Information processing device, information processing method, and information processing program
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-13
Smart Images
Figure JP2026003477_13082026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Information Processing Apparatus, Information Processing Method, and Information Processing Program
[0001] The disclosed technology relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and an information processing program.
[0002] The damage of a tire is affected by the state of the road surface on which the vehicle having the tire is traveling. In view of this, a technology for acquiring the state of the road surface during the running of a vehicle is known (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-007616).
[0003] The technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-007616 can determine the presence or absence of an obstacle on the road surface and notify it.
[0004] However, in the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-007616, the size of the obstacle is not taken into consideration, and there is room for improvement in the notification content.
[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to provide an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and an information processing program that can output a notification according to the size of an obstacle that a vehicle has run over.
[0006] A first aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing apparatus including: an acquisition unit that acquires tire-related information regarding a tire of a vehicle during running; an estimation unit that estimates the size of an obstacle that the tire has run over from the tire-related information; and a notification unit that outputs a notification according to an estimation result by the estimation unit.
[0007] According to the information processing apparatus of the first aspect, a notification according to the size of an obstacle that a vehicle has run over can be output.
[0008] A second aspect of the present disclosure is the information processing apparatus of the first aspect, in which the tire-related information includes a value of the internal pressure of the tire, and the estimation unit estimates the size of the obstacle based on the magnitude of the change in the value of the internal pressure of the tire.
[0009] According to the information processing apparatus of the second aspect, the size of the obstacle can be estimated according to the actual situation.
[0010] A third aspect of this disclosure is an information processing device of any one of the first to second aspects, wherein the acquisition unit acquires information on the tire that has driven over the obstacle and stores it in a tire inspection list of candidates for tire inspection.
[0011] According to the information processing device of the third embodiment, a tire inspection list can be created.
[0012] A fourth aspect of this disclosure is an information processing device according to the third aspect, wherein the acquisition unit acquires the vehicle's location information together with the tire-related information and records the vehicle's location information when the tire that has driven over the obstacle.
[0013] According to the information processing device of the fourth embodiment, it is possible to obtain the position information of the vehicle when it runs over an obstacle.
[0014] A fifth aspect of this disclosure is an information processing device according to the fourth aspect, wherein the notification unit outputs the position indicated by the vehicle's position information when the tire on the obstacle drives over the obstacle as the position of the obstacle.
[0015] According to the information processing device of the fifth embodiment, the location of an obstacle can be determined.
[0016] A sixth aspect of this disclosure is an information processing device according to the fourth aspect, wherein the notification unit outputs a priority order for road surface maintenance based on the size of the obstacle estimated by the estimation unit.
[0017] According to the information processing device of the sixth embodiment, it is possible to grasp the priority order for road surface maintenance.
[0018] A seventh aspect of this disclosure is an information processing method comprising: acquiring tire-related information relating to the tires of a moving vehicle; estimating the size of an obstacle that the tires have driven over from the tire-related information; and outputting a notification according to the estimation result.
[0019] According to the information processing method of the seventh embodiment, a notification can be output according to the size of the obstacle that the vehicle has driven over.
[0020] An eighth aspect of this disclosure is an information processing program that acquires tire-related information relating to the tires of a moving vehicle, estimates the size of an obstacle that the tires have driven over from the tire-related information, and outputs a notification according to the estimation result.
[0021] According to the information processing program of the eighth embodiment, a notification can be output according to the size of the obstacle that the vehicle has driven over.
[0022] According to the disclosed technology, it is possible to output a notification based on the size of the obstacle the vehicle has driven over.
[0023] This diagram shows the overall configuration of the information processing device 10 and peripheral devices according to this embodiment. This block diagram shows the hardware configuration of the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment. This block diagram shows the functional configuration of the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment. This flowchart shows the inspection instruction processing of the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment. This flowchart shows the road surface maintenance instruction processing of the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment. This flowchart shows the warning processing of the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment. This flowchart shows the report processing of the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment.
[0024] An example of an embodiment of the disclosed technology will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, identical or equivalent components and parts are given the same reference numerals. Furthermore, the dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated for illustrative purposes and may differ from actual ratios.
[0025] The information processing device 10 according to this embodiment detects when a vehicle's tire has driven over an obstacle based on acquired tire-related information, estimates the size of the obstacle, and outputs notifications for each alert level based on the size of the obstacle. First, the overall configuration of the information processing device 10 and peripheral devices will be described.
