Management system, management method and program

Abstract

A management system according to the present disclosure comprises: an acquisition means that acquires the position of a pass-through candidate site for collecting road information, the position of a delivery destination of a delivery vehicle on which a sensor capable of collecting the road information is mounted, and a deadline for delivery to the delivery destination; a determination means that determines whether, on the basis of the position of the pass-through candidate site, the position of the delivery destination, and the delivery deadline, the delivery vehicle can pass through the pass-through candidate site while making delivery within the delivery deadline; and a display control means that causes information about the pass-through candidate site through which the delivery vehicle is determined to be able to pass to be displayed on a terminal being used by the driver of the delivery vehicle.

Description

Management system, management method, and recording medium

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a management system for managing the collection of road information.

[0002] Various sensors are mounted on vehicles to collect road-related information while the vehicle is traveling. For example, video footage from a drive recorder mounted on the vehicle is analyzed to collect information on road surface deterioration such as cracks, potholes, and ruts. Patent Document 1 also discloses collecting information such as road route locations, the number of lanes, and signs from video footage captured by an in-vehicle camera. In Patent Document 1, video footage captured by an in-vehicle camera mounted on a taxi is utilized.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-075858

[0004] If delivery vehicles are equipped with sensors, they can collect information about the roads they travel on to make deliveries. However, if the delivery vehicle has to detour to collect road information, there is a risk that the delivery will be delayed.

[0005] The present disclosure aims to provide a management device and the like that can assist in collecting road information from more locations while realizing timely delivery.

[0006] The management system according to the present disclosure comprises an acquisition means for acquiring the positions of candidate transit points from which road information is collected, the positions of delivery destinations for delivery vehicles equipped with sensors capable of collecting the road information, and delivery deadlines to the delivery destinations; a determination means for determining whether the delivery vehicle can pass through the candidate transit points while making delivery within the delivery deadline based on the positions of the candidate transit points, the position of the delivery destination, and the delivery deadline; and a display control means for displaying information about the candidate transit points that have been determined to be passable by the delivery vehicle on a terminal used by the driver of the delivery vehicle.

[0007] The management method disclosed herein obtains the locations of candidate transit points from which road information is collected, the location of the delivery destination of a delivery vehicle equipped with a sensor capable of collecting the road information, and a delivery deadline to the delivery destination, and determines whether the delivery vehicle can pass through the candidate transit points while making delivery within the delivery deadline based on the locations of the candidate transit points, the location of the delivery destination, and the delivery deadline, and displays information regarding the candidate transit points that are determined to be passable by the delivery vehicle on a terminal used by the driver of the delivery vehicle.

[0008] A program according to the present disclosure acquires the positions of candidate route points from which road information is collected, the position of a delivery destination of a delivery vehicle equipped with a sensor capable of collecting the road information, and a delivery deadline to the delivery destination, determines whether the delivery vehicle can pass through the candidate route points while making a delivery within the delivery deadline based on the positions of the candidate route points, the position of the delivery destination, and the delivery deadline, and displays information about the candidate route points that the delivery vehicle can pass through on a terminal used by the driver of the delivery vehicle. The program may be stored in a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium.

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to assist in collecting road information for more locations while realizing timely delivery.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an example of a trader related to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a device used in the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a management system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the positions of candidate route points. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the position of a delivery destination. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a delivery deadline. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a route for traveling through candidate route points. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of a management system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a management system according to the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of a management system according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a computer.

[0011] [First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a business related to this embodiment. FIG. 1 shows a road administrator and a delivery company. The road administrator drives a vehicle equipped with a sensor to collect road information. The road administrator then plans road maintenance based on the road information. As shown in FIG. 1, the road administrator is responsible for roads in a predetermined road management area. Next, the delivery company delivers packages to delivery destinations. As shown in FIG. 1, one delivery vehicle of the delivery company may be responsible for a predetermined delivery area that includes multiple stores.

[0012] The delivery area of ​​a delivery vehicle and the road management area may overlap or be close to each other. Therefore, by having the delivery vehicle collect road information, the cost of collecting road information can be reduced. Below, we will explain a management system 100 that supports the collection of road information by having the delivery vehicle of a delivery company drive the delivery vehicle instead of the road manager driving the vehicle.

[0013] The application of the management system 100 according to the present disclosure is not limited to the collection of road information using delivery vehicles that make deliveries to stores. The management system 100 can also be applied to cases where delivery vehicles are used to deliver packages to homes or to transport packages between warehouses. Furthermore, there is no particular limitation on the length of the delivery distances that the delivery vehicles make.

