Control device and control method

Abstract

To enable a route for transporting passengers in an area or between areas to be adjusted in accordance with the congestion state of an area where an event is held.SOLUTION: A control device 20 includes a control unit that acquires information pertaining to the degree of congestion in at least two locations where an event is held, and determines a transport route on the basis of the acquired information pertaining to the degree of congestion along which a mobility 30 transports passengers moving between the at least two locations.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device and a control method.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses selecting a tourist route in which the direction passing through a plurality of tourist spots among a plurality of tourist routes coincides with the direction in which the vehicle moves, at least a part of the planned route overlaps, and the length of the overlapping route is the longest.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In an area where an event is held, such as an event venue, the degree of congestion changes moment by moment. Therefore, the optimal route of the bus moving within or between areas changes from time to time.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to enable adjustment of a route for transporting passengers within or between areas according to the congestion situation in the area where an event is held.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The control device according to the present disclosure acquires information on the degree of congestion of at least two places where an event is held, and determines a transport route for a mobility that moves between the at least two places to transport passengers based on the acquired information on the degree of congestion. It includes a control unit.

[0007] The control method relating to this disclosure is: The control unit acquires information regarding the level of congestion at at least two locations where the event will be held. Based on the acquired information regarding the degree of congestion, the control unit determines the transportation route on which the mobility device traveling between the at least two locations will transport passengers. Includes. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, it will be possible to adjust the routes for transporting passengers within or between areas depending on the congestion level of the area where the event is held. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This figure shows the configuration of the mobility control system according to the embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart showing the operation of the control device according to the embodiment of this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, one embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to the figures.

[0011] In each figure, identical or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the description of this embodiment, the description of identical or corresponding parts will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0012] Referring to Figure 1, the configuration of the mobility control system 10 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0013] The mobility control system 10 comprises a control device 20 and a mobility device 30. The control device 20 can communicate with the mobility device 30 via a network 40.

[0014] The control device 20 is a computer installed in a facility such as a data center. The control device 20 is, for example, a server belonging to a cloud computing system or other computing system. The control device 20 is operated, for example, by an event management company.

[0015] Mobility 30 is any type of vehicle, such as a gasoline car, diesel car, hydrogen car, HEV, PHEV, BEV, or FCEV. "HEV" is an abbreviation for hybrid electric vehicle. "PHEV" is an abbreviation for plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. "BEV" is an abbreviation for battery electric vehicle. "FCEV" is an abbreviation for fuel cell electric vehicle. Mobility 30 is an AV in this embodiment, but may be driven by a driver or may be automated to any level. "AV" is an abbreviation for autonomous vehicle. The level of automation may be, for example, one of levels 1 to 5 in the SAE classification. "SAE" is an abbreviation for Society of Automotive Engineers. Mobility 30 may also be a vehicle dedicated to MaaS. "MaaS" is an abbreviation for Mobility as a Service.

[0016] Network 40 includes the Internet, at least one WAN, at least one MAN, or any combination thereof. "WAN" is an abbreviation for wide area network. "MAN" is an abbreviation for metropolitan area network. Network 40 may also include at least one wireless network, at least one optical network, or any combination thereof. Wireless networks are, for example, ad hoc networks, cellular networks, wireless LANs, satellite communication networks, or terrestrial microwave networks. "LAN" is an abbreviation for local area network.

[0017] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the outline of this embodiment will be described.

[0018] The control device 20 acquires second information 60 regarding the congestion levels of at least two locations where events such as exhibitions, trade shows, food events, or product fairs are held, by the control unit 21. In this embodiment, the second information 60 is information regarding the congestion levels of each booth within the area 11 where the event is held. That is, each of the "at least two locations" corresponds to a booth. The area 11 is, for example, an event venue such as an arena. The mobility 30 moves between at least two booths within the area 11. The mobility 30 may travel along a route that includes three or more booths within the area 11. The control device 20 determines, by the control unit 21, a transport route by which the mobility 30 transports passengers, based on the acquired second information 60.

[0019] According to this embodiment, it becomes possible to adjust the route for transporting passengers within the area 11 according to the congestion situation in the area 11. For example, by suppressing the excessive concentration of users at a specific booth, congestion can be alleviated.

[0020] In this embodiment, the control device 20 acquires first information 50 regarding the event, by the control unit 21. The control device 20 acquires the second information 60 by predicting the future congestion levels of each booth within the area 11, based on the acquired first information 50.

