Determination system

Abstract

Provided is a technique for accurately determining whether or not a moving body is located at a predetermined appropriate position. A determination system is provided with: a moving body capable of moving by unmanned driving; a sensor configured to be capable of detecting an object; an acquisition unit that acquires moving body information indicating at least one of a type and a shape of a moving body; a determination unit that determines a determination condition on the basis of the moving body information; and a determination unit that determines whether or not a moving body is present at a preset position using a detection result by the sensor and a determination condition.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a determination system. Background Technology

[0002] Patent document 1 discloses a technology for driving a vehicle autonomously or remotely during the vehicle manufacturing process.

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-538619 Summary of the Invention

[0004] When a moving object such as a vehicle is not in a proper position, it can sometimes affect the operations performed on the moving object or the control of the moving object. Therefore, a technology that can accurately determine whether a moving object is in a proper position is desired.

[0005] The present invention can be implemented in the following ways.

[0006] (1) According to one aspect of the present invention, a determination system is provided. The determination system includes: a sensor configured to detect an object; an acquisition unit for acquiring moving object information representing at least one of the category and shape of the moving object; a determination unit for determining determination conditions based on the moving object information; and a determination unit for determining whether the moving object exists at a predetermined position using the detection result of the sensor and the determination conditions.

[0007] According to this method, for various moving objects of different categories or shapes, it is possible to accurately determine whether a moving object exists at a pre-set appropriate position.

[0008] (2) In the above method, the sensor comprises multiple sensors, which are respectively disposed at different positions. The multiple sensors are configured to detect the presence or absence of the object, and the determination condition can represent the detection mode of the presence or absence of the object for each sensor. According to this method, the presence or absence of a moving object at an appropriate position can be determined with good accuracy using simple presence or absence sensors such as photoelectric sensors.

[0009] (3) In the above method, the sensor comprises multiple sensors, which are respectively disposed at different positions. The multiple sensors are configured to detect the distance to the object, and the determination condition can represent a pattern of a threshold range of the distance for each sensor. According to this method, it is possible to determine with good accuracy whether a moving object is located in an appropriate position using a simple ranging sensor.

[0010] (4) In the above method, an abnormality output unit may also be provided, which outputs an abnormality signal including at least one of a signal for notifying an abnormality and a signal for changing the position of the mobile body when the mobile body is not located at the preset position. According to this method, the abnormality of the mobile body not being located in the appropriate position can be properly handled.

[0011] (5) In the above method, it may further include: a motion control unit that moves the mobile body via the autonomous driving system; and a start output unit that outputs a start signal for starting work related to the mobile body. The sensor is disposed at the work site where the work is carried out, and the determination unit determines whether the mobile body is located at the preset position after the mobile body stops at the work site via the autonomous driving system. If the mobile body is located at the preset position, the start output unit can output the start signal. According to this method, the movement of the mobile body to the work site and the determination of whether the mobile body is located in an appropriate position in the work site can be performed automatically, and if the mobile body is located in an appropriate position, the work can be started automatically.

[0012] In addition to being implemented as the aforementioned determination system, this invention can also be implemented as a server, a mobile device, a determination method, a program for implementing the determination method, a non-transitory recording medium containing the program, or a program product. Furthermore, the program product can be provided, for example, as a recording medium containing the program, or as a program product capable of being transmitted via a network. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is an explanatory diagram showing the general structure of the system in the first embodiment.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating an example of position determination in the first embodiment.

[0015] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing sequence of vehicle driving control in the first embodiment.

[0016] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the position adjustment process in the first embodiment.

[0017] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating an example of position determination in the second embodiment.

[0018] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating the object sensor group in the third embodiment.

[0019] Figure 7 This is an explanatory diagram showing the general structure of the system in the fourth embodiment.

[0020] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing sequence of vehicle driving control in the fourth embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0021] A. Implementation Method 1:

[0022] Figure 1 This is an explanatory diagram showing the schematic structure of the system 50 in the first embodiment. The system 50 includes one or more vehicles 100 as moving bodies, a server 200, one or more external sensors 300, an object sensor group 400, and one or more working devices 500. The system 50 in this embodiment is used as a determination system for performing the position determination described later.

