Information processing method, information processing device, and program

Abstract

An information processing method according to the present disclosure is executed by an information processing system that manages the operation of at least one autonomous vehicle that travels in a specific area in which at least one target object is present. In this information processing method, operation information pertaining to autonomous vehicles in a specific area is acquired, a reference distance that changes on the basis of the operation information is defined for each of the autonomous vehicles, position information of a traveling autonomous vehicle is acquired, and, when the distance between the autonomous vehicle and a target object is equal to or less than the reference distance, the autonomous vehicle and the target object are coordinated.

Description

Information processing method, information processing device, and program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing method, an information processing device, and a program.

[0002] Conventionally, fleet management systems (FMS) that manage the operation of autonomous vehicles within specific areas such as public roads, factories, airports, and ports generate operation plans that take into account tasks and facility information, and the behavior and operation of autonomous vehicles are based on these plans. Therefore, it is necessary to operate multiple autonomous vehicles efficiently while coordinating the operation plans with infrastructure facilities.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which multiple autonomous vehicles are given identifiers and act as intermediaries, allowing them to communicate directly with other autonomous vehicles within a specified geographical proximity, thereby enabling information exchange between the autonomous vehicles.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a technology that determines an infrastructure-coordinated section where an onboard device and an infrastructure sensor operate in coordination, and starts or stops the coordination operation in the determined infrastructure-coordinated section, thereby providing vehicle driving assistance according to the installation status of the infrastructure sensor.

[0005] Japanese Patent No. 6742224 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-140531

[0006] In this situation, when linking an autonomous vehicle with infrastructure, it is desirable for them to communicate directly from the viewpoint of responsiveness in response to surrounding conditions and driving conditions, but there is a problem in that it is difficult to achieve consistency with other vehicles traveling in the vicinity and with operation plans. On the other hand, when issuing instructions from the FMS to an autonomous vehicle in response to information from the infrastructure, or issuing instructions to the infrastructure in response to an operation plan, there is a problem in that responsiveness is impaired. Therefore, there is room for improvement in terms of achieving both efficiency and responsiveness in the linking of autonomous vehicles with infrastructure and target objects such as cargo to be transported.

[0007] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above, and one of its objectives is to achieve both efficiency and responsiveness in cooperation between an autonomous vehicle and a target object.

[0008] An information processing method according to the present disclosure is an information processing method executed by an information processing system that manages the operation of at least one autonomous vehicle traveling in a specific area where at least one target object is present, the information processing method acquires operation information about the autonomous vehicles in the specific area, defines a reference distance for each autonomous vehicle that changes based on the operation information, acquires position information about the autonomous vehicle while traveling, and, when the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the target object becomes equal to or less than the reference distance, causes the autonomous vehicle and the target object to cooperate.

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to achieve both efficiency and responsiveness in cooperation between an autonomous vehicle and a target object. Note that the effects described herein are not necessarily limited to those described herein, and may be any of the effects described in this specification.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of an integrated management system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing device that realizes each function of each device included in the integrated management system according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of the flow of information processing executed by the integrated management system according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a coordinated section for each vehicle in the integrated management system according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an intermediation process executed by the fleet management system according to an embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a coordinated section creation process executed by the fleet management system according to an embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of coordinated section size information based on operation task importance according to an embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of connection information according to an embodiment. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a coordinated section update process executed by the fleet management system according to an embodiment. FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram illustrating another example of the flow of information processing executed by the fleet management system according to an embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of an application scenario of the integrated management system according to an embodiment. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating another example of an application scenario of the integrated management system according to an embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating another example of an application scenario of the integrated management system according to an embodiment.

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of an information processing method, an information processing device, an information processing system, a mobile object, a program, and a recording medium according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0012] In the description of the present disclosure, components having the same or substantially the same functions as those described above with respect to the previously-mentioned drawings may be given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof may be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, even when the same or substantially the same parts are shown, the dimensions and proportions may be different depending on the drawing. Furthermore, for example, in order to ensure the visibility of the drawings, reference numerals may be given to only the main components in the description of each drawing, and reference numerals may not be given to components having the same or substantially the same functions as those described above with respect to the previously-mentioned drawings.

[0013] In the description of the present disclosure, components having the same or substantially the same functions may be distinguished by adding alphanumeric characters and / or symbols to the end of the reference numeral. Alternatively, when multiple components having the same or substantially the same functions are not distinguished, they may be collectively described by omitting the alphanumeric characters and / or symbols added to the end of the reference numeral.

[0014] In the past, when it came to autonomous driving, specific autonomous vehicles were considered and used depending on the task at hand. Especially in limited areas where autonomous vehicles are used to advance business operations, there is a growing expectation that operations using multiple autonomous vehicles will improve efficiency. While physical coordination between vehicles is necessary in this type of operation, it is also necessary to manage multiple vehicle types and coordinate with different facilities.

[0015] However, when multiple models of autonomous vehicles are used, it is conceivable that different models of autonomous vehicles will coexist depending on their purpose (business). Furthermore, it is conceivable that the control signals and control methods will differ for each model. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the providers (operators) will be different. For this reason, when operating multiple models of autonomous vehicles, there is generally a problem in that each autonomous vehicle cannot be treated the same.

[0016] Therefore, the integrated management system according to the present disclosure is configured to be capable of executing an information processing method for converting the business operator's operations into transportation tasks in order to handle different operations and vehicle types in a unified manner, and for managing the autonomous driving of different vehicle types. More specifically, the integrated management system according to the present disclosure is configured to be capable of executing an information processing method for appropriately managing the operation of autonomous vehicles in cooperation with infrastructure facilities such as traffic lights and external target objects such as cargo to be transported.

[0017] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of an integrated management system 1 according to an embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the integrated management system 1 includes at least one vehicle 2, at least one facility 3, an operation system 4, and a fleet management system (FMS) 5.

