Traveling vehicle and traveling vehicle system

Abstract

The present application relates to a traveling vehicle and a traveling vehicle system. The traveling vehicle is provided with a main body portion provided with a small mark and a large mark, a photographing portion, a pattern recognition portion, and a state determination portion that determines that at least one of a front and a rear of the own traveling vehicle exists another traveling vehicle when the small mark or the large mark is recognized. The large mark is configured to have a size that does not converge as a whole within a photographing range of the photographing portion provided to another traveling vehicle located at a position less than a predetermined distance from the own traveling vehicle. The small mark is configured to have a size that converges as a whole within the photographing range of the photographing portion provided to another traveling vehicle even if the distance from the own traveling vehicle is less than the predetermined distance, and is disposed inside a region constituting the large mark. The large mark includes a first region, a second region having a lower reflectance than the first region, and a region in which the small mark is disposed, and constitutes a display pattern. The small mark includes a third region having a lower reflectance than the first region, and a fourth region having a lower reflectance than the third region and a lower reflectance than the second region, and constitutes a display pattern.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] One aspect of the present invention relates to a vehicle and a vehicle system. Background Technology

[0002] Vehicle systems in which multiple vehicles travel on a pre-defined path are known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle system in which each vehicle monitors other vehicles through sensors, compares the distance to other vehicles with the remaining travel distance, and continues to travel at a low speed if the remaining travel distance is shorter than the distance to other vehicles.

[0003] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses an electronic system comprising a mark disposed on an object and a camera unit capable of photographing the mark, wherein certain control is performed by photographing the mark by the camera unit. Moreover, in Patent Document 2, by arranging a larger mark (large mark) and a smaller mark (small mark) together, the mark is contained within the photographing range of the camera unit regardless of whether the distance between the camera unit and the mark is far or close.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-202940

[0007] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-91224 Summary of the Invention

[0008] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0009] However, the space for affixing markings on a moving vehicle is limited, making it difficult to arrange and affix large and small markings in a row. Furthermore, for example, when using the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2 for the control of a moving vehicle, the camera unit needs to reliably identify at least one type of marking.

[0010] Therefore, one aspect of the present invention is to provide a vehicle and a vehicle system that enables one vehicle to more reliably identify another vehicle, regardless of the distance between the two vehicles.

[0011] Methods for solving problems

[0012] One side-mounted vehicle of the present invention travels along a pre-set driving path and includes: a main body portion having small markers and large markers with areas larger than the small markers; at least one imaging unit disposed on the main body portion such that its imaging range covers at least one of the front and rear of its own vehicle; a pattern recognition unit that distinguishes between the small markers and the large markers based on images captured by the imaging unit; and a state determination unit that, when the pattern recognition unit identifies a small marker or a large marker, determines that there is another vehicle in at least one of the front and rear of its own vehicle, wherein the large marker is configured with the following dimensions: the entire structure does not converge at a distance from the vehicle's own... Within the shooting range of the camera unit of other vehicles at a distance less than a specified distance from the vehicle itself, the small mark is configured with the following size: even if the distance from the vehicle itself is less than the specified distance, its entirety is converged within the shooting range of the camera unit of other vehicles, and the small mark is disposed inside the area constituting the large mark. The large mark includes a first area, a second area with a reflectivity lower than that of the first area, and the area where the small mark is disposed to form a display pattern. The small mark includes a third area with a reflectivity lower than that of the first area, and a fourth area with a reflectivity lower than that of the third area and lower than that of the second area to form a display pattern.

[0013] In this configuration, even when the two vehicles are close to each other, the imaging unit can capture images of small marks, allowing the pattern recognition unit to identify them. Furthermore, even when the two vehicles are far apart, the imaging unit can capture images of both small and large marks. However, because the reflectivity of the third region of the small mark is lower than that of the first region of the large mark, and the reflectivity of the fourth region of the small mark is lower than that of the second region of the large mark, the pattern recognition unit easily identifies the small mark as the second region of the large mark. Therefore, the pattern recognition unit can more reliably identify the large mark from the images captured of both small and large marks. As a result, regardless of the distance between the two vehicles, one vehicle can more reliably identify the other. Note that the reflectivity mentioned here refers to the reflectivity when illuminated by visible light or infrared radiation.

[0014] In one side of the vehicle according to the present invention, the small mark may have a third region and a fourth region disposed inside a frame-shaped fifth region. The fifth region is a region with a reflectivity lower than that of the first region of the large mark and a reflectivity higher than that of the fourth region of the small mark. In this configuration, the pattern recognition unit can more reliably identify the large mark from the captured images of the small mark and the large mark.