[0026] Figure 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration including the information processing device 10 and vehicles 50 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the information processing system 1 of this embodiment is composed of the information processing device 10 and a plurality of vehicles 50. Each vehicle 50 is equipped with a communication device 25 and various sensors for acquiring tire-related information. The various sensors may include a plurality of TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems) 20 (details will be described later), a suspension sensor 27 for acquiring the pressure of the vehicle 50's suspension (not shown in Figure 1), an acceleration sensor, and a GPS sensor. The information processing device 10 according to this embodiment is wirelessly connected to the communication device 25 of each vehicle 50. In addition, the communication device 25 of the vehicle 50 is communicably connected to various sensors mounted on the vehicle 50. In this way, the information processing device 10 receives tire-related information regarding the tires of the vehicle 50 while it is in motion.
[0027] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 2, the information processing device 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, storage 14, an input / output I / F (Interface) 15, and a communication I / F 16. Each component is connected to the others via a bus 17 so as to be able to communicate with each other.
[0028] The CPU 11 is a central processing unit that executes various programs and controls various components. Specifically, the CPU 11 reads programs from the ROM 12 and executes them using the RAM 13 as a working area. The CPU 11 controls the above-mentioned components and performs various calculations according to the programs stored in the ROM 12. The CPU 11 is also responsible for processing each of the functional units shown in Figure 3.
[0029] The storage device, comprised of ROM 12, stores various programs, including the operating system, and various data. ROM 12 also stores processing programs for executing inspection instruction processing, road surface maintenance instruction processing, warning processing, and report processing, which will be described later.
[0030] The memory, comprised of RAM 13, temporarily stores programs and data as a working area.
[0031] The storage device 14 is composed of an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and an SSD (Solid State Drive), and stores various types of data. The storage device 14 also functions as the data storage unit 105 shown in Figure 3, and stores various types of information, such as tire-related information. The storage device 14 does not necessarily have to be built into the information processing device 10; for example, it may be a portable storage device that can be attached to or detached from the information processing device 10, or an external cloud server may be used as the storage device.
[0032] The input / output interface 15 is an interface for communicating with input and output devices located outside the information processing device 10. The input devices include pointing devices such as a mouse and a keyboard, and are used for various types of input. The output devices include, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electroluminescence) display, and are devices for outputting various types of information. The output devices may also function as input devices by employing a touch panel system. The output devices may also be equipped with speakers or other means for audio output. For example, if the information processing device 10 is installed in a vehicle 50, the output devices are used as monitors inside the vehicle. Also, if the information processing device 10 is installed in a train operation control room, the output devices are used as monitors inside the train operation control room.
[0033] The communication interface 16 is an interface for communicating with other devices outside the information processing device 10. For this communication, a wired communication standard such as Ethernet® or FDDI, or a wireless communication standard such as 4G, 5G, or Wi-Fi® may be used. For example, if the information processing device 10 is installed in the operation control room, the information processing device 10 communicates data with each vehicle 50 via a wireless line, which is an example of a communication line connected to the communication interface 16. Alternatively, if the information processing device 10 is installed in a vehicle 50, the information processing device 10 may communicate data with a server (not shown) installed in the operation control room via a wireless line connected to the communication interface 16, and display the internal pressure and temperature of each tire, as well as the suspension pressure, on a monitor installed in the operation control room.
[0034] The communication interface 16 also communicates wirelessly with the communication device 25 of the vehicle 50. The communication device 25 is installed in the vehicle 50 and communicates with the TPMS 20 and transmitter 28 (a device that transmits data acquired by the suspension sensor 27 of the vehicle 50) of each tire of the vehicle 50. Note that the communication device 25 installed in each vehicle 50 may include a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor 26. The GPS sensor 26 acquires the position information of the vehicle 50 and transmits it from the communication device 25 to the communication interface 16 of the information processing device 10. In addition, the TPMS 20 installed in each tire of the vehicle 50 includes at least a transmitter 23, a temperature sensor 21, and a pressure sensor 22. The transmitter 23 communicates with the communication device 25 of the vehicle 50. Specifically, the transmitter 23 transmits at least information on the temperature and pressure of the tires of the vehicle 50. Furthermore, measurements by the temperature sensor 21, pressure sensor 22, and suspension sensor 27 are performed continuously or at preset sampling intervals.
[0035] Referring to Figure 3, the functional configuration of the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in Figure 3, the information processing device 10 of this embodiment includes an acquisition unit 101, an estimation unit 102, and a notification unit 103. A data storage unit 105 is also provided in a predetermined storage area of the storage 14. The CPU 11 executes a processing program stored in the ROM 12 to function as the acquisition unit 101, estimation unit 102, and notification unit 103. The data storage unit 105 stores the settings for the obstacle size threshold and the obstacle size classification, which will be described later. The data storage unit 105 also stores various information acquired by the acquisition unit 101. In this embodiment, the collection of various information expressed as a "list" includes referring to a table on a so-called database. This database is stored, for example, in the data storage unit 105.
