Control device and control method

Abstract

Provided is a control device for appropriately controlling work equipment. A control device is provided with: an acquisition unit that acquires individual information relating to attributes of a moving body that moves to a workplace by unmanned driving; and a generation unit that generates a control signal in accordance with the individual information, the control signal being a control signal for controlling work equipment disposed in the work site.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device and a control method. Background Art

[0002] There is known a technique of driving a vehicle by unmanned operation in a vehicle manufacturing process (for example, Patent Document 1). Prior Art Documents Patent Documents

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-538619 Summary of the Invention Technical Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When a moving body such as a vehicle moves to a work site by unmanned operation instead of being conveyed to the work site by a conveyor or the like, there has been no sufficient study on how to control equipment arranged at the work site. Means for Solving the Technical Problem

[0005] The present disclosure can be implemented in the following manner.

[0006] (1) According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a control device. The control device includes: an acquisition unit that acquires individual information related to the attributes of a moving body that moves to a work site by unmanned operation; and a generation unit that generates a control signal corresponding to the individual information, the control signal being a control signal for controlling work equipment arranged at the work site. According to the control device of this aspect, the work equipment can be appropriately controlled based on the individual information of the moving body moving to the work site. (2) The control device of the above aspect may further include a transmission unit that transmits the control signal to the work equipment. According to the control device of this aspect, the work equipment can be appropriately controlled by remote control based on the individual information of the moving body moving to the work site. (3) In the control device of the above aspect, the work equipment includes: an actuator; a reception unit that receives the control signal transmitted from the transmission unit; and a drive control unit that drives the actuator using the control signal received by the reception unit. According to the control device of this aspect, the work equipment can be appropriately controlled by remote control based on the individual information of the moving body moving to the work site. (4) The control device of the above aspect may further include a drive control unit that drives the actuator of the work equipment using the control signal. The control device according to this method can appropriately control the working equipment based on the individual information of the moving body moving to the work site. (5) In the control device according to the above method, it may also be that: the acquisition unit acquires the individual information of a plurality of the moving bodies including a first moving body and a second moving body, the second moving body moves to the work site next after the first moving body, and when the content of the individual information of the first moving body and the second moving body is different, the generation unit generates a first control signal as the control signal corresponding to the individual information of the first moving body and a second control signal as the control signal corresponding to the individual information of the second moving body, and when the content of the individual information of the first moving body and the second moving body is the same, the generation unit generates the first control signal without generating the second control signal. The control device according to this method can eliminate the waste caused by generating the same control signal. (6) In the control device according to the above method, it may also be that: the acquisition unit acquires the individual information of a plurality of the moving bodies including a first moving body and a second moving body, the second moving body moves to the work site next after the first moving body, the generation unit generates a first control signal as the control signal corresponding to the individual information of the first moving body and a second control signal as the control signal corresponding to the individual information of the second moving body, and when the content of the individual information of the first moving body and the second moving body is different, the sending unit sends the first control signal and the second control signal to the working equipment, and when the content of the individual information of the first moving body and the second moving body is the same, the sending unit sends the first control signal to the working equipment without sending the second control signal to the working equipment. The control device according to this method can eliminate the waste caused by sending the same control signal. (7) In the control device of the above-described manner, it may also be that: the acquisition unit acquires the individual information of a plurality of the moving bodies including the first moving body and the second moving body, the second moving body moves to the work site next after the first moving body, the generation unit generates a first control signal that is the control signal corresponding to the individual information of the first moving body and a second control signal that is the control signal corresponding to the individual information of the second moving body, the transmission unit transmits the first control signal and the second control signal to the work equipment, and when the contents of the individual information of the first moving body and the second moving body are different, the drive control unit drives the actuator using the first control signal and then drives the actuator using the second control signal, and when the contents of the individual information of the first moving body and the second moving body are the same, the drive control unit drives the actuator using the first control signal and then does not drive the actuator using the second control signal. According to the control device of this manner, it is possible to eliminate unnecessary driving of the actuator and save energy. (8) The control device of the above-described manner may also be: further including: a detection unit that detects the state of the work equipment; and an execution unit that, when the state of the work equipment does not change according to the control signal, executes at least one of a process of decelerating the moving body, a process of changing the moving path of the moving body, and a process of notifying that an abnormality has occurred. According to the control device of this manner, it is possible to appropriately respond when the state of the work equipment should change but does not change. (9) In the control device of the above-described manner, it may also be that: the work equipment is a device having a pair of guide rails for adjusting the traveling direction of the moving body, the individual information includes information related to the width of the moving body, and the generation unit generates the control signal for adjusting at least one of the interval and the angle of the pair of guide rails. According to the control device of this manner, it is possible to adjust the interval and the angle of the guide rails according to the width of the moving body. (10) In the control device of the above-described manner, it may also be that: the work equipment is a device that sprays a liquid onto the moving body, and the generation unit generates the control signal for adjusting the liquid spraying start position with respect to the moving body. According to the control device of this manner, it is possible to adjust the spraying start position according to the individual information of the moving body. (11) In the control device of the above-described manner, it may also be that: the moving body is a vehicle, the work equipment is a device for adjusting the wheel alignment of the moving body, and the generation unit generates the control signal for adjusting the standby position of the work equipment. The control device according to this method can adjust the standby position of the working device according to the individual information of the moving body. (12) In the control device according to the above method, it may also be that: the working device is a device that irradiates electromagnetic waves to the moving body, and the generation unit generates the control signal for adjusting the wavelength of the electromagnetic waves. The control device according to this method can adjust the wavelength of the electromagnetic waves irradiated onto the moving body according to the individual information of the moving body. (13) According to the second method of the present disclosure, a control method is provided. In this control method, individual information related to the attributes of the moving body that moves to the work site by unmanned driving is obtained, and a control signal corresponding to the individual information is generated. The control signal is a control signal for controlling the working device arranged in the work site, and the control signal is used to control the working device. According to the control method of this method, the working device can be appropriately controlled according to the individual information of the moving body moving to the work site. The present disclosure can also be implemented in various ways other than the control device and the control method. For example, it can be implemented in the form of a system, a computer program, and a recording medium recording the computer program, etc. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1 It is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the system according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 It is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle according to the first embodiment. Figure 3 It is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the server device according to the first embodiment. Figure 4 It is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the working device according to the first embodiment. Figure 5 It is an explanatory diagram showing the state of the vehicle traveling in the factory. Figure 6 It is a flowchart showing the processing sequence of the travel control of the vehicle according to the first embodiment. Figure 7 It is a flowchart showing the processing sequence of the operation control of the working device according to the first embodiment. Figure 8 It is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the working device according to the first embodiment. Figure 9 It is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the working device according to the second embodiment. Figure 10 It is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the working device according to the third embodiment. Figure 11It is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the work equipment of the fourth embodiment. Figure 12 It is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the work equipment of the fifth embodiment. Figure 13 It is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the work equipment of the sixth embodiment. Figure 14 It is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the work equipment of the sixth embodiment. Figure 15 It is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle of the seventh embodiment. Figure 16 It is a flowchart showing the processing order of the travel control of the vehicle of the seventh embodiment. Detailed Embodiments

[0008] A. First Embodiment: Figure 1 It is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the system 10 including the control device, that is, the server device 200, in the first embodiment. The system 10 is used, for example, in a factory that manufactures a moving body capable of moving autonomously. In the present embodiment, the system 10 includes: at least one vehicle 100 as a moving body, a server device 200, at least one external sensor 250, a work equipment 300, a process management device 400, and a notification device 500.

[0009] In the present disclosure, a "moving body" refers to an object capable of moving, such as a vehicle or an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (so-called flying car). The vehicle may be a vehicle that travels on wheels or a vehicle that travels on tracks, such as a sedan, a truck, a bus, a two-wheeler, a four-wheeler, a construction vehicle, etc. The vehicle includes an electric vehicle (BEV: Battery Electric Vehicle), a gasoline vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, and a fuel cell vehicle. When the moving body is other than a vehicle, the expressions "vehicle" and "car" in the present disclosure can be appropriately replaced with "moving body", and the expression "travel" can be appropriately replaced with "move".