[0015] In one aspect of the vehicle of the present invention, the pattern recognition unit may identify small markers by recognizing a first color pattern and large markers by recognizing a second color pattern. The first color pattern is obtained by binarizing the area corresponding to the third region of the small marker (white) and the area corresponding to the fourth region (black). The second color pattern is obtained by binarizing the area corresponding to the first region of the large marker (white) and the areas corresponding to the second region and the area of ​​the small marker (black). In this configuration, small and large markers can be identified from the captured image using a simple processing method.

[0016] In one side of the vehicle according to the present invention, the display patterns of the large and small markers may be different. When the pattern recognition unit identifies the small marker, the state determination unit determines that the distance from its own vehicle to other vehicles is shorter than when the large marker is identified. In this configuration, the distance to vehicles located in front or behind can be detected.

[0017] In one aspect of the vehicle of the present invention, the main body may further include: a first display unit configured to not converge entirely within the shooting range of a camera unit of another vehicle located less than a predetermined distance from itself, and to switch display modes according to the state of its own vehicle; and a second display unit configured to converge entirely within the shooting range of a camera unit of another vehicle even when the distance from its own vehicle is less than a predetermined distance, and to switch display modes according to the state of its own vehicle. The vehicle may also include: a driving unit that drives the main body along a driving path; and a driving control unit that obtains the state of other vehicles based on the display mode of at least one of the first and second display units captured by the camera unit, and controls its own driving unit based on the obtained state.

[0018] In this vehicle configuration, since the first and second display units display different modes depending on the vehicle's status, the vehicle that acquires the display mode of either the first or second display unit via the imaging unit can immediately determine the status of the other vehicle. Therefore, one vehicle can quickly execute actions corresponding to the status of the other vehicle. Furthermore, because this vehicle configuration includes both a first and a second display unit, at least one of the first and second display units can be captured by the imaging unit regardless of whether the two vehicles are close or far apart. Thus, regardless of the distance between the two vehicles, one vehicle can more reliably obtain information about the other vehicle.

[0019] In one aspect of the vehicle according to the present invention, the first display unit and the second display unit may switch display modes according to the driving state of their respective vehicles, including acceleration and deceleration states. In this configuration, at least the other vehicle can determine whether it is accelerating or decelerating.

[0020] In one aspect of the vehicle system of the present invention, there may be multiple vehicles as described above; a track for the multiple vehicles to travel in a predetermined direction; and a vehicle controller for distributing and transmitting commands to the vehicles. In this vehicle system, regardless of the distance between two vehicles, one vehicle can more reliably identify the other vehicle.

[0021] The effects of the invention

[0022] According to one aspect of the invention, regardless of the distance between the two vehicles, one vehicle can reliably identify the other vehicle. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of the vehicle system according to the first embodiment.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a side view of the vehicle in the first embodiment, viewed from the side.

[0025] Figure 3 Viewed from behind in the direction of travel Figure 1 Rear view of the main body of the vehicle.

[0026] Figure 4 This is an example of a color scheme pattern for a large mark and a small mark set on the main body.

[0027] Figure 5 (A) is an example of a color scheme pattern for small markers. Figure 5 (B) is an example of a color scheme pattern with large markings.

[0028] Figure 6 It means Figure 1 A block diagram illustrating the functions of a vehicle.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a rear view of the main body of the vehicle according to the second embodiment, viewed from the rear of the direction of travel.

[0030] Figure 8 This is a block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the vehicle in the second embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of one aspect of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, in the description of the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same elements, and repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0032] (First Implementation)

[0033] Main use Figures 1-6 The first embodiment of the vehicle system 1 will be described. The vehicle system 1 is a system for transporting articles 10 between loading sections 9, 9 using an elevated vehicle 6 capable of moving along a track (a pre-set travel path) 4. Articles 10 include, for example, containers such as FOUPs (Front Opening Unified Pods) that hold multiple semiconductor wafers and intermediate mask boxes that hold glass substrates, as well as ordinary parts. Here, for example, the vehicle system 1, in which the elevated vehicle 6 (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle 6") travels along a one-way track 4 laid on the ceiling of a factory, will be described as an example. Figure 1 As shown, the vehicle system 1 includes a track 4, multiple loading units 9, and multiple vehicles 6.

[0034] like Figure 2 As shown, track 4 is, for example, laid in the overhead space above the worker's head, i.e., near the ceiling. Track 4 is, for example, suspended from the ceiling.