[0018] Each of the at least one vehicle 2 is an example of a mobile body that performs various tasks, including autonomous driving (automated driving), related to various services such as delivery, security, cleaning, childcare, nursing care, sales, farm work, manufacturing, loading and unloading, transportation, and construction. For example, the vehicle 2 is a mobile body configured to be able to move autonomously and perform predetermined tasks. Note that the vehicle 2 may be configured to move and perform predetermined tasks according to remote instructions or remote operation from an operator or management system that monitors multiple vehicles 2, or direct operation by a driver.

[0019] Each of the at least one vehicle 2 may be, for example, a four-wheeled vehicle or a two-wheeled vehicle. Furthermore, each vehicle 2 may be, for example, an automatic guided vehicle (AGV), or any of various types of mobile objects such as construction machinery, agricultural machinery, or drones. Furthermore, these mobile objects are not limited to those that transport people, but may also transport objects other than people, or may provide a specific service other than transportation.

[0020] Each of the at least one facility 3 is a type of facility present in a specific area in which at least one vehicle 2 travels. Here, the specific area is a predetermined area in which at least one target object exists, such as a public road, a factory, an airport, or a port. The specific area is also a predetermined area for which the operation of the vehicle 2 (autonomous vehicle) traveling within the area is managed. Each of the at least one facility 3 may be infrastructure equipment such as a traffic light, automatic door, or gate, or equipment such as a baggage management system or an emergency vehicle terminal. In this embodiment, a traffic light (infrastructure equipment) at an intersection on the travel route of the vehicle 2 (autonomous vehicle) in a specific area (for example, an airport) is mainly used as an example.

[0021] The business system 4 is an information processing system operated by a business operator of a business provided by the operation of at least one vehicle 2, such as transporting luggage or people. The business system 4 transmits the business information it manages to the fleet management system 5. This business information includes, for example, a request for transporting luggage. As an example, the business information includes information indicating the luggage to be transported and information indicating the origin and destination of each luggage.

[0022] The fleet management system 5 is an information processing system operated by a business operator that manages different types of autonomous vehicles. The fleet management system 5 is communicatively connected to the business system 4 via any telecommunications line (network). The fleet management system 5 is also communicatively connected to each of at least one vehicle 2 via any telecommunications line (network). The fleet management system 5 is also communicatively connected to each of at least one facility 3 via any telecommunications line (network).

[0023] The fleet management system 5 includes an operation management unit 51 , a vehicle management unit 52 , a map information management unit 53 , map data 54 , infrastructure information 55 , a cooperative section management unit 56 , a cooperative section determination unit 57 , and a connection information generation unit 58 .

[0024] The operation management unit 51 acquires business information from the business system 4, map information from the map information management unit 53, and vehicle information from the vehicle management unit 52. The map information from the map information management unit 53 may be information on route candidates. Furthermore, the operation management unit 51 converts the business operator's business into travel tasks based on the business information, map information, and vehicle information, and creates an operation plan for the vehicle 2. Furthermore, the operation management unit 51 provides operation instructions in accordance with the created operation plan to the vehicle management unit 52. Furthermore, the operation management unit 51 provides operation information in accordance with the created operation plan to the cooperative section management unit 56.

[0025] The vehicle management unit 52 acquires operation instructions from the operation management unit 51, map and coordinate definition information from the map information management unit 53, and vehicle information and vehicle position information from each of the at least one vehicle 2. The vehicle management unit 52 manages the operation of the at least one vehicle 2 in a specific area based on the operation instructions, map and coordinate definition information, vehicle information, and vehicle position information. The vehicle management unit 52 supplies the vehicle information of each of the at least one vehicle 2 to the operation management unit 51. The vehicle management unit 52 also supplies the vehicle position information of each of the at least one vehicle 2 targeted by the operation instructions to the cooperative section determination unit 57.

[0026] Here, the vehicle information includes, for example, camera images and vehicle body information mounted on the vehicle 2. This vehicle body information may include sensor information from a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) system such as a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), radar, sonar, or GPS (Global Positioning System) attached to the vehicle 2, as well as sensing information such as target information, position information, and map information processed from the sensor information.

[0027] The map information management unit 53 manages map data 54 and infrastructure information 55. The map information management unit 53 acquires map and coordinate definition information stored in the map data 54 and infrastructure information stored in the infrastructure information 55. The map information management unit 53 supplies the map and coordinate definition information or map information based on the map and coordinate definition information to the operation management unit 51. The map information management unit 53 also supplies the map and coordinate definition information to the vehicle management unit 52. The map information management unit 53 also supplies the infrastructure information to the cooperative section management unit 56.

[0028] The map data 54 is a database that stores map and coordinate definition information. The map and coordinate definition information may be coordinate information that defines the positions of roads and structures in a specific area.

[0029] The infrastructure information 55 is a database that stores information indicating the location information and role of each of at least one facility. The infrastructure information 55 is communicably connected to each of at least one facility 3 via any telecommunications line (network). Furthermore, the infrastructure information 55 acquires the status of each facility 3 through communication with each of at least one facility 3 and updates the infrastructure information.

[0030] The coordinated section management unit 56 acquires operation information according to the operation plan from the operation management unit 51 and infrastructure information from the map information management unit 53. Based on the operation information and infrastructure information, the coordinated section management unit 56 generates a coordinated section for each vehicle 2 for at least one vehicle 2 included in the operation information. Here, the coordinated section is a range in which the distance between the vehicle 2 and the facility 3 (target object) is equal to or less than a reference distance, and defines the range in which the vehicles 2 are coordinated. This reference distance varies based on the operation information and is defined for each vehicle 2. As an example, the coordinated section management unit 56 generates a coordinated section for each vehicle 2, the size of which is based on coordinated section size information (see FIG. 7 ). The coordinated section size information may be predetermined and held by the coordinated section management unit 56 or stored in an internal memory of the fleet management system 5. The coordinated section management unit 56 supplies section information indicating the coordinated section to the coordinated section determination unit 57.

