Mobile environment system

Abstract

This disclosure provides a mobile environment system capable of suppressing unnecessary door opening and opening the door while maintaining an appropriate distance between the robot and the door. The mobile environment system includes an autonomous mobile robot and an automatic door, having sensors for sensing objects entering a predetermined sensing area, the sensing area comprising a sensing area for pedestrians and a sensing area for the autonomous mobile robot, the sensing area for the autonomous mobile robot being configured to include an area where the frequency of human passage is below a predetermined frequency, the autonomous mobile robot passing through the sensing area for the autonomous mobile robot and then through the automatic door.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to mobile environment systems. Background Technology

[0002] Automatic doors are known to open automatically in response to objects approaching them. In automatic doors, it is required that sensors appropriately detect objects such as people about to pass through the door. Regarding this, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-273246 discloses a method that mounts an antenna and a sensor on the surface of the panel constituting the door, thereby reliably detecting objects such as children about to pass through the door.

[0003] The technology described in the aforementioned literature requires mounting antennas and sensors on the surface of the panels forming the door, thus complicating the door's construction. In contrast, in conventional, simpler automatic doors, the robot sometimes has to be very close to the door before it opens. On the other hand, if the automatic door's sensors are adjusted to detect the robot at an appropriate distance, sometimes even objects not intended to pass through the door are detected, leading to unnecessary door opening.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for new technologies that can suppress unnecessary door opening and allow doors to open while the robot is at an appropriate distance from the door. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure was made in the context of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a mobile environment system that can suppress unnecessary door opening and open doors while the robot is at an appropriate distance from the door.

[0006] One aspect of this disclosure for achieving the above objectives is a mobile environment system comprising: an autonomous mobile robot; and an automatic door having a sensor for sensing objects entering a predetermined sensing area, the sensing area having a sensing area for pedestrians and a sensing area for the autonomous mobile robot, the sensing area for the autonomous mobile robot being configured to include an area where the frequency of pedestrian passage is below a predetermined frequency, the autonomous mobile robot passing through the sensing area for the autonomous mobile robot and then through the automatic door.

[0007] According to this mobile environment system, areas with low human traffic can be used as special sensing areas for robots, and robots can approach automatic doors from these sensing areas. Therefore, unnecessary door opening can be suppressed, and door opening can be achieved when the robot is at an appropriate distance from the door.

[0008] In one of the above solutions, the sensor may be located on the upper part of the automatic door, irradiating light onto the designated sensing area and measuring the reflected light, thereby sensing objects entering the designated sensing area. The sensing area of ​​the autonomous mobile robot covers a farther range based on the position of the automatic door compared to the range covered by the sensing area of ​​the pedestrian.

[0009] With this configuration, in an automatic door that has a sensor located above the automatic door and illuminates it with light, unnecessary opening of the door can be suppressed, and the door can be opened while the robot is at an appropriate distance from the door.

[0010] In one of the above embodiments, the sensing area of ​​the autonomous mobile robot may be an area along at least one of the two walls of the automatic door.

[0011] Based on this configuration, even without prior investigation of areas with low human traffic or setting up areas where human traffic is prohibited, areas with low human traffic can be easily used as sensing areas for robots.

[0012] In one of the above embodiments, the sensing area of ​​the autonomous mobile robot may be a region along the second wall on both sides of the automatic door, wherein the second wall is not adjacent to the first wall that forms the opening of the automatic door immediately after the automatic door begins to open.

[0013] Based on this configuration, it is possible to prevent the robot from obstructing the movement of a person passing through the space on the opposite side of the automatic door immediately after the door begins to open.

[0014] In one of the above solutions, if there are people in the space opposite the automatic door and within a specified distance from the autonomous mobile robot after the automatic door opens, the autonomous mobile robot waits to move through the automatic door.

[0015] This configuration allows for more reliable suppression of robots from obstructing the movement of people passing through the door from the opposite side of the automatic door.

[0016] According to this disclosure, a mobile environment system can be provided that can suppress unnecessary door opening and can open the door while the robot is at an appropriate distance from the door.

