RESERVATION APPARATUS, RESERVATION METHOD, AND RESERVATION SYSTEM

A reservation apparatus has an operator information acquisition part that acquires task information indicating content of task to be executed using any robots in association with an operator ID for identifying an operator U operating the robot, a selection part that selects a robot to be used by the operator U from among the plurality of robots on the basis of the contents of a task indicated by the task information, and a reservation processing part that causes a storage part to store, in association with the operator ID, a robot ID for identifying the robot to be used selected by the selection part and a reservation period during which the robot to be used become available.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a reservation apparatus, a reservation method, and a reservation system for reserving a robot to be used.

A technique for reserving a robot to be used is known. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-064837 discloses a system for managing reservation data for using a controllable robot via a network.

in a conventional system, it is assumed that a robot which an operator makes a reservation for is predetermined. However, when there are a number of robots that can be used by any operator, it is difficult for the operator to reserve an appropriate robot.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure focuses on this point, and its object is to make it possible to reserve a robot suitable for a task to be performed by an operator using a robot from among a number of robots.

A reservation apparatus according to a first aspect of the present disclosure has: an operator information acquisition part that acquires task information indicating contents of a task to be executed using any of a plurality of robots in association with operator identification information for identifying an operator operating a robot; a selection part that selects a robot to be used by the operator from among the plurality of robots on the basis of the contents of the task indicated by the task information; and a reservation processing part that causes a storage part to store, in association with the operator identification information, robot identification information for identifying the robot to be used selected by the selection part and a reservation period during which the robot to be used becomes available.

A reservation method according to a second aspect of the present disclosure has the steps of acquiring task information indicating contents of a task to be executed using any of a plurality of robots in association with operator identification information for identifying an operator operating a robot; selecting a robot to be used by the operator from the plurality of robots on the basis of the content of task indicated by the task information; and causing a storage part to store, in association with the operator identification information, robot identification information for identifying the selected robot to be used and a reservation period during which the robot to be used becomes available, that are executed by a computer.

A reservation system according to a third aspect of the present disclosure includes a reservation apparatus that manages a reservation status of a robot; and an inform ration terminal capable of communicating with the reservation apparatus; wherein the reservation apparatus includes an operator information acquisition part that acquires task information indicating contents of a task to be executed using any of a plurality of robots from the information terminal, a selection part that selects a robot to be used by the operator who uses the information terminal from among the plurality of robots on the basis of the content of task indicated by the task information, and a reservation processing part that causes a storage part to store, in association with identification information for identifying the operator, robot identification information for identifying the robot to be used selected by the selection part, and transmitting reservation information indicating a reservation period during which the robot to be used becomes available to the information terminal, wherein the information terminal includes a display part that displays the reservation information received from the reservation processing part.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described through exemplary embodiments, but the following exemplary embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all of the combinations of features described in the exemplary embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution means of the invention.

Outline of a Reservation System

FIG. 1shows an outline of a reservation system S. The reservation system S is a system for reserving a robot2and an operation apparatus3which are suitable for a task to be performed by an operator U from (i) a plurality of robots2and (ii) a plurality of operation apparatuses3for operating the robots2that are both registered in advance in the reservation system S. The robots2and the operation apparatuses3provide a telexistence environment in which the operator U operates the robot2in real time while feeling as if an object or a person at a remote location is nearby.

The robot2is a robot that can be remotely operated by the operator U via a network N using the operation apparatus3. The plurality of robots2include a plurality of types of robots2having different functions. The plurality of types are for, for example, shopping, games, sightseeing, carrying baggage, or sightseeing guidance.

A robot2having a shopping function has a configuration for allowing the operator U to feel as if he/she is actually shopping while being in a remote location by image-capturing and touching the goods in a store in response to an operation of the operator U. Specifically, the robot2having the shopping function has a camera that captures an image of a surrounding state; a sensor that detects the sense of touch such as temperature, pressure, vibration, or the like of when touching an object with one's hand; an actuator that moves the hand and finger; a speaker that outputs the voice generated by the operator U; and a communication controller that transmits a captured image generated by the camera and a signal output by the sensor to the operation apparatus3and receives instructions from the voice of the operator U and the operation apparatus3.

A robot2having a game function has a configuration for allowing the operator U to feel as if he/she is actually playing games at a game center while being in a remote location by playing the games in response to an operation of the operator U. Specifically, the robot2having the game function may have the same function as that of the robot2having the shopping function, but does not need to have the speaker. It is desirable that the robot2having the game function has an actuator that can move the hand and finger at higher speed than the robot2having the shopping function.