[0031] Here, the operation information supplied from the operation management unit 51 to the cooperative section management unit 56 is information including, for example, business task information, operation plan information, and authentication information. The business task information includes information on task objectives such as flight arrival, flight departure, pick-up, drop-off, and return. The business task information also includes information on task importance such as the priority and urgency of the object to be transported, and the priority of the task itself. The operation plan information includes route information, destination, and distance to the destination. The operation plan information also includes object-side position information and object role information. The authentication information includes information on vehicle type and vehicle passage authority. The authentication information also includes object identification information. Note that these pieces of information are merely examples and can be changed as appropriate.

[0032] The cooperative section determination unit 57 acquires section information from the cooperative section management unit 56 and vehicle position information for at least one vehicle 2 that is the target of an operation instruction from the vehicle management unit 52. The cooperative section determination unit 57 determines whether the vehicle 2 has entered a cooperative section based on the section information and the vehicle position information. The cooperative section determination unit 57 supplies the determination result to the connection information generation unit 58.

[0033] The connection information generation unit 58 acquires the determination result of whether the vehicle 2 has entered the coordinated section from the coordinated section determination unit 57. When the vehicle 2 has entered the coordinated section, the connection information generation unit 58 generates connection information (see FIG. 8 ) for each of the vehicle 2 and facility 3 in question. This connection information is information used to determine the consistency of the connection request. The connection information generation unit 58 supplies the connection information to each of the vehicle 2 and facility 3 in question.

[0034] 2 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing device that realizes the functions of each device included in the integrated management system 1 according to the embodiment. The information processing device 8 is a computer that performs overall control of the operation of each device included in the integrated management system 1.

[0035] The information processing device 8 that realizes each function of the vehicle 2 may be a computer such as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) provided inside the vehicle 2, a DCU (Domain Control Unit) such as a CDC (Cockpit Domain Controller) that integrates multiple ECUs, or an OBU (On Board Unit).

[0036] As shown in FIG. 2, the information processing device 8 includes a processor 81, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 82, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 83, and a device I / F (interface) unit 84.

[0037] The processor 81 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), but in addition to or instead of a CPU, at least one of various processors such as a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) can be used as appropriate. Here, the processor 81 according to the embodiment is an example of at least one processor in the information processing device 8.

[0038] As an example, the processor 81 of the fleet management system 5 executes a program stored in the ROM 82, for example, to realize the functions of the operation management unit 51, vehicle management unit 52, map information management unit 53, cooperative section management unit 56, cooperative section determination unit 57, and connection information generation unit 58 illustrated in Fig. 1. Note that the example in Fig. 1 illustrates only the functions necessary for explaining the main parts of the embodiment, but the functions possessed by each device included in the integrated management system 1 are not limited to these.

[0039] In the embodiment, the processor 81 executes a program stored in the ROM 82 to realize each function of each device, including the functions of each of the above-mentioned parts. However, this is not limited to this, and some or all of these functions may be realized by dedicated hardware circuits. Furthermore, in each device of the integrated management system 1, two or more functions may be integrated and realized as a single function. Similarly, in each device of the integrated management system 1, one function may be divided and realized as two or more functions. Furthermore, in the integrated management system 1, the functions of two or more devices may be integrated and realized as at least one function of any of the devices. Similarly, in the integrated management system 1, the function of one device may be divided and realized as two or more functions of two or more devices.

[0040] The ROM 82 is a non-volatile memory and an auxiliary storage device that stores various information including programs executed by the processor 81. The memory of the information processing device 8 is not limited to the ROM 82, and various recording media and storage devices such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), and flash memory can be used as appropriate. The RAM 83 is a volatile memory that has a working area for the processor 81 and serves as a main storage device. Here, the ROM 82 and RAM 83 according to the embodiment are an example of at least one memory in the information processing device 8. The device I / F unit 84 is an interface for connecting each device included in the integrated management system 1 to other devices of the information processing device 8, such as a communication device (not shown), a display device (not shown), and an input device (not shown).

[0041] Next, an example of the operation of the integrated management system 1 configured as described above will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the operation procedures and processing flow described below are merely examples, and it is possible to change the order of steps, delete some steps, and add other steps as desired.

[0042] FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the flow of information processing executed by the integrated management system 1 according to the embodiment.

[0043] The fleet management system 5 acquires infrastructure information for at least one facility 3 and operation information for at least one vehicle 2 (S101). Based on the acquired operation information and infrastructure information, the fleet management system 5 generates a coordinated section for each of the at least one vehicle 2 included in the operation information (S102). Furthermore, when each of the at least one vehicle 2 starts traveling (S103), it transmits vehicle information to the fleet management system 5, for example, at a predetermined interval (S104). The fleet management system 5 acquires vehicle information from each vehicle 2 (S105) and determines whether each vehicle 2 has entered a coordinated section based on the section information indicating the coordinated section for each vehicle 2 and the vehicle position information for each vehicle 2 (S106). If the fleet management system 5 determines that a vehicle 2 has entered a coordinated section, it generates connection information (S107) and transmits the generated connection information to the corresponding vehicle 2 and facility 3 (S108). Furthermore, each of the vehicle 2 and the facility 3 receives connection information from the fleet management system 5 (S109 to S110).

[0044] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of coordinated sections 601, 602 for each vehicle 2 in the integrated management system 1 according to the embodiment. Fig. 4 illustrates an intersection of a crossroads where a first travel path 701 and a second travel path 702 intersect. Fig. 4 illustrates a first traffic light 3-1 for the first travel path 701 and a second traffic light 3-2 for the second travel path 702, which are provided at the intersection of the crossroads. Fig. 4 also illustrates a first vehicle 2-1 traveling on the first travel path 701 toward the intersection, and a second vehicle 2-2 traveling on the second travel path 702 toward the intersection.