[0023] In this invention, "mobile body" refers to an object capable of movement, such as a vehicle or an electric vertical takeoff and landing (e.g., a flying car). A vehicle can be a wheeled vehicle or a vehicle that travels on an unlimited track, such as a sedan, truck, bus, two-wheeled vehicle, four-wheeled vehicle, construction vehicle, etc. Vehicles include battery electric vehicles (BEVs), gasoline vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles. When the mobile body is not a vehicle, the terms "vehicle" and "car" in this invention can be appropriately replaced with "mobile body," and the term "traveling" can be appropriately replaced with "moving."

[0024] Vehicle 100 is configured to operate autonomously. "Autonomous driving" refers to driving without relying on occupant-based driving operations. Driving operations refer to operations related to at least one of "driving," "turning," or "stopping" of vehicle 100. Autonomous driving is achieved through automatic or manual remote control using devices located outside vehicle 100, or through autonomous control of vehicle 100. In the autonomously driving vehicle 100, occupants who do not perform driving operations can ride. Occupants who do not perform driving operations include, for example, people who simply sit in the seats of vehicle 100, or people who perform tasks different from driving operations such as assembly, inspection, or switching operations while riding in vehicle 100. Furthermore, driving based on occupant-based driving operations is sometimes referred to as "manned driving."

[0025] In this specification, "remote control" includes "full remote control," in which all actions of vehicle 100 are completely determined from outside vehicle 100, and "partial remote control," in which some actions of vehicle 100 are determined from outside vehicle 100. Furthermore, "autonomous control" includes: "full autonomous control," in which vehicle 100 autonomously controls its own actions without receiving any information from external devices; and "partial autonomous control," in which vehicle 100 autonomously controls its own actions using information received from external devices.

[0026] In this embodiment, system 50 is used in the factory FC that manufactures vehicle 100. The reference coordinate system of the factory FC is the global coordinate system GC, and any position within the factory FC can be represented by the X, Y, and Z coordinates in the global coordinate system GC. Furthermore, in Figure 1 The diagram shows arrows indicating mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z directions. The X and Y directions are parallel to the horizontal plane, and the Z direction is vertically upward. Arrows indicating the X, Y, and Z directions are also appropriately illustrated in other diagrams. Figure 1 correspond.

[0027] The factory FC has a first location PL1 and a second location PL2. PL1 and PL2 are connected by a travel path TR through which vehicle 100 can travel. Multiple external sensors 300 are installed along the travel path TR within the factory FC. The positions of each external sensor 300 in the factory FC are pre-adjusted. Vehicle 100 moves autonomously from the first location PL1 to the second location PL2 along the travel path TR.

[0028] Location 1 (PL1) and Location 2 (PL2) are equivalent to work locations where operations related to vehicle 100 are performed. The operations can include various tasks such as assembling vehicle 100, assembling parts of vehicle 100, inspecting, maintaining, repairing, idling, and shipping vehicle 100.

[0029] In this embodiment, the operation in the second location PL2 is performed with the vehicle 100 stopped in the specified direction d1. "Vehicle 100 in the specified direction d1" means that the vehicle 100's longitudinal direction is along the specified direction d1, and the front end of the vehicle 100 is positioned on the positive side of the specified direction d1 further than the rear end. The specified direction d1 is the direction in which the end portion of the travel path TR extends towards the second location PL2. More specifically, the specified direction d1 is the +X direction. Hereinafter, the longitudinal or lateral direction of the vehicle 100 will be simply referred to as "lateral direction" or "longitudinal direction," respectively.

[0030] The vehicle 100 includes a vehicle control device 110 for controlling various parts of the vehicle 100, an actuator assembly 120 including one or more actuators driven under the control of the vehicle control device 110, and a communication device 130 for communicating with external devices such as a server 200 via wireless communication. The actuator assembly 120 includes actuators for a drive device for accelerating the vehicle 100, actuators for a steering device for changing the direction of travel of the vehicle 100, and actuators for a braking device for decelerating the vehicle 100.

[0031] The external sensor 300 is a sensor located outside the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the external sensor 300 is a sensor that captures images of the vehicle 100 from its exterior. Specifically, the external sensor 300 is composed of a camera. The camera, serving as the external sensor 300, captures images of the vehicle 100 and outputs the captured images as detection results. The external sensor 300 is equipped with a communication device (not shown) and can communicate with other devices such as the server 200 via wired or wireless communication.