[0036] The acquisition unit 101 acquires tire-related information concerning the tires of the vehicle 50 while it is in motion. The acquisition of tire-related information is performed via the communication I / F 16 of the information processing device 10. The tire-related information includes at least the internal pressure value of the vehicle 50's tires and the suspension pressure value of the vehicle 50. The acquisition unit 101 acquires tire-related information from the TPMS 20 and suspension sensor 27, etc., which are installed in the vehicle 50. The reason why the acquisition unit 101 acquires tire-related information is that, for example, if the internal pressure of the tire acquired by the acquisition unit 101 becomes higher than the normal value, it can be inferred that the tire has run over an obstacle or the like. Also, for example, if the suspension pressure of the vehicle 50 acquired by the acquisition unit 101 becomes higher than the normal value, it can be inferred that the tire has run over an obstacle or the like. In other words, the acquisition unit 101 can acquire information on tires that have run over an obstacle. The acquisition unit 101 stores the acquired information in the tire central inspection list, which is a list of candidate tires for inspection.
[0037] The acquisition unit 101 also acquires the location information of the vehicle 50 along with the tire-related information mentioned above. The acquisition unit 101 acquires the location information when the location information acquired by the GPS sensor 26 installed in each vehicle 50 is transmitted from the communication device 25 to the communication I / F 16 of the information processing device 10. The acquisition unit 101 records the location information of the vehicle 50 when the tire that has driven over an obstacle in the road surface maintenance list, which is a list of candidate locations for maintaining the road surface on which the vehicle 50 is traveling.
[0038] The estimation unit 102 estimates the size of the obstacle that the tire has driven over based on tire-related information. The estimation unit 102 estimates the size of the obstacle based on the magnitude of the fluctuation of at least one of the values of the tire's internal pressure and the suspension pressure of the vehicle 50. For example, if the tire's internal pressure increases and the fluctuation from the steady state becomes large, the estimation unit 102 estimates the size of the obstacle to be large in direct proportion to the magnitude of that fluctuation. Similarly, for example, if the suspension pressure of the vehicle 50 increases and the fluctuation from the steady state becomes large, the estimation unit 102 estimates the size of the obstacle to be large in direct proportion to the magnitude of that fluctuation.
[0039] Furthermore, the estimation unit 102 may switch between using the tire pressure value or the suspension pressure value of the vehicle 50 as the tire-related information used to estimate the size of the obstacle, depending on the vehicle 50's travel speed. Specifically, the estimation unit 102 estimates the size of the obstacle using the tire pressure value when the vehicle 50's travel speed is slower than a predetermined speed, and estimates the size of the obstacle using the suspension pressure value of the vehicle 50 when the vehicle 50's travel speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined speed. This is because when the vehicle 50 is traveling at a high speed, tire deformation is less likely to occur, and this may not be reflected in the fluctuations of the tire pressure. In this way, by switching the tire-related information used in the estimation by the estimation unit 102 according to the vehicle 50's travel speed, the range in which the size of the obstacle can be estimated can be expanded, and the accuracy of the estimation can also be improved.
[0040] In this embodiment, the estimation method for the size of an obstacle in the estimation unit 102 is illustrated by calculating the size of the obstacle in direct proportion to the magnitude of fluctuations in the tire internal pressure value and the magnitude of fluctuations in the suspension pressure value of the vehicle 50, but the system is not limited to this. For example, machine learning can be used to train a model to learn the correlation between past fluctuations in the tire internal pressure value or the suspension pressure value of the vehicle 50 and the actual size of the obstacle as training data. Using this trained model, the current magnitude of fluctuations in each value can be input, and the size of the obstacle can be presented as output.
[0041] The notification unit 103 outputs a notification according to the estimation result by the estimation unit 102. For example, if the size of the obstacle estimated by the estimation unit 102 is greater than or equal to a first threshold, the notification unit 103 outputs an alert to the output device via the input / output I / F of the information processing device 10. Furthermore, when the notification unit 103 outputs an alert, it may differentiate the output content by leveling up according to the size of the obstacle estimated by the estimation unit 102. Specifically, if the size of the obstacle estimated by the estimation unit 102 falls under the predetermined classification of "small," which is smaller than a second threshold, the notification unit 103 outputs an alert indicating that it is level 1. Here, the second threshold is a value greater than the first threshold. Similarly, if the size of the obstacle estimated by the estimation unit 102 falls under the predetermined classification of "medium," which is greater than or equal to the second threshold and smaller than a third threshold, the notification unit 103 outputs an alert indicating that it is level 2. Here, the third threshold is a value greater than the second threshold. Similarly, the notification unit 103 outputs an alert indicating that the level is 3 if the size of the obstacle estimated by the estimation unit 102 falls under the predetermined classification of "large," which is equal to or greater than the third threshold. The output method and the content of the alert may be changed depending on the level.