[0045] In the example of Figure 4, the fleet management system 5 generates a coordinated section 601 for the first vehicle 2-1 based on infrastructure information about the first traffic light 3-1 and operation information about the first vehicle 2-1. Similarly, the fleet management system 5 generates a coordinated section 602 for the second vehicle 2-2 based on infrastructure information about the second traffic light 3-2 and operation information about the second vehicle 2-2. Here, it is assumed that the priority of the first vehicle 2-1 is set higher than the priority of the second vehicle 2-2 in the operation information. In this case, as illustrated in Figure 4, the coordinated section 601 for the first vehicle 2-1 is generated to be larger than the coordinated section 602 for the second vehicle 2-2.

[0046] In the example of FIG. 4 , even if the second vehicle 2-2 enters the coordinated section 601 of the first vehicle 2-1, the fleet management system 5 does not generate connection information and does not enable cooperation. On the other hand, when the second vehicle 2-2 enters the coordinated section 602, the fleet management system 5 generates connection information and enables cooperation. Similarly, when the second vehicle 2-2 enters the coordinated section 602, the fleet management system 5 generates connection information and enables cooperation. When the first vehicle 2-1 enters the coordinated section 601 of the first vehicle 2-1, the fleet management system 5 generates connection information and enables cooperation. This allows the prioritized vehicle to take control (request right) first from a position farther from the traffic light.

[0047] The vehicle 2 that receives the connection information, i.e., the vehicle 2 that has the request right, transmits a connection request to the facility 3, which is the target object (S111a). Here, the connection request is a request for control rights over the target object. The facility 3 that receives this determines the consistency of the connection information (S112a), and if the connection information is consistent, transmits connection acceptance information to the vehicle 2 that transmitted the connection request, thereby establishing a connection with the vehicle 2 (S113a). In other words, the vehicle 2 that receives the connection information establishes communication with the facility 3 (target object) based on the connection information.

[0048] Upon receiving the connection acceptance information, the vehicle 2 cooperates with the target object by transmitting a state change request to the target object (S114). Here, the state change request is a request to change the state of the target object. For example, the state change request may request a traffic light on the vehicle's path to change to a state that allows the vehicle to pass (e.g., green). Upon receiving the state change request from the vehicle 2 (S115), the facility 3 determines whether or not to permit a state change in accordance with the state change request (S116). If the state change is permitted, the facility 3 changes the state in accordance with the state change request (S117). After changing the state in accordance with the state change request, the facility 3 transmits state information indicating the changed state to the vehicle 2 that transmitted the state change request (S118a). Furthermore, the vehicle 2 receives state information from the facility 3 in response to the state change request (S119a).

[0049] An example of the operation of the integrated management system 1 according to the embodiment will be described in more detail below.

[0050] 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the flow of an intermediation process executed by the fleet management system 5 according to the embodiment. The flow in FIG. 5 illustrates information processing executed on the side of the fleet management system 5 in the information processing in FIG. 3 .

[0051] The coordinated section management unit 56 acquires infrastructure information from the map information management unit 53 (S201). The coordinated section management unit 56 also acquires operation information for all vehicles 2 (S202) and executes a process for creating coordinated sections for each vehicle 2 (see FIG. 6) based on the operation information and infrastructure information (S203). Here, all vehicles 2 for which coordinated sections are to be created are, for example, all vehicles 2 included in the operation information, but are not limited to this. The coordinated section management unit 56 may acquire vehicle information from, for example, the vehicle management unit 52, and create coordinated sections for other vehicles 2.

[0052] The processes of S201 to S203 are executed, for example, before an operation plan that defines the operation information is implemented. Then, while the operation plan is being implemented, the following processes of S204 to S206 are repeatedly executed for each of all vehicles 2 that are running. Here, the vehicles 2 that are the targets of the processes of S204 to S206 are, for example, all vehicles 2 that are running and are included in the operation information, but are not limited to this. For example, similar processes may be executed for vehicles 2 that are included in the operation information and have not yet started running.

[0053] The coordinated section determination unit 57 acquires vehicle information (S204) and determines whether each vehicle 2 has entered its respective coordinated section (S205). If the vehicle 2 has not entered a coordinated section (S205: No), the flow in FIG. 5 returns to the processing of S204 for each vehicle 2 currently in motion, and ends for each vehicle 2 that has finished traveling. The processing of S204 to S206 ends. On the other hand, if the vehicle 2 has entered a coordinated section (S205: Yes), the connection information generation unit 58 generates and transmits connection information for each of the vehicle 2 and facility 3 in question (S206). Thereafter, the flow in FIG. 5 returns to the processing of S204 for each vehicle 2 currently in motion, and ends for each vehicle 2 that has finished traveling.

[0054] Note that the processes of S201 to S203 before the operation plan is implemented and the processes of S204 to S206 during the operation plan is implemented may be executed as a series of steps, or may be executed separately at different times.

[0055] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the flow of a cooperative section creation process executed by the fleet management system 5 according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 illustrates the cooperative section creation process (S203 in FIG. 5) for any one vehicle 2. The cooperative section management unit 56 extracts facilities 3 located on the route of the vehicle 2 based on operation information and infrastructure information (S301). If there are no facilities 3 on the route of the vehicle 2 (S302: No), the flow in FIG. 6 ends and returns to the flow in FIG. 5. On the other hand, if there is at least one facility 3 on the route of the vehicle 2 (S302: Yes), the cooperative section management unit 56 determines the operational task importance based on the business task information included in the operation information (S303). Furthermore, the cooperative section management unit 56 creates cooperative sections of a size corresponding to the operational task importance for all facilities 3 on the route of the vehicle 2 based on the cooperative section size information 61 (S304). After cooperative sections have been created for all facilities 3 on the route of the vehicle 2, the flow in FIG. 6 ends and returns to the flow in FIG. 5.

[0056] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of cooperative section size information 61 based on operation task importance according to an embodiment. As an example, the cooperative section size information 61, as shown in FIG. 7 , is information indicating a predetermined relationship between the type, importance, and cooperative section size of an operation task. In the example of FIG. 7 , the task type "VIP boarding" is associated with an importance level of "5" and a cooperative section size of "200 m." The task type "priority transport" is associated with an importance level of "4" and a cooperative section size of "150 m." The task type "transport traveling" is associated with an importance level of "3" and a cooperative section size of "80 m." The task type "empty vehicle dispatching" is associated with an importance level of "2" and a cooperative section size of "50 m." The task type "returning after task completion" is associated with an importance level of "1" and a cooperative section size of "30 m." 7 is an example, and the items and correspondences thereof can be changed as appropriate. Here, the cooperative interval size (size of the cooperative interval) corresponds to the length of the reference distance.

