JP7850776B2 - Information processing device - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to an information processing device.

Because public transportation such as trains and subways requires infrastructure development for their routes, their adoption is slower in rural areas compared to urban areas. Therefore, in rural areas, buses, taxis, and other alternatives often cover transportation needs.
Conventional technologies that utilize buses, taxis, etc., include, for example, the first technology and the second technology.

Specifically, as a first technology, a technology has been proposed that arranges taxi dispatch based on the pick-up location specified by the user (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Furthermore, as a second technology, a technology has been proposed to support a car-sharing transportation service for elderly people residing in a single area, where they can share a vehicle with a driver to travel to facilities or other locations (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-030790 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-162438

However, conventional technologies, including the first and second technologies mentioned above, did not take into account situations where movement occurs over a wide area beyond a single region.
Furthermore, from a financial perspective, using conventional technology for long-distance travel generally results in higher user costs depending on the distance or travel time. Therefore, even if infrastructure is built based on conventional technology, costs will be high, and concerns remain regarding the continuity of the service.

This invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to support regional mobility by introducing a mobile vehicle that circulates across multiple areas, and to improve the efficiency of the operation of such a mobile vehicle across multiple areas.

To achieve the above objective, an information processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention is:
An information processing device that determines a route for a mobile object capable of carrying a mobile object, a route that passes through multiple areas, each having one or more bases,
For each of the one or more aforementioned moving objects, a schedule acquisition means for acquiring a travel schedule including a base to be used when boarding the moving object and a base to be used when disembarking from the moving object,
A path determination means that determines two or more areas to be included in the travel path from among the multiple areas, based on the respective plans for each of the one or more objects to be moved, and also determines the order of movement for each of them.
It is equipped with.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technology that supports regional mobility by introducing a mobile vehicle that circulates across multiple areas, and also improves the efficiency of the operation of the mobile vehicle across multiple areas.

This diagram explains the service area for fixed-rate taxis. This figure shows an example of the application area for fixed-rate taxis in regional mobility support services and the route of an AI-operated bus. This diagram shows user reservation information when using an AI-operated bus service. This figure shows an example of an AI-operated bus route determined based on the reservation information in Figure 3. This figure shows the configuration of an information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 shows the hardware configuration of the server in the information processing system. Figure 5 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the server, the terminal equipped with the fixed-rate taxi service, the terminal equipped with the AI-operated bus service, and the user terminal. Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the reservation information acquisition process performed by the server. Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the route determination process performed by the server. Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating the detailed flow of the route information generation process within the route determination process.

Before describing embodiments of the present invention, a brief explanation of the services that form the basis of the present invention will be provided.

Japan is facing a super-aging society where one in four people is 65 years or older, leading to problems not only in healthcare and welfare but also in transportation. Specifically, according to a survey by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, approximately 20% of those aged 65 to 74 have difficulty walking more than 500 meters per day, and this figure rises to about 50% for those aged 75 and over.

On the other hand, traffic accidents caused by elderly drivers are increasing year by year and are expected to continue to rise. With the aging population, the number of licensed drivers aged 75 and over is projected to reach 5.33 million in 2018, necessitating measures to create an environment where elderly people can live comfortably without driving. One possible solution is a compact city, where various functions are concentrated in the city center, keeping urban areas compact. However, this is difficult to implement, especially in rural areas where various facilities and residences are scattered.

Due to these circumstances, elderly people, especially in rural areas, often face problems and concerns such as: "As I age, the distance I can walk decreases," "I'm afraid of traffic accidents, but not being able to drive would disrupt my life," and "I have no contact with neighbors, so I end up staying home, and there's no one to rely on in case of an emergency."

Furthermore, for the elderly, and indeed for the general public, purchasing and maintaining a private car typically involves significant expenses.

Therefore, in order to support the community living of the elderly, there is a need to build a platform that provides value in areas such as monitoring support, community living support, and community mobility support (free movement within the community), and to provide comprehensive services for the elderly. Such services are precisely the services to which the information processing system of one embodiment of the present invention (for example, the information processing system in Figure 5) is applicable (hereinafter referred to as "this service").

For users of this service, especially elderly users, it enables them to live a "free and fulfilling life" and a "life full of purpose." On the other hand, for those providing the service (such as employees of the service provider, as described later), it allows them to provide services with a sense of purpose and fulfillment. These elements work together organically to create a "cycle of purpose in life."

Next, I will briefly explain the community living support platform that will be built to achieve this "cycle of meaningful living."
The Community Living Support Platform is a service proposed by the applicant, etc., and is a service provision platform that collaborates with other businesses, etc., to provide a range of services for the elderly and others.
In other words, the community living support platform can provide value to the elderly and others such as "monitoring support,""community living support," and "free movement within a designated area."
Specifically, for example, a community living support platform would include services such as "concierge services,""local transportation support,""aggregation and provision of local information," and "provision of outing tickets (local currency)."

The above briefly describes the services that form the basis of the present invention, prior to describing the embodiments of the present invention. In the following description, the focus will be on an example where the "flat-rate taxi" service, related to "regional mobility support," is adopted among the various services described above.

