Automatic conveyance system, information processing device, moving object, information processing method, storage medium, and computer program product

Abstract

According to one embodiment, there is provided an automatic conveyance system having a plurality of automatic conveyance bodies, a sensor, and a control unit. The sensor acquires information relating to the position of an object in the work area. The control unit controls the plurality of automatic transport bodies. The control unit includes a route information acquisition unit, a degree of congestion evaluation unit, and an automatic transport body selection unit. The route information acquisition unit acquires, for each of a plurality of automatic transport bodies, route information indicating a route along which the automatic transport body moves to a transport start point of an object. The degree-of-congestion evaluation unit evaluates a degree-of-congestion distribution indicating the degree of congestion of the object in the work area on the basis of information relating to the position of the object. The automatic transport body selection unit selects, on the basis of the route information and the congestion degree distribution, an automatic transport body from among the plurality of automatic transport bodies that performs the transport work.

Description

[0001] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-045865 (filing date: March 22, 2024) and claims the benefit of priority from that application, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] Embodiments of the present invention relate to an automated transport system, an information processing device, a mobile object, an information processing method, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program, and a computer program product. Background Art

[0003] As one of the means to automate transport operations in distribution warehouses, factory facilities, etc. in order to solve labor shortages in logistics and manufacturing sites, there is known a technology for transporting objects using automatic transport bodies such as mobile robots. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an automatic transport system, an information processing device, a mobile body, an information processing method, and a program that can improve the transport efficiency of a work area where a plurality of automatic transport bodies perform transport operations.

[0005] The automatic transport system of the embodiment is an automatic transport system for transporting objects within a work area. The automatic transport system includes a plurality of automatic transport bodies, a sensor, and a control unit. The plurality of automatic transport bodies transport objects from a transport starting point to a transport destination. The sensor obtains information related to the position of the object in the work area. The control unit controls the plurality of automatic transport bodies. The control unit includes a path information acquisition unit, a congestion evaluation unit, and an automatic transport body selection unit. The path information acquisition unit obtains, for each of the plurality of automatic transport bodies, path information indicating the path along which the automatic transport body moves to the transport starting point of the object. The congestion evaluation unit evaluates a congestion distribution indicating the degree of congestion of the object in the work area based on the information related to the position of the object. The automatic transport body selection unit selects an automatic transport body to perform a transport operation from among the plurality of automatic transport bodies based on the path information and the congestion distribution.

[0006] According to the automatic transport system having the above-described structure, it is possible to improve the transport efficiency in the work area where the transport work is performed by a plurality of automatic transport bodies. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram showing the automatic transport system of the first embodiment.

[0008] Figure 2 This is a block diagram showing the system configuration of the automatic transport system according to the first embodiment.

[0009] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram showing the congestion distribution in the work area and the routes set for each automated transporter according to the first embodiment.

[0010] Figure 4 This is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the automatic transport system according to the first embodiment.

[0011] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram showing an automatic transport system according to a second embodiment.

[0012] Figure 6 This is a block diagram showing the system configuration of an automatic transport system according to a third embodiment.

[0013] Figure 7 It is a block diagram showing the system configuration of an automatic transport system according to a fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] The following describes embodiments of an automated transport system, an information processing device, a mobile device, an information processing method, a storage medium, and a computer program product with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are schematic or conceptual, and the relationships between the thickness and width of various components, the size ratios between components, and other aspects may not necessarily reflect reality. Furthermore, even when depicting identical components, their dimensions and ratios may differ depending on the drawing.

[0015] In this specification, "based on XX" means "based at least on XX," including cases where it is based on other factors in addition to XX. Furthermore, "based on XX" is not limited to cases where XX is used directly, but also includes cases where it is based on factors that have been calculated or processed based on XX. "XX" is an arbitrary factor (e.g., information).

[0016] (First embodiment)

[0017] Reference Figures 1 to 4 , an automatic transport system 1 according to a first embodiment will be described.

[0018] Below, first refer to Figures 1 to 3 , the structure of the automatic transport system 1 is described.

[0019] Figure 1 Schematic diagram showing the automatic transport system 1 . Figure 2 1 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of the automatic transport system 1 .

[0020] like Figure 1 as well as Figure 2As shown, the automatic transport system 1 includes a plurality of automatic transport bodies 10 (10A to 10C), one or more fixed cameras 20, a control unit 30, an input unit 40, and a notification unit 45. The automatic transport system 1 transports an object O via the automatic transport bodies 10 within a work area W. The work area W is not particularly limited and may be, for example, a distribution warehouse, a factory facility, or a research institute. The object O is not particularly limited and may be raw materials, commodities, equipment, cargo, containers, etc. Figure 1 As shown, in the working area W, except for the automatic transport body 10 (in Figure 1 In addition to the three automated transport vehicles 10A, 10B, and 10C in the figure, there are also workers B1, temporary installation objects B2 (goods, etc.), environmental structures B3 (pillars, etc.), and an automated transport body B4 in operation.

[0021] According to the transport instruction, the automatic transport body 10 first moves to the transport starting point (Japanese: transport element) T0 for loading, and moves from the transport starting point T0 to the transport destination T1 for unloading. For example, the goods as the transport object O are sorted at the transport starting point T0 and sorted according to each destination, and loaded onto a trolley. The loading operation onto the trolley can be performed manually, or other automatic loading systems can be used. If the loading of the goods onto the trolley is completed, a transport instruction is issued to the transport destination T1 that matches the destination among multiple transport destinations. The transport instruction includes the position information of the transport starting point T0 and the transport destination T1. The control unit 30 obtains the transport instruction, issues an instruction to each automatic transport body 10, and controls the automatic transport body 10 to perform the transport operation efficiently in the entire work area W. The automatic transport body 10 instructed by the control unit 30 first moves to the transport starting point T0 where the trolley loaded with goods is located, and after connecting with the trolley, it moves while transporting the trolley to the designated transport destination T1.

