# US 2021/0240186 A1 · Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and non-transitory memory medium

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2021/0240186 A1
- Document ID: US20210240186A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/163,647
- Filed: 2021-02-01
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2020-01-30
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Tatsuya MATSUNAMI; Atsuko YAMANAKA; Kunihiro TSUNEKAWA; Sokfan YEE; Masahiro TANAKA; Shuichiro TAKAHASHI; Satoshi NONOYAMA; Tokuyuki NISHIKAWA; Hikaru SATOU
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210240186A1

## CPC

- G05D 1/0212: {with means for defining a desired trajectory (involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287)}
- B60W 60/00253: {Taxi operations}
- B60W 60/00256: {Delivery operations}
- G06Q 10/08355: {Routing methods}
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a control unit that acquires, for a running unit from which an attachment unit is detachable, a time slot in which detachment of the attachment unit is permitted, and selects, from multiple services, a service to be provided by using the running unit from which the attachment unit is detached, according to the acquired time slot.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An information processing apparatus comprising a control unit configured to
acquire, for a running unit from which an attachment unit is detachable, a time slot in which detachment of the attachment unit is permitted, and
select, from multiple services, a service to be provided by using the running unit from which the attachment unit is detached, according to the acquired time slot.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection involves selecting, by a process of matching between multiple running units and multiple services, at least one service from the multiple services, for at least one running unit of the multiple running units.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the control unit
acquires specifications of the running unit, and
acquires specifications required for the running unit to use for each of the multiple services, and
the service is selected according to determination of whether the specifications of the acquired running unit satisfy the required specifications.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the control unit
acquires positional information on the running unit in the time slot, and
acquires, for each of the multiple services, a service-provided position, and
the service is selected according to a result of comparison between the acquired positional information on the running unit and the service-provided position.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the control unit also acquires permission information indicating a service permitted by the owner of the running unit to use the running unit, and
the service is selected according the acquired permission information.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the control unit
also acquires a remaining battery level of the running unit, and
estimates, for each of the multiple services, the amount of power consumed by the running unit in service provision, and
the service is selected according to determination of whether the acquired remaining battery level is higher than the estimated amount of power.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the control unit
also generates a travel plan for the running unit for the selected service, and
transmits the generated travel plan as control information for autonomous driving of the running unit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the acquisition of the time slot involves:
acquiring schedule information on a user of the attachment unit, and
estimating the time slot according to the schedule information.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein
the acquisition of the time slot involves:
acquiring a remaining battery level of the running unit, and
estimating the time slot according to the remaining battery level.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the multiple services include at least one of the group consisting of a patrol service, an object or human transporting service, a service for supplying power to a second running unit different from the running unit, and a service for transporting the second running unit.

### Claim 11

An information processing method wherein
at least one computer
acquires, for a running unit from which an attachment unit is detachable, a time slot in which detachment of the attachment unit is permitted, and
selects, from multiple services, a service to be provided by using the running unit from which the attachment unit is detached, according to the acquired time slot.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein the selection involves selecting, by a process of matching between multiple running units and multiple services, at least one service from the multiple services, for at least one running unit of the multiple running units.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein
the at least one computer
acquires specifications of the running unit, and
acquires specifications required for the running unit to use for each of the multiple services, and
the service is selected according to determination of whether the specifications of the acquired running unit satisfy the required specifications.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein
the at least one computer
acquires positional information on the running unit in the time slot, and
acquires, for each of the multiple services, a service-provided position, and
the service is selected according to a result of comparison between the acquired positional information on the running unit and the service-provided position.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein
the at least one computer also acquires permission information indicating a service permitted by the owner of the running unit to use the running unit, and
the service is selected according the acquired permission information.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein
the at least one computer
also acquires a remaining battery level of the running unit, and
estimates, for each of the multiple services, the amount of power consumed by the running unit for service provision, and
the service is selected according to determination of whether the acquired remaining battery level is higher than the estimated amount of power.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein
the at least one computer
also generates a travel plan for the running unit for the selected service, and
transmits the generated travel plan as control information for autonomous driving of the running unit.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein
the acquisition of the time slot involves:
acquiring schedule information on a user of the attachment unit, and
estimating the time slot according to the schedule information.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein
the multiple services include at least one of the group consisting of a patrol service, an object or human transporting service, and a service for supplying power to a second running unit different from the running unit.

### Claim 20

A non-transitory memory medium storing a program that causes at least one computer to
acquire, for a running unit from which an attachment unit is detachable, a time slot in which detachment of the attachment unit is permitted, and
select, from multiple services, a service to be provided by using the running unit from which the attachment unit is detached, according to the acquired time slot.