Route search device and route search method for ride-sharing vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12018954-B2
Application number	US-202217696248-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2022
Priority date	Mar 30, 2021
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

A route search device includes a memory and a processor. The processor performs search processing for a route from a current position to a destination of a ride-sharing vehicle based on data stored in the memory. A standard route with the shortest requested time from the current position to the destination is calculated in the search processing. A high-frequency route with a frequency of encountering a pedestrian between the current position and the destination that is higher than the standard route is also calculated in the search processing. A recognition level is compared with a reference level in the search processing. When the recognition level is equal to or less than the reference level, the standard route is selected as a final route. When the recognition level is higher than the reference level, the high-frequency route is selected as the final route.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A route search device for a ride-sharing vehicle, the route search device comprising:
a memory configured to store position data of the ride-sharing vehicle, road data present in a search area including a current position and a destination of the ride-sharing vehicle, distribution data of the number of pedestrians present in the search area, and data of a recognition level of an external situation of the ride-sharing vehicle by an external sensor of the ride-sharing vehicle; and
a processor configured to perform search processing for a route from the current position to the destination based on the position data, the road data, the distribution data, and the data of the recognition level,
wherein the processor is configured to, in the search processing,
calculate a standard route with a shortest requested time from the current position to the destination based on the position data and the road data,
calculate a high-frequency route in which a frequency of encountering a pedestrian between the current position and the destination is higher than the standard route based on the position data, the road data, and the distribution data,
compare the recognition level with a reference level, and
select the standard route as a final route when the recognition level is equal to or less than the reference level and select the high-frequency route as the final route when the recognition level is higher than the reference level.

2. The route search device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the memory is configured to further store data of an indoor image of the ride-sharing vehicle; and
the processor is further configured to, in the search processing,
determine whether or not a predetermined condition regarding safety of a passenger of the ride-sharing vehicle is satisfied based on the data of the indoor image when the recognition level is higher than the reference level, and

select the high-frequency route as the final route when the predetermined condition is determined to be satisfied and select the standard route as the final route when the predetermined condition is determined to be not satisfied.

3. The route search device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the memory is configured to further store data of a weather condition in the search area; and
the processor is further configured to, in the search processing,
determine whether or not a predetermined condition regarding safety of a passenger of the ride-sharing vehicle is satisfied based on the data of the weather condition when the recognition level is higher than the reference level, and
select the high-frequency route as the final route when the predetermined condition is determined to be satisfied and select the standard route as the final route when the predetermined condition is determined to be not satisfied.

4. A route search device for a ride-sharing vehicle, the route search device comprising:
a memory configured to store position data of the ride-sharing vehicle, road data present in a search area including a current position and a destination of the ride-sharing vehicle, distribution data of the number of pedestrians present in the search area, and data of a recognition level of an external situation of the ride-sharing vehicle by an external sensor of the ride-sharing vehicle; and
a processor configured to perform search processing for a route from the current position to the destination based on the position data, the road data, the distribution data, and the data of the recognition level,
wherein the processor is configured to, in the search processing,
calculate a standard route with a shortest requested time from the current position to the destination based on the position data and the road data,
calculate a high-frequency route in which a frequency of encountering a pedestrian between the current position and the destination is higher than the standard route and a low-frequency route in which the frequency is lower than the standard route, based on the position data, the road data, and the distribution data,
compare the recognition level with upper and lower limit reference levels, and
select the high-frequency route as a final route when the recognition level is higher than the upper limit reference level, select the low-frequency route as the final route when the recognition level is lower than the lower limit reference level, and select the standard route as the final route when the recognition level is between the upper and lower limit reference levels.

5. The route search device according to claim 4 , wherein:
the memory is configured to further store data of an indoor image of the ride-sharing vehicle; and
the processor is further configured to, in the search processing,
determine whether or not a predetermined condition regarding safety of a passenger of the ride-sharing vehicle is satisfied based on the data of the indoor image when the recognition level is higher than the upper limit reference level, and select the high-frequency route as the final route when the predetermined condition is
determined to be satisfied and select the standard route as the final route when the predetermined condition is determined to be not satisfied.

6. The route search device according to claim 4 , wherein:
the memory is configured to further store data of a weather condition in the search area; and
the processor is further configured to, in the search processing,
determine whether or not a predetermined condition regarding safety of a passenger of the ride-sharing vehicle is satisfied based on the data of the weather condition when the recognition level is higher than the upper limit reference level, and
select the high-frequency route as the final route when the predetermined condition is determined to be satisfied and select the standard route as the final route when the predetermined condition is determined to be not satisfied.

7. A route search method for searching for a route from a current position to a destination of a ride-sharing vehicle by using a data processing device, the data processing device including a memory configured to store position data of the ride-sharing vehicle, road data present in a search area including a current position and a destination of the ride-sharing vehicle, distribution data of the number of pedestrians present in the search area, and data of a recognition level of an external situation of the ride-sharing vehicle by an external sensor of the ride-sharing vehicle, and a processor configured to perform search processing for a route from the current position to the destination based on the position data, the road data, the distribution data, and the data of the recognition level, wherein the search processing includes
calculating a standard route with a shortest requested time from the current position to the destination based on the position data and the road data,
calculating a high-frequency route with a frequency of encountering a pedestrian between the current position and the destination that is higher than the standard route based on the position data, the road data, and the distribution data,
comparing the recognition level with a reference level, and
selecting the standard route as a final route when the recognition level is equal to or less than the reference level and selecting the high-frequency route as the final route when the recognition level is higher than the reference level.

8. A route search method for searching for a route from a current position to a destination of a ride-sharing vehicle by using a data processing device, the data processing device including a memory configured to store position data of the ride-sharing vehicle, road data present in a search area including a curren

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hotta Daichi
• Abe Sadayuki
• Ueki Nobukazu

Classifications

• G06V20/59

  inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions · CPC title

• G01C21/3602

  Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera · CPC title

• G01C21/3461 Primary

  Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types or segments such as motorways, toll roads or ferries · CPC title

• G06F16/9537

  Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries · CPC title

• G08G1/0969

  having a display in the form of a map · CPC title