Now, let me explain about fixed-rate taxis.
In the regional mobility support service described later, AI-operated buses are used for travel between regions, but fixed-rate taxis are used for travel within each region.
A fixed-fare taxi is a taxi service where the fare is set at a flat rate for travel within a designated area.
Here, "uniform" means that the fare for a taxi carrying a user within a designated area is constant for a predetermined time unit (e.g., one month). However, the fare per predetermined time unit (e.g., one month) is not the same for all users, and will differ for each category if multiple categories are set, such as three categories (e.g., premium, standard, and standard).
In the following example, the user will use a fixed-rate taxi service by paying a fixed amount each month (for example, an amount determined for each category).

Figure 1 illustrates the service area for fixed-rate taxi dispatch. In the example shown in Figure 1, areas A1 and A2 are indicated. Note that these areas are illustrative and not limited to these; any range of region, i.e., "area," is acceptable.

Here, each fixed-fare taxi is assigned to a predetermined area and operates within that area. For example, in the example in Figure 1, the fixed-fare taxi assigned to area A1 operates within area A1, while fixed-fare taxis T-1 and T-2, assigned to area A2, operate within area A2.
Users can set a region that includes their home (for example, region A2) and pay a fixed amount each month (for example, 30,000 yen) to freely use fixed-rate taxis that serve the set region (for example, fixed-rate taxis T-1 and T-2 in region A2). However, "freely using" here means using the service within the scope of the usage method set for each category, in cases where multiple categories are set, such as three categories (pine, bamboo, and plum).

Figure 1 only shows the fixed-fare taxis T-3 and T-4 that serve area A2, but area A1 also has a predetermined number of fixed-fare taxis (for example, 2) that are not shown.
In the example of region A2, for instance, three drivers take turns driving two fixed-fare taxis, T-3 and T-4.
In this way, it is preferable to assign drivers to only one designated area and to limit the number of drivers to a certain extent. This is because it allows for the formation of close relationships between users and drivers, and provides users with a sense of security.

Here, the vision of this project, as envisioned by the service providers, is to "create a society where elderly people can go wherever they want, no matter how far they go." To achieve this vision, relying solely on fixed-rate taxis may not always be sufficient.
For example, a user can use a fixed-rate taxi to visit their local doctor within their area of residence, but if they need to go to a large hospital in a different area, they cannot use a fixed-rate taxi that only allows travel within the same area. Therefore, to complement fixed-rate taxis that only allow travel within the same area, a means of transportation that allows travel between areas is introduced. As such a means of transportation, for example, an AI-operated bus, as described later, could be adopted.
A service that utilizes fixed-rate taxis for travel within the same region and AI-operated buses or other means of transportation for travel between different regions will be referred to below as a regional mobility support service.

Figure 2 shows an example of the application area for fixed-rate taxis and the route of AI-operated buses in the regional mobility support service.
An AI-operated bus refers to a bus that, unlike a regular route bus that operates on a fixed route at set times, uses AI (Artificial Intelligence) to flexibly determine its operating route (and operating time) according to the "inter-regional travel plans" of each user in each region (area).

Therefore, for example, the AI can update the route as needed (even while the bus is in motion) in response to changes in a user's plans or increases or decreases in the number of users scheduled to ride (e.g., suddenly wanting to go to a neighboring town, or canceling a trip due to an urgent matter).

In the example shown in Figure 2, areas A1 to A7, fixed-rate taxis T-1 to T-14, AI-operated bus B, and bus stops BS-1 to BS-7 are indicated.

In the following, when it is not necessary to distinguish between regions A1 through A7 individually, they will be collectively referred to as "Region A."
Furthermore, when there is no need to distinguish between each of the fixed-rate taxis T-1 through T-14 individually, they are collectively referred to as "fixed-rate taxi T".
Furthermore, when there is no need to distinguish between each of the bus stops BS-1 through BS-7 individually, they are collectively referred to as "bus stop BS".

Each of the fixed-fare taxis T-1 through T-14 operates only within its assigned region A and does not operate across two or more regions A. In the example in Figure 2, two fixed-fare taxis T are assigned to each region A, but this is not limited to this; one or more taxis are sufficient. Furthermore, the number of fixed-fare taxis T assigned to each region A does not need to be the same; any number of independent taxis is acceptable.

In the example shown in Figure 2, AI-operated bus B circulates between regions A1 through A7.
However, the area A on which the AI-operated bus B can circulate is not particularly limited to the example in Figure 2, but may be any two or more areas A (including areas A not shown in Figure 2).

Each of the bus stops BS-1 through BS-7 is a hub where AI-operated bus B stops in each of the regions A1 through A7, and passengers board and alight.
In the example in Figure 2, each of the bus stops BS-1 to BS-7 is installed in each of the regions A1 to A7, but this is merely an example; it is sufficient for one or more bus stops BS to be installed in each region A. Furthermore, the number of bus stops BS installed in each region A does not need to be the same; any number of independent stops is acceptable.

