JP7552736B2 - SERVER DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SERVER DEVICE - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a server device, a system, a control method for a server device, and a storage medium.

Technology exists that provides information that takes into account the influence of users within a group.

For example, the information provision device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a group formation unit, a point calculation unit, and an item selection unit. The group formation unit acquires location information of subjects, which are users or terminal devices, and forms a group including multiple subjects based on time-series data of location information related to the multiple subjects. The point calculation unit calculates, for each of the multiple subjects included in the group formed by the group formation unit, a characteristic behavior amount indicating the degree to which the subject in the group matches a predetermined behavior pattern that is considered to have a high influence, based on the time-series data of the location information. The point calculation unit calculates points for each subject based on the characteristic behavior amount. The item selection unit selects items to be presented to the group so as to give priority to subjects with high points calculated by the point calculation unit.

International Publication No. 2017/038177

For elderly people in depopulated areas, chatting with acquaintances who share common hobbies and interests is one of their greatest pleasures. Groups are formed for the purpose of such chatting. If the group is provided with products related to the common hobbies, the enjoyment of the group members is further increased. For example, if a group that likes sweets such as cakes is provided with cakes, group chatting becomes even more enjoyable.

However, in depopulated areas, the number of stores offering services and products is limited, and many of the group members are elderly, making it difficult to deliver products and other items that are suitable for group members. Such problems cannot be solved by the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1. With the technology in Patent Document 1, items that are suitable for influential people in the group are selected, so it is not possible to increase the satisfaction of each member of the group.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a server device, a system, a control method for a server device, and a storage medium that contribute to improving the satisfaction of members who form a group.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a server device is provided that includes a detection unit that detects a group consisting of a plurality of people, a calculation unit that calculates attributes of the detected group, and a control unit that controls a service vehicle that travels around a specified area and is capable of providing at least one type of service or product, and the control unit dispatches the service vehicle according to the calculated attributes of the group to the group whose attributes have been calculated.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a system is provided that includes a service vehicle that travels around a specified area and is capable of providing at least one type of service or product, and a server device connected to the service vehicle, the server device comprising a detection unit that detects a group consisting of a plurality of people, a calculation unit that calculates attributes of the detected group, and a control unit that controls the service vehicle and dispatches the service vehicle to the group whose attributes have been calculated in accordance with the calculated group attributes.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling a server device, in which the server device detects a group consisting of a plurality of persons, calculates attributes of the detected group, controls a service vehicle that travels around a specified area and is capable of providing at least one type of service or product, and dispatches the service vehicle according to the calculated attributes of the group to the group whose attributes have been calculated.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores a program for causing a computer mounted on a server device to execute the following processes: detecting a group consisting of a plurality of persons; calculating attributes of the detected group; and controlling a service vehicle that travels around a specified area and is capable of providing at least one type of service or product, and dispatching the service vehicle according to the calculated group attributes to the group whose attributes have been calculated.

According to each aspect of the present invention, a server device, a system, a method for controlling a server device, and a storage medium are provided that contribute to improving the satisfaction of members who form a group. Note that the effects of the present invention are not limited to the above. The present invention may achieve other effects instead of or in addition to the effects.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an overview of an embodiment. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of a service vehicle dispatch system according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing configuration of a server device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a group information database according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a service vehicle information database according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing configuration of a service vehicle according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing an example of an operation of the service vehicle dispatch system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the service vehicle dispatch system according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the service vehicle dispatch system according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing configuration of a server device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user information database according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a group information database according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing configuration of a terminal according to a second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the operation of a user registration unit according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the operation of a vehicle arrival notifying unit according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing an example of an operation of the service vehicle dispatch system according to the second embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a server device according to the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the operation of a terminal according to a modified example of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the operation of a terminal according to a modified example of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the operation of a terminal according to a modified example of the present disclosure.

First, an overview of one embodiment will be described. The reference numbers in the drawings are added to each element for convenience as an example to aid in understanding, and the description of this overview is not intended to be limiting. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the blocks shown in each drawing represent functional units rather than hardware units. The connection lines between blocks in each drawing include both bidirectional and unidirectional. The unidirectional arrows are used to show the main signal (data) flow diagrammatically, and do not exclude bidirectionality. In this specification and drawings, elements that can be described in the same way may be given the same reference numbers to avoid duplicated explanations.

A server device 100 according to one embodiment includes a detection unit 101, a calculation unit 102, and a control unit 103 (see FIG. 1). The detection unit 101 detects a group consisting of multiple people. The calculation unit 102 calculates attributes of the detected group. The control unit 103 controls a service vehicle that travels around a specified area and is capable of providing at least one type of service or product. The control unit 103 dispatches a service vehicle according to the calculated group attributes to the group whose attributes have been calculated.

The server device 100 detects groups that have occurred in various locations in a specified region (e.g., a depopulated area). The server device 100 calculates the hobbies, interests, etc. common to the members of the detected group as the group's attributes. The server device 100 dispatches a service vehicle that can provide services and products that match the calculated group attributes to the group. In this way, the server device 100 detects groups that have occurred in depopulated areas, etc., and dispatches a service vehicle to the group that matches the characteristics of the group, thereby improving the satisfaction of each member of the group. In addition, a service vehicle is automatically dispatched to a location where multiple people have gathered and a group has occurred, improving convenience for residents living in depopulated areas, etc.

Specific embodiments are described in further detail below with reference to the drawings.

[First embodiment]
The first embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the service vehicle dispatch system according to the first embodiment. Referring to Figure 2, the service vehicle dispatch system includes a server device 10, a plurality of service vehicles 20-1 to 20-3, and a plurality of camera devices 30-1 to 30-3.

In the following explanation, unless there is a particular reason to distinguish between service vehicles 20-1 to 20-3, they will simply be referred to as "service vehicle 20." Similarly, for other configurations, the symbol to the left of the hyphen will be used to represent that configuration.

Although FIG. 2 illustrates three service vehicles 20, this is not intended to limit the number of service vehicles 20. The service vehicle dispatch system may include at least one service vehicle 20.

The server device 10 and the service vehicle 20 are connected via a network. More specifically, the server device 10 and the service vehicle 20 are connected by wireless communication means such as 4G (fourth generation mobile communication system) or 5G (fifth generation mobile communication system).

The service vehicle dispatch system of the first embodiment detects groups that occur in various parts of a region, and dispatches a vehicle (service vehicle 20) to the group to provide services and products that correspond to the characteristics and features of the detected group.

The server device 10 is a device that controls the entire service vehicle dispatch system.

The service vehicle 20 is a vehicle that travels around a specified area (such as a settlement, village, or town). Although not particularly limited, in the first embodiment, the service vehicle 20 is described as a vehicle that can run automatically without a human being performing driving operations. However, the service vehicle 20 may be a conventional vehicle that is driven by a human being.

The service vehicle 20 is a vehicle that provides at least one type of service or product to residents of the specified area. For example, the service vehicle 20-1 is a vehicle that specializes in selling cakes, Japanese sweets, etc. Alternatively, the service vehicle 20-2 is a vehicle that specializes in selling health-related products (e.g., fitness equipment, supplements, etc.).