[0022] The form of the automated transporter 10 is not particularly limited and may be any mobile object. For example, the automated transporter 10 may be a vehicle, a mobile robot having mobile units such as wheels, tracks, and legs capable of walking, or a mobile object guided by a guide such as a track. The automated transporter 10 may also be a flying object, but the following description focuses on an automated transporter 10 that moves on the ground.

[0023] like Figure 2As shown, the automatic transport body 10 has a transport body main body 12, a transport body control unit 14, a position information acquisition unit 16 and an obstacle detection unit 18. The transport body main body 12 can be driven by any mechanism. The transport body control unit 14 controls the movement of the transport body main body 12. The transport body control unit 14 can communicate with the control unit 30 in a wireless or wired manner via a communication unit (not shown) mounted on the automatic transport body 10. The position information acquisition unit 16 determines the position coordinates of the automatic transport body 10 by any known means. The obstacle detection unit 18 detects obstacles present around the automatic transport body 10. The specific means of the obstacle detection unit 18 are not particularly limited, and any known sensor such as a sonar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, etc. can be used.

[0024] The carrier control unit 14 can control the carrier body 12 to stop or slow down when the obstacle detection unit 18 detects an obstacle. For example, if the obstacle detection unit 18 detects an obstacle ahead of the travel path, the carrier control unit 14 can stop the carrier body 12 to prevent the carrier body 12 from colliding with the obstacle.

[0025] In the work area W, one or more fixed cameras 20 (an example of a "sensor") are installed as optical sensors. The positions of the fixed cameras 20 are not particularly limited, but preferably, the plurality of fixed cameras 20 are installed so as to capture as wide an area as possible within the work area W as a whole.

[0026] The fixed camera 20 acquires captured data containing images or videos captured of the work area W and transmits this captured data to the control unit 30 wirelessly or wiredly. The captured data may also be transmitted from the fixed camera 20 to the control unit 30 via another information processing device. Based on the location and viewing angle of the fixed camera 20 and the captured data from the fixed camera 20, the control unit 30 can associate pixel positions in the captured data with physical locations within the work area W. If multiple fixed cameras 20 are installed, the control unit 30 may also aggregate the captured data from each fixed camera 20 to acquire image data for the entire work area W. The captured data from the fixed camera 20 is an example of information related to the positions of objects within the work area W (herein, "objects" include workers B1, temporary objects such as temporary structures B2, objects stably located within the work area W such as environmental structures B3, automated transporters B4 in operation, and automated transporters 10 not currently performing transport operations). This information related to the positions of objects can be used to identify the positions of objects within the work area W. The information about the position of the object is, for example, information obtained optically. An example of the information obtained optically is an image of the work area W (including a video).

[0027] Control unit 30 ( Figure 1 The control unit 30 is provided so as to be able to control the position of the automatic transport body 10 while being connected to the automatic transport body 10 in a wireless or wired manner. The configuration of the control unit 30 will be described later.

[0028] The input unit 40 receives instruction information including a transport instruction. For example, the input unit 40 receives a user input operation for a transport instruction. The input method to the input unit 40 is not particularly limited. The input unit 40 may also be implemented as part of the control unit 30.

[0029] The notification unit 45 outputs a voice, an image, or the like to the worker B1 in the work area W in response to a signal from the control unit 30 to provide notification.

[0030] like Figure 2 As shown, the control unit 30 includes an acquisition unit 32, a communication unit 34, a storage unit 36, and a processing unit 38 as its functional units. The acquisition unit 32 acquires information from the outside. The communication unit 34 communicates with the outside, receiving and transmitting signals from the outside. The storage unit 36 ​​stores various data including programs. The processing unit 38 performs various calculations described below.

[0031] The acquisition unit 32 can acquire the imaging data received from the fixed camera 20 via the communication unit 34. The acquisition unit 32 can also acquire instruction information including the transport instruction received by the input unit 40.

[0032] The processing unit 38 includes a congestion evaluation unit 50, a route setting unit 52, a travel time calculation unit 54, an automatic transporter selection unit 56, and an instruction generation unit 58 as its functional units. By including these functional units, the control unit 30 can select the automatic transporter 10 most suitable for the transport operation from among the plurality of automatic transporters 10, taking into account the congestion level in the work area W. The following describes the control processing in the automatic transport system 1 by explaining each functional unit.

[0033] The congestion evaluation unit 50 evaluates the congestion level within the work area W based on the shooting data acquired by the acquisition unit 32 from the fixed camera 20. Here, the "congestion level" is a quantity that indicates the degree of congestion of objects such as objects, people, and automatic carriers that may become obstacles to the movement of the target object among the automatic carriers 10A to 10C at a certain position within the work area W. In addition, here, "obstacle" refers to an object that is physically present in the work area W and may hinder the movement of the target automatic carrier when the target automatic carrier moves at a certain time. In the case where the movement path of the target automatic carrier is pre-set in the work area W, the congestion level of obstacles existing in the area including the movement path is identified as the congestion level. The congestion evaluation unit 50 can evaluate the congestion distribution that maps the congestion level for each position within the work area W.

[0034] Figure 3 This diagram shows the congestion distribution within the work area W and the routes R0 and R1 set for each automated transport body 10A to 10C. At position P1, the congestion level is high due to the presence of many obstacles (any one of B1 to B4). At position P2, the congestion level is low due to the presence of fewer obstacles (any one of B1 to B4). The congestion level at position P3 is intermediate between those at positions P1 and P2.