[0017] The above and other objects, features and advantages of this disclosure will be more fully understood from the detailed description and accompanying drawings given below, which are by way of example only and should not be considered as limiting the disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an automatic door according to an implementation method.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing the first wall, the second wall, the door panel, the sensing area, and the autonomous mobile robot that will pass through the automatic door from above.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the first wall, the second wall, the door panel, and the sensing area from above.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic side view illustrating an example of an autonomous mobile robot implementation.

[0022] Figure 5 This is a block diagram illustrating the control device of an autonomous mobile robot according to an implementation method.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of a control device for an autonomous mobile robot.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing the first wall, the second wall, the door panel, the sensing area, and the autonomous mobile robot that will pass through the automatic door from above.

[0025] Figure 8 This is a diagram showing the first wall, the second wall, the door panel, the sensing area, and the autonomous mobile robot that will pass through the automatic door from above.

[0026] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing the first wall, the second wall, the door panel, the sensing area, and the autonomous mobile robot that will pass through the automatic door from above. Detailed Implementation

[0027] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, for clarity of description, the following descriptions and drawings will be appropriately omitted and simplified. Furthermore, in each drawing, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same constituent elements, and repeated descriptions are omitted as needed.

[0028] The mobile environment system of the implementation method has an automatic door 20 and an autonomous mobile robot 10.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an automatic door 20 according to an embodiment. The automatic door 20 includes: a door panel 200 that separates a first space 51 and a second space 52 in a moving environment; and a sensor 210 that senses objects entering a predetermined sensing area 500.

[0030] like Figure 1As shown, the automatic door 20 is disposed between the first wall 61 and the second wall 62 that separate the first space 51 and the second space 52. That is, the automatic door 20 is positioned between the first wall 61 and the second wall 62. With this configuration, the automatic door 20 closes or opens the gap between the first wall 61 and the second wall 62, which are arranged at a distance, via the door panel 200. The door panel 200 closes or opens the gap by sliding parallel to the surface (opening surface) of the gap. In other words, this enables the automatic door 20 to open and close.

[0031] exist Figure 1 In the example shown, a door panel 200 faces one direction ( Figure 1 The automatic door 20 opens as the object moves to the right (in the middle direction). In other words, in... Figure 1 In the example shown, the door panel 200 slides and moves toward one of the two walls present on either side of the automatic door 20 (specifically, the second wall 62), thereby opening the automatic door 20. Then, the door panel 200, which moved to open the door, slides and moves back to its original position, thereby closing the automatic door 20.

[0032] It should be noted that, in Figure 1 In the example shown, door panel 200 is a single panel, but the automatic door 20 can also have two panels arranged in a straight line. In this case, the panel located on the first wall 61 slides and moves toward the first wall 61, and the panel located on the second wall 62 slides and moves toward the second wall 62, thereby opening the automatic door 20. In this case, the two panels that moved to open the door also slide and move back to their original positions, thereby closing the automatic door 20.

[0033] Sensor 210 is located on the upper part of automatic door 20. More specifically, sensor 210 is located above door panel 200, that is, above the gap created by the closing of door panel 200. More specifically, sensor 210 is located on the crossbar 63 present above automatic door 20.

[0034] As described above, sensor 210 senses objects entering the vicinity of automatic door 20, specifically within a defined sensing area 500 located near the gap between the first wall 61 and the second wall 62. As will be described later, the sensing area 500 is composed of a first sensing area and a second sensing area. In this embodiment, the sensing area 500 exists at least in the first space 51, but may also exist in the second space 52.

[0035] Sensor 210 illuminates a defined sensing area 500 with light and measures the reflected light, thereby sensing objects entering the sensing area 500. Sensor 210 senses the presence of an object by measuring the change in reflected light as the object enters the sensing area 500. It should be noted that this change can be either a change in the reflection time of the reflected light or a change in the amount of light received. The illuminated light is, for example, near-infrared light or other infrared light, but is not limited to infrared light.

[0036] Specifically, the sensing area 500 is composed of a plurality of sensing points 501. That is, the plurality of sensing points 501 are configured in a grid pattern, thereby constituting the sensing area 500. The sensor 210 illuminates light onto each sensing point 501 and measures the reflected light of each sensing point 501.