[0014] 2 is a diagram showing an example of devices used in this embodiment. In this embodiment, a sensor 10, a driver terminal 20, a delivery management database 21, a road information database 40, and a road administrator terminal 50 are used. The management system 100 is connected to the driver terminal 20 and the delivery management database 21 via a communication network 30. The management system 100 may be connected to the sensor 10, the road information database 40, and the road administrator terminal 50 as necessary.

[0015] The sensor 10 can be mounted on a vehicle and can collect road information relating to the roads the vehicle is traveling on. The road information collected by the sensor 10 is stored in a road information database 40.

[0016] The sensor 10 is mounted on a delivery vehicle 11. The delivery vehicle 11 is responsible for deliveries within the road management area of ​​a road administrator or nearby areas. The sensor 10 may continue to collect road information while the delivery vehicle 11 is making deliveries. Road information is collected periodically by the delivery vehicle periodically traveling through the area it is responsible for. Alternatively, the sensor 10 may collect road information only while the delivery vehicle 11 is traveling through candidate route points described below.

[0017] The sensor 10 is, for example, a camera that captures road images including the road or the environment around the road. The road image is an example of road information. Such a sensor 10 is realized, for example, by a drive recorder. The road images captured by the sensor 10 may be still images or moving images captured while the delivery vehicle 11 is moving. The road images may be captured automatically at any interval. However, the type of sensor 10 is not limited to a drive recorder, and may be a sensor that measures road surface irregularities or objects around the road or a three-dimensional camera. For example, the sensor 10 may be a millimeter-wave radar that detects millimeter-wave information, a LiDAR (Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) that acquires the distance to an object, or a stereo camera that captures images of the surrounding area.

[0018] The mounting position of the sensor 10 on the delivery vehicle 11 is not particularly limited. In Fig. 2, one sensor 10 and one delivery vehicle 11 are shown. However, a plurality of delivery vehicles 11 each equipped with a sensor 10 may be prepared. Furthermore, each delivery vehicle 11 may be provided with a plurality of sensors 10. The plurality of sensors 10 may be capable of collecting different types of road information.

[0019] The driver terminal 20 is a terminal used by a driver who drives the delivery vehicle 11. The driver terminal 20 displays information to the driver. The driver terminal 20 is, for example, a personal computer, a smartphone, a tablet, or a car navigation device.

[0020] The delivery management database 21 stores data related to package deliveries. For example, the delivery management database 21 stores the locations of delivery destinations and delivery deadlines for each delivery destination. The locations of delivery destinations are, for example, the addresses of stores at the delivery destinations. The delivery deadlines for delivery destinations are determined as appropriate, such as the deadline for the delivery truck 11 to arrive at the delivery destination or the deadline for unloading to be completed.

[0021] The delivery management database 21 may further store the quantity of packages for each delivery destination, delivery schedule information, and delivery status. The delivery schedule information may include the scheduled order of delivery to the delivery destinations, the scheduled route to the delivery destinations, and the scheduled delivery time to the delivery destinations. The scheduled delivery time may be the scheduled time of arrival at the delivery destination or the scheduled time of departure from the delivery destination. The delivery status is information indicating whether delivery to each delivery destination has been completed or the time of delivery completion for each delivery destination. The point at which delivery is considered to be completed can be determined appropriately.

[0022] The road information database 40 stores road information in association with location information of the points where the road information is collected. The location information includes, for example, latitude and longitude, location information obtained by a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) or a Global Positioning System (GPS), or a location on a map. The location information may be obtained by any method, and location information obtained by the sensor 10 may be stored.

[0023] The road administrator terminal 50 is a terminal that displays information to the road administrator. The road administrator terminal 50 may display road information stored in the road information database 40 or the results of analyzing the stored road information. For example, the road surface condition obtained as a result of analyzing a road image is displayed. The road surface condition includes, for example, the degree of deterioration of the road surface, such as the degree of cracks on the road surface. Furthermore, the route location, the number of lanes, and the recognition results of signs may be displayed as analysis results.

[0024] 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the management system 100 according to the first embodiment. The management system 100 includes an acquisition unit 101, a propriety determination unit 102, and a display control unit 103.

[0025] The acquisition unit 101 acquires the positions of candidate route points. The acquisition unit 101 also acquires the position of the delivery destination of the delivery van 11 and the deadline for delivery to the delivery destination.

[0026] The candidate route points are candidates for points where road information is collected by driving the delivery vehicle 11 equipped with the sensor 10. For example, points where road information is insufficient are determined as candidate route points. In addition, points that the delivery vehicle 11 does not usually pass through when making deliveries may be designated as candidate route points.

