JPS6318240B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to a vehicle dispatch control device.

In the passenger transportation industry that uses a large number of taxis or the freight transportation industry that uses a large number of trucks, in order to increase the efficiency of vehicle operation, when a customer call or a demand for transportation occurs, it is necessary to quickly move an empty car to that call. It is necessary to dispatch a vehicle to the location. To do this, it is sufficient to select the vehicle that can reach the call point in the shortest time from among the empty vehicles at the time the call is generated, and guide it to the call point along the optimal time route.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to satisfy the above-mentioned requirements, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle dispatch control device that can select from among a plurality of vacant vehicles the vehicle that can respond in the shortest time to a given vehicle dispatch request (call). do.

The present invention is characterized by: a call buffer register that sets a plurality of predetermined points within a road network to be controlled, and stores the points where calls from persons requesting vehicle allocation occur within the road network;
an empty vehicle buffer register that stores vacant vehicle data indicating the vehicle number and current location issued by an empty vehicle traveling within the road network; and a vacant vehicle buffer register that stores empty vehicle data in the vacant vehicle buffer register in the call buffer register. For the call origination point,
A vehicle allocation route calculation device that searches for an empty vehicle that can respond in the shortest time and a route therefor, and transmits the result obtained by the calculation device to the corresponding empty vehicle, and stores the call buffer register corresponding to the content of the transmission. and means for erasing the vacant vehicle data in the vacant vehicle buffer register.

This will be explained below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a vehicle allocation control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a vehicle subject to vehicle dispatch control, and 2 is a vehicle 1 of those vehicles.
An on-vehicle antenna 3 is attached to an antenna on the vehicle allocation center side, and each vehicle 1 communicates with the center via these antennas 2 and 3. Reference numeral 4 indicates a means for a person desiring a ride allocation to communicate with the center, such as by telephone. 5 is a receiver, and 6 is a transmitter, each of which is connected to the antenna 3. Reference numeral 7 indicates a call buffer register for temporarily storing a dispatch request (call) sent from the telephone 4, and reference numeral 8 indicates an empty vehicle buffer register for temporarily storing the position information of the vehicle 1 received by the receiver 5. Reference numeral 9 indicates a vehicle dispatch route calculation device, which sequentially reads information from two buffer registers and calculates a vehicle 1 that can respond to a certain call in the shortest possible time.
The goal is to explore ways to achieve this goal. Reference numeral 10 denotes a transmission buffer register that temporarily stores the calculation results of the vehicle allocation route calculation device 9, and the data stored here is sequentially sent to the corresponding vehicle 1 by the transmitter 6. The call in register 7 and the position information in register 8 corresponding to the transmitted data are cleared from these registers 7 and 8.

Note that various methods are conceivable for transmitting position information from the vehicle 1 to the center, or requesting a vehicle allocation from the telephone 4 to the center. For example, in the case of the former, a point code transmitter that transmits a point code uniquely assigned to that point is installed at a predetermined point on the road network, and when a device mounted on a vehicle transmits that point code, It is conceivable to automatically send it to the center. Alternatively, when the driver of vehicle 1 becomes vacant, the driver of vehicle 1 notifies the center of the location using the on-board wireless telephone, and the operator at the center receives it and enters the corresponding location code in buffer register 8. You may also input it.

In the latter case, the operator may enter the call into the buffer register 7 through telephone contact between the customer and the center operator, or the customer may directly call the center facility using a push-button telephone or the like. It may be made accessible. Although various means for transmitting and receiving information between the vehicle and the center and between the customer and the center are conceivable, the present invention is not limited to any specific means.

In such a configuration, first, the center receives the vehicle number and position information from the vacant vehicle 1 via the antenna 3 and the receiver 5 . This car number and location information are stored in the empty car buffer register 8. On the other hand, when a call or dispatch request is generated from the telephone 4, the location information is stored in the call buffer register 7. The vehicle allocation route calculation device 9 determines the number and route of the vehicle to be allocated according to the empty vehicle position and the called position, and stores them in the transmission buffer register 10. The contents of the transmission buffer register 10 are sent to the vehicle 1 through the transmitter 6 and antenna 3. The vehicle 1 only has to follow this instruction to reach the call point.

Next, the vehicle allocation route calculation device 9 will be explained. For example, consider a road network as shown in FIG. 2a. In the figure, A to I represent points (nodes) set in the road network, which are connected by roads (arcs). These nodes can be selected as individual intersections in the road network, or alternatively, the entire road network to be controlled can be divided into several zones, a point representative of each zone can be determined, and then may be used as the above node. In the latter case, the arc is the main path connecting the points selected as nodes.