The service vehicle 20 is configured to be controllable from the server device 10. The service vehicle 20 has two operating modes: a "patrol mode" and a "dispatch mode."

In the patrol mode, the service vehicle 20 patrols within a predetermined area. The route to be traveled may be input in advance into the service vehicle 20, or the server device 10 may specify the route. The initial mode of the service vehicle 20 is the "patrol mode." That is, unless instructed by the server device 10, the service vehicle 20 patrols within a specified area (village, town, etc.).

In dispatch mode, the service vehicle 20 moves to a location (latitude, longitude) instructed by the server device 10.

Regardless of the operating mode, the service vehicle 20 notifies the server device 10 of its current location (latitude, longitude) periodically or at a specified timing. More specifically, the service vehicle 20 transmits a "vehicle location registration request" including its current location to the server device 10.

The camera devices 30 are installed in various locations in the area. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, they are installed in station plazas, event venues such as community centers, hospitals, etc. The server device 10 and the camera devices 30 are connected by wired or wireless communication means.

Next, with reference to the drawings, we will explain the general operation of the service vehicle dispatch system.

The server device 10 detects groups consisting of multiple residents. For example, in the example of Figure 2, it detects Group 1 formed in the station square, Group 2 formed at the event venue, and Group 3 formed in front of the hospital.

The server device 10 detects the group using any means. For example, the server device 10 analyzes image data obtained from camera devices 30 installed in various locations in the area to detect the group.

For example, the server device 10 analyzes image data acquired from a camera device 30-1 installed in a station plaza to detect group 1. Alternatively, the server device 10 analyzes image data acquired from a camera device 30-2 installed in an event venue to detect group 2.

When a group is detected, the server device 10 calculates the attributes (characteristics) of the detected group. The server device 10 calculates the group attributes using various methods.

For example, for Group 1 that has appeared in the station square, server device 10 further analyzes the image data obtained from camera device 30-1 and calculates group attributes. For example, if multiple young women are captured in the image data obtained from camera device 30-1, server device 10 sets the attribute of the group to "sweets." In other words, server device 10 determines that the common characteristic of the members of Group 1 is "a liking for sweets."

For example, with regard to group 2 that has occurred at an event venue, if a karaoke competition is being held at the event venue, server device 10 sets the attribute of the group to "karaoke". Server device 10 may determine the group attribute based on the schedule of events to be held at the event venue. The schedule for the event venue may be input in advance to server device 10 by a system administrator, or server device 10 may access an external server, etc. to obtain the schedule. In this way, server device 10 may determine the group attribute based on the type of event being held at the event venue.

For example, for group 3 that was formed in front of a hospital, the server device 10 may set the attribute of the group to "health" based on the characteristics of the place where the group was formed (hospital). In other words, the server device 10 determines that the members of group 3 have a high interest in "health."

The server device 10 dispatches a service vehicle 20 capable of providing services and products according to the calculated group attributes to the group. The server device 10 transmits a "movement instruction" to the service vehicle 20 capable of providing services and products suitable for the group. Upon receiving the movement instruction, the operation mode of the service vehicle 20 switches to "dispatch mode", and the service vehicle 20 moves toward the instructed location.

For example, for Group 1, whose group attribute is set to "sweets," the server device 10 dispatches a service vehicle 20-1 loaded with cakes and the like to Group 1. Or, for Group 2, whose group attribute is set to "karaoke," the server device 10 dispatches a service vehicle 20-3 loaded with a karaoke set, karaoke sound sources, and the like to Group 2.

When the service vehicle 20 arrives at the specified destination, it sends a “movement completion notification” to the server device 10.

The residents who make up the group receive services or purchase goods from the service vehicle 20 that arrives at the group's location. Payment for services and goods may be made by biometric authentication or a payment method similar to that of a vending machine. Alternatively, if a person is driving the service vehicle 20, the driver may process the payment. Payment for services and goods is not within the scope of the present application, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

Next, we will explain in detail each device included in the service vehicle dispatch system related to the first embodiment.

[Server device]
Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a processing configuration (processing module) of the server device 10 according to the first embodiment. Referring to Fig. 3, the server device 10 includes a communication control unit 201, a group detection unit 202, a group attribute calculation unit 203, a service vehicle control unit 204, and a storage unit 205.

The communication control unit 201 is a means for controlling communication with other devices. For example, the communication control unit 201 receives data (packets) from the service vehicle 20. The communication control unit 201 also transmits data to the service vehicle 20. The communication control unit 201 passes on data received from other devices to other processing modules. The communication control unit 201 transmits data acquired from other processing modules to other devices. In this way, the other processing modules send and receive data with other devices via the communication control unit 201.

The group detection unit 202 is a means for detecting a group consisting of multiple people. The group detection unit 202 detects a group using any method. For example, the group detection unit 202 detects a group that has occurred in an area based on image data obtained from camera devices 30 installed in various places in the area.

The group detection unit 202 may determine that a group has occurred when multiple people are continuously captured in multiple image data captured at a predetermined interval. For example, the group detection unit 202 may determine that a group has occurred when two or more residents are continuously captured for three minutes in image data captured every 10 seconds.

The group detection unit 202 may detect residents from image data using existing face image extraction technology. Existing technology may be used for the face image extraction process by the group detection unit 202, so a detailed explanation is omitted. For example, the group detection unit 202 may extract face images (face regions) from image data using a learning model trained by a CNN (Convolutional Neural Network). Alternatively, the group detection unit 202 may extract face images using a method such as template matching.

In addition, in determining whether the same person appears continuously in multiple image data, the group detection unit 202 may use one-to-one matching based on face images extracted from the multiple image data. Alternatively, the group detection unit 202 may determine whether the same person appears continuously by using a tracking technique such as face tracking.

When a group is detected, the group detection unit 202 calculates the location where the detected group occurred based on the location of the camera device 30 that acquired the image data used to detect the group. That is, the group detection unit 202 calculates the location where the group occurred based on the location of the camera device 30 that is the source of the image data that was the basis for group detection. For example, in the example of Figure 2, if group 1 is detected based on image data acquired from camera device 30-1, the group detection unit 202 sets the location where group 1 occurred to "in front of the station (latitude, longitude of in front of the station)."

When the group detection unit 202 detects a group, it stores information about the detected group in a group information database (see FIG. 4). Referring to FIG. 4, the group information database includes a group ID field, an occurrence date and time field, an occurrence location field, a group attribute field, and a status field.

The group ID field is a field that stores an ID for identifying the detected group. The group attribute field is a field that stores the calculated group attributes. The status field is a field that stores the dispatch status of the service vehicle 20 for the group.

When the group detection unit 202 detects a group, it adds a new entry to the group information database and stores the group ID, the date and time the group occurred, and the location where the group occurred in the added entry.

The group information database shown in FIG. 4 is an example and is not intended to limit the information stored in the group information database. For example, the group information database may store multiple group attributes for one service vehicle 20. Also, although not shown in FIG. 4, the group information database may store the number of people (number of members) in each group.

