Article conveying facility

Abstract

The article transport facility is provided with a plurality of moving bodies that move within a movable region. The moving body includes a peripheral detection device and a peripheral information acquisition unit that acquires peripheral information based on a detection result of the peripheral detection device. Information sharing processing for sharing the surrounding information acquired by each of the plurality of moving bodies existing in the sharing range is executed. The moving body searches for a movement path to a movement destination on the basis of the peripheral information shared by the information sharing process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an article conveying device. Background Art

[0002] For example, in a logistics center or a factory, etc., an article conveying device having a plurality of moving bodies for conveying articles is used. An example of such an article conveying device is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2022-45704. A plurality of moving bodies (article conveying carts 3) convey an article (article W) to a moving destination based on an instruction from a moving body control device (device control device H1). The plurality of moving bodies and the moving body control device are connected in a communicable manner through a communication system (wireless communication). Summary of the Invention

[0003] Each moving body is sometimes configured to search for and determine a moving path to a moving destination based on moving destination information received from the moving body control device and map information showing a movable area. However, since the condition of the movable area may change every moment, there is a possibility that a moving path determined only based on the map information may not be appropriate from the viewpoint of moving efficiency.

[0004] Then, there is a desire to realize an article conveying device capable of improving the moving efficiency of the moving bodies as a whole of the device.

[0005] The article conveying device according to the present disclosure is an article conveying device including the following components: A plurality of moving bodies that move within a movable area to convey articles; A moving body control device that stores and has control map information showing the movable area described above, and indicates a moving destination of each of the plurality of moving bodies based on the control map information; and A communication system that connects the plurality of moving bodies and the moving body control device in a communicable manner, The moving body control device is configured to send moving destination information showing the moving destination to each of the plurality of moving bodies via the communication system, The moving body includes: A storage unit that stores moving body map information showing the movable area described above; A surrounding detection device that detects the condition of its own surroundings; A surrounding information acquisition unit that acquires surrounding information showing the condition of its own surroundings based on the detection result of the surrounding detection device; and A path determination unit that searches for and determines a movement path to the aforementioned movement destination based on the aforementioned movement destination information, the aforementioned map information for the mobile body, and the aforementioned surrounding information received from the aforementioned mobile body control device. The aforementioned communication system is configured to perform the following information sharing process: at least a part of the aforementioned surrounding information obtained by each of a plurality of the aforementioned mobile bodies existing within a predetermined sharing range is shared among the mobile bodies. The aforementioned path determination unit of the mobile body that obtains the aforementioned surrounding information from other aforementioned mobile bodies through the aforementioned information sharing process searches for the aforementioned movement path based on the shared aforementioned surrounding information.

[0006] According to this configuration, each mobile body can accurately search for a movement path not only using the map information for the mobile body but also using the surrounding information obtained based on the detection results of the surrounding detection device. In addition, by sharing among a plurality of mobile bodies existing within the sharing range the surrounding information obtained by each mobile body based on the detection results of the surrounding detection device, each mobile body can further use the surrounding information from other mobile bodies to more accurately search for a movement path. In this way, it is possible to search for a movement path considering the situation that changes every moment, and thus it is possible to improve the movement efficiency of the mobile bodies as an entire article conveying device.

[0007] Through the description of the following exemplary and non-limiting embodiments described with reference to the drawings, further features and advantages of the technology related to the present disclosure become clearer. Description of the Drawings

[0008] Figure 1 It is a top view of the article conveying device of the embodiment. Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the mobile body. Figure 3 It is a block diagram of the control system. Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the communication system. Figure 5 It is a diagram showing an example of the surrounding information displayed on the operation terminal device. Figure 6 It is a diagram showing an example of the movement paths of a plurality of mobile bodies. Figure 7 It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the information sharing process. Figure 8 It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the information sharing process. Detailed Embodiments

[0009] An embodiment of an article conveying device will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. For example, in a semiconductor manufacturing factory or the like, the article conveying device 1 of the present embodiment is used to convey an article 7. As Figure 1 shown, the article conveying device 1 includes a plurality of moving bodies 20 that travel on a floor 10. Mobile terminal devices 30 are respectively provided on the plurality of moving bodies 20. In addition, in addition to the moving bodies 20 (mobile terminal devices 30), as Figure 3 shown, the article conveying device 1 further includes a moving body control device 40, an operation terminal device 50, and a communication system 60. The moving bodies 20 (mobile terminal devices 30), the moving body control device 40, and the operation terminal device 50 are connected via the communication system 60 so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0010] The floor 10 includes a floor surface 11 and various installations 12 provided on the floor surface 11. As the installations 12, for example, there are included a storage rack 13 for storing the article 7 or a processing device 14 for performing various processes on a semiconductor substrate (such as a mask process, an etching process, a bonding process, and a molding process, etc.). In addition, the installations 12 may also include a mounting table 15 provided together with the processing device 14 for receiving the conveyed article 7 and transferring the conveyed article 7, etc.

[0011] Here, as the article 7 which is the object to be conveyed by the moving body 20, for example, a wafer accommodation container (so-called FOUP: Front Opening Unified Pod) for accommodating wafers or an intermediate mask accommodation container (so-called intermediate mask box) for accommodating intermediate masks are exemplified.