[0037] The illumination angle of the light from the sensor 210 can be arbitrarily changed within a specified range. In this embodiment, the user can arbitrarily set the angles of the light emitter illuminating the light and the light receiver receiving the reflected light within the specified range in the sensor 210. Therefore, the position of each sensing point 501 can be arbitrarily set. That is, the shape of the sensing area 500 can be arbitrarily set.

[0038] Here, the configuration of the sensing area 500 in this embodiment will be described in more detail. In this embodiment, the sensing area 500 includes a first sensing area 510 (sensing area for an autonomous mobile robot) and a second sensing area 520 (sensing area for pedestrians) (see reference). Figure 2 Here, the first sensing area 510 is a sensing area set up assuming that the autonomous mobile robot 10 will pass through the automatic door 20, and the second sensing area 520 is a sensing area set up assuming that the pedestrian will pass through the automatic door 20.

[0039] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a sensing area of ​​500. More specifically, Figure 2 This is a diagram showing, from above, the first wall 61, the second wall 62, the door panel 200, the sensing area 500, and the autonomous mobile robot 10 that will pass through the automatic door 20. (See diagram below.) Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the first sensing area 510 covers a farther range than the second sensing area 520, based on the position of the automatic door 20 (sensor 210). Referring to the figures, the arc of the fan-shaped first sensing area 510 is farther from the automatic door 20 (sensor 210) than the arc of the fan-shaped second sensing area 520. It should be noted that... Figure 2In the example shown, the first sensing area 510 and the second sensing area 520 are fan-shaped, but they can also be other shapes. For example, the first sensing area 510 and the second sensing area 520 can also be quadrilaterals.

[0040] Generally, the closer an object is to the automatic door 20, the higher the likelihood that it will pass through that area in order to pass through the automatic door 20. Therefore, in the second sensing area 520, the probability of detecting only objects that are about to pass through the automatic door 20 is high. That is, sensing objects in the second sensing area 520 is less likely to cause the automatic door 20 to open unnecessarily. In contrast, the first sensing area 510 covers a range farther from the automatic door 20, so the way the first sensing area 510 is set may cause the automatic door 20 to open unnecessarily. To avoid this problem, in this embodiment, the first sensing area 510, especially its protruding portion, is set to cover an area with low human passage frequency. In other words, the first sensing area 510 (especially its protruding portion) is set to an area where the human passage frequency is below a predetermined frequency. That is, the first sensing area 510 is set in an area that is not assumed to be a human movement path. It should be noted that the protruding portion of the first sensing area 510 refers to the portion including the end separated from the automatic door 20 (sensor 210), and is the portion that protrudes in a direction separated from the automatic door 20 (sensor 210) compared to the second sensing area 520. For example, the first sensing area 510 can also be set to satisfy a reference... Figure 3 The following conditions are shown. The first sensing area 510 is set in such a way that the protruding part 511 is arranged in a region 90 located at a predetermined distance from the automatic door 20, and the region with the lowest frequency of human passage per unit area is set.

[0041] Sensor 210 illuminates light into a first sensing area 510 to sense objects entering the first sensing area 510. More specifically, sensor 210 illuminates light into sensing points 501 constituting the first sensing area 510 to sense objects entering the first sensing area 510. Similarly, sensor 210 illuminates light into a second sensing area 520 to sense objects entering the second sensing area 520. More specifically, sensor 210 illuminates light into sensing points 501 constituting the second sensing area 520 to sense objects entering the second sensing area 520.

[0042] When sensor 210 detects an object in either the first sensing area 510 or the second sensing area 520, the automatic door 20 opens the door panel 200. Then, after a predetermined time has elapsed since sensor 210 has not detected an object in either the first sensing area 510 or the second sensing area 520, the automatic door 20 closes the door panel 200.

[0043] It should be noted that the first sensing area 510 is primarily used for sensing the autonomous mobile robot 10, but even when objects other than the autonomous mobile robot 10 enter the first sensing area 510, they are still sensed by sensor 210. Similarly, the second sensing area 520 is primarily used for sensing people, but even when objects other than people enter the second sensing area 520, they are still sensed by sensor 210. It should be noted that in this embodiment, as described later, the autonomous mobile robot 10 enters the first sensing area 510 but not the second sensing area 520.