[0027] The candidate route points may be stored in advance in the road information database 40. In this case, the acquisition unit 101 acquires the positions of the candidate route points from the road information database 40. The candidate route points may be determined automatically or manually by a road administrator. The candidate route points may be points specified by specific latitudes and longitudes, or may be areas of a certain size. The candidate route points may be specified by a predetermined road management unit. For example, the candidate route points may be specified for each area obtained by dividing a map into a predetermined range. Furthermore, the candidate route points may be specified by section units obtained by dividing a road route into a predetermined length. The candidate route points may also be specified by the name of the road.

[0028] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing examples of positions of candidate route points acquired by the acquisition unit 101. For example, the positions of points marked with stars in Fig. 4 can be acquired as positions of candidate route points.

[0029] The acquisition unit 101 acquires, for example, the location of the delivery destination and the delivery deadline to the delivery destination from the delivery management database 21. Furthermore, the acquisition unit 101 may acquire other information including delivery schedule information from the delivery management database 21.

[0030] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the location of delivery destinations acquired by the acquisition unit 101. In Fig. 5, the locations of three stores (stores A, B, and C) that are delivery destinations of the delivery van 11 are shown on a map. Fig. 5 also shows the location of a delivery center X. Fig. 5 also shows an example of delivery schedule information stored in the delivery management database 21. According to the delivery schedule information, the delivery van 11, for example, departs from delivery center X, visits three stores, and returns to delivery center X.

[0031] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of delivery deadlines acquired by the acquisition unit 101. Fig. 6 shows deadline times for delivery by delivery vans to three stores.

[0032] The feasibility determination unit 102 determines whether the delivery van 11 can pass through the candidate route points while making delivery within the delivery deadline, based on the positions of the candidate route points, the position of the delivery destination, and the delivery deadline acquired by the acquisition unit 101. Note that the determination method by the feasibility determination unit 102 is not particularly limited as long as it can predict whether the delivery will be in time for the delivery deadline.

[0033] For the purpose of the determination, the feasibility determination unit 102 may determine a route for traveling through the candidate route points. An example will be described in which the feasibility determination unit 102 makes the determination before the delivery vehicle 11 starts delivery. For example, the feasibility determination unit 102 determines a route for traveling from the departure point to the candidate route points and the delivery destination. FIG. 7A is a diagram showing an example of a route for traveling through the candidate route points. The feasibility determination unit 102 then calculates the travel time required for the delivery vehicle 11 to travel along the determined route. The feasibility determination unit 102 then calculates the estimated delivery time to each delivery destination from the estimated departure time from the departure point and the calculated travel time. If the estimated delivery time is earlier than the delivery deadline, the feasibility determination unit 102 determines that the delivery vehicle 11 can travel through the candidate route points while completing delivery within the delivery deadline.

[0034] In determining the route to travel through the candidate route points, the feasibility determination unit 102 may use the delivery schedule information acquired by the acquisition unit 101. For example, the feasibility determination unit 102 may determine whether it is possible to travel through the candidate route points while visiting the delivery destinations in the scheduled order.

[0035] Furthermore, the feasibility determination unit 102 may determine whether the delivery vehicle 11 can pass through the candidate route points while making a delivery within the delivery deadline, while the delivery vehicle 11 is making a delivery. For example, the feasibility determination unit 102 acquires the current position of the delivery vehicle 11 from the sensor 10 or the driver's terminal 20. Furthermore, the feasibility determination unit 102 may estimate the current position of the delivery vehicle 11 based on the delivery status. Then, the feasibility determination unit 102 may determine whether the delivery vehicle 11 can pass through the candidate route points if it temporarily deviates from the planned route from the current position of the delivery vehicle 11 and passes through the candidate route points.

[0036] The feasibility determination unit 102 may determine whether the delivery vehicle 11 can pass through the candidate route points while making delivery within the delivery deadline, based on the current delivery status of the delivery vehicle 11. For example, the feasibility determination unit 102 may determine whether delivery to the remaining delivery destinations can be made within the delivery deadline if the delivery vehicle 11 passes through the candidate route points from the current time. By making a determination based on the current delivery status, the feasibility determination unit 102 can determine whether the delivery vehicle 11 can pass through the candidate route points that it would not normally be able to pass through, if delivery is completed earlier than planned.

[0037] An example will be described in which the feasibility determination unit 102 makes a determination while the delivery van 11 is making a delivery. FIG. 7B is a diagram showing an example of a route for traveling through the candidate route points. For example, the route traveled by the delivery van 11 is shown by outlined arrows. In addition, the route for touring the delivery destinations in accordance with the delivery schedule information is shown by solid arrows. After the delivery van 11 arrives at store B, the feasibility determination unit 102 determines a route indicated by dotted arrows that passes through the candidate route points and then heads to the next delivery destination. If the delivery deadline for store C, which is the next delivery destination, can be met, the feasibility determination unit 102 determines that the delivery can pass through the candidate route points.