[0012] The moving body 20 travels in an area on the floor surface 11 of the floor 10 where there are no installations 12 (hereinafter, referred to as the "area without installations"). The moving body 20 travels in an area in the area without installations on the floor surface 11 other than the area near the installations 12 (for example, an area where the distance to the installation 12 is equal to or less than a reference distance, hereinafter, referred to as the "area near the installation"). In the present embodiment, this area without installations reduced area is referred to as the movable area A. The movable area A can be grasped as one whole area or as a plurality of divided areas. The movable area A of the present embodiment includes a first area A1, a second area A2, and a third area A3 arranged in sequence.

[0013] The moving body 20 conveys the article 7. As Figure 2As shown, the mobile body 20 includes a traveling trolley 21 and a clean booth 26. The traveling trolley 21 and the clean booth 26 are connected to each other in a manner of moving in conjunction. In this embodiment, the clean booth 26 is mounted and fixed on the traveling trolley 21, and the traveling trolley 21 and the clean booth 26 move integrally. In addition, in this embodiment, a mobile body terminal device 30 is provided on the mobile body 20.

[0014] The traveling vehicle 21 includes a vehicle body 22 and a plurality of wheels 23 rotatably supported by the vehicle body 22. At least one of the plurality of wheels 23 is connected to a drive motor and functions as a drive wheel. In addition, at least one of the plurality of wheels 23 is supported so as to be rotatable around an axis in the up-down direction and functions as a steering wheel. In addition, the traveling vehicle 21 includes a peripheral detection device 24. The peripheral detection device 24 is fixed to the vehicle body 22. Figure 2 , an example is shown in which one peripheral detection device 24 is fixed to the front surface of the vehicle body 22, but a plurality of peripheral detection devices 24 may be appropriately separated and fixed to the outer surfaces (front surface, rear surface, and both side surfaces) of the vehicle body 22.

[0015] The surrounding detection device 24 is a device for detecting the surrounding conditions of itself (the surrounding detection device 24, and further, the mobile body 20 provided with the surrounding detection device 24). As the surrounding detection device 24, any device that can detect certain surrounding conditions of itself can be used without particular limitation. As specific examples of the surrounding detection device 24, ultrasonic sensors, infrared sensors, laser sensors, LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging), microwave sensors, millimeter wave sensors, and cameras can be exemplified, and multiple of these can also be used in combination.

[0016] The surrounding detection device 24 detects the presence or absence of objects (obstacles or other mobile bodies 20) around itself, the shape / size / state of the objects when there are objects, etc. The information of the detection result by the surrounding detection device 24 is transmitted to the mobile terminal device 30, for example, by visible light communication or infrared communication.

[0017] In the present embodiment, a support table 25 is fixed to the traveling carriage 21. A mobile terminal device 30 is mounted on the support table 25. The mobile terminal device 30 can be integrally fixed to the support table 25 or can be detachably mounted on the support table 25. In the former case, for example, a microcomputer can be used as the mobile terminal device 30, and in the latter case, for example, an intelligent device such as a tablet terminal can be used as the mobile terminal device 30. In addition, a receiver for receiving information on the detection results transmitted from the peripheral detection device 24 may be provided on the support table 25.

[0018] The clean booth 26 is a device for forming a highly clean space inside it. The clean booth 26 includes an outer wall 27 and a dust removal device 29. The outer wall 27 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and has side walls surrounding the four sides and a top wall covering the upper part. Inside the outer wall 27, a storage space for accommodating the article 7 is formed. A support plate 28 for supporting the article 7 from below may also be provided inside the outer wall 27. In the case where the support plate 28 is provided, it may be provided in multiple layers.

[0019] The dust removal device 29 is provided on the outer wall 27. The dust removal device 29 is a device for removing dust from the outside air taken into the clean booth 26. As the dust removal device 29, a fan filter unit having a fan and a filter (for example, a HEPA filter; High Efficiency Particulate Air filter) can be used. In Figure 2 FIG., an example in which the dust removal device 29 is provided on the top wall in the outer wall 27 is shown, but the dust removal device 29 may also be provided on the side wall in the outer wall 27.

[0020] As Figure 3 shown, the mobile body 20 (specifically, the mobile terminal device 30 included in the mobile body 20) includes a storage unit 31, a peripheral information acquisition unit 32, a path determination unit 33, a travel control unit 34, and a communication unit 36.

[0021] The storage unit 31 is a device for storing various information. The storage unit 31 can be constituted by, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory) built in the mobile terminal device 30. In the present embodiment, in particular, the storage unit 31 stores and has mobile body map information Mb. The mobile body map information Mb is information showing a map of the movable area A in the article conveying device 1. The mobile body map information Mb includes, for example, position coordinates of each of a plurality of locations in the movable area A, the category of the installed objects 12 in the vicinity, the distance between two adjacent locations, and the like. In addition, these are only examples, and other information may also be included in the mobile body map information Mb.

[0022] The surrounding information acquisition unit 32 acquires surrounding information V indicating the situation of the surroundings of itself (the mobile terminal device 30 having the surrounding information acquisition unit 32, and further, the mobile body 20 provided with the mobile terminal device 30). The surrounding information acquisition unit 32 acquires the surrounding information V based on the detection results received from the surrounding detection device 24. The surrounding information V acquired by the surrounding information acquisition unit 32 may be the original state of the information on the situation of the surroundings of the surrounding detection device 24 detected by the surrounding detection device 24 (i.e., raw data), or may be information with some processing (i.e., processed data).

