Information processing apparatus, information processing method and information processing program

Abstract

An information processing apparatus manages operation of an autonomous vehicle that delivers a package. The information processing apparatus includes a control section that before the autonomous vehicle arrives at a basic delivery destination that is an original delivery destination of the package, acquires a location, at a planned delivery time of the package, of a user that receives the package, and where the location is different from the basic delivery destination, transmits an instruction for delivering the package to the location to the autonomous vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for managing operation of an autonomous vehicle that delivers a package, the apparatus comprising a control section configured to:
 before the autonomous vehicle arrives at a basic delivery destination that is a delivery destination of the package, acquire a location, at a planned delivery time of the package, of a user that receives the package, and   when the location is different from the basic delivery destination, transmit an operation instruction to the autonomous vehicle to cause the autonomous vehicle to deliver the package to the location.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control section is further configured to, when the location is different from the basic delivery destination, transmit an instruction for cancelling delivery of the package to the autonomous vehicle unless the location is within a predetermined range from the basic delivery destination. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein when the location is different from the basic delivery destination and the location is another autonomous vehicle that is different from the autonomous vehicle that delivers the package, the control section is further configured to:
 determine a meeting point and a meeting time of meeting between the autonomous vehicle and the other autonomous vehicle; and   transmit an instruction to the autonomous vehicle and the other autonomous vehicle, which is intended to cause the autonomous vehicle and the other autonomous vehicle to meet at the meeting point at the meeting time.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control section is further configured to acquire the location at a timing at which a remaining time left before the planned delivery time of the package becomes no more than a predetermined length of time. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control section is further configured to acquire the location at a timing at which a position of the autonomous vehicle enters a range that is a predetermined distance from the basic delivery destination. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control section is further configured to acquire the location at a timing at which the autonomous vehicle departs from a predetermined departure point toward the basic delivery destination. 
     
     
         7 . A method for managing operation of an autonomous vehicle that delivers a package, the method comprising causing a computer to perform steps of:
 before the autonomous vehicle arrives at a basic delivery destination that is a delivery destination of the package, acquiring a location, at a planned delivery time of the package, of a user that receives the package, and   when the location is different from the basic delivery destination, transmitting an operation instruction to the autonomous vehicle to cause the autonomous vehicle to deliver the package to the location.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein, when the location is different from the basic delivery destination, transmitting an instruction for cancelling delivery of the package to the autonomous vehicle unless the location is within a predetermined range from the basic delivery destination. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein when the location is different from the basic delivery destination and the location is another autonomous vehicle that is different from the autonomous vehicle that delivers the package,
 determining a meeting point and a meeting time of meeting between the autonomous vehicle and the other autonomous vehicle; and   transmitting an instruction to the autonomous vehicle and the other autonomous vehicle, which is intended to cause the autonomous vehicle and the other autonomous vehicle to meet at the meeting point at the meeting time.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising acquiring the location at a timing at which a remaining time left before the planned delivery time of the package becomes no more than a predetermined length of time. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising acquiring the location at a timing at which a position of the autonomous vehicle enters a range that is a predetermined distance from the basic delivery destination. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising acquiring the location at a timing at which the autonomous vehicle departs from a predetermined departure point toward the basic delivery destination. 
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a program causing a processor to execute a control process for managing operation of an autonomous vehicle that delivers a package, wherein the control process comprises:
 before the autonomous vehicle arrives at a basic delivery destination that is a delivery destination of the package, acquiring a location, at a planned delivery time of the package, of a user that receives the package, and   when the location is different from the basic delivery destination, transmitting an operation instruction to the autonomous vehicle to cause the autonomous vehicle to deliver the package to the location.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 13 , wherein the control process further comprises: when the location is different from the basic delivery destination, transmitting an instruction for cancelling delivery of the package to the autonomous vehicle unless the location is within a predetermined range from the basic delivery destination. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 13 , wherein the control process further comprises:
 when the location is different from the basic delivery destination and the location is another autonomous vehicle that is different from the autonomous vehicle that delivers the package, determining a meeting point and a meeting time of meeting between the autonomous vehicle and the other autonomous vehicle; and   transmitting an instruction to the autonomous vehicle and the other autonomous vehicle, which is intended to cause the autonomous vehicle and the other autonomous vehicle to meet at the meeting point at the meeting time.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 13 , wherein the control process further comprises:
 acquiring the location at a timing at which a remaining time left before the planned delivery time of the package becomes no more than a predetermined length of time.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 13 , wherein the control process further comprises:
 acquiring the location at a timing at which a position of the autonomous vehicle enters a range that is a predetermined distance from the basic delivery destination.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 13 , wherein the control process further comprises:
 acquiring the location at a timing at which the autonomous vehicle departs from a predetermined departure point toward the basic delivery destination.