Dispatch Task Assistance Apparatus, Dispatch Task Assistance Method, Storage Medium, and Dispatch Task Assistance System

The present disclosure relates to a dispatch task assistance apparatus, a dispatch task assistance method, a dispatch task assistance program, and a dispatch task assistance system.

In railroad, when a train delay occurs due to an excess loading and unloading time, an accident, a vehicle failure, and the like, a railroad dispatcher performs rescheduling to revise a train schedule to return the train delay to normal. Rescheduling is required to be performed in a short time to prevent a further train delay while a travel of trains is continued during rescheduling.

As one method of assisting a dispatch task including rescheduling performed by the dispatcher, technology of representing operation situations of trains by operation indices and causing the dispatcher to perform rescheduling according to values of the operation indices has been proposed (e.g., Patent Document ).

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-37384.

In conventional technology, a plurality of operation indices including transportation force and a degree of overcrowding are calculated based on a planned schedule and an actual schedule and displayed in graphical form, but a correlation among the plurality of operation indices is not shown. The dispatcher thus cannot predict, when one operation index increases, whether another operation index increases, so that there has been a problem in that a dispatch task including rescheduling cannot be performed in a short time and with ease.

The present disclosure has been conceived in view of a problem as described above, and it is an object of the present disclosure to provide technology enabling proper assistance of a dispatch task performed by a dispatcher.

A dispatch task assistance apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: a schedule information acquisition unit to acquire schedule information including at least any one of a departure time and an arrival time of each train at each station; a train information acquisition unit to acquire train information including an actual time of the at least any one of the departure time and the arrival time of each train at each station; an operation index calculation unit to calculate, based on the schedule information and the train information, a plurality of pieces of first data of a first operation index for one or more first stations or one or more first trains and a plurality of pieces of second data of a second operation index for one or more second stations or one or more second trains; a correlation coefficient calculation unit to calculate, based on the plurality of pieces of first data and the plurality of pieces of second data, a correlation coefficient between the first operation index and the second operation index; and a display information creation unit to create, based on the first operation index, the second operation index, and the correlation coefficient, operation index display information for displaying a correlation between the first operation index and the second operation index.

According to the present disclosure, the correlation coefficient between the first operation index and the second operation index is calculated, and, based on the correlation coefficient between the first operation index and the second operation index, the operation index display information for displaying the correlation between the first operation index and the second operation index is created. According to such a configuration, a dispatch task performed by a dispatcher can properly be assisted.

These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

1 FIG. 1 FIG. 1 2 3 1 2 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a dispatch task assistance system according to Embodiment 1. The dispatch task assistance system inincludes a dispatch task assistance apparatus, a schedule information management apparatus, and a train information management apparatus. The dispatch task assistance apparatus, the schedule information management apparatus, and the train information management apparatusare communicatively connected by a network.

2 2 FIG. 2 FIG. The schedule information management apparatusmanages schedule information.is a diagram showing one example of the schedule information. The schedule information includes at least any one of predetermined departure and arrival times of each train at each station. At least any one of A, B, C, . . . , and Z, for example, herein means any one of all combinations of one or more elements selected from a group consisting of A, B, C, . . . , and Z. The schedule information in the example ofincludes a schedule type indicating a weekday or a weekend, a train number, a departure station, a departure time, an arrival station, and an arrival time. The train number is a number to identify a train in a schedule. The train is assumed to consist of one or more vehicles.

3 3 FIG. 3 FIG. The train information management apparatusmanages train information and manages train equipment information, which will be described below.is a diagram showing one example of the train information. The train information includes at least any one of actual departure and arrival times of each train at each station. The train information in the example ofincludes a consist number, a train number, a departure station, a departure time, an arrival station, and an arrival time. The consist number is a number to identify a consist of a train.

1 2 3 1 FIG. The dispatch task assistance apparatusinacquires the schedule information and the train information respectively from the schedule information management apparatusand the train information management apparatusand assists a dispatch task including rescheduling performed by a dispatcher based on the schedule information and the train information.

1 2 3 1 FIG. The dispatch task assistance apparatus, the schedule information management apparatus, and the train information management apparatusshown inmay be implemented as functions on the cloud or may each be hardware in an operation management system.