[0023] The path determination unit 33 searches for and determines a movement path to the movement destination that is the destination of the conveyed item 7. In the present embodiment, the mobile terminal device 30 receives movement destination information D indicating the movement destination to which the mobile body 20 having the mobile terminal device 30 should travel from a mobile body control device 40 described later. The mobile terminal device 30 that has received the movement destination information D searches for and determines a movement path to the movement destination based on the received movement destination information D, the mobile body map information Mb, and the surrounding information V. The path determination unit 33 can perform the search for the movement path using, for example, a method such as Dijkstra's method.

[0024] The travel control unit 34 controls the travel of the mobile body 20. The travel control unit 34 performs control so that the mobile body 20 travels along the movement path to the movement destination determined by the path determination unit 33.

[0025] The communication unit 36 performs communication with other mobile bodies 20 (the mobile terminal devices 30 provided in the mobile bodies 20), the mobile body control device 40, and the operation terminal device 50. The communication unit 36 can use, for example, an antenna capable of Wi-Fi connection. The communication unit 36 together with the communication units 36 of other mobile bodies 20 (mobile terminal devices 30), the communication unit 46 of the mobile body control device 40, the communication unit 56 of the operation terminal device 50, etc. constitutes a communication system 60. In addition, Figure 3 in, the communication unit 36 is shown in a schematic manner to illustrate this situation, but the communication unit 36 may also be built into the mobile terminal device 30.

[0026] The moving body 20 moves to the moving destination indicated by the moving destination information D along the moving path determined by the path determination unit 33 under the control of the travel control unit 34. At this time, the surrounding condition is detected by the surrounding detection device 24 at a predetermined cycle, and the surrounding information V is continuously acquired by the surrounding information acquisition unit 32. The moving body 20 performs, for example, necessary deceleration processing or temporary stop processing based on the continuously acquired surrounding information V, and at the same time travels along the moving path to the moving destination. As such a moving body 20, for example, an autonomous mobile robot called an AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot) can be used.

[0027] In the case where the AMR is used as the moving body 20, it is preferable that multiple moving bodies 20 and multiple operators can cooperate with high safety in the article conveying device 1. In addition, it is also preferable that the layout change of the installation 12 in the article conveying device 1 can be flexibly coped with.

[0028] The moving body control device 40 manages the whole of the multiple moving bodies 20. The moving body control device 40 is a superior control device that comprehensively controls the moving body terminal devices 30 provided in each of the multiple moving bodies 20. As the moving body control device 40, for example, a workstation or the like can be used. As Figure 3 shown, the moving body control device 40 includes a storage unit 41, a comprehensive control unit 42, and a communication unit 46.

[0029] The storage unit 41 is a device that stores various information. The storage unit 41 can be constituted by, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a hard disk built in the moving body control device 40. In the present embodiment, in particular, the storage unit 41 stores and has control map information Ma. The control map information Ma is information showing a map of the movable area A in the article conveying device 1. The control map information Ma includes, for example, position coordinates of each of multiple locations in the movable area A, the category of the installation 12 in the vicinity, the distance between two adjacent locations, and the like. In addition, these are only examples, and other information can also be included in the control map information Ma. The control map information Ma can be the same as or different from the moving body map information Mb stored in the moving body terminal device 30.

[0030] The overall control unit 42 overall controls the movement of each of the plurality of mobile bodies 20. In the present embodiment, the overall control unit 42 indicates the movement destination of each of the plurality of mobile bodies 20 based on the control map information Ma stored in the storage unit 41. As the movement destination of the mobile body 20, for example, the position of the storage rack 13 or the placement table 15 that should receive the article 7 or the position of the storage rack 13 or the placement table 15 to which the article 7 should be delivered can be cited. The overall control unit 42 generates movement destination information D showing the movement destination for each of the plurality of mobile bodies 20.

[0031] The movement destination information D generated by the overall control unit 42 is transmitted via the communication unit 46. The communication unit 46 performs communication with the plurality of mobile bodies 20 (mobile body terminal devices 30 each provided) or the operation terminal device 50. The communication unit 46 can use, for example, an antenna capable of Wi-Fi connection. The communication unit 46 may also be built into the mobile body control device 40. The communication unit 46 together with the communication units 36 of the plurality of mobile bodies 20 (mobile body terminal devices 30) or the communication unit 56 of the operation terminal device 50 constitutes a communication system 60.

[0032] The operation terminal device 50 is a terminal device carried by an operator who operates in the article conveying device 1. As the operation terminal device 50, for example, a smart device such as a smart phone or a tablet terminal can be used. The operation terminal device 50 includes a display unit 51 and a communication unit 56.

[0033] The display unit 51 is a device that displays various information. The display unit 51 is constituted by, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. The display unit 51 may also be configured to integrate a touch panel and serve as an input unit. The display unit 51 can display the information received via the communication unit 56.

[0034] The communication unit 56 performs communication with the plurality of mobile bodies 20 (mobile body terminal devices 30 each provided) or the mobile body control device 40. The communication unit 56 can use, for example, an antenna capable of Wi-Fi connection. The communication unit 56 may also be built into the operation terminal device 50. The communication unit 56 together with the communication units 36 of the plurality of mobile bodies 20 (mobile body terminal devices 30) or the communication unit 46 of the mobile body control device 40 constitutes a communication system 60.

