JP7569705B2 - Information processing device, information processing method, and information processing program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an information processing device , an information processing method , and an information processing program .

Various technologies have been proposed to prevent users of an event facility, such as a concert, from concentrating and crowding around the event facility after the event has ended, as well as the taxis used by the users (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the conventional technology, event information, such as the scheduled end time of the event, is sent to vehicles such as taxis to help them consider driving routes that can avoid congestion.

JP 2006-119012 A

However, the above-mentioned conventional technology targets a single event facility, and so there is a risk that congestion cannot be avoided. That is, for example, there may be another event facility located relatively close to the target event facility, and an event may also be held at the other event facility. In such a case, there is a risk that congestion cannot be avoided around the target event facility due to the influence of the congestion caused by the event at the other event facility.

As such, the conventional technology has room for improvement in terms of avoiding congestion around multiple event facilities when events are held at each of the multiple event facilities.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to provide an information processing device, an information processing method , and an information processing program that can avoid congestion around multiple event facilities, even when events are held at each of the multiple event facilities.

In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the present invention provides an information processing device that includes an acquisition unit and a determination unit. The acquisition unit acquires multiple pieces of event information related to events held at multiple event facilities, the multiple pieces of event information including the scheduled end times of the events for each of the multiple event facilities. The determination unit determines the positions of boarding points for mobile objects for users of the multiple event facilities based on the multiple pieces of event information acquired by the acquisition unit.

According to the present invention, even when multiple events are held at multiple event facilities, congestion around the multiple event facilities can be avoided.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overview of an information processing method according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing system. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an information processing device. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of event information. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of the predetermined time information. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of user information. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of people flow information. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of road information. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the platform information. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the process of determining the location of a taxi stand. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a process for determining a route for a taxi heading to a taxi stand. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure executed by the information processing device.

Below, embodiments of the information processing device and information processing method disclosed in the present application will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

<Outline of information processing method>
First, an overview of an information processing method according to an embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an overview of an information processing method according to an embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the information processing method according to the embodiment is executed by, for example, an information processing device 10 included in an information processing system 1. The information processing device 10 is a server capable of executing various processes, such as processing information related to multiple event facilities 100 and processing information related to the surrounding areas of the multiple event facilities 100. The information processing device 10 may be realized as, for example, a cloud server, or may perform distributed processing using multiple servers.

Here, the event facility 100 is, for example, a sports facility where events such as sporting matches are held, or a facility (venue) where events such as concerts and plays are held. Note that, although FIG. 1 shows an example in which there are two event facilities 100, a first event facility 100a and a second event facility 100b, this is not limited to this, and there may be three or more event facilities. In the following, one of the two event facilities 100, the first event facility 100a, may be referred to as the "first facility 100a," and the other, the second event facility 100b, may be referred to as the "second facility 100b." When there is no particular distinction between these facilities, they will be referred to as "facility 100."

Furthermore, the first facility 100a and the second facility 100b are, for example, located relatively close to each other. As an example, the first facility 100a and the second facility 100b are located in a place where the nearest train station is the same. In other words, the first facility 100a and the second facility 100b are located in a place where the corresponding transportation means are the same. Note that, although the nearest station of the first facility 100a and the second facility 100b is the same in the above, this is not limited thereto, and it is sufficient that the nearest station of the first facility 100a and the nearest station of the second facility 100b are relatively close to each other.

Incidentally, events may be held at the first facility 100a and the second facility 100b, and these events may end at a similar time. Also, a large-scale event may be held at both the first facility 100a and the second facility 100b. In such a case, as the event ends, users who used the first facility 100a and the second facility 100b, i.e., spectators (event participants), come out all at once at the same time. This can easily cause congestion around the facility 100.

For example, if the user described above uses public transportation such as a taxi to return home, the users may gather at taxi stands in the vicinity of facility 100, causing congestion. Hereinafter, the user may be referred to as a "user" and the taxi stand as a "taxi stand."

In the example shown in FIG. 1, as shown by the imaginary line, if a taxi stand 200x is located between the first facility 100a and the second facility 100b, users U of the first facility 100a and users U of the second facility 100b may gather at the taxi stand 200x, causing congestion (see arrow Ax). Note that the taxi stand 200x is assumed to be of a size that is unlikely to cause congestion when an event is held in only one of the first facility 100a and the second facility 100b.

Also, a relatively large number of taxis C will head to the taxi stand 200x to pick up users U from the first and second facilities 100a and 100b. As a result, taxis C may concentrate near the taxi stand 200x or on the roads leading to the taxi stand 200x, causing congestion.

In this way, if events are held at the first and second facilities 100a and 100b, respectively, and the events end at similar times, the congestion caused by the event at the first facility 100a and the congestion caused by the event at the second facility 100b may affect each other, causing congestion for users U and taxis C around the first and second facilities 100a and 100b.

Therefore, the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment is configured to be able to avoid congestion around multiple facilities 100 even when events are held at multiple facilities 100.

The processing of the information processing device 10 will now be described in detail. First, the information processing device 10 acquires a plurality of pieces of event information related to events held at a plurality of facilities 100, the plurality of pieces of event information including the scheduled end times of the events held at each of the plurality of facilities 100 (step S1). That is, the information processing device 10 acquires a plurality of pieces of event information including the scheduled end times of the events held at each of the plurality of facilities 100.

For example, the information processing device 10 acquires event information about an event held at the first facility 100a from a server managing the first facility 100a (an event facility information processing device 60a (see FIG. 2) described later). The information processing device 10 also acquires event information about an event held at the second facility 100b from a server managing the second facility 100b (an event facility information processing device 60b (see FIG. 2) described later). Note that in addition to the scheduled end time described above, the event information may also include other information, such as the number of attendees at the event.