[0035] Here, three methods are specifically described as methods for the congestion degree evaluation unit 50 to evaluate the congestion degree, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0036] (1) Method of evaluating congestion based on ground area

[0037] (2) Methods for evaluating congestion based on ground object recognition

[0038] (3) Method for evaluating congestion using a machine learning-based learning model

[0039] In method (1), the congestion level evaluation unit 50 identifies the ground surface of the work area W based on the image data obtained from the fixed cameras 20 and evaluates the size of the ground surface. For example, the congestion level evaluation unit 50 can combine the image data captured by each fixed camera 20 to generate image data of the entire work area W and identify the ground surface within the work area W. Next, the congestion level evaluation unit 50 compares the normal ground surface size stored in the storage unit 36 ​​with the ground surface size evaluated based on the image data to calculate the ground surface concealment rate. Here, the "ground surface concealment rate" refers to the ratio of the ground surface's uncovered portion per unit area. The congestion level evaluation unit 50 can assume that there is an obstacle in the uncovered portion of the ground surface and use the ground surface concealment rate at each location in the work area W as the congestion level at that location. The congestion level evaluation unit 50 can obtain a distribution in which the ground surface concealment rate is mapped to each location on the ground surface as a congestion level distribution. Alternatively, the congestion level evaluation unit 50 can use a value obtained by performing arbitrary calculations on the ground surface concealment rate as the congestion level.

[0040] In method (2), the congestion level evaluation unit 50 identifies unstable objects (e.g., workers B1, temporary structures B2, automated transport vehicles B4 in operation, etc.) temporarily present in the work area W based on the captured data obtained from the fixed cameras 20. Here, an "unstable object" refers to an object (which may also be a person) that can change its position within the work area W, is temporarily located at a certain location, and can move from that location. For example, the congestion level evaluation unit 50 can generate image data of the entire work area W by combining the captured data from each fixed camera 20, and identify unstable objects within the work area W. The congestion level evaluation unit 50 compares the size of the ground surface under normal conditions stored in the storage unit 36 ​​with the occupied area of ​​unstable objects to calculate the occupancy rate of unstable objects. Here, the "occupancy rate of unstable objects" is the ratio of the occupied area of ​​unstable objects per unit area of ​​the ground surface. Ideally, the concealment rate of the ground surface is consistent with the occupancy rate of unstable objects. The congestion level evaluation unit 50 can treat unstable objects as obstacles and use the occupancy rate of unstable objects at each location in the work area W as the congestion level at that location. The congestion level evaluation unit 50 can obtain a distribution of the occupancy rate of unstable objects mapped to each position on the ground as a congestion level distribution. Alternatively, the congestion level evaluation unit 50 may use a value obtained by performing arbitrary calculations on the occupancy rate of unstable objects as the congestion level. Furthermore, the congestion level evaluation unit 50 may evaluate the congestion level based on the occupancy rate of objects that include not only unstable objects but also stable objects that cannot change their position within the work area W, such as the environmental structure B3.

[0041] In method (3), the congestion level evaluation unit 50 uses a learned model that has learned the relationship between the image data of the work area W and the congestion level distribution. In response to input of the image data obtained from the fixed camera 20 (or data obtained by processing the image data), the congestion level evaluation unit 50 outputs the congestion level distribution within the work area W. The learning method of the learned model is not particularly limited, and any known method such as deep learning can be used. The learned model can be pre-trained and stored in the storage unit 36.

[0042] In addition, the congestion evaluation unit 50 not only evaluates the congestion distribution at a certain point in time, but can also obtain the congestion distribution that changes over time in real time. Moreover, the congestion evaluation unit 50 can also predict the congestion distribution after a specified time based on the temporal change of the congestion distribution. For example, the congestion evaluation unit 50 can identify the movement (such as the moving direction and moving speed) of each non-stable object in the working area W and predict the position of the object after a specified time. The congestion evaluation unit 50 can calculate the position of the object after a specified time by assuming that the moving direction and moving speed of each object are maintained, or it can predict the movement of the object by any known algorithm or machine learning. The congestion evaluation unit 50 can predict the congestion distribution after a specified time by predicting the position of the object after a specified time for all non-stable objects.

[0043] In this way, the congestion degree evaluation unit 50 can automatically evaluate the congestion degree distribution based on the captured data, without requiring any input from the outside (eg, a user or another information processing device) regarding the position and congestion degree of an unstable object outside the system management.

[0044] The path setting unit 52 (an example of a "path information acquisition unit") sets paths R0 and R1 for each automated transport body 10 to transport the object O within the work area W. Specifically, the path setting unit 52 acquires the current position of each automated transport body 10, the current position of the object O (i.e., the position of the transport starting point T0), and the position of the transport destination T1 of the object O. It then sets path R0 from the current position to the transport starting point T0, and path R1 from the transport starting point T0 to the transport destination T1, for each automated transport body 10. The current position of each automated transport body 10 can be acquired by the position information acquisition unit 16 of the automated transport body 10 and transmitted from the transport body control unit 14 to the control unit 30. The position information of the transport starting point T0 and the transport destination T1 can be included in the transport instruction acquired by the acquisition unit 32.

[0045] The path setting unit 52 can set a different path R0 for each automated transport body 10, for the path R0 from the current position to the transport starting point T0, while setting a common path R1 for all fully automated transport bodies 10, for the path R1 from the transport starting point T0 to the transport destination T1. However, the path setting unit 52 can also set a different path R1 for each automated transport body 10.

[0046] The path setting unit 52 can set a path arbitrarily on the ground of the work area W, or it can set a path along a predetermined reference path within the work area W. For example, the reference path can also be a path through a driving road set on the ground for the automatic transport body 10, or it can be a path along a track on the ground. In the case of using a reference path, the path setting unit 52 can set the path according to the specified reference path even if it does not need to calculate the path. The path setting unit 52 can, for example, set a path in which the automatic transport body 10 can move from the starting position to the destination position in the shortest distance. In the case where there are multiple shortest paths, the path setting unit 52 can select a shortest path from them based on an arbitrary benchmark (for example, in a manner that minimizes the cumulative value of the congestion of the positions through which the path passes), or it can set multiple shortest paths as candidates for the path.

[0047] The travel time calculation unit 54 calculates the time required for each automated transport body 10 to move from its current position to the transport starting point T0 along the route R0. Furthermore, the travel time calculation unit 54 calculates the time required for each automated transport body 10 to move from the transport starting point T0 to the transport destination T1 along the route R1. Hereinafter, the time required for an automated transport body 10 to move from one position to another is referred to as "travel time." For example, the travel time calculation unit 54 can calculate the travel time for each route of the automated transport body 10 using basic information such as the travel speed profile of each automated transport body 10 stored in the storage unit 36.