[0057] The size of the cooperative section may be defined, for example, using the number of sections (number of waypoints) on the graph data. The size of the cooperative section may also be defined, for example, using the distance or number of sections on the route of the vehicle 2. The size of the cooperative section may also be defined using the arrival time to the facility 3 based on the vehicle 2's traveling speed or planned traveling speed. The size of the cooperative section may also be defined using an area of ​​a predetermined shape. This area of ​​a predetermined shape may be an area defined by multiple vertices, or may be an area defined by a shape that can be represented on a map, such as a circle or an ellipse. The cooperative section may be defined not only in the coordinate system of the map information (specific area), but also in a moving coordinate system centered on the vehicle 2.

[0058] The size of the cooperation section may also vary depending on the vehicle type, traveling speed or planned traveling speed, and available lanes of the vehicle 2. The size of the cooperation section may be infinite for emergency vehicles and vehicles with emergency tasks. In other words, emergency vehicles and vehicles with emergency tasks may be able to connect at all times (always be able to cooperate).

[0059] Furthermore, multiple coordination sections may be created for one vehicle 2. In other words, multiple reference distances may be defined for one vehicle 2. For example, two coordination sections may be created for one vehicle 2, with the larger section (first reference distance) being the advance request acceptance range in which a request (connection request) is accepted in advance, and the smaller section (second reference distance) being the range in which operation is started (connection is established) in accordance with the request. Furthermore, coordination sections are created for each vehicle 2, for example, but may also be created for each vehicle type or task type of vehicle 2, each driving speed or planned driving speed (for example, a 20 km / h coordination section and a 5 km / h coordination section), or each available lane.

[0060] Furthermore, the object of cooperation may be between vehicle 2 and another vehicle 2, or between an operator's fleet management system (FMS) and equipment 3.

[0061] Furthermore, connections for acquiring signal information, rather than requests, may be possible regardless of the cooperative section.

[0062] 8 is a diagram showing an example of connection information 63 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8 , the connection information 63 may include command content 631, an issuance time 632, an expiration time 633, and a hash 634. For example, in the fleet management system 5, the connection information generation unit 58 generates a command to be issued and adds a hash 634 using its own private key. The vehicle 2 then transmits the connection information to the facility 3 at a desired timing. The facility 3 that receives the connection information determines the consistency of the connection information 63 using the certificate (public key) of the fleet management system 5.

[0063] In this way, the integrated management system 1 according to this embodiment is configured to mediate between the vehicle 2 (autonomous vehicle) and the facility 3 (target object) using the coordination section generated for each vehicle 2. Specifically, the integrated management system 1 according to this embodiment defines a reference distance for each vehicle 2 that changes based on operation information as the coordination section. Furthermore, the integrated management system 1 according to this embodiment coordinates the vehicle 2 with the target object when the distance between the vehicle 2 and the target object becomes equal to or less than the reference distance, i.e., when the vehicle 2 enters the coordination section.

[0064] This configuration allows for direct coordination between autonomous vehicles and infrastructure facilities while maintaining consistency with other vehicles traveling in the vicinity and with operation plans. Therefore, the integrated management system 1 according to this embodiment allows for proper management of autonomous vehicle operations by coordinating with facilities 3, such as traffic lights, and external objects, such as cargo to be transported. In other words, the integrated management system 1 according to this embodiment allows for both efficiency and responsiveness in the coordination between autonomous vehicles and target objects.

[0065] Furthermore, according to the above configuration, when the vehicle 2 and the target object cooperate with each other, the final decision regarding driving is made by the vehicle 2 and the target object, thereby ensuring safety.

[0066] Furthermore, with the above configuration, it is possible to apply the integrated management system 1 according to the present disclosure while applying existing connection and management methods for vehicles and target objects operated by other businesses.

[0067] Other embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below. Note that in the following description of each embodiment, differences will be mainly described, and descriptions of content that overlaps with the above-described content will be omitted as appropriate.

[0068] Second Embodiment In the integrated management system 1 according to the above-described embodiment, it may be possible to determine whether the coordinated section needs to be updated and dynamically change the coordinated section depending on the situation of the vehicle 2 .

[0069] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the cooperative section update process executed by the fleet management system 5 according to the embodiment.

[0070] The coordinated section management unit 56 acquires infrastructure information (S401). The coordinated section management unit 56 also acquires operation information and vehicle information (S402) and determines whether the coordinated section needs to be updated based on the operation information, infrastructure information, and vehicle information (S403). For example, the coordinated section management unit 56 may determine that the coordinated section needs to be updated when the operation information is updated, such as when a new vehicle 2 is added to the operation plan or when the vehicle 2's business operations are changed. For example, when the coordinated section management unit 56 determines that the coordinated section needs to be updated (S403: Yes), it generates a coordinated section for each of at least one vehicle 2 to be updated (S404). When it determines that the coordinated section does not need to be updated (S403: No), or after updating the coordinated section in the process of S404, the flow of FIG. 9 ends.

[0071] 9 may be executed separately from the flow of Fig. 5, or may be executed in the processing of S201 to S203 before the operation plan is implemented in Fig. 5, or may be executed in the processing of S204 to S206 during the operation plan is implemented, or may be executed in both of these. For example, in the flow of Fig. 5, the cooperative section management unit 56 may acquire vehicle information from the vehicle management unit 52, and may determine whether the cooperative section needs to be updated based on the operation information, infrastructure information, and vehicle information.

[0072] With this configuration, the cooperative section can be dynamically changed depending on the situation of vehicle 2, thereby enabling direct linkage between autonomous vehicles and infrastructure facilities while maintaining consistency with current operation information.