4 FIG. 4 FIG. 1 1 11 11 11 12 13 14 a b is a block diagram showing a configuration of the dispatch task assistance apparatusaccording to Embodiment 1. The dispatch task assistance apparatusinincludes an information acquisition unitincluding a schedule information acquisition unitand a train information acquisition unit, an operation index calculation unit, a correlation coefficient calculation unit, and a display information creation unit.

11 2 11 2 a a The schedule information acquisition unitacquires the schedule information from the schedule information management apparatus. The schedule information acquisition unitmay be a communication apparatus, may be an interface of the communication apparatus, or may be the schedule information management apparatusitself.

11 3 11 3 b b The train information acquisition unitacquires the train information from the train information management apparatus. The train information acquisition unitmay be a communication apparatus, may be an interface of the communication apparatus, or may be the train information management apparatusitself.

12 The operation index calculation unitcalculates, based on the schedule information and the train information, a plurality of pieces of first data of a first operation index for one or more first stations or one or more first trains and a plurality of pieces of second data of a second operation index for one or more second stations or one or more second trains. In description made below, the first operation index and the second operation index are each referred to as an operation index when not distinguished from each other, and the first data and the second data are each referred to as data when not distinguished from each other.

5 FIG. 2 FIG. 3 FIG. 2 FIG. 3 FIG. 5 FIG. is a diagram showing one example of a plurality of pieces of data of an operation index calculated from the schedule information inand the train information in. A scheduled departure time of a train having a train number “T0001” at a station “ST02” is “04:35:00” in, and an actual departure time of the train having the train number “T0001” at the station “ST02” is “04:35:01” in. Thus, “1” obtained by subtracting the scheduled time from the actual time is calculated as an operation index in the first row ofand is associated with the actual departure time “04:35:01”. Operation indices may be aggregated not in units of times but in units of events or may be aggregated in units of predetermined times (e.g., one minute).

5 FIG. 5 FIG. Operation indices of outbound trains departing the station “ST02” after the train having the train number “T0001” are shown in the second and third rows of. That is to say, the plurality of pieces of data of the operation index inare a plurality of pieces of data indicating delay times from departure times of outbound trains at the station “ST02”.

The operation index is not limited to a delay time from a departure time and may be any index relating to a time, overcrowding, or power. For example, the operation index may be a delay time from an arrival time, may be power-running power, regeneration power, an amount of the power-running power, an amount of the regeneration power, an occupancy rate, and the number of loaded or unloaded passengers as will be described below, or may be a passenger loss time (=the delay time x the number of loaded passengers). The number of loaded passengers may be the number of passengers getting on a train at a station or may be the number of passengers in the train.

The operation index is not limited to a delay time from a departure time at one station and may be an operation index for a plurality of stations, such as a total sum of delay times from departure times at the plurality of stations. That is to say, the operation index may be an operation index for one or more stations. The operation index may be an operation index not for one or more stations but for one or more trains.

12 12 When the operation index calculation unitcalculates pieces of data of a first operation index for a first station and of a second operation index for a second station, the first station and the second station may be the same station if the first operation index and the second operation index are of different types. Similarly, when the operation index calculation unitcalculates pieces of data of a first operation index for a first train and of a second operation index for a second train, the first train and the second train may be the same train if the first operation index and the second operation index are of different types. When the first station and the second station are different or when the first train and the second train are different, the first operation index and the second operation index may be of the same type.

13 13 13 4 FIG. 5 FIG. The correlation coefficient calculation unitincalculates, based on the plurality of pieces of first data of the first operation index and the plurality of pieces of second data of the second operation index, a correlation coefficient between the first operation index and the second operation index. For example, the correlation coefficient calculation unitcalculates, as the correlation coefficient between the first operation index and the second operation index, a correlation coefficient between a delay time from a departure time at the station “ST02” and a delay time from a departure time at a station “ST01”. In this case, the delay time from the departure time at the station “ST02” and the delay time from the departure time at the station “ST01”, which is not shown, are calculated for each actual departure time as shown in, but they often do not match in actual departure time or actual number of pieces of data. The correlation coefficient calculation unitmay thus interpolate each of the plurality of pieces of first data and the plurality of pieces of second data so that the plurality of pieces of first data and the plurality of pieces of second data match in actual departure time and actual number of pieces of data and then calculate the correlation coefficient between the first operation index and the second operation index. As interpolation, linear interpolation, Lagrange's interpolation, spline interpolation, and the like may be used, for example.