The information processing device 10 then determines whether the scheduled end times of the multiple events are relatively close to each other, specifically, whether the scheduled end times of the multiple events are within a predetermined time (step S2). In other words, the information processing device 10 determines whether the time difference between the scheduled end times of the events for each of the multiple facilities 100 is within a predetermined time. The above-mentioned predetermined time can be set to any value, and is set, for example, to an elapsed time that is estimated to be the time that will elapse after the event that is scheduled to end first among the multiple events has ended, at which the congestion caused by that event is expected to be resolved. The setting of the predetermined time will be described later.

The process of step S2 can therefore be said to be a process of determining whether the scheduled end time of one of the events at the first facility 100a and the second facility 100b will arrive before the time (predetermined time) when the congestion caused by one of the events is estimated to be resolved after the other event has ended has elapsed.

Next, if the information processing device 10 determines that the scheduled end times of the multiple events are within a predetermined time, it determines the location of the taxi stand 200 based on the event information (step S3). In other words, if the information processing device 10 determines that the scheduled end times of the multiple events are relatively close and congestion caused by the event at the first facility 100a and congestion caused by the event at the second facility 100b affect each other, it determines the location of the taxi stand 200 based on the event information so that the taxi stands 200 are dispersed.

As an example, in addition to or instead of the above-mentioned taxi stand 200x, the information processing device 10 determines (sets) a location that is relatively close to the first facility 100a and relatively far from the second facility 100b as the location of the first taxi stand 200a. Also, the information processing device 10 determines (sets) a location along a road R2 different from the road R1 on which the first taxi stand 200a is set, that is relatively close to the second facility 100b and relatively far from the first facility 100a, as the location of the second taxi stand 200b.

In the following, when the first taxi stand 200a and the second taxi stand 200b are not differentiated from each other, they will be referred to as "taxi stand 200". In addition, the location where the taxi stand 200 is set is a location that is not a taxi stand, in other words, a location that does not function as a taxi stand, for example, when no event is being held at the facility 100, or when an event is being held at only one of the first facility 100a and the second facility 100b. In other words, the taxi stand 200 is a virtually set stand in the vicinity of the facility 100, and is a newly set stand, for example, before or after the end of an event. In the above, the taxi stand 200 is described as a virtual taxi stand, but is not limited to this and may be an existing taxi stand.

When the location of the taxi stand 200 described above is determined, the information processing device 10 may provide, for example, location information of the taxi stand 200 to the in-vehicle device 50 mounted on the taxi C. This allows the taxi C to move toward the taxi stand 200 and wait there. The information processing device 10 can provide route information indicating an appropriate route to the taxi stand 200 to the in-vehicle device 50, which will be described later.

In addition, the information processing device 10 may provide the location information of the taxi stand 200 to, for example, personnel involved with the facility 100 or the user U. In detail, the information processing device 10 may provide the location information of the taxi stand 200 to personnel involved with the facility 100 (event staff) who directs traffic for the user U around the facility 100, or to the user U. This enables such personnel to appropriately guide the user U to the taxi stand 200. In addition, the user U can check the location information of the taxi stand 200 and move to the taxi stand 200.

In this way, by determining the location of the taxi stand 200, users U at the first facility 100a and the second facility 100b will be dispersed to the first and second taxi stands 200a, 200b, as shown by the white arrows A. For example, users U at the first facility 100a will move to the first taxi stand 200a, and users U at the second facility 100b will move to the second taxi stand 200b.

As a result, in this embodiment, users U of the first and second facilities 100a and 100b are less likely to concentrate at a specific taxi stand (e.g., taxi stand 200x), thereby preventing congestion.

In addition, because the locations of the taxi stands 200 are determined to be dispersed, the taxis C will also be dispersed and head towards the taxi stands 200. This makes it difficult for the taxis C to concentrate near a specific taxi stand (e.g., taxi stand 200x) or on a road leading to a specific taxi stand, making it possible to avoid congestion.

In this manner, in this embodiment, even if multiple facilities 100 each hold an event, it is possible to avoid congestion caused by users U and taxis C concentrating around the first and second facilities 100a and 100b. This is also true when one large-scale event is held across multiple facilities 100.

Note that the locations and number of taxi stands 200 shown in FIG. 1 are merely examples and are not limiting, and can be changed to any location or number.

Taxi C is also an example of a moving body. Such a moving body is not limited to taxi C, but may be other types of transportation such as a bus. Therefore, for example, if the moving body is a bus, the information processing device 10 determines the location of the bus stop based on the event information.

<Configuration of Information Processing System>
Next, the configuration of an information processing system 1 including the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the information processing system 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the information processing system 1 includes the above-mentioned information processing device 10, a terminal device 40, an in-vehicle device 50, event facility information processing devices 60a and 60b, and a fixed camera 70, which are communicatively connected via a communication network N such as the Internet. Note that, for the sake of simplicity, FIG. 2 shows one each of the terminal device 40, the in-vehicle device 50, and the fixed camera 70, but there may be multiple of them.

The terminal device 40 is a device that is carried and used by a user. Note that the terminal device 40 may be, for example, a smartphone or a tablet terminal, but is not limited to these.

The terminal device 40 includes, for example, a GPS receiver that detects location information indicating the user's location (more precisely, the location of the terminal device 40) based on signals from a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite. The terminal device 40 can transmit the detected location information to the information processing device 10. The terminal device 40 can also receive location information of the taxi stand 200 determined by the information processing device 10 described above, guidance information to the taxi stand 200, and the like.

Here, the user of the terminal device 40 can request an on-demand taxi dispatch. An on-demand taxi is, for example, a taxi that picks up the user at a virtual taxi stand set at any position (location) in response to the user's dispatch request. Therefore, for example, when a user requests an on-demand taxi dispatch, the terminal device 40 can transmit a dispatch request requesting the dispatch of an on-demand taxi to the information processing device 10 through the user's operation.

The in-vehicle device 50 is a device that is mounted in a taxi as described above. The in-vehicle device 50 includes, for example, a GPS receiver, and detects vehicle position information indicating the position of the taxi based on signals from GPS satellites. The in-vehicle device 50 can transmit the detected vehicle position information to the information processing device 10.