[0048] The travel time calculation unit 54 can calculate the travel time of the automatic transport body 10 by taking into account the congestion distribution calculated by the congestion evaluation unit 50. For example, when calculating the travel time of the automatic transport body 10, the travel time calculation unit 54 can correct the calculation by delaying the travel time of the automatic transport body 10 in sections where the congestion level on the path is high. The correction method of the calculation is not particularly limited. For example, for sections where the congestion level is greater than a predetermined value, the travel time calculation unit 54 can add the stop time corresponding to the congestion level to the travel time, or can multiply the travel time by a coefficient that has an inverse correlation with the congestion level (for example, a coefficient that is inversely proportional to the congestion level).

[0049] When the congestion level evaluation unit 50 predicts temporal changes in the congestion level distribution, the travel time calculation unit 54 can calculate the travel time of the automatic transport body 10 taking into account the predicted congestion level distribution. For example, the travel time calculation unit 54 uses information about the route set by the route setting unit 52 and basic information such as the travel speed profile of each automatic transport body 10 stored in the storage unit 36 ​​to predict the position of the automatic transport body 10 at each time. To take the predicted congestion level into account, the travel time calculation unit 54 can compare the predicted position of the automatic transport body 10 at each time with the predicted congestion level distribution at each time. For example, if the congestion level at the predicted position of the automatic transport body 10 is high (e.g., greater than a predetermined threshold), the travel time calculation unit 54 assumes that the automatic transport body 10 will stop at the predicted position until the congestion is resolved, and that the automatic transport body 10 will resume movement when the congestion level at the predicted position becomes sufficiently low (e.g., less than a predetermined threshold), thereby predicting the temporal change in the position of the automatic transport body 10. In this way, the travel time calculation unit 54 can calculate the travel time taking into account future changes in congestion levels. The calculation method is not limited to the above example.

[0050] The automatic carrier selection unit 56 selects the automatic carrier 10 that is most suitable for transporting the object O. For example, the automatic carrier selection unit 56 can compare the travel times of the automatic carriers 10 calculated by the travel time calculation unit 54 and select the automatic carrier 10 that transports the object O. Specifically, the automatic carrier selection unit 56 can select the automatic carrier 10 with the shortest travel time. When the travel time calculation unit 54 calculates travel times for a plurality of paths, the automatic carrier selection unit 56 can select the path with the shortest travel time. If a path is selected, the automatic carrier 10 is naturally selected. However, the automatic carrier 10 with the shortest travel time does not necessarily need to be selected. The automatic carrier selection unit 56 can also select the automatic carrier 10 that transports the object O by taking into account travel time and other conditions. Here, the moving time used as a basis for selecting the automatic transport body 10 can be the moving time from the current position of the automatic transport body 10 to the transport starting point T0, or the total moving time from the current position of the automatic transport body 10 to the transport starting point T0, and then from the transport starting point T0 to the transport destination T1, or the moving time of any other interval.

[0051] The length of the path R0 from the current position to the transport starting point T0 of the automatic transport body 10 selected in consideration of the congestion as described above does not necessarily have to be the shortest. That is, the automatic transport body selection unit 56 can select the automatic transport body 10 that is most suitable for transporting the object O without having to determine the automatic transport body 10 closest to the object O or the shortest path to the object O. In addition, the automatic transport body selection unit 56 can automatically select the best automatic transport body 10 without human judgment. For example, Figure 3 As shown, among the waiting automatic transport bodies 10A, 10B, and 10C, the distance from the current position to the transport starting point T0 is the shortest for the automatic transport body 10B, the second shortest for the automatic transport body 10A, and the longest for the automatic transport body 10C. Figure 3 Given the congestion distribution shown, it is expected that the automatic carrier 10C without congestion between the current position and the transport starting point T0 can move most efficiently. Therefore, the automatic carrier selection unit 56 can select the automatic carrier 10C as the automatic carrier 10 that transports the object O.

[0052] However, the method for selecting the automatic carrier 10 is not limited to the above example. For example, the automatic carrier selection unit 56 may select the automatic carrier 10 for transporting the object O based on the information of the path of each automatic carrier 10 and the congestion on the path, without calculating the moving time. Specifically, the automatic carrier selection unit 56 may add the congestion on the path set by the path setting unit 52 for each automatic carrier 10, and select the automatic carrier 10 with the smallest sum of congestion as the automatic carrier 10 for transporting the object O. The automatic carrier selection unit 56 may also consider the time variation of the congestion when adding the congestion on the path, calculate the congestion at the expected passing time of the automatic carrier 10 for each position on the path, and add them together. The automatic carrier selection unit 56 may also consider other conditions such as the length of the path of each automatic carrier 10 in addition to the congestion to select the automatic carrier 10 for transporting the object O.

[0053] The instruction generation unit 58 generates a movement instruction indicating the movement path of the automatic carrier 10. For example, the instruction generates a movement instruction including information on the path R0 from the current position of the automatic carrier 10 selected by the automatic carrier selection unit 56 to the transport starting point T0, and the path R1 from the transport starting point T0 to the transport destination T1. The control unit 30 transmits this movement instruction to the selected automatic carrier 10 via the communication unit 34. The carrier control unit 14 of the automatic carrier 10 controls the carrier body 12 to move within the work area W according to the received movement instruction.

