Information processing device, vehicle, route determination method, and program

Abstract

An information processing unit (2) according to the present disclosure comprises a route search unit (23) that, on the basis of signal information indicating a light color switching timing of a traffic light and traffic jam information indicating the occurrence of a traffic jam, performs a determination process for determining whether at least one of a first stop, which is a stop of a vehicle (1) due to a light color of the traffic light, or a second stop, which is a stop of the vehicle (1) due to a traffic jam, occurs in a route candidate that is a candidate for a route from a boarding location to a destination of a user who occupies the vehicle (1), and determines a route along which the vehicle (1) travels from among the route candidates using the determination result from the determination processing.

Description

Information processing device, vehicle, route determination method and program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing device, a vehicle, a route determination method, and a program that search for a route for a vehicle to travel.

[0002] There is known a technique for searching a route for a vehicle to a destination. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for calculating an estimated fuel consumption value based on a vehicle's travel time and an idling stop time, and searching for a route that minimizes the estimated fuel consumption value.

[0003] Patent No. 5872229

[0004] The technology described in Patent Literature 1 is capable of searching for a route that reduces fuel consumption. However, the technology described in Patent Literature 1 does not take into consideration the viewpoint of preventing a user of a vehicle from becoming involved in a crime.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to provide an information processing device that can reduce the possibility that a user riding in a vehicle will become involved in a crime.

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objectives, the information processing device disclosed herein is equipped with a route search unit that performs a determination process to determine whether or not at least one of a first stop, in which the vehicle stops due to the color of a traffic light, and a second stop, in which the vehicle stops due to traffic congestion, will occur on a route candidate that is a candidate route from a boarding location of a user riding in a vehicle to a destination, based on traffic light information that indicates the timing of changing the color of traffic lights and traffic congestion information that indicates the occurrence of traffic congestion, and that determines a route for the vehicle to travel from among the route candidates using the determination result from the determination process.

[0007] The information processing device according to the present disclosure has the effect of reducing the possibility that a user riding in a vehicle will become involved in a crime.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle according to the first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a route determination process in an information processing unit in the first embodiment; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a route determined by the route determination method in the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a route determination system in the first embodiment; FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a manually driven vehicle in the first embodiment;

[0009] An information processing device, a vehicle, a route determination method, and a program according to an embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0010] First Embodiment. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle according to a first embodiment. Vehicle 1 of this embodiment includes an information processing unit 2, a driving control unit 3, a driving mechanism 4, and a self-location identification unit 5. Vehicle 1 is capable of carrying a user who is a user of vehicle 1 and transporting the user to a destination. FIG. 1 shows an example in which vehicle 1 is an autonomous vehicle capable of autonomous driving, but as will be described later, this embodiment is not limited to autonomous vehicles and can also be applied to manually driven vehicles driven by a driver. This embodiment can also be applied to vehicles that can switch between autonomous driving and manual driving.

[0011] The information processing unit 2 is an information processing device that searches for a route (a route along which the vehicle 1 travels) of the vehicle 1. The information processing unit 2 includes an information acquisition unit 21, a reception unit 22, a route search unit 23, and an information storage unit 24.

[0012] The information acquisition unit 21 acquires information by receiving information from the information providing device 6. For example, the information acquisition unit 21 acquires, from the information providing device 6, traffic light information indicating the timing of changing the light color of a traffic light (traffic light), i.e., the timing of changing the light color of the traffic light, and congestion information indicating the occurrence status of congestion, and stores the acquired traffic light information and congestion information in the information storage unit 24.

[0013] The traffic light information may be, for example, information indicating a traffic light cycle, which indicates the length of one cycle in which the traffic light turns green, yellow (or flashing green), and red, and the lighting duration of each light color and a reference time. Alternatively, the traffic light information may be information indicating the scheduled times when the traffic light changes from green to yellow, yellow to red, and red to green. The reference time is, for example, a reference time for calculating the time when each traffic light color starts to light, such as the start time of one of the cycles. If the start of one cycle is when the green light starts to light, the time when the green light starts to light in one of the cycles can be used as the reference time. In this case, the time when the green light starts to light can be calculated by adding an integer multiple of the traffic light cycle to the reference time. The reference time is not limited to this, and may be set so as to be able to calculate the time when each traffic light color starts to light. The reference time may be a time in the past or a time in the future. Note that the traffic light information may be determined by a system that manages lighting, or may be information estimated from results obtained by a sensor, such as a camera, that detects traffic flow. In addition, the information processing unit 2 may include an estimation unit (not shown) that estimates traffic light information, the information acquisition unit 21 acquires sensor detection results from a sensor such as a camera that detects traffic flow, the estimation unit estimates traffic light information using the detection results, and the estimated traffic light information may be stored in the information storage unit 24.

[0014] The information providing device 6 may be a roadside device, a management device that manages traffic-related information, or a distribution device that acquires and distributes traffic signal information and congestion information from the management device. The information processing unit 2 may acquire information transmitted from the information providing device 6 via various networks, such as the Internet or a mobile phone network, or may receive the information via another device (not shown). For example, the information processing unit 2 may receive information transmitted from the information providing device 6 via vehicle-to-vehicle communication via another vehicle 1. While FIG. 1 illustrates one information providing device 6, there may be multiple information providing devices 6. For example, the information providing device 6 that transmits congestion information may be different from the information providing device 6 that transmits traffic signal information. Alternatively, an information providing device 6 that provides traffic signal information and congestion information for each area may be provided, and the information acquiring unit 21 may acquire traffic signal information and congestion information from multiple information providing devices 6 corresponding to each of the multiple areas.

[0015] The reception unit 22 receives an input of a destination and notifies the route search unit 23 of the received destination. The reception unit 22 may, for example, receive an input of a destination from a user riding in the vehicle 1, or may receive an input of a destination from a user other than the user riding in the vehicle 1. For example, if the user riding in the vehicle 1 is a minor child, the destination may be input by the user's guardian, instructor, or the like. Furthermore, the reception unit 22 may receive an input directly through a user's operation, or may receive information indicating the destination from a terminal device such as a mobile terminal that can be operated by the user.