In addition to the vehicle position information described above, the in-vehicle device 50 can transmit operation status information indicating the operation status of the taxi to the information processing device 10. The operation status of the taxi means the state (activity) of the taxi, such as "empty" or "occupied." Note that the driver operates the in-vehicle device 50 to switch between "empty" and "occupied."

The in-vehicle device 50 can receive a dispatch instruction including the position information of the taxi stand 200 determined by the information processing device 10. That is, the dispatch instruction here is an instruction to dispatch a taxi to the taxi stand 200. When the in-vehicle device 50 receives the dispatch instruction, the taxi moves toward the taxi stand 200 and picks up the passenger (user) at the taxi stand 200. The dispatch instruction may include route information indicating the route to the taxi stand 200. In such a case, the taxi will head to the taxi stand 200 via the route included in the dispatch instruction.

The event facility information processing device 60a is a server that manages the first facility 100a, for example, a server that manages events held at the first facility 100a. For example, the event facility information processing device 60a is a server that can execute various processes, such as processing event information related to events held at the first facility 100a. The event facility information processing device 60a can transmit event information to the information processing device 10, including information such as the scheduled end time of the event at the first facility 100a, the number of attendees at the event, and the location (position) of the first facility 100a.

The event facility information processing device 60b is a server that manages the second facility 100b, for example, a server that manages events held at the second facility 100b. For example, the event facility information processing device 60b is a server that can execute various processes, such as processing event information related to events held at the second facility 100b. The event facility information processing device 60b can transmit event information to the information processing device 10, including information such as the scheduled end time of the event at the second facility 100b, the number of attendees at the event, and the location (position) of the second facility 100b.

A plurality of fixed cameras 70 are installed around the facility 100 and on the travel route from the facility 100 to the nearest station. The fixed cameras 70 capture images of the area around the facility 100 and the travel route, and can transmit the captured camera images to the information processing device 10. Note that the camera images of the fixed cameras 70 are video data, but are not limited to this and may be still image data, etc. Such camera images are acquired by the information processing device 10 as current congestion information, which will be described later.

The fixed camera 70 may also have a human body detection sensor that detects people around the facility 100. For example, a pyroelectric sensor that uses an infrared signal may be used as the human body detection sensor.

In the above, the information processing device 10 is configured to obtain current congestion information based on the camera image of the fixed camera 70, but this is not limited thereto, and the current congestion information may be obtained based on the position information of the user's terminal device 40, for example. In such a case, in other words, if the camera image of the fixed camera 70 is not used as current congestion information, the fixed camera 70 may be removed.

<Configuration of information processing device>
Next, the configuration of the information processing device 10 will be specifically described with reference to Fig. 3 etc. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the information processing device 10. Note that in the block diagram of Fig. 3, only components necessary for explaining the features of this embodiment are shown as functional blocks, and descriptions of general components are omitted.

In other words, each component shown in the block diagram of FIG. 3 is a functional concept, and does not necessarily have to be physically configured as shown. For example, the specific form of distribution and integration of each functional block is not limited to that shown, and all or part of it can be functionally or physically distributed and integrated in any unit depending on various loads, usage conditions, etc.

As shown in FIG. 3, the information processing device 10 includes a communication unit 11, a control unit 20, and a memory unit 30.

The communication unit 11 is a communication interface that is connected to the communication network N for two-way communication, and transmits and receives information between the terminal device 40, the in-vehicle device 50, the event facility information processing devices 60a and 60b, the fixed camera 70, etc.

The control unit 20 includes a reception unit 21, an acquisition unit 22, a determination unit 23, and a provision unit 24, and includes, for example, a computer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), a hard disk drive, input/output ports, etc., and various circuits.

The computer's CPU functions as the reception unit 21, acquisition unit 22, decision unit 23, and provision unit 24 of the control unit 20, for example, by reading and executing a program stored in the ROM.

In addition, at least some or all of the reception unit 21, acquisition unit 22, decision unit 23, and provision unit 24 of the control unit 20 can be configured with hardware such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

The storage unit 30 is configured with storage devices such as non-volatile memory, data flash, and hard disk drives. Event information 31, specific time information 32, user information 33, people flow information 34, road information 35, platform information 36, and various programs are stored in the storage unit 30.

The event information 31 is information about events held at each of the multiple facilities 100. Here, the event information 31 will be explained using FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the event information 31.

As shown in FIG. 4, the event information 31 includes items such as "event ID," "facility name," "facility location," "event name," "number of visitors," and "scheduled end time," and each item is associated with the others.

"Event ID" is identification information that identifies event information. "Facility name" is information that indicates the name of the facility 100 where the event is held. For example, "facility name" includes information that indicates the names of facilities such as the first facility 100a and the second facility 100b described above.

"Location of facility" is location information that indicates the location (position) of facility 100. Note that in the example shown in FIG. 4, for convenience, "location of facility" is described abstractly as "location E1", but specific information is stored in "location E1". Below, other information may also be described abstractly.

"Event name" is information indicating the name of the event. "Number of visitors" is information indicating the number of people who have visited facility 100 or the number of people who are scheduled to visit facility 100. For example, the "number of visitors" is registered based on information such as the number of tickets sold for the event or the number of people who actually visited facility 100 and were counted. "Scheduled end time" is information indicating the scheduled end time of the event.

In the example shown in FIG. 4, the event information identified by the event ID "D01" indicates that the facility name is "Facility 1", the location of facility 100 is "Location E1", the event name is "Event F1", the number of visitors is "Number of visitors G1", and the scheduled end time is "Time H1".

Returning to the explanation of FIG. 3, the specified time information 32 is information related to the specified time described above. Specifically, the specified time information 32 is information related to a specified time to be compared with the time difference between the scheduled end times of events for each of the multiple facilities 100, for example. In other words, the specified time information 32 is information used in a determination process (described later) that determines whether or not the flow of people or congestion caused by an event at the first facility 100a affects the flow of people or congestion caused by an event at the second facility 100b.