[0044] Next, the autonomous mobile robot 10 will be described. Figure 4 This is a schematic side view illustrating an example of an autonomous mobile robot 10 according to an implementation method. Furthermore, Figure 5 This is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the control device 100 of the autonomous mobile robot 10 according to an embodiment.

[0045] The autonomous mobile robot 10 is, for example, a robot that moves autonomously in mobile environments such as residences, facilities, warehouses, factories, and outdoors, and its actions are controlled by a control system. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the control device 100, which will be described later, functions as a control system for the autonomous mobile robot 10. However, it is also possible that some or all of the functions of the control system are implemented in a device other than the autonomous mobile robot 10, such as a server.

[0046] The autonomous mobile robot 10 includes: a moving part 110 for moving the autonomous mobile robot 10; a control device 100 for controlling the autonomous mobile robot 10, including controlling the moving part 110; and a rear structure 150. Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the autonomous mobile robot 10 has a shape where the front is lower than the rear and the rear is higher than the front, and it has an L-shaped shape when viewed from the side.

[0047] The moving part 110 has a vehicle body 111 and wheels 112 rotatably disposed on the vehicle body 111. The moving part 110 rotates the wheels 112 according to control signals from the control device 100, thereby enabling the autonomous mobile robot 10 to move forward, backward, and rotate. Thus, the autonomous mobile robot 10 can move to any position. It should be noted that the above configuration of the moving part 110 is an example and is not limited thereto. For example, the number of wheels 112 in the moving part 110 can be arbitrary; any configuration can be applied as long as the autonomous mobile robot 10 can move to any position.

[0048] The rear structure 150 is a structure with a predetermined length in the vertical direction. The rear structure 150 can also be a rack with internal storage space for goods. The rear structure 150 is located at the rear of the autonomous mobile robot 10. In this embodiment, when the autonomous mobile robot 10 moves, it moves with a first structural portion (front structural portion) having a first height without the rear structure 150 located in front of the robot in the direction of travel, and a structural portion (rear structural portion) having a second height due to the rear structure 150 located in rear of the robot in the direction of travel. That is, when the autonomous mobile robot 10 moves, it moves with the lower first-height structural portion facing forward in the direction of travel, and the higher second-height structural portion facing rear of the robot in the direction of travel. Here, the first height is lower than the second height. For example, the first height is lower than 1 meter. Furthermore, the second height is higher than the first height. For example, the second height is higher than 1 meter.

[0049] Furthermore, as described above, the sensor 210 illuminates the sensing area 500 with light from above the door panel 200 and measures the reflected light, thereby sensing an object entering the sensing area 500. In this case, the entry of the autonomous mobile robot 10 into the sensing area 500 is less likely to be detected by the sensor 210 compared to the entry of a human into the sensing area 500. That is, when the autonomous mobile robot 10 passes through the automatic door 20, if the autonomous mobile robot 10 is not very close to the automatic door 20, the sensor 210 will not react, and the door panel 200 will not open. This is believed to be due to the size, shape, etc., of the autonomous mobile robot 10. In particular, in this embodiment, as described above, when the autonomous mobile robot 10 enters the sensing area 500, the lower structural portion of the autonomous mobile robot 10 enters the sensing area 500 first, therefore the timing of the sensing achieved by the sensor 210 is particularly delayed.

[0050] If the sensing range of sensor 210 is enlarged to detect the autonomous mobile robot 10 at an appropriate distance from the automatic door 20, the sensor 210 might react even to people not passing through the automatic door 20, causing unnecessary door opening. Furthermore, if the automatic door 20 finally opens when the autonomous mobile robot 10 is very close, the detection of people on the opposite side of the automatic door 20 might be delayed. This is because, even though the autonomous mobile robot 10 is equipped with cameras to sense the surrounding people, it cannot detect the presence of people on the opposite side of the automatic door 20 until the door begins to open—in other words, until the autonomous mobile robot 10 is very close to the automatic door 20. This delay in detecting people on the opposite side of the automatic door 20 could also hinder the movement of people about to pass through the automatic door 20. In such a situation, to avoid obstructing movement, the autonomous mobile robot 10 could allow passage through the automatic door 20 to people who would be passing through from the opposite side of the automatic door 20. However, to do so, the autonomous mobile robot 10 would have to move backward. But if there are people or other individuals behind the autonomous mobile robot 10, it cannot move backward, and therefore cannot allow passage through the automatic door 20 to people who would be passing through from the opposite side of the automatic door 20. Based on this background, there is a need for technology that can suppress unnecessary door opening and enable door opening while maintaining an appropriate distance between the autonomous mobile robot 10 and the automatic door 20.