[0010] The vehicle 100 is configured to be able to travel autonomously. "Autonomous driving" means driving that does not rely on the driving operation of the passenger. The driving operation refers to an operation related to at least one of "traveling", "steering", and "stopping" of the vehicle 100. Autonomous driving is achieved by automatic or manual remote control using a device located outside the vehicle 100, or autonomous control of the vehicle 100. In the vehicle 100 that travels autonomously, a passenger who does not perform a driving operation may also board. Among the passengers who do not perform a driving operation, for example, there are those who only sit on the seat of the vehicle 100, and those who perform operations different from the driving operation, such as assembly, inspection, and operation of switch groups while riding on the vehicle 100. In addition, driving performed by the driving operation of the passenger is sometimes referred to as "human driving".

[0011] In this specification, "remote control" includes "full remote control" that determines all the actions of the vehicle 100 completely from outside the vehicle 100, and "partial remote control" that determines a part of the actions of the vehicle 100 from outside the vehicle 100. In addition, "autonomous control" includes: "full autonomous control" in which the vehicle 100 autonomously controls its own actions without receiving any information from a device outside the vehicle 100, and "partial autonomous control" in which the vehicle 100 autonomously controls its own actions using the information received from a device outside the vehicle 100.

[0012] Figure 2 It is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle 100 in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the vehicle 100 is configured to be able to travel by remote control. The vehicle 100 includes: a vehicle control device 110 for controlling each part of the vehicle 100, an actuator group 120 including at least one actuator that is driven under the control of the vehicle control device 110, and a communication device 130 for communicating with the server device 200 by wireless communication. The actuator group 120 includes an actuator of a driving device for accelerating the vehicle 100, an actuator of a steering device for changing the traveling direction of the vehicle 100, and an actuator of a braking device for decelerating the vehicle 100. The driving device includes a battery, a traveling electric motor driven by the power of the battery, and wheels rotated by the traveling electric motor. The actuator of the driving device includes the traveling electric motor.

[0013] The vehicle control device 110 is composed of a computer including a processor 111, a memory 112, an input / output interface 113, and an internal bus 114. The processor 111, the memory 112, and the input / output interface 113 are connected to be able to communicate bidirectionally via the internal bus 114. The actuator group 120 and the communication device 130 are connected to the input / output interface 113.

[0014] The processor 111 functions as a travel control unit 115 by executing a computer program PG1 prestored in the memory 112. The travel control unit 115 controls the actuator group 120. When a passenger boards the vehicle 100, the travel control unit 115 can make the vehicle 100 travel by controlling the actuator group 120 according to the operation of the passenger. Whether or not a passenger boards the vehicle 100, the travel control unit 115 can make the vehicle 100 travel by controlling the actuator group 120 according to the travel control signal received from the server device 200. The travel control signal is a control signal for making the vehicle 100 travel. In the present embodiment, the travel control signal includes the acceleration and the steering angle of the vehicle 100 as parameters. In other embodiments, the travel control signal may include the speed of the vehicle 100 as a parameter instead of including the acceleration of the vehicle 100, or may include the speed of the vehicle 100 in addition to including the acceleration of the vehicle 100 as a parameter.

[0015] Figure 3 FIG. is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the server device 200 in the present embodiment. The server device 200 is composed of a computer including a processor 201, a memory 202, an input / output interface 203, and an internal bus 204. The processor 201, the memory 202, and the input / output interface 203 are connected via the internal bus 204 so as to be capable of two-way communication. A communication device 205 for communicating with the vehicle 100 and the work equipment 300 by wireless communication is connected to the input / output interface 203. In the present embodiment, the communication device 205 can communicate with the vehicle 100 and the work equipment 300 by wireless communication, and can also communicate with the external sensor 250, the process management device 400, and the notification device 500 by wired communication or wireless communication.

[0016] The processor 201 functions as a remote control unit 210, an acquisition unit 221, a generation unit 222, a transmission unit 223, a detection unit 224, and an execution unit 225 by executing a computer program PG2 prestored in the memory 202. The remote control unit 210 performs remote control of the vehicle 100. Specifically, the remote control unit 210 generates a travel control signal using the detection result of the external sensor 250, and transmits the travel control signal to the vehicle 100, thereby making the vehicle 100 travel by remote control.

[0017] The acquisition unit 221 acquires the individual information of the vehicle 100 that moves to the work site WS through remote control. The work site WS is a site where work on the vehicle 100 is carried out. The work is, for example, component assembly, inspection, adjustment, repair, etc. The individual information includes information related to the attributes of the vehicle 100. The attributes of the vehicle 100 are, for example, vehicle type, model, color, size, etc. In the present embodiment, the attribute of the vehicle 100 is an attribute that can be distinguished by the shape of the vehicle 100. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the attribute of the vehicle 100 is the vehicle type. The shape of the vehicle 100 varies depending on the vehicle type. Therefore, the shape of the vehicle 100 can be distinguished according to the vehicle type. Regarding the attributes that can be distinguished by the shape of the vehicle 100, in addition to the vehicle type, for example, it can also be the model or size. The size is, for example, the width of the vehicle 100, the height of the vehicle 100, and the length of the vehicle 100. The width, height, and length of the vehicle 100 can be the overall width, height, and length of the vehicle 100, or can be the width, height, and length from a specified position of the vehicle 100 to another specified position of the vehicle 100. For example, the width of the vehicle 100 can be the width from the left front wheel of the vehicle 100 to the right front wheel of the vehicle 100. The attribute of the vehicle 100 can also be an attribute that can be distinguished by the color of the vehicle 100. The attributes that can be distinguished by the color of the vehicle 100 are, for example, the body color, the color of the side mirror, and the color of the roof. The generation unit 222 generates a device control signal corresponding to the individual information of the vehicle 100 that moves to the work site WS. The device control signal is a control signal for controlling the work equipment. The transmission unit 223 transmits the device control signal to the work equipment 300.

[0018] The detection unit 224 detects the state of the work equipment 300. The execution unit 225, when the state of the work equipment 300 does not change according to the device control signal, executes at least one of the processes of decelerating the vehicle 100, changing the traveling path of the vehicle 100, and using the notification device 500 to notify that an abnormality has occurred. Decelerating the vehicle 100 includes stopping the vehicle 100. In addition, in other embodiments, the server device 200 may not include the detection unit 224 and the execution unit 225.

[0019] Figure 1 The external sensor 250 shown is a sensor located outside the vehicle 100. The external sensor 250 is used to detect the position and orientation of the vehicle 100. In the present embodiment, the external sensor 250 is a camera installed in the factory FC. The external sensor 250 includes a communication device (not shown) and can communicate with the server device 200 through wired communication or wireless communication.

[0020] Figure 4This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the work equipment 300 in the present embodiment. The work equipment 300 is arranged in the work site WS. In the present embodiment, the work equipment 300 is a device for adjusting the traveling direction of the vehicle 100. The work equipment 300 includes: a device control device 310, a pair of left and right guide rails 320, an actuator 330 for driving the guide rails 320, a sensor 340 for detecting the state of the guide rails 320, and a communication device 350 for communicating with the server device 200 by wireless communication.

[0021] The guide rails 320 are arranged on the ground of the work site WS. The ground of the work site WS where the guide rails 320 are arranged is included in the traveling road TR of the vehicle 100. The wheels of the vehicle 100 come into contact with the guide rails 320, thereby adjusting the traveling direction of the vehicle 100. The guide rails 320 are provided as a pair of left and right. In the present embodiment, each of the left and right guide rails 320 has a first member 321 and a second member 322. The end of the second member 322 is rotatably connected to the end of the first member 321. The left and right first members 321 are arranged parallel to each other. The left and right second members 322 are arranged such that the distance between them becomes narrower as they go from the front side closer to the traveling direction of the vehicle 100 toward the inside. The actuator 330 changes the distance D between the left and right guide rails 320 and the angle θ of the left and right guide rails 320. The distance D between the guide rails 320 is the distance between the left and right first members 321, and the angle θ of the guide rails is the angle of the left and right second members 322. The sensor 340 detects the distance D between the guide rails 320 and the angle θ of the guide rails 320 as the state of the guide rails 320. The sensor 340 can use, for example, an encoder. In the following description, the value detected by the sensor 340 is referred to as the sensor value. The sensor value is sent to the server device 200. Additionally, in other embodiments, the guide rails 320 may not be configured to be able to change the angle θ of the guide rails 320.

[0022] The device control device 310 is composed of a computer including a processor 311, a memory 312, an input / output interface 313, and an internal bus 314. The processor 311, the memory 312, and the input / output interface 313 are connected to be able to communicate bidirectionally via the internal bus 314. The actuator 330, the sensor 340, and the communication device 350 are connected to the input / output interface 313.