Here, the specified time information 32 will be explained using FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the specified time information 32. As shown in FIG. 5, the specified time information 32 includes items such as "specified time ID," "location relationship," "level of visitor number," and "specified time," and each item is associated with each other. Note that in FIG. 5, to facilitate understanding, specific contents of "location relationship," "level of visitor number," and "specified time" are shown, but these specific contents are merely examples and are not limiting.

The "predetermined time ID" is identification information that identifies information indicating a predetermined time. The "positional relationship" is information that indicates the positional relationship between the multiple facilities 100. The "positional relationship" includes information such as "close" and "far" regarding the positional relationship between the multiple facilities 100. For example, when the positions (locations) of the multiple facilities 100 are relatively close to each other (for example, when the facilities 100 are located in a place where the nearest station is the same, or when the facilities 100 are located in a place where the distance between the facilities 100 is equal to or less than a predetermined distance), the positional relationship of the multiple facilities 100 is considered to be close. Note that the predetermined distance can be set to any distance. Also, when the positions (locations) of the multiple facilities 100 are relatively far from each other (for example, when the nearest stations are different and the nearest stations are relatively far from each other, or when the facilities 100 are located in a place where the distance between the facilities 100 is greater than a predetermined distance), the positional relationship of the multiple facilities 100 is considered to be far.

Note that the "far" positional relationship of the facilities 100 described above means that the facilities are farther away than the "close" positional relationship, and includes positional relationships in which the facilities are mutually affected by the flow of people and congestion caused by the event, depending on the level of the number of visitors, as will be described in detail later. In addition, in the example of FIG. 5, the positional relationships of the facilities 100 are classified into two levels, "near" and "far," but this is not limited to this and may be classified into three or more levels, for example.

"Level of visitor numbers" is information that indicates the level of the number of visitors to facility 100. "Level of visitor numbers" includes information that indicates, for example, "large" when the event is large-scale and the number of visitors is relatively large, and "small" when the event is smaller than large-scale and the number of visitors is relatively small. Note that in the example of FIG. 5, the level of visitor numbers is classified into two levels, "large" and "small," but this is not limited to this and may be classified into, for example, three or more levels.

The "predetermined time" is information indicating, for example, the time to be compared with the time difference between the scheduled end times of events at each of the multiple facilities 100. As an example, the "predetermined time" is set to the elapsed time when it is estimated that after an event that is scheduled to end first among the multiple events at the multiple facilities 100 ends, the congestion caused by that event will be resolved and the flow of people and congestion caused by the events at the multiple facilities 100 will no longer affect each other. In addition, the "predetermined time" is set for each of the above-mentioned positional relationships between the multiple facilities 100 and the level of the number of visitors.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, the predetermined time information identified by the predetermined time ID "I01" indicates that the predetermined time is set to "60 minutes" when the location relationship is "close" and the level of the number of visitors is "large". In other words, in the case of an event held at multiple facilities 100 that are close to each other and have a large level of the number of visitors, the time difference between the scheduled end times of multiple events is compared to the predetermined time of "60 minutes". Note that if the time difference is within the predetermined time (60 minutes), it is determined that the flow of people and congestion caused by each event will affect each other, and the process of determining the taxi stand 200 described below is performed. On the other hand, if the time difference is longer than the predetermined time (60 minutes), it is determined that the flow of people and congestion caused by each event will not affect each other, or will be unlikely to affect each other, and the process of determining the taxi stand 200 is not performed.

Returning to the explanation of FIG. 3, user information 33 is information about a user. Here, user information 33 will be explained using FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of user information 33.

As shown in FIG. 6, user information 33 includes items such as "user ID," "user location," and "vehicle dispatch request," and each item is associated with each other.

"User ID" is identification information that identifies user U. "User location" is user location information that indicates the location of user U. "Vehicle dispatch request" is information that indicates whether or not there is a request to dispatch a taxi. In more detail, "Vehicle dispatch request" is information that indicates whether or not there is a request to dispatch an on-demand taxi.

In the example shown in FIG. 6, the data of user U identified by user ID "J01" indicates that the user location is "location K1" and that there is no vehicle dispatch request. Also, the data of user U identified by user ID "J02" indicates that the user location is "location K2" and that there is a vehicle dispatch request.

Returning to the explanation of FIG. 3, the pedestrian flow information 34 is information relating to the flow of people around the facility 100. For example, the pedestrian flow information 34 is information showing the results of a pedestrian flow simulation that predicts the flow of people around the facility 100 after an event has ended.

Here, the people flow information 34 will be explained using FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the people flow information 34. As shown in FIG. 7, the people flow information 34 includes items such as "location" and "estimated congestion level", and each item is associated with each other.

"Point" is information indicating the point (location) where the flow of people is estimated. "Point" includes information indicating the location, for example, around the facility 100, or the travel route from the facility 100 to a specific point, such as the nearest train station.

The "estimated congestion level" is information indicating an estimated congestion level. The congestion level is an index value indicating the degree of congestion around the facility 100, and is information indicated on several levels according to, for example, the number of people estimated to be moving around the facility 100 (people density). Therefore, the estimated congestion level can also be said to be congestion information indicating the estimated congestion level around the facility 100. Note that the people flow information 34 may include, in addition to or instead of the "estimated congestion level," information on the estimated movement speed of people around the facility 100, the number of people estimated to be around the facility 100, etc.

The example shown in Figure 7 indicates that the estimated congestion level at "point L1" is "congestion level M1."

Returning to the explanation of FIG. 3, road information 35 is information about roads around multiple facilities 100. Note that "roads" here include, but are not limited to, roads on which vehicles such as taxis travel and roads on which people (pedestrians) such as users walk.