[0038] The feasibility determination unit 102 may determine, based on traffic conditions, whether the delivery vehicle 11 can pass through the candidate route points while making delivery within the delivery deadline. For example, the feasibility determination unit 102 calculates the travel time for the determined route based on the expected traffic volume for that day. The feasibility determination unit 102 may also calculate the travel time based on the current traffic volume.

[0039] In making its determination, the feasibility determination unit 102 may use information on the amount of luggage to be delivered to each delivery destination. For example, there may be a case where the amount of luggage to be delivered to a store is small on some days. When the amount of luggage is small, the time required to unload the luggage from the delivery truck 11 is shorter. Therefore, the delivery truck 11 can head to the next delivery destination more quickly. At this time, the acquisition unit 101 acquires the amount of luggage from the delivery management database 21. Then, the feasibility determination unit 102 calculates the scheduled departure time from the delivery destination, taking into account the scheduled work time according to the amount of luggage. The feasibility determination unit 102 determines whether the delivery truck 11 can pass through the candidate route points while delivering within the delivery deadline, when heading to the next delivery destination or route point at the scheduled departure time.

[0040] The feasibility determination unit 102 may determine whether a plurality of candidate route points can be passed via the route. For example, the feasibility determination unit 102 determines that a plurality of candidate route points can be passed via the route if the delivery deadline can be met even if the driver passes through each of the plurality of candidate route points. Alternatively, the feasibility determination unit 102 may determine that a portion of the candidate route points can be passed via the route if the delivery deadline can be met if the driver selects and drives through some of the candidate route points from among the plurality of candidate route points.

[0041] The display control unit 103 causes the driver's terminal 20 to display information about the candidate route points that the feasibility determination unit 102 has determined as route points that the delivery vehicle 11 can pass through. The driver of the delivery vehicle 11 looks at the displayed information and decides to travel through the candidate route points. The information about the candidate route points may assist the driver in deciding whether or not to travel through the candidate route points.

[0042] The information about the candidate route points includes the locations of the candidate route points. The locations of the candidate route points are indicated, for example, by the location on a map of the point or the name of a road. For example, the display control unit 103 causes the map shown in FIG. 4 to be displayed on the driver's terminal 20. In FIG. 4, the locations of the candidate route points are indicated by star icons. The driver of the delivery vehicle 11 determines whether or not to drive through the displayed candidate route points.

[0043] The information about the candidate route points may include a route for traveling through the candidate route points. For example, the display control unit 103 displays a route that passes through the candidate route points and the delivery destination and meets the delivery deadline. The information about the candidate route points may also include the distance to the candidate route points, the travel time, or the estimated delivery time if the candidate route points are traveled.

[0044] The display control unit 103 may also display information about candidate route points that the feasibility determination unit 102 has determined as route points that the delivery vehicle 11 cannot pass through on the driver's terminal 20. For example, the display control unit 103 may display the positions of candidate route points regardless of whether the route points are passable or not. Then, the display control unit 103 may display a route for traveling through candidate route points that can be passed through.

[0045] If there is no candidate route point that can be passed through, the display control unit 103 may display a route that passes through the delivery destination without passing through the candidate route points.

[0046] A priority for collecting road information may be set for each candidate route point. For example, the road information database 40 stores a predetermined priority for each candidate route point. In this case, the display control unit 103 may display the priority for each candidate route point. The driver determines to prioritize traveling through candidate route points with higher priorities.

[0047] The display control unit 103 may display the traffic conditions of the road. In this case, the display control unit 103 acquires the traffic conditions from a server that manages the traffic volume and passability of the road. By displaying the traffic conditions, the driver can determine whether to travel through the candidate route points when the traffic volume is low.

[0048] 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the management system 100 according to the first embodiment. For example, the management system 100 may start the process of FIG. 8 in response to the driver of the delivery vehicle 11 operating the driver terminal 20 before starting delivery.

[0049] The acquisition unit 101 acquires the locations of candidate route points from which road information is collected, the location of the delivery destination of the delivery vehicle 11, and the delivery deadline to the delivery destination (Step S1). The feasibility determination unit 102 determines whether the delivery vehicle 11 can pass through the candidate route points while making a delivery within the delivery deadline based on the locations of the candidate route points, the location of the delivery destination, and the delivery deadline acquired by the acquisition unit 101 (Step S2). If it is determined that the route is possible (Step S2: Yes), the display control unit 103 displays information about the candidate route points that the delivery vehicle 11 can pass through on the driver terminal 20 used by the driver of the delivery vehicle 11 (Step S3). If it is determined that the route is not possible (Step S2: No), the display control unit 103 does not display information about the candidate route points.