[0051] Reference Figure 5 Now, let's return to the explanation of the structure of the autonomous mobile robot 10.

[0052] The control device 100 is a device for controlling the autonomous mobile robot 10, and includes a processor 101, a memory 102, and an interface 103. The processor 101, the memory 102, and the interface 103 are interconnected via a data bus or the like.

[0053] Interface 103 is an input / output circuit used for communication with other devices such as the moving part 110.

[0054] The memory 102 is composed, for example, of a combination of volatile and non-volatile memory. The memory 102 is used to store software (computer programs) including one or more commands executed by the processor 101, as well as data used in various processes of the autonomous mobile robot 10.

[0055] The processor 101 performs the processing described later in the control device 100 by reading software (computer program) from memory 102 and executing it.

[0056] Processor 101 may be, for example, a microprocessor, an MPU (Micro Processor Unit), or a CPU (Central Processing Unit). Processor 101 may also include multiple processors.

[0057] Thus, the control device 100 functions as a computer.

[0058] The program includes a set of commands (or software code) that, when read by a computer, cause the computer to perform one or more functions described in the implementation. The program may also be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium or a physical storage medium. By way of example, and not limitation, a computer-readable medium or a physical storage medium includes: RAM (random-access memory), ROM (read-only memory), flash memory, SSD (solid-state drive) or other memory technologies, CD-ROM (optical disc read-only memory), DVD (digital versatile disc), Blu-ray disc or other optical disc storage, magnetic cassette, magnetic tape, disk storage, or other magnetic storage devices. The program may also be transmitted on a transient computer-readable medium or a communication medium. By way of example, and not limitation, a transient computer-readable medium or a communication medium includes electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagated signals.

[0059] Figure 6 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of the control device 100 of an autonomous mobile robot 10. For example... Figure 6 As shown, the control device 100 includes a route creation unit 161 and an action control unit 162.

[0060] The route creation unit 161 creates a movement route for the autonomous mobile robot 10. In this embodiment, the route creation unit 161 creates, for example, a movement route that includes movement from a first space 51 (the space in front of the automatic door 20 when viewed from the autonomous mobile robot 10) to a second space 52 (the space opposite the automatic door 20 when viewed from the autonomous mobile robot 10) based on passing through the automatic door 20. However, when creating a movement route through the automatic door 20, the route creation unit 161 creates a movement route that passes through a first portion of the sensing area 510, which is a sensing area for the autonomous mobile robot, and passes through the automatic door 20. That is, the route creation unit 161 creates a movement route that includes a route into the first portion of the sensing area 510 in the sensing area 500. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the autonomous mobile robot 10 has a route creation unit 161, but the route of the autonomous mobile robot 10 can also be created by a device external to the autonomous mobile robot 10 (e.g., a server).

[0061] The motion control unit 162 controls the movements of the autonomous mobile robot 10. Specifically, the motion control unit 162 mainly controls the movements of the moving part 110. The motion control unit 162 can control the rotation of the wheels 112 by sending control signals to the moving part 110, so that the autonomous mobile robot 10 can move to any position.

[0062] Alternatively, the motion control unit 162 may perform known control methods such as feedback control and robust control based on rotation information of the wheel 112 detected by a rotation sensor installed on the wheel 112, thereby controlling the movement of the autonomous mobile robot 10. Furthermore, the motion control unit 162 may control the movement unit 110 based on distance information detected by distance sensors such as cameras and ultrasonic sensors installed on the autonomous mobile robot 10, as well as map information of the moving environment, thereby enabling the autonomous mobile robot 10 to move autonomously.