[0035] The communication system 60 connects the plurality of mobile bodies 20 (mobile body terminal devices 30), the mobile body control device 40, and the operation terminal device 50 in a communicable manner. The communication system 60 of the present embodiment connects the plurality of mobile bodies 20 (mobile body terminal devices 30), the mobile body control device 40, and the operation terminal device 50 in a communicable manner by wireless communication (for example, Wi-Fi communication conforming to the IEEE802.11 standard). As Figure 4As shown, the communication system 60 includes a relay processing device 62 and a plurality of wireless transceiver units 61.

[0036] The wireless transceiver units 61 are provided at a plurality of locations in the movable area A of the article conveying device 1. The wireless transceiver unit 61 is a machine that transmits and receives radio waves (Wi-Fi waves), and corresponds to what is called an access point. The wireless transceiver unit 61 may also have the function of an access point and the function of a router. In the plurality of wireless transceiver units 61, a communicable range C is respectively set. The communicable range C of each wireless transceiver unit 61 is a range within a predetermined distance centered on the position of the wireless transceiver unit 61. The plurality of wireless transceiver units 61 are arranged so as to cover most (preferably all) of the movable area A with the entirety of their respective communicable ranges C.

[0037] The relay processing device 62 is connected to the plurality of wireless transceiver units 61 in a communicable manner. The relay processing device 62 of the present embodiment is connected to a part of the wireless transceiver units 61 among all the wireless transceiver units 61 provided in the article conveying device 1 in a communicable manner. In the present embodiment, one relay processing device 62 is provided for each divided area (in this example, the first area A1, the second area A2, and the third area A3) of the movable area A. The relay processing device 62 of each divided area is connected to the plurality of wireless transceiver units 61 within the divided area in a communicable manner (in Figure 4 only the relay processing device 62 of the second area A2 is shown, but it is also similarly provided in the first area A1 or the third area A3).

[0038] The relay processing device 62 is a processing device that performs a part of data processing separately from the mobile body control device 40 in the edge part of the network, and corresponds to what is called an edge computer. The relay processing device 62 plays a central role in the information sharing process executed by the communication system 60 in the article conveying device 1 of the present embodiment.

[0039] As described above, each mobile body 20 acquires the surrounding information V through the surrounding information acquisition unit 32 provided in the mobile body terminal device 30 and moves (travels) at the same time. In the information sharing process executed by the communication system 60, at least a part of the surrounding information V acquired by each of the plurality of mobile bodies 20 existing within a predetermined sharing range S is shared with each other.

[0040] A shared range S is set based on the respective communicable ranges C of the wireless transceivers 61, and this shared range S serves as a location condition for multiple mobile bodies 20 to perform information sharing processing. In the present embodiment, the shared range S is set to be the respective communicable ranges C of the wireless transceivers 61. In this case, at least a part of the surrounding information V acquired by each of the multiple mobile bodies 20 existing within the communicable range C of a certain wireless transceiver 61 is shared with each other, and this operation is performed separately within the communicable ranges C of the multiple wireless transceivers 61.

[0041] In the information sharing processing, a mobile body 20 existing within a certain shared range S (communicable range C) transmits the surrounding information V to the wireless transceiver 61 within this shared range S (communicable range C). The wireless transceiver 61 that has received the surrounding information V forwards the surrounding information V to a relay processing device 62 provided in the same divided area as this wireless transceiver 61. The relay processing device 62 stores the received surrounding information V in a storage unit (built-in RAM or hard disk, etc.) provided in this relay processing device 62. In addition, the relay processing device 62 transmits the surrounding information V stored and accumulated in the storage unit to other mobile bodies 20 existing within the same shared range S (communicable range C). Through such processing, the surrounding information V is shared among the multiple mobile bodies 20.

[0042] Furthermore, the multiple mobile bodies 20 that share the surrounding information V through the information sharing processing may exist within the shared range S (communicable range C) at the same time or at different times. In particular, in the present embodiment, through the intervention of the relay processing device 62, it is possible to share the surrounding information V among the multiple mobile bodies 20 that exist within the shared range S (communicable range C) at different times. That is, in the information sharing processing of the present embodiment, the surrounding information V stored in the relay processing device 62 is also shared with other mobile bodies 20 that later enter the shared range S.

[0043] In the present embodiment, in the information sharing processing, at least a part of the surrounding information V acquired by any one mobile body 20 is also shared with an operation terminal device 50 existing within the shared range S. As described above, the relay processing device 62 stores in the storage unit and has the surrounding information V received from any one mobile body 20. The relay processing device 62 also shares the surrounding information V with the operation terminal device 50 by transmitting the surrounding information V stored and accumulated in the storage unit to the operation terminal device 50 existing within the same shared range S (communicable range C).

[0044] In information sharing processing, the information to be shared can be set to all the surrounding information V obtained by each mobile body 20, or can be set to only a part. Even in the latter case, it is preferable that the shared surrounding information V at least includes information that affects the movement of the mobile body 20. Here, as information that affects the movement of the mobile body 20, information such as the meaning of being under construction, the meaning of the existence of steps, and the meaning of the existence of obstacles (including other mobile bodies 20 that cannot move due to failures, etc.) within the movable area A is exemplified. These are preferably associated with the information of the position coordinates of this location.

