# US 12,111,173 B2 · Information processing device, information processing method, and terminal device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,111,173 B2 - Document ID: US12111173B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/660,282 - Filed: 2022-04-22 - Published: 2023-01-12 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2021-07-08 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Shin Sakurada; Kazuya Nishimura; Yuko Mizuno - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111173B2 ## CPC - G01C 21/365: {Guidance using head up displays or projectors, e.g. virtual vehicles or arrows projected on the windscreen or on the road itself} - G05D 1/0212: {with means for defining a desired trajectory (involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287)} - A61G 5/04: motor-driven (A61G5/06 takes precedence; motor-operated rests A61G5/12; for vehicles with handlebars, equipped with three or more wheels B62K5/003, B62K5/023) - A61G 5/041: {having a specific drive-type} - A61G 5/06: with obstacle mounting facilities, e.g. for climbing stairs, {kerbs or steps} - A61G 5/10: Parts, details or accessories - G01C 21/3461: {Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types or segments such as motorways, toll roads or ferries} - G05D 1/021: {specially adapted to land vehicles} - G05D 1/43: Control of position or course in two dimensions [2D] - G06F 3/14: Digital output to display device {; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units} - A61G 2203/22: for automatically guiding movable devices, e.g. stretchers or wheelchairs in a hospital - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract An information processing device includes a control unit that determines a travel path of a wheelchair. The control unit determines the travel path of the wheelchair based on information on a step existing on a road surface on which the wheelchair travels and information on a wheel of the wheelchair. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information processing device comprising a control unit that determines a travel path of a wheelchair, wherein the control unit determines the travel path of the wheelchair based on information on a step existing on a road surface on which the wheelchair travels and information on a wheel of the wheelchair and controls the wheelchair to travel along the travel path; wherein: when the wheelchair crosses a road, the control unit causes a display device to display a pedestrian crossing on the road surface of the road in a range including the travel path of the wheelchair; and the control unit causes the display device to display in the pedestrian crossing a range in which a height at which the wheel of the wheelchair enters the step is equal to or larger than a fourth threshold value as a travel prohibited area of the wheelchair. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit calculates a height at which the wheel of the wheelchair enters the step when the wheelchair travels, based on a shape or a position of the step and a diameter or a width of the wheel of the wheelchair, and determines the travel path of the wheelchair such that the height at which the wheel of the wheelchair enters the step is smaller than a first threshold value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein when the step is a groove, the control unit determines the travel path of the wheelchair such that the wheel of the wheelchair passes through the groove in a direction intersecting an extending direction of the groove. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein: the wheel of the wheelchair is a drive wheel, and the wheelchair further includes a caster having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the drive wheel; and the control unit determines the travel path of the wheelchair such that a height at which the drive wheel enters the step is smaller than a second threshold value and a height at which the caster enters the step is smaller than a third threshold value that is smaller than the second threshold value. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes a display device to display the travel path of the wheelchair on the road surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes the display device to display the pedestrian crossing along the travel path of the wheelchair. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines the travel path of the wheelchair such that right and left wheels of the wheelchair are alternately moved to proceed. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a detection unit that detects the information on the step. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit acquires the information on the step from the wheelchair. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: the information processing device is mounted on the wheelchair; and the control unit causes the wheelchair to travel along the travel path of the wheelchair. ### Claim 11 An information processing method for determining a travel path of a wheelchair, comprising determining the travel path of the wheelchair based on information on a step existing on a road surface on which the wheelchair travels and information on a wheel of the wheelchair; controlling the wheelchair to travel along the travel path; causing, when the wheelchair crosses a road, the display device to display a pedestrian crossing on the road surface of the road in a range including the travel path of the wheelchair; and causing the display device to display in the pedestrian crossing a range in which a height at which the wheel of the wheelchair enters the step is equal to or larger than a fourth threshold value as a travel prohibited area of the wheelchair. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The information processing method according to claim 11, further comprising: calculating a height at which the wheel of the wheelchair enters the step when the wheelchair travels, based on a height or a width of the step and a width or a diameter of the wheel of the wheelchair; and determining the travel path of the wheelchair such that the height at which the wheel of the wheelchair enters the step is smaller than a first threshold value. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The information processing method according to claim 11, further comprising causing a display device to display the travel path of the wheelchair on the road surface. ### Claim 14 A terminal device mounted on a wheelchair or carried by a user of the wheelchair, wherein the terminal device acquires from an information processing device a travel path of the wheelchair determined by the information processing device based on information on a step existing on a road surface on which the wheelchair travels and a shape of a wheel of the wheelchair and controls the wheelchair to travel along the travel path; wherein: when the wheelchair crosses a road, the terminal device causes a display device to display a pedestrian crossing on the road surface of the road in a range including the travel path of the wheelchair; and the terminal device causes the display device to display in the pedestrian crossing a range in which a height at which the wheel of the wheelchair enters the step is equal to or larger than a fourth threshold value as a travel prohibited area of the wheelchair. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The terminal device according to claim 14, comprising a detection unit that detects the information on the step and an interface that outputs the information on the step to the information processing device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The terminal device according to claim 14, wherein the terminal device controls traveling of the wheelchair based on the travel path of the wheelchair.