[0035] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the loading section 9 is arranged along the track 4 and positioned to facilitate the transfer of items 10 between it and the traveling vehicle 6. The loading section 9 includes a buffer zone and a transfer interface. The buffer zone is a loading section for temporarily storing items 10. For example, the buffer zone is a loading section for temporarily storing items 10 when it is impossible to transfer items 10 being transported by the traveling vehicle 6 to the transfer interface because other items 10 are already stored there. The transfer interface is a loading section for transferring items 10 to semiconductor processing devices (not shown), such as cleaning devices, film deposition devices, photolithography devices, etching devices, heat treatment devices, and planarization devices. Furthermore, the processing device is not particularly limited and can be any type of device.

[0036] For example, the loading section 9 is positioned to the side of the track 4. In this case, the traveling vehicle 6 uses the lateral feed section 24 to laterally feed the lifting drive section 28 and the like, and causes the lifting section 30 to rise and fall, thereby transferring the item 10 between itself and the loading section 9. Alternatively, although not shown, the loading section 9 may also be positioned directly below the track 4. In this case, the traveling vehicle 6 uses the lifting section 30 to rise and fall, thereby transferring the item 10 between itself and the loading section 9.

[0037] like Figure 2As shown, the traveling vehicle 6 travels along track 4 and transports item 10. The traveling vehicle 6 is configured to carry item 10. The traveling vehicle 6 is an elevated, unmanned transport vehicle. The number of traveling vehicles 6 in the traveling vehicle system 1 is not particularly limited and can be multiple. Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 As shown, the vehicle 6 has a driving unit 18, a main body 7, a camera unit 8, a marker 70, and a control unit 50.

[0038] The traveling unit 18 includes a motor and the like, which enables the traveling vehicle 6 to travel along the track 4. The main body 7 includes a main frame 22, a lateral feed unit 24, an θ driver 26, a lifting drive unit 28, a lifting unit 30, and a main body cover 33.

[0039] The main frame 22 supports the lateral feed unit 24, the θ actuator 26, the lifting drive unit 28, and the lifting unit 30. The lateral feed unit 24 causes the θ actuator 26, the lifting drive unit 28, and the lifting unit 30 to move laterally in a direction perpendicular to the travel direction of the track 4. The θ actuator 26 causes at least one of the lifting drive unit 28 and the lifting unit 30 to rotate within a predetermined angle range in the horizontal plane. The lifting drive unit 28 raises and lowers the lifting unit 30 by winding or unwinding the lifting material such as steel wire, rope, or belt. A chuck is provided in the lifting unit 30 to freely grasp or release the item 10.

[0040] The main body cover 33 is respectively provided at the front and rear of the traveling vehicle 6. The main body cover 33 allows claws (not shown) to protrude and prevent the item 10 from falling during transport. The main body cover 33 has a front surface cover 34 provided at the front of the traveling vehicle 6 in the direction of travel and a rear surface cover 35 provided at the rear. The front surface cover 34 is formed into a generally isosceles trapezoid when viewed from above, and has a front surface 34a facing outward (front), a rear surface 34b facing inward (rear) to the side where the lifting part 30 is provided, and waist surfaces 34c, 34c connecting the front surface 34a and the rear surface 34b. The rear surface cover 35 is formed into a generally isosceles trapezoid when viewed from above, and has a rear surface 35a facing outward (rear), a front surface 35b facing inward (front) to the side where the lifting part 30 is provided, and waist surfaces 35c, 35c connecting the rear surface 35a and the front surface 35b.

[0041] The imaging unit 8 is installed on the front surface 34a of the front cover 34 of the main body 7 such that its imaging range is in front of the vehicle 6 itself. The imaging unit 8 is a device that includes a lens and an imaging element that converts light entering from the lens into an electrical signal. The image captured by the imaging unit 8 is acquired by the control unit 50, which will be described in detail later.

[0042] like Figure 3As shown, marking 70 is provided on the rear surface 35a of the rear cover 35 so that it can be visually identified from other vehicles 6 (hereinafter also referred to as "rear vehicles 6") located behind it. Figure 4 As shown, the mark 70 has a small mark 71 and a large mark 73. The area of ​​the large mark 73 is larger than that of the small mark 71, and includes a first region 73A, a second region 73B with a lower reflectivity than the first region 73A, and a region 73C where the small mark 71 is disposed, thus forming a display pattern VP2.