[0050] With the above, the management system 100 ends the processing of FIG.

[0051] According to one embodiment, the acquisition unit 101 acquires the positions of candidate route points from which road information is collected, the position of the delivery destination of the delivery vehicle 11, and the delivery deadline to the delivery destination. Then, the feasibility determination unit 102 determines whether the delivery vehicle 11 can pass through the candidate route points while making delivery within the delivery deadline based on the positions of the candidate route points, the position of the delivery destination, and the delivery deadline. Furthermore, the display control unit 103 displays information on the driver's terminal 20 about the candidate route points that are determined to be passable by the delivery vehicle 11.

[0052] By displaying information about candidate route points, the road manager can request the driver of the delivery vehicle 11 to travel to locations where collection would not be possible if delivery were made as usual. For example, the driver can request the delivery vehicle 11 to travel to locations where it would not normally travel if it made regular deliveries to a fixed delivery destination. Furthermore, the driver of the delivery vehicle 11 can check the displayed information and decide to collect road information by passing through candidate route points during delivery. Thus, the management system 100 can support the collection of road information from more locations while achieving timely delivery.

[0053] Furthermore, according to one embodiment, the delivery vehicle 11 collects road information for candidate route points, thereby reducing the burden on road administrators to collect road information. Furthermore, because the delivery vehicle 11 collects road information while making deliveries, fuel consumption can be reduced compared to when the road administrator drives the vehicle solely to collect road information. Therefore, it is expected that the environmental load will be reduced. Furthermore, by providing road information, delivery companies can contribute to the areas managed by road administrators.

[0054] Second Embodiment Next, a management system 110 according to a second embodiment will be described. In describing the configuration of the second embodiment, a description of the same configuration as the management system 100 according to the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0055] 9 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a management system 110 according to the second embodiment. The management system 110 according to the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it includes a road information collection unit 104, a determination unit 105, a selection unit 106, a performance determination unit 107, and a remuneration calculation unit 108.

[0056] The road information collection unit 104 collects road information collected by the sensor 10. The road information collection unit 104 may collect road information from the road information database 40. Alternatively, the road information collection unit 104 may collect road information from the sensor 10. In this case, the management system 110 communicates with the sensor 10. The road information collection unit 104 may collect road information of candidate route points by referring to position information associated with the road information.

[0057] The determination unit 105 determines candidate route points. The candidate route points determined by the determination unit 105 may be stored in the road information database 40. The acquisition unit 101 acquires the positions of the candidate route points determined by the determination unit 105. Then, the feasibility determination unit 102 determines whether the determined candidate route points can be passed through. Then, the display control unit 103 displays information about the candidate route points that can be passed through.

[0058] For example, the determination unit 105 may refer to the road information database 40 to detect points for which road information is insufficient and determine the points as candidate route points. Also, the determination unit 105 may refer to the delivery management database 21 to determine points that are not on the planned route for the delivery vehicle 11 to travel to the delivery destinations as candidate route points. Also, the determination unit 105 may determine points for which there is no or little driving history of the delivery vehicle 11 as candidate route points.

[0059] Alternatively, the determination unit 105 may determine a point requiring intensive management as a candidate route point as follows: In areas with heavy traffic, road surface deterioration progresses quickly and intensive management may be required. Therefore, the determination unit 105 may determine an area with heavy traffic as a candidate route point. Furthermore, areas with low vehicular and pedestrian traffic may require intensive management to monitor for incidents and accidents. Therefore, the determination unit 105 may determine an area with low traffic as a candidate route point. Furthermore, the determination unit 105 may determine an area where trees may grow toward the road as a candidate route point because it requires intensive management.

[0060] The determination unit 105 may determine a point with low traffic volume as a candidate route point based on traffic conditions. This is because when traffic volume is low, the road surface is not covered by other vehicles, making it easier to photograph the road surface condition. Furthermore, when traffic volume is low, the delivery vehicle 11 can quickly pass through the candidate route point and head to the next delivery destination. Therefore, it is expected that passing through the candidate route point will have little impact on the delivery destination.

[0061] The determination unit 105 may determine the points to which the road administrator's vehicle will travel and the points to which the delivery van 11 will travel, respectively. The determination unit 105 may also determine a priority for each candidate route point. Furthermore, the determination unit 105 may determine the amount of remuneration for traveling through each candidate route point. For example, the determination unit 105 determines a higher remuneration for a higher priority.