[0016] The information storage unit 24 stores congestion information, traffic light information, and map information. The map information represents a map containing road-related information, such as the location of each road, the number of lanes on each road, the direction of travel for each lane, the location of traffic lights, and regulatory information indicating restrictions such as one-way traffic and stop signs. The map information may also include information indicating the curvature of road curves, the gradient of the road, and the degree of unevenness of the road surface. The map information may also include information indicating the occurrence of past crimes (types and frequency of crimes) for each block on the map, such as a crime prevention map. The map information may also include information indicating the brightness of each block. The map information may also be information indicating a static map of high-precision three-dimensional map data containing dynamic and semi-dynamic information, such as a dynamic map. If the dynamic map includes at least one of traffic light information and traffic light information, the information may be acquired as the dynamic map.

[0017] The route search unit 23 determines a route for the vehicle 1 to travel from the departure point (boarding point) to the destination so as to minimize stops for the vehicle 1, i.e., the route of the vehicle 1, based on the traffic light information and congestion information stored in the information storage unit 24, and notifies the driving control unit 3 of the determined route. For example, the route search unit 23 performs a determination process based on the traffic light information and congestion information to determine whether at least one of a first stop, which is a stop due to the color of a traffic light of the vehicle 1, and a second stop, which is a stop due to congestion of the vehicle 1, occurs in a route candidate that is a route candidate from the user's boarding point to the destination. Then, the route search unit 23 determines a route for the vehicle 1 to travel from among the route candidates using the determination result of the determination process. Furthermore, for example, the route search unit 23 may determine a route for the vehicle 1 from among the route candidates determined by the determination process to have at least one of the first stop and the second stop, based on at least one of the stop duration and the number of stops of the vehicle 1 on the route of the vehicle 1. In detail, the route search unit 23 may, for example, determine the route candidate with the fewest number of stops as the route of the vehicle 1, or may determine the route candidate with the smallest maximum value of the stop time among the route candidates as the route of the vehicle 1. The method of determining the route in the route search unit 23 is not limited to this.

[0018] Note that the departure point is set to, for example, the current position of the vehicle 1 indicated by position information (to be described later) that the route search unit 23 receives from the self-position identification unit 5, but is not limited to this. The reception unit 22 may also receive input of the departure point, and the reception unit 22 may notify the route search unit 23 of the departure point. Details of a route determination method in the route search unit 23 will be described later.

[0019] The self-location identifying unit 5 identifies the self-location of the vehicle 1 and outputs position information indicating the identified self-location to the driving control unit 3 and the route searching unit 23. The self-location identifying unit 5 identifies its self-location by performing positioning using a satellite positioning system such as a GPS (Global Positioning System) or a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), but the method of identifying the self-location in the self-location identifying unit 5 is not limited to this. Note that if the route searching unit 23 does not use position information, the self-location identifying unit 5 does not need to output position information to the route searching unit 23.

[0020] The driving control unit 3 controls the driving mechanism 4 based on the route notified by the route search unit 23, thereby performing autonomous driving driving control of the vehicle 1. For example, the driving control unit 3 controls the driving mechanism 4 based on information acquired by sensors (not shown), such as a camera for detecting obstacles, a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), and a millimeter wave sensor, position information received from the self-location identification unit 5, and map information stored in the information storage unit 24. Note that the autonomous driving driving control of the vehicle 1 is not limited to a method for controlling the vehicle 1 to travel along the route notified by the route search unit 23, and any method may be used, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted since a general method can be used.

[0021] Furthermore, the map information for autonomous driving used by the driving control unit 3 may be different from the map information stored in the information storage unit 24. In this case, the driving control unit 3 performs driving control based on the map information for autonomous driving stored in a map information storage unit (not shown) in the vehicle 1. For example, the map information stored in the information storage unit 24 may be two-dimensional map information, and the map information for autonomous driving may be a dynamic map. When a dynamic map is used as the map information for autonomous driving, the updated information may be acquired by the information acquisition unit 21 or by a transceiver unit (not shown).

[0022] The driving mechanism 4 is a mechanism for driving the vehicle 1, and includes a plurality of mechanisms for driving the vehicle 1, such as an accelerator operating device such as an accelerator pedal, a steering device, and a brake.

[0023] In this embodiment, the route search unit 23 determines the route of the vehicle 1 so that the vehicle 1 does not stop as much as possible until it reaches the destination, thereby reducing the possibility that a user riding in the vehicle 1 will be involved in a crime when the vehicle 1 stops. In particular, when the vehicle 1 is an autonomous vehicle and the user riding in the vehicle 1 is a child, measures to prevent the child from being involved in a crime are important. In this embodiment, the vehicle 1 can travel to the destination so that the vehicle 1 does not stop as much as possible, thereby reducing the possibility that the child will be involved in a crime. Note that the user riding in the vehicle 1 is not limited to a child.

[0024] In the example described above, the route search unit 23 notifies the driving control unit 3 of the determined route, but this is not limiting. The route search unit 23 may store route information indicating the determined route in the information storage unit 24 or a route information storage unit (not shown) within the vehicle 1. In this case, the driving control unit 3 controls the driving of the vehicle 1 by referring to the route information stored in the information storage unit 24 or the road information storage unit.

[0025] Next, a route determination method in the information processing unit 2 of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the route determination process in the information processing unit 2 of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the information processing unit 2 determines whether or not a destination has been input (step S1). More specifically, the route search unit 23 determines whether or not the destination has been notified by the reception unit 22. As described above, the reception unit 22 may also receive input of a departure point in addition to the destination, and in this case, the route search unit 23 is also notified of the departure point by the reception unit 22.

[0026] If a destination has not been input (step S1: No), the information processing unit 2 repeats step S1. If a destination has been input (step S1: Yes), the information processing unit 2 acquires traffic light information and congestion information (step S2). In detail, the information acquisition unit 21 acquires traffic light information and congestion information for the area in which the vehicle 1 can travel from, for example, the information providing device 6, and stores the acquired traffic light information and congestion information in the information storage unit 24. Note that, in FIG. 2 , step S2 is performed after step S1, but the execution timing of step S2 is not limited to this. For example, step S2 may be performed periodically.