Here, it is stated that bus stops BS are "installed," but they do not necessarily need to be "installed" specifically for the AI-operated bus B to stop, like conventional route bus "bus stops." In other words, existing locations within area A can be adopted as bus stops BS.
Specifically, for example, town community centers, places where people play shogi or go, and other places where users (elderly people) can gather and communicate (while waiting for the AI-operated bus B) can be designated as bus stops BS.
In other words, the fixed-rate taxi T and AI-operated bus B are not necessarily intended to operate on a strict schedule, but rather are designed to allow passengers to communicate and socialize with each other while traveling. Accordingly, it is also envisioned that users will gather at town community centers or other designated stops (BS) while waiting for the fixed-rate taxi T or bus B, or even if they do not board them, to socialize and interact with each other.

Here, let's consider a scenario where a user residing in area A1 travels to a hospital in area A5. In this case, the user travels from their home to bus stop BS-1 by fixed-rate taxi T-1, and alights from the taxi upon arrival at BS-1. Then, the user boards AI-operated bus B at bus stop BS-1 and travels to bus stop BS-5 in area A5. Upon arrival at BS-5, the user alights from AI-operated bus B. Finally, the user boards fixed-rate taxi T-9 and travels to their destination hospital.

Thus, when traveling to a destination located in area A, outside of your home area A1, you can reach your destination safely, affordably, and without hassle by using the AI-operated bus B and a fixed-rate taxi.

Furthermore, the fixed-rate taxi T, AI-operated bus B, and bus stops BS are not merely means of transportation or stops, but also have an aspect of "supporting the community life of the elderly." In other words, in terms of "supporting the community life of the elderly," by regularly using the fixed-rate taxi T, users (elderly people) can become acquainted with the drivers of the fixed-rate taxi T and communicate with them during their rides. In other words, the drivers also become people who look out for the users (elderly people), and can check on their well-being by wondering, "They always ride with us, but they haven't been lately, what happened?"
This will allow for early detection of any problems that may arise for users, thus functioning as support for users, specifically elderly individuals, in their community life.
Furthermore, as mentioned above, bus stops (BS) and AI-operated buses (B) will provide an environment where users can communicate with each other in a lively atmosphere.

Furthermore, here, an AI-operated bus refers to a bus that, unlike a regular route bus that operates on a fixed route at set times, flexibly determines its route and operating time according to the "inter-regional travel plans" of each user in each region (area). Therefore, the AI can update the route as needed in response to changes in user plans or increases or decreases in the number of users (for example, a sudden desire to travel to a neighboring town, or cancellation of bus use due to illness). Details of the process by which the AI updates the route will be described later using Figure 9, etc.

Figure 3 shows an example of user reservation information when using an AI-operated bus. Users can reserve a ride on the AI-operated bus by operating a user terminal such as a smartphone (for example, user terminal 4 in Figure 5, described later). Specifically, the user reserves a ride by specifying their residential area, the bus stop they will use to board the AI-operated bus B (boarding stop), the bus stop they will use to alight from the AI-operated bus B (alighting stop), and the time slot they will ride the AI-operated bus B (boarding time slot) using their user terminal.

For example, according to the reservation information in Figure 3, user U1, residing in area A3, has made a reservation to board at stop BS32 and alight at stop BS21 during the morning hours. User U2, residing in area A1, has made a reservation to board at stop BS11 and alight at stop BS22 during the morning hours. User Un (where n is any integer), residing in area A2, has made a reservation to board at stop BS21 and alight at stop BS31 during the daytime hours.

Based on this reservation information, the route for AI-operated bus B is determined. This will be explained using Figure 4.

Figure 4 shows an example of an AI-operated bus route determined based on the reservation information in Figure 3.
In the example shown in Figure 4, the route is determined based on earlier reservation information, and the route is also determined in a way that efficiently covers each region for reservations made during the same time slot.

For example, in the case of the reservation information shown in Figure 3, during the morning hours, the route is determined so that AI-operated bus B picks up user U2 at bus stop BS11 in area A1 and then travels to area A3. Next, the route is determined so that AI-operated bus B picks up user U1 at bus stop BS32 and then travels to area A2. Next, the route is determined so that user U2 is dropped off at bus stop BS22 and user U1 is dropped off at bus stop BS21. Then, during the daytime hours, the route is determined so that AI-operated bus B picks up user Un in area A2, travels to area A3, and drops off user Un at bus stop BS31.

In other words, the route is determined to go from bus stop BS11 in area A1 → bus stop BS32 in area A3 → bus stop BS22 in area A2 → bus stop BS21 in area A2 → bus stop BS31 in area A3. By traveling along this route, the AI-operated bus B can efficiently circulate through the area and ensure smooth boarding and alighting for reserved users.

The following describes an embodiment of the information processing system applied when providing the various services described above, specifically, an information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of an information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention.
The information processing system shown in Figure 5 is a system that manages fixed-rate taxis and AI-operated buses in order to realize the aforementioned regional mobility support service.