[0042] The acquisition unit 101 also stores information on tires that have driven over obstacles (overridden tires) in a concentrated tire inspection list, which is a list of tires that are candidates for inspection. The concentrated tire inspection list is stored in the data storage unit 105. The concentrated tire inspection list contains information on overridden tires that should be inspected intensively in addition to the normal inspection during periodic tire inspections. If the notification unit 103 contains information on overridden tires in the concentrated tire inspection list, it outputs an instruction to inspect the tires in the list in addition to the normal inspection during periodic inspections. After the person in charge has performed the inspection, the inspection results are input to the notification unit 103 by the person in charge via the input / output I / F 15 of the information processing device 10. Based on the input inspection results, the notification unit 103 outputs the next course of action. The notification unit 103 updates the concentrated tire inspection list to add these series of inspection results and corresponding actions.
[0043] Further, when the information of the mounted tire is stored in the tire centralized inspection list, the notification unit 103 contacts the tire inspection person at the gas station and outputs an instruction to the vehicle 50 to head towards the gas station. In this embodiment, the case of contacting the tire inspection person at the gas station is exemplified and described. However, it is not limited to this. Not only when inspecting tires at a gas station, but also in accordance with any scene where tire inspection is performed, such as a vehicle maintenance shop, a tire shop, a specialized tire inspection department, or others, appropriate personnel may be contacted, or the vehicle may be guided to an appropriate location. After inspection at a gas station or the like, when it is determined by the tire inspection person or the like that detailed inspection is necessary and the determination result is input to the notification unit 103 via the input / output I / F 15 of the information processing device 10, the notification unit 103 contacts the tire manager at the tire shop and outputs an instruction to the vehicle 50 to head towards the tire shop. When the size of the obstacle estimated by the estimation unit 102 corresponds to the classification "large", the vehicle 50 may be directly instructed to contact the tire shop and head towards the tire shop without passing through a gas station or the like. After the detailed inspection at the tire shop, when it is determined by the tire manager or the like that the removal of the tire is necessary and the determination result is input to the notification unit 103 via the input / output I / F 15 of the information processing device 10, the notification unit 103 outputs an instruction for tire replacement. The notification unit 103 updates the tire centralized inspection list so as to append these series of inspection results, response results, and determination results to the list.
[0044] Further, the notification unit 103 outputs the position indicated by the position information of the vehicle 50 when the mounted tire rides over an obstacle as the position of the obstacle. For example, the notification unit 103 displays the position of the obstacle on the map of the navigation system shared among a plurality of vehicles 50. Also, the notification unit 103 stores the position information of the vehicle 50 when the mounted tire rides over an obstacle in a road surface maintenance list, which is a candidate for a place to maintain the road surface on which the vehicle 50 travels. When the position information is stored in the road surface maintenance list, the notification unit 103 outputs a contact to the responsible vehicle for road surface maintenance to maintain the road surface.
[0045] The road surface maintenance list stores the size and location information of obstacles estimated by the estimation unit 102, and also stores the priority order for road surface maintenance based on the size of the obstacles. The notification unit 103 outputs the priority order for road surface maintenance based on the size of the obstacles estimated by the estimation unit 102. For example, the larger the size of the obstacle, the higher the priority order for road surface maintenance is set. The notification unit 103 outputs instructions to the vehicle in charge of road surface maintenance to remove obstacles such as rocks from the road surface according to the priority order. The notification unit 103 also displays the priority order on the map of the navigation system shared among multiple vehicles 50. Specifically, as an example, the notification unit 103 displays obstacles in red on the map if they are 15 centimeters or larger, and in yellow if they are less than 15 centimeters, displaying them in different colors according to the priority order. The notification unit 103 may also display the size of the obstacle icons etc. displayed on the map in different sizes according to the priority order. The notification unit 103 updates the road surface maintenance list to add this series of location information and the results of road surface maintenance to the road surface maintenance list.
[0046] Furthermore, if the size of the obstacle estimated by the estimation unit 102 is greater than or equal to a first threshold, the notification unit 103 outputs an alert with a different level for each classification of obstacle size and outputs the location information of the obstacle to be added to the road surface maintenance list. The notification unit 103 also monitors whether the distance between the vehicle 50 and the location information of the obstacle is decreasing. If the vehicle 50 is approaching the obstacle at or above a predetermined fourth threshold, the notification unit 103 outputs a warning to the driver of the vehicle 50. In addition, when the notification unit 103 issues a warning, it is possible to pre-set how many alert levels for each classification of obstacle size will trigger a warning. Furthermore, in monitoring, for example, based on data learned of the mining route that the vehicle 50 travels, the distance may be calculated when the simple two-point distance between the vehicle 50 and the obstacle falls below a certain value, and the notification unit 103 may output a warning when the distance falls below a certain value.