[0043] Small mark 71 is disposed in region 73C within the region constituting large mark 73. The center (center of gravity) of the region constituting small mark 71 may also coincide with the center (center of gravity) of the region constituting large mark 73. The display pattern VP1 is configured to include: a third region 71A, with a reflectivity lower than that of the first region 73A; a fourth region 71B, with a reflectivity lower than that of the third region 71A and lower than that of the second region 73B; and a fifth region 71C, which encloses the third region 71A and the fourth region 71B, and has a reflectivity lower than that of the first region 73A of the large mark 73 and higher than that of the fourth region 71B.

[0044] The reflectance in this embodiment is the reflectance when illuminated by visible light, and the relationship of reflectance between regions is "first region 73A > third region 71A, fifth region 71C > second region 73B > fourth region 71B". In this embodiment, the third region 71A and fifth region 71C of the small mark 71 are formed in light gray, the fourth region 71B is formed in black, the first region 73A of the large mark 73 is formed in white, and the second region 73B is formed in dark gray. That is, by configuring the brightness relationship of each region to be "first region 73A > third region 71A, fifth region 71C > second region 73B > fourth region 71B", the aforementioned reflectance relationship is achieved.

[0045] Furthermore, here, brightness is used as an example to illustrate the factors determining reflectivity for visible light, but it could also be color saturation, chroma, etc. Additionally, the reflectivity of small marker 71 and large marker 73 for infrared light could also be considered. In this case, the reflectivity of each region within small marker 71 and large marker 73 would also follow the aforementioned relationship.

[0046] The large mark 73 is sized such that it does not converge within the shooting range of the camera unit 8 of a vehicle (other vehicle) 6 located at a distance less than a specified distance (e.g., 0.5m) from itself. The small mark 71 is sized such that it converges within the shooting range of the camera unit 8 of the vehicle 6 behind it, even if the distance from itself to the vehicle 6 is less than a specified distance (e.g., 0.5m).

[0047] Furthermore, the phrase "the entire convergence of the small mark 71 within the shooting range" as used here includes not only cases where the image is captured at a size that can be extracted (recognized) by the pattern recognition unit 51 (described in detail later), but also cases where the image is captured at a size that cannot be extracted (recognized) by the pattern recognition unit 51. In other words, it is sufficient that the position where the small mark 71 is located is included within the shooting range. Furthermore, whether the focus of the shooting unit 8 is consistent is not considered. Moreover, the phrase "even if the distance is less than the aforementioned specified distance" as used here includes cases where the distance at which the vehicles 6, 6, traveling in front and behind can approach each other can be considered a lower limit.

[0048] The small mark 71 and the large mark 73 can be drawn directly on the rear surface cover 35, or a plate or the like with the small mark 71 and the large mark 73 drawn on it can be fixed to the rear surface cover 35. In addition, the images of the small mark 71 and the large mark 73 can be displayed on a display unit such as a liquid crystal display provided on the rear surface cover 35.

[0049] The control unit 50 is an electronic control unit composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), and RAM (Random Access Memory). The control unit 50 controls various actions of the vehicle 6. Specifically, for example... Figure 6 As shown, the control unit 50 controls the travel unit 18, the lateral feed unit 24, the θ driver 26, the lifting drive unit 28, the lifting unit 30, and the imaging unit 8. The control unit 50 can be configured as software that loads a program stored in ROM onto RAM and is executed by the CPU. The control unit 50 can also be configured as hardware based on circuitry, etc. In the control unit 50, the pattern recognition unit 51, the status determination unit 53, and the travel control unit 55, as shown below, are formed through the cooperation of hardware such as the CPU, RAM, and ROM, and software such as the program. The control unit 50 communicates with the controller 60 via a communication line (feeder line) of the track 4.

[0050] The pattern recognition unit 51 attempts to identify (extract) the mark 70 from the captured image obtained by the imaging unit 8. The pattern recognition unit 51 identifies the small mark 71 based on a first image where the entire small mark 71 is contained within the imaging range of the imaging unit 8, while the entire large mark 73 is not contained within the imaging range. Furthermore, it identifies the large mark 73 based on a second image where both the small mark 71 and the large mark 73 are contained within the imaging range. More specifically, the pattern recognition unit 51 identifies... Figure 5The first color pattern P1 shown in (A) is used to identify the small mark 71. This is achieved by binarizing the first image in which the area corresponding to the third region 71A of the small mark 71 is white and the area corresponding to the fourth region 71B is black. Furthermore, the pattern recognition unit 51 identifies... Figure 5 The large mark 73 is identified by the second color pattern P2 shown in (B). The second color pattern P2 is obtained by binarizing the second image in such a way that the area corresponding to the first region 73A of the large mark 73 is white and the area corresponding to the second region 73B and the area of ​​the small mark 71 is black.