[0032] The object sensor group 400 includes one or more object sensors 401. In this embodiment, the object sensor group 400 includes multiple object sensors 401. The object sensors 401 are configured to detect objects. In this embodiment, the object sensors 401 are configured as presence / absence sensors capable of detecting the presence or absence of objects. More specifically, the object sensors 401 are configured as photoelectric sensors that detect the presence or absence of objects in a non-contact manner by illuminating the object with a detection light LD. The detection method of the photoelectric sensor can be, for example, any method such as transmission type, retroreflection type, or object reflection type. Each object sensor 401 is disposed in a different position. In this embodiment, each object sensor 401 is disposed in a second location PL2, which serves as the work site. Hereinafter, the irradiation direction of the detection light LD from the object sensor 401 will also be referred to as the "irradiation direction".

[0033] The object sensor group 400 is used for position determination. Position determination is determining whether the vehicle 100 is in a pre-set appropriate position. The appropriate position is set as the position that the vehicle 100 should be in at least a portion of the time. The appropriate position is used, for example, to more appropriately perform various processes related to the vehicle 100. More specifically, the appropriate position is used to more appropriately perform operations related to the vehicle 100 or to more precisely control the driving position of the vehicle 100.

[0034] The work equipment 500 is disposed at the work site. The work equipment 500 is used for work performed at the work site. In this embodiment, the work equipment 500 is configured to perform work using control signals received from an external device such as a server 200. Figure 1As an example of work equipment 500, a robot configured to perform work is shown. Work equipment 500 is not limited to a robot; for example, it can be various equipment or devices fixed to the work site, such as a roller device described later, or it can be a device configured to move around the work site.

[0035] The vehicle control unit 110 comprises a computer equipped with a processor 111, a memory 112, an input / output interface 113, and an internal bus 114. The processor 111, memory 112, and input / output interface 113 are bidirectionally connected via the internal bus 114. An actuator assembly 120 and a communication device 130 are connected to the input / output interface 113. The processor 111 executes a program PG1 stored in the memory 112 to perform various functions, including those of the vehicle control unit 115.

[0036] The vehicle control unit 115 drives the vehicle 100 by controlling the actuator assembly 120. The vehicle control unit 115 drives the vehicle 100 by controlling the actuator assembly 120 using a driving control signal received from the server 200. The driving control signal is a control signal used to drive the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the driving control signal includes the acceleration and steering angle of the vehicle 100 as parameters. In another embodiment, the driving control signal may replace the acceleration of the vehicle 100, or it may include the speed of the vehicle 100 as a parameter in addition to the acceleration of the vehicle 100.

[0037] Server 200 is a computer comprising a processor 201, a memory 202, an input / output interface 203, and an internal bus 204. The processor 201, memory 202, and input / output interface 203 are connected via the internal bus 204 to enable bidirectional communication. A communication device 205 is connected to the input / output interface 203 for communicating with various external devices of server 200. The communication device 205 can communicate wirelessly with vehicle 100 or a user-owned terminal device 450. Furthermore, the communication device 205 can communicate with various external sensors 300 via wired or wireless communication. The user refers to a user of system 50 or factory FC, such as a manager or employee of the factory FC. The memory 202 stores various information such as program PG2, detection model DM, and database DB. The processor 201 executes the program PG2 stored in the memory 202 to perform various functions, including functions as a remote control unit 210, an acquisition unit 215, a decision unit 220, a judgment unit 225, an exception output unit 230, and a start output unit 235.

[0038] The remote control unit 210 acquires sensor-based detection results, generates a driving control signal for controlling the actuator assembly 120 of the vehicle 100 using the detection results, and sends the driving control signal to the vehicle 100, thereby enabling the vehicle 100 to move remotely. In this embodiment, the remote control unit 210 is equivalent to the motion control unit in this invention. The motion control unit moves the mobile body through autonomous driving.