[0073] Third Embodiment In the integrated management system 1 according to the above-described embodiment, the connection subject that transmits the connection request may be the facility 3 side.

[0074] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing another example of the flow of information processing executed by the fleet management system 5 according to the embodiment. Here, differences from the flow shown in FIG. 3 will be mainly described. The facility 3 that received the connection information transmits a connection request to the vehicle 2 that has entered the coordinated section (S111b). The vehicle 2 that received the connection information determines the consistency of the connection information (S112b). If the connection information is consistent, the vehicle 2 transmits connection acceptance information to the facility 3 that transmitted the connection request, thereby establishing a connection with the facility 3 (S113b). In other words, the vehicle 2 that received the connection information establishes communication with the facility 3 (target object) based on the connection information. The facility 3 that received the connection acceptance information transmits status information to the vehicle 2 that transmitted the connection acceptance information (S118b). After receiving the status information from the facility 3 (S119b), the vehicle 2 executes the processes of S114 to S119a.

[0075] The process of S118b in which the equipment 3 that has received the connection acceptance information transmits the status information prior to receiving the status change request is not an essential configuration and may not be executed. Alternatively, in the flow of FIG. 3, the configuration may be such that the status information is transmitted prior to receiving the status change request.

[0076] The connection entity that sends the connection request may be both the vehicle 2 and the facility 3, or may be configured to send a connection request when a connection request has not been received, and return an error when a connection request is received after it has been sent. Also, whether the connection entity that sends the connection request is the vehicle 2 or the facility 3 may differ for each vehicle 2 or each facility 3.

[0077] Even with this configuration, the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

[0078] Application examples of the present disclosure will be described below.

[0079] (First Application Example) Fig. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of an application scene of the integrated management system 1 according to the embodiment. Fig. 11 illustrates a state, following the state in Fig. 4 , in which a first vehicle 2-1 traveling toward an intersection on a first travel path 701 enters the coordinated section 601, and a second vehicle 2-2 traveling toward the intersection on a second travel path 702 is waiting to enter the coordinated section 602. Fig. 11 also illustrates a state in which a third vehicle 2-3 is traveling toward the intersection on the second travel path 702 that competes with the first travel path 701 on which the first vehicle 2-1 is traveling, and a fourth vehicle 2-4 is waiting to enter the coordinated section 602.

[0080] As illustrated in FIG. 11 , there may be multiple vehicles 2 corresponding to the same facility 3 status, such as a second vehicle 2-2 and a third vehicle 2-3 in the same lane, or a fourth vehicle 2-4 in the opposite lane. In such cases, coordination that takes into account overall priority and traffic smoothness may be more effective than coordination based solely on priority, which grants the right of connection to the first vehicle 2-1 with a higher priority. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 11 , even in a situation where the first vehicle 2-1 with a higher priority is granted the right of connection, if there are multiple vehicles 2 competing on the second travel path 702, it may be better to allow these multiple vehicles to pass first. This also depends on the level of urgency of the first vehicle 2-1, since, for example, even in the same situation, it may be desirable to give priority to an ambulance regardless of the number of vehicles in the competing lane.

[0081] Therefore, the integrated management system 1 of the present disclosure may be configured to have multiple cooperative sections for one vehicle 2. In other words, the integrated management system 1 of the present disclosure may define multiple reference distances. In this case, a larger cooperative section may be the range in which a pre-request is accepted, and a smaller cooperative section may be the range in which operation is started (actual connection is permitted) in accordance with the request. This configuration makes it possible to set a grace period before the start of operation. Therefore, it is possible to set priorities and define a grace period before implementation as being within a temporally defined section.

[0082] Furthermore, the integrated management system 1 of the present disclosure may be configured in the above configuration to further include a vehicle count section for each vehicle 2 in addition to the cooperative section. In this case, when a vehicle 2 enters an operation start range (cooperative section), the integrated management system 1 of the present disclosure may determine whether to allow connection based on the number of vehicles in the vehicle count section. The number of vehicles may be the number of vehicles approaching the same facility 3 in the own lane and the competing lane. Note that the vehicle count section can be created in the same manner as the cooperative section described above. Furthermore, in the vehicle count section, the own vehicle lane count and the competing lane count may be separately provided, and the determination may be made based on these counts. Furthermore, the criteria for the number of vehicles to be counted may differ based on the task urgency of the primary vehicle 2. Note that the vehicle count may take into account information about the dwell time. Furthermore, the vehicle count may be weighted toward either the own vehicle lane or the competing lane. With this configuration, the priority can be dynamically changed depending on the number of vehicles in the competing lanes before entering the operation start range.

[0083] (Second Application Example) For example, there may be cases where manually driven vehicles or vehicles not under the management of the fleet management system 5 exist. In the case of manually driven vehicles, the route and operation plan of the manually driven vehicles are unknown, and therefore the fleet management system 5 may not be able to accurately grasp facilities such as conflicting traffic lights. For example, there may be cases where the fleet management system 5 does not know whether the manually driven vehicle will follow a straight-through signal or a right-turn signal.

[0084] Therefore, when only counting, the integrated management system 1 of the present disclosure may simply count vehicles 2 in the same lane, and may proportionally count vehicles 2 according to possible routes. Furthermore, when requests are also submitted from manually driven vehicles, the fleet management system 5 in the integrated management system 1 of the present disclosure may also manage manually driven vehicles. When the fleet management system 5 is capable of managing the operation of manually driven vehicles, it can define the cooperative section as in the above-described embodiments. The fleet management system 5 may change the cooperative section in advance depending on the vehicle type, such as whether the vehicle is manually driven. Furthermore, in cases where there are vehicles not managed by the fleet management system 5, the integrated management system 1 of the present disclosure may hypothesize a cooperative section between a specified manually driven vehicle and equipment 3, and set an appropriate section for this hypothetical cooperative section as the cooperative section for the autonomous vehicle. Furthermore, when the manually driven vehicle is a vehicle with a high level of urgency, for example, the integrated management system 1 of the present disclosure may set a section smaller than the predetermined cooperative section for the manually driven vehicle as the cooperative section for the autonomous vehicle. With this configuration, even if there are manually driven vehicles or vehicles not under the management of the fleet management system 5, the operation of the autonomous vehicles can be properly managed by linking with external objects such as equipment 3 such as traffic lights and cargo to be transported.