[0045] The information that affects the movement of the mobile body 20 may not only include the information that affects at present as listed above, but also include information that is predicted to possibly have an impact in the near future even if it has no impact at this moment. As such future prediction information, for example, information such as the meaning of the existence of other mobile bodies 20 showing unnatural actions within the movable area A is exemplified.

[0046] The path determination unit 33 of the mobile body 20 that obtains the surrounding information V from other mobile bodies 20 through information sharing processing also searches for the movement path to the movement destination based on the shared surrounding information V. That is, the path determination unit 33 of the mobile body 20 searches for the movement path based on the above-mentioned movement destination information D, the map information Mb for mobile bodies, the surrounding information V obtained by itself, and the surrounding information V obtained from other mobile bodies 20 through information sharing processing. In addition, if the movement path has not been determined at this moment, the path determination unit 33 newly searches for and determines the movement path to the movement destination. Further, if the movement path has been determined at this moment, the path determination unit 33 searches for the movement path to the movement destination again. By performing such processing, the surrounding information V obtained from other mobile bodies 20 can be effectively utilized, and the search for the movement path (new search / re - search) can be accurately performed.

[0047] The operation terminal device 50 that obtains the surrounding information V through information sharing processing displays the shared surrounding information V on the display unit 51. For example, as Figure 5 shown, the operation terminal device 50 displays the surrounding information V in text on the display unit 51. The operation terminal device 50 may also visualize the surrounding information V and display it on the display unit 51. In addition, the operation terminal device 50 may output the surrounding information V from the speaker as sound data.

[0048] Alternatively, in the shared surrounding information V, in addition to the information that affects the movement of the moving body 20 described above, there may also be information that does not affect the movement of the moving body 20. Here, as the information that does not affect the movement of the moving body 20, examples include information related to construction or obstacles outside the movable area A or environmental information (such as temperature or humidity information) inside the article conveying device 1.

[0049] In the information sharing process, it also includes sharing the information in the surrounding information V that does not affect the movement of the moving body 20. Thus, for example, various information can be transmitted to the operator, improving the convenience of the operator. Therefore, when sharing information that also includes the information that does not affect the movement of the moving body 20, it is preferable to share the surrounding information V not only between the moving bodies 20 but also with the operation terminal device 50 existing within the same sharing range S (communicable range C).

[0050] On the other hand, if it is configured not to share the information in the surrounding information V that does not affect the movement of the moving body 20 in the information sharing process, there is an advantage that the load on the communication system 60 can be reduced. Therefore, alternatively, the information sharing with the moving body 20 can be only the information in the surrounding information V that affects the movement of the moving body 20, and the information sharing with the operation terminal device 50 can be set to all the surrounding information V, etc., and the content of the shared information can be made different according to the information sharing partner.

[0051] The plurality of moving bodies 20 that share the surrounding information V through the information sharing process are preferably moving bodies with different moving path orientations from each other. As long as the plurality of moving bodies 20 move along different orientations in their respective moving paths, they can complement each other's surrounding information V and can accurately search for the moving path (new search / re - search) respectively. The plurality of moving bodies 20 are preferably moving bodies with an angle of 90° or more formed by the orientations of their respective moving paths, and more preferably moving bodies with opposite orientations from each other.

[0052] Refer to Figures 6 to 8 A more specific example of the information sharing process will be described. In this example, it is assumed that three moving bodies 20 move along the moving paths indicated by the dashed arrows in Figure 6 In addition, here, for the sake of convenience of explanation, the three moving bodies 20 are respectively distinguished by the symbols "20A", "20B", and "20C".

[0053] As Figure 6As shown, after the mobile body 20A moves approximately in the -Y direction in the first region A1, it changes its orientation to the +X direction and moves from the first region A1 in the +X direction to the third region A3. After the mobile body 20B moves approximately from the third region A3 in the -X direction to the second region A2, it changes its orientation to the +Y direction and moves in the +Y direction in the second region A2. The mobile body 20C moves approximately from the third region A3 in the -X direction to the first region A1 at a position closer to the +Y direction side than the mobile body 20B.

[0054] At this time, as Figure 7 shown, it is assumed that there is another mobile body 20 (shown as "20F" in Figure 7 ) that has malfunctioned and cannot move around the moving path of the mobile body 20B in the second region A2. When passing by the side of this mobile body 20F, the mobile body 20B generates surrounding information V indicating the presence of an obstacle (the malfunctioning mobile body 20F) at this position. The generated surrounding information V is stored in the storage unit 31 of the mobile body terminal device 30 provided in the mobile body 20B.

[0055] Thereafter, if the mobile body 20B enters the communicable range C of the new wireless transceiver unit 61 at the moving destination, the mobile body 20B transmits the surrounding information V related to the presence of the previously acquired obstacle (the malfunctioning mobile body 20F) to the corresponding relay processing device 62. The relay processing device 62 stores the surrounding information V received from the mobile body 20B in the storage unit. In addition, the relay processing device 62 transmits the stored surrounding information V to other mobile bodies 20 (in this example, the mobile bodies 20A and 20C) that are present in the communicable range C (i.e., the shared range S) of the same wireless transceiver unit 61 at this time.