[0062] The selection unit 106 selects a delivery van 11 that is in charge of one of the delivery areas. Then, the feasibility determination unit 102 determines whether the selected delivery van 11 can pass through the candidate route points while making a delivery within the delivery deadline.

[0063] For example, the selection unit 106 selects a delivery vehicle 11 that is responsible for deliveries in an area where a candidate route point exists or an area near the candidate route point. The selection unit 106 may also refer to the delivery management database 21 and select a delivery vehicle 11 with few delivery destinations or a delivery vehicle 11 with a small total amount of packages to deliver. The selection unit 106 may also select a delivery vehicle 11 that is traveling near a candidate route point based on the current location of the delivery vehicle 11. The selection unit 106 may also select a delivery vehicle 11 that is able to deliver earlier than the delivery deadline or a predetermined scheduled delivery time based on the delivery status of the delivery vehicle 11.

[0064] The acquisition unit 101 acquires the location of the delivery destination and the delivery deadline of the selected delivery vehicle 11. Alternatively, the acquisition unit 101 may acquire the delivery destinations and delivery deadlines of multiple delivery vehicles 11 before the selection unit 106 selects a delivery vehicle 11. The selection unit 106 may select a delivery vehicle 11 based on the location of the delivery destination, the total amount of packages, the current location, or the delivery status acquired by the acquisition unit 101.

[0065] The performance determination unit 107 determines that the delivery vehicle 11 has traveled through the candidate route point. For example, the performance determination unit 107 may obtain the current position of the delivery vehicle 11 from the sensor 10 or the driver's terminal 20 and determine that the delivery vehicle 11 has traveled through the candidate route point. The delivery management database 21 may store the history of the delivery vehicle 11's travel route transmitted from the sensor 10 or the driver's terminal 20. In this case, the performance determination unit 107 may determine whether the delivery vehicle 11 has traveled through the candidate route point based on the history of the delivery vehicle 11's travel route stored in the delivery management database 21. For example, if the history of the travel route indicates that the delivery vehicle 11 has traveled near the candidate route point, the performance determination unit 107 determines that the delivery vehicle 11 has traveled through the candidate route point.

[0066] In addition, the performance determination unit 107 may determine that the delivery vehicle 11 has traveled through the candidate route point when the road information collection unit 104 has collected road information about the candidate route point. In addition, the performance determination unit 107 may refer to the road information database 40 and determine whether road information corresponding to the location information of the candidate route point is stored.

[0067] The remuneration calculation unit 108 calculates a remuneration according to the candidate route points determined to have been traveled by the delivery vehicle 11. The remuneration calculation unit 108 outputs the calculated remuneration. The road administrator arranges payment of the remuneration based on the output information. Alternatively, the delivery company requests payment of the remuneration from the road administrator based on the output information. The road administrator, for example, pays a remuneration to the delivery company that manages the delivery vehicle 11. The road administrator and the delivery company may also pay a remuneration to the driver of the delivery vehicle 11.

[0068] The display control unit 103 may display, as information about the candidate route points, a planned reward to be obtained by traveling through the displayed candidate route points. For example, the display control unit 103 may display the planned reward before the delivery van 11 travels through the candidate route points. The display control unit 103 may also display a reward according to the performance of the candidate route points through which the delivery van 11 has traveled.

[0069] The amount of the reward may be calculated based on the number of candidate route points traveled. Also, the amount of reward added may be different for each candidate route point. The amount of reward may be determined based on the priority of the candidate route point. In this case, the display control unit 103 displays the amount of reward for each candidate route point on the map, for example. The driver looks at the amount of reward and decides whether or not to travel through the candidate route point.

[0070] Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the management system 110 according to the second embodiment. For example, the management system 110 may start the process of Fig. 10 in response to the driver of the delivery vehicle 11 operating the driver terminal 20 before starting delivery.

[0071] The determination unit 105 determines candidate route points (step S11). The selection unit 106 selects a delivery van 11 responsible for one of the delivery areas (step S12). The acquisition unit 101 acquires the locations of the candidate route points determined by the determination unit 105. The acquisition unit 101 also acquires the location of the delivery destination and the delivery deadline of the selected delivery van 11 (step S13).

[0072] The feasibility determination unit 102 determines whether the delivery vehicle 11 can pass through the candidate route points while making delivery within the delivery deadline based on the locations of the candidate route points, the location of the delivery destination, and the delivery deadline acquired by the acquisition unit 101 (step S14). The display control unit 103 displays information on the driver terminal 20 used by the driver of the delivery vehicle 11 indicating information related to the candidate route points that the delivery vehicle 11 can pass through (step S15).

[0073] With the above, the management system 110 ends the processing of FIG.

