Transportation management device, transportation management method, and transportation management system

The transportation management device optimizes the efficiency of unmanned and manned machines by creating movement plans that select responsible machines and handle points based on cargo positions and conditions, addressing inefficiencies in existing drone-based delivery systems by integrating multiple machines and optimizing equipment and personnel usage.

WO2024257525A1PCT designated stage expired Publication Date: 2024-12-19HITACHI LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
PCT/JP2024/017691
Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2023-06-14
Filing Date
2024-05-13
Publication Date
2024-12-19

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing transportation systems using unmanned transportation machines, such as drones, face inefficiencies when delivering multiple items due to limitations in landing sites and load capacity, as they often require direct guidance to luggage storage areas without optimizing the operating efficiency of each transport machine.

Method used

A transportation management device that creates movement plans for a group of transport machines, including unmanned and manned machines, by selecting responsible machines based on cargo positions, handling points, and time, and calculates departure and arrival times, while considering weather and traffic conditions, to optimize the operational efficiency of the system.

Benefits of technology

This approach enhances the overall operational efficiency of the transportation system by scheduling cargo delivery between machines, reducing delays, and ensuring efficient transportation by linking multiple machines, while also considering the availability of loading/unloading equipment and personnel, thereby improving the reliability and cost-effectiveness of the system.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

Provided is a transportation management device that manages transportation of transportation objects, and that has a computer that creates a movement plan for a plurality of transportation machines including at least one unmanned transportation machine. The computer is capable of accessing a storage device that stores the positions of a plurality of cargo handling points for the transportation machines to load and unload the transportation objects. On the basis of an inputted shipping point, an inputted shipping time, and an inputted destination of luggage, the computer selects a machine in charge that is at least one transportation machine in charge of transportation of the luggage in accordance with the current positions of the plurality of transportation machines, selects a cargo handling point at which the machine in charge performs loading and unloading of the luggage, computes the time at which the machine in charge arrives at the cargo handling point and leaves the cargo handling point, creates the movement plan, and controls the machine in charge on the basis of the movement plan.
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Description

Transportation management device, transportation management method, and transportation management system

[0001] The present invention relates to a transportation management device, a transportation management method, and a transportation management system.

[0002] Transportation systems using unmanned transport vehicles such as drones have been proposed with the aim of reducing transportation costs and shortening transportation times, etc. This type of system combines multiple transport vehicles, such as drones and trucks, rather than a single transport vehicle, from the perspective of improving convenience and resolving the issue of the difficulty of delivering to homes and other locations using drones alone due to landing site restrictions.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a system that guides an unmanned aerial vehicle loaded with cargo onto a vehicle driven by a recipient, lands it on the vehicle, and delivers the cargo by coordinating the unmanned aerial vehicle with the vehicle.

[0004] Patent document 2 also discloses that in a system consisting of an unmanned aerial vehicle and a vehicle responsible for deliveries in a specific area, when an unmanned aerial vehicle carrying luggage approaches the delivery area for the luggage, it retrieves the position of the vehicle responsible for deliveries in that area and indicates the delivery point.

[0005] JP 2022-66043 A Patent No. 6775091 A

[0006] In the technologies described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, cargo is directly delivered from an unmanned aerial vehicle to a vehicle. However, since a vehicle can generally transport a larger amount of cargo than an unmanned aerial vehicle, it may be more efficient to temporarily store cargo to be transported by multiple unmanned aerial vehicles at a loading and unloading point and transport the multiple cargoes together using a single vehicle. In this case, simply guiding the unmanned aerial vehicle and the vehicle to a cargo storage area does not optimize the operational efficiency of each transport vehicle.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to provide a transportation management device, a transportation management method, and a transportation management system that can improve the overall operating efficiency of a transportation system including an unmanned transport vehicle.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a transportation management device that has a computer that creates movement plans for multiple transport machines, including at least one unmanned transport machine, and manages the transportation of transported goods, wherein the computer can access a storage device that stores the locations of multiple loading and unloading points where the transport machines will load and unload the transported goods, and based on the input shipment point, shipment time, and destination of the goods, selects a responsible machine, which is at least one transport machine, that will be responsible for transporting the goods according to the current locations of the multiple transport machines, selects a loading and unloading point where the responsible machine will load and unload the goods, and calculates the loading and unloading point and the time when the responsible machine will depart and arrive at the loading and unloading point to create the movement plan.