The group attribute calculation unit 203 is a means for calculating the attributes of the detected group. The group attribute calculation unit 203 calculates group attributes using various methods. The group attribute calculation unit 203 accesses the group information database periodically or at a predetermined timing, and identifies groups whose attributes have not been calculated. The group attribute calculation unit 203 calculates the attributes of the identified group.

For example, the group attribute calculation unit 203 may calculate the group attribute using a learning model prepared in advance. More specifically, the group attribute calculation unit 203 may acquire the group attribute by inputting image data acquired from the camera device 30 into the learning model. For example, the group attribute calculation unit 203 may acquire the group attribute of "sweetness" by inputting image data showing multiple young women into the learning model.

Alternatively, the group attribute calculation unit 203 may input image data into the learning model to acquire characteristics of group members, and calculate group attributes from the acquired characteristics of group members. For example, the group attribute calculation unit 203 inputs image data showing multiple people into the learning model, and acquires the "gender" and "age" of the multiple people. The group attribute calculation unit 203 calculates group attributes from the acquired gender and age. For example, if the gender and age of the group members are estimated to be "young" and "female" as a result of inputting image data into the learning model, the group attribute calculation unit 203 sets the attribute of the group shown in the image data to "sweet".

The learning model can be generated by performing machine learning using training data in which labels (group attributes) are assigned to image data. Any algorithm, such as a support vector machine, boosting, or neural network, can be used to generate the learning model. Note that the algorithms, such as the support vector machine, can use publicly known technologies, so their explanation will be omitted.

Alternatively, the group attribute calculation unit 203 may calculate the group attribute based on schedule information of the event venue where the camera device 30 is installed. For example, as shown in Fig. 2, if the time when the group is detected is during a time period when a karaoke competition is being held, the attribute of the detected group is set to "karaoke". In other words, the group attribute calculation unit 203 may calculate the group attribute based on the location and time period when the image data was acquired.

Alternatively, the group attribute calculation unit 203 may calculate the group attribute based on the features and characteristics of the location where the camera device 30 is installed. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the group attribute calculation unit 203 sets the attribute of a group formed in front of a hospital to "health." Alternatively, for a group formed in a movie theater, the group attribute calculation unit 203 sets it to "movie."

In this way, the group attribute calculation unit 203 calculates the group attribute based on at least one of the analysis of image data obtained from the camera device 30, the schedule of the location where the camera device 30 is installed, and the characteristics of the location where the camera device 30 is installed.

The group attribute calculation unit 203 stores the calculated group attributes in the group information database. Note that even if a group is detected, there are cases where the attributes of the group are not calculated. In such cases, the group attribute calculation unit 203 simply stores "none" as the group attribute in the group information database.

The service vehicle control unit 204 is a means for controlling the service vehicles 20 that patrol a specified area and are capable of providing at least one type of service or product. The service vehicle control unit 204 dispatches a service vehicle according to the calculated group attributes to the group whose attributes have been calculated. More specifically, the service vehicle control unit 204 selects, from among the multiple service vehicles 20, a service vehicle 20 that is capable of providing a service or product according to the calculated group attributes, and dispatches the selected service vehicle 20 to the group.

The service vehicle control unit 204 manages the status, condition, etc. of the service vehicle 20 using the service vehicle information database (see Figure 5).

As shown in FIG. 5, the service vehicle information database includes a vehicle ID field, a current location field, a service attribute field, and a status field.

The vehicle ID field is a field that stores the ID of the service vehicle 20 that travels around the area. In FIG. 5, for ease of understanding, the symbol assigned to the service vehicle 20 is written as the vehicle ID.

The current location field is a field that stores the current location of each service vehicle 20. The service attribute field is a field that stores the features (attributes) of the services and products that each service vehicle 20 can provide. The status field is a field that stores the operating status of each service vehicle 20.

A system administrator or the like inputs the vehicle ID and service attributes for each service vehicle 20 into the server device 10 in advance. The vehicle ID is shared between the server device 10 and the service vehicle 20 by any method. For example, when adding a new service vehicle 20 to the system, the system administrator assigns a vehicle ID and inputs the vehicle ID into the service vehicle 20 and the server device 10.

The service vehicle information database shown in FIG. 5 is an example and is not intended to limit the information stored in the service vehicle information database. For example, the service vehicle information database may store multiple service attributes for one service vehicle 20. Also, although not shown in FIG. 5, the service vehicle information database may store the driving time, driving distance, etc. of each service vehicle 20.

The service vehicle control unit 204 receives a "vehicle location registration request" from the service vehicle 20. The service vehicle control unit 204 identifies the service vehicle 20 that is the sender of the vehicle location registration request based on the vehicle ID included in the request. The service vehicle control unit 204 updates the current location field for the service vehicle 20 of the identified entry among the entries in the service vehicle information database based on the current location (latitude, longitude) included in the vehicle location registration request.

In this way, the service vehicle control unit 204 grasps the current location of the service vehicle 20 in real time.

The service vehicle control unit 204 accesses the group information database periodically or at a predetermined timing, and identifies a group for which a group attribute is set and to which a service vehicle 20 has not been dispatched. In the example of Figure 4, the group in the first row is identified.

The service vehicle control unit 204 determines (selects) the service vehicle 20 to be dispatched to the identified group. Specifically, the service vehicle control unit 204 selects a service vehicle 20 that has service attributes that match the attributes of the identified group and is patrolling the area as the service vehicle 20 to be dispatched to the group.

More specifically, the service vehicle control unit 204 selects an entry (service vehicle 20) from the entries in the service vehicle information database in which the group attribute and service attribute match and the status field is set to "on tour."

In the examples of Figures 4 and 5, for group 1, which has "sweets" set as the group attribute, service vehicle 20-1, which has the same service attribute, is selected.

When the service vehicle 20 to be dispatched to the group is determined, the service vehicle control unit 204 instructs the service vehicle 20 to move to the location where the detected group occurs. More specifically, the service vehicle control unit 204 transmits a "movement instruction" to the service vehicle 20 determined as the dispatch vehicle. The movement instruction includes the location (latitude, longitude) where the group to be dispatched occurs.

The service vehicle control unit 204 accesses the group information database and sets "dispatched" in the status field of the group to which the service vehicle 20 is to be dispatched. The service vehicle control unit 204 also accesses the service vehicle information database and sets "on the move" in the status field of the dispatched service vehicle 20.

The service vehicle control unit 204 receives a "movement completion notification" from the service vehicle 20. The service vehicle control unit 204 identifies the service vehicle 20 from the vehicle ID included in the notification, and sets "arrived at destination" in the status field of the corresponding entry in the service vehicle information database.

The service vehicle control unit 204 sends a "patrol instruction" to the service vehicle 20 after a predetermined time (e.g., 30 minutes) has elapsed since arriving at the destination (dispatched group).

The memory unit 205 is a means for storing information necessary for the operation of the server device 10.