[0021] In this embodiment, the first information 50 includes various information such as the event venue 51, the holding time 52, the scale of the number of participants 53, or the content 54. It is desirable that the first information 50 includes not only past and current information but also future information. That is, it is desirable for the control device 20 to predict the future congestion degree of each booth in the area 11 based on such future information. The past information includes, for example, the congestion degree when an event similar to the event scheduled to be held at each booth was held in the past, such as on the same day of the previous year. The current information includes, for example, the pre-registration status for the event scheduled to be held at each booth, or information regarding the degree of interest of the user obtained at the time of pre-registration, or a profile such as the occupation of each individual user. The future information includes, for example, the content of the event scheduled to be held at each booth, or the schedule of each individual user, such as going to Booth A at 11:00, having lunch at 12:00, and going to Booth B at 13:00. When the event is held for multiple days, the number of visitors statistically forms a bowl curve, and there is a tendency for it to be large on the first day and the last day. Therefore, the control device 20 may predict the congestion degree on the first day from the number of visitors or registered users in the previous year, and correct the predicted number from the number of people on the first day for the congestion degree after the second day to predict a more accurate number.

[0022] It is also possible to provide the content of an event that is in progress or scheduled to be held at a booth that is congested and difficult for users to visit within the mobility 30. It is also possible to enable the user to hold meetings or lunches within the mobility 30.

[0023] As a modification of this embodiment, instead of predicting the future congestion degree of each booth in the area 11, the control device 20 may obtain the second information 60 by observing the current congestion degree of each booth in the area 11.

[0024] In another variation of this embodiment, the second information 60 may be information regarding the congestion levels of at least two areas where the event is held. That is, each of the "at least two locations" may correspond to an area. Each area is, for example, an event venue such as an arena. The control device 20 may obtain the second information 60 by predicting the future congestion level of each area, or by observing the current congestion level of each area. In this variation, the mobility 30 moves between at least two areas. The mobility 30 may circle a route that includes three or more areas.

[0025] This modified version allows for adjusting passenger routes between areas based on congestion levels in each area. For example, it can alleviate congestion by preventing excessive crowding at specific event venues.

[0026] Referring to Figure 2, the configuration of the control device 20 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0027] The control device 20 comprises a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a communication unit 23.

[0028] The control unit 21 includes at least one processor, at least one programmable circuit, at least one dedicated circuit, or any combination thereof. The processor is a general-purpose processor such as a CPU or GPU, or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process. "CPU" is an abbreviation for central processing unit. "GPU" is an abbreviation for graphics processing unit. The programmable circuit is, for example, an FPGA. "FPGA" is an abbreviation for field-programmable gate array. The dedicated circuit is, for example, an ASIC. "ASIC" is an abbreviation for application specific integrated circuit. The control unit 21 controls each part of the control device 20 and executes processes related to the operation of the control device 20.

[0029] The storage unit 22 includes at least one semiconductor memory, at least one magnetic memory, at least one optical memory, or any combination thereof. The semiconductor memory is, for example, RAM, ROM, or flash memory. "RAM" is an abbreviation for random access memory. "ROM" is an abbreviation for read-only memory. RAM is, for example, SRAM or DRAM. "SRAM" is an abbreviation for static random access memory. "DRAM" is an abbreviation for dynamic random access memory. ROM is, for example, EEPROM. "EEPROM" is an abbreviation for electrically erasable programmable read-only memory. Flash memory is, for example, SSD. "SSD" is an abbreviation for solid-state drive. Magnetic memory is, for example, HDD. "HDD" is an abbreviation for hard disk drive. The storage unit 22 functions, for example, as main memory, auxiliary memory, or cache memory. The storage unit 22 stores information used for the operation of the control device 20 and information obtained through the operation of the control device 20. In this embodiment, the storage unit 22 stores at least the first information 50 and the second information 60.

[0030] The communication unit 23 includes at least one communication module. The communication module is, for example, a module compatible with a wired LAN communication standard such as Ethernet® or a wireless LAN communication standard such as IEEE 802.11. "IEEE" is an abbreviation for Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The communication unit 23 communicates with the mobility 30. The communication unit 23 receives information used for the operation of the control device 20 and transmits information obtained through the operation of the control device 20.

[0031] The functions of the control device 20 are realized by executing the program according to this embodiment on the processor acting as the control unit 21. In other words, the functions of the control device 20 are realized by software. The program causes the computer to perform the operations of the control device 20, thereby causing the computer to function as the control device 20. That is, the computer functions as the control device 20 by performing the operations of the control device 20 according to the program.

[0032] The program can be stored on a non-temporary computer-readable medium. Examples of non-temporary computer-readable media include flash memory, magnetic recording devices, optical discs, magneto-optical recording media, or ROM. The program can be distributed, for example, by selling, transferring, or lending portable media such as SD cards, DVDs, or CD-ROMs containing the program. "SD" is an abbreviation for Secure Digital. "DVD" is an abbreviation for digital versatile disc. "CD-ROM" is an abbreviation for compact disc read only memory. The program may also be distributed by storing it in server storage and transferring it from the server to other computers. The program may also be provided as a program product.