[0009] According to the present invention, the overall operational efficiency of a transportation system including an unmanned transportation vehicle can be improved.

[0010] It is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a transportation management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. It is an image diagram of a movement plan transmitted to a manned transportation machine in a transportation management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart showing the procedure for creating and outputting a movement plan by a transportation management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. It is an image diagram of movement plan creation.

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of a transportation management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The transportation management device 1 shown in Fig. 1 has a computer that creates a movement plan, which is control information for a fleet of transportation machines 2, and is a device that manages the transportation of transported goods.

[0013] -Family of Transportation Machines- The family of transportation machines 2 is a collective term for multiple transportation machines that make up the transportation system controlled by the transportation management device 1. This family of transportation machines 2 includes at least one unmanned transportation machine 21, such as a drone, that operates without human operation (on-board operation or remote operation). The unmanned transportation machine 21 is not limited to air vehicles such as drones, but may also include other transportation machines that do not require a driver (a passenger or a remote operator), such as unmanned vehicles with automatic driving functions. The family of transportation machines 2 may also include one or more manned transportation machines 22 that are operated by a driver (a passenger or a remote operator). The manned transportation machine 22 may include vehicles such as trucks, motorcycles, and bicycles, as well as aircraft such as airplanes and helicopters, and ships.

[0014] A monitor 23 is provided in the driver's cab of some or all of the manned transport vehicles 22 (e.g., trucks). Alternatively, a mobile terminal 24 carried by the driver of the manned transport vehicle 22 may be used as the monitor instead of the monitor 23. The mobile terminal 24 is typically a smartphone, but may also include a tablet PC, a notebook PC, a mobile phone, a PDA, etc.

[0015] In addition, the mobile terminal 24 may be carried not only by the driver of the manned transport machine 22, but also by personnel involved in the operation of the transport machine group 2, such as personnel who load and unload cargo onto the unmanned transport machine 21 or the manned transport machine 22, and personnel who replace or charge batteries, refuel, and perform other maintenance on the unmanned transport machine 21 or the manned transport machine 22.

[0016] Furthermore, the unmanned transport machine 21, the manned transport machine 22, and the mobile terminal 24 are each equipped with a GNSS mobile station, and the current positions of the unmanned transport machine 21, the manned transport machine 22, and the mobile terminal 24 are acquired by the GNSS system.

[0017] Furthermore, the unmanned transport machine 21 and the manned transport machine 22 that is powered by a motor are each equipped with a computer. These computers are capable of communicating with the transport management device 1, and transmit information such as remaining battery charge and fuel level, and the vehicle's current position to the transport management device 1, and receive movement plans from the transport management device 1. In the unmanned transport machine 21, the computer controls the vehicle to move autonomously according to the received movement plan. In the manned transport machine 22, the computer displays and outputs the received movement plan on the monitor 23. Similarly, the mobile terminal 24 also displays and outputs the received movement plan.

[0018] -Transportation Management Device- The transportation management device 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a storage device 11, a computer 12, and a communication device 13.

[0019] The storage device 11 is configured using, for example, an HDD or the like, and stores a plurality of loading and unloading points and their respective positions where the unmanned transport machine 21 and the manned transport machine 22 load and unload transported goods (baggage). In addition, information (data) such as the ID and type of each of the unmanned transport machine 21 and the manned transport machine 22 belonging to the transport system may also be stored in the storage device 11.

[0020] Furthermore, information (data) such as the current position and current cruising range of each transport machine calculated by the transport management device 1 based on the current position, remaining battery charge, and remaining fuel charge received from the unmanned transport machine 21 and the manned transport machine 22 may be stored in the storage device 11. Although a single storage device 11 is illustrated in Fig. 1, multiple storage devices 11 may be present.

