System, apparatus, storage medium, and method for providing a route and aid for people in need of assistance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11530923-B2
Application number	US-202016933708-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2020
Priority date	Jul 19, 2019
Publication date	Dec 20, 2022
Grant date	Dec 20, 2022

Abstract

An information processing apparatus for providing aid to people in need of assistance outdoors. The information processing apparatus includes a controller. When a request for a search for a route is received, the controller generates, using a link and a node at which travel by a wheelchair is possible, a section to be included in the route between two locations and that is to be traveled by the wheelchair.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:
a controller configured to:
upon recognizing a request for a search for a route between two locations, generate, using a link and a node at which travel by a wheelchair is possible, a section of the route to be traveled by the wheelchair;
send a request for assistance at a section that passes through a specific type of facility included in the section of the route to be traveled by the wheelchair, the request including an expected arrival time for the specific type of facility; and
upon recognizing that assistance, in response to the request, by an owner of at least one terminal apparatus scheduled to be situated in a predetermined area with respect to the specific type of facility at the expected arrival time is available at the section that passes through the specific type of facility, allow use of the section that passes through the specific type of facility in generation of the section of the route to be traveled by the wheelchair.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller is configured to:
notify an announcement apparatus of an expected arrival time for a location at which the announcement apparatus exists based on a location of a requestor of the search for the route and a time at which the requestor is at the location, and

the announcement apparatus is situated in the section of the route to be traveled by the wheelchair,
the announcement apparatus installed in a facility of which people in need of assistance are given priority use, and
the announcement apparatus is configured to announce a presence of a person in need of assistance to one or more users of the facility.

3. An information processing system comprising:
the information processing apparatus according to claim 2 ; and
the announcement apparatus.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
when a current location of a requestor of the search for the route is within a predetermined range from the specific type of facility, the controller is configured to send an approach notification indicating that the requestor is approaching.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
when travel assistance has been performed, the controller is configured to give a point to a helper who performed the travel assistance.

6. An information processing system comprising:
the information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ; and
the at least one terminal apparatus.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller is configured to:
send the request to a second information processing apparatus; and
recognize that the assistance by the owner of the at least one terminal apparatus is available at the section that passes through the specific type of facility, upon acquiring a notification that the request has been sent by the second information processing apparatus to a number of terminal apparatuses exceeding a threshold, the terminal apparatuses being scheduled to be situated in the predetermined area with respect to the specific type of facility at the expected arrival time.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller is configured to recognize that the assistance by the owner of the at least one terminal apparatus is available at the section that passes through the specific type of facility, upon finding a number of terminal apparatuses exceeding a threshold in search for terminal apparatuses scheduled to be situated in the predetermined area with respect to the specific type of facility at the expected arrival time.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program which, when executed, causes an information processing apparatus to execute a process, the process comprising:
upon recognizing a request for a search for a route between two locations, generating, using a link and a node at which travel by a wheelchair is possible, a section of the route to be traveled by the wheelchair;
sending a request for assistance at a section that passes through a specific type of facility included in the section of the route to be traveled by the wheelchair, the request including an expected arrival time for the specific type of facility; and
upon recognizing that assistance, in response to the request, by an owner of at least one terminal apparatus scheduled to be situated in a predetermined area with respect to the specific type of facility at the expected arrival time is available at the section that passes through the specific type of facility, allowing use of the section that passes through the specific type of facility in generation of the section of the route to be traveled by the wheelchair.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9 , wherein the process further comprises:
notifying an announcement apparatus of an expected arrival time for a location at which the announcement apparatus exists based on a location of a requestor of the search for the route and a time at which the requestor is at the location, wherein
the announcement apparatus is situated in the section of the route to be traveled by the wheelchair,
the announcement apparatus is installed in a facility of which people in need of assistance are given priority use, and
the announcement apparatus is configured to announce a presence of a person in need of assistance to one or more users of the facility.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9 , wherein the process further comprises:
when a current location of a requestor of the search for the route is within a predetermined range from the specific type of facility, sending an approach notification indicating that the requestor is approaching.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11 , wherein the process further comprises:
when travel assistance has been performed, giving a point to a helper who performed the travel assistance.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9 , wherein the process further comprises:
sending the request to a second information processing apparatus; and
recognizing that the assistance by the owner of the at least one terminal apparatus is available at the section that passes through the specific type of facility, upon acquiring a notification that the request has been sent by the second information processing apparatus to a number of terminal apparatuses exceeding a threshold, the terminal apparatuses being scheduled to be situated in the predetermined area with respect to the specific type of facility at the expected arrival time.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9 , wherein the process further comprises:
recognizing that the assistance by the owner of the at least one terminal apparatus is available at the section that passes through the specific type of facility, upon finding a number of terminal apparatuses exceeding a threshold in search for terminal apparatuses scheduled to be situated in the predetermined area with respect to the specific type of facility at the expected arrival time.

15. An information processing method implemented by an information processing apparatus, the information processing method comprising:
upon recognizing a request for a search for a route between two locations, generating, using a link and a node at which travel by a wheelchair is possible, a section of the route to be traveled by the wheelchair;

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hara Yusuke
• Aketa Shuhei
• Yanagida Toru
• Sakurada Shin
• Sugimura Tae
• Ujihara Yasutaka

Classifications

• A61G2203/12

  Remote controls · CPC title

• G01C21/206 Primary

  specially adapted for indoor navigation · CPC title

• A61G5/06 Primary

  with obstacle mounting facilities, e.g. for climbing stairs, {kerbs or steps} · CPC title

• A61G2203/22

  for automatically guiding movable devices, e.g. stretchers or wheelchairs in a hospital · CPC title

• G01C21/20 Primary

  Instruments for performing navigational calculations (G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence) · CPC title