[0051] The state determination unit 53 determines whether there is another vehicle 6 (hereinafter referred to as "the vehicle in front") located in front of its own vehicle 6 based on the recognition of the small mark 71 or the large mark 73 by the pattern recognition unit 51. The state determination unit 53 determines that there is a vehicle in front when it extracts at least one of the entirety of the small mark 71 and the entirety of the large mark 73 from the captured image. In this embodiment, when the state determination unit 53 recognizes the small mark 71 by the pattern recognition unit 51, it determines that the distance from its own vehicle 6 to the vehicle in front is closer than when the large mark 73 is recognized. More specifically, when the state determination unit 53 recognizes the small mark 71 by the pattern recognition unit 51, it determines that the distance from its own vehicle 6 to the vehicle in front is less than 0.5m, and when it recognizes the large mark 73, it determines that the distance from its own vehicle 6 to the vehicle in front is 0.5m or more.

[0052] For example, when the pattern recognition unit 51 identifies a large mark 73, the driving control unit 55 controls the driving unit 18 to travel at a slower speed than usual. Furthermore, when the pattern recognition unit 51 identifies a small mark 71, the driving control unit 55 controls the driving unit 18 to come to a complete stop. This control is just one example; the control when the pattern recognition unit 51 distinguishes between the small mark 71 and the large mark 73 is not limited to the above-described control.

[0053] The controller 60 is an electronic control unit consisting of a CPU, ROM, and RAM. The controller 60 can be configured as software that loads a program stored in ROM onto RAM and is executed by the CPU. The controller 60 can also be configured as hardware based on circuitry. The controller 60 sends a transport command to the vehicle 6, instructing it to transport the item 10.

[0054] Next, the effects of the vehicle system 1 of the first embodiment will be explained. In the vehicle system 1 of the first embodiment, even when the distance between the two vehicles 6, 6 is relatively short, the small mark 71 can be captured by the imaging unit 8, and therefore the pattern recognition unit 51 can identify the small mark 71. Furthermore, in the vehicle system 1 of the first embodiment, even when the distance between the two vehicles 6, 6 is relatively far, the imaging unit 8 captures images of the small mark 71 and the large mark 73. However, since the reflectivity of the third region 71A of the small mark 71 is lower than that of the first region 73A of the large mark 73, and the reflectivity of the fourth region 71B of the small mark 71 is lower than that of the second region 73B of the large mark 73, the pattern recognition unit 51 can easily identify the small mark 71 as the second region 73B of the large mark 73. Thus, the pattern recognition unit 51 can more reliably identify the large mark 73 from the captured images of the small mark 71 and the large mark 73. In other words, the pattern recognition unit 51, when capturing images of both the small mark 71 and the large mark 73, identifies elements of the small mark 71 as part of the large mark 73 instead of the small mark 71 being difficult to identify as a separate mark, thus making it easier to identify the large mark 73. As a result, regardless of the distance between the two vehicles 6, 6, vehicle 6 can more reliably identify the vehicle ahead.

[0055] In the vehicle system 1 of the first embodiment described above, the small mark 71 has a third region 71A and a fourth region 71B disposed inside the fifth region 71C, which is formed in a frame shape. The reflectivity of the fifth region 71C is lower than that of the first region 73A of the large mark 73 and higher than that of the fourth region 71B of the small mark 71. As a result, the pattern recognition unit 51 can more reliably identify the large mark 73 from the captured images of the small mark 71 and the large mark 73.

[0056] In the vehicle system 1 of the first embodiment described above, the pattern recognition unit 51 recognizes the first color pattern P1 (refer to...) Figure 5 The pattern recognition unit 51 identifies the small mark 71 by binarizing it in such a way that the area corresponding to the third region 71A of the small mark 71 is white and the area corresponding to the fourth region 71B is black, thereby obtaining the first color pattern P1. Furthermore, the pattern recognition unit 51 identifies the second color pattern P2 (refer to...). Figure 5 The pattern recognition unit 51 identifies the large mark 73 by binarizing the area corresponding to the first region 73A of the large mark 73 into white and the area corresponding to the second region 73B and the area of ​​the small mark 71 into black, thereby obtaining the second color pattern P2. Thus, the pattern recognition unit 51 can identify the small mark 71 and the large mark 73 from the captured image using a simple processing method.

[0057] In the vehicle system 1 of the first embodiment described above, the display pattern VP2 of the large mark 73 and the display pattern VP1 of the small mark 71 have different color schemes. When the state determination unit 53 identifies the small mark 71 through the pattern recognition unit 51, it determines that the distance from its own vehicle 6 to the vehicle 6 in front is closer than when the large mark 73 is identified. Therefore, even without sensors, the distance to the vehicle 6 located in front or behind can be detected.