[0054] In addition, the instruction generating unit 58 generates an instruction for the notification unit 45 to issue a predetermined alarm. Specifically, if the congestion distribution or the status of the automated transport body 10 satisfies predetermined conditions, the instruction generating unit 58 can generate an instruction for the notification unit 45 to issue an alarm to eliminate congestion. For example, if a location with high congestion exists on the path, the instruction generating unit 58 generates an instruction for the notification unit 45 to issue an alarm to eliminate congestion at that location. Alternatively, if the instruction generating unit 58 determines that an automated transport body 10 has been waiting for a long time due to congestion in the work area W, the instruction generating unit 58 generates an instruction for the notification unit 45 to issue an alarm to eliminate congestion on the path of the automated transport body 10. For example, if the automated transport body 10 located closest to the starting point T0 has not been selected by the automated transport body selection unit 56 more than a predetermined number of times or if the waiting time of the automated transport body 10 has exceeded a predetermined time, the instruction generating unit 58 can determine that an automated transport body 10 has been waiting for a long time and generate an instruction for the notification unit 45 to issue an alarm to eliminate congestion on the path of the automated transport body 10. Alternatively, if the congestion level of each automated transporter 10's path exceeds a predetermined threshold, the instruction generating unit 58 can generate an instruction to cause the notification unit 45 to issue an alert to eliminate congestion on that path. The specific conditions for issuing the alert are not particularly limited. The alert for eliminating congestion is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include an alert instructing the operator B1 to avoid the path or an alert instructing the operator B1 to remove a temporary structure B2 on the path.

[0055] Next, refer to Figure 4 , the flow of the control of the automatic transport body 10 by the automatic transport system 1 will be described.

[0056] Figure 4 This is a flowchart showing the flow of processing of the automatic transport system 1 .

[0057] In step S100, the position information acquisition unit 16 of each automatic carrier 10 acquires the position information of the automatic carrier 10. In step S101, the carrier control unit 14 of each automatic carrier 10 sends the acquired position information to the control unit 30. Figure 4 In FIG, it is shown that the acquisition and transmission of the position information of the automatic transport body 10 are each performed only once, but they can be performed continuously.

[0058] In step S200, the fixed camera 20 captures the work area W. In step S201, the fixed camera 20 sends the captured data to the control unit 30. Figure 4 , it is shown that the photographing and the transmission by the fixed camera 20 are each performed only once, but they can be performed continuously.

[0059] In step S300, the acquisition unit 32 acquires the transport instruction from the input unit 40. In step S301, the congestion evaluation unit 50 evaluates the congestion distribution of the work area W based on the shooting data obtained from the fixed camera 20. In step S302, the path setting unit 52 sets the position of the moving target (the transport starting point T0 and the transport destination T1) based on the acquired transport instruction. In step S303, the path setting unit 52 sets the moving path R0 of each automatic transport body 10 until it reaches the transport starting point T0 based on the position information of the automatic transport body 10. The path setting unit 52 can also set the moving path R1 from the transport starting point T0 to the transport destination T1. In step S304, the moving time calculation unit 54 calculates the moving time of each automatic transport body 10 based on the congestion distribution evaluated in step S301 and the moving path set in step S303. In step S305, the automatic carrier selection unit 56 selects the automatic carrier 10 with the shortest travel time calculated in step S304 as the automatic carrier 10 to transport the object O. In step S306, the instruction generation unit 58 generates a movement instruction for moving the automatic carrier 10 selected in step S305 to the transport starting point T0. The instruction generation unit 58 can also generate a movement instruction for moving the selected automatic carrier 10 from the transport starting point T0 to the transport destination T1. In step S307, the control unit 30 transmits the movement instruction generated in step S306 to the automatic carrier 10 selected in step S305. In step S102, the selected automatic carrier 10 moves to the transport starting point T0, which is the destination, in accordance with the received movement instruction. If the automatic carrier 10 also receives a movement instruction from the transport starting point T0 to the transport destination T1, after loading the object O at the transport starting point T0, the automatic carrier 10 moves to the next destination, which is the transport destination T1, in accordance with the movement instruction to the transport destination T1.

[0060] According to the automated transport system 1 of the first embodiment, when automating transport of automated transport bodies 10 such as mobile robots at a logistics site or a manufacturing site, the automated transport bodies 10 can be selected so as to be able to move with as little congestion as possible.

[0061] To explain the advantages of the automated handling system 1 in detail, we will first provide an overview of conventional automated handling systems. In conventional automated handling technologies, the allocation of a mobile robot to perform the next handling operation is often based on the execution status of the mobile robot's handling operation, the scheduled time until the current operation is completed, the travel distance to the starting point of the handling operation, and other factors. However, securing dedicated space for mobile robots is difficult at logistics and manufacturing sites, and as a result, mobile robots often move and carry objects in shared spaces also used by operators. Consequently, if the space along the mobile robot's scheduled path becomes congested due to the presence of operators, the mobile robot may be forced to wait, reducing overall handling efficiency.

[0062] In contrast, the automated transport system 1 of the first embodiment can, in response to a transport request, consider the degree of congestion on the transport path as a criterion for selecting the automated transporter to perform the transport. This allows for the preferential selection of automated transporters 10 that are less likely to be held for extended periods due to congestion, thereby shortening the waiting time of the automated transporters 10. By evaluating the congestion level of the work area W based on imaged data of unstable objects such as workers B1 and temporary structures B2, factors outside the transport system's jurisdiction, the optimal automated transporter 10 can be selected based on the actual congestion. This improves the efficiency of automated transport.

[0063] (Second embodiment)

[0064] Reference Figure 5 The second embodiment of the automated transport system 1 will now be described. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the automated transport 10 is selected based on data acquired by a transport camera 120 and / or an optical scanner 220 mounted on the automated transport 10. The following description will primarily focus on the differences from the aforementioned embodiment, and the description of the same points as the aforementioned embodiment will not be repeated.

[0065] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram showing an automatic transport system 1 according to a second embodiment.

[0066] In the second embodiment, if Figure 5 As shown, each automatic transport body 10 is equipped with a transport body camera 120 and / or an optical scanner 220 as an optical sensor.

[0067] The carrier camera 120 (an example of a "sensor") is a camera mounted on the carrier body 12. Each automated carrier 10 can use the carrier camera 120 to capture images of its surroundings while traveling or stopped. The captured data (an example of "information regarding the position of an object") captured by the carrier camera 120 is transmitted from the carrier control unit 14 to the control unit 30.