[0023] In the present embodiment, the processor 311 functions as a receiving unit 315 and a drive control unit 316 by executing a computer program PG3 pre-stored in the memory 312. The receiving unit 315 receives a device control signal from the server device 200. In the present embodiment, the device control signal includes the distance D between the guide rails 320 and the angle θ of the guide rails 320 as parameters. The drive control unit 316 adjusts the distance D between the guide rails 320 and the angle θ of the guide rails 320 by driving the actuator 330 using the device control signal.

[0024] As Figure 1 shown, the process management device 400 manages all the manufacturing processes of the vehicle 100 in the factory FC. The process management device 400 is composed of at least one computer. The process management device 400 has a database that records various information of the vehicle 100. The various information recorded in the database includes the identification number of the vehicle 100, the vehicle type, the model, the body color, the content of each manufacturing process, the progress of the manufacturing process, and information related to the components installed in each manufacturing process. The process management device 400 is equipped with a communication device (not shown) and can communicate with the server device 200 and various devices in the factory FC through wired communication or wireless communication.

[0025] The notification device 500 is a device for notifying the manager of the system 10 or the factory workers that an abnormality has occurred in the factory. In the following description, the manager of the system 10 or the factory workers will be referred to as the manager, etc. The notification device 500 is, for example, a warning buzzer installed in the factory or a warning light installed in the factory. The notification device 500 can also be a tablet terminal carried by the manager, etc. The notification device 500 is equipped with a communication device (not shown) and can communicate with the server device 200 through wired communication or wireless communication.

[0026] Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the situation where the vehicle 100 travels by remote control in the factory FC. In the present embodiment, the factory FC includes a first place PL1 and a second place PL2. The first place PL1 and the second place PL2 are connected by a driving road TR on which the vehicle 100 can travel. In the factory FC, a plurality of external sensors 250 are provided along the driving road TR. The first place PL1 is a place where the operation of assembling the vehicle 100 is carried out. The vehicle 100 assembled in the first place PL1 becomes a state capable of traveling by remote control, in other words, a state capable of exerting the three functions of "traveling", "steering", and "stopping" by remote control. The vehicle 100 moves from the first place PL1 to the second place PL2 by remote control. The second place PL2 is a place where the operation of inspecting the vehicle 100 is carried out. In the present embodiment, the working device 300 is arranged in the second place PL2. The vehicle 100 that has passed the inspection at the second place PL2 is then shipped out of the factory FC.

[0027] Figure 6It is a flowchart showing the processing sequence of the driving control of the vehicle 100 in the first embodiment. In step 1, the remote control unit 210 uses the detection results output from the external sensor 250 to obtain the vehicle position information of the vehicle 100. The vehicle position information is the position information that serves as the basis for generating the driving control signal. In the present embodiment, the vehicle position information includes the position and orientation of the vehicle 100 in the reference coordinate system of the factory FC. In the present embodiment, the reference coordinate system of the factory FC is the global coordinate system GC, and any position within the factory FC is represented by the coordinates of X, Y, and Z in the global coordinate system GC. In the present embodiment, the external sensor 250 is a camera, and a captured image is output from the external sensor 250 as the detection result. That is, in step 1, the remote control unit 210 uses the captured image obtained from the camera as the external sensor 250 to obtain the vehicle position information.

[0028] Specifically, in step 1, the remote control unit 210, for example, detects the outer shape of the vehicle 100 from the captured image, calculates the coordinates of the positioning points of the vehicle 100 in the coordinate system of the captured image, that is, the local coordinate system, and transforms the calculated coordinates into the coordinates in the global coordinate system GC, thereby obtaining the position of the vehicle 100. The outer shape of the vehicle 100 included in the captured image can be detected, for example, by inputting the captured image into a detection model DM using artificial intelligence. The detection model DM is prepared, for example, inside or outside the system 10 and is pre-stored in the memory 202 of the server device 200. As the detection model DM, for example, a learned machine learning model that has been learned in a manner to achieve either semantic segmentation or instance segmentation can be cited. As this machine learning model, for example, a convolutional neural network (hereinafter referred to as CNN) that has been learned through supervised learning using a learning dataset can be used. The learning dataset, for example, has a plurality of training images including the vehicle 100 and labels indicating which of the regions in the training images represent the region of the vehicle 100 and the region outside the vehicle 100. When learning the CNN, it is preferable to update the parameters of the CNN by backpropagation (error backpropagation method) in such a way as to reduce the error between the output result of the detection model DM and the label. In addition, the remote control unit 210, for example, uses the optical flow method to estimate the orientation of the vehicle 100 based on the orientation of the movement vector of the vehicle 100 calculated from the position change of the feature points of the vehicle 100 between frames of the captured image, thereby being able to obtain the orientation of the vehicle 100.

[0029] In step 2, the remote control unit 210 determines the target position to which the vehicle 100 should next travel. In the present embodiment, the target position is represented by the coordinates of X, Y, and Z in the global coordinate system GC. In the memory 202 of the server device 200, a reference path RR as the path that the vehicle 100 should travel is stored in advance. The path is represented by nodes indicating the departure point, nodes indicating passing points, nodes indicating the destination, and links connecting the respective nodes. The remote control unit 210 uses the vehicle position information and the reference path RR to determine the target position to which the vehicle 100 should next travel. The remote control unit 210 determines the target position on the reference path RR that is ahead of the current position of the vehicle 100.

[0030] In step 3, the remote control unit 210 generates a driving control signal for causing the vehicle 100 to travel toward the determined target position. In the present embodiment, the driving control signal includes the acceleration and the steering angle of the vehicle 100 as parameters. In other embodiments, the driving control signal may include the speed of the vehicle 100 as a parameter instead of including the acceleration of the vehicle 100, or may include the speed of the vehicle 100 as a parameter in addition to including the acceleration of the vehicle 100. The remote control unit 210 calculates the traveling speed of the vehicle 100 based on the change in the position of the vehicle 100, and compares the calculated traveling speed with the target speed. Overall, when the traveling speed is lower than the target speed, the remote control unit 210 determines the acceleration in such a way as to accelerate the vehicle 100, and when the traveling speed is higher than the target speed, the remote control unit 210 determines the acceleration in such a way as to decelerate the vehicle 100. Further, when the vehicle 100 is located on the reference path RR, the remote control unit 210 determines the steering angle and the acceleration in such a way that the vehicle 100 does not deviate from the reference path RR, and when the vehicle 100 is not located on the reference path RR, in other words, when the vehicle 100 deviates from the reference path RR, the remote control unit 210 determines the steering angle and the acceleration in such a way as to return the vehicle 100 to the reference path RR.

[0031] In step 4, the remote control unit 210 transmits the generated driving control signal to the vehicle 100. The remote control unit 210 repeatedly performs acquisition of the position of the vehicle 100, determination of the target position, generation of the driving control signal, and transmission of the driving control signal, etc. at a prescribed cycle.

[0032] In step 5, the driving control unit 115 of the vehicle 100 receives the driving control signal transmitted from the server 200. In step 6, the driving control unit 115 uses the received driving control signal to control the actuator group 120, so that the vehicle 100 travels at the acceleration and the steering angle indicated by the driving control signal. The driving control unit 115 repeatedly performs reception of the driving control signal and control of the actuator group 120 at a prescribed cycle.

[0033] Figure 7 This is a flowchart showing the processing sequence of the operation control of the work equipment 300. Refer to Figure 7 A control method for the work equipment 300 will be described. In step 110, the acquisition unit 221 acquires the individual information of the vehicle 100 that will next move to the work site WS. In the present embodiment, the vehicle 100 that will next move to the work site WS is the vehicle 100 that will next enter the guide rail 320. In the present embodiment, the acquisition unit 221 acquires the vehicle type of the vehicle 100 as the individual information. Since the width W of the vehicle 100 varies according to the vehicle type of each vehicle 100, the vehicle type is related to the width of the vehicle 100. Specifically, the acquisition unit 221 acquires a captured image from the external sensor 250 that captures the vehicle 100 moving toward the work site WS, and uses the captured image to acquire the vehicle type of the vehicle 100. The vehicle type of the vehicle 100 included in the captured image can be acquired, for example, by inputting the captured image into the classification model CM using artificial intelligence. The classification model CM is prepared, for example, inside or outside the system 10 and is pre-stored in the memory 202 of the server device 200. As the classification model CM, for example, a learned machine learning model that has been learned in such a way as to be able to identify the vehicle type of the vehicle 100 included in the captured image can be cited. As this machine learning model, for example, a CNN that has been learned through supervised learning using a learning dataset can be used. The learning dataset, for example, has a plurality of training images including the vehicle 100 and labels indicating the vehicle type of the vehicle 100 included in the training images. In addition, in other embodiments, the acquisition unit 221 may also acquire the vehicle type of the vehicle 100 that will next move to the work site WS from the process management device 400.