A robot2having a sightseeing function has a configuration for allowing the operator U to feel as if he/she is actually walking in tourist spots while being in a remote location by visiting the tourist spots in response to an operation of the operator U. Specifically, the robot2having the sightseeing function may have the same function as the robot2having the shopping function, but it is desirable to have a higher moving performance than the robot2having the shopping function so that the robot2having the sightseeing function can move around the streets or go up the stairs.

A robot2having a baggage-carrying function has a configuration for allowing the operator U to do his/her work of carrying baggage while being in a remote location by carrying baggage in response to an operation of the operator U. Specifically, the robot2having the baggage-carrying function may have the same function as the robot2having the shopping function, but it is desirable to have an actuator capable of lifting heavy baggage.

A robot2having a sightseeing-guide function has a configuration for allowing the operator U to do his/her work of guiding a tourist while being in a remote location by guiding the tourist around tourist spots in response to an operation of the operator U. Specifically, the robot2having the sightseeing-guide function may have the same function as the robot2having the shopping function, but it is desirable to have a function of translating the voice spoken in Japanese by the operator U into foreign languages so that the robot2having the sightseeing-guide function can guide tourists coming from various countries.

These various types of robots2are on standby in various places when they are not in use. In the example shown inFIG. 1, the plurality of robots2are on standby in a shopping mall A and in a tourist information center B.

The operation apparatus3is a device for the operator U to control the robot2. The operation apparatus3identifies movement of the operator U wearing the operation instrument, and transmits a signal indicating the identified movement to the reservation apparatus1. The operation apparatus3identifies the movement of the operator U on the basis of the signal received from the sensors of the operation instrument worn by the operator U, for example. The operation apparatus3may radiate infrared light to the operator U, and identify the movement of the operator U on the basis of reflected light resulting from the irradiated infrared light.

In addition, the operation apparatus3may notify the operation instrument worn by the operator U about the captured image and perceptual information indicating the sense of touch received from the robot2via the network N. The captured image is displayed on a display of goggles worn by the operator U. Each operation instrument the operator attaches to his/her hands, feet, arms, or the like changes temperature or vibrates on the basis of the perceptual information. Due to these configurations, the operator U can experience the surrounding environment of the robot2in a place away from the robot2with a feeling as if he/she is in the robot2.

The plurality of operation apparatuses3include a plurality of types of operation apparatuses3in which types of operable robots2are different or functions that can be executed by the robot2are different. The plurality of types of operation apparatuses3may be, in a similar manner as the plurality of types of robots2, for shopping, games, sightseeing, carrying baggage, sightseeing guidance, or the like, or may be other types. For example, there may be an operation apparatus3that corresponds to all the functions of shopping, games, sightseeing, carrying baggage, or sightseeing guidance, or there may be an operation apparatus3that is capable of executing only some of the functions the robot2has.

The various types of operation apparatuses3are installed in various places. The operator U can remotely operate the robot2using the operation apparatus3installed at a desired place, such as an operation apparatus3installed near home and an operation apparatus3installed near wherever he/she is. In the example shown inFIG. 1, the plurality of the operation apparatuses3are installed respectively in a place X and a place Y. Also, these operation apparatuses3may be configured to be stored one set each in, for example, a briefcase. Since the operation apparatuses3are configured in this manner, the operator U can easily transport the operation apparatuses3to anywhere he/she wants to use them, and then remotely operate the robot2.

The operator U can reserve the robot2to be used and the operation apparatus3to be used by using the information terminal4which he/she can use himself/herself. At this time, the operator U can reserve the appropriate robot2and the operation apparatus3by entering contents of tasks that he/she wants to do using the robot2. The information terminal4may be any electronic device, such as a computer, a smart phone, or a tablet, having an operation part that inputs data, a display that displays data, and a communication controller that transmits and receives data. It should be noted that, when the operator U reserves the above-described transportable operation apparatuses3, the reservation apparatus1may execute, a process of issuing a delivery slip for a home delivery service so as to transport the transportable operation apparatuses3, prior to a reservation period of the robot2, to a place home, etc.) designated by the operator U or the like. In this case, the reservation apparatus1may also issue a return-delivery slip so that the transportable operation apparatuses3will be returned after the end of the reservation period. Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of the reservation apparatus1will be described in detail.

Functional Configuration of the Reservation Apparatus1

FIG. 2shows a functional configuration of the reservation apparatus1. The reservation apparatus1includes a communication part11, a storage part12, and a control part13. The control part13includes an operator information acquisition part131, a robot information acquisition part132, a selection part133, and a reservation processing part134.