[0063] In this embodiment, in particular, the motion control unit 162 controls the movement of the autonomous mobile robot 10 in such a way that the autonomous mobile robot 10 moves along the movement path created by the route creation unit 161. Therefore, when moving through the automatic door 20, the motion control unit 162 controls the movement of the autonomous mobile robot 10 in such a way that it passes through the first part of the sensing area 510, which is the sensing area for the autonomous mobile robot, and passes through the automatic door 20.

[0064] As described above, in this embodiment, the first sensing area 510 covers a wider area than the second sensing area 520. Therefore, when the autonomous mobile robot 10 enters the first sensing area 510 and passes through the automatic door 20, the distance between the automatic door 20 and the autonomous mobile robot 10 at the point when the sensor 210 detects the autonomous mobile robot 10 is longer than when the autonomous mobile robot 10 enters the second sensing area 520 and passes through the automatic door 20. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first sensing area 510 is set in an area with low human passage frequency. Therefore, according to this embodiment, unnecessary opening of the automatic door 20 can be suppressed, and opening can be achieved with the autonomous mobile robot 10 and the automatic door 20 at an appropriate distance apart.

[0065] In particular, such as Figure 2 As shown, the first sensing area 510 is preferably an area along at least one of the first wall 61 and the second wall 62 on both sides of the automatic door 20. Generally, there is less pedestrian traffic in the area along the wall. Therefore, by setting the first sensing area 510 in the area along the wall, even without prior investigation of areas with less pedestrian traffic or setting up areas where pedestrian traffic is prohibited, areas with less pedestrian traffic can be easily used as sensing areas for robots. It should be noted that, specifically, the area along the wall refers to the area within a predetermined distance D from the wall, where the distance D is, for example, a predetermined distance of 1 m or less.

[0066] In addition, especially, such as Figure 2 As shown, the first sensing area 510 is more preferably a region along the second wall 62 on both sides of the automatic door 20, wherein the second wall 62 is not adjacent to the first wall 61 that forms immediately after the automatic door 20 begins to open. That is, the first sensing area 510 is preferably a region along the wall on the side opposite to the side where the opening of the automatic door 20 begins. It should be noted that... Figure 2In this diagram, when the automatic door 20 begins to open, the opening starts from the left side. Therefore, it is preferable to provide a first portion of the sensing area 510 along the second wall 62, which serves as the right-hand wall. This is because, with this configuration, the autonomous mobile robot 10 can be prevented from obstructing the movement of a person passing through the space (second space 52) opposite the automatic door 20 immediately after it begins to open. A person who cannot wait for the automatic door 20 to fully open will pass through the gap between the first wall 61 and the door panel 200 immediately after the automatic door 20 begins to open. Therefore, compared to the case where the autonomous mobile robot 10 moves towards the automatic door 20 from the first wall 61 side, the possibility of obstructing a person's movement is further reduced when the autonomous mobile robot 10 moves towards the automatic door 20 from the second wall 62 side. Therefore, it is preferable to provide the first portion of the sensing area 510 along the second wall 62.

[0067] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the first partial sensing area 510 is set along either of the two walls of the automatic door 20, but two first partial sensing areas 510 may also be set along the two walls of the automatic door 20 respectively. Thus, the sensing area 500 may also include multiple first partial sensing areas 510. Furthermore, for example, it may be as follows: Figure 7 As shown, the first sensing area 510 is not necessarily set along either of the two walls of the automatic door 20. In this case, the first sensing area 510 can also be set by conducting a prior survey of areas with low pedestrian traffic or by setting up areas where pedestrian traffic is prohibited. Furthermore, in Figure 2 , Figure 7 In the example shown, the first sensing area 510 is narrower than the second sensing area 520. For example, it could also be, as shown below. Figure 8 As shown, the first sensing region 510 has a range exceeding that of the second sensing region 520. Furthermore, the shapes of the first sensing region 510 and the second sensing region 520 do not necessarily have to be fan-shaped. For example, as... Figure 9 As shown, the shapes of the first sensing area 510 and the second sensing area 520 can also be quadrilaterals.