[0074] According to one embodiment, the performance determination unit 107 determines that the delivery vehicle 11 has traveled through the candidate route points. Then, the remuneration calculation unit 108 calculates a remuneration according to the candidate route points traveled by the delivery vehicle 11. Therefore, the road administrator can use the calculation results to pay a remuneration to the delivery company. This provides the delivery company with the benefit of collecting driving information via the candidate route points. Therefore, the management system 110 can support the collection of road information from more locations.

[0075] Furthermore, according to one embodiment, the selection unit 106 selects a delivery vehicle 11. Therefore, when there are multiple delivery vehicles 11, a delivery vehicle that can efficiently collect information can be selected. Therefore, the management system 110 can support efficient collection of road information. Furthermore, since the feasibility determination unit 102 determines whether the selected delivery vehicle 11 can pass through the candidate route points, processing can be reduced compared to when the determination is made for all delivery vehicles 11.

[0076] Furthermore, according to one embodiment, the determining unit 105 determines candidate route points, thereby assisting in the collection of road information for points for which collection of road information is desired.

[0077] [Modifications] The above-described embodiments may be modified and used. Modifications will be described below.

[0078] The management system 100 according to the first embodiment may include at least one of the road information collection unit 104, the determination unit 105, and the selection unit 106. Furthermore, the management system 110 according to the second embodiment may not include at least one of the road information collection unit 104, the determination unit 105, and the selection unit 106.

[0079] <Collaboration with Multiple Delivery Companies> Multiple delivery companies may each provide delivery services within a road management area under the jurisdiction of a road administrator or in nearby areas. In this case, the management systems 100, 110 acquire information from the delivery management databases 21 of the multiple delivery companies. The management systems 100, 110 then display information about candidate route points on the driver terminals 20 of the multiple delivery companies. The delivery vehicles 11 of the multiple delivery companies travel through the candidate route points based on the displayed information. The sensors 10 mounted on each delivery vehicle 11 collect road information.

[0080] In such a case, the feasibility determination unit 102 may determine whether each of the multiple delivery vehicles 11 can pass through the candidate route points while making delivery within the delivery deadline. In addition, the display control unit 103 may display information about the candidate route points on the driver terminals 20 of the multiple delivery vehicles 11 so that overlapping of the candidate route points displayed on the driver terminals 20 is reduced.

[0081] The determining unit 105 may acquire delivery routes taken by a plurality of delivery companies and determine points with a small number of passes as candidate stop points. The determining unit 105 may also determine candidate stop points for each delivery company so as to reduce overlap of candidate stop points for each delivery company.

[0082] If there are multiple delivery vehicles 11 that are determined to be able to pass through the candidate route points while making delivery within the delivery deadline, the selection unit 106 may select one of the delivery vehicles 11.

[0083] <Utilization of Road Information> The purpose of collecting road information according to the present disclosure is not limited to road analysis by road administrators. Local administrators may collect road information for crime prevention and local monitoring. Local administrators can check the status of incidents and accidents by looking at road images stored in the road information database 40. Road images may also be used to check whether missing persons have passed through the area. In such cases, a delivery company may drive a delivery vehicle 11 to collect road information on behalf of the local administrator.

[0084] <Collection of Road Information by Route Bus> The present disclosure can also be applied to the collection of road information by a vehicle transporting a person. The vehicle transporting a person may be, for example, a route bus, an express bus, a community bus, a shared taxi, or a chartered bus. For example, in the case of a route bus, the delivery vehicle 11 is replaced with a route bus equipped with a sensor 10. The acquisition unit 101 of the management system 100, 110 acquires the locations of garages and bus stops and the arrival deadline at the bus stop. The feasibility determination unit 102 determines whether the bus can arrive at the bus stop by the arrival deadline if it passes through the candidate route points. The display control unit 103 displays information about the candidate route points that can be passed through on a terminal used by the route bus driver. According to this modification, the management system 100, 110 can assist in collecting road information by detouring to the candidate route points while transporting a person on schedule.

[0085] [Hardware Configuration] In each of the above-described embodiments, each component of the management system 100 represents a functional block. Some or all of the components of the management system 100 may be realized by any combination of a computer 500 and a program.

[0086] Fig. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a computer 500. Referring to Fig. 11, the computer 500 includes, for example, a processor 501, a read only memory (ROM) 502, a random access memory (RAM) 503, a program 504, a storage device 505, a drive device 507, a communication interface 508, an input device 509, an input / output interface 511, and a bus 512.

[0087] The processor 501 controls the entire computer 500. The processor 501 may be, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The number of processors 501 is not particularly limited, and there may be one or more processors 501.