[0034] In step 120, the generation unit 222 determines whether the vehicle type of the vehicle 100 that will next enter the guide rail 320 is different from the vehicle type of the vehicle 100 that has previously entered the guide rail 320. Here, the vehicle 100 that has previously entered the guide rail 320 refers to the vehicle 100 that entered the guide rail 320 one before the vehicle 100 that will next enter the guide rail 320. In the following description, the vehicle 100 that will next enter the guide rail 320 will be referred to as the subsequent vehicle, and the vehicle 100 that has previously entered the guide rail 320 will be referred to as the preceding vehicle. In addition, at the time of step 120, the preceding vehicle may not have exited the guide rail 320 yet.

[0035] When it is determined in step 120 that the vehicle types of the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle are different, in step 130, the generation unit 222 generates an equipment control signal corresponding to the vehicle type of the following vehicle. In the memory 202 of the server device 200, a database associating the vehicle type with the interval D and the angle θ of the guide rail 320 is stored in advance. The generation unit 222 uses the database to generate an equipment control signal for driving the actuator 330 such that the interval D and the angle θ of the guide rail 320 correspond to the vehicle type of the following vehicle. In contrast, when it is determined in step 120 that the vehicle types of the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle are the same, the generation unit 222 does not generate an equipment control signal and ends the process.

[0036] In step 140, the transmission unit 223 determines whether the preceding vehicle has exited from the guide rail 320. In the present embodiment, the transmission unit 223 obtains, for example, the vehicle position information of the preceding vehicle from the remote control unit 210 and uses the vehicle position information to determine whether the preceding vehicle has exited from the guide rail 320. Additionally, in other embodiments, the transmission unit 223 may also use the information obtained from the process management device 400 to determine whether the preceding vehicle has exited from the guide rail 320. For example, when the operation performed on the preceding vehicle after exiting from the guide rail 320 has started, the transmission unit 223 can determine that the preceding vehicle has exited from the guide rail 320.

[0037] When it is not determined in step 140 that the preceding vehicle has exited from the guide rail 320, the transmission unit 223 repeats step 140 until it is determined that the preceding vehicle has exited from the guide rail 320. In contrast, when it is determined in step 140 that the preceding vehicle has exited from the guide rail 320, in step 150, the transmission unit 223 sends an equipment control signal to the work equipment 300. The drive control unit 316 of the work equipment 300 changes the interval D and the angle θ of the guide rail 320 by driving the actuator 330 using the received equipment control signal. The drive control unit 316 obtains a sensor value from the sensor 340 and sends the sensor value to the server device 200.

[0038] In step 160, the detection unit 224 starts timing using the timer function. In step 170, the detection unit 224 determines whether a sensor value is received from the work equipment 300. In the present embodiment, the sensor value includes the interval D of the guide rail 320 and the angle θ of the guide rail 320. When it is not determined in step 170 that a sensor value is received, in step 175, the detection unit 224 determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of counting. The predetermined time is set to be shorter than the time from the start of counting until the vehicle 100 enters the guide rail 320. When it is not determined in step 175 that a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of counting, the detection unit 224 returns to step 170 and determines again whether a sensor value is received.

[0039] When it is determined in step 170 that a sensor value has been received, in step 180, the detection unit 224 determines whether the sensor value is appropriate. When both the interval D and the angle θ of the guide rail 320 are within the specified ranges corresponding to the vehicle type of the following vehicle, the detection unit 224 determines that the sensor value is appropriate. When at least one of the interval D and the angle θ of the guide rail 320 is outside the above-mentioned specified range, the detection unit 224 determines that the sensor value is inappropriate. When it is determined in step 180 that the sensor value is appropriate, in step 190, the detection unit 224 resets the timing based on the timer function and ends this process. Additionally, in other embodiments, instead of sending the sensor value to the server device 200, the drive control unit 316 may send the determination result of whether the actuator 330 has been driven according to the device control signal to the server device 200. In this case, the detection unit 224 may also use the determination result to confirm the situation where the guide rail 320 has moved. Additionally, instead of using the sensor value obtained from the drive control unit 316 to confirm the situation where the guide rail 320 has moved, the detection unit 224 may use the external sensor 250 to confirm the situation where the guide rail 320 has moved according to the device control signal.

[0040] When it is determined in step 175 that a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of counting and when it is determined in step 180 that the sensor value is inappropriate, in step 185, the execution unit 225 executes the process of instructing the remote control unit 210 to stop the following vehicle and the process of using the notification device 500 to notify the manager or the like that an abnormality has occurred, and ends this process. The remote control unit 210 that has received the instruction from the execution unit 225 generates a driving control signal to stop the following vehicle and sends it to the following vehicle. The notification device 500 that has received the instruction from the execution unit 225 executes the notification. Additionally, in other embodiments, in step 185, the execution unit 225 may not instruct the remote control unit 210 to stop the following vehicle, but may instruct the remote control unit 210 to decelerate the following vehicle within a non-stop range. In step 185, the execution unit 225 may not instruct the remote control unit 210 to stop or decelerate the following vehicle, but may instruct the remote control unit 210 to make the following vehicle bypass the guide rail 320 and drive.

[0041] Figure 8 It is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the work equipment 300. Figure 8Multiple vehicles 100A and 100B are illustrated in the figure. In the following description, vehicle 100A is referred to as the first vehicle 100A, and vehicle 100B is referred to as the second vehicle 100B. The control signal corresponding to the vehicle type of the first vehicle 100A is referred to as the first control signal, and the control signal corresponding to the vehicle type of the second vehicle 100B is referred to as the second control signal. When the first vehicle 100A as the leading vehicle enters the guide rail 320, by sending the first control signal from the server device 200 to the working device 300, the interval D and the angle θ of the guide rail 320 are adjusted to the interval D1 and the angle θ1 corresponding to the vehicle type of the first vehicle 100A. In Figure 8 this case, the vehicle types of the first vehicle 100A and the second vehicle 100B are different, and the width W1 of the first vehicle 100A is different from the width W2 of the second vehicle 100B. Therefore, during the period from when the first vehicle 100A exits the guide rail 320 to when the second vehicle 100B enters the guide rail 320, the second control signal is sent from the server device 200 to the working device 300, whereby the interval D and the angle θ of the guide rail 320 are adjusted to the interval D2 and the angle θ2 corresponding to the vehicle type of the second vehicle 100B. In contrast, when the vehicle types of the first vehicle 100A and the second vehicle 100B are the same, in other words, when the width W1 of the first vehicle 100A is the same as the width W2 of the second vehicle 100B, the interval D2 and the angle θ2 of the guide rail 320 corresponding to the vehicle type of the second vehicle 100B are the same as the interval D1 and the angle θ1 of the guide rail 320 corresponding to the vehicle type of the first vehicle 100A. Therefore, during the period from when the first vehicle 100A exits the guide rail 320 to when the second vehicle 100B enters the guide rail 320, there is no need to change the interval D and the angle θ of the guide rail 320. In the present embodiment, when the vehicle types of the first vehicle 100A and the second vehicle 100B are the same, during the period from when the first vehicle 100A exits the guide rail 320 to when the second vehicle 100B enters the guide rail 320, the second control signal is not sent from the server device 200 to the working device 300. Therefore, when the second vehicle 100B enters the guide rail 320, the interval D and the angle θ of the guide rail 320 remain the interval D1 and the angle θ1 corresponding to the vehicle type of the first vehicle 100A.

[0042] According to the server device 200 in the present embodiment described above, since the server device 200 generates a device control signal corresponding to the vehicle model of the vehicle 100 and sends it to the work device 300, the work device 300 can operate by using the device control signal received from the server device 200 and can switch to an appropriate state according to the vehicle model of the vehicle 100. In the present embodiment, the interval D and the angle θ of the guide rail 320 are switched to appropriate intervals and angles corresponding to the vehicle model of the vehicle 100 entering the guide rail 320. Therefore, the traveling direction of the vehicle 100 can be appropriately adjusted.