[0058] (Second Implementation)

[0059] Main use Figure 7 as well as Figure 8 The vehicle system 101 according to the second embodiment will be described. In addition to the configuration of the vehicle system 1 of the first embodiment, the vehicle system 101 according to the second embodiment also includes a first LED array (first display unit) 81, a second LED array (second display unit) 83, and an LED array control unit 57. Here, the first LED array 81, the second LED array 83, and the LED array control unit 57 will be described in detail.

[0060] like Figure 6 As shown, the first LED array 81 and the second LED array 83 are disposed on the rear surface cover 35 of the vehicle 106. The first LED array 81 is configured such that even when the distance from the vehicle 106 to itself is less than a predetermined distance (e.g., 0.5m), it converges entirely within the shooting range of the shooting unit 8 of the vehicle 106 in front. The second LED array 83 is configured such that it does not converge entirely within the shooting range of the shooting unit 8 of the vehicle 106 in front, even when the vehicle 106 is located at a position less than a predetermined distance (e.g., 0.5m) from itself. Alternatively, the first LED array 81 and the second LED array 83 may also be disposed on the front surface cover 34 of the vehicle 106.

[0061] The first LED array 81 consists of multiple (6) LED units 81A and 81B. The second LED array 83 consists of multiple (6) LED units 83A and 83B. The first LED array 81 and the second LED array 83 switch display modes according to the status of their respective vehicles 106 (vehicles 106 equipped with the first LED array 81 and the second LED array 83).

[0062] Specifically, the first LED array 81 changes its display mode based on the combination of lit and unlit LEDs among the five LEDs 81A (hereinafter referred to as the "lit combination"). The remaining LED 81B is used for parity checking. That is, LED 81B is used to determine whether the lit combination of the five LEDs 81A is the display mode intended by the control unit 50. The switching of the display mode of the first LED array 81 is performed by the control unit 50. For the second LED array 83, the same applies as the first LED array 81, changing its display mode based on the combination of lit and unlit LEDs among the five LEDs 83A. The remaining LED 83B is also used for parity checking, just like the first LED array 81.

[0063] In the control unit 50, in addition to the pattern recognition unit 51, the state determination unit 53, and the driving control unit 55 as described above, an LED array control unit 57 is also formed. The LED array control unit 57 switches the display modes of the first LED array 81 and the second LED array 83 according to its own driving state. Specifically, the LED array control unit 57, for example, when it receives an instruction from the controller 60 and obtains that its own driving state is an acceleration state or a deceleration state, controls the lighting of LED 81A in the first LED array 81 and LED 83A in the second LED array 83 to achieve a display mode corresponding to the obtained driving state. That is, the LED array control unit 57 transmits its own driving state to the driving vehicle 106 located behind its own driving vehicle 106 by switching the display modes of the first LED array 81 and the second LED array 83 provided on the driving vehicle 106.

[0064] For example, the operation of the vehicle behind 106 when the vehicle ahead 106 decelerates will be explained. The vehicle ahead 106, for example, when an obstacle is detected ahead by an obstacle sensor or the like, decelerates when the distance to the obstacle reaches a predetermined distance, and stops when the distance to the obstacle reaches a second predetermined distance shorter than the predetermined distance. The vehicle ahead 106, while decelerating when the distance to the obstacle reaches the predetermined distance, displays its deceleration status on the first LED array 81 and the second LED array 83.

[0065] The driving control unit 55 of the following vehicle 106 determines the state of the preceding vehicle 106 based on the lighting combination of the first LED array 81 and the second LED array 83 captured by the imaging unit 8. Simultaneously, the pattern recognition unit 51 of the following vehicle 106 attempts to identify the small marker 71 and the large marker 73 based on the image captured by the imaging unit 8. Here, if the pattern recognition unit 51 identifies the small marker 71, it determines that the preceding vehicle 106 is less than 0.5m ahead of the following vehicle 106, and the driving control unit 55 stops the driving unit 18. If the pattern recognition unit 51 identifies the large marker 73, it determines that the preceding vehicle 106 is more than 0.5m ahead of the following vehicle 106, and the driving control unit 55 slows down the driving unit 18.