[0027] The information processing unit 2 sets route candidates (step S3). Specifically, the route search unit 23 searches for a route from the departure point to the destination using map information stored in the information storage unit 24, and sets one of the routes obtained by the search as a route candidate. In step S3, for example, the route search unit 23 may search for a route using the Dijkstra algorithm or the Bellman-Ford algorithm, which treats intersections as nodes and sets costs for edges connecting the nodes to search for a route that minimizes cost, or may search for route candidates using an exhaustive search method, or may search for a route using a metaheuristics method, or may perform route search using a method other than these. For example, the cost in the Dijkstra algorithm may be, but is not limited to, distance or required time.

[0028] Next, the information processing unit 2 determines whether the set route candidate includes a stop point (step S4). Specifically, the route search unit 23 sets a departure time from the departure point, and performs a determination process using the congestion information and traffic light information stored in the information storage unit 24 to determine whether at least one of a stop of the vehicle 1 due to a traffic light (a stop of the vehicle 1 due to a red or yellow traffic light) and a stop of the vehicle 1 due to traffic congestion will occur on the set route candidate. The departure time may be a time a certain time from the current time or may be specified by the user. In addition to a stop of the vehicle 1 due to a traffic light (hereinafter also referred to as a stop of the vehicle 1 due to a traffic light) and a stop of the vehicle 1 due to traffic congestion, the route search unit 23 may also treat a stop at a location without a traffic light but with a stop restriction as a stop, or may not include a location with a stop restriction as a stop point. When the traffic congestion information is displayed in a format such as "X point, Y km traffic congestion," a stop of the vehicle 1 due to traffic congestion may be predicted to occur at the end of the traffic congestion, and the end of the traffic congestion may be designated as the stop point. Furthermore, if the congestion information includes stop locations and stop times due to congestion, it is determined based on this information whether or not there are stop locations.

[0029] Furthermore, when the vehicle 1 is to stop due to a traffic light, the route search unit 23 may change at least one of the departure time and the traveling speed if changing at least one of the departure time and the traveling speed can avoid stopping the vehicle 1. For example, the route search unit 23 may set a standard traveling speed as an initial value for each road section, and when there is a traffic light that turns red when traveling at the standard traveling speed but turns green (the green light is lit) if the traveling speed is slightly reduced within a range set by regulations, change the traveling speed to a speed at which the vehicle 1 passes through the traffic light when the traffic light is green.

[0030] If there is no stopping point (step S4 No), the information processing unit 2 selects the route candidate being set as the route (step S5) and ends the processing. Specifically, in step S5, the route search unit 23 determines the route of the vehicle 1 by selecting the route candidate being set as the route, and notifies the cruise control unit 3 of the determined route. Note that, if at least one of the departure time and the traveling speed is changed in step S4, the route search unit 23 notifies the cruise control unit 3 of the changed at least one of the departure time and the traveling speed.

[0031] If there is a stop location (step S4: Yes), the information processing unit 2 stores the stop time and the number of stops (step S6). Specifically, the route search unit 23 calculates the stop time and the number of stops of the vehicle 1 for each stop location on the currently set route candidate, and stores the calculated stop time and the number of stops internally. Alternatively, the route search unit 23 may store the calculated stop time and the number of stops in the information storage unit 24 or a temporary storage unit (not shown). When the traffic congestion information is expressed in a format such as "Y km of traffic congestion at X point," the stop time of the vehicle 1 due to traffic congestion may be determined by using a table or the like to determine the time until the traffic congestion has passed according to the length of the traffic congestion, and the table may be used to convert Y km into the stop time. Furthermore, when the traffic congestion information includes the time required to pass through the traffic congestion, this time may be used as the stop time of the vehicle 1 due to traffic congestion. In addition, here we will explain an example in which the route search unit 23 calculates the stopping time and number of stops of the vehicle 1, but if the stopping time is not used to calculate the stopping index in step S9 described later, the stopping time does not have to be calculated in step S6, and if the number of stops is not used to calculate the stopping index in step S9 described later, the number of stops does not have to be calculated in step S6.

[0032] The information processing unit 2 determines whether there are any undefined route candidates (step S7). Specifically, the route search unit 23 determines whether there are any routes from the departure point to the destination other than the already-defined route candidates. Even if there is a route that allows the user to depart from the departure point and arrive at the destination by taking a very long detour, the processing time required for the route search process and the actual travel time of the vehicle 1 may be too long. Therefore, a limit may be set on at least one of the processing time and the travel distance (travel distance from the departure point to the destination). For example, if the processing time required for the route search unit 23 to search for a route other than the already-defined route candidates exceeds a threshold, the information processing unit 2 may determine in step S7 that there are no undefined route candidates. Furthermore, for example, if the information processing unit 2 performs a route search other than the already-defined route candidates and only obtains solutions that are equal to or greater than the travel distance threshold, the information processing unit 2 may determine in step S7 that there are no undefined route candidates.

[0033] If there are any unset route candidates (step S7: Yes), the information processing unit 2 sets the next route candidate (step S8) and repeats the process from step S4. In step S8, more specifically, the route search unit 23 searches for a route from the departure point to the destination other than the route candidates that have already been set, and sets one of the routes obtained by the search as a route candidate.

[0034] If there are no unset route candidates (step S7: No), the information processing unit 2 calculates a stop index for each route candidate (step S9). Specifically, the route search unit 23 calculates a stop index, which is an index related to the stop of the vehicle 1 on the route candidate, using at least one of the stop time and the number of stops of the vehicle 1 for each stored route candidate. The stop index is an index indicating the degree of stop of the vehicle 1 on each route candidate. The number of stops is the sum of a first number, which is the number of times the vehicle 1 stops due to the color of a traffic light (first stop), and a second number, which is the number of times the vehicle 1 stops due to traffic congestion (second stop). However, the number of stops is not limited to this, and the route search unit 23 may count the first number and the second number separately.