[0068] The congestion level evaluation unit 50 can use the image data acquired from the transport cameras 120 of the automated transporters 10 to evaluate the congestion distribution of the work area W. Specifically, the congestion level evaluation unit 50 can aggregate the image data from the transport cameras 120 of each automated transporter 10 and identify the locations of objects within the work area W. The congestion level evaluation unit 50 can evaluate the congestion level of the work area W based solely on the image data from the transport cameras 120. However, there are cases where the field of view is limited using only the transport cameras 120 of each automated transporter 10. Therefore, it is preferable to use image data from both the fixed cameras 20 and the transport cameras 120. The fixed cameras 20 capture the entire work area W, but sometimes, due to unstable objects, environmental structures B3, and the like, blind spots may exist for the fixed cameras 20. The transport cameras 120, mounted on the autonomous automated transporters 10, can compensate for these blind spots for the fixed cameras 20. Therefore, the congestion degree evaluation unit 50 can reduce blind spots in image recognition of the work area W used for congestion degree evaluation by using the imaging data of the fixed camera 20 and the imaging data of the carrier camera 120 in combination.

[0069] The optical scanner 220 (an example of a "sensor") is an optical measurement sensor mounted on the carrier body 12. The optical scanner 220 irradiates light toward surrounding objects and detects the reflected light, thereby acquiring point cloud data of the work area W. Any known optical scanner can be used as the optical scanner 220. The point cloud data (an example of "information regarding the position of an object") acquired by the optical scanner 220 is transmitted from the carrier control unit 14 to the control unit 30.

[0070] The congestion level evaluation unit 50 can use point cloud data from the optical scanner 220 acquired from the automated transport 10 to evaluate the congestion distribution of the work area W. Specifically, the congestion level evaluation unit 50 can aggregate the point cloud data from the optical scanner 220 of each automated transport 10 and identify the locations of objects, including people, within the work area W. The congestion level evaluation unit 50 can also evaluate the congestion level of the work area W based solely on the point cloud data from the optical scanner 220. However, as with the transport camera 120, there are cases where the field of view of the optical scanner 220 alone is limited. Therefore, it is preferable to use both the image data from the fixed camera 20 and the point cloud data from the optical scanner 220. Like the transport camera 120, the optical scanner 220 is mounted on the autonomous automated transport 10, thus compensating for the blind spots of the fixed camera 20. Furthermore, in addition to (or in lieu of) being mounted on the automated transport 10, the optical scanner 220 can also be fixed to the work area W, similar to the fixed camera 20.

[0071] Only one of the carrier camera 120 and the optical scanner 220 may be mounted on the automated carrier 10, or both may be mounted on the automated carrier 10. Furthermore, the congestion level evaluation unit 50 may evaluate the congestion level distribution of the work area W based on the image data from the carrier camera 120 and the point cloud data from the optical scanner 220 without the fixed camera 20.

[0072] According to the second embodiment, the transport camera 120 and / or the optical scanner 220 mounted on the autonomous transport body 10 can acquire information about portions of the work area W that cannot be adequately captured by the fixed camera 20 alone. This improves the accuracy of the congestion level distribution evaluation performed by the congestion level evaluation unit 50.

[0073] (Third embodiment)

[0074] Reference Figure 6 Next, a third embodiment of the automated transport system 1 will be described. The third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the processing unit 38 includes a floor state recognition unit 60, and the travel time calculation unit 54 also considers the recognition result of the floor state recognition unit 60 when calculating the travel time. The following description will focus on the differences from the previous embodiment, and the description of the same points as the previous embodiment will not be repeated.

[0075] Figure 6 It is a block diagram showing the system configuration of an automatic transport system 1 according to a third embodiment.

[0076] In a third embodiment, if Figure 6 As shown, the processing unit 38 of the control unit 30 includes a ground state recognition unit 60 .

[0077] The ground condition recognition unit 60 can recognize the ground condition of the work area W based on information related to the position of objects, such as the image data from the fixed camera 20, the image data from the transport camera 120, and the point cloud data from the optical scanner 220. For example, the ground condition recognition unit 60 can detect abnormalities such as wetness or soiling of the ground based on the images of the ground included in the various image data.

[0078] Information related to abnormalities detected by the ground state recognition unit 60 can be used by one or more of the route setting unit 52, the travel time calculation unit 54, and the automatic transport body selection unit 56. For example, the route setting unit 52 can set a route to avoid ground abnormalities. If the route passes through an abnormal portion of the ground, the travel time calculation unit 54 can correct the travel time to pass through the abnormal portion (for example, requiring a longer travel time than usual). The automatic transport body selection unit 56 can exclude the automatic transport body 10 that passes through the abnormal portion from selection.

[0079] According to the third embodiment, information on the positions of objects acquired by various sensors such as the fixed camera 20 can be used not only to evaluate the congestion distribution but also to identify the state of the road on which the automated transporter 10 is traveling. This allows the route of the automated transporter 10 to be set, or the automated transporter 10 to be selected for transportation, to be considered in light of abnormalities in the ground.

[0080] (Fourth embodiment)

[0081] Reference Figure 7 Next, a fourth embodiment of the automated transport system 1 will be described. The fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that, instead of the control unit 30, the transport control unit 14 of the automated transport 10 performs the functions of the control unit 30. The following description will focus on the differences from the previous embodiment, and the description of the same points as the previous embodiment will not be repeated.

[0082] Figure 7 It is a block diagram showing the system configuration of an automatic transport system 1 according to a fourth embodiment.

[0083] like Figure 7 As shown, the automated transporter 10 (an example of a "mobile body") of the fourth embodiment includes, similarly to the first embodiment, a transporter body 12 (an example of a "mobile body"), a transporter control unit 14 (an example of a "mobile body control unit"), a position information acquisition unit 16, and an obstacle detection unit 18. The transporter control unit 14 is directly or indirectly connected to a fixed camera 20 and an input unit 40 by wireless or wired means. Furthermore, the transporter control units 14 of each automated transporter 10 are directly or indirectly connected to each other by wireless or wired means.