The communication part11is a communication interface for transmitting and receiving data via the network N, and includes, for example, a local area network (LAN) controller. The communication part11receives operator information about the operator U from the information terminal4via the network N and inputs the received operator information to the operator information acquisition part131. The operator information is, for example, task information indicating task contents entered by the operator U in the information terminal4and position information indicating a position of the operator U. Further, the communication part11receives robot information about a state of the robot2from the robot2via the network N, and inputs the received robot information to the robot information acquisition part132.

The storage part12includes a storage medium such as a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and a hard disk. The storage part12stores programs to be executed by the control part13. Also, the storage part12stores various types of databases. The storage part12stores a robot database121, an operation apparatus database122, and a skill database123, for example.

FIG. 3shows an exemplary robot database121. In the robot database121, (i) robot identification information (hereinafter referred to as a robot ID) for identifying the robot2, (ii) information indicating a place where the robot2is installed, (iii) the functions that the robot2can execute, and (iv) reservation information indicating a reservation status of the robot2are associated with each other. The information indicating the place where the robot2is installed may be any information that can help identify the place, such as a name, address, or latitude/longitude information of a store or a facility.

The functions that can be executed by the robot2are functions corresponding to the task contents, such as the shopping function that enables the operator U to move the robot2to a store and do his/her shopping by a remote operation, the game function that enables the operator U to move the robot2to a game center and play games by the remote operation, the baggage-carrying function that enables the operator U to carry baggage by the remote operation, or the like. The functions that the robot2can execute are not limited to the functions corresponding to the task contents, and may be functions corresponding to operable contents, such as an image-capturing function, a function of moving the finger, or a function of detecting temperature, pressure, vibration, or the like with the finger.

The reservation information is information in which the date and time are associated with identification information of the operator U (hereinafter referred to as an operator ID) who made the reservation. InFIG. 3, only one operator ID is shown in a reservation information column, but the reservation information may include a plurality of operator IDs and reservation dates and times associated with the respective operator IDs.

FIG. 4shows an exemplary operation apparatus database122. In the operation apparatus database122, (i) operation apparatus identification information (hereinafter referred to as an operation apparatus ID) for identifying the operation apparatus3, (ii) information indicating the place where the operation apparatus3is installed, (iii) functions that can be performed using the operation apparatus3, and (iv) reservation information indicating the reservation status of the operation apparatus3are associated with each other. The information indicating the place where the operation apparatus3is installed may be any information as long as it can identify the place, such as a name, an address, or latitude/longitude information of a store or a facility.

The functions that can be performed using the operation apparatus3are the functions of the robot2, for example, shopping, games, and carrying baggage, that can be performed by the operator U using the operation apparatus3. The functions that can be performed using the operation apparatus3are not limited to the functions of the robot2, and may include a function of displaying the captured image transmitted from the robot2, a function of imparting tactile sensations based on tactile information such as temperature, pressure, and vibration transmitted from the robot2to the operator U, a maximum speed at which the robot2can be moved, or the like.

The reservation information is information in which the date and time and the operator ID of the operator U who made the reservation are associated with each other. InFIG. 4, only one operator ID is shown in the reservation information column, but the reservation information may include a plurality of operator IDs and reservation dates and times associated with the respective operator IDs.

FIG. 5shows an exemplary skill database123. The skill database123is an aspect of a skill storage part that stores the operating skill of the operator U in association with the operator ID and the robot ID of the robot2which the operator U has used among the plurality of robots2. In the skill database123, (i) the operator ID and (ii) the skill of the operator U for each function executable using the robot2and the operation apparatus3are associated with each other. Since it is considered that difficulty of operation differs for each combination of the robot2and the operation apparatus3, the skill database123may associate the skill with each combination of the robot2and the operation apparatus3.

Returning toFIG. 2, the control part13will be described in detail. The control part13includes, for example, a central processing unit (CPU). The control part13, by executing a program stored in the storage part12, functions as the operator information acquisition part131, the robot information acquisition part132, the selection part133, and the reservation processing part134.

The operator information acquisition part131acquires task information indicating contents of the task to be executed using any of the robots2of the plurality of robots2, via the communication part11, in association with operator ID for identifying the operator U for operating the robot2. The operator information acquisition part131acquires task information indicating, a place where the task is performed, for example, as the contents of the task. The operator information acquisition part131may further acquire position information indicating a location of the operator U. The operator information acquisition part131may acquire, as a state of the operator U, information indicating whether or not the operator U has logged in for using the robot2.

The robot information acquisition part132acquires robot information indicating an action status of the robot2via the communication part11. The robot information acquisition part132acquires the robot information transmitted by the robot2by requesting to the robot2, for example, the robot information indicating whether the robot2is in action or not. The robot information acquisition part132may acquire, as the robot information, operation data which is transmitted to the robot2from the operation apparatus3for operating the robot2. The robot information acquisition part132inputs the acquired robot information to the selection part133.

