets the guided rest facilities within the range of the number of guided rest facilities in which the vehicle will be guided simultaneously. The rest facility guidance processing device according to claim 2.

5. The guidance information creation and provision unit shall use coercive language for the guidance information, with respect to the importance of the predetermined event processing for the reason for the road closure, the higher the urgency of the event processing, which is the importance of the event processing for the reason for the road closure. The rest facility guidance processing device according to claim 1.

6. The guidance processing determination unit uses either the actual congestion status of the rest facility or the congestion status predicted after a predetermined time as the congestion status of the rest facility. The rest facility guidance processing device according to claim 1.

7. The predetermined time is set based on the time required for a vehicle to travel from the nearest information-providing device at a rest facility located one level upstream from the candidate rest facility to the candidate rest facility. The rest facility guidance processing device according to claim 6.

8. In a traffic control system that manages traffic on a highway equipped with multiple rest facilities, An information gathering system that collects information on the congestion status of expressways, A traffic control central processing unit that provides information on congestion status collected by the information collection system, sets road closures in accordance with weather and traffic events that occur, and provides information on road closures, A rest facility guidance processing device that guides traffic to the aforementioned rest facility when a road closure occurs, The system includes a group of information providing devices that provide guidance information created by the aforementioned rest area guidance processing device to vehicles traveling on an expressway, The aforementioned rest facility guidance processing device is A rest area congestion management unit acquires the congestion status of rest areas located upstream of the point where the road closure occurred on the expressway, When the traffic control central processing unit processes a road closure, the guidance processing determination unit sets one or more rest facilities that are closer to the location where the road closure occurred among the rest facilities whose congestion level is below a predetermined congestion level as guided rest facilities to guide vehicles. A guidance information creation and provision unit creates guidance information for guiding vehicles located upstream of the aforementioned rest facility to the said rest facility, Equipped with, Traffic control system.

9. A traffic control method performed by a traffic control system comprising: an information collection system for collecting information on the congestion status of expressways; a central traffic control processing system for performing traffic control, including road closures, and providing information based on the information on the congestion status of expressways collected by the information collection system; a rest facility guidance processing system; and a group of information provision devices, the method being performed by a traffic control system, The rest facility congestion management unit of the aforementioned rest facility guidance processing device, upon detecting a road closure on any expressway based on a notification from the traffic control central processing device, acquires the congestion status of a rest facility located upstream of the said expressway. The guidance processing determination unit of the aforementioned rest facility guidance processing device sets, among the rest facilities whose congestion level is below a predetermined congestion level, one or more rest facilities that are closer to the location where the road closure occurs as the rest facility to be guided, and The process by which the guidance information creation and provision unit of the aforementioned rest facility guidance processing device creates guidance information for guiding a vehicle located upstream of the rest facility to be guided to the said rest facility, The process by which the group of information-providing devices provides information based on the guidance information to vehicles traveling on the highway under control, A traffic control method equipped with [a specific feature / equipment].

10. A program for controlling a traffic control system by computer, comprising: an information collection system for collecting information on the congestion status of expressways; a central traffic control processing unit that performs traffic control, including road closures, and provides information based on the information on the congestion status of expressways collected by the information collection system; a rest area guidance processing unit; and a group of information provision devices. The aforementioned computer, Based on a notification from the aforementioned traffic control central processing unit, if a road closure is detected on any expressway, the rest facility congestion management unit of the rest facility guidance processing unit will obtain the congestion status of rest facilities located upstream of the expressway. The guidance processing determination unit of the aforementioned rest facility guidance processing device sets one or more rest facilities that are closer to the location where the road closure occurs, among the rest facilities whose congestion level is below a predetermined congestion level, as rest facilities to be guided. The guidance information creation and provision unit of the aforementioned rest facility guidance processing device creates guidance information for guiding vehicles located upstream of the target rest facility to the said rest facility. The aforementioned group of information-providing devices provides information based on the guidance information to vehicles traveling on the controlled expressway. Traffic control program.

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