[0035] The stop index may be, for example, the number of stops of the vehicle 1 on the route candidate (the number of stop locations), the maximum value of the stop time at each stop location on the route candidate, the total value of the stop time on the route candidate, or a value obtained by weighting the first number of times and the second number of times. The stop index may also be an index calculated by combining the stop time and the number of times of stops, or may be other than these. For example, the stop index may be the number of stop locations on the route candidate where the stop time is equal to or greater than a certain value, i.e., the number of stops where the stop time is equal to or greater than a certain value. For example, the number of stops where the stop time is equal to or greater than a first time may be calculated as A. １ The number of times the stop time is equal to or longer than the second time, which is longer than the first time, is defined as A ２ The number of times the stop time is equal to or longer than the third time is defined as A ３ Toshi, w １ , w ２ , w ３ When w is a weighting coefficient and C is a stop index, C may be calculated by the following formula (1): C = w １ ・A １ +w ２ ・A ２ +w ３ ・A ３ ...(1)

[0036] For example, the above weighting factor w １ , w ２ , w ３ Wow １ <w ２ <w ３ By setting the value of C such that C=C, even if the number of stops is the same, the longer the stop time, the larger the value of C. The stop index is not limited to the above example. Note that, here, the stop index is defined so that the smaller the value, the better the evaluation value, but the stop index is not limited to this, and may be defined so that the larger the value, the better the evaluation value.

[0037] The stop index may further include the number of right turns and left turns. Because right turns and left turns increase the possibility that the vehicle 1 will stop, it is preferable to select a route that travels as straight as possible. For this reason, the stop index may be determined further based on the number of right turns and left turns, for example, by weighting the number of stops and the number of right turns and left turns described above to obtain the stop index, or by adding a term to the above formula (1) in which the number of right turns and left turns is multiplied by a weighting coefficient.

[0038] Furthermore, the stops of the vehicle 1 may be counted separately for stops in sections assumed to be unsafe and stops in other sections, and a stop index may be calculated based on the number of stops and the stop time. A weighting coefficient may be set higher for stops in sections assumed to be unsafe than for other sections. In this case, the map information may include, for example, the number of past crimes, as information for identifying sections assumed to be unsafe. For example, the stop index may be a result of a weighted addition of the number of stops in sections assumed to be unsafe and the number of stops in other sections. Alternatively, the stop index may be a result of a weighted addition of the maximum stop time in sections assumed to be unsafe and the maximum stop time in other sections. Furthermore, the stop index may be a result of a weighted addition of the number of stops in sections assumed to be unsafe and the number of stops in other sections, and the maximum stop time in sections assumed to be unsafe and the maximum stop time in other sections.

[0039] Furthermore, at intersections where traffic lights are installed, there is a possibility that the vehicle 1 will stop due to the traffic lights, so the number of intersections where traffic lights are installed may also be taken into consideration in the stop index. In other words, the stop index may be determined further based on the number of intersections where traffic lights are installed.

[0040] Next, the information processing unit 2 determines a route candidate to be selected as a route based on the stop index (step S10), and ends the processing. In step S10, specifically, the route search unit 23 determines a route candidate to be selected as a route using the stop index of each route candidate calculated in step S9. For example, the route search unit 23 determines the route candidate with the smallest stop index as the route to be selected. Alternatively, the route search unit 23 may determine a route candidate to be selected as a route from among route candidates with stop indexes equal to or less than a threshold value based on a selection criterion other than the stop index. The selection criterion may be the travel distance, the required time, or some other criterion. Note that if the stop index is defined such that the larger the value, the better the evaluation, the route search unit 23 may, for example, determine the route candidate with the largest stop index as the route to be selected.

[0041] As described above, the route search unit 23 may, for example, calculate the first stop count, which is the number of first stops, and the second stop count, which is the number of second stops, for a route candidate based on traffic congestion information and traffic light information, and determine a route for the vehicle 1 to travel from among the route candidates using the first stop count and the second stop count. For example, the route search unit 23 may determine, as the route for the vehicle 1, a route candidate for which the sum of the first stop count and the second stop count is the smallest. Furthermore, the route search unit 23 may, based on traffic congestion information and traffic light information, calculate the stop time for each location in the route candidate where either the first stop or the second stop occurs, and determine, from among the route candidates, a route for the vehicle 1 to travel using the calculated stop time. For example, the route search unit 23 may determine, as the route for the vehicle 1, a route candidate for which the maximum stop time is the smallest.

[0042] In the example described above, after route candidates are set by the route search process, a stop index for each route candidate is calculated, and the route candidate to be selected as a route is determined using the calculated stop index. However, this is not limited to this, and the stop index may also be taken into consideration in the route search process. Alternatively, conditions that reduce stop time may also be taken into consideration in the route search process. For example, in the Dijkstra algorithm or the Bellman-Ford algorithm, costs may be set so that the cost of edges where stops occur is increased, or the cost may be set so that the cost of edges increases as the stop time increases. Furthermore, costs may be set so that edges including intersections with traffic lights are increased, and costs may also be set so that edges where right and left turns occur are increased. When conditions that reduce stop indexes or stop time are taken into consideration in the route search process, this route search process is performed instead of step S3 shown in FIG. 2, and steps S4 to S10 do not need to be performed.

[0043] The route determination process described above is an example, and the route search unit 23 may, for example, calculate at least one of the number of stops and the stop time of the vehicle 1 on a candidate route based on traffic light information and congestion information, and determine a route using the calculated value; the specific content of the route determination method is not limited to the example described above.

[0044] In the above example, the process illustrated in FIG. 2 is performed regardless of the user's age. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The route search unit 23 may determine whether to determine a route using the process illustrated in FIG. 2 or using a conventional method depending on the user's age. For example, if the user's age is less than a threshold, the route may be determined using the process illustrated in FIG. 2 , and if the user's age is equal to or greater than the threshold, the route may be determined using the conventional method. Information indicating the user's age may be input by the reception unit 22 or estimated by the route search unit 23, for example. The information indicating the user's age may be the user's age itself or information indicating whether the user is a child or an adult. For example, the user may be photographed by a camera (not shown) provided in the vehicle 1, and the route search unit 23 may estimate the user's age by analyzing the photographed image.