[0021] The storage device 11 preferably also stores equipment information (such as the type and quantity of loading and unloading equipment) related to cargo loading and unloading equipment installed at the cargo handling point. The loading and unloading equipment is equipment for loading and unloading cargo onto and from transport machinery. This loading and unloading equipment includes, for example, a device consisting of one or more devices that automatically and unmannedly loads and unloads cargo onto and from the unmanned transport machine 21, such as a robot arm or a conveyor, as well as cargo handling machines that are driven or operated by workers, such as a forklift or a crane.

[0022] Furthermore, it is preferable that information regarding the storage status of cargo for each loading and unloading point is stored in the storage device 11. The storage status of cargo includes, for example, information such as the ratio of the currently stored cargo volume to the storage capacity of the loading and unloading point, the current acceptable volume of cargo, etc.

[0023] The storage device 11 may be incorporated inside the housing of the computer 12, or may be connected to a terminal of the computer 12. The storage device 11 may also be configured to be connected to the computer 12 via a wired or wireless network.

[0024] The computer 12 includes a processor such as a CPU, a ROM for storing various programs, and a RAM for temporarily storing data during the calculation process, and executes software that realizes the functions related to the creation of the movement plan. The computer 12 can access the storage device 11. Based on the package's shipping point, shipping time, and destination, which are input via an input device such as a keyboard or mouse or another terminal and then via a network, the computer 12 selects at least one transport machine responsible for transporting the package, taking into account each transport machine and its current location, and selects a loading point where the responsible machine will load and unload the package. The computer 12 also calculates the loading point and the time the responsible machine will depart and arrive at the loading point, and creates a movement plan for the responsible machine. The package information input via the input device may also include the quantity, weight, size, and type of contents (fragile items, clothing, food, etc.) of the package.

[0025] The computer 12 can write and store the created movement plan in the storage device 11 or another storage medium 14. The storage medium 14 can be any of various storage devices such as semiconductor memory, external HDD, network memory, CD-ROM, etc., which are connected to the computer 12 by wire or wirelessly.

[0026] The communication device 13 is a wired or wireless communication device that can be connected to, for example, the Internet or an intranet. The computer 12 transmits the created movement plan for each transport machine to the corresponding unmanned transport machine, manned transport machine 22, or mobile terminal 24 via the communication device 13, and controls the transport machine selected as the machine in charge. The movement plan transmitted to the unmanned transport machine 21 becomes an operation command for the unmanned transport machine 21, and the unmanned transport machine 21 operates based on the movement plan. In addition, the movement plan transmitted to the manned transport machine 22 becomes a display command for the monitor 23 of the manned transport machine 22 or the mobile terminal 24.

[0027] Furthermore, via the communication device 13, the computer 12 can receive weather information 15 and traffic information 16 from the network.

[0028] --Movement Plan-- The movement plan created by the computer 12 is a type of control information for the group of transport machines 2, and is created sequentially for each unmanned transport machine 21 and each manned transport machine 22 according to the situation. Specifically, the movement plan includes, for each transport machine, the loading and unloading point (e.g., the ID, name, and location information of the loading and unloading point) where the cargo is to be loaded and unloaded, and the scheduled times of departure and arrival at the loading and unloading point. The loading and unloading point is a predetermined cargo storage location within the delivery area of ​​the cargo by the transport system, such as the office or warehouse of the operator of the transport system. In addition, if the cargo is scheduled to be handed over to another transport machine at the loading and unloading point, the movement plan for each transport machine may include the transport machine with which the cargo is to be handed over (e.g., the ID, type, and scheduled times of departure and arrival of the transport machine, etc.).

[0029] 2 is an image diagram of a movement plan transmitted to the manned transport machine 22. In the example of Fig. 2, information such as a loading point P2 where the manned transport machine 22 loads cargo, a destination point G, a scheduled time of arrival at the loading point P2, a loading / unloading operation time for loading the cargo, an estimated required travel time estimated as the travel time from the loading point P2 to the destination point, a scheduled time of arrival at the destination point G, and a loading / unloading operation time for unloading the cargo is displayed on the monitor 23 as a movement plan 200.