[0066] For example, the operation of the following vehicle 106 when the preceding vehicle 106 accelerates will be explained. The preceding vehicle 106, for example, accelerates forward upon receiving a transport command from the controller 60, and displays its acceleration status on the first LED array 81 and the second LED array 83. The driving control unit 55 of the following vehicle 106 determines the status of the preceding vehicle 106 based on the lighting combination of the first LED array 81 and the second LED array 83 captured by the imaging unit 8. Simultaneously, the pattern recognition unit 51 of the following vehicle 106 attempts to identify the small marker 71 and the large marker 73 based on the image captured by the imaging unit 8. Here, if the pattern recognition unit 51 identifies the large marker 73, it determines that the preceding vehicle 106 is at least 0.5 meters ahead of the following vehicle 106, and the driving control unit 55 accelerates the driving unit 18. Thus, the following vehicle 106 can smoothly follow the preceding vehicle 106. On the other hand, when the pattern recognition unit 51 recognizes the small mark 71, it determines that the vehicle in front 106 is less than 0.5m in front of the vehicle behind 106, and maintains its current driving state to avoid close following. As a result, the possibility of a collision between the vehicle behind 106 and the vehicle in front 106 can be reduced.

[0067] Next, the effects of the vehicle system 101 of the second embodiment will be explained. In the vehicle system 101 of the second embodiment, the first LED array 81 and the second LED array 83 display different display modes depending on the state of the vehicle 106. Therefore, the following vehicle 106, having obtained the display modes of the first LED array 81 and the second LED array 83 through the imaging unit 8, can immediately determine the state of the vehicle 106 in front. As a result, the following vehicle 106 can quickly perform actions corresponding to the state of the vehicle 106 in front. Furthermore, in the vehicle system 101 of the second embodiment, the first LED array 81 is arranged corresponding to the small mark 71, and the second LED array 83 is provided corresponding to the large mark 73. Therefore, whether the distance between the two vehicles 106 is relatively close or relatively far, at least one of the first LED array 81 and the second LED array 83 can be captured by the imaging unit 8. Therefore, regardless of the distance between the two vehicles 106, the vehicle 106 behind can more reliably obtain information about the vehicle 106 in front.

[0068] In the vehicle system 101 of the second embodiment described above, the first LED array 81 and the second LED array 83 switch display modes according to the driving state of their respective vehicles 106, including acceleration and deceleration states. Thus, at least the following vehicles 106 can know whether the vehicle in front 106 is accelerating or decelerating.

[0069] The above description describes one embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0070] In the vehicle 6 and vehicle system 1 of the first embodiment described above, an example of an imaging unit 8 that includes a lens and an imaging element that converts light entering from the lens into an electrical signal, but does not have the function of measuring the distance to an object, has been described, but it is not limited to this. The imaging unit 8 may also be a device with distance measurement function, such as a stereo camera or a TOF camera.

[0071] In the above-described embodiments and variations of the vehicle 6 (106) and vehicle system 1, examples of small markers 71 and large markers 73 being formed as display patterns composed of multiple colors of graphics (e.g., AR markers) have been described, but they could also be, for example, QR codes. Examples of QR codes include QR codes (registered trademarks). Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments and variations, examples of small markers 71 and large markers 73 having different display patterns have been described, but the display patterns could also be the same.

[0072] In the above embodiments and variations, examples have been described where the control unit 50 for controlling the vehicles 6 (106) is provided in the main body 7 of each vehicle 6 (106). However, it may also be separated from the main body 7 and disposed in a location where it can communicate via wired or wireless means (e.g., controller 60). In this case, the control unit 50 may not be provided for each of the multiple vehicles 6 (106), but may be configured to control the multiple vehicles 6 together.

[0073] In the above-described embodiments and variations of the traveling vehicle 6 (106) and traveling vehicle system 1, an elevated traveling vehicle was described as an example of a traveling vehicle. However, other examples of traveling vehicles include unmanned traveling vehicles that travel on tracks mounted on the ground or on a platform, as well as stacking cranes.

[0074] In the above-described embodiments and modifications of the vehicle 6 (106) and vehicle system 1, examples of small markings 71 and large markings 73 being provided on the rear surface 35a of the rear surface cover 35 have been given, but the placement is not limited as long as it can be visually confirmed from other vehicles 6 (106). For example, small markings 71 and large markings 73 may be provided on the rear surface 35a instead of the rear surface 35a, or on the waist surfaces 35c, 35c. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments and modifications, examples of small markings 71 and large markings 73 being provided at a position in the front vehicle 6 that can be observed from the rear vehicle 6 (i.e., the rear surface 35a of the front vehicle 6) have been given, but small markings 71 and large markings 73 may also be provided in the rear vehicle 6 at a position that can be observed from the front vehicle 6 (e.g., the front surface 34a and waist surfaces 34c, 34c of the rear vehicle 6).