As shown in Figure 5, the information processing system is configured to include Server 1, fixed-rate taxi terminals 2-1 to 2-m (where m is an arbitrary integer) installed in each of the fixed-rate taxis T-1 to T-n (where n is an arbitrary integer), an AI-operated bus terminal 3 installed in the AI-operated bus B, and user terminals 4-1 to 4-p (where p is an arbitrary integer).

Server 1, the fixed-rate taxi terminals 2-1 to 2-m, and the AI-operated bus terminal 3, along with the user terminals 4-1 to 4-p, are interconnected via a predetermined network N, such as the Internet.

Furthermore, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the individual fixed-rate taxi terminals 2-1 through 2-m, they will be collectively referred to as "Fixed-Rate Taxi Terminal 2." Similarly, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the individual user terminals 4-1 through 4-p, they will be collectively referred to as "User Terminal 4."

Figure 6 is a block diagram showing the server hardware configuration of the information processing system in Figure 5.

Server 1 comprises a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, a bus 14, an input/output interface 15, an output unit 16, an input unit 17, a storage unit 18, a communication unit 19, and a drive 20.

The CPU 11 executes various processes according to the program stored in the ROM 12 or the program loaded from the storage unit 18 into the RAM 13.
The RAM 13 also stores data and other information necessary for the CPU 11 to perform various processes.

The CPU 11, ROM 12, and RAM 13 are interconnected via a bus 14. An input/output interface 15 is also connected to this bus 14. An output unit 16, an input unit 17, a storage unit 18, a communication unit 19, and a drive 20 are connected to the input/output interface 15.

The output unit 16 consists of various liquid crystal displays and outputs various types of information.
The input unit 17 consists of various hardware buttons and the like, and is used to input various types of information.
The memory unit 18 consists of a hard disk, DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), etc., and stores various types of data.
The communication unit 19 controls communication with other devices (in the example in Figure 5, the user terminal 4) via a network N including the Internet.

A drive 20 is provided as needed. A removable media 21, such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, or semiconductor memory, is appropriately mounted on the drive 20. Programs read from the removable media 21 by the drive 20 are installed in the storage unit 18 as needed. The removable media 21 can also store various data stored in the storage unit 18, just like the storage unit 18.

The configurations of the fixed-rate taxi terminal 2, the AI-operated bus terminal 3, and the user terminal 4 are basically the same as the configuration of server 1, so their explanations will be omitted here.
Through the collaboration of the server 1, the fixed-rate taxi terminal 2, the AI-operated bus terminal 3, and the user terminal 4 shown in Figure 5, and various software, it becomes possible to execute the following series of processes (hereinafter referred to as "route determination process") for determining the route of the AI-operated bus B.

In other words, user terminal 4 accepts the input of the aforementioned "reservation information" as information necessary for making a reservation to board or alight the AI-operated bus B, and transmits said reservation information to server 1.
In the example shown in Figure 3 above, the reservation information includes user identification information, residential area information, boarding stop information, alighting stop information, and boarding time information.
User identification information is information that identifies the user (e.g., User ID: U1). Residential area information is information that identifies the user's residential area (e.g., Area A3). Boarding stop information is information that identifies the stop the user will use when boarding AI-operated bus B (e.g., Stop BS32). Alighting stop information is information that identifies the stop the user will use when alighting from AI-operated bus B (e.g., Stop BS21). Boarding time information is information that identifies the time of day the user will board AI-operated bus B (e.g., morning).

Server 1, upon receiving reservation information transmitted from user terminal 4, performs route determination processing based on time zone information, using the most recent reservation information for the current time. Specifically, Server 1 executes route determination processing to determine a route that efficiently visits stops in each area, based on the boarding and alighting stop information for the most recent time zone. In the route determination processing, for example, the CPU 11 may execute a program that functions as an AI, allowing the AI to learn route patterns and derive the optimal route, or a route search algorithm using dynamic programming methods such as Dijkstra's algorithm may be used.

Server 1 notifies the AI-operated bus terminal 3 and the fixed-fare taxi terminal 2 of the route information calculated through the route determination process.

The AI-operated bus terminal 3 guides the AI-operated bus B based on the notified route information.

The fixed-fare taxi terminal 2 manages, based on the notified route information, to arrive at the fixed-fare taxi T before the scheduled time when the AI-operated bus B stops at the stop BS in the dispatched area A, for example, so that a user who is alighting from the AI-operated bus B at the stop BS in the dispatched area A can be boarded by the fixed-fare taxi T.
Furthermore, the fixed-rate taxi terminal 2 manages the system so that, for example, the passenger can board the AI-operated bus B at bus stop BS in the dispatched area A, arriving at the stop BS before the scheduled time for the AI-operated bus B to stop there, based on the notified route information.
However, as mentioned above, bus stops (BS) also function as places for user communication, so the fixed-rate taxi terminal 2 flexibly manages the time frame in which the fixed-rate taxi T arrives at the bus stop (BS), taking into account the user's stay time at the bus stop (BS).

