IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,379,219
Granted Patent B2
US 12,379,219 · App. 18/357,693 · Granted Aug 5, 2025

Route search system and route search method

Inventors: Yu Nagata (Chofu, JP); Ai Miyata (Sakai, JP); Satoshi Komamine (Nagoya, JP); Syouta Komatsu (Toyota, JP)
Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G01C21/3461G01C21/3492G01C21/3676
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,379,219
App. No.
18/357,693
Granted
Aug 5, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An information processing apparatus comprises a controller configured to execute: acquiring operation information that is information related to operation of a bus; and generating a running route for a first vehicle that is a light vehicle on the basis of the operation information.

Claims (44)

1. A route search system comprising:

a user apparatus owned by a user of a first vehicle, which is a light vehicle, the user apparatus including a processor and a wireless communication interface; and

an information processing apparatus including a controller configured to execute:

acquiring operation information that is information related to operation of a bus, the operation information including road links on which the bus runs;

calculating evaluation values for each of the road links on which the bus runs based on the operation information that has been acquired, each of the evaluation values having a magnitude that depends on a frequency of passage of the bus through a corresponding one of the road links associated with the evaluation value;

generating a map in which the evaluation values that have been calculated are associated with the road links in the map;

in response to receipt of a running route request transmitted via the wireless communication interface of the user apparatus, generating a running route for guiding the first vehicle from a departure place to a destination that are identified in the running route request, the controller generating the running route based on the map that has been generated, the running route connecting the departure place to the destination and passing through the road links having evaluation values that are indicative of a lower frequency of passage of the bus; and

transmitting the running route that has been generated to the user apparatus via the wireless communication interface of the user apparatus, wherein

the user of the first vehicle outputs the running route on the user apparatus to guide the first vehicle on the running route from the departure place to the destination.

2. The route search system according to claim 1 , wherein

the operation information includes pieces of position information cyclically acquired from a plurality of buses, and

the controller of the information processing apparatus calculates the respective evaluation values for the road links on the basis of the pieces of position information.

3. The route search system according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller of the information processing apparatus generates the running route by selecting a plurality of road links with lower frequencies of passage of the bus.

4. The route search system according to claim 1 , wherein

each of the evaluation values is a value related to a frequency of stopping of the bus for boarding and alighting of a user in a corresponding one of the road links.

5. The route search system according to claim 4 , wherein

the operation information includes information related to a dynamically set stop of the bus, and

the controller of the information processing apparatus calculates the respective evaluation values for the road links on the basis of the information related to the stop.

6. The route search system according to claim 4 , wherein

the controller of the information processing apparatus generates the running route by selecting a plurality of road links with lower frequencies of stopping of the bus for the boarding and alighting of the user.

7. The route search system according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller of the information processing apparatus generates the map on a per-time-slot basis.

8. A route search method comprising:

a controller of an information processing apparatus acquiring operation information that is information related to operation of a bus, the operation information including road links on which the bus runs;

calculating, by the controller, evaluation values for each of the road links on which the bus runs based on the operation information that has been acquired, each of the evaluation values having a magnitude that depends on a frequency of passage of the bus through a corresponding one of the road links associated with the evaluation value;

generating, by the controller, a map in which the evaluation values that have been calculated are associated with the road links in the map;

in response to receipt of a running route request transmitted to the controller via a wireless communication interface of a user apparatus owned by a user of a first vehicle, which is a light vehicle, the user apparatus including a processor and the wireless communication interface, the controller generating a running route for guiding the first vehicle from a departure place to a destination that are identified in the running route request, the controller generating the running route based on the map that has been generated, the running route connecting the departure place to the destination and passing through the road links having evaluation values that are indicative of a lower frequency of passage of the bus; and

transmitting the running route that has been generated to the user apparatus via the wireless communication interface of the user apparatus, wherein

the user of the first vehicle outputs the running route on the user apparatus to guide the first vehicle on the running route from the departure place to the destination.

9. The route search method according to claim 8 , wherein

the operation information includes pieces of position information cyclically acquired from a plurality of buses, and

the calculating includes calculating the respective evaluation values for the road links on the basis of the pieces of position information.

10. The route search method according to claim 8 , wherein

the generating includes generating the running route by selecting a plurality of road links with lower frequencies of passage of the bus.

11. The route search method according to claim 8 , wherein

each of the evaluation values is a value related to a frequency of stopping of the bus for boarding and alighting of a user in a corresponding one of the road links.

12. The route search method acording to claim 11 , wherein

the operation information includes information related to a dynamically set stop of the bus, and

the calculating includes calculating the respective evaluation values for the road links on the basis of the information related to the stop.

13. The route search method acording to claim 11 , wherein

the generating includes generating the running route by selecting a plurality of road links with lower frequencies of stopping of the bus for the boarding and alighting of the user.

14. The route search method according to claim 8 , wherein

the generating includes generating the map on a per-time-slot basis.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 24, 2023
From: NAGATA, YU; MIYATA, AI; KOMAMINE, SATOSHI; KOMATSU, SYOUTA
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 064364/0294 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-120974 · Jul 28, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240035835A1 · Feb 1, 2024
References Cited (5)
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