[0075] In the above-described embodiments and variations of the vehicle 6 (106) and vehicle system 1, examples of first LED array 81 and second LED array 83 used as first and second display units that switch display modes according to their own states have been described, but the description is not limited to these examples. For instance, a liquid crystal display screen may be used, which changes the displayed content (color, pattern, symbol, and text, etc.) according to its own state. In addition, an illumination device that only switches the displayed (emitted) color may also be used.

[0076] In the above-described embodiments and variations of the vehicle 6 (106) and vehicle system 1, examples of acceleration and deceleration states have been given as examples of their own states. However, for example, it could be the current position of the vehicle itself, or information such as whether the item 10 is being transported.

[0077] Explanation of symbols

[0078] 1, 101: Driving vehicle system; 6, 106: Elevated driving vehicle (driving vehicle); 7: Main body; 8: Camera unit; 33: Main body cover; 34: Front surface cover; 35: Rear surface cover; 50: Control unit; 51: Pattern recognition unit; 53: Status determination unit; 55: Driving control unit; 57: LED array control unit; 70: Mark; 71: Small mark; 71A: Third area; 71B: Fourth area; 71C: Fifth area; 73: Large mark; 73A: First area; 73B: Second area; 81: First LED array (first display unit); 83: Second LED array (second display unit); P1: First color pattern; P2: Second color pattern.

Claims

1. A vehicle that travels along a pre-set travel path, comprising: The main body is provided with small marks and large marks with an area larger than the small marks mentioned above; At least one camera unit is provided on the main body of the vehicle such that its shooting range is at least one of the front and rear sides of the vehicle. The pattern recognition unit, based on the captured image obtained by the imaging unit, distinguishes between the small mark and the large mark; and When the pattern recognition unit identifies the small mark or the large mark, the state determination unit determines that there is another vehicle in front of or behind its own vehicle. The aforementioned large marker is configured with the following dimensions: it does not converge within the shooting range of the shooting unit of another vehicle located at a distance less than a specified distance from itself. The aforementioned small marker is configured with the following dimensions: even if the distance from the aforementioned vehicle is less than the specified distance, its entirety converges within the shooting range of the shooting units of the other aforementioned vehicles, and the aforementioned small marker is disposed within the area constituting the aforementioned large marker. The aforementioned large markings comprise a first region, a second region with a lower reflectivity than the first region, and an area where the aforementioned small markings are arranged, thus forming a display pattern. The aforementioned small markings include a third region with a reflectivity lower than that of the first region, and a fourth region with a reflectivity lower than that of the third region and lower than that of the second region, thus forming a display pattern.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, The aforementioned small mark is positioned inside the frame-shaped fifth region, where the aforementioned third and fourth regions are located. The fifth region mentioned above is a region with a lower reflectance than the first region of the large mark mentioned above, and a higher reflectance than the fourth region of the small mark mentioned above.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The pattern recognition unit identifies the small mark by recognizing the first color pattern and the large mark by recognizing the second color pattern. The first color pattern is obtained by binarizing the area corresponding to the third region of the small mark as white and the area corresponding to the fourth region as black. The second color pattern is obtained by binarizing the area corresponding to the first region of the large mark as white and the area corresponding to the second region and the area of ​​the small mark as black.

4. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The large and small marks mentioned above have different display patterns. The aforementioned state determination unit determines that, when the pattern recognition unit identifies the small mark, the distance from its own vehicle to other vehicles is shorter than when the large mark is identified.

5. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The main body also includes: a first display unit configured not to converge entirely within the shooting range of the shooting units of other vehicles located at a distance less than the predetermined distance from itself, and switching the display mode according to the state of its own vehicle; and a second display unit configured to converge entirely within the shooting range of the shooting units of other vehicles even when the distance to its own vehicle is less than the predetermined distance, and switching the display mode according to the state of its own vehicle. The aforementioned vehicle also possesses: The driving unit causes the main body to travel along the driving path; and The driving control unit obtains the status of other vehicles based on the display mode of at least one of the first display unit and the second display unit captured by the camera unit, and controls its own driving unit based on the obtained status.

6. The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein, The first display unit and the second display unit switch the display mode according to the driving status of the vehicle. The above driving states include acceleration and deceleration.

7. A vehicle driving system, comprising: The vehicle for driving according to any one of claims 1 to 6; A track, for multiple of the aforementioned vehicles to travel in a predetermined direction; and The vehicle controller assigns and transmits instructions to the aforementioned vehicles.

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