Furthermore, the AI-operated bus terminal 3 notifies the server 1 at predetermined intervals of the location information of the AI-operated bus B, acquired via GPS (Global Positioning System), etc., as operational status information. The fixed-fare taxi terminal 2 may also notify the server 1 at predetermined intervals of the location information of the fixed-fare taxi T, continuously acquired via GPS, etc., as operational status information.

Server 1 notifies user terminal 4 of the operating status information of AI-operated bus B (which may also include operating status information of fixed-rate taxi T).

The user terminal 4 presents the user with the operating status of AI-operated bus B (and furthermore, the operating status of the fixed-rate taxi T) based on the operating status information of AI-operated bus B (which may also include the operating status information of fixed-rate taxi T) notified from server 1.

This series of processes constitutes the route determination process.
To implement this route determination process, the server 1, the fixed-rate taxi terminal 2, the AI-operated bus terminal 3, and the user terminal 4 have the functional configuration shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the server 1, the fixed-rate taxi terminal 2, the AI-operated bus terminal 3, and the user terminal 4 shown in Figure 5.

The CPU 81 of the user terminal 4 functions as follows: reservation information input reception unit 90, reservation information transmission control unit 91, operation status information acquisition unit 92, and operation status display unit 93.

The reservation information input receiving unit 90 receives reservation information entered by the user via the touch operation input unit 80.
The reservation information transmission control unit 91 executes control to transmit the reservation information received by the reservation information input reception unit 90 to the server 1 via the communication unit 83.

The operation status information acquisition unit 92 acquires operation status information of the AI-operated bus B (which may also include operation status information of the fixed-rate taxi T) transmitted from the server 1 via the communication unit 83.
The operation status display unit 93 displays the operation status information acquired by the operation status information acquisition unit 92 on the display unit 82, thereby presenting the operation status to the user.

The CPU 30 of the fixed-rate taxi terminal 2 functions as follows: operation management unit 40, operation status information transmission control unit 41, route information acquisition unit 42, and route information management unit 43.

The operations management unit 40 manages the location information of fixed-fare taxis T, which is continuously acquired from artificial satellites (not shown) using GPS, etc., as operational status information.
The operation status information transmission control unit 41 performs control to transmit operation status information of the fixed-rate taxi T, which is managed by the operation management unit 40, to the server 1 via the communication unit 31.
The route information acquisition unit 42 acquires route information of the AI-operated bus B transmitted from the server 1 via the communication unit 31.
The route information management unit 43 manages the bus stops and scheduled disembarking times within the area based on the route information of the AI-operated bus B acquired by the route information acquisition unit 42, and guides the fixed-fare taxi T.

The CPU 50 of the AI-operated bus terminal 3 functions as follows: operation management unit 60, operation status information transmission control unit 61, route information acquisition unit 62, and route information management unit 63.

The operations management unit 60 manages the location information of the AI-operated bus B, which is continuously acquired using GPS and other means, as operational status information.
The operation status information transmission control unit 61 performs control to transmit operation status information of the AI-operated bus B, which is managed by the operation management unit 60, to the server 1 via the communication unit 51.
The route information acquisition unit 62 acquires route information of the AI-operated bus B transmitted from the server 1 via the communication unit 51.
The route information management unit 63 manages the route of the AI-operated bus B based on the route information of the AI-operated bus B acquired by the route information acquisition unit 62.

The CPU 11 of Server 1 functions as follows: Operation status information acquisition unit 70, operation status information transmission control unit 71, reservation information acquisition unit 72, route determination unit 73, and route information transmission control unit 74.

The operation status information acquisition unit 70 acquires operation status information transmitted from the fixed-rate taxi terminal 2 and the AI-operated bus terminal 3 via the communication unit 19.
The operation status information transmission control unit 71 performs control to transmit the operation status information acquired by the operation status information acquisition unit 70 to the user terminal 4 via the communication unit 19.
The reservation information acquisition unit 72 acquires reservation information transmitted from the user terminal 4 via the communication unit 19.

The route determination unit 73 determines a route that visits key locations such as bus stops where the user who made the reservation will board and alight, based on the reservation information acquired by the reservation information acquisition unit 72, and generates information including the determined route as route information. Details of the route determination and updating by this route determination unit 73 will be described later using Figure 10 and other references.
The route information transmission control unit 74 performs control to transmit the route information generated by the route determination unit 73 to the AI-operated bus B and the fixed-fare taxi T via the communication unit 19.

Next, referring to Figures 8 to 10, the processes executed by Server 1, which has the functional configuration shown in Figure 7, will be described.

Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the reservation information acquisition process performed by Server 1.

In step S1, the reservation information acquisition unit 72 determines whether or not reservation information has been transmitted.
If no reservation information is sent from the user terminal 4, step S1 is determined to be NO, and the process of step S1 is repeated until step S1 is determined to be YES.
In response to this, if reservation information has been sent from user terminal 4, it is determined to be YES in step S1, and the process proceeds to step S2.

In step S2, the reservation information acquisition unit 72 acquires reservation information from the user terminal 4.
In step S3, the reservation information acquisition unit 72 stores the acquired reservation information in a database (hereinafter referred to as "DB") provided in the storage unit 18.

Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the route determination process performed by Server 1.
In step S11, the route determination unit 73 compares the current time with the boarding time slots in the reservation information stored in the DB and determines whether the boarding time slot has changed, that is, whether the current time is now included in the most recent boarding time slot.
If it is determined that the boarding time has not changed, that is, that the most recent boarding time has not yet arrived, then the result in step S11 is NO, and the process proceeds to step S16.
If it is determined that the boarding time has changed, that is, that the most recent boarding time has arrived, the result in step S11 is YES, and the process proceeds to step S12.

In step S12, the route determination unit 73 extracts reservation information for the boarding time slot, including the current time, from the DB.
In step S13, the route determination unit 73 defines the extracted reservation information as operational reservation information.

In step S14, the route determination unit 73 performs route information generation processing based on the work reservation information. Details of S14 will be explained in Figure 10.
In step S15, the route information transmission control unit 74 transmits the route information generated in step S14 to the mobile terminals (AI-operated bus terminal 3, flat-rate taxi terminal 2).

The processing from step S16 onward involves adding the transmitted reservation information to the work schedule information and performing the route determination process again, because the boarding time slot of the reservation information transmitted from the user terminal 4 during the route determination process matches the boarding time slot extracted in step S12.

In step S16, the reservation information acquisition unit 72 determines whether or not reservation information has been transmitted.
If no reservation information is sent from user terminal 4, the result is determined to be NO in step S16, and the process ends.
If reservation information has been sent from user terminal 4, it is determined to be YES in step S16, and the process proceeds to step S17.

In step S17, the reservation information acquisition unit 72 acquires reservation information from the user terminal 4.
In step S18, the reservation information acquisition unit 72 stores the acquired reservation information in the DB.
In step S19, the route determination unit 73 compares the boarding time slot of the reservation information obtained in step S17 with the current time and determines whether the current time falls within that boarding time slot. If it is determined that the current time does not fall within that boarding time slot, the determination in step S19 is NO and the process ends. If it is determined that the current time falls within that boarding time slot, the determination in step S19 is YES and the process proceeds to step S20.

In step S20, the route determination unit 73 adds the reservation information obtained in step S17 to the work reservation information defined in step S13, and then repeats the processing from step S14 onward.

Figure 10 is a flowchart showing a detailed example of the route information generation process in step S14 of Figure 9.
In other words, when the process in step S13 of Figure 9 is executed, the following process is executed as the route information generation process in step S14.

In step S31, the route determination unit 73 determines the area to be included in the route information based on the operational reservation information. Here, the database (DB) associates boarding and alighting stops with the areas where the boarding and alighting stops are located. The route determination unit 73 searches the DB for the areas where the boarding and alighting stops are located, based on the boarding and alighting stop information included in the operational reservation information, and determines the area.

In step S32, the route determination unit 73 determines the order of movement between areas. In the route determination process, the order of movement between areas may be determined, for example, by having the CPU 11 execute a program that functions as an AI, allowing the AI to learn path patterns and derive the optimal path; or a path search algorithm using dynamic programming methods such as Dijkstra's algorithm may be used.

In step S33, the route determination unit 73 determines bases for each area. These bases include boarding stops and alighting stops included in the reservation information.
In step S34, the route determination unit 73 determines the order in which the bases move. The order in which the bases move in each area may be determined by having the CPU 11 execute a program that functions as an AI, allowing the AI to learn path patterns and derive the optimal order in which the bases move, or by using a path search algorithm that employs dynamic programming methods such as Dijkstra's algorithm.
Furthermore, the starting point within an area may be determined based on the last base in the previous area, and the ending point within an area may be determined based on its position relative to the first base in the next area, as well as the travel time to each location.

In step S35, the route determination unit 73 generates route information from the information determined in steps S31 to S34.
As a result, the route information generation process in step S14 of Figure 9 is completed, and the process in step S15 of Figure 9 is executed.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above.
Furthermore, the effects described in this embodiment are merely a list of the most preferred effects arising from the present invention, and the effects of the present invention are not limited to those described in this embodiment.

Furthermore, although the above-described embodiments used AI-operated bus B and fixed-fare taxi T as the means of transport, these are merely illustrative examples and are not particularly limited to them. For example, any transport vehicle may be used as the means of transport, including not only buses, taxis with standard fares, and automobiles, but also motorcycles, bicycles (including electric ones), ships, etc.
Furthermore, while the passengers of the mobile vehicle were primarily elderly in the embodiments described above, they are not limited to this. For example, commuters or students could also be passengers of the mobile vehicle. In this case, the route of the mobile vehicle may be changed according to the attributes of the passengers.

The method of collecting fares for the transportation in this case is not particularly limited; it may be collected each time, or it may be included in the fare for each fixed-rate taxi service (e.g., one month). Even when including the transportation fare in the fixed-rate taxi fare, it may be included for all rides, or it may be limited to travel between areas registered in advance by the user (e.g., Area 1 where the user's home is located and Area 2 where the user's hospital is located).