[0030] At this time, the computer 12 receives at least one of weather information 15 and traffic information 16 from the network via the communication device 13, determines whether the transport machine selected as the responsible machine can reach the loading and unloading point, or the delay time, and reflects this in the movement plan. For example, if bad weather such as strong winds or heavy rain interferes with drone navigation, the weather information 15 can be reflected in the creation of the movement plan, such as by removing the drone from the candidate transport machine and selecting a vehicle such as a truck as the responsible machine. Furthermore, for example, if multiple candidate transport routes from the shipping point to the destination are identified based on the shipment point and destination of the package, it can check whether traffic congestion is occurring on land routes included in any of the candidate transport routes. If traffic congestion is confirmed, the traffic information 16 can be reflected in the creation of the movement plan, such as by calculating the expected delay time due to traffic congestion, adjusting the estimated required time for transporting the package for each candidate transport route, and selecting the most rational transport route (e.g., the shortest transport time or the lowest transport cost).

[0031] Furthermore, based on the above-mentioned facility information of the loading and unloading points stored in the storage device 11, the computer 12 can determine whether loading and unloading facilities are available for loading and unloading cargo onto the assigned machine at the loading and unloading point. In this case, the computer 12 can determine whether loading and unloading facilities can be used to load and unload cargo onto the assigned machine in a short time and at low cost, or whether loading and unloading facilities are unavailable and multiple personnel are required to unload the cargo. In this way, the computer 12 can compare the time and cost required for loading and unloading cargo for each loading and unloading point and reflect the facility information in the movement plan.

[0032] Furthermore, the computer 12 can calculate the number of personnel required to load and unload the cargo at a selected loading and unloading point based on, for example, the quantity and weight of the cargo, as basic information for creating a movement plan. In this case, if the number of personnel required to load and unload the cargo to be loaded is not met even when the number of personnel at the loading and unloading point and the number of passengers on the manned transport vehicle 22 heading to the loading and unloading point are added, the computer 12 can exclude the loading and unloading point from the selection candidates. The number of personnel required can be calculated, for example, by determining in advance the weight that can be handled per person, dividing the weight of the cargo to be handled by this weight, and rounding up. In this way, the computer 12 creates a movement plan taking into account the required number of people, and transmits and displays the created movement plan to the monitor 23 of the manned transport machine 22 selected as the responsible machine, or to the mobile terminal 24 carried by the worker belonging to the loading and unloading point, thereby encouraging the guidance of personnel so that the required number of people for loading and unloading the cargo, including the occupants of the manned transport machine 22 and the workers at the loading and unloading point, gather at the loading and unloading point at the time of unloading.

[0033] - Creation of a movement plan - FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the procedure for creating and outputting a movement plan by the transportation management device 1, and FIG. 4 is an image diagram of the creation of a movement plan.

[0034] (Process 50) When information regarding a package to be transported, such as the shipping point 110, shipping time, destination point 113, package ID, etc., is input and registered in the computer 12, the computer 12 starts the flow of FIG. 3 for the package in process 50.

[0035] 3 starts, the computer 12 first selects a transport machine capable of picking up the package at the dispatch point 110 in process 51. For example, based on the current location of each transport machine, candidate transport machines capable of arriving at the dispatch point 110 before the dispatch time are extracted. At this time, even if a transport machine can arrive at the dispatch point 110 before the dispatch time based on the relationship between the dispatch point 110 and the current location, a transport machine for which a movement plan has already been created and for which the existing movement plan must be changed is excluded from the candidates, and a transport machine for which a movement plan has not been created or a transport machine for which a movement plan has been created but can arrive at the dispatch point 110 before the dispatch time without changing the existing movement plan is preferentially extracted.

[0036] Figure 4 illustrates the case where, in process 51, drone 101, which is the unmanned transport machine 21, is selected as the machine in charge because it can arrive at dispatch point 110 (possible arrival time 11:58) before the loading time (12:10) calculated backward from the dispatch time.

[0037] (Process 52) Next, in process 52, the computer 12 acquires the location information of the loading and unloading point from the storage device 11, and extracts at least one candidate loading and unloading point as necessary based on information such as the positional relationship between the shipping point 110 and the destination point 113 and the range of the drone 101.

[0038] FIG. 4 illustrates a case where two loading and unloading points 111 and 112 are extracted in the process 52 .

