JP7845201B2 - Guidance display system - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a guidance display system for guiding users to their destination after they have disembarked from an autonomous vehicle.

Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for determining the stopping position of an autonomous vehicle so that it is within a predetermined distance from the user's destination and that sufficient space is secured around the vehicle doors for easy boarding and alighting. The vehicle is then stopped at the determined stopping position.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-111223

An autonomous vehicle intended to transport users to their destination within a facility is expected to travel to a designated drop-off area and disembark the user at the drop-off point. According to the technology described in Patent Document 1, immediately after disembarking from the vehicle, the user may not know which direction to go to reach their destination.

The present invention aims to provide a guidance display system that can guide users to their destination after they have disembarked from an autonomous vehicle.

One aspect of the present invention is a guidance display system comprising: a management device that acquires destination information relating to the destination of a user using a vehicle, determines the vehicle's stopping position based on the destination information, calculates the vehicle's travel route between the vehicle's departure point and the stopping position, and drives the vehicle from the departure point to the stopping position based on the travel route; and an output unit that communicates with the management device and displays an arbitrary guidance display on the road surface. The management device calculates a travel route from the stopping position to the destination based on the destination information, determines the content of the guidance display based on the travel route, and, when the vehicle stops at the stopping position, causes the output unit to display a guidance display on the road surface within a predetermined range from the stopping position indicating the direction the user should move after disembarking from the vehicle.

According to this invention, after a user disembarks from an autonomous vehicle, the user can be guided along a route to their destination.

This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the guidance display system according to the first embodiment. This figure shows an example of a directional sign displayed at the vehicle's stopping position in a disembarking area. This is a sequence diagram showing the operation of each component of the guidance display system. This is a diagram showing an example of a display device installed inside a vehicle.

The following describes embodiments of the guidance display system according to the present invention.

[First Embodiment]
As shown in Figure 1, the guidance display system 1 includes, for example, a vehicle 2 capable of self-driving by autonomous driving, a management device 10 that performs control related to the driving of the vehicle 2, an output unit 40 that provides guidance displays to guide users at the drop-off area, and a terminal device 50 used by users. In the guidance display system 1 according to the first embodiment, the output unit 40 is provided at the drop-off area S.

The terminal device 50 is an information processing terminal device that can communicate via network W, such as a smartphone, tablet device, or personal computer carried by the user. Network W is a communication network that provides wireless communication services. The terminal device 50 has an application installed for calling and boarding/alighting from vehicle 2. The user operates the terminal device 50 to input destination information and arrange for vehicle 2.

Vehicle 2 is, for example, an autonomous driving vehicle capable of self-driving. Vehicle 2 is configured to communicate with the management device 10 via a wireless communication network W. Vehicle 2's control parameters related to vehicle operation, such as accelerator pedal position, steering wheel angle, and brake pedal force, are remotely controlled by the first management device 20. Vehicle 2 automatically travels to its destination based on the autonomous driving control managed by the management device 10. Vehicle 2 is a taxi vehicle that transports one or more passengers to their destination.

Vehicle 2 automatically travels to the designated pick-up location when a user requests it by inputting information into the terminal device 50. After picking up the user, Vehicle 2 automatically travels to the user's designated destination and alights the user there. If a drop-off area S is provided at the user's designated destination, Vehicle 2 stops at the drop-off area S and alights the user.

The drop-off area S is a drop-off space accessible to autonomous vehicles, provided at public facilities such as train stations, commercial facilities, and accommodation facilities. The drop-off area S is equipped with, for example, an output unit 40 for displaying predetermined guidance signs on the road surface, a monitoring unit 42 for monitoring the state of the drop-off area S, and a communication unit 44 for communication via the network W. The monitoring unit 42 is composed of, for example, cameras and sensors capable of detecting the state within the drop-off area S. The communication unit 44 connects to the network W based on wireless or wired communication and is composed of a communication interface for mutual communication with the vehicle 2, the management device 10, and the terminal device 50. The monitoring unit 42 may also be used in conjunction with a sensing device (not shown) provided on the vehicle 2 side for sensing the surroundings of the vehicle 2.