In any case, each arc is given in advance the time required to travel that section (arc cost). In the figure, this is represented by lowercase letters of the alphabet symbol indicating the end nodes of each arc. This arc cost may be given as the travel time required when the arc travels at a predetermined speed, but since the actual travel time varies depending on the time zone, it is more desirable to use an actual value. Various means for measuring such travel time have already been proposed, and since the present invention itself has no direct relation to measuring means, detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

FIG. 2b shows the overall configuration of the vehicle allocation route calculation device 9 when applied to the above-mentioned road network. In the figure, 11 is an input/output device, 12 is a control device, and 13 is a clock pulse generator. 14A to 14I indicate point modules, which are provided corresponding to each node of the road network shown in FIG. 2a. Reference numeral 15 denotes a trip signal line, which connects point modules 14A to 14I, corresponding to the arcs of the road network in FIG. 2a. 16 is a clock pulse signal line for supplying clock pulses from the clock pulse generator 13 to each point module 14A to 14I, and 17 is a line for exchanging various control signals and data between the input/output device 11 and each point module 14A to 14I. It is a signal line.

Each of the above-mentioned point modules (hereinafter referred to simply by the reference number 14 without the symbols A to I indicating correspondence with the points) has a structure as shown in FIG. The point module 14 has a plurality of arc modules 18, each of which is connected to a trip signal line 15. One set of the arc module 18 and the trip signal line 15 connected thereto corresponds one-to-one to the arc of the road network. All arc modules 18 have the same configuration, and each one has an arc cost register 1.
9, a flag 20 and a buffer register 21. The arc cost of the arc corresponding to the arc module 18 is set in the arc cost register 19 via the input/output device 11. The flag 20 is set when the contents of the register 19 become zero, and a set output is generated.

22 is a gate, which is a clock pulse generator 13;
A clock pulse applied to arc module 18 via stranded wire 16 is turned on and off. 23 is an arrival detection circuit for detecting the set output from the flag 20, 24 is a trip register, 25 is a point code register, 26 is a trip signal detector, 27,
28 is an and gate, 29 and 30 are an or gate,
31 indicates an inverter.

FIG. 4 shows a part of the overall configuration when the vehicle dispatch route calculation device 9 shown in FIG. 2 is constructed using such a point module 14. In the figure, point modules 14B and 14 of the overall configuration shown in the second figure are shown.
Only the portions C and 14F are shown, and the reference numbers used therein are the same as those used in FIGS. 2 and 3. In addition, each point module 1
Among the arc modules 18 in 4, those shaded with diagonal lines indicate those that are not used among the arc modules 18 of the point module 14. Therefore, if several arc modules 18 are prepared in advance in the point module 14, it is easy to respond to changes in the shape of the road network by simply changing the connections of these arc modules 18. be understood. Note that in FIG. 4, other signal lines shown in FIG. 2 or 3 are omitted for the sake of simplification of the drawing.

Next, the operation of this vehicle allocation route calculation device 9 will be explained. First, all arc cost registers 19 are connected from the input/output device 11 through the line 17.
Set an arc cost corresponding to the time required for the arc to travel. Furthermore, all gates 22 are opened. Further, the arrival detection circuit 23 of one point module 14 corresponding to the destination of the dispatch route, that is, the call generation point, is turned on, and the arrival detection circuits 23 of all other point modules 14 are turned off. Next, a departure signal is sent from the entry/exit device 11 to each point module 14 via the line 17. This departure signal is as shown in FIG.

Here, the above departure signal will be explained. As shown in FIG. 5A, the starting signal consists of one synchronizing signal T followed by a signal region of N bits. This number of bits is chosen equal to the number of nodes provided in the road network. Then, the bit corresponding to the node where the empty car occurs is set to a high level. In the case of FIG. 5A, since there is a high level signal at the m-th bit, this indicates a departure signal when an empty car occurs at node m. If empty cars occur at multiple nodes at the same time, the bits corresponding to each node are set to a high level. For example, the departure signal when empty cars occur at nodes k and l is as shown in FIG. 5B.

Now, the departure signal received by the point module 14 is guided to the AND gate 27. On the other hand, the register 25 stores the location code of the location. This register 25 consists of N bits (the number of nodes in the road network), and similarly to the departure signal described above, "1" is written in the bit corresponding to the point in question, and "0" is written in all other bits. . Therefore, for example, when a departure signal as shown in FIG. 5A is sent, the AND gate 27 in the point module 14 corresponding to node m is established and a trip signal is issued.

The trip signal detector 26 passes the output from the AND gate 27 in which any one bit is "1", and blocks the output in which all bits are "0". The passed signal is propagated downstream as a trip signal via the OR gate 30 and the trip signal line 15. Also,
When a departure signal as shown in FIG. 5B is issued, a trip signal as shown in FIG. 5C is issued from the point module 14 corresponding to node k, and a trip signal as shown in FIG. A trip signal as shown will be output. Therefore, in this case, vehicle allocation route searches from two nodes (vacant vehicle positions) are simultaneously opened and closed for one destination node (call generation point). It will be readily understood that the same applies if three or more bits in the starting signal are high.