[0045] 3 is a diagram showing an example of a route determined by the route determination method of this embodiment. Here, as an example, the number of stops is used as the route index. In the example shown in FIG. 3, traffic lights 51-1 to 51-7 are present around the departure point and destination, and congestion occurs at two congestion points 54-1 and 54-2. The departure time T ０ Assuming that the vehicle departs from the departure point at , and travels at a standard speed, the expected arrival time at traffic light 51-2 is T １ Let us assume that T １ In this case, the traffic light 51-2 is green (the green light is on). １ In this example, the traffic light 51-2 is green, so the vehicle 1 can go straight, turn right, or turn left at the intersection where the traffic light 51-2 is installed. In the example shown in FIG. 3, if the vehicle 1 goes straight through the traffic light 51-2, a traffic jam occurs at a traffic jam point 54-1. Furthermore, if the vehicle 1 turns right at the traffic light 51-2, the traffic light 51-1 indicates the estimated arrival time T ２ When the light is red at the intersection of the intersections ... ３ In this case, if the vehicle 1 turns right at the traffic light 51-2, the vehicle 1 will stop at the traffic light 51-1.

[0046] On the other hand, the traffic light 51-3 indicates the expected arrival time T ３Since the light is green at traffic light 51-4, vehicle 1 does not need to stop. Therefore, the route going straight through traffic light 51-2 and the route turning right at traffic light 51-2 have larger route indices than the route turning left at traffic light 51-2. Also, traffic lights 51-4, 51-5, and 51-6 are assumed to be green at the estimated time of vehicle 1's arrival at each of these lights, and traffic light 51-7 is assumed to be red at the estimated time of vehicle 1's arrival at traffic light 51-7. The route turning right at traffic light 51-3 has a congestion at congestion point 54-2, and the route turning right at the intersection between traffic lights 51-4 and 51-5 will have vehicle 1 stop because traffic light 51-7 is red. Furthermore, the route turning right at traffic light 51-4 has a stop sign 53 at intersection 52 without a traffic light, so a stop will be required. Therefore, if a stop sign is considered a stop, a stop will also be required on the route turning right at traffic light 51-4. From the above, in the example shown in Fig. 3, for example, route 60 shown by the dashed line is determined as the route of vehicle 1. Note that if a stop due to a temporary stop is not considered as a stop, a route that turns right at traffic light 51-4 may be determined as the route of vehicle 1. Fig. 3 shows the concept of the route determination method, and the situation on each route and the route determination results are not limited to the example shown in Fig. 3.

[0047] Although Fig. 1 illustrates an example in which the vehicle 1 performs the route determination process of this embodiment, the route determination process may be performed by a device separate from the vehicle. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a route determination system of this embodiment. The route determination system of this embodiment includes a vehicle 1a and an information processing device 7, and the route determination process is performed by the information processing device 7. Components having the same functions as those in the example shown in Fig. 1 are assigned the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0048] 4 is obtained by adding a route transmission unit 25 to the information processing unit 2 shown in FIG. 1 , and the vehicle 1a shown in FIG. 4 is obtained by removing the information processing unit 2 from the vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 1 and adding a transceiver unit 8 and a map information storage unit 9. In the route determination system shown in FIG. 4 , the self-location identification unit 5 outputs position information indicating the position of the vehicle 1a to the driving control unit 3 and the transceiver unit 8. The transceiver unit 8 transmits the position information to the information processing device 7. Note that if the position information is not used in the route search unit 23, the self-location identification unit 5 does not need to output the position information to the transceiver unit 8.

[0049] The route search unit 23 in the information processing device 7 shown in Fig. 4 performs a route determination process in the same manner as the route search unit 23 of the information processing unit 2 shown in Fig. 1, and outputs route information indicating the determined route to the route transmission unit 25. The route transmission unit 25 transmits the route information to the vehicle 1a.

[0050] The transmitter / receiver 8 of the vehicle 1a receives route information from the information processing device 7 and outputs the received route information to the driving control unit 3. The driving control unit 3 controls the driving of the vehicle 1a by controlling the driving mechanism 4 based on the route indicated by the route information received from the transmitter / receiver 8. For example, similar to the driving control unit 3 shown in FIG. 1 , the driving control unit 3 controls the driving mechanism 4 based on information acquired by a sensor (not shown), position information, and map information stored in the map information storage unit 9. The map information stored in the information storage unit 24 of the information processing device 7 and the map information stored in the map information storage unit 9 may be the same or different.

[0051] It should be noted that the division of functions between the vehicle and the information processing device is not limited to the example shown in Fig. 4. For example, in the example shown in Fig. 4, the reception unit 22 is provided in the information processing device 7, but the reception unit 22 may be provided in the vehicle 1a. In this case, the destination received by the reception unit 22 is transmitted to the information processing device 7 by the transmission / reception unit 8. The destination is received by a receiving unit (not shown) in the information processing device 7, and output by the receiving unit to the route search unit 23. Similarly, when the reception unit 22 receives input of a departure point, the departure point is transmitted to the information processing device 7.

[0052] Furthermore, in the examples shown in Figures 1 and 4, the vehicles 1 and 1a are autonomous vehicles, but this embodiment can also be applied to manually driven vehicles. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a manually driven vehicle according to this embodiment. Vehicle 1b shown in Figure 5 is a vehicle driven by a driver. As shown in Figure 5, vehicle 1b has the driving control unit 3 removed from vehicle 1 and is equipped with an information processing unit 2b instead of the information processing unit 2. Components having the same functions as those in the example shown in Figure 1 are given the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0053] The information processing unit 2b is the same as the information processing unit 2 shown in FIG. 1 except that a route display unit 26 is added to the information processing unit 2 shown in FIG. 1. The route search unit 23 of the information processing unit 2b performs a route determination process in the same manner as the route search unit 23 of the information processing unit 2 shown in FIG. 1, and outputs route information indicating the determined route to the route display unit 26. The route display unit 26 displays the route indicated by the route information. The route display unit 26 may display the route on a map. In this case, the route search unit 23 may read map information from the information storage unit 24 and pass it to the route display unit 26, or the route display unit 26 may read map information from the information storage unit 24 and display it as a map.