[0056] The mobile body 20A re-searches the moving path to the moving destination based on the received surrounding information V (here, in particular, at least including the surrounding information V from the mobile body 20B). In the surrounding information V from the mobile body 20B, there is information indicating the presence of an obstacle (the malfunctioning mobile body 20F) at the destination where the mobile body 20A is going from now on, so the passing cost of the path through this position becomes larger. As a result, the possibility that the mobile body 20A determines a new moving path (shown by the thick dashed arrow in Figure 8 ) to bypass the obstacle (the malfunctioning mobile body 20F) through path re-search increases. Therefore, the possibility of congestion occurring at the location of the obstacle (the malfunctioning mobile body 20F) can be reduced, and the moving efficiency of the mobile body 20 as a whole of the article conveying device 1 can be improved.

[0057] In addition, the mobile body 20C also receives the same surrounding information V. However, the position of the obstacle (the malfunctioning mobile body 20F) is not the destination that the mobile body 20C is going to. Therefore, even if the path is searched again, the movement path of the mobile body 20C remains unchanged.

[0058] If the operator carrying the operation terminal device 50 is within the communicable range C (shared range S) of the same wireless transceiver unit 61, the relay processing device 62 also transmits the stored surrounding information V to the operation terminal device 50. The operation terminal device 50 that has received the surrounding information V displays the surrounding information V on the display unit 51 (as an example, refer to Figure 5 ). If information related to the malfunctioning mobile body 20F is displayed on the display unit 51 of the operation terminal device 50 as in this example, the operator who sees this information can go to the site as quickly as possible to respond to the malfunction. By providing various information to the operator, the convenience of the operator can be improved.

[0059] 〔Other Embodiments〕 (1) In the above-described embodiment, the following configuration has been described as an example: in the information sharing process, among the multiple mobile bodies 20 existing within the shared range S, the surrounding information V is shared with each other, and the surrounding information V is also shared with the operation terminal device 50 existing within the same shared range S. However, it is not limited to such a configuration. In the information sharing process, among the multiple mobile bodies 20 existing within the shared range S, the surrounding information V may be shared only with each other. Alternatively, in the information sharing process, the surrounding information V obtained by any one of the mobile bodies 20 may be shared only with the operation terminal device 50 existing within the same shared range S.

[0060] (2) In the above-described embodiment, the following configuration has been mainly assumed and described: the communication between the mobile body 20 and the relay processing device 62 is performed via the wireless transceiver unit 61. However, it is not limited to such a configuration. The mobile body 20 and the relay processing device 62 may also communicate directly. For example, when the mobile body 20 is near the relay processing device 62, the mobile body 20 and the relay processing device 62 may perform cross communication. The cross communication between the mobile body 20 and the relay processing device 62 can be set to be performed when the distance between the two is equal to or less than the reference distance. In this case, the reference distance can be set to a distance that is N times the width of the mobile body 20 (N is an integer of 3 or less, for example).

[0061] (3) In the above-described embodiments, the following configuration has been described as an example: Information sharing among the plurality of mobile bodies 20 is performed via the wireless transceiver unit 61 and the relay processing device 62. However, it is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the surrounding information V may also be shared mutually by direct communication between the plurality of mobile bodies 20. The direct communication between the plurality of mobile bodies 20 can be performed, for example, when they cross each other. The cross communication between the plurality of mobile bodies 20 can be set to communication performed when the distance between the two is equal to or less than a reference distance. In this case, the reference distance can be set to a distance that is M times the width of the mobile body 20 (M is an integer of 3 or less, for example).

[0062] (4) In the above-described embodiments, the following configuration has been described as an example: The sharing range S for performing the information sharing process is set to the communication range C of each of the wireless transceiver units 61. However, it is not limited to such a configuration. The sharing range S can also be set, for example, to a range obtained by combining the plurality of communication ranges C related to the plurality of wireless transceiver units 61. In addition, the sharing range S can also be set to the entire movable area A or a divided area (first area A1 / second area A2 / third area A3). Alternatively, the sharing range S can also be set to a range narrower than the communication range C of any one of the wireless transceiver units 61.

[0063] (5) In the above-described embodiments, the following configuration has been mainly assumed and described: The overall control unit 42 included in the mobile body control device 40 determines the movement destination of each of the plurality of mobile bodies 20 and gives an instruction based on this determination. However, it is not limited to such a configuration. A control system higher than the mobile body control device 40 may be provided, and the overall control unit 42 of the mobile body control device 40 gives an instruction for the movement destination based on an instruction from the higher control system.

[0064] (6) In the above-described embodiments, the following configuration has been described as an example: The traveling cart 21 and the clean booth 26 that constitute the mobile body 20 move integrally with the clean booth 26 fixed to the traveling cart 21. However, it is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the traveling cart 21 can also tow the clean booth 26 with casters and move simultaneously. In this way, the traveling cart 21 and the clean booth 26 that constitute the mobile body 20 can also move in a queue.

[0065] (7) In the above-described embodiments, the following configuration has been described as an example: the moving body 20 is a traveling body that travels on the floor surface 11. However, it is not limited to such a configuration, and the moving body 20 may also be a flying body (for example, a drone) that flies within the space of the article conveying device 1. In this case, when there is a space above the installation 12 on the floor surface 11 where the flying body can fly, the movable area A can include not only the area where there is no installation on the floor surface 11 but also the area where the installation 12 exists.