[0039] In addition, the computer 12 determines whether unloading is possible at the loading and unloading points 111 and 112 based on the current cargo capacity and equipment information at the loading and unloading points 111 and 112, and if possible, calculates the estimated arrival time of the drone 101 at the loading and unloading points 111 and 112, and determines the estimated unloading time at the loading and unloading points 111 and 112 based on the calculated estimated arrival time.

[0040] Figure 4 illustrates a case where, in process 52, drone 101 is able to unload at loading point 111 and loading point 112, and the scheduled unloading times at loading point 111 and loading point 112 are calculated to be 12:10 and 12:20, respectively.

[0041] (Process 53) Next, in process 53, the computer 12 records and registers the route by which the responsible machine arrives at the destination point 113 as a transportation route in the storage device 11 or another storage device.

[0042] In the example of Figure 4, it is first determined whether the loading and unloading point 111 or the loading and unloading point 112 selected in process 52 is the destination point 113. If the loading and unloading point 111 or the loading and unloading point 112 is the destination point 113, that is, if the drone 101 can transport the cargo to the destination point 103, that route (the drone 101 unloads the cargo at the destination point 113) is registered in the storage device 11 or another storage device as a transportation route. In Figure 4, the loading and unloading points 111 and 112 are not destination points 113, and therefore the drone 101 cannot unload the cargo at the destination point 113. Therefore, at the current time (when determining the destination of the drone 101), no corresponding transportation route exists and no registration is performed.

[0043] (Process 54) Next, in process 54, the computer 12 determines whether to end the search for the transport route, and if the search is to continue, the procedure proceeds to process 55, and if the search is to be ended, the procedure proceeds to process 56. An example of process 54 is when the number of transport routes reaches a specified value, or when the elapsed time since the start of the flow of Figure 3 in process 50 reaches a specified time, and the like. In Figure 4, since there is no applicable transport route at the current time (when determining the destination of the drone 101), the determination in process 54 is invalid, a "NO" determination is made, and the procedure proceeds to process 55.

[0044] (Process 55) If it is determined in process 54 that the search for movement plan candidates is to continue, the computer 12 then proceeds to process 55, selects a transport machine that can load the cargo at the loading point 111 and the loading point 112 after the scheduled unloading time calculated in process 52 (i.e., another responsible machine that will take over the cargo from the responsible machine that unloaded the cargo at the loading point 111 and the loading point 112), and returns to process 52. As an example of process 54, for example, assume a case in which the transport machine arrives at the loading point 111 and the loading point 112 before the scheduled unloading time and waits at the loading point 111 and the loading point 112 until the scheduled unloading time to load the cargo, or a case in which the transport machine arrives at the loading point 111 and the loading point 112 after the scheduled unloading time and quickly loads the cargo. In this case, a transport machine that can respond without changing the existing movement plan is selected as the responsible machine to take over, as in the case in which the drone 101 was selected in process 51.

[0045] 4 illustrates a case in which, in process 55, it is calculated that the truck 102, which is the manned transport machine 22, will arrive at loading point 111 and loading point 112 after / before the scheduled unloading time of the drone 101 and be able to load, and further, in processes 52 and 53, it is calculated that the truck 102 will be able to arrive at destination point 113 at 12:50 and 12:40, respectively, and these two transport routes are registered. When the conditions are satisfied in the subsequent process 54 as a result of the transport route being registered in this way, the computer 12 makes a "YES" determination and proceeds to process 56.

[0046] (Process 56) If it is determined in process 54 that the search for transportation routes is to be terminated, the computer 12 then evaluates each transportation route and determines a movement plan based on the evaluation results in process 56. As an example of process 56, for example, a transportation cost based on the binding time and travel distance of each transportation machine, and an efficiency cost calculated from the time required to transport the cargo are calculated as evaluation items, and the transportation route with the smallest sum of the transportation cost and the efficiency cost is identified as the basis for the movement plan.