[0043] In addition, in the present embodiment, when the vehicle models of the first vehicle 100A as the preceding vehicle and the second vehicle 100B as the following vehicle are different, the generation unit 222 of the server device 200 generates a first control signal as a device control signal corresponding to the vehicle model of the first vehicle 100A and a second control signal as a device control signal corresponding to the vehicle model of the second vehicle 100B. When the vehicle models of the first vehicle 100A as the preceding vehicle and the second vehicle 100B as the following vehicle are the same, the first control signal is generated and the second control signal is not generated. Therefore, waste caused by generating the same device control signal can be eliminated.

[0044] In addition, in the present embodiment, the server device 200 includes a transmission unit 223 that transmits a device control signal, and the work device 300 includes a reception unit 315 that receives the device control signal and a drive control unit 316 that drives the actuator 330 using the device control signal. Therefore, the server device 200 can control the work device 300 by remote control.

[0045] In addition, in the present embodiment, the server device 200 also generates a travel control signal for driving the vehicle 100 autonomously and sends it to the vehicle 100. Therefore, the vehicle 100 and the work device 300 can cooperate through the server device 200.

[0046] In addition, in the present embodiment, the detection unit 224 detects an abnormality in the interval D and the angle θ of the guide rail 320, and when an abnormality is detected by the detection unit 224, the execution unit 225 instructs the remote control unit 210 not to allow the vehicle 100 to enter the guide rail 320. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of an abnormal situation in the adjustment of the traveling direction of the vehicle 100 through the guide rail 320. In addition, when an abnormality is detected by the detection unit 224, the execution unit 225 causes the notification device 500 to notify that an abnormality has occurred. Therefore, it is possible to enable a manager or the like to recognize the occurrence of an abnormality as early as possible.

[0047] B. Second Embodiment: Figure 9FIG. 0 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a work equipment 300b including a control device, i.e., an equipment control device 310, in the second embodiment. In the present embodiment, the difference from the first embodiment is that the equipment control device 310 generates an equipment control signal instead of the server device 200 generating the equipment control signal. Regarding other configurations, they are the same as those in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0048] In the present embodiment, a processor 311 of the equipment control device 310 functions as an acquisition unit 351, a generation unit 352, a drive control unit 316, a detection unit 354, and an execution unit 355 by executing a computer program PG3 prestored in a memory 312. The functions of the acquisition unit 351, the generation unit 352, the drive control unit 316, the detection unit 354, and the execution unit 355 are basically the same as the functions of the acquisition unit 221, the generation unit 222, the drive control unit 316, the detection unit 224, and the execution unit 225 in the first embodiment. In addition, in the present embodiment, the server device 200 does not include Figure 3 the acquisition unit 221, the generation unit 222, the transmission unit 223, the detection unit 224, and the execution unit 225 shown.

[0049] The acquisition unit 351 acquires the individual information of the vehicle 100 that will next move to the work site WS. The acquisition unit 351 acquires the vehicle type as the individual information. In the present embodiment, a classification model CM and a database associating the vehicle type with the interval D and the angle θ of the guide rail 320 are prestored in the memory 312 of the equipment control device 310. The acquisition unit 351 uses the captured image acquired from the external sensor 250 and the classification model CM to acquire the vehicle type of the vehicle 100 that will next move to the work site WS. The generation unit 352 uses the acquired vehicle type and the database to generate an equipment control signal corresponding to the vehicle type of the vehicle 100 that will next move to the work site WS. The drive control unit 316 drives the actuator 330 using the equipment control signal generated by the generation unit 352. The detection unit 354 detects an abnormality of the work equipment 300b using the sensor 340. When an abnormality of the work equipment 300b is detected, the execution unit 355 executes: a process of instructing the server device 200 to stop the vehicle 100 that will next move to the work site WS, and a process of notifying a manager or the like of the occurrence of the abnormality using the notification device 500. In addition, in other embodiments, the equipment control device 310 may not include the detection unit 354 and the execution unit 355. In addition, when an abnormality of the work equipment 300b is detected, the execution unit 355 may directly instruct the vehicle 100 to stop the vehicle 100 that will next move to the work site WS without passing through the server device 200.

[0050] The equipment control device 310 in the present embodiment described above can adjust the interval D and the angle θ of the guide rail 320 according to the vehicle type of the next vehicle 100 entering the guide rail 320 without relying on the remote control of the server device 200.

[0051] C. Third Embodiment: Figure 10 FIG. is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the working equipment 300c in the third embodiment. In the present embodiment, the working equipment 300c is equipment for jetting a fluid onto the vehicle 100. In addition, the generation unit 222 of the server device 200 generates an equipment control signal for adjusting the jet start position of the fluid for the vehicle 100, which is different from the first embodiment. Regarding other configurations, they are the same as those in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0052] In the present embodiment, the working equipment 300c is equipment for jetting water. The working equipment 300c is used in the operation of checking the water resistance of the vehicle 100. In the water resistance check, water is jetted onto a specified range of the vehicle 100 to check whether the water penetrates into the interior of the vehicle 100. The working equipment 300c includes an arm part 361 and a nozzle part 362. In the present embodiment, the arm part 361 is configured as a vertically articulated robot arm. The arm part 361 is not limited to a vertically articulated robot arm. For example, it may also be configured as a horizontally articulated robot arm, an orthogonal robot arm, or a parallel link robot arm. The nozzle part 362 is installed at the front end part of the arm part 361. The nozzle part 362 jets water. The arm part 361 is driven by an actuator 330. By driving the arm part 361, the position and orientation of the nozzle part 362 can be changed. In other words, by driving the arm part 361, the position where water is jetted onto the vehicle 100 can be changed.

[0053] The acquisition unit 221 of the server device 200 acquires the individual information of the vehicle 100 that is the object of water spraying. The acquisition unit 221 acquires the vehicle model of the vehicle 100 as the individual information of the vehicle 100. The generation unit 222 generates a device control signal including the water spraying start position as a parameter. The height of the vehicle 100 varies depending on the vehicle model. For example, the generation unit 222 generates the device control signal in such a manner that the higher the vehicle height of the vehicle model, the higher the water spraying start position. In the present embodiment, a database associating the vehicle model with the spraying start position is pre-stored in the memory 202. The generation unit 222 uses the information of the vehicle model acquired by the acquisition unit 221 and the database to generate the device control signal. The transmission unit 223 transmits the device control signal generated by the generation unit 222 to the work device 300c. In the present embodiment, when the vehicle models of the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle are the same, the generation unit 222 does not generate a device control signal for the following vehicle. In this case, before the following vehicle enters the work site WS, the transmission unit 223 transmits the device control signal generated for the preceding vehicle to the work device 300c. The work device 300c operates using the same device control signal when inspecting the preceding vehicle and when inspecting the following vehicle.

[0054] According to the server device 200 of the present embodiment described above, it is possible to adjust the water spraying start position according to the vehicle model of the vehicle 100 that is the object of water spraying. In addition, in other embodiments, the work device 300c may be configured to spray a fluid other than water from the nozzle unit 362. For example, the work device 300c may be configured to spray a liquid other than water or a gas such as hot air from the nozzle unit 362.

[0055] D. Fourth Embodiment: Figure 11 FIG. is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the work device 300d in the fourth embodiment. In the present embodiment, the work device 300d is a device for adjusting the wheel alignment of the vehicle 100, and the generation unit 222 of the server device 200 generates a device control signal for adjusting the standby position of the work device 300d, which is different from the first embodiment. Regarding other configurations, they are the same as those in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0056] The work equipment 300d is disposed under the floor of the work site WS where the work of adjusting the wheel alignment of the vehicle 100 is carried out. In the wheel alignment adjustment work, the wheel alignment of the vehicle 100 is adjusted by adjusting the tightening degree of the wheel alignment adjustment screws provided at the lower part of the vehicle 100. The work equipment 300d includes an arm part 371 and a hand part 372. In the present embodiment, the arm part 371 is configured as a vertically articulated robot arm. The arm part 371 is not limited to a vertically articulated robot arm, and for example, it may also be configured as a horizontally articulated robot arm, an orthogonal robot arm, or a parallel link robot arm. The hand part 372 is attached to the front end part of the arm part 371. The hand part 372 is configured to be able to change the tightening degree of the wheel alignment adjustment screws of the vehicle 100. The arm part 371 is driven by an actuator 330. By driving the arm part 371, the position and orientation of the hand part 372 can be changed. In other words, by driving the arm part 371, the standby position of the hand part 372 can be changed. In addition, the standby position of the hand part 372 is sometimes referred to as the standby position of the work equipment 300d.