[0054] Note that, even when a manually driven vehicle is used, the information processing device 7 may perform the route determination process, similar to the example shown in Fig. 4. In this case, the vehicle is provided with a route display unit 26 instead of the driving control unit 3 of the vehicle 1a shown in Fig. 4, route information indicating the route determined by the information processing device 7 is received by the transceiver unit 8, and the route indicated by the route information is displayed by the route display unit 26.

[0055] Next, the hardware configuration of the information processing units 2, 2b and the information processing device 7 of this embodiment will be described. Each of the information processing units 2, 2b and the information processing device 7 of this embodiment functions as the information processing units 2, 2b and the information processing device 7 by executing a computer program, which is a computer program describing the processing in the information processing units 2, 2b, on a computer system. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a computer system that realizes the information processing units 2, 2b and the information processing device 7 of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, this computer system includes a control unit 101, an input unit 102, a storage unit 103, a display unit 104, a communication unit 105, and an output unit 106, which are connected via a system bus 107.

[0056] In FIG. 6 , the control unit 101 is a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes a program describing the processing performed by the information processing units 2 and 2b of this embodiment. The input unit 102 is composed of, for example, a keyboard, buttons, a mouse, and the like, and is used by a user of the computer system to input various information. The memory unit 103 includes various memories such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory) and a storage device such as a hard disk, and stores programs to be executed by the control unit 101, necessary data obtained during processing, and the like. The memory unit 103 is also used as a temporary storage area for programs. The control unit 101 and the memory unit 103 constitute, for example, a processing circuit. The processing circuit may be a single circuit or multiple circuits. The display unit 104 is composed of a display, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display Panel), and the like, and displays various screens to the user of the computer system. Note that a touch panel in which the input unit 102 and the display unit 104 are integrated may also be used. The communication unit 105 is a receiver and transmitter that perform communication processing. The output unit 106 is a speaker or the like. Note that Fig. 6 is an example, and the configuration of the computer system is not limited to the example of Fig. 6. For example, the output unit 106 does not have to be provided.

[0057] Here, an example of the operation of the computer system until the program of this embodiment is ready to be executed will be described. In the computer system having the above configuration, for example, the program is installed in storage unit 103 from a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM inserted in a CD (Compact Disc)-ROM drive or DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)-ROM drive (not shown). Then, when the program is executed, the program read from storage unit 103 is stored in the main storage area of ​​storage unit 103. In this state, control unit 101 executes the processes of information processing units 2, 2b and information processing device 7 of this embodiment in accordance with the program stored in storage unit 103.

[0058] In the above description, a program describing the processing in the information processing units 2 and 2b is provided using a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM as a recording medium, but this is not limited to this. Depending on the configuration of the computer system and the capacity of the program to be provided, for example, a program provided via a transmission medium such as the Internet via the communication unit 105 may be used.

[0059] The program of this embodiment, for example, causes a computer system that determines the route of vehicle 1 to perform a judgment process that determines, based on traffic light information and traffic congestion information, whether at least one of a first stop, in which vehicle 1 stops due to the color of a traffic light, and a second stop, in which vehicle 1 stops due to traffic congestion, will occur on a route candidate that is a candidate route from the boarding location of a user riding in vehicle 1 to the destination, and a step of determining the route that vehicle 1 will travel from among the route candidates using the judgment result of the judgment process.

[0060] The route search unit 23 shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5 is realized by the control unit 101 shown in FIG. 6 executing a program stored in the storage unit 103 shown in FIG. 6. The storage unit 103 is also used to realize the route search unit 23 shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5. The information acquisition unit 21 shown in FIG. 1 is realized by the communication unit 105 shown in FIG. 6. The information storage unit 24 is part of the storage unit 103. The reception unit 22 is realized by at least one of the input unit 102 and the communication unit 105. The route display unit 26 shown in FIG. 5 is realized by the display unit 104 shown in FIG. 6. The control unit 101 may be used to control the reception unit 22, the route display unit 26, and the information acquisition unit 21. The information processing units 2, 2b, and the information processing device 7 may be realized by multiple computer systems. Furthermore, for example, the information processing device 7 may be realized by a cloud computer system.

[0061] The driving control unit 3 shown in Figure 1 and the driving control unit 3 and map information storage unit 9 shown in Figure 4 are also each realized by a computer system. The driving control unit 3 shown in Figure 1 and the driving control unit 3 and map information storage unit 9 shown in Figure 4 are realized by a processing circuit composed of a control unit 101 and a storage unit 103 exemplified in Figure 7, for example. The driving control unit 3 and information processing unit 2 shown in Figure 1 may also be realized by a single computer system. When acquiring position information by GNSS positioning, the self-location identification unit 5 shown in Figures 1, 4, and 5 includes a GNSS antenna, and the position information is calculated by the above-mentioned control circuit using a signal received by the GNSS antenna.

[0062] As described above, in this embodiment, the information processing units 2, 2b and the information processing device 7 determine the route of the vehicle 1 so that the vehicle 1 does not stop as much as possible until it reaches the destination, thereby reducing the possibility that a user riding in the vehicle 1 will be involved in a crime when the vehicle 1 stops. In particular, when the vehicle 1 is an autonomous vehicle and the user riding in the vehicle 1 is a child, crime prevention measures for children are important, and the route determination method of this embodiment can reduce the possibility that the child will be involved in a crime.

[0063] Second Embodiment Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a route determination process in the information processing unit 2 of the second embodiment. The configuration of the vehicle 1 of this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. Components having the same functions as those of the first embodiment are assigned the same reference numerals as those of the first embodiment, and redundant explanations will be omitted. Below, the operation of this embodiment in the vehicle 1 having the configuration example shown in Figure 1 of the first embodiment will be described as an example, but the operation of this embodiment can also be applied to the configuration examples shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the first embodiment.