The selection part133selects a robot2for the operator U to use from among the plurality of robots2on the basis of the contents of the task indicated by the task information input from the operator information acquisition part131. The selection part133references the robot database121shown inFIG. 3, for example, and selects the robot2having the function corresponding to the contents of the task.

The selection part133may transmit, as candidate-robot information indicating a candidate robot that can be used by the operator U, information for identifying the selected robot2to the information terminal4, and may select the robot2selected by the operator U's operation from among a plurality of candidate robots, as the robot2to be used by the operator U. For example, the selection part133transmits the candidate robot information indicating one or more candidate robots that are available for the operator U to use from among the plurality of robots2to the information terminal4used by the operator U, and selects the candidate robot selected from among the one or more candidate robots received from the information terminal4as a robot to be used.

The selection part133may further select the robot2to be used on the basis of the location indicated by the task information. The selection part133transmits, to the information terminal4, the candidate robot information indicating the robot2installed in an implementation location for the task indicated by the task contents input from the operator information acquisition part131, for example. Specifically, when the task content is shopping in ABC Shopping Mall, the selection part133selects the robots2of R0001 to R0006 whose locations are “ABC Mall” in the robot database121shown inFIG. 3, and transmits the: candidate robot information including the robot IDs of the selected robots2to the information terminal4.

The selection part133may select an operation apparatus for the operator U to use from among the plurality of the operation apparatuses3available for any task of the plurality of robots2on the basis of the contents of the task. The selection part133references, for example the operation apparatus database122shown inFIG. 4, and selects the operation apparatus3having the function corresponding to the contents of the task. The selection part133may transmit, as candidate-apparatus-to-be-used information indicating a candidate apparatus to be used which is available for the operator U, information for identifying the selected operation apparatus3to the information terminal4, and may select the operation apparatus3selected by the operator U's operation from among a plurality of candidate operation apparatuses, as the operation apparatus3to be used by the operator U.

Even if the robot2suitable for the task contents is selected, the operator U cannot accomplish the task unless the operator U can use the operation apparatus3suitable for the task contents. Therefore, the selection part133may select a combination of the robot to be used and the operation apparatus to be used on the basis of contents of the task. For example, the selection part133transmits, to the information terminal4used by the operator U, (i) the candidate robot information indicating one or more candidate robots available for the operator U to use and (ii) the candidate operation apparatus information indicating one or more candidate operation apparatuses, and selects the robot to be used and the operation apparatus to be used on the basis of information indicating a result of the selection by the operator U in the information terminal4.

Specifically, the selection part133references the robot database121shown inFIG. 3and the operation apparatus database122shown inFIG. 4, and selects the robot2and the operation apparatus3having functions corresponding to the contents of the task. When a model of the robot2that can be operated using the operation apparatus3is identified in the operation apparatus database122, the selection part133may select one or more candidate robots that can be used for the contents of the task from among the plurality of robots2, and after selecting the candidate robots, may select, as the operation apparatus to be used, the operation apparatus3that can operate the selected one or more candidate robots from among the plurality of the operation apparatuses3.

The selection part133may transmit information for identifying the selected robot2and the selected operation apparatus3to the information terminal4as candidate-model information indicating a combination of the robot2and the operation apparatus3that are available for the operator U. In this case, the selection part133selects the combination of the robot2and the operation apparatus3selected by the operator U's operation from among a plurality of combinations of the robot2and the operation apparatus3, as the robot2and the operation apparatus3to be used by the operator U.

FIGS. 6A and 6Beach show an exemplary reservation screen displayed on the information terminal4by the selection part133.FIG. 6Ashows a screen for selecting task contents that appears first after the operator U logs in. On the screen for selecting the task contents, the task contents corresponding to a function column of the robot database are displayed, for example. In the example shown inFIG. 6A, “Shopping,” “Games,” and “Sightseeing”, which are for the purpose of amusement/pleasure, and “Carrying baggage,” “Sightseeing guidance,” and “Crafting workshop”, which are for the purpose of work, are included as the task contents.

When the operator U selects a desired task content from the task contents displayed onFIG. 6A, the screen changes to a screen ofFIG. 6B. The screen ofFIG. 6Bis a screen for selecting a location and the date and time to use the robot2and the operation apparatus3. As a method of identifying the place, either a method of entering an address or a method of entering a facility name can be selected. When the operator U selects the place and the date and time, the screen changes to a screen shown inFIG. 7AorFIG. 7B.