6 FIG. 6 FIG. 13 is a diagram showing one example of the correlation coefficient calculated by the correlation coefficient calculation unit. In the example of, the first operation index is a delay time from a departure time of an outbound train at the station “ST02”, and the second operation index is a delay time from a departure time of the outbound train at each of the station “ST01”, a station “ST03”, and a station “ST04”.

13 When the operation index is the delay time from the departure time, data of the operation index is considered to be concentrated on substantially zero. To reduce the influence of such concentration on the correlation coefficient, the correlation coefficient calculation unitmay calculate the correlation coefficient using data of the operation index equal to or greater than a threshold. The plurality of pieces of first data and the plurality of pieces of second data obtained for the same schedule are preferably used to calculate the correlation coefficient between the first operation index and the second operation index.

14 14 7 FIG. 7 FIG. The display information creation unitcreates, based on the first operation index, the second operation index, and the correlation coefficient, operation index display information for displaying a correlation between the first operation index and the second operation index. For example, the display information creation unitmay create the operation index display information that can be displayed as shown in. The display inincludes a scatter diagram and a correlation coefficient. The operation index as the delay time from the departure time at the station “ST03” is set along the horizontal axis of the scatter diagram, and the operation index as the delay time from the departure time at the station “ST02” is set along the vertical axis.

8 FIG. is a flowchart showing operation of the dispatch task assistance apparatus according to Embodiment 1.

1 11 2 2 11 3 1 2 a b In step S, the schedule information acquisition unitacquires the schedule information from the schedule information management apparatus. In step S, the train information acquisition unitacquires the train information from the train information management apparatus. Steps Sand Smay be reversed or may be performed in parallel.

3 12 4 13 5 14 In step S, the operation index calculation unitcalculates, based on the schedule information and the train information, the plurality of pieces of first data of the first operation index and the plurality of pieces of second data of the second operation index. In step S, the correlation coefficient calculation unitcalculates, based on the plurality of pieces of first data of the first operation index and the plurality of pieces of second data of the second operation index, the correlation coefficient between the first operation index and the second operation index. In step S, the display information creation unitcreates, based on the first operation index, the second operation index, and the correlation coefficient, the operation index display information for displaying the correlation between the first operation index and the second operation index.

According to the dispatch task assistance apparatus according to Embodiment 1 as described above, the correlation coefficient between the first operation index and the second operation index is calculated, and, based on the correlation coefficient between the first operation index and the second operation index, the operation index display information for displaying the correlation between the first operation index and the second operation index is created. Such a configuration allows for assistance for the dispatcher in predicting, when one operation index increases, whether another operation index increases and checking a cause and effect relationship, so that the dispatcher can perform the dispatch task including rescheduling in a short time and with ease.

12 In Embodiment 1, at least any one of the first operation index and the second operation index calculated by the operation index calculation unitincludes a delay time from a departure time. According to such a configuration, the dispatcher can perform rescheduling in terms of the delay.

9 FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a dispatch task assistance apparatusaccording to Embodiment 2. Components according to Embodiment 2 that are the same as or similar to the above-mentioned components bear the same or similar reference signs, and different components will mainly be described below.

14 14 14 14 14 a a a a In Embodiment 2, the display information creation unitincludes an operation index setting unit. The operation index setting unitdetermines whether any one of a plurality of operation indices including the first operation index and the second operation index has been specified by the dispatcher, for example. The operation index setting unitarranges, when the one operation index is specified, other one or more operation indices for each of which the correlation coefficient with the one operation index has been calculated based on the correlation coefficient with the one operation index. For example, the operation index setting unitarranges the other one or more operation indices in descending order of the correlation coefficient.

14 14 14 14 a a 10 FIG. 10 FIG. 7 FIG. The display information creation unitcreates the operation index display information for displaying the specified one operation index and displaying the other one or more operation indices arranged by the operation index setting unitas shown in. In the example of, the specified one operation index is a delay time from a departure time of an outbound train at the station “ST02”, and the other one or more operation indices are a delay time from a departure time of the outbound train at the station “ST03” and a delay time from a departure time of the outbound train at the station “ST01”. Although not shown, the display information creation unitmay create scatter diagrams as shown infor the other one or more operation indices, and the operation index setting unitmay display the scatter diagrams for the other one or more operation indices arranged in descending order of the correlation coefficient.