[0064] Steps S1 to S3 shown in FIG. 7 are the same as those shown in FIG. 2 of the first embodiment. After step S3, the information processing unit 2 determines whether the vehicle 1 will arrive at the destination before the set time (step S11). Specifically, the route search unit 23 determines whether the vehicle 1 will arrive at the destination before the set time if it travels along the currently set route candidate. The set time is the maximum allowable deviation from the target arrival time. For example, it may be the time when a predetermined time has elapsed from the target arrival time (first set time), i.e., the target arrival time plus a predetermined time, but is not limited to this. At least one of the target arrival time and the set time may be specified by the user. For example, at least one of the target arrival time and the set time may be set by the receiving unit 22 receiving input from the user. Alternatively, the target arrival time may be determined based on the straight-line distance from the departure point to the destination.

[0065] If the vehicle will arrive before the set time (Yes in step S11), the process from step S4 onward is carried out. If the vehicle will not arrive before the set time (No in step S11), the process from step S8 onward is carried out. Steps S4 to S10 are the same as those in the example shown in FIG. 2 of the first embodiment.

[0066] In the first embodiment, the route of the vehicle 1 is determined so that the vehicle 1 does not stop as much as possible until it reaches the destination, but this may result in the selection of a route that takes a long time to reach the destination. In the present embodiment, the information processing unit 2 excludes route candidates that will cause the vehicle 1 to arrive at the destination after the set time from the route candidates to be selected. That is, the information processing unit 2 determines a route so that the arrival time of the vehicle 1 at the destination is before the set time. Therefore, it is possible to determine a route so that the vehicle 1 arrives at the destination before the set time. Furthermore, by setting the set time based on the target arrival time specified by the user, it is possible to bring the arrival time of the vehicle 1 at the destination closer to the target arrival time desired by the user.

[0067] Alternatively, the set time may be set to a time (second set time) that is a predetermined time before the target arrival time, i.e., a time obtained by subtracting a predetermined time from the target arrival time. In this case, in step S11, it is determined whether the vehicle will arrive at the destination at or after the second set time. That is, the information processing unit 2 determines the route along which the vehicle 1 will travel so that the vehicle 1 arrives at the destination at or before the second set time. This prevents the user of the vehicle 1 from arriving too early and thus prevents the user from becoming involved in a crime while waiting. Alternatively, a first set time that is a predetermined time before the target arrival time and a second set time that is a predetermined time after the target arrival time may be set as the set time, and in step S11, it is determined whether the vehicle will arrive at the destination at or after the first set time and before the second set time.

[0068] The processing procedure shown in FIG. 7 is an example, and is not limited to this. The condition of arriving before a set time may be reflected in the route search process. For example, if the arrival time is after the set time, the cost may be set very high, making it difficult for the route to be searched as a route in the route search process. In other words, the route search unit 23 may determine a route such that the vehicle 1 arrives at the destination before the set time and the vehicle 1 does not stop as much as possible until the destination, and any specific processing may be performed. The operation of this embodiment other than that described above is the same as that of embodiment 1.

[0069] Third Embodiment Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a route determination process in the information processing unit 2 of a third embodiment. The configuration of the vehicle 1 of this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. Components having the same functions as those of the first embodiment are assigned the same reference numerals as those of the first embodiment, and redundant explanations will be omitted. Below, the operation of this embodiment in the vehicle 1 having the configuration example shown in Figure 1 of the first embodiment will be described as an example, but the operation of this embodiment can also be applied to the configuration examples shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the first embodiment.

[0070] Steps S1 to S3 shown in Fig. 8 are the same as those shown in Fig. 2 of the first embodiment. After step S3, the information processing unit 2 determines whether or not there is a section with a poor driving environment (step S12). In detail, the route search unit 23 determines whether or not there is a section with a poor driving environment in the route candidate being set, using map information stored in the information storage unit 24. A section with a poor driving environment is, for example, at least one of a section where car sickness is likely to occur, a section where the security situation is poor, a dark section, etc., but is not limited to these.

[0071] Sections where car sickness is likely to occur include at least one of sections with many curves, sections with sharp curves (curves with small curvature), sections with steep road gradients, and sections with large road irregularities. In this embodiment, information indicating these is included in the map information, and the route search unit 23 can determine sections where the information indicating these exceeds a threshold as sections where car sickness is likely to occur. Sections where security is likely to be low include at least one of sections where a high number of crimes have occurred in the past and sections identified as requiring caution on a crime prevention map. In this embodiment, the map information also includes information on crime occurrence status and various information on the crime prevention map, and the route search unit 23 determines whether a section is likely to be security-prone based on the map information. Similarly, the map information also includes information on the brightness of the surrounding area, and the route search unit 23 determines whether a section is dark based on the map information.

[0072] If there is no section with a bad driving environment (No in step S12), the process from step S4 onwards is carried out. If there is a section with a bad driving environment (Yes in step S12), the process from step S8 onwards is carried out. Steps S4 to S10 are the same as the example shown in FIG. 2 in the first embodiment. Also, as described in the first embodiment, the route search unit 23 may determine whether to carry out the process shown in FIG. 8 or normal processing depending on the age of the user.

[0073] In this embodiment, a route is determined that avoids sections with poor driving environments. For example, the route search unit 23 determines the route along which the vehicle 1 will travel based on at least one of the curvature of the road curves, the number of curves within a certain range, and the gradient of the road. This makes it possible to avoid sections where it is assumed that car sickness is likely to occur, and the user is less likely to become car sick while riding in the vehicle 1, allowing for a more comfortable ride, compared to when a route is set without taking into account sections where it is assumed that car sickness is likely to occur. In particular, children riding in the vehicle 1 may be prone to car sickness, and by determining a route that avoids sections where it is assumed that car sickness is likely to occur, it is possible to prevent children from becoming car sick.