Here, the road information 35 will be described with reference to FIG. 8. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the road information 35. As shown in FIG. 8, the road information 35 includes items such as "road ID," "road location," "road shape," and "traffic congestion information," and each item is associated with each other.

"Road ID" is identification information that identifies a road. "Road location" is information that indicates the location of the road. "Road shape" is information that indicates the shape of the road. For example, "road shape" may include information such as the road width, number of lanes, and slope of the road, and may also include information such as the road shape being narrow and only one-way, or the road shape being wide and less congested.

"Traffic jam information" is information that indicates the traffic jam situation on a road. Note that the traffic jam information is not limited to current traffic jam information, but may be traffic jam forecast information. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the event information identified by the road ID "N01" indicates that the location of the road is "location P1", the road shape is "road shape Q1", and the traffic jam information is "traffic jam information R1".

Returning to the explanation of FIG. 3, the platform information 36 is information related to the taxi stand 200. Here, the platform information 36 will be explained using FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the platform information 36.

As shown in FIG. 9, the platform information 36 includes items such as "platform ID" and "platform location," and each item is associated with each other.

The "Taxi stand ID" is identification information that identifies the taxi stand 200. The "Taxi stand location" is location information that indicates the determined (set) location of the taxi stand 200. In the example shown in FIG. 9, the data for the taxi stand 200 identified by the taxi stand ID "T01" indicates that the location of the taxi stand is "Location U1."

Returning to the explanation of FIG. 3, the reception unit 21 of the control unit 20 can receive a dispatch request transmitted from the terminal device 40. When the reception unit 21 receives a dispatch request for dispatching an on-demand taxi, the reception unit 21 registers information indicating that the dispatch request has been received in the user information 33 (see FIG. 6).

The acquisition unit 22 acquires various types of information via the communication unit 11. For example, the acquisition unit 22 acquires multiple pieces of event information related to events held at multiple facilities 100, including the scheduled end times of the events for each of the multiple facilities 100. In other words, the acquisition unit 22 acquires multiple pieces of event information including the scheduled end times of the events held at each of the multiple facilities 100.

For example, the acquisition unit 22 acquires event information about an event held at a first facility 100a from the event facility information processing device 60a. The information processing device 10 acquires event information about an event held at a second facility 100b from the event facility information processing device 60b. The acquisition unit 22 then registers the acquired event information for each facility 100 in the memory unit 30 as event information 31 (see FIG. 4). Note that the event information acquired by the acquisition unit 22 includes information such as the facility name of the facility 100, the facility's location (position), the event name, the number of visitors, and the scheduled end time, but is not limited to these.

The acquisition unit 22 also acquires user location information. For example, the acquisition unit 22 acquires location information from the terminal device 40 and registers the location information as user location information in the user information 33 in the storage unit 30.

The acquisition unit 22 also acquires current congestion information. For example, the acquisition unit 22 may acquire the current congestion information based on camera images from a fixed camera 70 (see FIG. 2 ). For example, the acquisition unit 22 analyzes camera images transmitted from a fixed camera 70 installed around the facility 100 to measure the number of people around the facility 100, and outputs congestion information including a congestion degree according to the measured number of people to the determination unit 23 as current congestion information around the facility 100. Note that the acquisition unit 22 may acquire congestion information based on, for example, location information of the terminal device 40 in addition to or instead of the fixed camera 70.

The acquisition unit 22 also acquires road information about roads around the facility 100 and registers it in the storage unit 30 as road information 35 (Figure 8). Note that the road information is transmitted, for example, from an external server (not shown), but is not limited to this, and some or all of the road information may be pre-stored in the storage unit 30.

The determination unit 23 can perform a determination process to determine the location of a taxi stand (taxi stand 200) for a user of the facility 100. The determination unit 23 registers information indicating the determined location of the taxi stand 200 in the taxi stand information 36 (see FIG. 9).

For example, prior to the determination process, the determination unit 23 first performs a determination process to determine whether or not the flow of people and congestion caused by each event will affect each other when each event is held at multiple facilities 100. In detail, the determination unit 23 performs a determination process to determine whether or not there is a risk of congestion of users and taxis occurring around the first and second facilities 100a and 100b due to the congestion caused by the event at the first facility 100a and the congestion caused by the event at the second facility 100b affecting each other. Note that the determination unit 23 performs the determination process when it is determined in the determination process that the flow of people and congestion caused by each event will affect each other.

The determination process will be explained in detail below. The decision unit 23 determines whether the flow of people and congestion caused by each event will affect each other based on, for example, the proximity of multiple facilities 100 to each other, the proximity of the scheduled end times of multiple events, the number of visitors to multiple facilities 100, etc.

Specifically, the determination unit 23 first sets the predetermined time to be used in the judgment process, and more specifically, sets the predetermined time to be compared with the time difference between the scheduled end times of events for each of the multiple facilities 100. For example, the determination unit 23 sets the predetermined time based on the event information and the predetermined time information 32 (see FIG. 5).

For example, the determination unit 23 determines the positional relationship between the multiple facilities 100 based on the locations of the multiple facilities 100, which are the event information. As described above, the positional relationship is determined to be "close" when the locations (places) of the multiple facilities 100 are relatively close to each other based on the nearest station to the multiple facilities 100, the distance between the facilities 100, etc., and is determined to be "distant" when the locations are relatively far from each other.

The determination unit 23 also determines the level of the number of visitors at the multiple facilities 100 based on the number of visitors at the multiple facilities 100, which is the event information. As described above, the level of the number of visitors is set to "large" when the event is large-scale and the number of visitors is relatively large, and is set to "small" when the event is smaller than large-scale and the number of visitors is relatively small.

Then, the determination unit 23 sets the predetermined time based on the positional relationship between the multiple facilities 100, the level of the number of visitors, and the predetermined time information 32 (see FIG. 5) obtained as described above. As shown in FIG. 5, the predetermined time is set longer as the positional relationship becomes closer and the level of the number of visitors becomes higher. Conversely, the predetermined time is set shorter as the positional relationship becomes farther and the level of the number of visitors becomes smaller.