Furthermore, the areas that each mobile entity may travel through do not necessarily have to be the same for all of them. For example, the first mobile entity could travel through all areas, while the second mobile entity could only travel through areas with large populations or large cities.

Furthermore, the route determination process performed by the route determination unit 73 is not limited to the above-described embodiment; any algorithm or method can be used.
In other words, any means or algorithms can be used within the scope necessary to achieve the objectives of the present invention.

Furthermore, while the above-described embodiment cited boarding and alighting stops as bases, the system is not limited to these, and other locations within the area may also be included as bases. These other locations could include, for example, public transportation stations, town community centers, places where users (elderly people) can gather and communicate (while waiting for the AI-operated bus), such as shogi or go games; roadside rest areas or tourist information centers; or even places for refueling or maintaining vehicles.

Furthermore, while the above-described embodiment uses morning, midday, etc., as the unit for travel time, this is merely an example and is not limited to this. For example, travel time could be set in one-hour or two-hour units, or even in one-day or two-day units, or even weekly or monthly units.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the route was determined based on reservation information transmitted from the user terminal 4, but the parameters for route determination are not limited to this.
For example, weather information, traffic congestion information (including accident information), and event information within the area on that day may be used as parameters for route determination. Weather information and traffic congestion information are used as parameters for route determination because the flow of people and vehicles changes depending on weather conditions, and road conditions (for example, some roads may be closed) change, so it may be necessary to change the route accordingly. In addition, traffic congestion information may be used, for example, from the AI-operated bus terminal 3 and the fixed-rate taxi terminal 2.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the information processing system of the present invention was composed of a server 1, a fixed-fare taxi-equipped terminal 2, an AI-operated bus-equipped terminal 3, and a user terminal 4, but this is merely an example for achieving the objectives of the present invention and is not particularly limited.
Furthermore, the hardware configurations shown in Figure 6 are merely examples for achieving the objectives of the present invention and are not particularly limited.

Furthermore, the functional block diagram shown in Figure 7 is merely illustrative and not particularly limiting. That is, it is sufficient that the information processing system is equipped with the functionality to execute the series of processes described above as a whole, and the specific functional blocks used to realize this functionality are not limited to the example in Figure 7. In other words, the series of processes for route determination may be implemented by a single information processing device (e.g., Server 1) or by an information processing system consisting of multiple information processing devices (Server 1, user terminal 4, etc.).

Furthermore, the location of the functional blocks is not limited to Figure 7, but can be any location. For example, at least a portion of the functional blocks on the server 1 side may be located on the user terminal 4 side, or vice versa.
A single functional block may consist of hardware alone, or it may be composed of a combination of hardware and software.

Furthermore, while the user terminal 4 in the above-described embodiment was a smartphone, it can also be composed of any device, including tablets and future new devices.

When the processing of each functional block is executed by software, the computer comprising that software is installed on the computer or other device from a network or storage medium.

A computer may be a computer built into specialized hardware. Alternatively, a computer may be a computer capable of performing various functions by installing various programs, such as a server, a general-purpose smartphone, or a personal computer.

Such recording media containing programs may consist not only of removable media distributed separately from the main device to provide programs to each user, but also of recording media provided to each user in a pre-installed state within the main device.

Furthermore, in this specification, the step of describing a program to be recorded on a recording medium includes not only processes performed chronologically in that order, but also processes that are not necessarily performed chronologically, but are executed in parallel or individually.

In summary, the information processing device to which the present invention applies only needs to have the following configuration, and can take on various forms.
In other words, the information processing apparatus to which the present invention is applied is:
An information processing device (e.g., server 1) that determines a route for a mobile entity (e.g., an AI-operated bus, a taxi with a standard fare, etc.) that can carry a mobile object (including a natural person) through multiple areas, each having one or more points of contact (e.g., bus stops),
For each of the one or more aforementioned moving targets, a schedule acquisition means (for example, the reservation information acquisition unit 72 in Figure 7) acquires a schedule for travel including a base to be used when boarding the moving object and a base to be used when disembarking from the moving object.
Based on the aforementioned schedule for each of the one or more objects to be moved, a route determination means (for example, the route determination unit 73 in Figure 7) determines two or more areas from the plurality of areas to be included in the movement route, and also determines the order of movement for each of them.
Any information processing device equipped with this feature will suffice.
By applying such an information processing device, it is possible to provide a technology that supports regional mobility by introducing mobile vehicles that circulate across multiple areas, and also improves the efficiency of the operation of such mobile vehicles across multiple areas.

The route determination means can further determine, for each area included in the travel route, which is one or more of the bases on which the moving object will stop, and also determine the order of movement for each base.
This allows for the determination of bases in each area and their movement order, enabling efficient patrolling within each area.