[0084] The carrier control unit 14 includes a congestion level evaluation unit 150, a route setting unit 152, a travel time calculation unit 154, an automatic carrier selection unit 156, and an instruction generation unit 158. These functional units perform the same processing as the congestion level evaluation unit 50, route setting unit 52, travel time calculation unit 54, automatic carrier selection unit 56, and instruction generation unit 58 included in the control unit 30 in the above-described embodiment. Specifically, the carrier control unit 14 obtains information regarding the position of objects in the work area W (e.g., image data of the work area W) from the fixed camera 20 and obtains information regarding transport instructions or transport destinations from the input unit 40. The congestion level evaluation unit 150 evaluates the congestion level distribution of the work area W based on the information regarding the object positions. The path setting unit 152 sets a path for transporting the object O (specifically, a path R0 from the current position of the automatic transport body 10 to the transport starting point T0 and a path R1 from the transport starting point T0 to the transport destination T1) based on the transport instruction or transport destination information obtained from the input unit 40 and the position information of the automatic transport body 10 obtained by the position information acquisition unit 16. The automatic transport body selection unit 156 selects an automatic transport body 10 from a plurality of automatic transport bodies 10 to carry out the transport operation of the object O based on the set path and the congestion distribution. In addition, in this embodiment, the automatic transport body selection unit 156 is provided for each automatic transport body 10, so it can be said that the automatic transport body selection unit 156 determines whether the automatic transport body 10 provided with the automatic transport body selection unit 156 itself is carrying out the transport operation of the object O. The instruction generation unit 158 ​​generates an instruction for the selected automatic transport body 10 to carry the object O along the path based on the processing result of the automatic transport body selection unit 156.

[0085] In the above example, the conveyor control unit 14 of the automatic conveyor 10 performs a series of processing. Figure 7 The control unit 30 is not shown in the figure, but it can be provided separately. The method of controlling the plurality of automatic transport bodies 10 as a whole is not particularly limited. For example, the plurality of automatic transport bodies 10 can be controlled by the control unit 30, or they can cooperate autonomously through communication between the automatic transport bodies 10 without the control unit 30, or one or more specific automatic transport bodies 10 among the plurality of automatic transport bodies 10 can control other automatic transport bodies 10.

[0086] Hereinafter, modifications of the above-described embodiment will be described.

[0087] The control unit 30 can be implemented using a separate information processing device (personal computer, etc.), or it can be implemented by distributed processing of multiple information processing devices. For example, part or all of the functional units of the control unit 30 can also be implemented by a cloud server, etc. In addition, in the first to third embodiments, the control unit 30 performs all of the congestion evaluation, path setting, selection of automatic carriers, and instruction generation. In the fourth embodiment, the carrier control unit 14 performs all of the above-mentioned processing. However, the control unit 30 and the carrier control unit 14 can also perform distributed processing. For example, the control unit 30 can perform congestion evaluation, selection of automatic carriers, and instruction generation, and the carrier control unit 14 of each automatic carrier 10 can perform its own path setting. However, the method of dividing the processing in the distributed processing is not limited to the above example. In addition, distributed processing can also be performed between multiple automatic carriers 10.

[0088] In the above embodiment, the route setting unit 52 performs route setting after the congestion level evaluation unit 50 evaluates the congestion level distribution. However, this order is not particularly limited. The congestion level evaluation unit 50 may evaluate the congestion level distribution after the route setting unit 52 has performed route setting, or the congestion level evaluation unit 50 and the route setting unit 52 may perform the processing in parallel.

[0089] In the above embodiments, the processing in the control unit 30 is assumed to be implemented using one or more processors such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and program software stored in an external storage device such as a memory. However, it can also be implemented using hardware (e.g., circuitry) that does not use a CPU. Alternatively, the processing can be executed via a cloud server.

[0090] The instructions shown in the processing steps shown in each embodiment can be executed based on a program as software. A general-purpose computer system can also obtain the same effect as the effect of the above-mentioned processing steps by reading in a pre-stored program. The instructions described in each embodiment are recorded on a disk (floppy disk, hard disk, etc.), an optical disk (CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD±R, DVD±RW, Blu-ray (registered trademark) Disc, etc.), a semiconductor memory, or a similar non-temporary computer-readable recording medium as a program that can be executed by an information processing device such as a computer. As long as it is a recording medium readable by a computer or an embedded system, its storage form can be in any form. The computer reads the program from the recording medium and causes the CPU to execute the instructions described in the program based on the program, thereby achieving the same action as the above-mentioned processing steps. The computer can also obtain or read the program through a network.

[0091] According to at least one embodiment described above, the congestion distribution in the work area W is evaluated based on information related to the position of objects, such as shooting data and point group data of the work area W, and the automatic transport body 10 is selected based on the congestion distribution, thereby improving the transport efficiency.

[0092] The following describes the hardware configuration that implements the above-mentioned software functional units.

[0093] The acquisition unit 32, communication unit 34, storage unit 36, processing unit 38, input unit 40 and the like are functional units realized by the cooperation of hardware structures including a processor, memory, storage, input / output IF, communication IF, and a bus connecting them to each other.

[0094] A processor is hardware that processes data and instructions written in a program. A processor is composed of, for example, a control device, a calculation device, registers, and the like.

[0095] Memory is hardware that temporarily stores programs and data. For example, memory is a volatile memory such as SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) or DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory).

[0096] Storage is hardware that stores programs and data. Examples of storage include non-volatile memories such as flash memory, HDD (Hard Disc Drive), and ferroelectric memory.

[0097] The input / output interface functions as an interface with an input device that accepts input operations from the user and an output device that presents information to the user. Examples of input devices include pointing devices such as a mouse and touch panel, and keyboards. Examples of output devices include displays and speakers.