[0085] (Third Application Example) For example, if the first vehicle 2-1 and the second vehicle 2-2 do not interfere with each other, it is not necessary to consider priority, and therefore appropriate section settings are required to prevent unnecessary cooperation. Here, consider a case where the cooperative section 601 of the first vehicle 2-1 is longer than the cooperative section 602 of the second vehicle 2-2. Also, let "time A" be the time it takes for the first vehicle 2-1 to reach the intersection. Also, let "time B" be the time it takes for the second vehicle 2-2 to reach the intersection. Also, let "time C" be the time it takes for the vehicle 2 to pass the intersection and for the state of the equipment 3 to switch. In this case, if the relationship (time A - time B) > time C is satisfied, the first vehicle 2-1 and the second vehicle 2-2 will not interfere with each other.

[0086] Therefore, the integrated management system 1 of the present disclosure may set the cooperative section so that the difference between the maximum section and the minimum section is equal to or less than "time C." This prevents a situation in which the second vehicle 2-2 is forced to wait even though there is no impact (interference), thereby realizing smooth operation.

[0087] (Fourth Application Example) Fig. 12 is a diagram showing another example of an application scene of the integrated management system 1 according to the embodiment. Fig. 12 illustrates a case where a cooperative section is defined depending on road conditions. Fig. 12 illustrates a first vehicle 2-1 traveling toward an intersection on a first travel path 701, and a second vehicle 2-2 traveling toward the intersection on a second travel path 702. In the example of Fig. 12, the second travel path 702 is a priority road, and the vehicle 2-2 traveling on the second travel path 702 has priority over the vehicle 2-1 traveling on the first travel path 701 in terms of permission to connect to the facility 3.

[0088] In such a case, the integrated management system 1 of the present disclosure may define cooperative sections 601a, 602a that are advantageous to the priority road side. For example, the integrated management system 1 of the present disclosure may define cooperative sections that are elliptical and extend along the priority road, i.e., whose major axis is aligned with the priority road, as shown in Fig. 12. With this configuration, traffic management that takes priority roads into consideration can be realized by defining the cooperative sections.

[0089] (Fifth Application Example) FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating another example of an application scenario of the integrated management system 1 according to the embodiment. FIG. 13 illustrates a case in which a cooperative section is defined based on road conditions. FIG. 13 illustrates a first vehicle 2-1 traveling on a first travel path 701 toward an intersection and a second vehicle 2-2 traveling on a second travel path 702 toward the intersection. FIG. 13 illustrates a T-junction in which a second travel path 702, such as a side road, connects to the first travel path 701 on the main road from the side. Note that this is not limited to T-junctions, and the same can be applied to merging intersections. With regard to permission to connect to facility 3, vehicle 2-1 traveling on the first travel path 701 is given priority over vehicle 2-2 traveling on the second travel path 702. This priority may be based on the priority between the travel paths or on the traffic volume.

[0090] In such a case, the integrated management system 1 of the present disclosure may define cooperative sections 601b, 602b that are advantageous to the main road travel path side. For example, as shown in Fig. 13, the integrated management system 1 of the present disclosure may define cooperative sections that are elliptical in shape extending along each of the first main road travel path 701 and the second side road travel path 702, i.e., elliptical in shape with the major axis extending along each travel path, and that are larger on the main road side. This configuration makes it possible to realize traffic management that takes into account the roads that are prioritized by defining cooperative sections.

[0091] The above-described embodiments, modifications, and application examples can be combined in any manner.

[0092] In the above-described embodiment, the determination of "whether it is A or not" may be realized by determining only that it is A, by determining only that it is not A, or by determining both of these.

[0093] In the above embodiment, "any of A" means "at least one of A."

[0094] In addition, the programs executed by each device of the integrated management system 1 according to the above-described embodiment may be provided by being recorded in an installable or executable format on a non-transitory recording medium that is readable by a computer, such as a CD-ROM, FD, CD-R, or DVD.

[0095] The programs executed by each device in the integrated management system 1 according to the above-described embodiment may be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and provided by being downloaded via the network. The programs executed by each device in the integrated management system 1 according to the above-described embodiment may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

[0096] Furthermore, the programs executed by the respective devices of the integrated management system 1 according to the above-described embodiment may be provided by being pre-installed in a ROM or the like.

[0097] According to at least one of the embodiments described above, it is possible to achieve both efficiency and responsiveness in cooperation between an autonomous vehicle and a target object.

[0098] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the above-described embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These novel embodiments and modifications thereof are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims.