[0057] The acquisition unit 221 of the server device 200 acquires the individual information of the vehicle 100 that is the object of wheel alignment adjustment. The acquisition unit 221 acquires the information of the vehicle model of the vehicle 100 as the individual information of the vehicle 100. The generation unit 222 generates an equipment control signal including the coordinates of the standby position of the hand part 372 as a parameter. In the present embodiment, a database associating the vehicle model with the coordinates of the standby position is pre-stored in the memory 202. The generation unit 222 uses the information of the vehicle model acquired by the acquisition unit 221 and the database to generate an equipment control signal. The transmission unit 223 transmits the equipment control signal generated by the generation unit 222 to the work equipment 300d. The position of the wheel alignment adjustment screws varies depending on the vehicle model. The standby position of the hand part 372 is adjusted so that when the vehicle 100 enters the work site WS, the hand part 372 does not collide with the vehicle 100. The standby position of the hand part 372 is adjusted so that when the vehicle 100 stops at the work site WS, the hand part 372 is located near the wheel alignment adjustment screws of the vehicle 100. In the present embodiment, when the vehicle models of the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle are the same, the generation unit 222 does not generate an equipment control signal for the following vehicle. In this case, before the following vehicle enters the work site WS, the transmission unit 223 transmits the equipment control signal generated for the preceding vehicle to the work equipment 300d. The work equipment 300d operates using the same equipment control signal when performing adjustment work on the preceding vehicle and when performing adjustment work on the following vehicle.

[0058] According to the server device 200 of the present embodiment described above, the standby position of the work equipment 300d can be adjusted according to the vehicle model of the vehicle 100 that is the object of wheel alignment adjustment.

[0059] E. Fifth Embodiment: Figure 12 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the work device 300e in the fifth embodiment. In this embodiment, the work device 300e is a device that irradiates electromagnetic waves to the vehicle 100, and in addition, the generation unit 222 generates a device control signal for adjusting the wavelength of the electromagnetic waves, which is different from the first embodiment in these aspects. Regarding other configurations, they are the same as those in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0060] In this embodiment, the work device 300e is a device that irradiates visible light to the vehicle 100. The work device 300e is used, for example, in the appearance inspection of the vehicle 100. The work device 300e includes an arm portion 381 and a lamp 382. In this embodiment, the arm portion 381 is configured as a vertically articulated robot arm. The arm portion 371 is not limited to a vertically articulated robot arm and may be configured as a horizontally articulated robot arm, an orthogonal robot arm, or a parallel link robot arm, for example. The lamp 382 is installed at the front end portion of the arm portion 381. The lamp 382 is configured to be able to change the wavelength of the irradiated light, in other words, to be able to change the color of the irradiated light. The arm portion 381 is driven by an actuator 330. By driving the arm portion 381, the position and orientation of the lamp 382 can be changed. In other words, by driving the arm portion 381, the position and orientation of the light irradiated to the vehicle 100 can be changed.

[0061] The acquisition unit 221 of the server device 200 acquires the individual information of the vehicle 100 to be inspected. The acquisition unit 221 acquires the information of the body color of the vehicle 100 as the individual information of the vehicle 100. The generation unit 222 generates a device control signal including the wavelength of the light irradiated from the lamp 382 as a parameter. In this embodiment, a database associating the body color with the wavelength of the light is pre-stored in the memory 202. The generation unit 222 uses the information of the body color acquired by the acquisition unit 221 and the database to generate a device control signal. The transmission unit 223 transmits the device control signal generated by the generation unit 222 to the work device 300e. For example, when the body color of the vehicle 100 is black, since the light is absorbed and it looks dark, the illuminance of the light irradiated from the lamp 382 is adjusted to be higher. When the body color of the vehicle 100 is white, if white light is irradiated, it is difficult to detect coating unevenness, etc., so the light irradiated from the lamp 382 is adjusted to be not white but, for example, red. In addition, if the work device 300e is not used in the appearance inspection of the vehicle 100 but is used in, for example, the leakage inspection of coolant, etc., and the coolant contains a fluorescent coating, the light of the wavelength emitted by the fluorescent coating is irradiated from the lamp 382 for adjustment. In this embodiment, when the body colors of the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle are the same, the generation unit 222 does not generate a device control signal for changing the wavelength of the light irradiated from the lamp 382 according to the body color of the following vehicle.

[0062] The server device 200 according to the embodiment described above can adjust the lighting mode of the working device 300e according to the body color of the vehicle 100 to be inspected. In addition, in other embodiments, the working device 300e may be configured to irradiate ultraviolet rays, infrared rays, etc. instead of visible light.

[0063] F. Sixth Embodiment: Figure 13 FIG. is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the working device 300f in the sixth embodiment. In this embodiment, the working device 300f is a device for conveying components to be assembled on the vehicle 100, which is different from the first embodiment. Regarding other configurations, they are the same as those in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0064] In this embodiment, the working device 300f is configured as an automated guided vehicle that travels under the remote control of the server device 200. The server device 200 can, for example, use the same method as the method for remotely controlling the travel of the vehicle 100 to make the working device 300f travel. The working device 300f is allocated for each vehicle 100 and follows the vehicle 100. The working device 300f conveys the components to be assembled on the allocated vehicle 100. The working device 300f includes a cargo box 391. Components to be assembled on the vehicle 100 are loaded on the cargo box 391. The acquisition unit 221 of the server device 200 acquires the individual information of the vehicle 100 to be assembled. The acquisition unit 221 acquires the vehicle model of the vehicle 100 as the individual information of the vehicle 100. The generation unit 222 generates a device control signal for making the working device 300f follow the vehicle 100. The generation unit 222, for example, acquires the acceleration and steering angle of the vehicle 100 from the remote control unit 210 and generates a device control signal for making the working device 300f travel with the same acceleration and steering angle as the vehicle 100. The transmission unit 223 transmits the device control signal generated by the generation unit 222 to the working device 300f.

[0065] Figure 14 FIG. is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the working device 300f in this embodiment. Figure 14The figure shows two vehicles 100A and 100B and two working devices 300fA and 300fB. The vehicle 100A is referred to as the first vehicle 100A, and the vehicle 100B is referred to as the second vehicle 100B. The working device 300fA is referred to as the first working device 300fA, and the working device 300fB is referred to as the second working device 300fB. The first working device 300fA follows the first vehicle 100A and travels, and the second working device 300fB follows the second vehicle 100B and travels. The first vehicle 100A and the second vehicle 100B travel in a front-to-back arrangement. Therefore, the first working device 300fA and the second working device 300fB travel in a front-to-back arrangement. On the travel paths of the respective vehicles 100A and 100B, there are robotic arms for assembling the components loaded on the respective working devices 300fA and 300fB onto the respective vehicles 100A and 100B. When the first vehicle 100A and the first working device 300fA reach the specified assembly position near the robotic arm, the components loaded on the cargo box 391 of the first working device 300fA are assembled onto the first vehicle 100A by the robotic arm. After that, when the second vehicle 100B and the second working device 300fB reach the above-mentioned assembly position, the components loaded on the cargo box 391 of the second working device 300fB are assembled onto the second vehicle 100B by the robotic arm.

[0066] When the arrangement order of the first vehicle 100A and the second vehicle 100B is changed, the server device 200 changes the arrangement order of the first working device 300fA and the second working device 300fB. That is to say, when the first vehicle 100A travels in front of the second vehicle 100B, the first working device 300fA travels in front of the second working device 300fB, and when the second vehicle 100B travels in front of the first vehicle 100A, the second working device 300fB travels in front of the first working device 300fA.

[0067] The server device 200 according to the embodiment described above changes the arrangement order of the first working device 300fA and the second working device 300fB according to the arrangement order of the first vehicle 100A and the second vehicle 100B. When the vehicle models of the first vehicle 100A and the second vehicle 100B are different, the components to be assembled are different. If the second vehicle 100B travels in front of the first vehicle 100A, but the first working device 300fA travels in front of the second working device 300fB, there is a possibility that the components loaded on the first working device 300fA will be assembled to the second vehicle 100B by the robotic arm. However, in this embodiment, when the second vehicle 100B travels in front of the first vehicle 100A, the server device 200 adjusts in such a way that the second working device 300fB travels in front of the first working device 300fA. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the situation where incorrect components are assembled to the vehicle 100 by the robotic arm. In addition, in other embodiments, the server device 200 may also control the vehicle 100 and the working device 300f, and also control the robotic arm 399. When the position of the component to be gripped by the robotic arm 399 next changes due to the change in the arrangement order of the vehicles 100, the server device 200 may control the robotic arm 399 in such a way that the robotic arm 399 can appropriately grip the component and assemble it to the vehicle 100.