Then, the determination unit 23 determines whether the scheduled end times for each of the multiple facilities 100, which are the event information, are within the set predetermined time, more specifically, whether the time difference between the scheduled end times of the events for each of the multiple facilities 100 is within the set predetermined time.

Here, when the determination unit 23 determines that the scheduled end times for each of the multiple facilities 100 are within a predetermined time, i.e., when the time difference between the scheduled end times is within a predetermined time, the determination unit 23 determines that the flow of people and congestion caused by each event affect each other. On the other hand, when the determination unit 23 determines that the scheduled end times for each of the multiple facilities 100 are not within the predetermined time, i.e., when the time difference between the scheduled end times is longer than the predetermined time, the determination unit 23 determines that the flow of people and congestion caused by each event do not affect each other or are unlikely to affect each other.

In this manner, in this embodiment, the predetermined time is set based on the relative positions of the multiple facilities 100, so it is possible to set the predetermined time to an appropriate time according to the relative positions of the multiple facilities 100. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the predetermined time is compared with the time difference between the scheduled end times of the multiple facilities 100, so when events are held at the multiple facilities 100, it is possible to accurately determine whether the flow of people and congestion caused by each event will affect each other.

In addition, in this embodiment, the predetermined time is set based on the number of visitors to the multiple facilities 100, so it is possible to set the predetermined time to an appropriate time according to the number of visitors to the multiple facilities 100. In this embodiment, the predetermined time is compared with the time difference between the scheduled end times of the multiple facilities 100, so it is possible to accurately determine whether or not the flow of people and congestion caused by each event will affect each other when each event is held at the multiple facilities 100.

In the above, the predetermined time is set based on both the positional relationship between the multiple facilities 100 and the number of visitors, but this is not limited to the above. In other words, the predetermined time may be set based on, for example, either the positional relationship between the multiple facilities 100 or the number of visitors, or may be set based on other types of information in addition to or instead of the positional relationship and the number of visitors.

Then, in the above-mentioned determination process, the determination unit 23 determines the location of the taxi stand 200 if it is determined that the flow of people and congestion caused by each event will affect each other and there is a risk of congestion of users and taxis occurring around the first and second facilities 100a and 100b.

For example, the determination unit 23 determines the location of the taxi stand 200 based on the event information. The determination of the location of the taxi stand 200 will be described with reference to FIG. 10. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the process of determining the location of the taxi stand 200.

As shown in FIG. 10, for example, the determination unit 23 can determine (set) a location that is relatively close to the first facility 100a and relatively far from the second facility 100b as the location of the first taxi stand 200a. In other words, the determination unit 23 determines the first taxi stand 200a used by the user U of the first facility 100a to be in a location that is difficult for the user U of the second facility 100b to use.

As a result, users U from the second facility 100b do not often come to the first taxi stand 200a, and congestion around the facility 100 including the first taxi stand 200a can be avoided.

The determination unit 23 can also determine (set) as the location of the second taxi stand 200b a location along a road R2 different from the road R1 on which the first taxi stand 200a is set, which is relatively close to the second facility 100b and relatively far from the first facility 100a. In other words, the determination unit 23 determines the second taxi stand 200b to be used by a user U of the second facility 100b to be in a location that is difficult for a user U of the first facility 100a to use.

As a result, users U of the first facility 100a do not often come to the second taxi stand 200b, so congestion around the facility 100, including the second taxi stand 200b, can be avoided.

The determination unit 23 may also determine a position other than a position between multiple facilities 100 (in the example of FIG. 10, the area X between the first facility 100a and the second facility 100b) as the position of a taxi stand. Conversely, the determination unit 23 may not determine a position (area X) between multiple facilities 100 as the position of a taxi stand.

As a result, the taxi stand is set in a location other than area X that is likely to become congested with users U of the first and second facilities 100a and 100b, making it possible to further prevent congestion around the facility 100.

The determination unit 23 can also determine (set) the lane on the road R1 opposite the lane on which the first taxi stand 200a is set as the location of the third taxi stand 200c. This allows users U at the second facility 100b to disperse and move to the second taxi stand 200b and the third taxi stand 200c, thereby preventing congestion around the facility 100 including the second and third taxi stands 200b and 200c. In addition, the travel direction of taxis at the first and third taxi stands 200a and 200c is reversed, so congestion of taxis around the facility 100 can also be avoided.

In addition, when an on-demand taxi dispatch request is received, the determination unit 23 may determine, as the location of the taxi stand 200, a location that is different from the location of the taxi stand that is determined when the scheduled end times of multiple events are outside the specified time.

To be more specific, if the scheduled end time of the event at the first facility 100a and the scheduled end time of the event at the second facility 100b are outside the specified time, i.e., not within the specified time, the congestion at each facility does not affect each other, so the area around the facility 100 is relatively less crowded. Therefore, the determination unit 23 can determine the location of the taxi stand to be, for example, near the exit of the facility 100 where the user U who made the taxi request was located.

In contrast, if the scheduled end time of the event at the first facility 100a and the scheduled end time of the event at the second facility 100b are within a specified time period, the congestion at each facility will affect each other, and it is predicted that there will be congestion near the exit of the facility 100 where the user U who made the vehicle dispatch request was located, for example.

The determination unit 23 according to this embodiment therefore determines the location of the taxi stand 200 to be a location different from the taxi stand location (near the exit of the facility 100 in the above example) that is determined when the scheduled end times of multiple events are outside of the specified time. For example, the determination unit 23 determines the on-demand taxi stand to be the second taxi stand 200b or the third taxi stand 200c described above. This makes it possible to further prevent congestion around the facility 100.

In addition, when there is a time difference between the scheduled end times of the events, the determination unit 23 may change the location of the taxi stand 200 or increase or decrease the number of taxi stands 200 over time. This makes it possible to make the location and number of taxi stands 200 appropriate for the passage of time, thereby effectively avoiding congestion around the facility 100.

