IP Library Granted Patent US 12664889
Granted Patent B2
US 12664889 · App. 18/273,445 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Control apparatus, control method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium

Inventor: Kazuya Kawakami (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
G08G1/07G06T7/20G06V20/54G06V40/10G06T2207/30196G06T2207/30236G06V2201/08G08G1/0175
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12664889
App. No.
18/273,445
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A control apparatus ( 10 ) includes an image processing unit ( 110 ), a movement route estimation unit ( 120 ), and a control unit ( 140 ). The image processing unit ( 110 ) detects occurrence of a specific event by processing an image. The movement route estimation unit ( 120 ) determines an object being a person and/or a vehicle being involved in the specific event, and estimates an estimated movement route of the object. The control unit ( 140 ) controls a device in order to guide the object according to the estimated movement route. The device to be controlled herein is, for example, a traffic light included in a traffic system.

Claims (45)

1 . A control apparatus comprising:

at least one memory configured to store instructions; and

at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to perform operations, the operations comprising:

processing an image and thereby detecting occurrence of a specific event;

determining an object being a person and/or a vehicle being involved in the specific event;

estimating an estimated movement route of the object;

controlling a device in order to guide the object according to the estimated movement route;

setting a staying point being a position at which the object is caused to stay in the estimated movement route;

determining an object person whose current position satisfies a criterion and transmitting at least one of information indicating a position of the staying point and information relating to the object to a terminal possessed by the object person; and

controlling the device in such a way that the object stays at the staying point.

2 . The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the device is at least a part of a traffic system for controlling movement of a person and/or a vehicle.

3 . The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the operations further comprise controlling the device when at least one of an importance level of the specific event and the estimated movement route satisfies a criterion.

4 . The control apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein

the operations further comprise processing the image and thereby generating the importance level or information necessary for generating the importance level.

5 . The control apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein

the criterion is that a specific region is included in the estimated movement route.

6 . The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise generating recommended route information indicating a recommended movement route from a current position of an investigation executor to the staying point, the investigation executor being a person to investigate the object, and transmitting the recommended route information to a terminal possessed by the investigation executor.

7 . A control method performed by a computer, the control method comprising,

processing an image and thereby detecting occurrence of a specific event;

determining an object being a person and/or a vehicle being involved in the specific event, and estimating an estimated movement route of the object;

controlling a device in order to guide the object according to the estimated movement route;

performing point setting processing of setting a staying point being a position at which the object is caused to stay in the estimated movement route;

determining an object person whose current position satisfies a criterion, and transmitting at least one of information indicating a position of the staying point and information relating to the object to a terminal possessed by the object person; and

controlling the device in such a way that the object stays at the staying point.

8 . The control method according to claim 7 , wherein

the device is at least a part of a traffic system for controlling movement of a person and/or a vehicle.

9 . The control method according to claim 7 , further comprising controlling the device when at least one of an importance level of the specific event and the estimated movement route satisfies a criterion.

10 . The control method according to claim 9 , further comprising processing the image and thereby generating the importance level or information necessary for generating the importance level.

11 . The control method according to claim 9 , wherein

the criterion is that a specific region is included in the estimated movement route.

12 . The control method according to claim 7 , further comprising,

generating recommended route information indicating a recommended movement route from a current position of an investigation executor to the staying point, the investigation executor being a person to investigate the object, and transmitting the recommended route information to a terminal possessed by the investigation executor.

13 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform operations, the operations comprising:

processing an image and thereby detecting occurrence of a specific event;

determining an object being a person and/or a vehicle being involved in the specific event, and estimating an estimated movement route of the object;

controlling a device in order to guide the object according to the estimated movement route;

setting a staying point being a position at which the object is caused to stay in the estimated movement routes;

determining an object person whose current position satisfies a criterion, and transmitting at least one of information indicating a position of the staying point and information relating to the object to a terminal possessed by the object person; and

controlling the device in such a way that the object stays at the staying point.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 13 , wherein

the operations further comprise the device when at least one of an importance level of the specific event and the estimated movement route satisfies a criterion.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 13 ,

wherein the operations further comprise generating recommended route information indicating a recommended movement route from a current position of an investigation executor to the staying point, the investigation executor being a person to investigate the object, and transmitting the recommended route information to a terminal possessed by the investigation executor.