[0047] For example, in FIG. 4 , a first transportation route via routes 120, 121, and 125 and a second transportation route via routes 120, 122, and 126 are registered. The first transportation route is characterized by a slower arrival at the destination point 113 compared to the second transportation route, but no waiting time for the truck 102 (passengers) at the loading and unloading point 111. On the other hand, the second transportation route is characterized by a faster arrival at the destination point 113 compared to the first transportation route, but a waiting time occurs at the loading and unloading point 112. Therefore, in order to take these trade-offs into consideration, a method of defining functions based on the time and cost required for transportation as described above and selecting a transportation route that is an optimal solution can be considered as a selection method. Here, it is assumed that the second transportation route is selected.

[0048] (Process 57) Next, in process 57, the computer 12 transmits a movement plan for the selected second transportation route, including the dispatch point 110, loading and unloading point 112, and destination point 113 that each responsible machine, i.e., the drone 101 and truck 102, must pass through, as well as the departure and arrival times and loading and unloading times at each of these points, via the communication device 13 to each transportation machine (drone 101, truck 102) and, if necessary, to mobile terminals 24 carried by passengers on the truck 102 or personnel at the loading and unloading point 112, and terminates the flow of FIG. 3 for the cargo accepted in process 50. At this time, the computer 12 outputs and saves the movement plan in the storage device 11, storage medium 14, or the like. Saving the movement plan in the storage medium 14 can also be performed in response to a request to the computer 12.

[0049] As described above, the movement plan may also reflect weather information 15 and traffic information 16. Furthermore, when personnel are needed to load and unload cargo onto and from the drone 101 or truck 102 at the shipping point 110, the loading and unloading points 111 and 112, and the destination point 113, the movement plan is displayed on the monitor 23, the mobile terminal 24, or the like, as described above, so that the required personnel can be secured.

[0050] The movement plan is transmitted to the transport machine in accordance with the command format normally required for operating the unmanned transport machine for unmanned transport machines, and in accordance with the command format normally required for operating the unmanned transport machine for manned transport machines, the movement plan may be transmitted as an image to a monitor 23 or mobile terminal 24 that can be visually viewed by the passenger operating the manned transport machine.

[0051] Effect: According to this embodiment, it is possible to appropriately schedule the delivery of cargo between multiple responsible machines, including the unmanned transport machine 21, at a loading and unloading point, and to realize an efficient transport system in which multiple responsible machines cooperate as needed. This makes it possible to improve the overall operational efficiency of the transport system, including the unmanned transport machine 21 such as the drone 101.

[0052] Furthermore, as mentioned above, weather information 15 and traffic information 16 for the area surrounding the loading and unloading point can be appropriately reflected in the movement plan. For example, if a delay is expected due to traffic congestion or the like, the estimated arrival time can be calculated by delaying the delay by the amount of the delay, or if strong winds make it difficult for the drone to arrive at the loading and unloading point, land transport can be prioritized, thereby reducing the risk of the movement plan not being realized due to unexpected delays or non-delivery. In this way, it is possible to flexibly create appropriate movement plans according to weather and traffic conditions, including the selection of the responsible machine and the extraction of the transportation route.

[0053] Furthermore, for each loading and unloading point, the availability of loading and unloading equipment for the machine in charge of loading and unloading can be determined based on the equipment information of the loading and unloading point, and this can be reflected in the movement plan. For example, when multiple loading and unloading points with different loading and unloading equipment are listed as candidates, such as a loading and unloading point where automatic loading and unloading of cargo onto the unmanned transport machine 21 is possible, or a loading and unloading point where unloading from the unmanned transport machine 21 is possible but loading requires a worker, a movement plan can be created taking into account the constraints of such loading and unloading equipment. This also contributes to the flexible creation of appropriate movement plans.

[0054] The computer 12 can also calculate the number of people required for the responsible machine to load and unload the cargo at each loading and unloading point. In this case, if the number of people required to load and unload the cargo to be unloaded is not met even when the number of people at the loading and unloading point and the number of occupants of the manned transport machine 22 heading to the loading and unloading point are added, the computer 12 can exclude the loading and unloading point from the selection candidates. In this way, the movement plan created taking the required number of people into consideration is displayed on the monitor 23 of the manned transport machine 22 selected as the responsible machine and on the mobile terminal 24 carried by personnel at the loading and unloading points included in the transportation route, thereby guiding personnel so that the required number of people to load and unload the cargo, including the occupants of the manned transport machine 22 and workers at the loading and unloading points, gather at the loading and unloading point during unloading.