[0047] Further, the notification unit 103 outputs an automatic report including inspection results, road surface maintenance results, image data from the in-vehicle camera images captured by the vehicle 50 that has passed through the position of the position information of the obstacle, and images of the scene of the fall of the falling object that becomes an obstacle. For example, the information processing device 10 acquires image data of obstacles and the like and road surface maintenance results captured during road surface maintenance, analyzes the images, and the estimation unit 102 further estimates the size of the obstacles. The information processing device 10 stores the estimated size data in addition to the image data, and the notification unit 103 automatically creates and outputs a report including the series of information. Also, for example, the information processing device 10 acquires the in-vehicle camera images of the vehicle 50 that has passed through the position of the position information of the obstacle stored in the road surface maintenance list, stores the image data of the obstacle, the estimation unit 102 analyzes the image to further estimate the size of the obstacle, and stores the size data in addition to the image. The notification unit 103 automatically creates and outputs a report including the series of information. Also, for example, the information processing device 10 acquires the in-vehicle camera images of the vehicle 50 that has passed through the position of the position information of the obstacle stored in the road surface maintenance list, stores the image data of the obstacle, determines whether it corresponds to the vehicle 50 that dropped the falling object that is the obstacle, and if it corresponds, saves the scene of the fall as an image and also saves the information, time, and location of the vehicle 50. The notification unit 103 automatically creates and outputs a report including the series of information.
[0048] Next, referring to FIGS. 4, 5, 6, and 7, the operation of the information processing device 10 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of inspection instruction processing. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of road surface maintenance instruction processing. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of attention arousal processing. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of report processing. In the CPU 11 of the information processing device 10, the inspection instruction processing shown in FIG. 4, the road surface maintenance instruction processing shown in FIG. 5, the attention arousal processing shown in FIG. 6, and the report processing shown in FIG. 7 are executed. Each process in the information processing device 10 is executed by the CPU 11 functioning as the acquisition unit 101, the estimation unit 102, and the notification unit 103. The information processing device 10 executes at least one of inspection instruction processing, road surface maintenance instruction processing, and attention arousal processing.
[0049] The inspection instruction process shown in Figure 4 will now be explained. In step S100 of Figure 4, the CPU 11 acquires tire-related information. As mentioned above, tire-related information includes the internal pressure of the vehicle 50's tires and the suspension pressure of the vehicle 50.
[0050] In step S102, the CPU 11 estimates the size of the obstacle. For example, the CPU 11 estimates the size of the obstacle in a manner that is directly proportional to the magnitude of the fluctuation in the suspension pressure value of the vehicle 50, which is acquired tire-related information. Alternatively, the CPU 11 estimates the size of the obstacle in a manner that is directly proportional to the magnitude of the fluctuation in the internal pressure value of the tire, which is acquired tire-related information. The CPU 11 may also estimate the size of the obstacle by considering the fluctuations of both the suspension pressure value and the internal pressure value of the tire.
[0051] In step S104, the CPU 11 determines whether the estimated size of the obstacle is greater than or equal to the first threshold. If the CPU 11 determines that the estimated size of the obstacle is greater than or equal to the first threshold (step S104: YES), the process proceeds to step S106. On the other hand, if the CPU 11 determines that the estimated size of the obstacle is not greater than or equal to the first threshold, i.e., less than the first threshold (step S104: NO), the process returns to step S100.
[0052] In step S106, the CPU 11 determines whether the size of the obstacle is classified as "small". If the CPU 11 determines that the size of the obstacle is classified as "small" (step S106: YES), the process proceeds to step S108. On the other hand, if the CPU 11 determines that the size of the obstacle is not classified as "small" (step S106: NO), the process proceeds to step S122.
[0053] In step S108, the CPU 11 outputs a level 1 alert indicating that the size of the obstacle is classified as "small". For example, it notifies that the vehicle has run over an obstacle that is small in size.
[0054] In step S110, the CPU 11 stores tire-related information in the tire centralized inspection list. As mentioned above, the tire centralized inspection list is a list that stores information on tires that should be inspected intensively in addition to the regular inspection during periodic tire inspections.
[0055] In step S112, the CPU 11 determines whether to instruct the inspection of the tires on the list during the periodic tire inspection. If the CPU 11 determines to instruct the inspection of the tires on the list (step S112: YES), the process proceeds to step S116. On the other hand, if the CPU 11 determines not to instruct the inspection of the tires on the list (step S112: NO), the process proceeds to step S114.
[0056] In step S114, the CPU 11 instructs only normal inspection.
[0057] In step S116, the CPU 11 instructs the inspection of the riding tires in the list during the normal inspection.
[0058] In step S118, the CPU 11 instructs the appropriate action based on the inspection results. For example, if the tires are damaged due to running over an obstacle, it instructs the system to repair them.
[0059] In step S120, the CPU 11 updates the tire central inspection list. Specifically, the CPU 11 updates the list to add the inspection results and corresponding results to the tire central inspection list.