The output unit 40 is configured to display arbitrary guidance indicators on the road surface. The output unit 40 is composed of, for example, multiple light-emitting elements embedded in a matrix pattern on the road surface of the drop-off area S, generating an arbitrary light-emitting pattern on the road surface. The light-emitting elements are, for example, formed by light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The output unit 40 may also be composed of projection devices or lighting devices provided at the drop-off area S, projecting a light-emitting pattern onto the road surface. The light-emitting pattern may be formed, for example, by laser light or a projected image. The output unit 40 may be composed of projection devices provided not only on the drop-off area S side, but also on the vehicle 2 side. In this case, the vehicle 2 can project a light-emitting pattern onto the road surface when stopped at any location other than the drop-off area S.

The output unit 40 is connected to the communication unit 44, which is an interface for wireless or wired communication. The communication unit 44 connects the management device 10 and the output unit 40 via the network W, enabling communication between them. The communication unit 44 transmits control information output from the management device 10 to the output unit 40 via the network W.

The output unit 40 communicates with the management device 10, and when the vehicle 2 stops at the designated stopping position, it displays a guidance indicator on the road surface within a predetermined range from the stopping position, indicating the direction the user should move after disembarking from the vehicle 2, based on the control information acquired from the management device 10. The control information includes, for example, information on at least one light emission pattern from a plurality of pre-set different guidance indicator light emission patterns. Based on the content of the control information acquired from the management device 10, the output unit 40 changes the light emission pattern and the content of the guidance indicator before outputting it. The content of the light emission pattern will be described later.

The management device 10 includes, for example, a first management device 20 that manages the movement of the vehicle 2, and a second management device 30 that manages the output unit 40. The first management device 20 is a server device capable of communicating with the vehicle 2, the second management device 30, and the terminal device 50 via the network W. The first management device 20 is composed of, for example, an information processing terminal device such as a personal computer. The first management device 20 includes, for example, a calculation unit 22 that performs calculation processing for managing the movement of the vehicle 2, a storage unit 24 that stores calculation-related data and programs, and a communication unit 26 for communication via the network W.

The arithmetic unit 22 is composed of at least one hardware processor, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The storage unit 24 is composed of non-temporary storage media such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state disk (SSD). The storage unit 24 may be provided not only in the first management device 20, but also in a data server (not shown) that is connected to it via the network W for communication. The communication unit 26 is configured as a communication interface that connects to the network W based on wireless or wired communication and enables communication with the vehicle 2, the second management device 30, and the terminal device 50.

The calculation unit 22, for example, when a user using the vehicle 2 inputs destination information using the terminal device 50, communicates with the terminal device 50 via the network W and obtains destination information related to the user's destination. Destination information includes specific names such as station names, facility names, and shop names, as well as location information. Location information includes location data such as latitude and longitude corresponding to the location selected by the user on the map displayed on the terminal device 50. The calculation unit 22 accesses the storage unit 24 and searches for the destination based on the destination information. Based on the search results, the calculation unit 22 searches for the presence or absence of a station S at the destination. If a station S exists at the destination, it sets the station S as the target point for travel and determines the vehicle's stopping position within the station S.

The calculation unit 22 may select a nearby station S if no station S exists at the destination. The calculation unit 22 calculates the vehicle's travel path between the vehicle's departure point and the stopping position, and drives the vehicle from the departure point to the stopping position based on this path. If the calculation unit 22 cannot determine the vehicle's stopping position within the station S in advance, it autonomously drives the vehicle based on the travel path from the departure point to the station S. When the vehicle approaches a predetermined distance from the station S, it communicates with the second management device 30 to obtain information about the stopping position at the drop-off point S. Once the calculation unit 22 obtains information about possible stopping positions at the drop-off point S from the second management device 30, it drives the vehicle 2 to the stopping position.