[Service vehicle]
Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a processing configuration (processing module) of the service vehicle 20 according to the first embodiment. Referring to Fig. 6, the service vehicle 20 includes a communication control unit 301, a vehicle position notification unit 302, an operation control unit 303, and a storage unit 304.

The communication control unit 301 is a means for controlling communication with other devices. For example, the communication control unit 301 receives data (packets) from the server device 10. The communication control unit 301 also transmits data to the server device 10. The communication control unit 301 passes the data received from the other devices to the other processing modules. The communication control unit 301 transmits the data acquired from the other processing modules to the other devices. In this way, the other processing modules send and receive data with the other devices via the communication control unit 301.

The vehicle position notification unit 302 is a means for notifying the server device 10 of the current position of the vehicle (service vehicle 20). The vehicle position notification unit 302 calculates the current position (e.g., latitude, longitude) of the vehicle by any method. For example, the vehicle position notification unit 302 receives GPS signals from a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite to perform positioning and generate position information including the latitude, longitude, etc. of the vehicle. Alternatively, the vehicle position notification unit 302 may generate position information based on the strength of radio waves received from a wireless access point such as Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) (registered trademark).

The vehicle position notification unit 302 sends a vehicle position registration request to the server device 10, which includes the vehicle ID assigned to the vehicle and the generated position information (current position; latitude, longitude).

The operation control unit 303 is a means for controlling the operation of the service vehicle 20. As described above, the operating modes of the service vehicle 20 include a "patrol mode" and a "dispatch mode." The initial mode (default mode) of the service vehicle 20 is the patrol mode.

In the patrol mode, the operation control unit 303 controls the drive system (engine, steering, brakes, etc.) of the service vehicle 20 so that it patrols a predetermined route in the area.

Note that existing technology can be used for the automatic driving of the service vehicle 20, and as this is different from the purpose of the present disclosure, further detailed explanation will be omitted.

When the operation control unit 303 receives a "movement instruction" from the server device 10, it switches the operation mode to the "dispatch mode." In the dispatch mode, the operation control unit 303 moves the service vehicle 20 to the specified location (the location where the group is generated).

Upon arrival at the specified location, the operation control unit 303 sends a "travel completion notification" to the server device 10. The travel completion notification includes the vehicle ID.

Upon receiving a "patrol instruction" from the server device 10, the operation control unit 303 switches the operating mode to a "patrol mode" and controls the drive system to patrol a predetermined route.

The memory unit 304 is a means for storing information necessary for the operation of the service vehicle 20.

[Operation of the Service Vehicle Dispatch System]
Next, the operation of the service vehicle dispatch system according to the first embodiment will be described.

Figure 7 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the operation of the service vehicle dispatch system according to the first embodiment. The explanation of the operation related to the current location registration of the service vehicle 20 is omitted.

The server device 10 detects groups that have appeared in the area, for example by analyzing image data obtained from the camera device 30 (step S01).

The server device 10 calculates the attributes of the detected group (step S02). For example, the server device 10 calculates the group attributes by analyzing the image data and checking the schedule of the event venue.

The server device 10 determines the service vehicle 20 to be dispatched to the group whose attributes have been calculated (determination of dispatched vehicle; step S03).

The server device 10 sends a "movement instruction" to the determined service vehicle 20 (step S04).

Upon receiving the movement instruction, the service vehicle 20 moves toward the specified location (where the group originated) (step S05).

Upon arriving at the specified location, the service vehicle 20 sends a “movement completion notification” to the server device 10 (step S06).

Upon receiving the movement completion notification, the server device 10 updates the service vehicle information database (step S07).

As described above, the server device 10 according to the first embodiment detects groups that naturally occur in a region and calculates the hobbies, interests, etc. common to the members of the group as group attributes. The server device 10 selects a service vehicle 20 capable of providing services and products suitable for the calculated group attributes, and dispatches the selected service vehicle 20 to the group. As a result, a service vehicle 20 in which each member of the group shows a strong interest is automatically dispatched to the group, allowing the group members to purchase products, etc. that provide high satisfaction without exerting any special effort. In other words, the server device 10 can provide an opportunity for elderly people living in depopulated areas, etc. to consume.

Second Embodiment
Next, the second embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In the first embodiment, we described the case of detecting groups formed by an unspecified number of residents in various places in a region.

In the second embodiment, we will explain the case where a resident who wishes to have a service vehicle 20 dispatched registers as a user in advance with the server device 10.

The processing configuration of the service vehicle 20 in the second embodiment can be the same as that in the first embodiment, so its description will be omitted.

The differences between the first and second embodiments are explained below.

As shown in FIG. 8, a resident who wishes to have a service vehicle 20 dispatched operates a terminal 40 to input his/her personal information into the server device 10. Examples of the personal information include basic information such as name, date of birth, gender, address, and contact information (email address), etc.

In addition, residents input information about interests such as hobbies (interest information) to the server device 10. For example, if a resident likes sweet foods such as cakes, the resident inputs "sweets" to the server device 10. Or, if a resident has a hobby of karaoke, the resident inputs "karaoke" to the server device 10. Note that there may be multiple interests input to the server device 10.

The server device 10 also generates a user ID to be assigned to the registrant. The server device 10 issues the generated user ID to the user's terminal 40. The server device 10 associates the user ID, personal information, and interest information and stores them in the user information database.

The terminal 40 stores the acquired user ID.

As shown in FIG. 9, the terminal 40 carried by the resident transmits a "user location registration request" to the server device 10 periodically or at a predetermined timing. The user location registration request includes the user ID issued to the user and the current location of the terminal 40.

The server device 10 determines the current location of the pre-registered user based on the received user information registration request.

The server device 10 detects the occurrence of a group based on the current location of each user. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the server device 10 detects group 4 occurring indoors or outdoors.

The server device 10 calculates the attributes of the group from information common to the users who make up the group. For example, if the common interest of the members of group 4 shown in FIG. 9 is "sweets," the server device 10 sets the attribute of group 4 to "sweets."

As in the first embodiment, the server device 10 dispatches a service vehicle 20 to the group according to the group's attributes.

When the service vehicle 20 arrives at the destination, it sends a “travel completion notification” to the server device 10.

When the server device 10 receives the movement completion notification, it notifies the group members of the arrival of the service vehicle 20. Specifically, the server device 10 transmits a "service vehicle arrival notification" to the terminal 40 used by the group member.

In response to receiving the service vehicle arrival notification, the terminal 40 notifies the user of the arrival of the service vehicle 20. For example, a user who is indoors goes outside in response to the notification to receive a service from the service vehicle 20 or to purchase a product.

Figure 10 is a diagram showing an example of a processing configuration (processing module) of the server device 10 according to the second embodiment. Referring to Figure 10, a user registration unit 206 and a user location management unit 207 have been added to the configuration of the server device 10 according to the first embodiment.

The user registration unit 206 is a means for realizing user registration of a resident who wishes to have a service vehicle 20 dispatched. The user registration unit 206 receives a "user registration request" from the terminal 40. The user registration unit 206 then generates a user ID for identifying the user (registered person).

The user registration unit 206 associates the user ID, personal information, interest information, etc. and stores them in the user information database (see Figure 11).