[0074] Furthermore, driving control may also be performed to prevent children from getting carsick. For example, the driving control unit 3 may perform driving control such as avoiding sudden acceleration / deceleration, setting speed limits, and avoiding sudden steering. For example, driving control may be performed by setting limits so that at least one of the absolute value of acceleration, speed, and amount of change in steering operation is equal to or less than a threshold. Furthermore, with regard to driving control, whether or not to set limits on driving control may be determined depending on the age of the user.

[0075] In addition, the route search unit 23 may determine the route for the vehicle 1 to travel based on the crime occurrence situation, and by avoiding sections where the security situation is expected to be poor, the possibility of the user becoming involved in a crime can be reduced more than in embodiment 1.

[0076] Note that the processing procedure shown in FIG. 8 is an example, and is not limited to this. A condition of avoiding sections with poor driving environments may be reflected in the route search process. For example, the cost of sections with poor driving environments may be set very high, making them less likely to be searched as routes in the route search process. In other words, the route search unit 23 may determine a route that avoids sections with poor driving environments and minimizes vehicle 1 stops until reaching the destination, and any specific processing may be performed. The operation of this embodiment other than that described above is the same as that of embodiment 1.

[0077] It is also possible to combine the second embodiment with this embodiment. For example, step S12 may be added after step S11 shown in FIG.

[0078] The configurations shown in the above embodiments are merely examples, and may be combined with other known technologies, or different embodiments may be combined with each other. It is also possible to omit or modify parts of the configurations as long as they do not deviate from the gist of the invention.

[0079] 1, 1a, 1b Vehicle, 2, 2b Information processing unit, 3 Travel control unit, 4 Travel mechanism, 5 Self-location determination unit, 6 Information providing device, 7 Information processing device, 8 Transmitting / receiving unit, 9 Map information storage unit, 21 Information acquisition unit, 22 Reception unit, 23 Route search unit, 24 Information storage unit, 25 Route transmission unit, 26 Route display unit.

Claims

1. An information processing device comprising: a route search unit that performs a judgment process to judge whether or not at least one of a first stop, which is a stop of the vehicle due to the color of the traffic lights, and a second stop, which is a stop of the vehicle due to congestion, will occur in a route candidate that is a route candidate from a boarding location of a user boarding a vehicle to a destination, based on traffic light information indicating the timing of changing the color of traffic lights and traffic congestion information indicating the occurrence of congestion, and that determines a route for the vehicle to travel from among the route candidates using the judgment result from the judgment process.

2. The information processing device described in claim 1, characterized in that the route search unit calculates a first number of stops, which is the number of the first stop, and a second number of stops, which is the number of the second stop, in the route candidate based on the congestion information and the traffic light information, and determines a route for the vehicle to travel from among the route candidates using the first number of stops and the second number of stops.

3. The information processing device according to claim 2, characterized in that the route candidate for which the sum of the first number of stops and the second number of stops is the smallest is determined as the route along which the vehicle will travel.

4. An information processing device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the route search unit calculates a stop time for each location on the candidate route where either the first stop or the second stop occurs based on the congestion information and the traffic light information, and determines a route for the vehicle to travel from among the candidate route using the calculated stop time.

5. The information processing device according to claim 4, characterized in that the route candidate with the smallest maximum value of the stop time among the route candidates is determined as the route along which the vehicle will travel.

6. An information processing device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a route for the vehicle to travel is determined using a set time which is the earliest allowable arrival time of the vehicle to the destination or the latest allowable arrival time of the vehicle to the destination.

7. The information processing device described in claim 6, characterized in that the set time is a first set time that is a specified amount of time after a target arrival time specified by the user, and the route along which the vehicle will travel is determined so that the arrival time of the vehicle at the destination is before the first set time.

8. An information processing device as described in claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the set time is a second set time that is a specified time before the target arrival time specified by the user, and the route along which the vehicle will travel is determined so that the arrival time of the vehicle at the destination will be after the second set time.

9. An information processing device as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the route search unit further determines the route for the vehicle to travel based on at least one of the curvature of a curve on the road, the number of curves within a certain area, and the gradient of the road.

10. An information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the route search unit further determines the route along which the vehicle will travel based on the occurrence of crimes.

11. An information processing device comprising: a route search unit that calculates stop information, which is at least one of the stop time and the number of stops, on a candidate route from a boarding location of a user in a vehicle to a destination based on traffic light information indicating the timing of traffic light color change and congestion information indicating the occurrence of congestion, and determines a route for the vehicle using the calculated stop information.

12. A vehicle in which a user can ride, comprising: a route search unit that performs a judgment process to judge whether or not at least one of a first stop, which is a stop of the vehicle due to the color of the traffic lights, and a second stop, which is a stop of the vehicle due to congestion, will occur in a route candidate that is a route candidate from the boarding location of the user riding in the vehicle to a destination, based on traffic light information indicating the timing of traffic light color change and traffic congestion information indicating the occurrence of congestion, and that determines a route for the vehicle to travel from among the route candidates using the judgment result from the judgment process.

13. The vehicle according to claim 12, further comprising a driving control unit that performs automatic driving control of the vehicle based on the route determined by the route search unit.

14. A route determination method in an information processing device that determines a route for a vehicle, comprising: a step of performing a judgment process to determine whether or not at least one of a first stop, which is a stop of the vehicle due to the color of the traffic lights, and a second stop, which is a stop of the vehicle due to congestion, will occur in a route candidate that is a route candidate from a boarding location of a user boarding the vehicle to a destination, based on traffic light information indicating the timing of a change in traffic light color and traffic congestion information indicating the occurrence of congestion; and a step of determining a route for the vehicle to travel from among the route candidates using a judgment result from the judgment process.

15. A program for causing a computer system that determines a route for a vehicle to execute a judgment process that judges whether or not at least one of a first stop, which is a stop of the vehicle due to the color of a traffic light, and a second stop, which is a stop of the vehicle due to a traffic jam, will occur in a route candidate that is a route candidate from a boarding location of a user of the vehicle to a destination, based on traffic light information that indicates the timing of a traffic light color change and traffic congestion information that indicates the occurrence of traffic congestion, and a step of determining a route for the vehicle to travel from among the route candidates using the judgment result from the judgment process.

Images