The calculation unit 22 calculates the travel route from the stopping position to the destination based on the destination information already acquired. Based on the calculated travel route, the calculation unit 22 determines the content of the guidance display to be output to the output unit 40 when the vehicle 2 stops at the stopping position. The content of the guidance display is, for example, the light emission pattern of a light source displayed on the road surface around the vehicle 2. The light emission pattern is set to allow the user to visually see the direction they should head after disembarking from the vehicle 2. Examples of light emission patterns include an arrow display pointing in a predetermined direction from the vehicle 2, and a route display displayed at a predetermined distance from the vehicle 2. The calculation unit 22 outputs the determined guidance display information to the second management device 30. The calculation unit 22 communicates with the second management device 30 and, when the vehicle stops at the stopping position, causes the output unit 40 to display the guidance display.

The second management device 30 is a server device capable of communicating with the vehicle 2, the first management device 20, and the terminal device 50 via the network W. The second management device 30 is composed of, for example, an information processing terminal device such as a personal computer. The second management device 30 includes, for example, a control unit 32 that manages the status of the disembarking area S and performs calculation processing to control the output unit 40, a storage unit 34 that stores calculation-related data and programs, and a communication unit 36 for communication via the network W.

The control unit 32 is composed of at least one hardware processor, such as a CPU. The storage unit 34 is composed of a non-temporary storage medium, such as a hard disk drive or solid-state disk. The storage unit 34 may be located not only in the second management device 30, but also in a data server (not shown) that is connected to it via the network W for communication. The communication unit 36 is configured as a communication interface that connects to the network W based on wireless or wired communication and enables communication with the vehicle 2, the first management device 20, and the terminal device 50.

The control unit 32 monitors the drop-off area S based on information acquired from the monitoring unit 42. The control unit 32 determines whether a vehicle 2 is parked at any of the multiple parking positions provided within the drop-off area S, generates availability information for each parking position, and stores the data related to the availability information in the storage unit 34. The control unit 32 monitors the drop-off area S at predetermined timings and updates the data related to the availability information. When a vehicle 2 approaches the drop-off area S and the first management device 20 requests availability information for a parking position within the drop-off area S, the control unit 32 provides the availability information to the first management device 20. If one or more parking positions are available, the control unit 32 may select one recommended parking position and transmit the availability information for this parking position to the first management device 20 as the parking position where the vehicle 2 should park.

The control unit 32 may, for example, select one parking spot as the recommended parking spot if one or more parking spots are available, which is the most convenient spot for the user to disembark at their destination. When the vehicle stops at a parking spot, the control unit 32 obtains information regarding the guidance display from the first management device 20 and displays the guidance display on the output unit 40 based on the content of the guidance display information.

As shown in Figure 2, the parking area S is monitored by the monitoring unit 42. The monitoring unit 42, for example, uses a camera to capture images of multiple parking positions Tn (n: a natural number) provided in the parking area S, and transmits the captured data to the second management device 30. The parking positions Tn are, for example, line markings on the road surface indicating an area where one vehicle 2 can be parked. The parking positions Tn may also be conceptual areas managed by calculation processing based on the captured data in the second management device 30.

In the second management device 30, the control unit 32 extracts an available stopping position Tm (m: a natural number from 1 to n) from among multiple stopping positions Tn based on the acquired imaging data. When the first management device 20, which manages the movement of vehicles 2 approaching the disembarking area S, requests information on the availability of stopping positions Tn within the disembarking area S, the control unit 32 provides the first management device 20 with the information that the extracted stopping position Tn is available.

In the first management device 20, the calculation unit 22 parks the vehicle 2 at the available parking position Tm based on the availability information acquired from the second management device 30. When the vehicle 2 is parked at the parking position, the calculation unit 22 transmits control information to the second management device 30, causing the output unit 40 to output a guidance indicator L based on a predetermined light emission pattern. The control information includes, for example, travel path information and light emission pattern information for the guidance indicator determined based on the travel path.

The calculation unit 22 calculates the travel path between the stopping position and the destination, and determines the light emission pattern according to the travel path. The calculation unit 22 transmits control information, including the travel path information and light emission pattern information, to the second management device 30. Based on the travel path information, the second management device displays a guidance indicator L on the output unit 40 on the road surface when the vehicle stops at the stopping position.