[0088] The program 504 includes instructions for implementing each function of the management system 100. The program 504 is stored in advance in the ROM 502, RAM 503, or storage device 505. The processor 501 implements each function of the management system 100 by executing the instructions included in the program 504. The RAM 503 may also store data to be processed in each function of the management system 100.

[0089] The drive device 507 reads and writes data from and to the recording medium 506. The communication interface 508 provides an interface with a communication network. The input device 509 is, for example, a mouse or a keyboard, and accepts information input from an administrator or the like of the management system 100. The output device 510 is, for example, a display, and outputs (displays) information to the administrator or the like. The input / output interface 511 provides an interface with peripheral devices. The bus 512 connects these hardware components. The program 504 may be supplied to the processor 501 via a communication network, or may be stored in advance on the recording medium 506, read by the drive device 507, and supplied to the processor 501.

[0090] It should be noted that the hardware configuration shown in FIG. 11 is an example, and other components may be added, or some components may not be included.

[0091] There are various variations in the method of realizing the management system 100. For example, the management system 100 may be realized by any combination of different computers and programs for each component. Furthermore, multiple components included in the management system 100 may be realized by any combination of a single computer and program.

[0092] Furthermore, at least a part of the management system 100 may be provided in a software as a service (SaaS) format. That is, at least a part of the functions for realizing the management system 100 may be executed by software executed via a network.

[0093] Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to the embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments. Various modifications that can be understood by those skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present disclosure within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the configurations in the respective embodiments can be combined with each other without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0094] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Sensor 11 Delivery vehicle 20 Driver terminal 21 Delivery management database 30 Communication network 40 Road information database 50 Road administrator terminal 100, 110 Management system 101 Acquisition unit 102 Possibility determination unit 103 Display control unit 104 Road information collection unit 105 Determination unit 106 Selection unit 107 Performance determination unit 108 Remuneration calculation unit

Claims

1. an acquisition means for acquiring the positions of candidate route points from which road information is collected, the positions of delivery destinations of delivery vehicles equipped with sensors capable of collecting the road information, and delivery deadlines to the delivery destinations; a feasibility determination means for determining whether the delivery vehicle can pass through the candidate route points while making delivery within the delivery deadline, based on the positions of the candidate route points, the position of the delivery destination, and the delivery deadline; a display control means for displaying information about the candidate route points that have been determined as route points that the delivery vehicle can take on a terminal used by the driver of the delivery vehicle; A management system comprising:

2. The possibility determination means determines whether the delivery vehicle can pass through the candidate route points while making delivery within the delivery deadline, based on the current delivery status of the delivery vehicle. The management system according to claim 1 .

3. a performance determination means for determining whether the delivery vehicle has traveled through the candidate route points; a reward calculation means for calculating a reward according to the candidate route points determined to have been traveled by the delivery van; The management system according to claim 1 or 2, comprising:

4. The display control means displays a reward to be obtained by traveling through the candidate route points before the delivery vehicle travels through the candidate route points. The management system according to claim 3 .

5. The display control means displays a scheduled delivery time to the delivery destination when the delivery vehicle passes through the candidate route points. The management system according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The display control means displays a route that passes through the candidate route points and the delivery destination and that meets the delivery deadline. The management system according to claim 1 or 2.

7. a selection means for selecting, from a plurality of delivery vehicles, a delivery vehicle that is in charge of delivery in an area where the candidate route points exist or an area near the candidate route points; The feasibility determination means determines whether the selected delivery vehicle can pass through the candidate route points while making a delivery within the delivery deadline. The management system according to claim 1 or 2.

8. A determining means for determining a point that is not on a planned route for visiting the delivery destination as the candidate route point. The management system according to claim 1 or 2, comprising:

9. Acquire the location of a candidate route point for collecting road information, the location of a delivery destination of a delivery vehicle equipped with a sensor capable of collecting the road information, and a delivery deadline for the delivery destination; determining whether the delivery vehicle can pass through the candidate route points while making delivery within the delivery deadline based on the positions of the candidate route points, the position of the delivery destination, and the delivery deadline; Displaying information about the candidate route points that are determined to be passable by the delivery vehicle on a terminal used by the driver of the delivery vehicle Management method.

10. Acquire the location of a candidate route point for collecting road information, the location of a delivery destination of a delivery vehicle equipped with a sensor capable of collecting the road information, and a delivery deadline for the delivery destination; determining whether the delivery vehicle can pass through the candidate route points while making delivery within the delivery deadline based on the positions of the candidate route points, the position of the delivery destination, and the delivery deadline; Displaying information about the candidate route points that are determined to be passable by the delivery vehicle on a terminal used by the driver of the delivery vehicle A program that causes a computer to perform a process.