[0068] G. Seventh Embodiment: Figure 15 It is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle 100 in the seventh embodiment. In this embodiment, different from the first embodiment, the vehicle 100 travels by autonomous control of the vehicle 100 instead of remote control by the server device 200. Regarding other configurations, they are the same as those in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0069] In this embodiment, the vehicle 100 is configured to be able to travel by autonomous control. The vehicle 100 can communicate with the external sensor 250 through wireless communication using the communication device 130. In the memory 112, a detection model DM and a reference path RR are stored in advance. The travel control unit 115 generates a travel control signal by itself and controls the actuator group 120 using the generated travel control signal, thereby causing the vehicle 100 to travel. In addition, in this embodiment, the server device 200 does not include a remote control unit 210.

[0070] Figure 16It is a flowchart showing the processing steps of the driving control of the vehicle 100 in the present embodiment. In step 11, the driving control unit 115 obtains vehicle position information using the detection result output from the camera which is an external sensor 250. In step 12, the driving control unit 115 determines the target position to which the vehicle 100 should go next. In step S13, the driving control unit 115 generates a driving control signal for causing the vehicle 100 to travel toward the determined target position. In step 14, the driving control unit 115 controls the actuator group 120 by using the generated driving control signal, so that the vehicle 100 travels according to the parameters indicated by the driving control signal. The driving control unit 115 repeatedly performs the acquisition of vehicle position information, the determination of the target position, the generation of the driving control signal, and the control of the actuator group 120 at a prescribed cycle.

[0071] In the present embodiment described above, even without remotely controlling the vehicle 100 through the server device 200, the vehicle 100 can travel through autonomous control of the vehicle 100.

[0072] H. Other embodiments: (H1) In the above-described embodiments, the acquisition units 221 and 251 acquire the individual information of the preceding vehicle and the individual information of the following vehicle, and the generation units 222 and 252 generate a first control signal which is a control signal corresponding to the individual information of the preceding vehicle and a second control signal which is a control signal corresponding to the individual information of the following vehicle when the contents of the individual information of the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle are different, and generate the first control signal without generating the second control signal when the contents of the individual information of the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle are the same. In contrast, it may also be configured such that the generation units 222 and 352 generate the first control signal and the second control signal even when the contents of the individual information of the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle are the same. In this case, for example, it is configured such that the transmission unit 223 transmits the first control signal and the second control signal to the work equipment 300 to 300f when the contents of the individual information of the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle are different, and transmits the first control signal to the work equipment 300 to 300f without transmitting the second control signal to the work equipment 300 to 300f when the contents of the individual information of the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle are the same. For example, when it is not necessary to change the state of the work equipment 300 to 300f for the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle, there is no need to transmit the second control signal to the work equipment 300 to 300f. When the contents of the individual information of the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle are the same, by transmitting the first control signal to the work equipment 300 to 300f without transmitting the second control signal to the work equipment 300 to 300f, it is possible to eliminate the waste caused by transmitting the same control signal.

[0073] It can also be configured such that even when the content of the individual information of the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle is the same, the transmission unit 223 also transmits the first control signal and the second control signal to the working devices 300 to 300f. In this case, it can also be configured such that the drive control unit 316 of the working devices 300 to 300f uses the first control signal to drive the actuator 330 when the content of the individual information of the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle is different, and then uses the second control signal to drive the actuator 330. When the content of the individual information of the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle is the same, the drive control unit 316 uses the first control signal to drive the actuator 330 and then does not use the second control signal to drive the actuator 330. For example, when it is not necessary to change the state of the working devices 300 to 300f for the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle, it is not necessary to use the second control signal to drive the actuator 330. When the content of the individual information of the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle is the same, by not using the second control signal to drive the actuator 330 after using the first control signal to drive the actuator 330, it is possible to eliminate the unnecessary driving of the actuator 330 and save energy.

[0074] (H2) In each of the above embodiments, the external sensor 250 is a camera. In contrast, the external sensor 250 may not be a camera. For example, it may be a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging). In this case, the detection result output from the external sensor 250 may be three-dimensional point cloud data representing the vehicle 100. In this case, the remote control unit 210 and the travel control unit 115 may also obtain the vehicle position information by template matching using the three-dimensional point cloud data as the detection result and the reference point cloud data prepared in advance.

[0075] (H3) In the first to sixth embodiments above, the server device 200 performs the processing from obtaining the vehicle position information to generating the travel control signal. In contrast, at least a part of the processing from obtaining the vehicle position information to generating the travel control signal may be performed by the vehicle 100. For example, it may be the following methods (1) to (3).

[0076] (1) The server device 200 can acquire vehicle position information, determine the target position to which the vehicle 100 should go next, and generate a path from the current position of the vehicle 100 indicated by the acquired vehicle position information to the target position. The server device 200 can generate a path to the target position between the current position and the destination, or can also generate a path to the destination. The server device 200 can send the generated path to the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 can generate a driving control signal in such a way that the vehicle 100 travels on the path received from the server device 200, and use the generated driving control signal to control the actuator group 120.

[0077] (2) The server device 200 can also acquire vehicle position information and send the acquired vehicle position information to the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 can also determine the target position to which the vehicle 100 should go next, generate a path from the current position of the vehicle 100 indicated by the received vehicle position information to the target position, and generate a driving control signal in such a way that the vehicle 100 travels on the generated path, and use the generated driving control signal to control the actuator group 120.

[0078] (3) In the methods (1) and (2) above, it can also be the case that an internal sensor is mounted on the vehicle 100, and the detection result output from the internal sensor is used in at least one of the generation of the path and the generation of the driving control signal. The internal sensor is a sensor mounted on the vehicle 100. The internal sensor can include, for example, a sensor that detects the motion state of the vehicle 100, a sensor that detects the operation state of each part of the vehicle 100, and a sensor that detects the surrounding environment of the vehicle 100. Specifically, the internal sensor can include, for example, a camera, LiDAR, millimeter-wave radar, ultrasonic sensor, GPS sensor, acceleration sensor, gyro sensor, etc. For example, in the method (1) above, the server device 200 can also acquire the detection result of the internal sensor and reflect the detection result of the internal sensor in the path when generating the path. In the method (1) above, the vehicle 100 can also acquire the detection result of the internal sensor and reflect the detection result of the internal sensor in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal. In the method (2) above, the vehicle 100 can also acquire the detection result of the internal sensor and reflect the detection result of the internal sensor in the path when generating the path. In the method (2) above, the vehicle 100 can also acquire the detection result of the internal sensor and reflect the detection result of the internal sensor in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal.

[0079] (H4) In the above-described seventh embodiment, it is also possible that an internal sensor is mounted on the vehicle 100, and the detection result output from the internal sensor is used in at least one of the generation of the path and the generation of the driving control signal. For example, the vehicle 100 may also acquire the detection result of the internal sensor and reflect the detection result of the internal sensor in the path when generating the path. The vehicle 100 may also acquire the detection result of the internal sensor and reflect the detection result of the internal sensor in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal.

[0080] (H5) In the above-described seventh embodiment, the vehicle 100 uses the detection result of the camera as the external sensor 250 to acquire the vehicle position information. In contrast, it is also possible that an internal sensor is mounted on the vehicle 100, the vehicle 100 uses the detection result of the internal sensor to acquire the vehicle position information, determines the target position to which the vehicle 100 should go next, generates a path from the current position of the vehicle 100 indicated by the acquired vehicle position information to the target position, and generates a driving control signal for traveling on the generated path, and uses the generated driving control signal to control the actuator group 120. In this case, the vehicle 100 can travel without using the detection result of the external sensor 250 at all. In addition, the vehicle 100 may also acquire the target arrival time and / or traffic congestion information from outside the vehicle 100 and reflect the target arrival time and / or traffic congestion information in at least one of the path and the driving control signal.

[0081] (H6) In the above-described first to sixth embodiments, the server device 200 automatically generates the driving control signal transmitted to the vehicle 100. In contrast, the server device 200 may also generate the driving control signal transmitted to the vehicle 100 according to the operation of an external operator located outside the vehicle 100. For example, it may be that the external operator operates a control device including a display for displaying the captured image output from the camera as the external sensor 250, a steering wheel for remotely operating the vehicle 100, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, and a communication device for communicating with the server device 200 by wire or wirelessly, and the server device 200 generates a driving control signal corresponding to the operation applied to the control device.