The determination unit 23 may also determine the location of the taxi stand 200 based on the number of visitors included in the event information. For example, the determination unit 23 may determine the location of the taxi stand 200 so that the number of taxi stands 200 used by users U of the facility 100 with a larger number of visitors is greater than the number of taxi stands 200 used by users U of the facility 100 with a smaller number of visitors. This makes it easier for users U of the facility 100 with a larger number of visitors to be dispersed, thereby effectively avoiding congestion around the facility 100.

The determination unit 23 may also determine the position of the taxi stand 200 based on the pedestrian flow information. For example, the determination unit 23 estimates pedestrian flow information around the facility 100 based on multiple event information and the like. For example, when estimating pedestrian flow information after an event, the determination unit 23 reads the event information 31 and road information 35 in the storage unit 30, and estimates pedestrian flow information based on various information such as the number of visitors to each event, the scheduled end time of each event, the shape of the road, and road congestion information. In other words, the determination unit 23 performs a simulation of pedestrian flow around the facility 100 based on multiple event information and the like, and predicts the flow of people around the facility 100 after the event ends. The determination unit 23 registers the estimated pedestrian flow information as pedestrian flow information 34 (see FIG. 7) in the storage unit 30.

As an example, the determination unit 23 estimates people flow information using an estimation model. The estimation model is a prediction model that estimates and outputs people flow information around the facility 100 by inputting various static and dynamic information from multiple event information and the like. The estimation model is generated in advance based on people flow data obtained as measurement results from past events, event information, transportation information, weather and other environmental information, and is stored in the storage unit 30. The above-mentioned methods for estimating people flow information are merely examples and are not limiting.

For example, the determination unit 23 may determine the location of the taxi stand 200 to be a location around the facility 100 where the estimated degree of congestion is relatively low after the event ends, based on the people flow information. This makes it easier for users U leaving the facility 100 to disperse to locations that are estimated to be less crowded, thereby effectively avoiding congestion around the facility 100.

Continuing with the explanation of FIG. 3, the providing unit 24 provides guidance information to the taxi stand 200. For example, the providing unit 24 can provide guidance information to the taxi stand 200 according to location information indicating the user's location.

As an example, when the user's location (more precisely, the location of the terminal device 40) is near the first facility 100a, the providing unit 24 provides guidance information to the terminal device 40 of the user, individually, indicating guidance to the first taxi stand 200a close to the first facility 100a. Also, when the user's location is near the second facility 100b, the providing unit 24 provides guidance information to the terminal device 40 of the user, individually, indicating guidance to the second and third taxi stands 200b and 200c close to the second facility 100b. This allows the user to move smoothly to the taxi stand 200 corresponding to his/her location, thereby effectively avoiding congestion around the facility 100.

In the above, the providing unit 24 provides guidance information to the user's terminal device 40, but this is not limited to the above. That is, for example, multiple guidance displays (not shown) may be installed in advance around the facility 100, and the providing unit 24 may provide guidance information to the guidance displays according to the installation positions of the guidance displays (for example, guidance information to a taxi stand 200 close to the installation positions).

In addition, when there is a time difference between the scheduled end times of the events, the providing unit 24 may change the content of the guidance information to the taxi stand 200 as time passes. As an example, when an event at the first facility 100a has ended while an event at the second facility 100b has not yet ended, the providing unit 24 provides the user at the first facility 100a with guidance information about both the first taxi stand 200a close to the first facility 100a and the second and third taxi stands 200b, 200c close to the second facility 100b. At this time, the providing unit 24 may select the taxi stand 200 to guide depending on the user's location, the congestion situation, etc.

Then, when the event at the second facility 100b ends (preferably shortly before the event ends), the providing unit 24 provides the user at the first facility 100a with only guidance information to the first taxi stand 200a, which is close to the first facility 100a. On the other hand, the providing unit 24 provides the user at the second facility 100b with guidance information to the second and third taxi stands 200b and 200c, which are close to the second facility 100b.

After that, when the number of users near the first facility 100a decreases as users at the first facility 100a move by taxi or go to the nearest station, the providing unit 24 starts providing users at the second facility 100b with guidance information to the first taxi stand 200a, which is closer to the first facility 100a, in addition to the second and third taxi stands 200b and 200c. This makes it possible to provide guidance information with appropriate content according to the time that has passed since the end of an event, for example, and thus makes it possible to effectively avoid congestion around the facility 100.

In addition to determining the location of the taxi stand 200 as described above, the determination unit 23 can also determine the route of a taxi heading to the taxi stand 200. This determination of the taxi route will be described with reference to FIG. 11. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the process of determining the route of a taxi heading to the taxi stand 200.

As shown in FIG. 11, for example, the determination unit 23 can determine a route Wa for a taxi heading to a taxi stand 200 (in the example of FIG. 11, the first taxi stand 200a) based on road information. Then, the provision unit 24 can provide the determined route Wa to the taxi (more precisely, the taxi's on-board device 50).

Specifically, the determination unit 23 can determine the taxi route Wa based on the road information so that taxis heading to the taxi stand 200 (first taxi stand 200a) travel in the same direction and arrive at the taxi stand 200 (first taxi stand 200a). The section in which taxis travel in the same direction can be set arbitrarily, and as an example, it is set between intersections Y1 and Y2 that sandwich multiple facilities 100.

This effectively prevents taxi congestion from occurring around the facility 100. That is, for example, if a vehicle such as a taxi enters the road R1 from an intermediate route Wb1 or route Wb2, it may take a long time for the taxi to arrive at the first taxi stand 200a.

The determination unit 23 according to this embodiment therefore determines the taxi route Wa so that taxis heading to the first taxi stand 200a travel in the same direction and arrive at the first taxi stand 200a, thereby preventing vehicles such as taxis from entering via route Wb1, route Wb2, etc.