[0098] The communication IF is an interface for inputting and outputting signals for communicating with an external device.

[0099] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are provided as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments may be implemented in various other ways, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are intended to be within the scope and spirit of the invention and are also intended to be within the scope of the invention set forth in the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An automatic transport system for transporting objects within a work area, wherein: The automatic handling system has: A plurality of automatic transport bodies transport the objects from a transport starting point to a transport destination; a sensor to obtain information related to the position of an object in the work area; as well as A control unit controls the plurality of automatic transport bodies, The control unit includes: a route information acquisition unit that acquires, for each of the plurality of automatic transporters, route information indicating a route that the automatic transporter takes to reach a transport starting point of the object; a congestion degree evaluation unit that evaluates a congestion degree distribution indicating a degree of congestion of objects in the work area based on information related to the positions of the objects; as well as The automatic transporter selection unit selects an automatic transporter to perform a transport operation among the plurality of automatic transporters based on the path information and the congestion degree distribution.

2. The automatic handling system according to claim 1, wherein: The sensor includes a fixed camera arranged in the working area, The information related to the position of the object includes image data of the work area acquired by the fixed camera.

3. The automatic transport system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The sensor includes a carrier camera mounted on each of the plurality of automatic carriers. The information on the position of the object includes image data of the work area acquired by the carrier camera.

4. The automatic transport system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The sensor includes an optical scanner mounted on each of the plurality of automatic carriers. The information related to the position of the object includes point cloud data of the work area acquired by the optical scanner.

5. The automatic transport system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The congestion degree evaluation unit identifies the ground surface of the work area based on information related to the position of the object, and evaluates the congestion degree distribution based on an exposed area of ​​the ground surface.

6. The automatic transport system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The congestion degree evaluation unit identifies objects in the work area based on information related to the positions of the objects, and evaluates the congestion degree distribution based on the degree of spatial occupancy of the objects.

7. The automatic transport system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The congestion degree evaluation unit outputs the congestion degree distribution based on the information about the position of the object acquired by the sensor, using a learned model that has learned the relationship between the information about the position of the object and the congestion degree distribution.

8. The automatic transport system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The path is a predetermined reference path within the work area.

9. The automatic transport system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The control unit further includes a travel time calculation unit that calculates, for each of the plurality of automatic transporters, a time required for the automatic transporter to move to a transport starting point of the object based on the path information and the congestion distribution. The automatic carrier selection unit selects an automatic carrier having the shortest required time among the plurality of automatic carriers as an automatic carrier to perform a transport operation.

10. The automatic transport system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The automatic transporter selection unit selects, based on the path information and the congestion distribution, an automatic transporter having the lowest congestion level on the path among the plurality of automatic transporters as an automatic transporter to perform a transport operation.

11. The automatic transport system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The congestion degree evaluation unit predicts temporal changes in the congestion degree distribution. The automatic transporter selection unit selects an automatic transporter to perform a transport operation among the plurality of automatic transporters based on the route information and the predicted temporal change in the congestion degree distribution.

12. The automatic transport system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The control unit further includes a ground state recognition unit that recognizes the state of the ground in the work area based on information related to the position of the object, thereby detecting an abnormality on the ground. The automatic transporter selection unit selects an automatic transporter to perform a transport operation from among the plurality of automatic transporters based on the congestion degree distribution, the route information, and the recognition result of the ground state recognition unit.

13. The automatic transport system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The automatic transport system further includes a notification unit that issues an alarm for eliminating congestion on the path. The control unit instructs the notification unit to notify the alarm when the congestion degree distribution or the state of the automated transporter satisfies a predetermined condition.

14. The automatic transport system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The object includes at least one of a person, an object temporarily placed in the work area, an object stably placed in the work area, and the plurality of automated transporters.

15. An information processing device for controlling a plurality of automatic transport bodies for transporting objects from a transport starting point to a transport destination in an automatic transport system for transporting objects within a work area, wherein: The information processing device comprises: a route information acquisition unit that acquires, for each of the plurality of automatic transporters, route information indicating a route taken by the automatic transporter to reach a transport starting point of the object; a congestion degree evaluation unit that evaluates a congestion degree distribution indicating a degree of congestion of objects in the work area based on information regarding positions of objects in the work area acquired by a sensor provided in the work area; as well as The automatic transporter selection unit selects an automatic transporter to perform a transport operation among the plurality of automatic transporters based on the path information and the congestion degree distribution.

16. A mobile body, comprising, in an automatic transport system including a plurality of automatic transport bodies, one of the plurality of automatic transport bodies, the mobile body being constituted by the plurality of automatic transport bodies, the plurality of automatic transport bodies transporting objects from a transport starting point to a transport destination within a work area, wherein: The mobile body comprises: a mobile body; and Mobile body control unit, The mobile body control unit includes: a path information acquisition unit that acquires path information indicating a path taken by the automated transporter to a transport starting point of the object; a congestion degree evaluation unit that evaluates a congestion degree distribution indicating a degree of congestion of objects in the work area based on information related to positions of objects in the work area acquired by a sensor provided in the work area; as well as The automatic transporter selection unit selects an automatic transporter to perform a transport operation among the plurality of automatic transporters based on the path information and the congestion degree distribution.

17. An information processing method for controlling a plurality of automatic transport bodies for transporting objects from a transport starting point to a transport destination in an automatic transport system for transporting objects within a work area, wherein: The information processing method comprises the following steps: acquiring, for each of the plurality of automatic transport bodies, path information indicating a path taken by the automatic transport body to reach a starting point for transporting the object; evaluating a congestion distribution indicating a degree of congestion of objects in the work area based on information regarding positions of objects in the work area acquired by sensors provided in the work area; and An automatic transporter that performs a transport operation is selected from among the plurality of automatic transporters based on the path information and the congestion degree distribution. 18 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing an information processing device to execute the method according to claim 17 .

19. A computer program product comprising a program for causing an information processing device to execute the method according to claim 17.

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