[0055] Furthermore, even if a loading and unloading point does not have any facilities for loading and unloading cargo for the unmanned transport machine 21 and would not normally be selected as a route, the loading and unloading point can be included in the transport route options if it is expected that the required number of personnel can be secured, thereby reducing the cost of investing in facilities at the loading and unloading point. These points can also contribute to improving the operating efficiency of the transport system.

[0056] Furthermore, since the movement plan is stored in the storage device 11, the storage medium 14, etc., the history can be used for subsequent confirmation of the movement plan or for machine learning, etc.

[0057] 1...Transportation management device, 11...Storage device, 12...Computer, 14...Storage medium, 15...Weather information, 16...Traffic information, 21...Unmanned transport vehicle, 22...Manned transport vehicle, 23...Monitor, 24...Mobile terminal, 110...Shipping point, 111, 112...Loading and unloading point, 113...Destination point, 200...Movement plan

Claims

1. A transportation management device having a computer that creates movement plans for multiple transport machines including at least one unmanned transport machine, and that manages the transportation of transported goods, wherein the computer can access a storage device that stores the positions of multiple loading and unloading points where the transport machines load and unload the transported goods, selects a responsible machine, which is at least one transport machine that will be in charge of transporting the goods, according to the current positions of the multiple transport machines based on the inputted shipment point, shipment time, and destination of the goods, and selects a loading point where the responsible machine will load and unload the goods, calculates the loading point and the time when the responsible machine will depart and arrive at the loading point to create the movement plan, and controls the responsible machine based on the movement plan.

2. A transportation management device as described in claim 1, characterized in that the computer receives at least one of weather information and traffic information for the area surrounding the selected loading and unloading point, determines whether the responsible machine can reach the loading and unloading point and the delay time, and reflects this in the movement plan.

3. A transportation management device as described in claim 1, wherein the storage device stores equipment information relating to the loading and unloading equipment for the cargo installed at the loading and unloading point, and the computer determines whether or not the loading and unloading equipment can be used for loading and unloading the cargo onto the responsible machine at the loading and unloading point based on the equipment information, and reflects this in the movement plan.

4. A transportation management device as described in claim 1, characterized in that the computer calculates the number of people required to load and unload the cargo at the selected loading and unloading point, and outputs the movement plan to a monitor of the manned transport machine selected as the responsible machine or to a mobile terminal carried by the worker.

5. A transportation management device according to claim 1, characterized in that the computer stores the movement plan in the storage device or other storage medium.

6. A transportation management system according to claim 1, characterized in that the unmanned transportation machine is an air vehicle.

7. A transportation management method for creating a movement plan for multiple transport machines including at least one unmanned transport machine and managing the transportation of transported goods, comprising the steps of: setting the positions of multiple loading and unloading points where the transport machines will load and unload the transported goods; selecting at least one transport machine in charge of transporting the goods according to the current positions of the multiple transport machines based on the shipment point, shipment time, and destination of the goods, and selecting a loading and unloading point where the loaded and unloaded goods will be loaded by the loaded and unloaded goods; calculating the loading and unloading points and the times when the loaded and unloaded goods will be departed from the loading and unloading points by the loaded and unloaded goods to create the movement plan; and controlling the loaded and unloaded goods based on the movement plan.

8. A transportation management system having a plurality of flying objects which transport goods and a computer which creates movement plans for the plurality of flying objects and which manages the transportation of the goods, wherein the computer is capable of accessing a storage device which stores the positions of a plurality of loading and unloading points for the flying objects to load and unload the goods, and based on the inputted shipment point, shipment time and destination of the goods and in accordance with the current positions of the plurality of flying objects, selects a responsible machine which is at least one flying object which will be responsible for transporting the goods and selects a loading point where the responsible machine will load and unload the goods, calculates the loading point and the time when the responsible machine will depart and arrive at the loading point to create the movement plan, and the flying objects operate based on the movement plan.

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