As a result, all taxis heading to the first taxi stand 200a take the same route Wa, so that the taxis arrive at the first taxi stand 200a quickly. In addition, even after the taxi has picked up the user at the first taxi stand 200a, the taxi can depart smoothly from the first taxi stand 200a. This makes it possible to effectively avoid taxi congestion around the facility 100.

The providing unit 24 may provide the location information and route Wa of the determined taxi stand 200 to a taxi traveling near the facility 100 regardless of the taxi's operating status information, or may provide the information to a taxi whose operating status information is "empty."

<Control process of information processing device>
Next, an example of a specific processing procedure in the information processing device 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 12. Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure executed by the information processing device 10.

As shown in FIG. 12, the control unit 20 of the information processing device 10 acquires multiple pieces of event information related to events held at multiple facilities 100, including the scheduled end times of the events at each of the multiple facilities 100 (step S10). Next, the control unit 20 sets a predetermined time based on the relative positions of the multiple facilities 100 and the number of visitors to each facility 100 (e.g., the level of the number of visitors) (step S11).

Next, the control unit 20 determines whether the scheduled end time of the event for each of the facilities 100 is within the set predetermined time (step S12). If the control unit 20 determines that the scheduled end time of the event is not within the predetermined time (step S12, No), it skips the subsequent processing.

On the other hand, if the control unit 20 determines that the scheduled end time of the event is within the specified time (step S12, Yes), it determines whether or not there is a possibility that the existing taxi stand 200x (see Figure 1) will be crowded (step S13).

For example, the control unit 20 determines that there is a possibility of congestion if an existing taxi stand 200x (see FIG. 1) is located between multiple facilities 100, or if taxis departing from taxi stands corresponding to multiple facilities 100 each depart in the same direction.

If the control unit 20 determines that the taxi stand 200x is not likely to be crowded (step S13, No), it skips the subsequent processing. On the other hand, if the control unit 20 determines that the taxi stand 200x is likely to be crowded (step S13, Yes), it determines the taxi stand 200 based on event information, etc. (step S14).

Next, the control unit 20 executes a dispatch process to provide the taxi with information such as the location of the determined taxi stand 200 and route information to the taxi stand 200 (step S15).

As described above, the information processing device 10 according to the embodiment includes an acquisition unit 22 and a determination unit 23. The acquisition unit 22 acquires multiple pieces of event information related to events held at multiple facilities 100 (event facilities), including the scheduled end time of the event for each of the multiple facilities 100. The determination unit 23 determines the location of taxi (an example of a mobile object) stands for users of the multiple facilities 100, based on the multiple pieces of event information acquired by the acquisition unit 22. This makes it possible to avoid congestion around the multiple event facilities, even when events are held at each of the multiple event facilities.

In the above, the information processing device 10 performs various processes such as determining the location of the taxi stand 200 and determining the route, but the device on which the various processes are performed is not limited to the information processing device 10. In other words, some or all of the processes performed by the information processing device 10 may be performed by the terminal device 40, the in-vehicle device 50, or the event facility information processing devices 60a and 60b.

Further advantages and modifications may readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described above. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Information processing device 20 Control unit 21 Reception unit 22 Acquisition unit 23 Determination unit 24 Provision unit

Claims (11)

An information processing device including a computer,
The computer includes:
acquiring a plurality of pieces of event information relating to events to be held at a plurality of event facilities, the event information including a scheduled end time of the event for each of the plurality of event facilities ;
if the time difference between the scheduled end times for the plurality of event facilities is within a predetermined time range, determining positions of the boarding points so that boarding points for the plurality of event facilities are dispersed for users of the plurality of event facilities based on the acquired plurality of event information .
Information processing device. The computer includes:
acquiring locations of a plurality of the event facilities as the event information;
determining a positional relationship between the plurality of event facilities based on positions of the plurality of event facilities, setting the predetermined time range based on the determined positional relationship, and determining the position of the boarding area when a time difference between the scheduled end times of the plurality of event facilities is within the set predetermined time range ;
The information processing device according to claim 1 . The computer includes:
The number of visitors to the event facility is acquired as the event information;
setting the predetermined time range based on the number of visitors to the event facility, and determining the location of the boarding area when a time difference between the scheduled end times of the plurality of event facilities is within the set predetermined time range ;
3. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2 . The computer includes:
Obtaining road information regarding roads around a plurality of said event facilities;
determining a route of the mobile object heading to the boarding area based on the acquired road information ;
The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . The computer includes:
determining the routes of the plurality of moving bodies heading toward the platform so that the moving bodies travel in the same direction and arrive at the platform based on the road information ;
The information processing device according to claim 4 . The computer includes:
determining a position other than a position between the plurality of event facilities as the position of the boarding area ;
The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 . The computer includes:
when a dispatch request for dispatching the mobile body is received , a position of the boarding point is determined to be different from the position of the boarding point determined when a time difference between the scheduled end times of the plurality of event facilities is outside the predetermined time range ;
The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 . The computer includes:
providing guidance information to the boarding area according to location information indicating the location of the user at the event facility ;
The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 . The vehicle is a taxi or a bus .
The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 . 1. A computer-implemented information processing method, comprising:
acquiring a plurality of pieces of event information relating to events to be held at a plurality of event facilities, the event information including a scheduled end time of the event for each of the plurality of event facilities;
if the time difference between the scheduled end times for the plurality of event facilities is within a predetermined time range, determining positions of the boarding points so that boarding points for the plurality of event facilities are dispersed for users of the plurality of event facilities based on the acquired plurality of event information .
Information processing methods. An information processing program executed by a computer,
acquiring a plurality of pieces of event information relating to events to be held at a plurality of event facilities, the event information including a scheduled end time of the event for each of the plurality of event facilities;
if the time difference between the scheduled end times for the plurality of event facilities is within a predetermined time range, determining positions of the boarding points so that boarding points for the plurality of event facilities are dispersed for users of the plurality of event facilities based on the acquired plurality of event information.
Information processing program.

Images