Information output method and information output device

1 . An information output method used by an information output device, the information output method comprising:

obtaining, from each of at least two autonomous mobile robots each providing at least one service, first information including (i) information about a location of the autonomous mobile robot and (ii) information about a service provided by the autonomous mobile robot;

presenting, based on the first information, information about at least two services provided by the at least two autonomous mobile robots to a terminal device used by a user that receives service among the at least two services;

obtaining, from the terminal device, second information including: a service providing location designated by the user to receive the service; and information about the service selected by the user;

determining, based on the second information, one autonomous mobile robot providing the service selected by the user among the at least two autonomous mobile robots; and

outputting, to the one autonomous mobile robot determined, first control information used for moving the one autonomous mobile robot to the service providing location,

wherein each of the at least two autonomous mobile robots includes: a travel section that controls travel of the autonomous mobile robot; and a box section that is disposed above the travel section and used for providing the service,

the information output method further comprises:

obtaining log information generated as a result of an operation of the box section included in the one autonomous mobile robot;

generating, based on the log information, second control information used for implementing a second function different from a first function of the box section included in the one autonomous mobile robot; and

outputting the second control information to the one autonomous mobile robot,

the first function is at least a part of a function that implements provision of a first service provided by the box section,

the second function is performed together with the first function to implement provision of a second service different from the first service,

the first control information includes a remote control signal transmitted to the one autonomous mobile robot and route information indicating a moving route to the service providing location, and

the one autonomous mobile robot moves to the service providing location by the travel section controlling a driver based on detection results from a second imager and a sensor each mounted on the one autonomous mobile robot so as not to collide with an obstacle, while following the route information.

2 . The information output method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the at least two services include at least one of delivery, sale, content distribution, advertising, guidance, security, or checking.

3 . The information output method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

outputting, to the terminal device, third information about provision of the service selected by the user.

4 . The information output method according to claim 3 ,

wherein the third information includes information about whether the service is providable.

5 . The information output method according to claim 3 ,

wherein the third information includes: an arrival time at which the one autonomous mobile robot providing the service is estimated to arrive at the service providing location; and information about a charge of the service.

6 . The information output method according to claim 3 ,

wherein the service is provided in a predetermined area, and

the third information changes according to at least one of: a season or span of time in the predetermined area; and an attribute of the user present in the predetermined area.

7 . The information output method according to claim 6 , further comprising:

managing usage history information of the service provided in the predetermined area; and

generating the third information based on the usage history information.

8 . The information output method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the box section provides the service selected by the user, using at least one of a cashier function, a conversational function, an image monitoring function, a sale control function, a music outputting function, an image displaying function, or an anomaly sensing function that is achieved by a sensor.

9 . The information output method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining log information generated as a result of an operation of the box section included in the one autonomous mobile robot;

generating, based on the log information, second control information used for implementing a second function different from a first function of the box section included in the one autonomous mobile robot; and

outputting the second control information to the one autonomous mobile robot,

wherein the first function implements provision of a first service provided by the box section, and

the second function implements provision of a second service different from the first service.

10 . The information output method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

by comparing a function installed in the one autonomous mobile robot to implement provision of a first service with a function of implementing provision of a second service different from the first service, determining a lacking function that the one autonomous mobile robot lacks to implement provision of the second service;

generating second control information used for adding the lacking function to the one autonomous mobile robot; and

outputting the second control information to the one autonomous mobile robot.

11 . The information output method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining a surrounding situation of a first autonomous mobile robot from the first autonomous mobile robot that provides a first service;

generating, based on the surrounding situation, third control information used for moving a second autonomous mobile robot that provides a second service different from the first service; and

outputting the third control information to the second autonomous mobile robot.

12 . The information output method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

rejecting, if the service selected by user produces sound, a location that is selected as the service providing location but located within a predetermined distance from a stopping location of a different autonomous mobile robot providing a service that produces sound.

13 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for causing a computer to execute the information output method according to claim 1 .

14 . An information output device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory,

wherein the processor uses the memory to:

obtain, from each of at least two autonomous mobile robots each providing at least one service, first information including information about a location of the autonomous mobile robot and information about a service provided by the autonomous mobile robot;

present, based on the first information, information about at least two services provided by the at least two autonomous mobile robots to a terminal device used by a user that receives the service among the at least two services;

obtain, from the terminal device, second information including: a service providing location designated by the user to receive the service; and information about the service selected by the user;

determine, based on the second information, one autonomous mobile robot providing the service selected by the user among the at least two autonomous mobile robots; and

output, to the one autonomous mobile robot determined, first control information used for moving the one autonomous mobile robot to the service providing location,

wherein each of the at least two autonomous mobile robots includes: a travel section that controls travel of the autonomous mobile robot; and a box section that is disposed above the travel section and used for providing the service,

wherein the processor further uses the memory to:

obtain log information generated as a result of an operation of the box section included in the one autonomous mobile robot;

generate, based on the log information, second control information used for implementing a second function different from a first function of the box section included in the one autonomous mobile robot; and

output the second control information to the one autonomous mobile robot,

the first function is at least a part of a function that implements provision of a first service provided by the box section,

the second function is performed together with the first function to implement provision of a second service different from the first service,

the first control information includes a remote control signal transmitted to the one autonomous mobile robot and route information indicating a moving route to the service providing location, and

the one autonomous mobile robot moves to the service providing location by the travel section controlling a driver based on detection results from a second imager and a sensor each mounted on the one autonomous mobile robot so as not to collide with an obstacle, while following the route information.