Mobile Object Meeting Position Control Using User Location Probability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing car sharing systems using ultra-compact mobility vehicles face challenges in dynamically adjusting meeting positions between users and vehicles, especially in situations where pre-designated meeting points are impractical due to congestion or other factors.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus and mobile object system that acquires utterance and position information from users, specifies regions based on marks in the utterance, sets probability distributions for user locations based on movement directions, and presumes the user's location for dynamic meeting position adjustment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a predetermined meeting position is designated in advance for vehicle-user meeting, then the meeting position is fixed and easy to manage, but the system cannot adapt to congestion or dynamic conditions requiring position adjustment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to dynamic conditionsVSAvoidsystem complexity for position adjustment

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The meeting position is transformed from a fixed predetermined location to a dynamically adjustable position. The system allows the meeting position to change based on real-time conditions such as congestion, by acquiring updated position information from the user's communication device and recalculating the optimal meeting point during the approach phase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously acquiring position information from the user's communication device and using this information to adjust the meeting position. The vehicle's approach and the user's movement are monitored, and the meeting position is refined based on this feedback until the vehicle and user are in close proximity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of time

If the system waits for the user to arrive at a predetermined position, then the meeting point is stable, but time is lost due to congestion or user deviation from the designated position

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetime for user to reach meeting positionVSAvoidprecision of user position estimation

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by having the vehicle approach the user's current position or a calculated intermediate position before the final meeting point is determined. This allows the system to establish an initial meeting position based on available information and then refine it as the user and vehicle get closer, reducing overall waiting time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces traditional mechanical position-finding methods with electronic information processing. By using the communication device's position information and processing it through the information processing apparatus, the system can rapidly calculate and update meeting positions without physical surveying or complex coordination mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If the system uses detailed position tracking to accurately locate the user, then position precision is improved, but information processing complexity and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of user positionVSAvoidenergy for position information processing

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system leverages the multi-functionality of the communication device, which already performs position tracking for other purposes (navigation, mapping, etc.). By reusing the position information from the communication device's existing functions, the system obtains accurate user position data without requiring separate dedicated tracking hardware or additional energy-intensive processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The communication device serves itself by providing its own position information to the vehicle system. The device's built-in positioning capabilities automatically generate the data needed for meeting position calculation, eliminating the need for the vehicle to implement its own complex position tracking infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20250074472A1Information processing apparatus, mobile object, control method thereof, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2025.03.06 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

An information processing apparatus of the present invention acquires, from a communication device of a user, at least one of utterance information by the user and position information of the communication device, specifies a predetermined region according to a mark included in the utterance information; acquires a movement direction of the user from at least one of the utterance information and the position information acquired from the communication device of the user, and setting a probability distribution that the user exists to a divided region of the predetermined region based on the acquired movement direction of the user; and presumes the user based on the set probability distribution.