FIGS. 7A and 7Beach show an exemplary screen for selecting the robot2. InFIG. 7A, candidate robots which are the robots2that can be used at the place and the date and time selected by the operator U are displayed. When the operator U selects an image of the robot A, the screen changes toFIG. 7B, and the detailed specification of the robot A selected by the operator U is displayed. When the operator U selects “Reserved”, the selection part133notifies the reservation processing part134that the robot A is selected. When the operator U selects “Return”, the selection part133returns the screen toFIG. 7A.

It should be noted that the selection part133may select the robot2to be used by the operator U on the basis of the time difference between (i) the place where the operator U is scheduled to operate the robot2and (ii) the place where the robot2to be operated by the operator U performs an action. For instance, suppose that the operator U is in Japan and the place where the task to be performed by the robot2is in Thailand which is 2 hours behind Japan. When the operator U can operate the robot2from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the selection part133converts the operable time period from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. into Thailand time and selects the robot2that can be used between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. in Thailand time.

Also, when the time period of the task to be performed by the operator U in Japan using the robot2in Thailand is from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in Thailand time, the selection part133converts the time from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in Thailand time into 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in Japan time. Then, the selection part133selects the operation apparatus3which are available from 12:00 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Japan time. Since the selection part133selects the robot2and the operation apparatus3considering the time difference in this manner, even when the operator U operates the robot2from a remote location, the selection part133can appropriately select the available robot2and operation apparatus3.

Returning toFIG. 2, the reservation processing part134will be described in detail. The reservation processing part134executes a process of reserving the robot2that can be used by the operator U. Specifically, the reservation processing part134reserves, as the robot to be used, a robot2selected by causing the storage part12to store, in association with the operator ID (i) a robot ID for identifying the robot to be used which is selected by the selection part133and (ii) a reservation period during which the robot to be used becomes available, The reservation period includes (i) the date and time when the selected robot to be used becomes available and (ii) how long this robot is available for from that date and time. The reservation processing part134associates the reservation period with the operator ID in, for example, the robot database121shown inFIG. 3.

The reservation processing part134may cause the storage part12to store the reservation period by correcting a desired reservation period acquired from the operator U on the basis of the time difference between (i) the place where the operator U is scheduled to operate the robot2and (ii) the place where the robot2to be operated by the operator U performs an action. For example, suppose that the operator U is in Japan and the robot2reserved by the operator U is in Thailand which is 2 hours behind. Japan. In this case, when the operator U made a reservation to use the robot2from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in Japan time, the reservation processing part134sets the reservation period from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in order to make the reservation on the basis of the time of the place where the robot2is located. In this way, it is possible to prevent the robot2from being double booked by a plurality of the operators U on the same date and time.

The reservation processing part134may cause the storage part12to store (i) the operator ID, (ii) the robot ID, (iii) the operation apparatus ID for identifying the operation apparatus to be used selected by the selection part133, and (iv) the reservation period during which the robot to be used and the operation apparatus to be used become available, in association with each other. In this case, the reservation processing part134associates the operator ID with the reservation period in, for example, the robot database shown inFIG. 3and the operation apparatus database shown inFIG. 4.

The reservation processing part134may transmit information for permitting the robot2to perform an action based on the operation data transmitted from the operation apparatus3to the robot2within the reservation period. For example, when a particular robot2is reserved together with a particular operation apparatus3, the reservation processing part134transmits the reservation period and the operation apparatus ID of the operation apparatus3to the robot2. Since the reservation processing part134operates in this manner, the robot2performs actions on the basis of operation instructions received within the reservation period and including the notified operation apparatus ID, and it is possible not to perform any action when other operation instructions are received. Therefore, the reservation apparatus1can prevent a problem that an operator U other than a particular operator U uses the robot2while the particular operator U is using the robot2.

It should be noted that the reservation processing part134may determine a usage fee of the reserved robot2and the operation apparatus3. The reservation processing part134determines the usage fee such that the greater the number of reservations of the robot2and the operation apparatus3, the higher the usage fee. The reservation processing part134may determine a reward amount for the operator U when a task is performed using the robot2. The reservation processing part134determines the reward amount such that the greater the number of reservations of the robot2for performing the same task as the task performed by the operator U, the lower the reward amount.

The selection part133may select a robot to be used and an operation apparatus to be used on the basis of various other conditions, and may cause the reservation processing part134to reserve the selected robot2and the selected operation apparatus3. Various selection methods will be described below.