[0066] (8) In the above-described embodiments (including the above-described embodiments and other embodiments; the same applies hereinafter), as long as there is no contradiction, the configurations disclosed in each embodiment can also be combined with the configurations disclosed in other embodiments and applied. Regarding other configurations, the embodiments disclosed in this specification are also illustrative in all aspects and can be appropriately changed within the scope not departing from the gist of the present disclosure.

[0067] 〔Summary of the Embodiment〕 If the above is summarized, it is appropriate that the article conveying device according to the present disclosure includes the following configurations.

[0068] An article conveying device, which is an article conveying device including the following components: A plurality of moving bodies that move within a movable area to convey articles; A moving body control device that stores and has control map information showing the map of the aforementioned movable area, and indicates the moving destination of each of the plurality of aforementioned moving bodies based on the aforementioned control map information; and A communication system that connects the plurality of aforementioned moving bodies and the aforementioned moving body control device in a communicable manner, The aforementioned moving body control device is configured to send moving destination information showing the aforementioned moving destination to each of the plurality of aforementioned moving bodies via the aforementioned communication system, The aforementioned moving body includes: A storage unit that stores moving body map information showing the map of the aforementioned movable area; A surrounding detection device that detects the surrounding conditions of itself; A surrounding information acquisition unit that acquires surrounding information showing the surrounding conditions of itself based on the detection result of the aforementioned surrounding detection device; and A path determination unit that searches for and determines a moving path to the aforementioned moving destination based on the aforementioned moving destination information, the aforementioned moving body map information, and the aforementioned surrounding information received from the aforementioned moving body control device, The foregoing communication system is configured to perform the following information sharing process: at least a part of the foregoing peripheral information obtained by each of a plurality of the foregoing mobile bodies existing within a predetermined sharing range is shared among the mobile bodies with each other. The foregoing path determination unit of the foregoing mobile body that obtains the foregoing peripheral information from other foregoing mobile bodies through the foregoing information sharing process searches for the foregoing movement path based on the shared foregoing peripheral information.

[0069] According to this configuration, each mobile body can accurately search for a movement path by using not only the map information for mobile bodies but also the peripheral information obtained based on the detection results of the peripheral detection device. In addition, by sharing among a plurality of mobile bodies existing within the sharing range the peripheral information obtained by each mobile body based on the detection results of the peripheral detection device, each mobile body can further use the peripheral information from other mobile bodies to more accurately search for a movement path. In this way, it is possible to search for a movement path considering the situation that changes every moment, and thus it is possible to improve the movement efficiency of the mobile bodies as an entire article conveying device.

[0070] As one aspect, it is preferable that the foregoing communication system includes wireless transceiver units provided at a plurality of parts of the foregoing movable area and a relay processing device connected to the plurality of foregoing wireless transceiver units. The foregoing sharing range is set to the communicable range of each of the foregoing wireless transceiver units. The foregoing peripheral information shared through the foregoing information sharing process is stored in the foregoing relay processing device. The foregoing relay processing device also shares the stored foregoing peripheral information with other foregoing mobile bodies that later enter the foregoing sharing range.

[0071] According to this configuration, by storing the peripheral information shared through the information sharing process in the relay processing device, it is possible to share the peripheral information with mobile bodies that enter the sharing range with a time difference. Therefore, it is possible to accurately search for the movement paths of more mobile bodies, and it is possible to further improve the movement efficiency of the mobile bodies as an entire article conveying device.

[0072] As one aspect, it is preferable that the foregoing communication system is configured to perform the foregoing information sharing process among a plurality of the foregoing mobile bodies moving in opposite directions along at least each of the foregoing movement paths.

[0073] According to this configuration, each mobile body can obtain from other mobile bodies moving in a staggered manner the peripheral information at the destination where each mobile body is going from here. Therefore, it is possible to accurately search for a movement path considering the peripheral situation of the future movement paths of each mobile body.

[0074] As a solution, preferably, In the above-described information sharing process, at least share the information that affects the movement of the above-described mobile body among the above-described surrounding information obtained by each of the above-described mobile bodies.

[0075] According to this configuration, in each mobile body, it is possible to appropriately consider phenomena that affect movement (or there is a possibility of affecting movement), and accurately search for a movement path.

[0076] As a solution, preferably, It further includes an operation terminal device carried by an operator, which has a display unit. The above-described communication system is configured as follows: in the above-described information sharing process, at least a part of the above-described surrounding information obtained by any one of the above-described mobile bodies is also shared with the above-described operation terminal device existing within the above-described sharing range. The operation terminal device that obtains the above-described surrounding information through the above-described information sharing process displays the shared above-described surrounding information on the above-described display unit.

[0077] According to this configuration, by sharing the surrounding information obtained by each mobile body based on the detection results of the surrounding detection device with the operation terminal device existing within the sharing range, the shared surrounding information can be displayed on the display unit of the operation terminal device and notified to the operator. Therefore, it is possible to improve the movement efficiency of the mobile body as an overall article conveying device, and at the same time, it also improves the convenience of the operator who performs various operations in the article conveying device.