[0060] In step S122, the CPU 11 determines whether the size of the obstacle is classified as "medium". If the CPU 11 determines that the size of the obstacle is classified as "medium" (step S122: YES), the process proceeds to step S124. On the other hand, if the CPU 11 determines that the size of the obstacle is not classified as "medium" (step S122: NO), the process proceeds to step S134.
[0061] In step S124, the CPU 11 outputs a level 2 alert indicating that the size of the obstacle is classified as "medium". For example, it notifies that the obstacle is of medium size and that the vehicle has run over it.
[0062] In step S126, the CPU 11 stores tire-related information in the centralized tire inspection list.
[0063] In step S128, CPU 11 contacts the person in charge of the initial tire check.
[0064] In step S130, as a process running in parallel with step S128, the CPU 11 instructs the vehicle 50 to go to the person in charge of the initial tire check.
[0065] In step S132, the CPU 11 determines whether a detailed inspection is necessary. Specifically, if a tire checker or the like determines that a detailed inspection is necessary, and the determination result is input from the input device via the input / output I / F 15 of the information processing device 10, the CPU 11 determines that a detailed inspection is necessary. If the CPU 11 determines that a detailed inspection is necessary (step S132: YES), the process proceeds to steps S140 and S142. On the other hand, if the CPU 11 determines that a detailed inspection is not necessary (step S132: NO), the process proceeds to step S120.
[0066] In step S134, the CPU 11 outputs a level 3 alert indicating that the size of the obstacle is classified as "large". For example, it notifies that the obstacle is large and has been driven over.
[0067] In step S136, the CPU 11 stores tire-related information in the centralized tire inspection list.
[0068] In step S138, CPU 11 contacts the tire manager at the tire shop.
[0069] In step S140, as a process running in parallel with step S138, the CPU 11 instructs the vehicle 50 to go to the tire shop.
[0070] In step S142, the CPU 11 determines whether or not tire removal is necessary after the detailed inspection. Specifically, if the tire manager or the like determines that the tire needs to be removed, and the determination result is input from the input device via the input / output I / F 15 of the information processing device 10, the CPU 11 determines that tire removal is necessary. If the CPU 11 determines that tire removal is necessary (step S142: YES), the process proceeds to step S144. On the other hand, if the CPU 11 determines that tire removal is not necessary (step S142: NO), the process proceeds to step S120.
[0071] In step S144, the CPU 11 instructs the system to change the tires.
[0072] The road surface maintenance instruction process shown in Figure 5 will now be explained. In step S200 of Figure 5, the CPU 11 acquires tire-related information.
[0073] In step S202, the CPU 11 estimates the size of the obstacle.
[0074] In step S204, the CPU 11 determines whether the estimated size of the obstacle is greater than or equal to the first threshold. If the CPU 11 determines that the estimated size of the obstacle is greater than or equal to the first threshold (step S204: YES), the process proceeds to step S206. On the other hand, if the CPU 11 determines that the estimated size of the obstacle is not greater than or equal to the first threshold, i.e., less than the first threshold (step S204: NO), the process returns to step S200.
[0075] In step S206, the CPU 11 determines whether the size of the obstacle is classified as "small". If the CPU 11 determines that the size of the obstacle is classified as "small" (step S206: YES), the process proceeds to step S208. On the other hand, if the CPU 11 determines that the size of the obstacle is not classified as "small" (step S206: NO), the process proceeds to step S210.
[0076] In step S208, the CPU 11 outputs a level 1 alert.
[0077] In step S210, the CPU 11 determines whether the size of the obstacle is classified as "medium". If the CPU 11 determines that the size of the obstacle is classified as "medium" (step S210: YES), the process proceeds to step S212. On the other hand, if the CPU 11 determines that the size of the obstacle is not classified as "medium" (step S210: NO), the process proceeds to step S214.
[0078] In step S212, the CPU 11 outputs a level 2 alert.
[0079] In step S214, the CPU 11 outputs a level 3 alert.
[0080] In step S216, the CPU 11 saves GPS information to the road surface maintenance list. Specifically, the CPU 11 stores the position information of the vehicle 50 when the tire that was driving over the obstacle into the road surface maintenance list, which is a list of candidate locations for road surface maintenance where the vehicle 50 is driving.
[0081] In step S218, the CPU 11 contacts the vehicle responsible for road surface maintenance.
[0082] In step S220, the CPU 11 instructs the assigned vehicle to remove obstacles such as rocks from the road surface according to priority.
[0083] In step S222, the CPU 11 updates the list. Specifically, the CPU 11 updates the list to add the location information of the vehicle 50 when it ran over the road and the results of the road surface maintenance to the road surface maintenance list.
[0084] The warning process shown in Figure 6 will now be explained. In step S300 of Figure 6, the CPU 11 acquires tire-related information.
[0085] In step S302, the CPU 11 estimates the size of the obstacle.