11 FIG. 11 FIG. 8 FIG. 11 4 5 11 is a flowchart showing operation of the dispatch task assistance apparatus according to Embodiment 2. Operation inis similar to operation in which step Shas been added between steps Sand Sin operation in, so that step Swill mainly be described below.

11 14 a In step S, the operation index setting unitarranges, when the one operation index is specified from the plurality of operation indices, the other one or more operation indices for each of which the correlation coefficient with the one operation index has been calculated based on the correlation coefficient with the one operation index.

5 14 11 FIG. In step S, the display information creation unitcreates the operation index display information based on the first operation index, the second operation index, the correlation coefficient, and the arranged other one or more operation indices. Operation inthen ends.

2 According to the dispatch task assistance apparatus according to Embodimentas described above, when the one operation index is specified from the plurality of operation indices, the other one or more operation indices for each of which the correlation coefficient with the one operation index has been calculated are arranged based on the correlation coefficient with the one operation index. Such a configuration allows for assistance for the dispatcher in predicting, when one operation index increases, whether another operation index increases with ease and checking the cause and effect relationship with ease.

12 FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a dispatch task assistance apparatusaccording to Embodiment 3. Components according to Embodiment 3 that are the same as or similar to the above-mentioned components bear the same or similar reference signs, and different components will mainly be described below.

12 FIG. 9 FIG. 11 11 15 c The configuration inis similar to a configuration in which a train equipment information acquisition unithas been added as one function of the information acquisition unitand a train information calculation unithas been added to the configuration in.

3 11 3 11 3 1 FIG. 12 FIG. c c The train information management apparatusinmanages the train equipment information, and the train equipment information acquisition unitinacquires the train equipment information from the train information management apparatus. The train equipment information acquisition unitmay be a communication apparatus, may be an interface of the communication apparatus, or may be the train information management apparatusitself.

13 FIG. 13 FIG. is a diagram showing one example of the train equipment information. The train equipment information includes an actual time, an actual travel position and an actual speed of each train, and an actual occupancy rate or an actual number of loaded passengers of each train or each vehicle. The train equipment information in the example ofincludes a consist number, an actual time, an actual travel position, an actual speed, and an actual occupancy rate of a train consisting of one or more vehicles as a whole.

15 15 15 15 15 12 FIG. 13 FIG. 2 FIG. 13 FIG. The train information calculation unitincalculates the train information based on the schedule information and the train equipment information. For example, the train information calculation unitcompares the actual time, the actual travel position, and the actual speed included in the train equipment information inand the schedule information into associate the consist number and the train number. The train information calculation unitcalculates, from the position of the train inand a position of a station at which the train is to arrive, a distance between the train and the station and calculates the time the train takes to arrive at the station based on the distance and the speed of the train. The train information calculation unitthen calculates a time obtained by adding the calculated time to the actual time as an arrival time and calculates a time obtained by adding a certain time to the arrival time as a departure time. The train information calculation unitcorrects the arrival time and the departure time so that the arrival time and the departure time are later times as the occupancy rate increases.

15 15 15 In another example, the train information calculation unitcompares, for a past time sequence, the schedule information and the train equipment information to associate the consist number and the train number. The train information calculation unitextracts the departure time at the departure station and the arrival time at the arrival station from a time sequence of the position and the speed of the train in the train equipment information to calculate the train information. Specifically, the train information calculation unitextracts a moment in time when the speed of the train increases from zero to a value more than zero at a position in the departure station as the departure time and extracts a moment in time when the speed of the train decreases from a value more than zero to zero at a position in the arrival station as the arrival time.

14 FIG. 14 FIG. 11 FIG. 16 17 1 2 16 17 is a flowchart showing operation of the dispatch task assistance apparatus according to Embodiment 3. Operation inis similar to operation in which steps Sand Shave been added between steps Sand Sin operation in, so that steps Sand Swill mainly be described below.

16 11 3 17 15 15 12 11 1 16 17 2 c b 14 FIG. In step S, the train equipment information acquisition unitacquires the train equipment information from the train information management apparatus. In step S, the train information calculation unitcalculates the train information based on the schedule information and the train equipment information. The train information calculated by the train information calculation unitis used by the operation index calculation unitas with the train information acquired by the train information acquisition unit. An order of step Sand a series of steps S, S, and Sis not limited to that in.