[0068] Alternatively, if, after the automatic door 20 opens, there is a person in the space (second space 52) on the opposite side of the automatic door 20 and within a predetermined distance of the autonomous mobile robot 10, the motion control unit 162 of the autonomous mobile robot 10 may control the movement of the person waiting to pass through the automatic door 20. With this configuration, the autonomous mobile robot 10 can more reliably prevent itself from obstructing the movement of a person passing through the automatic door 20 from the space on the opposite side of the automatic door 20.

[0069] The implementation method has been described above. In the mobile environment system of this embodiment, the sensing area 500 of the automatic door 20 has a first sensing area 510 (sensing area for the autonomous mobile robot) and a second sensing area 520 (sensing area for pedestrians). The autonomous mobile robot 10 passes through the first sensing area 510 and then through the automatic door 20. Therefore, according to this mobile environment system, an area with less human traffic can be used as a special sensing area for the robot, and the autonomous mobile robot 10 can approach the automatic door from this sensing area. Therefore, unnecessary door opening can be suppressed, and door opening can be achieved while the robot is at an appropriate distance from the door. In particular, in this embodiment, such effects can be obtained with a simple configuration.

[0070] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and appropriate modifications can be made within the scope of the main idea.

[0071] Some or all of the above-described embodiments may also be described as follows, but are not limited to the following.

[0072] (Postscript 1)

[0073] A mobile environment system includes: an autonomous mobile robot; and an automatic door, having a sensor for sensing objects entering a predetermined sensing area, the sensing area having a sensing area for pedestrians and a sensing area for the autonomous mobile robot, the sensing area for the autonomous mobile robot being configured to include an area where the frequency of pedestrian passage is below a predetermined frequency, the autonomous mobile robot passing through the sensing area for the autonomous mobile robot and passing through the automatic door.

[0074] (Postscript 2)

[0075] According to the mobile environment system described in Appendix 1, the sensor is located on the upper part of the automatic door, illuminates the designated sensing area with light, measures the reflected light, and thereby senses objects entering the designated sensing area. The sensing area of ​​the autonomous mobile robot covers a farther range based on the position of the automatic door compared to the range covered by the sensing area of ​​the pedestrian.

[0076] (Note 3)

[0077] According to the mobile environment system described in Appendix 1 or 2, the sensing area of ​​the autonomous mobile robot is an area along at least one of the walls on both sides of the automatic door.

[0078] (Note 4)

[0079] According to the mobile environment system described in Appendix 3, the sensing area of ​​the autonomous mobile robot is a region along the second wall on both sides of the automatic door, wherein the second wall is not adjacent to the first wall that forms the opening of the automatic door immediately after the automatic door begins to open.

[0080] (Note 5)

[0081] According to any one of Appendices 1 to 4, in the case of a person in the space opposite the automatic door and within a specified distance from the autonomous mobile robot after the automatic door opens, the autonomous mobile robot waits for movement to pass through the automatic door.

[0082] As will be apparent from the present disclosure as described herein, embodiments of the present disclosure may vary in many ways. Such variations should not be considered as departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that all such modifications are included within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A mobile environment system, comprising: Autonomous mobile robots; and Automatic doors have sensors that detect objects entering a designated sensing area. The sensing area includes a sensing area for pedestrians and a sensing area for autonomous mobile robots. The sensing area of ​​the autonomous mobile robot is set to include an area where the frequency of human passage is below a specified frequency. The autonomous mobile robot passes through the automatic door by using its sensing area. The sensing area of ​​the autonomous mobile robot covers a farther range based on the location of the automatic door compared to the sensing area of ​​the pedestrian.

2. The mobile environment system according to claim 1, wherein, The sensor is located on the upper part of the automatic door, illuminates the designated sensing area with light, and measures the reflected light, thereby sensing objects entering the designated sensing area.

3. The mobile environment system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The sensing area for the autonomous mobile robot is an area along at least one of the walls on both sides of the automatic door.

4. The mobile environment system according to claim 3, wherein, The sensing area for the autonomous mobile robot is the area along the second wall on both sides of the automatic door, wherein the second wall is not adjacent to the first wall that forms the opening of the automatic door immediately after the automatic door begins to open.

5. The mobile environment system according to claim 1, wherein, After the automatic door opens, if there are people in the space on the opposite side of the automatic door and within a specified distance from the autonomous mobile robot, the autonomous mobile robot waits to move through the automatic door.

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