Selection Based on the Operator U Skill

The selection part133may select the robot to be used by referencing the skill database123, on a condition that the operating skill of the operator U corresponding to the robot to be used is equal to or higher than an allowable level. For example, the selection part133identifies the type of the robot2used for performing the task indicated by the task contents acquired from the information terminal4by the operator information acquisition part131, and identifies the operation skill of the operator U associated with the robot2of the identified type in the skill database123. The selection part133selects, as a candidate robot, the robot2for which the operator U's operation skill is at a level equal to or higher than the level at which no safety issues are caused upon using the robot2. Since the selection part133operates in this manner, it is possible to prevent an occurrence of a situation where the operator U uses the robot2which may cause an accident when operated by the operator U.

Selection Based on the Action Status of the Robot2

There may be a case where the robot2cannot be used by the date and time the operator U wishes to start using it if the selection part133selects a robot2that is already in action when he/she wants to use the robot2immediately. Therefore, the selection part133may select a robot to be used from among a plurality of robots2whose action statuses are indicated as not in action by the robot information which the robot information acquisition part132acquired from the robot2. The selection part133may calculate a probability that the robot2enters an available state by the date and time when the operator U wants to start using it on the basis of any of (i) the contents of the task being performed using the robot2, (ii) the skill of the operator U, (iii) history information indicating whether the operator U finished the task as scheduled in the past, and (iv) the date and time when the use of the robot2is started, and may determine whether or not a particular robot2can be used on the basis of the calculated probability.

When the robot information acquisition part132acquires, as the robot information, the operation data transmitted from the operation apparatus3which is used for operating the robot2to the robot2, the selection part133may predict the time until the use period of the robot2ends on the basis of the operation contents indicated by the operation data. For example, when a predetermined time has elapsed since an operation of returning the arm of the robot2to the initial state is performed, the selection part133predicts that the robot2enters an available state after the time required for a use end process of the robot2has elapsed.

Since the selection part133selects the robot2for the operator U to use on the basis of the action status of the robot2in this manner, it is possible to avoid an occurrence of a problem that a robot2in an unavailable state is assigned to the operator U.

Selection Based on the Operator U's Budget

The operator information acquisition part131may further acquire fee information indicating a robot usage tee of each of the plurality of robots2and an apparatus usage fee of each of the plurality of operation apparatuses3, and budget information indicating a budget of the operator U. For example, the operator information acquisition part131acquires the budget information entered by the operator U in the information terminal4, and inputs the acquired budget information to the selection part133. Also, the operator information acquisition part131acquires the usage fee of the robot2and the usage fee of the operation apparatus3, which are stored in advance in the storage part12. The operator information acquisition part131may acquire a robot usage fee and an apparatus usage fee from an external device. The selection part133selects the robot to be used and the operation apparatus to be used on the basis of the budget indicated by the budget information acquired by the operator information acquisition part131and the robot usage fee and the apparatus usage fee. Specifically, the selection part133presents, as the candidate robots and the candidate apparatuses to be used, the robots2and the operation apparatuses3within the budget indicated by the budget information to the operator U.

Selection Based on the Reward Amount the Operator U Can Obtain

The operator information acquisition part131may further acquire reward information indicating (i) the usage fee of each of the plurality of robots2and (ii) a reward amount which the operator U can receive for the task. For example, the operator information acquisition part131acquires the reward information entered by the operator U in the information terminal4, and inputs the acquired reward information to the selection part133. In this case, the selection part133selects the robot to be used on the basis of a relationship between the usage fee of the robot2and the reward amount.

The reservation processing part134selects the robot2such that the reward amount is larger than the usage fee of the robot2, for example. The reservation processing part134may select the robot2such that the reward amount is larger than the usage fees of the robot2and the operation apparatus3. It should be noted that the operator information acquisition part131may estimate the reward amount obtained by the operator U using the robot2and the operation apparatus3on the basis of the task contents and acquired from the information terminal4and the skill of the operator U, and may input reward information indicating the estimated reward amount to the selection part133.

Selection of the Operation Apparatus3Based on the Location of the Operator U

It should be noted that the operator U can also operate the robot2in a place away from the robot2by using the operation apparatus3. Therefore, it is preferable for the operator U to use the operation apparatus3close to his/her location.

Therefore, when selecting the operation apparatus3to be used by the operator U, the selection part133may select the operation apparatus to be used on the basis of the location of the operator U indicated by the location information input from the operator information acquisition part131and further on the basis of an installation location of the operation apparatus3stored in the operation apparatus database122. The selection part133references the operation apparatus database122shown inFIG. 4, for example, and selects an operation apparatus3whose installation location shown in a location column in the operation apparatus database122is in a predetermined distance from the location of the operator U. The predetermined distance can be set by the operator U using the information terminal4and is a distance which the operator U can travel within 30 minutes, for example.