According to the dispatch task assistance apparatus according to Embodiment 3 as described above, the train information is calculated based on the schedule information and the train equipment information. According to such a configuration, the dispatcher can consider the correlation for a delay and overcrowding and thus can perform rescheduling in terms of the delay and overcrowding.

15 The train equipment information described in Embodiment 3 may further include power information relating to actual power-running power and actual regeneration power of each train or each vehicle, and the train information calculated by the train information calculation unitmay further include the power information. The power information may be information on the power-running power and the regeneration power themselves or may be information from which the power-running power and the regeneration power can be calculated.

12 15 FIG. At least any one of the first operation index and the second operation index calculated by the operation index calculation unitmay include at least any one of the power-running power, the regeneration power, an amount of the power-running power, and an amount of the regeneration power.shows an example in which the plurality of pieces of data of the operation index are a plurality of pieces of data of the amount of the power-running power of an outbound train at the station “ST02”. According to such a configuration, the dispatcher can consider the correlation for power and an amount of the power and thus can perform rescheduling in terms of energy saving.

16 FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a dispatch task assistance apparatusaccording to Embodiment 4. Components according to Embodiment 4 that are the same as or similar to the above-mentioned components bear the same or similar reference signs, and different components will mainly be described below.

16 FIG. 12 FIG. 11 11 16 d The configuration inis similar to a configuration in which a train order information acquisition unithas been added as one function of the information acquisition unitand an alert information transmission unithas been added to the configuration in.

2 11 2 11 2 1 FIG. 16 FIG. d d The schedule information management apparatusinmanages train order information, and the train order information acquisition unitinacquires the train order information from the schedule information management apparatus. The train order information acquisition unitmay be a communication apparatus, may be an interface of the communication apparatus, or may be the schedule information management apparatusitself.

17 FIG. 17 FIG. is a diagram showing one example of the train order information. The train order information includes an order of departure of trains in each direction at each station. The train order information in the example ofincludes a date, a direction, a station, a train number, and an order of departure.

12 12 13 16 FIG. 17 FIG. The operation index calculation unitincalculates, based on the schedule information, the train information, and the train order information, an operation index for one train and an operation index for a preceding train traveling before the one train respectively as the first operation index and the second operation index. Assume that the one train is a train having a train number “T0003” shown in the train order information in, for example. In this case, the operation index calculation unitcalculates an operation index for the train having the train number “T0003” and an operation index for a train having the train number “T0001” as the preceding train respectively as the first operation index and the second operation index. As a result, the correlation coefficient calculation unitcalculates a correlation coefficient between the operation index for the train having the train number “T0003” and the operation index for the train having the train number “T0001”.

16 16 16 FIG. The alert information transmission unitintransmits alert information based on the plurality of pieces of first data of the first operation index and the plurality of pieces of second data of the second operation index. For example, the alert information transmission unittransmits the alert information to a terminal apparatus of the dispatcher when the plurality of pieces of first data or the plurality of pieces of second data are not in a predetermined range or when a difference between the plurality of pieces of first data and the plurality of pieces of second data is not in a predetermined range.

18 FIG. 18 FIG. 14 FIG. 21 1 16 22 3 21 22 is a flowchart showing operation of the dispatch task assistance apparatus according to Embodiment 4. Operation inis similar to operation in which step Shas been added between steps Sand Sand step Shas been added after step Sin operation in, so that steps Sand Swill mainly be described below.

21 11 2 1 21 16 17 2 d 18 FIG. In step S, the train order information acquisition unitacquires the train order information from the schedule information management apparatus. An order of step S, step S, and a series of steps S, S, and Sis not limited to that in.

3 12 In step S, the operation index calculation unitcalculates, based on the schedule information, the train information, and the train order information, the operation index for the one train and the operation index for the preceding train traveling before the one train respectively as the first operation index and the second operation index.

22 In step S, the alert information is transmitted based on the plurality of pieces of first data of the first operation index and the plurality of pieces of second data of the second operation index.

According to the dispatch task assistance apparatus according to Embodiment 4, the operation index for the one train and the operation index for the preceding train traveling before the one train are calculated respectively as the first operation index and the second operation index. Such a configuration allows for assistance for the dispatcher in predicting, when an operation index for a preceding train before a certain train increases, whether an operation index for the certain train increases.

16 Furthermore, in Embodiment 4, the alert information is transmitted based on the plurality of pieces of first data of the first operation index and the plurality of pieces of second data of the second operation index. According to such a configuration, the dispatcher can check any abnormality of the plurality of pieces of first data and the plurality of pieces of second data early. The configurations according to Embodiments 1 to 3 may each include the alert information transmission unit.