In the example shown in Figure 2, the guidance indicator L is displayed using a first light emission pattern L1, which shows an arrow pointing in a predetermined direction from the vehicle 2, and a second light emission pattern L2, which is continuous with the first light emission pattern L1 and indicates the travel path to the destination. The calculation unit 22 determines the content of the guidance indicator L of the first light emission pattern L1, which indicates the direction the user P should proceed within a predetermined distance range from the vehicle 2, based on the calculated travel path, and displays the guidance indicator L on the output unit 40. If the output unit 40 is composed of a projection device or lighting device, it may output only the first light emission pattern L1, or it may display the guidance indicator L within a predetermined distance range from the vehicle 2.

After alighting from vehicle 2, user P checks the guidance indicator L of the first light pattern L1 displayed on the road surface near vehicle 2 and moves in the direction indicated by the first light pattern L1. Subsequently, user P can proceed to their destination by following the guidance indicator L of the second light pattern L2, which is continuous with the first light pattern L1. The first and second light patterns L1 and L2 do not necessarily have to be displayed constantly; they may be displayed within a predetermined distance in front of user P in response to user P's movement. The first and second light patterns L1 and L2 may be extinguished after a predetermined period of time.

User P can determine the direction to their destination by visually viewing the guidance display L immediately after alighting from vehicle 2. User P can begin moving towards their destination by moving in the direction indicated by the guidance display L. After moving to a position where the guidance display L is no longer displayed, User P can use the terminal device 50 to search for a travel route between their current location and the destination, and by following the guided route, they can reliably reach their destination.

The guidance indicator L may not only emit light, but may also be displayed in a way that changes over time, such as a moving arrow. The guidance indicator L may also be displayed in a way that changes the color and size of the light emission pattern over time. The output unit 40 may be equipped with a speaker (not shown) for outputting sound, and the control unit 32 may provide voice guidance to the user P to direct them toward their destination when displaying the guidance indicator L. This allows the guidance display system 1 to guide the user P toward their destination even if the user P cannot see the guidance indicator L.

Figure 3 shows the operation of each component in the guidance display system 1. User P operates the terminal device 50 they are carrying to activate the dispatch application program and request the dispatch of vehicle 2 (step S10). The terminal device 50 transmits information regarding the dispatch request to the first management device 20. The first management device 20 selects a vehicle that is within a predetermined distance from the user P's designated location or that can arrive at the designated location within a predetermined time, and commands the selected vehicle 2 to pick them up (step S12). The first management device 20 controls vehicle 2 to drive it to the designated location (step S14).

The first management device 20 notifies the terminal device 50 of the vehicle's arrival when the vehicle 2 arrives at the designated location, or when the distance between the vehicle 2 and the designated location is within a predetermined distance (step S16). The user P boards the vehicle 2 from the designated location (step S18). The first management device 20 commands the vehicle 2 to travel to the drop-off area S (step S20). The vehicle 2 travels towards the drop-off area S based on the command (step S22). When the vehicle 2 approaches the drop-off area S, the first management device 20 requests information about the vehicle's stopping position within the drop-off area S from the second management device 30 (step S24). The second management device 30 requests monitoring information for the drop-off area S from the monitoring unit 42 installed at the drop-off area S (step S26).

The monitoring unit 42 transmits monitoring information, such as image data and sensor detection data of the disembarking area S, to the second management device 30 (step S28). Based on the monitoring information, the second management device 30 determines the availability of parking spaces at the disembarking area S and transmits information on available parking spaces to the first management device 20 (step S30). Based on the parking space information, the first management device 20 commands the vehicle 2 to travel to the parking space (step S32).

Vehicle 2 travels to the stopping position based on the driving command (step S34). The first management device 20 determines the content of the guidance display based on the user P's destination and requests the second management device 30 to display the guidance display at the stopping position (step S36). The second management device 30 commands the output unit 40 to display the guidance display (step S38). Based on the guidance display command, the output unit 40 outputs the guidance display at the stopping position (step S40).

As described above, the guidance display system 1 can guide users to their destination by displaying guidance information on the road surface at the stopping point after they have disembarked from the autonomous vehicle 2.