The selection part133may change the predetermined distance on the basis of the number of operation apparatuses3within the predetermined distance. For example, when there is no operation apparatus3within the predetermined distance, the selection part133increases the predetermined distance until at least one operation apparatus3suitable for the task contents can be selected. The selection part133may transmit information for identifying the selected plurality of candidate apparatuses to be used, with the predetermined distances shown in an ascending order, to the information terminal4.

Selection Based on Frequency of Use

When a particular robot2is used intensively, the intensively used robot2tends to deteriorate. Therefore, the selection part133may select the robot to be used on the basis of frequency of use of the plurality of robots2. The selection part133references usage history of the robot2in the past, for example, and preferentially selects the robot2with a low frequency of use such that the frequency of use of each of the plurality of robots2which the operator U can use becomes even.

New Selection When Failure Occurs

If the robot2in use has broken down, it is necessary to switch to another robot2. Therefore, when the operator U detects that the robot2has broken down during the operation, the selection part133selects another robot2from the plurality of robots2that can be used for the task on the basis of the contents of the task. The reservation processing part134reserves the other robot2by causing the storage part12to store (i) the reservation period stored in the storage part12in association with the broken-down robot2and (ii) the robot ID of the other robot2selected by the selection part133in association with each other. Since the selection part133and the reservation processing part134operate in this manner, even if the robot2in use has broken down, the operator U can continue the task.

The reservation processing part134may notify the operator U of information indicating the date and time the other robot2is available, if there is no other robot2that can be selected by the selection part133at a point in time when the robot2has broken down. The reservation processing part134notifies the operator U of the available date and time by, for example, transmitting information indicating the available date and time of the other robot2to the operation apparatus3or the information terminal4used by the operator U.

Operation Sequence in the Reservation System S

FIG. 8shows an operation sequence of the reservation apparatus1and the information terminal4in the reservation system S. The sequence shown in FIG. S starts when the operator U accesses a reservation site for reserving the robot2and the operation apparatus3in the information terminal4.

When the information terminal4accesses the reservation site, a screen for entering a login ID is displayed. When the login ID and a password are entered in the information terminal4(S41), the information terminal4transmits the login ID and the password to the reservation apparatus1. When the login ID and the password match the combination of the login ID and the password registered in advance, the selection part133of the reservation apparatus1transmits data of the reservation screen to the information terminal4in order to display a screen for entering the task contents on the information terminal4.

When receiving the data of the reservation screen, the information terminal4displays the reservation screen shown inFIG. 6A, for example (S42). When the operator U selects task content on the reservation screen (S43), the information terminal4transmits the task information indicating the selected task content to the reservation apparatus1.

The selection part133of the reservation apparatus1selects one or more robots2that can be used by the operator U as the candidate robots on the basis of the task content indicated by the received task content (S11). The selection part133selects one or more operation apparatuses3that can be used by the operator U as the candidate operation apparatuses (S12). The selection part133transmits candidate information indicating the selected candidate robots and the candidate operation apparatuses to the information terminal4.

Upon receiving the candidate information, the information terminal4displays the screen indicating one or more candidate robots, as shown inFIGS. 7A or 7B, and one or more candidate operation apparatuses (S44). When the operator U selects a desired candidate robot and a candidate operation apparatus from among the one or more candidate robots and candidate operation apparatuses (YES in S45), the information terminal4transmits selection information indicating the selected candidate robot and candidate operation apparatus to the reservation apparatus1.

When the reservation apparatus1receives the selection information, the reservation processing part134executes a process of reserving (S13) by causing the storage part12to store the robot ID and the operation apparatus ID corresponding to the candidate robot and the candidate operation apparatus indicated by the selection information in association with the operator ID of the information terminal4. With the above-described sequences, the operator U can reserve the robot2and the operation apparatus3required for the task by entering the task contents in the information terminal4.

Variation Example

In the above description, the example where the selection part133selects, on the basis of the task content entered by the operator U, the robot2and the operation apparatus3for the operator U to use from among the plurality of robots2and the plurality of the operation apparatuses3has been described, but it can be assumed that there is a case where the operator U has not determined the task content. For example, there may be a case where the operator U is looking for a job that can be done using the robot2and the operation apparatus3. Therefore, the reservation apparatus1may present to the operator U the tasks which the operator U can perform using the robot2and the operation apparatus3.

FIG. 9shows a configuration of a reservation apparatus1according to a variation example, The reservation apparatus1shown inFIG. 9differs from the reservation apparatus1shown inFIG. 2in that it further includes an information providing part135, and is the same in other respects.