[0099] (Additional Notes) The above embodiments disclose the following technologies. (1) An information processing method executed by an information processing system that manages the operation of at least one autonomous vehicle traveling in a specific area where at least one target object is present, the information processing method comprising: acquiring operation information about the autonomous vehicle in the specific area; defining a reference distance for each autonomous vehicle that changes based on the operation information; acquiring position information of the autonomous vehicle while traveling; and causing the autonomous vehicle and the target object to cooperate when the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the target object becomes less than or equal to the reference distance. (2) The information processing method described in (1) above, acquiring infrastructure information including position information of each of the at least one target object in the specific area; extracting the target objects located on a route for the autonomous vehicle based on the operation information; and defining the reference distance when any of the target objects is on the route. (3) The information processing method described in (1) or (2) above, wherein the operation information includes information on task types of the autonomous vehicle, and defining the reference distance as a length that is pre-associated with the task type information. (4) The information processing method according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein, when the operation information is updated, the reference distance is updated. (5) The information processing method according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein, when the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the target object becomes equal to or less than the reference distance, connection information is transmitted to each of the autonomous vehicle and the target object, the autonomous vehicle and the target object having received the connection information respectively establish communication based on the connection information, and the autonomous vehicle cooperates with the target object with which communication has been established by transmitting a state change request to the target object, requesting a change in state.(6) The information processing method described in (5) above, wherein the autonomously driven vehicle that receives the connection information transmits a connection request based on the connection information to the target object, and the target object that receives the connection information determines the consistency of the connection request based on the connection information, and establishes communication with the autonomously driven vehicle that transmitted the connection request if the connection information and the connection request are consistent. (7) The information processing method described in (5) above, wherein the target object that receives the connection information transmits a connection request based on the connection information to the autonomously driven vehicle, and the autonomously driven vehicle that receives the connection information determines the consistency of the connection request based on the connection information, and establishes communication with the target object that transmitted the connection request if the connection information and the connection request are consistent. (8) The information processing method described in (6) or (7) above, wherein two or more reference distances are defined for each autonomously driven vehicle, and the two or more reference distances include a first reference distance for accepting a connection request based on the connection information, and a second reference distance that is shorter than the first reference distance for establishing a connection in accordance with the connection request. (9) An information processing device (autonomous driving vehicle) that travels in a specific area where at least one target object exists, is configured to be able to communicate with an information processing system that manages the operation of the vehicle, receives connection information transmitted from the information processing system when the distance to the target object becomes equal to or less than a reference distance defined for the vehicle based on operation information regarding the vehicle in the specific area, establishes communication with the target object based on the connection information, and cooperates with the target object by transmitting a state change request to the target object with which communication has been established, requesting a change in state.(10) A program causing a computer of an information processing system that manages the operation of at least one autonomously driven vehicle traveling in a specific area where at least one target object is present to perform the following: acquire operation information about the autonomously driven vehicle in the specific area, define a reference distance for each autonomously driven vehicle that changes based on the operation information, acquire position information of the autonomously driven vehicle while traveling, and, when the distance between the autonomously driven vehicle and the target object becomes less than or equal to the reference distance, cause the autonomously driven vehicle and the target object to cooperate. (11) An information processing device comprising: at least one processor and at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor executes the information processing method described in any one of (1) to (8) above by executing a program stored in the at least one memory. (12) A program, or a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium having the program stored thereon, that causes a computer to execute the information processing method described in any one of (1) to (8) above.

[0100] 1 Integrated management system 2 Vehicle 2-1 First vehicle 2-2 Second vehicle 2-3 Third vehicle 2-4 Fourth vehicle 3 Equipment 3-1 First traffic light 3-2 Second traffic light 4 Business system 5 Fleet management system 51 Operation management unit 52 Vehicle management unit 53 Map information management unit 54 Map data 55 Infrastructure information 56 Cooperative section management unit 57 Cooperative section determination unit 58 Connection information generation unit 601, 601a, 601b First cooperative section 602, 602a, 602b Second cooperative section 61 Cooperative section size information 63 Connection information 701 First driving path 702 Second driving path 8 Information processing device 81 Processor 82 ROM 83 RAM 84 Device I / F unit

Claims

1. An information processing method executed by an information processing system that manages the operation of at least one autonomous vehicle traveling in a specific area where at least one target object exists, the information processing method comprising: acquiring operation information regarding the autonomous vehicle in the specific area; defining a reference distance for each autonomous vehicle that changes based on the operation information; acquiring position information for the autonomous vehicle while traveling; and coordinating the autonomous vehicle and the target object when the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the target object becomes less than the reference distance.

2. The information processing method of claim 1, further comprising: acquiring infrastructure information including location information of each of the at least one target object in the specific area; extracting the target objects located on the route of the autonomous vehicle based on the operation information; and defining the reference distance if any of the target objects is located on the route.

3. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the operation information includes information on a task type of the autonomously driven vehicle, and the reference distance is defined as a length that is pre-associated with the task type information.

4. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the reference distance is updated when the operation information is updated.

5. The information processing method described in claim 1, wherein when the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the target object becomes less than the reference distance, connection information is transmitted to each of the autonomous vehicle and the target object, and the autonomous vehicle and the target object that have received the connection information establish communication based on the connection information, and the autonomous vehicle cooperates with the target object with which communication has been established by transmitting a state change request to the target object requesting a change in state.

6. The information processing method described in claim 5, wherein the autonomous vehicle that receives the connection information transmits a connection request based on the connection information to the target object, and the target object that receives the connection information determines the consistency of the connection request based on the connection information, and if the connection information and the connection request are consistent, establishes communication with the autonomous vehicle that transmitted the connection request.

7. The information processing method described in claim 5, wherein the target object that receives the connection information transmits a connection request based on the connection information to the autonomous vehicle, and the autonomous vehicle that receives the connection information determines the consistency of the connection request based on the connection information, and if the connection information and the connection request are consistent, establishes communication with the target object that transmitted the connection request.

8. The information processing method of claim 5, wherein two or more reference distances are defined for each of the autonomously driven vehicles, and the two or more reference distances include a first reference distance for accepting a connection request based on the connection information, and a second reference distance smaller than the first reference distance for establishing a connection in accordance with the connection request.

9. An information processing device that travels in a specific area where at least one target object exists, is configured to be able to communicate with an information processing system that manages the operation of its own vehicle, receives connection information transmitted from the information processing system when the distance to the target object falls below a reference distance defined for its own vehicle based on operation information regarding its own vehicle in the specific area, establishes communication with the target object based on the connection information, and cooperates with the target object by transmitting a state change request to the target object with which communication has been established, requesting a change in state.

10. A program that causes a computer of an information processing system that manages the operation of at least one autonomous vehicle traveling in a specific area where at least one target object exists to perform the following operations: acquire operation information regarding the autonomous vehicle in the specific area; define a reference distance for each autonomous vehicle that changes based on the operation information; acquire location information for the autonomous vehicle while traveling; and, when the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the target object becomes less than the reference distance, coordinate the autonomous vehicle and the target object.

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