[0082] (H7) In each of the above embodiments, the vehicle 100 only needs to have a configuration capable of moving autonomously. For example, it can also be a gantry type with the following-described configuration. Specifically, in order for the vehicle 100 to perform the three functions of "traveling", "steering", and "stopping" through autonomous driving, it only needs to have at least a vehicle control device 110 and an actuator group 120. When the vehicle 100 obtains information from the outside for autonomous driving, the vehicle 100 only needs to have a communication device 130. That is, the vehicle 100 capable of moving autonomously may not be equipped with at least a part of the interior components such as the driver's seat and instrument panel, may not be equipped with at least a part of the exterior components such as the bumper and fender, and may not be equipped with the body shell. In this case, the remaining components such as the body shell can be assembled to the vehicle 100 during the period until the vehicle 100 is shipped from the factory FC, or the remaining components such as the body shell can be assembled to the vehicle 100 after the vehicle 100 is shipped from the factory FC in a state where the remaining components such as the body shell are not assembled to the vehicle 100. Each component can be installed from any direction such as the upper side, lower side, front side, rear side, right side, or left side of the vehicle 100, and can be installed from the same direction or from different directions respectively. In addition, for the gantry type, the position determination can be performed in the same manner as the vehicle 100 in the first embodiment.

[0083] (H8) The vehicle 100 can be manufactured by combining multiple modules. A module refers to a unit composed of multiple components aggregated according to the parts and functions of the vehicle 100. For example, the gantry of the vehicle 100 can be manufactured by combining a front module constituting the front part of the gantry, a central module constituting the central part of the gantry, and a rear module constituting the rear part of the gantry. In addition, the number of modules constituting the gantry is not limited to 3, and can also be 2 or less or 4 or more. In addition, in addition to the components constituting the gantry, the components constituting the parts of the vehicle 100 different from the gantry can be modularized, or the components constituting the parts of the vehicle 100 different from the gantry can be modularized instead of the components constituting the gantry. In addition, various modules can also include any exterior components such as bumpers and grilles, and any interior components such as seats and consoles. In addition, not limited to the vehicle 100, any type of moving body can be manufactured by combining multiple modules. Such a module can be manufactured, for example, by joining multiple components with welding or fixing tools, or by integrally molding at least a part of the components constituting the module into one component using casting. The molding method of integrally molding one component, especially a relatively large component, is also called one-piece casting (Giga-casting or Mega-casting). For example, the above-mentioned front module, central module, and rear module can also be manufactured using Giga-casting.

[0084] (H9) The conveyance of the vehicle 100 by using the travel of the driverless vehicle 100 is also referred to as "self-propelled conveyance". In addition, the configuration for realizing self-propelled conveyance is also called "vehicle remote control autonomous travel conveyance system". Further, the production method of producing the vehicle 100 by using self-propelled conveyance is also called "self-propelled production". In self-propelled production, for example, in the factory FC that manufactures the vehicle 100, at least a part of the conveyance of the vehicle 100 is realized by self-propelled conveyance.

[0085] (H10) In each of the above-described embodiments, part or all of the functions and processes implemented in software may also be implemented in hardware. In addition, part or all of the functions and processes implemented in hardware may also be implemented in software. As the hardware for realizing various functions in each of the above-described embodiments, for example, various circuits such as integrated circuits or discrete circuits may also be used.

[0086] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be implemented in various configurations without departing from the gist thereof. For example, the technical features in the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each of the aspects described in the summary of the invention can be appropriately replaced or combined in order to solve part or all of the above problems, or to achieve part or all of the above effects. In addition, as long as the technical feature is not described as an essential part in this specification, it can be appropriately deleted. [Description of Reference Numerals]

[0087] 10: System, 100: Vehicle, 110: Vehicle control device, 111: Processor, 112: Memory, 113: Input / output interface, 114: Internal bus, 115: Travel control unit, 120: Actuator group, 130: Communication device, 200: Server device, 201: Processor, 202: Memory, 203: Input / output interface, 204: Internal bus, 205: Communication device, 210: Remote control unit, 221: Acquisition unit, 222: Generation unit, 223: Transmission unit, 224: Detection unit, 225: Execution unit, 250: External sensor, 300 to 300f: Working device, 310: Device control device, 311: Processor, 312: Memory, 313: Input / output interface, 314: Internal bus, 315: Reception unit, 316: Drive control unit, 320: Guide rail, 321: First member, 322: Second member, 330: Actuator, 340: Sensor, 350: Communication device, 351: Acquisition unit, 352: Generation unit, 354: Detection unit, 355: Execution unit, 361: Arm part, 362: Nozzle part, 371: Arm part, 372: Hand part, 381: Arm part, 382: Lamp, 391: Cargo box, 400: Process management device, 500: Notification device.

Claims

1. A control device comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires individual information related to attributes of a mobile object that moves to a work site by unmanned driving; and A generating unit generates a control signal corresponding to the individual information, wherein the control signal is a control signal for controlling a work device arranged at the work site.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein: The device further includes a transmission unit that transmits the control signal to the operating equipment.

3. The control device according to claim 2, wherein: The operating equipment has: Actuator; a receiving unit that receives the control signal transmitted from the transmitting unit; and A drive control unit drives the actuator using the control signal received by the receiving unit.

4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein: A drive control unit is further provided for driving an actuator of the working equipment using the control signal.

5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein: The acquisition unit acquires the individual information of a plurality of the mobile bodies including a first mobile body and a second mobile body, the second mobile body being the next to move to the work site after the first mobile body. When the contents of the individual information of the first mobile body and the second mobile body are different, the generating unit generates a first control signal as the control signal corresponding to the individual information of the first mobile body and a second control signal as the control signal corresponding to the individual information of the second mobile body, When the content of the individual information of the first moving object and the second moving object is the same, the generation unit generates the first control signal but does not generate the second control signal.

6. The control device according to claim 2, wherein: The acquisition unit acquires the individual information of a plurality of the mobile bodies including a first mobile body and a second mobile body, the second mobile body being the next to move to the work site after the first mobile body. the generating unit generates a first control signal as the control signal corresponding to the individual information of the first moving object and a second control signal as the control signal corresponding to the individual information of the second moving object, When the content of the individual information of the first moving object and the second moving object is different, the transmitting unit transmits the first control signal and the second control signal to the working device. When the content of the individual information of the first moving object and the second moving object is the same, the transmitting unit transmits the first control signal to the working device but does not transmit the second control signal to the working device.

7. The control device according to claim 3, wherein: The acquisition unit acquires the individual information of a plurality of the mobile bodies including a first mobile body and a second mobile body, the second mobile body being the next to move to the work site after the first mobile body. the generating unit generates a first control signal as the control signal corresponding to the individual information of the first moving object and a second control signal as the control signal corresponding to the individual information of the second moving object, The sending unit sends the first control signal and the second control signal to the operating device, When the content of the individual information of the first moving body and the second moving body is different, the drive control unit drives the actuator using the first control signal and then drives the actuator using the second control signal, When the content of the individual information of the first moving object and the second moving object is the same, the drive control unit drives the actuator using the first control signal, and then does not drive the actuator using the second control signal.

8. The control device according to claim 1, wherein: Also available: a detection unit that detects a state of the working equipment; and An execution unit executes at least one of a process of decelerating the moving body, a process of changing a moving path of the moving body, and a process of notifying that an abnormality has occurred, when the state of the working equipment does not change according to the control signal.

9. The control device according to claim 1, wherein: The working equipment is a device having a pair of guide rails for adjusting the traveling direction of the moving body. The individual information includes information related to the width of the moving object. The generating unit generates the control signal for adjusting at least one of a distance and an angle between the pair of guide rails.

10. The control device according to claim 1, wherein: The working device is a device that sprays liquid toward the moving body. The generating unit generates the control signal for adjusting a jetting start position of the liquid with respect to the moving body.

11. The control device according to claim 1, wherein: The mobile object is a vehicle, The working equipment is a device for adjusting the wheel alignment of the mobile body. The generating unit generates the control signal for adjusting the standby position of the working equipment.

12. The control device according to claim 1, wherein: The working device is a device that irradiates electromagnetic waves to the moving body. The generating unit generates the control signal for adjusting the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave.

13. A control method, wherein: Acquire individual information related to the properties of a mobile object moving to a work site by unmanned driving, generating a control signal corresponding to the individual information, wherein the control signal is a control signal for controlling a work device arranged at the work site, The working equipment is controlled using the control signal.

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