[0078] In addition, appropriately, another article conveying device related to the present disclosure has the following respective configurations.

[0079] An article conveying device, which is an article conveying device having the following components: A plurality of mobile bodies that move within a movable area to convey articles; A mobile body control device that stores and has control map information showing the map of the above-described movable area, and indicates the movement destination of each of the above-described plurality of mobile bodies based on the above-described control map information; An operation terminal device carried by an operator, which has a display unit; and A communication system that connects the above-described plurality of mobile bodies, the above-described mobile body control device, and the above-described operation terminal device in a communicable manner. The above-described mobile body includes: A surrounding detection device that detects the surrounding conditions of itself; and A surrounding information acquisition unit that acquires surrounding information showing the surrounding conditions of itself based on the detection results of the above-described surrounding detection device. The foregoing communication system is configured to perform the following information sharing process: at least a part of the foregoing peripheral information acquired by the foregoing mobile body is shared between the foregoing mobile body and the foregoing operating terminal device existing within a pre-determined sharing range. The foregoing operating terminal device that acquires the foregoing peripheral information from the foregoing mobile body through the foregoing information sharing process displays the shared foregoing peripheral information on the foregoing display unit.

[0080] According to this configuration, by sharing the peripheral information acquired by each mobile body based on the detection result of the peripheral detection device with the operating terminal device existing within the sharing range, the shared peripheral information can be displayed on the display unit of the operating terminal device and notified to the operator. Therefore, the convenience of the operator who performs various operations in the article conveying device can be improved.

[0081] The article conveying device according to the present disclosure only needs to achieve at least one of the above-described various effects.

Symbol Description

[0082] 1 Article conveying device 7 Article 20 Mobile body 24 Peripheral detection device 30 Mobile body terminal device 31 Storage unit 32 Peripheral information acquisition unit 33 Route determination unit 40 Mobile body control device 41 Storage unit 50 Operating terminal device 51 Display unit 60 Communication system 61 Wireless transceiver unit 62 Relay processing device Ma Map information for control Mb Map information for mobile body V Peripheral information A Movable area C Communicable range S Sharing range

Claims

1. An article conveying device, which is an article conveying device having the following components: A plurality of moving bodies that move within the movable area to transport articles; a mobile body control device storing and having control map information showing a map of the movable area, and indicating a movement destination of each of the plurality of mobile bodies based on the control map information; and a communication system that connects the plurality of mobile bodies and the mobile body control device in a communicable manner, The article conveying device has the following characteristics: The mobile body control device is configured to transmit the mobile destination information indicating the mobile destination to each of the plurality of mobile bodies via the communication system. The mobile body comprises: a storage unit storing map information for a movable body showing a map of the movable area; A peripheral detection device that detects the conditions of its own surroundings; a surrounding information acquisition unit that acquires surrounding information indicating a state of the surrounding area of ​​the self based on the detection result of the surrounding detection device; as well as a route determination unit that searches for and determines a movement route to the movement destination based on the movement destination information, the movement map information, and the surrounding information received from the movement control device, The communication system is configured to perform the following information sharing processing: a plurality of the mobile bodies existing in a predetermined sharing range share at least a portion of the surrounding information obtained by each of them with each other, and the path determination unit of the mobile body that obtains the surrounding information from other mobile bodies through the information sharing processing searches for the moving path based on the shared surrounding information.

2. The article conveying device according to claim 1, wherein: The communication system includes wireless transceivers installed at a plurality of locations in the movable area and a relay processing device connected to the plurality of wireless transceivers. The shared range is set to the communication range of each of the wireless transceivers. The surrounding information shared by the information sharing process is stored in the relay processing device. The relay processing device also shares the stored surrounding information with other mobile objects that subsequently enter the sharing range.

3. The article conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The communication system is configured such that the information sharing process is performed by the plurality of moving objects moving in opposite directions at least along the respective moving paths.

4. The article conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: In the information sharing process, at least information affecting movement of the mobile body among the peripheral information acquired by each of the mobile bodies is shared.

5. The article conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, There is also an operation terminal device carried by the operator, which has a display unit, The communication system is configured such that, in the information sharing process, at least a part of the surrounding information acquired by any one of the mobile bodies is also shared with the operating terminal device existing in the sharing range. The operating terminal device that obtains the surrounding information through the information sharing process displays the shared surrounding information on the display unit.

6. An article conveying device, which is an article conveying device having the following components: A plurality of moving bodies that move within the movable area to transport articles; a mobile body control device storing and having control map information showing a map of the movable area, and indicating a movement destination of each of the plurality of mobile bodies based on the control map information; an operation terminal device carried by an operator, the terminal having a display unit; and a communication system that connects the plurality of the mobile bodies, the mobile body control device, and the operating terminal device in a communicable manner, The article conveying device has the following characteristics: The mobile body comprises: A surrounding detection device that detects the surrounding conditions of the device; and a surrounding information acquisition unit that acquires surrounding information indicating a state of the surrounding of the device based on the detection result of the surrounding detection device, The communication system is configured to perform the following information sharing processing: the mobile body and the operation terminal device existing in a predetermined sharing range share at least a part of the surrounding information acquired by the mobile body, The operating terminal device that obtains the surrounding information from the mobile object through the information sharing process displays the shared surrounding information on the display unit.

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