The user information database shown in FIG. 11 is an example and is not intended to limit the information stored in the user information database. For example, the user information database does not need to store personal information.

The user registration unit 206 transmits the generated user ID to the terminal 40.

The user location management unit 207 is a means for managing the current location of a user who has registered as a user. The user location management unit 207 receives a "user location registration request" from the resident's terminal 40. The user location management unit 207 searches the user information database using the user ID included in the request as a key, and identifies the corresponding user.

The user location management unit 207 sets the current location (latitude, longitude) included in the user location registration request in the current location field of the identified user.

The group detection unit 202 according to the second embodiment detects groups that have appeared in an area based on the current location of the terminal 40 carried by the user. The group detection unit 202 accesses the user information database periodically or at a predetermined timing and attempts to detect groups. Specifically, the group detection unit 202 determines that a group has appeared when multiple users are present in substantially the same location. The group detection unit 202 determines that the multiple users are present in substantially the same location when the difference in the current locations of the multiple users is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

For example, in the example of Figure 11, groups with user IDs "uID02", "uID03" and "uID05" are detected.

The group detection unit 202 stores information about the detected groups in a group information database (see FIG. 12). As shown in FIG. 12, the group information database according to the second embodiment includes a member ID field that stores the user IDs of the users who make up the group.

When calculating group attributes, the group attribute calculation unit 203 in the second embodiment calculates the group attributes based on personal information or interest information of each member constituting the group.

For example, the group attribute calculation unit 203 finds common information from personal information and interest information, and calculates group attributes from the found information. In the above example, since "sweets" is commonly registered (see lines 2, 3, and 5 of FIG. 11), the group attribute calculation unit 203 sets the attribute of the group to "sweets."

Alternatively, if the group attribute calculation unit 203 determines that a young woman is a member of the group based on the user's personal information (e.g., date of birth, gender), it may set the attribute of the group to "sweet."

The group attribute calculation unit 203 registers the calculated group attributes in the group information database.

When the service vehicle control unit 204 according to the second embodiment receives a "movement completion notification" from the service vehicle 20, it notifies the members of the group to which the service vehicle 20 is dispatched of the arrival of the service vehicle 20. More specifically, the service vehicle control unit 204 transmits a "service vehicle arrival notification" to the terminal 40 carried by the member of the group. At that time, the service vehicle control unit 204 may transmit the service vehicle arrival notification including the service attributes of the dispatched service vehicle 20.

[Device]
Fig. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a processing configuration (processing module) of the terminal 40 according to the second embodiment. Referring to Fig. 13, the terminal 40 includes a communication control unit 401, a user registration request unit 402, a user position notification unit 403, a vehicle arrival notification unit 404, and a storage unit 405.

The communication control unit 401 is a means for controlling communication with other devices. For example, the communication control unit 401 receives data (packets) from the server device 10. The communication control unit 401 also transmits data to the server device 10. The communication control unit 401 passes the data received from the other devices to the other processing modules. The communication control unit 401 transmits data acquired from the other processing modules to the other devices. In this way, the other processing modules send and receive data to and from the other devices via the communication control unit 401.

The user registration request unit 402 is a means for performing registration to use the dispatch service of the service vehicle 20. The user registration request unit 402 acquires the user's personal information and interest information using any means. For example, the user registration request unit 402 displays a GUI (Graphical User Interface) or an input form for acquiring the above information. For example, the user registration request unit 402 displays a GUI such as that shown in FIG. 14 on the display of the terminal 40.

When the user registration request unit 402 acquires personal information and interest information, for example, using a GUI such as that shown in FIG. 14, it sends a "user registration request" including this information to the server device 10.

The user registration request unit 402 receives a user ID from the server device 10 in response to sending the user registration request. The user registration request unit 402 stores the acquired user ID in the memory unit 405.

The user location notification unit 403 is a means for notifying the server device 10 of the user's current location (the current location of the terminal 40). The user location notification unit 403 calculates the current location based on a GPS signal, the strength of radio waves received from a wireless access point, etc.

The user location notification unit 403 sends a user location registration request including the user ID and the calculated current location (latitude, longitude) to the server device 10.

The vehicle arrival notification unit 404 is a means for notifying the user of the arrival of the service vehicle 20. When the vehicle arrival notification unit 404 receives a "service vehicle arrival notification" from the server device 10, it displays, for example, a display as shown in FIG. 15. As shown in FIG. 15, the vehicle arrival notification unit 404 may display information regarding the characteristics and attributes of the arriving service vehicle 20 along with the fact that the service vehicle 20 has arrived.

Alternatively, the vehicle arrival notification unit 404 may notify the user of the arrival of the service vehicle 20 using voice or other means.

The memory unit 405 is a means for storing information necessary for the operation of the terminal 40.

Next, we will explain the operation of the service vehicle dispatch system related to the second embodiment.

Figure 16 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the operation of the service vehicle dispatch system according to the second embodiment. The explanation of the operation related to the user's current location registration is omitted.

The server device 10 detects the occurrence of a group based on the user's current location (step S11).

The server device 10 calculates group attributes based on pre-registered information common to the members of the group (step S12).

The server device 10 determines a service vehicle 20 to be dispatched to a group to which a service vehicle 20 has not yet been dispatched (determining the dispatched vehicle; step S13).

The server device 10 sends a “movement instruction” to the determined service vehicle 20 (step S14).

The service vehicle 20 moves to the specified location, and upon arriving at the specified location, sends a movement completion notification to the server device 10 (steps S15, S16).

The server device 10 updates the service vehicle information database (step S17). The server device 10 also transmits a "service vehicle arrival notification" to the terminals 40 owned by the group members (step S18). In this way, when the service vehicle 20 dispatched to the group arrives at the destination, the server device 10 notifies the users constituting the group of the arrival of the service vehicle 20.

In response to receiving the service vehicle arrival notification, the terminal 40 notifies the group members that the service vehicle 20 has arrived in the vicinity (step S19).

As described above, the server device 10 according to the second embodiment detects the occurrence of a group based on the current location of the terminal 40 carried by the user, and calculates group attributes based on the user's interests and other information registered in advance. Because the server device 10 calculates group attributes based on the interests and other information declared by the user, it is possible to dispatch a more appropriate service vehicle 20 (one that is more welcomed by group members). In other words, user satisfaction and convenience are further improved.

Next, we will explain the hardware of each device that makes up the service vehicle dispatch system. Figure 17 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the server device 10.

The server device 10 can be configured by an information processing device (so-called a computer) and has the configuration shown in Fig. 17. For example, the server device 10 has a processor 311, a memory 312, an input/output interface 313, a communication interface 314, etc. The components such as the processor 311 are connected by an internal bus or the like and are configured to be able to communicate with each other.

However, the configuration shown in FIG. 17 is not intended to limit the hardware configuration of the server device 10. The server device 10 may include hardware not shown, and may not include an input/output interface 313 as necessary. In addition, the number of processors 311 and the like included in the server device 10 is not intended to be limited to the example shown in FIG. 17, and for example, multiple processors 311 may be included in the server device 10.