Furthermore, one of the aforementioned areas is the range of movement of a different type of mobile vehicle (for example, a fixed-fare taxi),
The fee for the aforementioned moving object to move within the area using the aforementioned other type of moving object is set uniformly within that area.
This allows users (those traveling) to use a fixed-rate taxi service for travel from their home or other location within the area to their boarding point, or from their drop-off point in a different area to their destination, such as a hospital. As a result, users can travel within the area for a fixed price without worrying about fares based on distance or travel time, thus reducing their financial burden.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various configurations or embodiments can be adopted without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1...Server, 2...Fixed-rate taxi terminal, 3...AI-operated bus terminal, 4...User terminal, 40...Operation management unit, 41...Operation status information transmission control unit, 42...Route information acquisition unit, 43...Route information management unit, 60...Operation management unit, 61...Operation status information transmission control unit, 62...Route information acquisition unit, 63...Route information management unit, 70...Operation status information acquisition unit, 71...Operation status information transmission control unit, 72...Reservation information acquisition unit, 73...Route determination unit, 74...Route information transmission control unit, 90...Reservation information input reception unit, 91...Reservation information transmission control unit, 92...Operation status information acquisition unit, 93...Operation status display unit

Claims (3)

An information processing device that determines a route for a mobile object capable of carrying a mobile object, a route that passes through multiple areas, each having one or more bases,
The aforementioned multiple areas are predetermined areas that constitute the movement range of a different type of mobile body than the aforementioned mobile body, and the consideration for the movement target using the different type of mobile body to move within the said movement range is uniformly set within the said movement range for predetermined time units, and there is one or more predetermined areas in which the movement target can freely use the different type of mobile body within the said movement range on the condition that the movement target pays the consideration for each predetermined time unit.
A schedule acquisition means that acquires a schedule for each of the one or more aforementioned destinations, including a base to be used when boarding the vehicle and a base to be used when disembarking from the vehicle, based on the reservation details of travel from one or more of the aforementioned destinations.
A route determination means that, based on the schedule for each of the one or more moving objects, determines two or more areas to be included in the travel route from among the multiple areas, determines the order of movement for each, and for each of the areas included in the travel route, determines a base from among the one or more bases where the moving object will stop, and determines the order of movement and the scheduled arrival time for each,
Equipped with,
If at least part of the reservation details is changed during or after the determination process by the route determination means, the schedule acquisition means acquires a new schedule that reflects the changes to the reservation details, and the route determination means re-executes the determination process based on the new schedule and the existing schedules for other travel targets.
Information processing device. An information processing method performed by an information processing device that determines a route for a mobile object capable of carrying a mobile object, a route that passes through multiple areas, each having one or more bases,
The aforementioned multiple areas are predetermined areas that constitute the movement range of a different type of mobile body than the aforementioned mobile body, and the consideration for the movement target using the different type of mobile body to move within the said movement range is uniformly set within the said movement range for predetermined time units, and there is one or more predetermined areas in which the movement target can freely use the different type of mobile body within the said movement range on the condition that the movement target pays the consideration for each predetermined time unit.
Based on the reservation details for travel from one or more travel destinations, a travel plan acquisition step is performed to acquire a travel plan for each of the one or more travel destinations, including the base used when boarding the vehicle and the base used when disembarking from the vehicle.
A route determination step in which, based on the respective schedules of the one or more moving objects, two or more areas to be included in the travel route from among the multiple areas, the order of movement for each of them is determined, and for each of the areas included in the travel route, a base from among the one or more bases for the moving object to stop is determined, and the order of movement and the scheduled arrival time for each of them is determined,
Includes,
The aforementioned information processing device
If at least part of the reservation details is changed during or after the determination process by the route determination step, the process by the schedule acquisition step shall acquire a new schedule that reflects the changes to the reservation details, and the process by the route determination step shall execute the determination process again based on the new schedule and the existing schedules of other travel targets.
Information processing methods. A program that causes a computer to perform control processing to determine a route for a mobile object capable of carrying a mobile object, a route that passes through multiple areas, each having one or more bases,
The aforementioned multiple areas are predetermined areas that constitute the movement range of a different type of mobile body than the aforementioned mobile body, and the consideration for the movement target using the different type of mobile body to move within the said movement range is uniformly set within the said movement range for predetermined time units, and there is one or more predetermined areas in which the movement target can freely use the different type of mobile body within the said movement range on the condition that the movement target pays the consideration for each predetermined time unit.
As the control process,
Based on the reservation details for travel from one or more travel destinations, a travel plan acquisition step is performed to acquire a travel plan for each of the one or more travel destinations, including the base used when boarding the vehicle and the base used when disembarking from the vehicle.
A route determination step in which, based on the respective schedules of the one or more moving objects, two or more areas to be included in the travel route from among the multiple areas, the order of movement for each of them is determined, and for each of the areas included in the travel route, a base from among the one or more bases for the moving object to stop is determined, and the order of movement and the scheduled arrival time for each of them is determined,
The computer is made to perform control processing including,
If at least part of the reservation details is changed during or after the process of determining the route in the route determination step, the computer is instructed to perform a control process as the schedule acquisition step , which includes a step of acquiring a new schedule that reflects the changes to the reservation details, and as the route determination step, the computer is instructed to perform a control process as the route determination step, which includes a step of re-executing the determination process based on the new schedule and the schedules of other existing travel targets.
program.