11 11 12 13 14 11 11 81 81 11 11 12 13 14 81 a b a a a b 4 FIG. 19 FIG. The schedule information acquisition unit, the train information acquisition unit, the operation index calculation unit, the correlation coefficient calculation unit, and the display information creation unitindescribed above are hereinafter referred to as the “schedule information acquisition unit”. The schedule information acquisition unitand the like are achieved by a processing circuitshown in. That is to say, the processing circuitincludes: the schedule information acquisition unitto acquire the schedule information; the train information acquisition unitto acquire the train information; the operation index calculation unitto calculate, based on the schedule information and the train information, the plurality of pieces of first data of the first operation index and the plurality of pieces of second data of the second operation index; the correlation coefficient calculation unitto calculate, based on the plurality of pieces of first data and the plurality of pieces of second data, the correlation coefficient between the first operation index and the second operation index; and the display information creation unitto create, based on the first operation index, the second operation index, and the correlation coefficient, the operation index display information for displaying the correlation between the first operation index and the second operation index. Dedicated hardware may be applied, or a processor to execute a program stored in memory may be applied to the processing circuit. The processor corresponds to a central processing unit, a processing unit, an arithmetic unit, a microprocessor, a microcomputer, a digital signal processor (DSP), and the like, for example.

81 81 11 a When the processing circuitis the dedicated hardware, the processing circuitcorresponds to a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or a combination thereof, for example. The functions of the units including the schedule information acquisition unitand the like may be achieved by distributed processing circuits or may collectively be achieved by a single processing circuit.

81 11 82 81 83 83 81 11 83 a a 20 FIG. When the processing circuitis the processor, the functions of the schedule information acquisition unitand the like are achieved by a combination with software and the like. The software and the like correspond to software, firmware, or software and firmware, for example. The software and the like are described as the program and stored in the memory. As shown in, a processorapplied to the processing circuitreads and executes the program stored in memoryto achieve the functions of the units. That is to say, the dispatch task assistance apparatus includes the memoryto store the program which, when executed by the processing circuit, results in performance of steps including: acquiring the schedule information; acquiring the train information; calculating, based on the schedule information and the train information, the plurality of pieces of first data of the first operation index and the plurality of pieces of second data of the second operation index; calculating, based on the plurality of pieces of first data and the plurality of pieces of second data, the correlation coefficient between the first operation index and the second operation index; and creating, based on the first operation index, the second operation index, and the correlation coefficient, the operation index display information for displaying the correlation between the first operation index and the second operation index. In other words, it can be said that the program causes a computer to execute procedures or methods of the schedule information acquisition unitand the like. The memoryherein may be, for example, nonvolatile or volatile semiconductor memory, such as random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), flash memory, erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), and electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), a hard disk drive (HDD), a magnetic disk, a flexible disk, an optical disc, a compact disc, a mini disc, a digital versatile disc (DVD), and a drive device thereof or any storage medium to be used in the future.

11 11 11 11 81 81 82 83 a a a a A configuration in which the functions of the schedule information acquisition unitand the like are achieved by the hardware or by the software and the like has been described above. The configuration, however, is not limited to this configuration, and one or more of the schedule information acquisition unitand the like may be achieved by the dedicated hardware, and the other one or more of the schedule information acquisition unitand the like may be achieved by the software and the like. For example, the function of the schedule information acquisition unitcan be achieved by the processing circuitas the dedicated hardware, and the functions of the other units can be achieved by the processing circuitas the processorreading and executing the program stored in the memory.

81 As described above, the processing circuitcan achieve the above-mentioned functions by hardware, software and the like, or a combination thereof.

Embodiments and modifications can freely be combined with each other and can be modified or omitted as appropriate.

The foregoing description is in all aspects illustrative and not restrictive. It is understood that numerous unillustrated modifications can be devised.

1 2 3 11 11 11 11 12 13 14 14 15 16 a b c d a dispatch task assistance apparatus,schedule information management apparatus,train information management apparatus,schedule information acquisition unit,train information acquisition unit,train equipment information acquisition unit,train order information acquisition unit,operation index calculation unit,correlation coefficient calculation unit,display information creation unit,operation index setting unit,train information calculation unit,alert information transmission unit.