The processor 311 is, for example, a programmable device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), or a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). Alternatively, the processor 311 may be a device such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The processor 311 executes various programs including an operating system (OS).

Memory 312 is a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), a SSD (Solid State Drive), etc. Memory 312 stores an OS program, application programs, and various data.

The input/output interface 313 is an interface for a display device and an input device (not shown). The display device is, for example, a liquid crystal display. The input device is, for example, a device that accepts user operations such as a keyboard or a mouse.

The communication interface 314 is a circuit, module, etc. that communicates with other devices. For example, the communication interface 314 includes a NIC (Network Interface Card), etc.

The functions of the server device 10 are realized by various processing modules. The processing modules are realized, for example, by the processor 311 executing a program stored in the memory 312. The program can be recorded on a computer-readable storage medium. The storage medium can be a non-transitory medium such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk, a magnetic recording medium, or an optical recording medium. That is, the present invention can also be embodied as a computer program product. The program can be downloaded via a network or updated using a storage medium storing the program. The processing modules may also be realized by a semiconductor chip.

The server device 10 is equipped with a computer, and the functions of the server device 10 can be realized by causing the computer to execute a program. In addition, the server device 10 executes a control method for the server device 10 by the program.

The basic hardware configuration of the service vehicle 20 and the terminal 40 is the same as that of the server device 10, so a description will be omitted. The service vehicle 20 may be an existing autonomous vehicle equipped with a CPU, memory, etc. for executing each of the processing modules described above. The terminal 40 may be a mobile phone, smartphone, tablet, or other terminal.

[Modification]
The configuration, operation, and the like of the service vehicle dispatch system described in the above embodiment are merely examples, and are not intended to limit the configuration, and the like of the system.

In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which the server device 10 has a group information database, etc. However, the group information database, etc. may be constructed in a database server different from the server device 10. In addition, the service vehicle dispatch system may include the various means (group detection unit 202, group attribute calculation unit 203, etc.) described in the above embodiment.

The first and second embodiments may be combined. Specifically, a mixture of groups detected by analyzing image data acquired from the camera device 30 and groups detected based on the current location of the terminal 40 may be present. The server device 10 may dispatch a service vehicle 20 to these groups.

In the second embodiment, it has been described that the group members are identified using the user ID transmitted from the terminal 40. However, the server device 10 may also identify the members forming the group using biometric authentication. In this case, the user registers his/her own biometric information (e.g., a facial image) in the server device 10 when registering as a user. The server device 10 may identify the group members through biometric authentication using the biometric information contained in image data obtained from the camera devices 30 installed in various locations in the area and the pre-registered biometric information.

In the second embodiment, the case where the user inputs his/her interests and the like into the server device 10 in advance has been described. However, the server device 10 may calculate the interests and the like based on the user's information collected through the terminal 40. Specifically, a tablet-type terminal 40 is installed in each home of the user (resident). The user lives his/her daily life through the tablet. For example, the resident talks with family members (parents, children, grandchildren) and supporters (welfare workers, medical workers) through the tablet. Alternatively, the resident orders products and services from vendors through the tablet. Alternatively, the resident collects information through the tablet. In addition to telephone conversations, the tablet's conversation function includes automatically converting the content of the user's speech into text and sending it as text to a social networking service (SNS) or email. Alternatively, the tablet communicates with a vital instrument to record the resident's health information. The tablet transmits conversation records between the user and the tablet, operations (order history of products, information collection), and health information to the server device 10. The server device 10 may use this information to calculate the interests of the resident. For example, if there are many conversations and product orders about cakes, the server device 10 sets the interest of the resident as "sweets." The server device 10 may input the information collected from the resident into a learning model prepared in advance to obtain the corresponding interest.

In the above embodiment, a case where a group attribute or a service attribute is expressed by a single element has been described. However, group attributes and service attributes may be expressed by a combination of multiple elements (words). For example, the group attribute may be determined according to the type of concert and performers held at the event venue. For example, the attributes of a group that occurs at an event venue where an idol group popular among young women is held may be calculated as "concert; young; female." In this case, the server device 10 simply dispatches a service vehicle 20 with the same service attribute set to the group.

The server device 10 may determine whether or not to dispatch a service vehicle 20 or the number of service vehicles 20 to be dispatched depending on the number of members constituting the group. For example, the server device 10 may not dispatch a service vehicle 20 to a group with a small number of members, and may prepare for dispatch to a large group that will occur in the future. Alternatively, when multiple groups with the same group attribute are detected at substantially the same time, the server device 10 may determine whether or not to dispatch a service vehicle 20 depending on the number of members constituting the group. That is, the server device 10 may determine the group priority regarding the dispatch of the service vehicle 20 depending on the number of group members. Alternatively, the server device 10 may dispatch multiple service vehicles 20 with the same type of service attribute to a group including a large number of members.

The service vehicle dispatch system may include multiple service vehicles 20 with the same service attributes. In this case, the routes of the service vehicles 20 with the same service attributes may be set so that they do not overlap.

In addition, when there are multiple service vehicles 20 with the same service attributes, the server device 10 may select and dispatch a service vehicle 20 that is close to the destination (the location where the group occurs). In this way, when determining the service vehicle 20 to be dispatched, the server device 10 may take into account not only the service attributes of the service vehicle 20 but also the location of the service vehicle 20.

The server device 10 may dispatch multiple service vehicles 20 with different service attributes to one group. For example, if the members of a group have multiple common interests registered, a service vehicle 20 corresponding to each of the interests may be dispatched. For example, if the common interests of the members of a group are "sweets" and "movies," the server device 10 may dispatch a service vehicle 20 loaded with cakes and other items and a service vehicle 20 loaded with movie-related products to the group.

In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which one service vehicle 20 has one service attribute. However, the service vehicle 20 may have multiple service attributes. When a service vehicle 20 with multiple service attributes exists, the server device 10 may select the service vehicle 20 to be dispatched by prioritizing each service attribute, or may standardize the selected service attributes. In other words, if a specific service attribute is selected disproportionately from among the multiple service attributes, inconveniences such as a bias in the products that the service vehicle 20 can provide may occur.

The server device 10 may store and manage the driving time and driving distance of the service vehicle 20. In this case, the server device 10 may select the service vehicle 20 to be dispatched according to the driving time and driving distance of the service vehicle 20. By adopting such a selection method, wear (deterioration) of the service vehicle 20 can be averaged.

When the server device 10 decides to dispatch a service vehicle 20 to a group, it may notify the group members of the dispatch destination of that fact. More specifically, the server device 10 may notify the terminal 40 of the fact that the service vehicle 20 has been dispatched before or after the timing of transmitting a movement instruction to the service vehicle 20. At that time, the server device 10 may predict the arrival time of the service vehicle 20 based on the location where the group was generated and the current location of the service vehicle 20, and notify the terminal 40 of the arrival time.