[0033] A computer, for example, stores a program stored on a portable medium or a program transferred from a server in its main memory. Then, the computer reads the program stored in the main memory with its processor and executes the processing according to the read program. The computer may also read the program directly from the portable medium and execute the processing according to the program. The computer may also execute the processing according to the received program sequentially each time a program is transferred to the computer from a server. Processing may also be performed by a so-called ASP-type service, which does not transfer programs from the server to the computer, but realizes its function only through execution instructions and result retrieval. "ASP" is an abbreviation for application service provider. A program includes information used for processing by an electronic computer that is equivalent to a program. For example, data that is not a direct instruction to the computer but has the nature of defining the computer's processing falls under "equivalent to a program".

[0034] Some or all of the functions of the control device 20 may be implemented by a programmable circuit or a dedicated circuit as the control unit 21. In other words, some or all of the functions of the control device 20 may be implemented by hardware.

[0035] Referring to Figure 3, the operation of the control device 20 according to this embodiment will be described. The operation of the control device 20 corresponds to the control method according to this embodiment. That is, the control method according to this embodiment includes steps S1 to S4 shown in Figure 3.

[0036] In S1, the control unit 21 acquires the first information 50. Specifically, the control unit 21 reads the first information 50 from the storage unit 22. The first information 50 is stored in the storage unit 22 in advance. Alternatively, the first information 50 may be acquired from external storage via the communication unit 23 and then stored in the storage unit 22.

[0037] In S2, the control unit 21 acquires second information 60. Specifically, the control unit 21 acquires second information 60 by predicting the future congestion level of each booth in area 11 based on the first information 50 acquired in S1. The control unit 21 stores the acquired second information 60 in the storage unit 22. For example, the control unit 21 predicts the number of visitors to each booth in the event venue according to the event venue 51, event time 52, number of participants 53, or content 54 included in the first information 50. The time when each booth in the event venue opens, the time when events start at each booth, or the reservation time in the case of booths or events that require reservations may also be taken into consideration.

[0038] Instead of predicting the future congestion level of each booth in area 11, the control unit 21 may obtain the second information 60 by observing the current congestion level of each booth in area 11. For example, the control unit 21 may receive images of each booth in the event venue via the communication unit 23 and observe the number of visitors to each booth by analyzing the received images.

[0039] In S3, the control unit 21 determines the transport route for the mobility 30 to transport passengers based on the second information 60 acquired in S2. Specifically, the control unit 21 determines a transport route that transports more passengers to booths with less congestion. As a result, congestion levels can be equalized.

[0040] In S4, the control unit 21 controls the mobility 30 to move along the transport route determined in S3. For example, the control unit 21 notifies the mobility 30 of the transport route via the communication unit 23 and causes the mobility 30 to move along the transport route.

[0041] Steps S1 to S4 are executed repeatedly. Therefore, the control device 20 can respond to changes in congestion in real time. When the control unit 21 detects a change in congestion, it is desirable to change the transport route as appropriate, even while the mobility 30 is moving.

[0042] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, two or more blocks described in the block diagram may be combined, or one block may be divided. Instead of executing two or more steps described in the flowchart in chronological order as described, they may be executed in parallel or in a different order, depending on the processing capacity of the device performing each step, or as necessary. Other modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0043] 10 Mobility control systems 11 Areas 20 Control device 21 Control Unit 22 Memory section 23 Communications Department 30 Mobility 40 Networks 50 1st information 51 Venue 52. Event time 53 Number of participants 54 Contents 60 Second information

Claims

1. Obtain information on the crowd levels at at least two locations where the event will be held. Based on the acquired information regarding the degree of congestion, a transportation route is determined for the mobility device traveling between the at least two locations to transport passengers. The mobility is moved along the determined transport route. A control device equipped with a control unit.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit obtains information regarding the degree of congestion by observing the current degree of congestion at the at least two locations.

3. The control unit, Obtain information regarding the aforementioned event, The control device according to claim 1, which obtains information on the degree of congestion by predicting the future degree of congestion of the at least two locations based on the information on the event obtained.

4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines a route that transports more passengers to the less congested location among the at least two locations as the transport route.

5. The control unit acquires information regarding the level of congestion at at least two locations where the event will be held. Based on the acquired information regarding the degree of congestion, the control unit determines the transportation route by which the mobility device traveling between the at least two locations transports passengers. To move the aforementioned mobility along the determined transport route and A control method including

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