[Second Embodiment]
As shown in Figure 4, the guidance display may be displayed as a guidance display image by a display device 48 provided in the vehicle 2. The display device 48 is composed of, for example, a first display device 45 and a second display device 46. The first display device 45 is provided in a position where it can be visually seen by, for example, a first user P1 seated in the passenger seat 3, so as to provide information. The first display device 45 displays a first guidance display image 45A. The first guidance display image 45A is an image showing a first travel route used by the first user P1.

The second display device 46 is positioned so that it can be visually displayed to, for example, a second user P2 and a third user P3 seated in the rear seat 4, providing them with information. The second display device 46 consists of a single device and displays images by dividing the screen to accommodate the number of users P seated in the rear seat 4. In the example shown in Figure 4, the second display device 46 displays an image divided into two parts: a second guidance display image 46A and a third guidance display image 46B. The second guidance display image 46A shows the second travel route used by the second user P2. The third guidance display image 46B shows the third travel route used by the third user P3. The rear seat 4 may also be equipped with display devices for each person seated there.

Vehicle 2 communicates with the first management device 20, causing the calculation unit 22 to display guidance images on the first display device 45 and the second display device 46. The first display device 45 displays a first guidance image showing the first travel route from the first stopping position at the first drop-off location for the first user P1 to the first destination while Vehicle 2 is in motion. The second display device 46 displays a second guidance image showing the second travel route from the second stopping position at the second drop-off location for the second user P2 to the second destination while Vehicle 2 is in motion. The second display device 46 also displays a third guidance image showing the third travel route from the third stopping position at the third drop-off location for the third user P3 to the second destination while Vehicle 2 is in motion.

This section describes the case where two users, a first user P1 and a second user P2, disembark at the same stopping position Tn (see Figure 2) at the disembarking area S (see Figure 2). The first user P1 plans to disembark at stopping position Tn and proceed to their first destination. The second user P2 plans to disembark at stopping position Tn and proceed to their second destination. The calculation unit 22 calculates a first travel path between stopping position Tn and the first user's first destination, and also calculates a second travel path between stopping position Tn and the second user's second destination.

The calculation unit 22 communicates with the vehicle 2 and, while the vehicle 2 is in motion, causes the first guidance display image 45A of the first user P1's first travel route to be displayed on the first display device 45. By viewing the first guidance display image 45A while the vehicle 2 is in motion, the first user P1 can confirm in advance the direction to proceed after disembarking from the stopping position Tn and the first travel route to the destination. The calculation unit 22 communicates with the vehicle 2 and, while the vehicle 2 is in motion, causes the second guidance display image 46A of the second user P2's second travel route to be displayed on the second display device 46. By viewing the second guidance display image 46A while the vehicle 2 is in motion, the second user P2 can confirm in advance the direction to proceed after disembarking from the stopping position Tn and the second travel route to the destination. If the first destination of the first user P1 and the second destination of the second user P2 are the same, the calculation unit 22 outputs a guidance display L (see Figure 2) to the output unit 40, indicating the travel route to the common destination from the stopping position Tn.

As described above, according to the guidance display system 1 of the second embodiment, since the vehicle 2 is equipped with a first display device 45 and a second display device, etc., even if there are multiple users P disembarking from the same stopping position Tn at the same disembarking area S, each user P can reliably proceed to their respective destination by viewing the guidance display image presented to them.

The guidance display system 1 according to the first and second embodiments described above may be implemented individually or in combination. For example, the guidance display system 1 may change the output content of the output unit 40 (see Figure 1) or the display device 44 (see Figure 4) according to the number of people, such as pedestrians, present around the vehicle 2. At the drop-off area S (see Figure 2), the monitoring unit 42 acquires information about the area around the vehicle. The calculation unit 22 detects the positions of people present around the vehicle 2 based on the monitoring results acquired by the monitoring unit 42 at the stopping position Tn (see Figure 2).

The calculation unit 22 determines, based on the person detection result, whether the output unit 40 can output a guidance display L for the movement path on the road surface. If the calculation unit 22 determines that the number of people is small and the output unit 40 can output a guidance display L for the movement path on the road surface, it instructs the output unit 40 to output the guidance display. If the calculation unit 22 determines that the output unit 40 cannot output the movement path on the road surface, it stops the output of the output unit 40 and displays the guidance display image on the display device 48.