Alternatively, the server device 10 may notify the terminal 40 of information (service attributes, current location, estimated arrival time, etc.) regarding the service vehicle 20 to be dispatched. The terminal 40 may use the notified information to display a map including the group's location (current location of the terminal 40), the current location of the service vehicle 20, the attributes of the service vehicle 20, the estimated arrival time, etc. (see FIG. 18).

When calculating the group attribute, the server device 10 may use a majority vote regarding the interests of the group members. For example, in a group with five members, if the number of members who set "sweets" is "3" and the number of members who set "movies" is "2," the server device 10 may select "sweets" as the group attribute.

In the above embodiment, the server device 10 has been described as transmitting a "service vehicle arrival notification" to each terminal 40 of the group members. However, the server device 10 may select a representative from among the group members and transmit a service vehicle arrival notification to the representative's terminal 40. The server device 10 may use personal information of each user when selecting a representative. For example, the server device 10 may select a user whose address is closest to the location where the group occurred as the representative, or may select an older person as the representative.

In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which a user is identified using a user ID issued to the terminal 40. However, the user may also be identified by biometric authentication. In this case, the server device 10 stores the user's biometric information (e.g., a facial image, features generated from the facial image). The terminal 40 transmits a user location registration request including the user's biometric information to the server device 10. The server device 10 may identify the user by one-to-N (N is a positive integer) matching using the pre-stored biometric information and the acquired biometric information.

Products purchased from the service vehicle 20 may be delivered to the purchaser's home. For example, the terminal 40 sends a "delivery slip printing request" including a user ID to the server device 10. The server device 10 identifies the purchaser from the user ID and sends a slip printing instruction including the purchaser's name, address, contact information, etc. to the service vehicle 20. The service vehicle 20 prints the slip. The purchaser attaches the delivery slip to the product. The service vehicle 20 stops at a collection point. The product with the delivery slip attached is collected at the collection point.

A user who has been notified of the arrival of a service vehicle 20 may notify the server device 10 of whether or not to use the service vehicle 20. For example, the terminal 40 that has received a service vehicle arrival notification obtains the user's intention (intention regarding whether or not to use the service vehicle 20) using a GUI such as that shown in FIG. 19. If the user does not need the service vehicle 20, the terminal 40 notifies the server device 10 of that fact. The server device 10 that has received the notification transmits a "patrol instruction" to the service vehicle 20. In this way, if a user who has been notified of the arrival of the service vehicle 20 refuses to use the service vehicle 20, the server device 10 may instruct the service vehicle 20 that has arrived at the destination to patrol a specified area.

The server device 10 may notify the user of information (e.g., vehicle ID, current location, service attributes) regarding service vehicles 20 patrolling the area. The user may operate the terminal 40 to check information about service vehicles 20 traveling nearby and call the service vehicle 20 they wish to use. The terminal 40 transmits a "service vehicle call request" including the user ID and vehicle ID to the server device 10. The server device 10 identifies the user from the user ID and dispatches the specified service vehicle 20 to the current location of the identified user.

The terminal 40 may also display a map including the current location of the patrolling service vehicle 20. In this case, the terminal 40 may display a GUI that allows the service vehicle 20 to be called while displaying the characteristics (service attributes) of the service vehicle 20 displayed on the map. For example, as shown in FIG. 20, the terminal 40 displays the attributes of the service vehicle 20 and a button for calling the service vehicle 20 on the map. The terminal 40 transmits the vehicle ID of the service vehicle 20 selected by the user to the server device 10. The server device 10 dispatches the service vehicle 20 selected by the user to the user.

Alternatively, the terminal 40 may select a service vehicle 20 to be displayed on a map using the attributes of the user or group and the service attributes of the service vehicle 20. For example, a terminal 40 used by a user or group member who likes sweets may display a map of service vehicles 20 whose service attribute is set to "sweets". That is, the terminal 40 may have a filtering function related to the service vehicles 20. Alternatively, the server device 10 may notify the terminal 40 of only information (such as current location) of service vehicles 20 that have service attributes that match the interest information of the user who called the service vehicle 20. That is, the filtering function may be provided by the server device 10.

Alternatively, the server device 10 may calculate the attributes of the user who called the service vehicle 20 or a group including the user, and notify the service vehicle 20 of the calculated attributes. The service vehicle 20 may take action such as adding cargo based on the notified attributes. In other words, the service vehicle 20 may head to the user or group in a state where it is possible to provide services or products that are likely to be used by the user or the group based on the notified attributes.

The server device 10 may determine the number and type of service vehicles 20 to patrol the area based on a predetermined condition. For example, the server device 10 may determine the number and type of service vehicles 20 to patrol the area based on the schedule of the event venue. For example, when a large-scale event is held, the server device 10 may take measures such as increasing the number of patrolling service vehicles 20. Alternatively, the dispatch record and sales record of each service vehicle 20 may be managed, and the server device 10 may determine the number and type of service vehicles 20 to patrol the area based on the dispatch record and sales record. More specifically, the server device 10 may increase the number of popular service vehicles 20 to patrol the area. Alternatively, the server device 10 may manage the dispatch record and sales record for each day of the week and time period, and determine the number and type of service vehicles 20 suitable for the day of the week and time period.

A user (terminal 40) may register a "wish list" in which products that the user wishes to purchase are listed in the server device 10. The server device 10 may dispatch a service vehicle 20 corresponding to the products listed in the wish list to the user. That is, local residents (residents) can use the "wish list" to request the purchase of a specific product while at home. The service vehicle 20 moves to the vicinity of the home of the resident who made the request and stops there. As a result, the resident can purchase products other than the specific product (products listed in the wish list) from the service vehicle 20. In this way, residents can live a more comfortable and convenient life by understanding the needs of all family members living at home and registering the product lineup other than the specific product as a wish list. The server device 10 notifies the operator of the service vehicle 20 of the wish list, so that the operator can understand the products that meet the needs of family members who are expected to have a high purchase rate, and can use this as a basis for decision-making when loading products.

The server device 10 may share the attributes of the generated group with the business operator who operates the service vehicle 20. For example, the server device 10 notifies the business operator of the group attributes generated from the schedule of the event venue. The business operator who receives the notification can grasp the needs of the crowd of event participants from the group attributes. Alternatively, the server device 10 may identify a lineup of services and products that are assumed to be likely to be purchased by the crowd based on the generated group attributes, and recommend the identified products, etc. to the business operator. The business operator can take measures such as loading a large number of recommended products, etc. into the service vehicle 20. In other words, the product lineup, etc. of the autonomous service vehicle 20 is recommended to the business operator based on the needs of the crowd of event participants that is assumed to have a high purchase rate by understanding the needs of the crowd, and is used as a decision-making material when the business operator loads products.

In addition to or instead of the function of providing services and products, the service vehicle 20 may also be equipped with functions such as infrastructure deterioration diagnosis, lost child/wanderer search, and suspicious person monitoring.

The form of data transmission and reception between each device (server device 10, service vehicle 20, and terminal 40) is not particularly limited, but the data transmitted and received between these devices may be encrypted. Personal information, etc. is transmitted and received between these devices, and in order to appropriately protect the personal information, it is desirable to transmit and receive encrypted data.

