Method and apparatus for controlling moving body and facilities

• US 5,335,180 A
• Filed: 09/17/1991
• Issued: 08/02/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kiyokawa, Ryuji, Takato, Masao, Baba, Kenji, Takahashi, Kazunori, Yokota, Takayoshi, Morooka, Yasuo, Kawakami, Junzo, Hamada, Nobuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US07/760,962
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: 364/436, 364/437, 364/438, 364/555, 364/551.01, 364/578, 340/937, 340/909, 340/916, 340/942-943, 395/900, 395/920, 395/910, 395/918, 377/11-16
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions

Abstract

A control method for a moving body and facilities is comprised of steps of measuring and recognizing at least one of the states such as the number of a moving body, moving speed and moving direction, and changing the state of facilities which is a goal of the moving body based on the result of the measurement/recognition, or displaying the state of the facility. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities is comprised of a measuring unit for measuring at least one of the states such as the number of a moving body, moving speed, and moving direction, a memory unit for storing information on the condition of a local area in which the moving body is moving or on the facilities said moving body is heading for; an arithmetic unit for processing information from the measurement unit and memory unit; and an input/output unit for accessing information processed by the arithmetic unit, and displaying the information.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a moving body and facilities comprising the steps of:

measuring and recognizing at least one parameter with respect to at least one moving body of a plurality of moving bodies such as a number of said moving bodies, and moving speed and moving direction of said at least one moving body; and

changing a state of facilities to which said at least one moving body is heading for based on a result of said measuring and recognizing step, and displaying said state of said facilities.

2. A control method of controlling a moving body and facilities as claimed in claim 1, wherein said state of facilities to which said at least one moving body is heading for includes at least one of such information as a location, layout and services regarding said facilities.

3. A control method of controlling a moving body and facilities as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one moving body is at least one person.

4. A control method of controlling a moving body and facilities as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one moving body is a vehicle.

5. A control method of controlling a moving body and facilities as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a step of judging an abnormality in a movement of said at least one moving body through observing an incremental/decremental speed, tempo of traveling speeds, stoppage, directions of movement, and degrees of changes in respective parameters with respect to said plurality of moving bodies.

15. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a driving means for driving said facilities based on information of said prediction model.

6. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities comprising:

a measuring means for measuring at least one parameter with respect to at least one moving body of a plurality of moving bodies such as a number of moving bodies, moving speed, and moving direction of said at least one moving body;

a memory means for storing information on at least one of a condition of a local area in which said at least one moving body is moving and facilities said at least one moving body is heading for;

a processing means for processing information from said measuring means and memory means; and

an input/output means for accessing information processed by said processing means, and displaying said information;

wherein said memory means includes a means for storing information measured by said measuring means, and said processing means includes a means for generating a prediction model for said at least one moving body and facilities from stored information.

7. The control apparatus for a moving body and facilities as claimed in claim 6, wherein said processing means includes a means for updating said prediction model.

8. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a driving means for driving a display of said facilities based on information of said prediction model.

9. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities as claimed in claim 8, wherein said driving means includes a means capable of changing a size or moving body handling capacity of said facilities.

10. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities as claimed in claim 8, wherein said driving means includes a means for adapting a display of said prediction model on a basis of environmental parameters such that parameters of an environment within which said at least one moving body is traveling is used to adjust a number and traveling speeds of moving bodies, measured by said measuring means.

11. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities as claimed in claim 6, wherein said prediction model is to be generated by said processing means is classified and averaged information regarding said at least one moving body according to a date of the week/holidays when measurement was done, and includes consideration of influences of weather, temperature and humidity as influence coefficients.

12. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities as claimed in claim 6, wherein said processing means includes;

a means for generating a descriptive model using predetermined parameters representing an interactive influence propagation relationship between respective associated information on a moving body obtained by a plurality of measuring means, and

a means for calculating time delay in said interactive influence propagation according to status information stored in said memory means on a local area where said at least one moving body is heading for.

13. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities as claimed in claim 12, wherein said processing means includes a means for updating parameters describing influence propagation relationships according to information from said plurality of measuring means.

14. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a scheduling means for providing a facilities utilization itineration schedule to said at least one moving body, with reference to a request list of facilities to be visited which was entered through said input/output means, and using prediction information availed by a model generated by said processing means with respect to facilities to be used by said at least one moving body, with weighting of evaluation criteria varied for time needed, cost and travel distance.

16. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities as claimed in claim 7, wherein said prediction model to be generated by said processing means is classified and averaged information regarding said at least one moving body according to a date of the week/holidays when measurement was done, and includes consideration of influences of weather, temperature and humidity as influence coefficients.

17. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a scheduling means for providing a facilities utilization itineration schedule to said at least one moving body, with reference to a request list of facilities to be visited which was entered through said input/output means, and using prediction information availed by a model generated by said processing means with respect to facilities to be used by said at least one moving body, with weighting of evaluation criteria varied for time needed, cost and travel distance.

18. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

a scheduling means for scheduling and rescheduling based on information including said list and constraint conditions entered through said input/output means, and

in the event of a void of scheduling because of said constraint conditions, a means for retrieving facilities providing similar services from said memory means, and rescheduling an alternate plan with similar facilities included.

19. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities comprising:

a measuring means for measuring at least one parameter with respect to at least one moving body of a plurality of moving bodies such as a number of moving bodies, moving speed, and moving direction of said at least one moving body;

a memory means for storing information on at least one of a condition of a local area in which said at least one moving body is moving and facilities said at least one moving body is heading for;

a processing means for processing information from said measuring means and memory means; and

an input/output means for accessing information processed by said processing means, and displaying said information;

wherein said memory means, disposed at an entrance and exit of said facilities, includes a means for estimating a utilization status of said facilities, calculating a waiting time from information measured at respective sites and information on capacity of services available at said facilities, and displaying a calculated said waiting time.

20. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities as claimed in claim 19, further comprising a means for gathering information on a utilization status and waiting times for a plurality of facilities from measuring means, displaying gathered said utilization status and waiting times on a map showing locations of said facilities, on a display screen of said input/output means.

21. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities comprising:

a measuring means for measuring at least one parameter with respect to at least one moving body of a plurality of moving bodies such as a number of moving bodies, moving speed, and moving direction of said at least one moving body;

a memory means for storing information on at least one of a condition of a local area in which said at least one moving body is moving and facilities said at least one moving body is heading for;

a processing means for processing information from said measuring means and memory means; and

an input/output means for accessing information processed by said processing means, and displaying said information;

a display means for displaying information from one of said measuring means by specifying an object representing said measuring means with a pointing device, and related information regarding said measuring means from said processing means thereof.

22. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities comprising:

a measuring means for measuring at least one parameter with respect to at least one moving body of a plurality of moving bodies such as a number of moving bodies, moving speed, and moving direction of said at least one moving body;

a memory means for storing information on at least one of a condition of a local area in which said at least one moving body is moving and facilities said at least one moving body is heading for;

a processing means for processing information from said measuring means and memory means; and

an input/output means for accessing information processed by said processing means, and displaying said information;

wherein said measuring means includes a means for measuring reflected waves of energy radiation being emitted to said at least one moving body.

23. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities comprising:

a measuring means for measuring at least one parameter with respect to at least one moving body of a plurality of moving bodies such as a number of moving bodies, moving speed, and moving direction of said at least one moving body;

a memory means for storing information on at least one of a condition of a local area in which said at least one moving body is moving and facilities said at least one moving body is heading for;

a processing means for processing information from said measuring means and memory means; and

an input/output means for accessing information processed by said processing means, and displaying said information;

a plurality of devices as said measuring means and detectors for detecting changes in an environment, and a means for switching said plurality of devices for measurement.

24. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities comprising:

a measuring means for measuring at least one parameter with respect to at least one moving body of a plurality of moving bodies such as a number of moving bodies, moving speed, and moving direction of said at least one moving body;

a memory means for storing information on at least one of a condition of a local area in which said at least one moving body is moving and facilities said at least one moving body is heading for;

a processing means for processing information from said measuring means and memory means; and

an input/output means for accessing information processed by said processing means, and displaying said information;

wherein said input/output means includes a means for concurrently displaying both images measured by said measuring means and information calculated in said processing unit.

25. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities comprising:

a measuring means for measuring at least one parameter with respect to at least one moving body of a plurality of moving bodies such as a number of moving bodies, moving speed, and moving direction of said at least one moving body;

a memory means for storing information on at least one of a condition of a local area in which said at least one moving body is moving and facilities said at least one moving body is heading for;

a processing means for processing information from said measuring means and memory means; and

an input/output means for accessing information processed by said processing means, and displaying said information;

an abnormality judgment means for judging abnormality in a movement of said at least one moving body through observing an incremental/decremental speed, tempo of traveling speeds, stoppage, directions of movement, and degrees of changes in respective parameters with respect to said plurality of moving bodies.

26. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities comprising:

a measuring means for measuring at least one parameter with respect to at least one moving body of a plurality of moving bodies such as a number of moving bodies, moving speed, and moving direction of said at least one moving body;

a memory means for storing information on at least one of a condition of a local area in which said at least one moving body is moving and facilities said at least one moving body is heading for;

a processing means for processing information from said measuring means and memory means; and

an input/output means for accessing information processed by said processing means, and displaying said information;

said measuring means includes a means for measuring information transmitted from said at least one moving body;

wherein, in a case wherein said at least one moving body being people, information transmitted from said at least one moving body contains at least one of predetermined such information as sex, age, name, address, phone number, occupation, hobby with respect to said at least one moving body.

27. A control apparatus for a moving body and facilities comprising:

a measuring means for measuring at least one parameter with respect to at least one moving body of a plurality of moving bodies such as a number of moving bodies, moving speed, and moving direction of said at least one moving body;

a memory means for storing information on at least one of a condition of a local area in which said at least one moving body is moving and facilities said at least one moving body is heading for;

a processing means for processing information from said measuring means and memory means; and

an input/output means for accessing information processed by said processing means, and displaying said information;

said measuring means includes a means for measuring information transmitted from said at least one moving body;

wherein, in a case where said at least one moving body being a vehicle, information transmitted from said at least one moving body contains at least one of predetermined information such as a plate number, type of vehicle, name of owner, address, attributes of payloads/passengers, destination with respect to said at least one moving body.