The calculation unit 22 may also display the guidance display image on the display device 48 so that it can output the guidance display L on the road surface. This allows the guidance display system 1 to change the display content of the output unit 40 and the display device 48 according to the pedestrian congestion at the drop-off area S. According to the guidance display system 1, information related to guidance displays can be provided to the user P in a manner appropriate to the pedestrian congestion at the drop-off area S.

In the guidance display system 1 described above, the first management device 20 may charge the user P a usage fee if the user P uses the display service that displays information about the travel route on the output unit 40 or the display device 48. The calculation unit 22 may provide the user P with the display service associated with the vehicle dispatch service if the user P is an attribute that allows the use of the display service.

In the above description and diagrams, the guidance display system is illustrated for cases where traffic regulations stipulate that vehicles travel on the right. However, the guidance display system can be applied not only to traffic regulations stipulating that vehicles travel on the left, but also to those stipulating that vehicles travel on the right. When traffic regulations stipulating that vehicles travel on the right apply, the guidance display system should be considered by reversing the left and right directions where they are distinguished in the above description and diagrams.

In the embodiments described above, the computer programs executed in each configuration of the guidance display system 1 may be provided in the form of a computer-readable, portable recording medium, such as a semiconductor memory, magnetic recording medium, or optical recording medium.

1 Guidance display system 2 Vehicle 10 Management device 20 First management device 22 Calculation unit 24 Storage unit 26 Communication unit 30 Second management device 32 Control unit 34 Storage unit 36 Communication unit 40 Output unit 42 Monitoring unit 44 Communication unit 45 First display device 45A First guidance display image 46 Second display device 46A Second guidance display image 46B Third guidance display image 48 Display device 50 Terminal device

Claims (5)

A management device that acquires destination information relating to the destination of a user using the vehicle, determines the vehicle's stopping position based on the destination information, calculates the vehicle's travel route between the vehicle's departure point and the stopping position, and drives the vehicle from the departure point to the stopping position based on the travel route,
An output unit that communicates with the aforementioned management device and displays arbitrary guidance displays on the road surface,
A display device provided in the vehicle for providing information to the user,
The vehicle comprises a monitoring unit that acquires information about the surroundings of the vehicle ,
The management device calculates a travel route from the stopping position to the destination based on the destination information, determines the content of the guidance display based on the travel route, and when the vehicle stops at the stopping position, displays the guidance display on the output unit indicating the direction in which the user should move after disembarking from the vehicle on the road surface within a predetermined range from the stopping position .
The management device causes the display device to show the guidance display and the guidance display image showing the travel route while the vehicle is in motion.
The management device detects the location of persons present around the vehicle based on the monitoring results obtained by the monitoring unit at the stopping position, and based on the person detection results, if the output unit is able to output the guidance display of the travel path on the road surface, it causes the output unit to output the guidance display, and if the output unit is unable to output the travel path on the road surface, it causes the display device to display the guidance display image.
Guidance and signage system. When the first and second users of the vehicle disembark at the stopping position, the management device shall
The system calculates a first travel path between the stopping position and the first destination of the first user, and a second travel path between the stopping position and the second destination of the second user.
While the vehicle is in motion, the display device is made to display a first guidance display image of the first travel path and a second guidance display image of the second travel path.
The guidance display system according to claim 1 . The management device determines the content of the guidance display indicating the direction the user should proceed within a predetermined distance range from the vehicle, based on the calculated travel path, and causes the output unit to display the guidance display.
The guidance display system according to claim 1. When the user uses the display service that displays the travel route, the management device provides the display service to the user and charges the user a fee for using the display service.
The guidance display system according to claim 1. The management device includes a first management device for managing the movement of the vehicle,
The system comprises a second management device configured to communicate with the first management device and for managing the operation of the output unit at the stopping position,
The first management device calculates the travel path and transmits the travel path information relating to the travel path to the second management device.
The second management device, based on the movement path information, causes the vehicle to stop at the stopping position, to display the guidance display on the output unit on the road surface.
The guidance display system according to claim 1.