In the flow diagrams (flowcharts, sequence diagrams) used in the above explanation, multiple steps (processes) are described in order, but the order of execution of the steps performed in the embodiments is not limited to the order described. In the embodiments, the order of the steps shown in the diagrams can be changed to the extent that does not interfere with the content, such as by executing each process in parallel.

The above embodiments have been described in detail to facilitate understanding of the present disclosure, and it is not intended that all of the configurations described above are required. Furthermore, when multiple embodiments are described, each embodiment may be used alone or in combination. For example, it is possible to replace part of the configuration of an embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, or to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of an embodiment. Furthermore, it is possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of an embodiment with other configurations.

The above explanation makes clear the industrial applicability of the present invention, and the present invention is particularly applicable to systems that dispatch service vehicles to residents in a specified area.

A part or all of the above-described embodiments can be described as, but is not limited to, the following supplementary notes.
[Appendix 1]
A detection unit that detects a group of a plurality of people;
A calculation unit that calculates an attribute of the detected group;
A control unit that controls a service vehicle that travels around a predetermined area and is capable of providing at least one type of service or product;
Equipped with
The control unit dispatches the service vehicle according to the calculated attribute of the group to the group whose attribute has been calculated.
[Appendix 2]
The control unit selects, from among the plurality of service vehicles, a service vehicle capable of providing services and products according to the calculated attributes of the group, and dispatches the selected service vehicle.
[Appendix 3]
The server device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the detection unit detects a group that has occurred in the specified area based on image data obtained from a camera device.
[Appendix 4]
The server device described in Appendix 3, wherein the calculation unit calculates the attributes of the group based on at least one of an analysis of image data obtained from the camera device, a schedule of the location where the camera device is installed, and characteristics of the location where the camera device is installed.
[Appendix 5]
The server device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the detection unit calculates a location where the detected group occurred based on a location where the camera device that acquired the image data used to detect the group is installed.
[Appendix 6]
The server device according to claim 5, wherein the control unit instructs the service vehicle to move to a location where the detected group occurs.
[Appendix 7]
The server device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the detection unit detects a group that has appeared in the specified area based on a current location of a terminal carried by a user.
[Appendix 8]
a user information database that stores the current location of the user and the user's interest information in association with each other;
The server device according to claim 7, wherein the calculation unit calculates attributes of the group based on the interest information of each user constituting the group.
[Appendix 9]
The server device according to claim 8, wherein when the dispatched service vehicle arrives at the destination, the control unit notifies the users constituting the group of the arrival of the service vehicle.
[Appendix 10]
The server device described in Appendix 9, wherein the control unit instructs the service vehicle that has arrived at the destination to patrol the specified area if a user who has been notified of the arrival of the service vehicle refuses to use the service vehicle.
[Appendix 11]
The server device according to any one of appendixes 1 to 10, wherein the service vehicle is a vehicle that can run automatically without a human being performing a driving operation.
[Appendix 12]
A service vehicle that travels around a specified area and is capable of providing at least one type of service or product;
A server device connected to the service vehicle;
Including,
The server device includes:
A detection unit that detects a group of a plurality of people;
A calculation unit that calculates an attribute of the detected group;
A control unit that controls the service vehicle and dispatches the service vehicle according to the calculated attribute of the group to the group whose attribute has been calculated;
A system comprising:
[Appendix 13]
In the server device,
Detect groups of people,
Calculating attributes of the detected groups;
A control method for a server device, which controls a service vehicle that travels around a specified area and is capable of providing at least one type of service or product, and dispatches the service vehicle to a group whose attributes have been calculated, according to the attributes of the calculated group.
[Appendix 14]
A computer installed in the server device
A process for detecting a group of a plurality of people;
calculating attributes of the detected groups;
A process of controlling a service vehicle that travels around a predetermined area and is capable of providing at least one type of service or product, and dispatching the service vehicle according to the calculated group attributes to the group whose attributes have been calculated;
A computer-readable storage medium that stores a program for executing the above.

The disclosures of the above cited prior art documents are incorporated herein by reference. Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative and that various modifications are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. In other words, the present invention naturally includes various modifications and amendments that a person skilled in the art can make in accordance with the entire disclosure, including the scope of the claims, and the technical ideas.

10, 100 Server device 20, 20-1 to 20-3 Service vehicle 30, 30-1 to 30-3 Camera device 40, 40-1 to 40-3 Terminal 101 Detection unit 102 Calculation unit 103 Control unit 201, 301, 401 Communication control unit 202 Group detection unit 203 Group attribute calculation unit 204 Service vehicle control unit 205, 304, 405 Storage unit 206 User registration unit 207 User position management unit 302 Vehicle position notification unit 303 Operation control unit 311 Processor 312 Memory 313 Input/output interface 314 Communication interface 402 User registration request unit 403 User position notification unit 404 Vehicle arrival notification unit

Claims (7)

A detection unit that detects a group of a plurality of people;
A calculation unit that calculates an attribute of the detected group;
A control unit that controls a service vehicle that travels around a predetermined area and is capable of providing at least one type of service or product;
a user information database that stores a current location of a user and information on the user's interests in association with each other;
Equipped with
The detection unit detects a group that has appeared in the predetermined area based on a current location of a terminal carried by a user,
The calculation unit calculates an attribute of the group based on the interest information of each user constituting the group,
The control unit is
A server device dispatches the service vehicle according to the calculated attributes of the group to the group whose attributes have been calculated , and when the dispatched service vehicle arrives at the destination, notifies users who make up the group of the arrival of the service vehicle, and if a user who has been notified of the arrival of the service vehicle refuses to use the service vehicle, instructs the service vehicle that has arrived at the destination to patrol the specified area . The server device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit selects, from among the plurality of service vehicles, a service vehicle capable of providing a service or product according to the calculated group attributes, and dispatches the selected service vehicle. The server device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the detection unit detects groups that have appeared in the specified area based on image data obtained from a camera device. The server device according to claim 3, wherein the calculation unit calculates the attributes of the group based on at least one of an analysis of image data obtained from the camera device, a schedule of the location where the camera device is installed, and characteristics of the location where the camera device is installed. The server device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the detection unit calculates the location where the detected group occurred based on the location where the camera device that acquired the image data used to detect the group was installed. The server device according to claim 5, wherein the control unit instructs the service vehicle to move to a location where the detected group occurs. In the server device,
Detect groups of people,
Calculating attributes of the detected groups;
controlling a service vehicle that travels around a predetermined area and is capable of providing at least one type of service or product, and dispatching the service vehicle according to the calculated group attributes to the group whose attributes have been calculated ;
storing the user's current location and the user's interest information in association with each other;
Detecting groups that have appeared in the predetermined area based on the current locations of the terminals carried by the users, and calculating attributes of the group based on the interest information of each user constituting the group;
The method for controlling a server device includes notifying users constituting the group of the arrival of the service vehicle when the dispatched service vehicle arrives at the destination, and instructing the service vehicle that has arrived at the destination to patrol the specified area if the user who has been notified of the arrival of the service vehicle refuses to use the service vehicle .

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