The information providing part135provides job information indicating a plurality of tasks for which a worker is wanted. The information providing part135provides the job information to the operator U by acquiring job information from, for example, an external server that provides the job information and transmitting the acquired job information to the information terminal4. The information providing part135provides the operator U with job information corresponding to a task that can be performed using the robot2among a plurality of pieces of job information acquired from the external server, for example. The job information includes information about the contents of the task, a period during which the task should be performed, and the reward amount. The operator U confirms the information indicated by the job information, and selects the job information when there is job information corresponding to the task he/she wishes to perform.

For example, the information providing part135causes the information terminal4to display, in association with each of the plurality of pieces of job information, the task contents, the date and time of the task, and a type of the robot2that needs to be used to perform the task. The information providing part135may further cause the information terminal4to display a type of operation apparatus3that needs to be used for the task. The operator U can select a task that he/she can handle by checking the task contents and the robot2that needs to be used.

The operator information acquisition part131acquires, as the task information, information including contents of the task selected by the operator U from among the plurality of tasks indicated by the job information provided by the information providing part135, and provides the acquired task information to the selection part133. The selection part133selects a robot2for the operator U to use on the basis of the contents of the task indicated by the acquired task information. Since the reservation apparatus1operates in this manner, the operator U can perform a task using the appropriate robot2even if he/she has not decided on which task to do.

The information providing part135may provide the task contents indicated by the job information to the selection part133, acquire information for identifying the available robot2and the available operation apparatus3from the selection part133, and provide the acquired information to the operator U together with the job information. At this time, the selection part133references the robot database and the operation apparatus database, selects a robot2and an operation apparatus3that are not reserved in the period indicated by the job information from the among the plurality of robots2and the plurality of operation apparatuses3that need to be used to perform the task contents indicated by the job information, and notifies the information providing part135of a result of this selection.

It should be noted that, when the operator U performs a remotely controlled task using the robot2, an idle time may occur between tasks. For example, when the operator U performs the task of carrying baggage at a place A, he/she may be unable to perform transportation tasks between the time he/she had performed carrying baggage and the arrival of the next baggage. In such a case, it is desirable for the operator U to be able to perform other tasks using other robots2between tasks.

Therefore, the information providing part135may acquire, from a server of a company offering job openings for the task selected by the operator U or the information terminal4, information about a time period in which the task takes place, and may provide the information terminal4with other job information about a task the operator U can perform in the idle time on the basis of the idle time in the acquired time period. When the operator U selects another task on the basis of the provided job information, the selection part133selects a second robot2bthat can be used for the other task in the time period between the plurality of tasks performed by a first robot2a.The reservation processing part134reserves the first robot2aand the second robot2bby causing the storage part12to store the respective robot IDs of the first robot2aand the second robot2bin association with their respective reservation periods.

In this case, the operator U performs the transportation tasks using the first robot2aat the place A from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., performs cleaning tasks of a store using the second robot2bat the place B from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and performs the transportation tasks using the first robot2aat the place B from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., for example. By reserving the robots2and the operation apparatuses3so that the reservation apparatus1can execute a plurality of tasks performed at a plurality of places in combination, the operator U can make effective use of his/her time by taking advantage of the characteristics of a remotely controlled task.

It should be noted that there may be a case where the company that posted job information wants to know the operator U′s profile such as his/her skill for operating the robot2and his/her history of having experienced similar tasks. Therefore, when the operator information acquisition part131acquires the task information of the task that the operator U wants to perform from the operator U, the selection part133may select the robot2corresponding to the contents of the task indicated by the task information, and the reservation processing part134may reserve the robot2selected by the selection part133and provide the operator U's profile to a provider of the job information.

Effect of the Reservation Apparatus1

As described above, in the reservation apparatus1, the operator information acquisition part131acquires the task information indicating the contents of the task to be executed using any of the plurality of robots2in association with the operator ID of the operator U who operates the robot2. Then, the selection part133selects the robot for the operator U to use from among the plurality of robots2on the basis of the contents of the task indicated by the task information. The reservation processing part134causes the storage part12to store, in association with the operator ID, the robot ID of the robot to be used which is selected by the selection part133and the reservation period during which the robot to be used becomes available. With such a configuration of the reservation apparatus1, a person who wants to perform a task using the robot2can easily select and reserve a robot suitable for the task from among a number of robots.

The present disclosure is explained based on the exemplary embodiments. The technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the scope explained in the above embodiments and it is possible to make various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention. For example, the specific embodiments of the distribution and integration of the apparatus are not limited to the above embodiments, all or part thereof, can be configured with any unit which is functionally or physically dispersed or integrated. Further, new exemplary embodiments generated by arbitrary combinations of them are included in the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Further, effects of the new exemplary embodiments brought by the combinations also have the effects of the original exemplary embodiments.