When the trip signal propagates through the trip signal line 15 to the connected downstream arc module 18, this trip signal is stored in the buffer 21 and at the same time activates the arc cost register 19. The contents of the activated arc cost register 19 are transferred from the clock pulse generator 13 to line 1.
6, is subtracted by one by a clock pulse sent through gate 22. and register 19
A flag 20 is set when the content of the flag becomes zero. When even one flag 20 in the point module 14 is set, the gate 22 is closed.
Thereafter, clock pulses from line 16 will no longer be accepted by module 14 at that point.
Further, when the flag 20 is set, the contents of the buffer register 21 of the arc module 18 are read to the trip register 24. register 2
1 stores the number of the corresponding arc module (therefore, the corresponding arc) in advance, so the trip register 24 stores information indicating the departure node and the arc number (meaning the direction of approach to the node). ) will be stored.

On the other hand, when the flag 20 is set, it is transmitted to the arrival detection circuit 23. Arrival detection circuit 23
However, if it is off, the output of the arrival detection circuit 23 will be off. As a result, the output of the inverter 31 is turned on, and the trip signal stored in the trip register 24 is propagated to the arc module 18 further downstream through the AND gate 28, the OR gate 30, and the trip signal line 15. In this way, the trip signals are delayed and propagated one after another. When the trip signal arrives at the point module 14 corresponding to the destination, the arrival detection circuit 23 there is on, so the inverter 31
The output of is turned off. The arrival detection circuit 23 also issues an arrival detection signal, which signal passes through the line 17.
The signal is transmitted to the control circuit 12 via the input/output device 11. The control circuit 12 includes a clock pulse generator 13
stop. Then, the trip signal is not propagated thereafter.

When such a state occurs, if the contents of the trip register 24 of the point module 14 corresponding to the destination are read out to the input/output device 11 through the line 17, the starting point of the trip signal that arrived at that point earliest can be determined. Can be detected. Therefore, even if there are a plurality of vacant vehicle locations, that is, multiple departure points, it is possible to determine the vacant vehicle that can reach one call point, that is, the destination point in the shortest time. Further, the optimum dispatch route for the vehicle is determined by tracing the arc module number stored in the trip register 24 of the point module 14 corresponding to a point other than the destination.

As explained above, according to the present invention, when a single call occurs, a vehicle that can respond to the call in the shortest time can be selected from among a plurality of empty vehicles.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an embodiment of this description, FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a vehicle dispatch route calculation device used in the first illustrated embodiment,
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a specific configuration example of a point module which is one component of the calculation device, and FIG.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a part of the specific configuration of the calculation device using the illustrated point module, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a departure signal used in the calculation device. Explanation of main symbols, 4...Telephone, 5...Receiver,
6... Transmitter, 7... Call buffer register, 8
...Empty vehicle buffer register, 9...Vehicle dispatch route calculation device, 10...Transmission buffer register, 11...
Input/output device, 12... Control device, 13... Clock pulse generator, 14A to 14I... Point module, 18... Arc module, 19... Arc cost register, 20... Flag, 21...
Buffer register, 22...gate, 23...arrival detection circuit, 24...trip register, 25...
...Point code register, 26...Trip signal detector.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A call buffer register that sets a plurality of predetermined points within the road network to be controlled and stores the points where calls are issued from persons requesting dispatch within the road network, and a vacant vehicle traveling within the road network. A vacant vehicle buffer register that stores vacant vehicle data indicating the vehicle number and current location issued from the vacant vehicle buffer register, and from among the vacant vehicle data in the vacant vehicle buffer register, to the call generation point stored in the call buffer register, a vehicle allocation route calculation device that searches for vacant vehicles that can respond in the shortest time and routes therefor;
The result obtained by the calculation device is transmitted to the corresponding empty car, and the call and empty car buffer in the call buffer register corresponding to the transmission contents are sent to create a memory area for storing new call and empty car data. and means for erasing only empty vehicle data in the register, and the vehicle allocation route calculation device has a plurality of point modules provided corresponding to each of the predetermined points, and each point module has a trip register and a corresponding trip register. The point module includes a plurality of arc modules provided corresponding to all road sections connected to the point corresponding to the point module, and each arc module calculates the arc cost required for a vehicle to travel on the corresponding road section. The point module, which is composed of an arc cost register for storage and a buffer register, and which corresponds to a point given from the vacant vehicle buffer register, sends a trip signal containing the point information to an arc module in an adjacent point module. The arc module that receives the trip signal stores the trip signal in the buffer register, delays it by the arc cost stored in its own arc cost register, and then transfers the contents of the buffer register to the arc module. The trip signal is transferred to the trip register in the point module to which the module belongs and is further propagated to the downstream arc module, so that the trip signal is transmitted to the call buffer register. A vehicle dispatch control device characterized in that, when a trip signal reaches a point module corresponding to a generation point, the contents of the trip registers in all point modules that the arrived trip signal has traced are read out.