[0086] In step S304, the CPU 11 determines whether the estimated size of the obstacle is greater than or equal to the first threshold. If the CPU 11 determines that the estimated size of the obstacle is greater than or equal to the first threshold (step S304: YES), the process proceeds to step S306. On the other hand, if the CPU 11 determines that the estimated size of the obstacle is not greater than or equal to the first threshold, i.e., less than the first threshold (step S304: NO), the process returns to step S300.
[0087] In step S306, the CPU 11 determines whether the size of the obstacle is classified as "small". If the CPU 11 determines that the size of the obstacle is classified as "small" (step S306: YES), the process proceeds to step S308. On the other hand, if the CPU 11 determines that the size of the obstacle is not classified as "small" (step S306: NO), the process proceeds to step S310.
[0088] In step S308, the CPU 11 outputs a level 1 alert.
[0089] In step S310, the CPU 11 determines whether the size of the obstacle is classified as "medium". If the CPU 11 determines that the size of the obstacle is classified as "medium" (step S310: YES), the process proceeds to step S312. On the other hand, if the CPU 11 determines that the size of the obstacle is not classified as "medium" (step S310: NO), the process proceeds to step S314.
[0090] In step S312, the CPU 11 outputs a level 2 alert.
[0091] In step S314, the CPU 11 outputs a level 3 alert.
[0092] In step S316, the CPU 11 automatically adds the location information of obstacles such as fallen objects to the monitoring list. Specifically, the CPU 11 adds the location information of the vehicle 50 when the tire drives over the obstacle to the monitoring list as the location information of the obstacle.
[0093] In step S318, the CPU 11 monitors whether the distance between the vehicle 50 and the positional information of obstacles such as fallen objects is decreasing.
[0094] In step S320, the CPU 11 determines whether the vehicle 50 has approached an obstacle such as a fallen object beyond a threshold. If the CPU 11 determines that the vehicle 50 has approached the fallen object beyond a threshold (step S320: YES), the process proceeds to step S322. On the other hand, if the CPU 11 determines that the vehicle 50 has not approached the fallen object beyond a threshold (step S320: NO), the process proceeds to step S300.
[0095] In step S322, the CPU 11 outputs a warning to the driver of the vehicle 50. Specifically, the CPU 11 notifies the driver that the vehicle 50 is close to an obstacle and urges them to pay attention. If the vehicle 50 is an autonomous vehicle, the CPU 11 may notify the vehicle 50 that it is close to an obstacle and also control the direction and speed of the vehicle 50.
[0096] The report processing shown in Figure 7 will now be explained. In step S400 of Figure 7, the CPU 11 acquires tire-related information.
[0097] In step S402, the CPU 11 estimates the size of the obstacle.
[0098] In step S404, the CPU 11 determines whether the estimated size of the obstacle is greater than or equal to the first threshold. If the CPU 11 determines that the estimated size of the obstacle is greater than or equal to the first threshold (step S404: YES), the process proceeds to step S406. On the other hand, if the CPU 11 determines that the estimated size of the obstacle is not greater than or equal to the first threshold, i.e., less than the first threshold (step S404: NO), the process returns to step S400.
[0099] In step S406, the CPU 11 outputs an alert. As mentioned above, the alert may be divided into levels according to the size classification of the obstacle, and the content of the alert may be changed for each level.
[0100] In step S408, the CPU 11 stores tire-related information in the centralized tire inspection list.
[0101] In step S410, the CPU 11 obtains the inspection result.
[0102] In step S412, as a process running in parallel with step S408, the CPU 11 contacts the vehicle responsible for road surface maintenance.
[0103] In step S414, the CPU 11 acquires image data of obstacles and other objects captured during road surface maintenance.
[0104] In step S416, the CPU 11 obtains the road surface maintenance results.
[0105] In step S418, as a process in parallel with step S412, the CPU 11 automatically adds location information of obstacles such as falling objects to the list.
[0106] In step S420, the CPU 11 acquires onboard camera footage of a vehicle that subsequently passed the location in question.
[0107] In step S422, the CPU 11 saves the image data of the in-vehicle camera.
[0108] In step S424, the CPU 11 estimates the size of the obstacle by image analysis.
[0109] In step S426, the CPU 11 saves the image along with size data.
[0110] In step S428, as a process in parallel with step S420, the CPU 11 acquires the onboard camera image of the vehicle 50 that passed the location in front of it.
[0111] In step S430, the CPU 11 saves the image data of the in-vehicle camera.
[0112] In step S432, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the vehicle 50 that dropped the object is the vehicle 50 that dropped the object. If the CPU 11 determines that the vehicle 50 is the vehicle that dropped the object (step S432: YES), the process proceeds to step S434. On the other hand, if the CPU 11 determines that the vehicle is not the vehicle that dropped the object (step S432: NO), the process returns to step S428.
[0113] In step S434, the CPU 11 saves the fall scene as an image, and also saves vehicle information, time, and location.
[0114] In step S436, the CPU 11 outputs an automatic report. Specifically, the CPU 11 outputs an automatic report that includes inspection results, road surface maintenance results, image data from on-board camera footage captured by the vehicle 50 as it passed the location of the obstacle, and images of the scene where the falling object that constitutes the obstacle was dropped.
[0115] (Summary) As described above, the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment includes an acquisition unit 101 that acquires tire-related information about the tires of a moving vehicle 50, an estimation unit 102 that estimates the size of an obstacle that the tire has driven over from the tire-related information, and a notification unit 103 that outputs a notification according to the estimation result by the estimation unit 102. The information processing device 10 can output a notification according to the size of the obstacle that the vehicle 50 has driven over. To elaborate, since the output content from the information processing device 10 changes based on the size of the obstacle that the vehicle 50 has driven over, the tire damage can be checked according to the outputted instructions, simplifying the steps to determine tire damage. In addition, since the information used to estimate the size of the obstacle is switched according to the driving speed of the vehicle 50, it is possible to detect that the tire has driven over the obstacle and estimate the size of the obstacle even when the driving speed is high. Furthermore, since the position information of the tire that has driven over the obstacle is also acquired, the position of the obstacle can be identified, enabling efficient road surface maintenance. In addition, since the system instructs the tire that has driven over to inspect the tire, it is possible to prevent the tire from being damaged. Therefore, according to the information processing device 10 of this embodiment, the overall man-hours required for tire management can be reduced.
[0116] (Note) In addition, in the above embodiment, the processor described as CPU 11 refers to a processor in a broad sense, and includes general-purpose processors (e.g., CPUs) and dedicated processors (e.g., GPUs: Graphics Processing Units, ASICs: Application Specific Integrated Circuits, FPGAs: Field Programmable Gate Arrays, programmable logic devices, etc.).
[0117] Furthermore, the operation of the processor in the above embodiment may not be performed by a single processor, but may be performed by multiple processors located in physically separate locations working together. Also, the order of the processor's operations is not limited to the order described in the above embodiment, but may be changed as appropriate.
[0118] Furthermore, although the information processing system 1 in this embodiment is described as being composed of multiple devices as an example, it may also be composed of a single device that has some of the functions of multiple devices.
[0119] Furthermore, the processing performed by the information processing device 10 according to the above embodiment may be performed by software, by hardware, or by a combination of both. Also, the processing performed by the information processing device 10 may be stored as a program on a storage medium and distributed.
[0120] The information processing program of this application can be provided as a program product. A program product includes all forms of products for providing a program. For example, a program product includes a program provided via a network such as the Internet, and non-temporary computer-readable recording media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs on which the program is stored.
[0121] The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-017117 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
[0122] All documents, patent applications, and technical standards described herein are incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual document, patent application, and technical standard were specifically and individually noted to be incorporated by reference.
Claims
1. An information processing device comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires tire-related information concerning the tires of a vehicle in motion; an estimation unit that estimates the size of an obstacle that the tire has driven over from the suspension pressure value included in the tire-related information; and a notification unit that outputs a notification according to the estimation result by the estimation unit.
2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tire-related information further includes the internal pressure value of the tire, and the estimation unit estimates the size of the obstacle based on the magnitude of fluctuations in the internal pressure value of the tire and the suspension pressure value of the vehicle.
3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the estimation unit switches between using the tire-related information used to estimate the size of the obstacle as the internal pressure value of the tire or the suspension pressure value of the vehicle, depending on the vehicle's travel speed.
4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the estimation unit estimates the size of the obstacle using the internal pressure value of the tire when the vehicle's travel speed is slower than a predetermined speed, and estimates the size of the obstacle using the pressure value of the vehicle's suspension when the vehicle's travel speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined speed.
5. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the acquisition unit acquires information on the tire that has driven over the obstacle and stores it in a tire inspection list of candidates for tire inspection.
6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the acquisition unit acquires the vehicle's position information together with the tire-related information and records the vehicle's position information when the tire that has driven over the obstacle has driven over the obstacle.
7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the notification unit outputs the position indicated by the vehicle's position information when the tire that has driven onto the obstacle as the position of the obstacle.
8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the notification unit outputs a priority order for road surface maintenance based on the size of the obstacle estimated by the estimation unit.
9. An information processing method in which a computer performs the following steps: acquire tire-related information regarding the tires of a moving vehicle; estimate the size of an obstacle that the tire has driven over from the suspension pressure value included in the tire-related information; and output a notification according to the estimation result.
10. An information processing program that causes a computer to perform the following operations: acquire tire-related information regarding the tires of a moving vehicle; estimate the size of an obstacle that the tire has driven over from the suspension pressure value included in the tire-related information; and output a notification according to the estimation result.