[0039] The acquisition unit 215 acquires vehicle information. Vehicle information refers to at least one of the categories and shapes of the vehicle 100. "Shape" here includes the size of the vehicle 100, such as width and overall length. Width refers to the external dimensions of the vehicle 100 in the left-right direction, i.e., the dimensions from the left end to the right end of the vehicle 100. Overall length refers to the external dimensions of the vehicle 100 in the front-rear direction, i.e., the dimensions from the front end to the rear end of the vehicle 100. Vehicle information can be, for example, individual information about the vehicle 100, or information indicating the model, type, and specifications of the vehicle 100. The acquisition unit 215 can acquire, for example, identification information input by a user via various input devices, identification information from a QR code attached to the vehicle 100, or identification information from a management device that manages the manufacturing process of the vehicle 100. The user refers to a user of the system 50 or the factory FC, such as a manager or employee of the factory FC. As an input device, for example, a terminal device 450 can be used.

[0040] The decision unit 220 determines the determination conditions based on the vehicle information acquired by the acquisition unit 215. The determination conditions are conditions related to the detection of objects based on the object sensor group 400. The determination conditions are used in position determination. In this embodiment, the determination conditions represent a combination pattern of detection results of the presence or absence of each object sensor 401. Hereinafter, such a combination pattern of detection results will also be simply referred to as a "detection pattern". For example, the decision unit 220 determines the determination condition as the first determination condition based on the vehicle information of vehicle 100A. Furthermore, the decision unit 220 determines the determination condition as the second determination condition based on the vehicle information of vehicle 100B. The total length LB of vehicle 100B is greater than the total length LA of vehicle 100A. Furthermore, the width WB of vehicle 100B is greater than the width WA of vehicle 100A.

[0041] In this embodiment, the decision unit 220 determines the determination conditions based on the vehicle information reference database DB acquired by the acquisition unit 215. The database DB stores vehicle information of each vehicle 100 and determination conditions associated with each vehicle information.

[0042] The determination unit 225 performs position determination using the detection results based on the object sensor 401 and the determination conditions determined by the determination unit 220. In this embodiment, when the detection mode of the presence or absence of each object sensor 401 is consistent with the detection mode indicated by the determination conditions, the determination unit 225 determines that the vehicle 100 is in an appropriate position.

[0043] If vehicle 100 is not in the proper position, the abnormal output unit 230 outputs an abnormal signal. The abnormal signal includes at least one of a notification signal and a position change signal.

[0044] Notification signals are used to notify users of abnormalities. Notification signals are output to various notification devices. These devices can be, for example, terminal devices 450, or display devices, speakers, or alarm devices included in the factory FC.

[0045] The position change signal is a signal used to change the position of vehicle 100. More specifically, the position change signal is a signal used to move vehicle 100 to an appropriate position. The position change signal can also be described as a signal used to correct the position of vehicle 100 so that vehicle 100 is in an appropriate position. In this embodiment, the abnormal output unit 230 outputs a driving control signal as a position change signal. Furthermore, the position change signal is output to vehicle 100. In other embodiments, the position change signal may not be a signal used to move vehicle 100 to an appropriate position; for example, it may be a signal used to move vehicle 100 from the work site.

[0046] The start output unit 235 outputs a start signal. The start signal is used to begin work related to the vehicle 100. The start output unit 235 outputs the start signal when the vehicle 100 is in the appropriate position. Furthermore, if the vehicle 100 is not in the appropriate position, the start output unit 235 does not output the start signal. For example, when work is started by the operation of the work equipment 500, the start signal is output to the work equipment 500. Also, for example, when work is started by the operation of the vehicle 100, such as when the vehicle 100 is operating autonomously, the start signal can be output to the vehicle 100.

[0047] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating an example of position determination in this embodiment. For example... Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, six object sensors 401 are configured on the second location PL2, more specifically, object sensors 401A, 401B, 401C, 401D, 401E, and 401F are configured.

[0048] In this embodiment, each object sensor 401 is arranged in a row along a predetermined direction d1, i.e., along the X direction. Furthermore, each object sensor 401 is configured such that its respective illumination direction da faces the same direction. More specifically, each object sensor 401 is configured to face the +Y direction. With this configuration, the detection range DR of objects based on the object sensor group 400 is set in the region on the +Y direction side of each object sensor 401. The positions of object sensors 401A, 401B, 401C, 401D, 401E, and 401F on the predetermined direction d1 are respectively referred to as sensor positions PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5, and PS6. More specifically, the sensor position of a certain object sensor 401 corresponds to the position on the predetermined direction d1 of the detection light LD of that object sensor 401. Figure 2 In the diagram, the detection light LD is represented by a double-dotted line.

[0049] Figure 2 Decision examples J1a and J1b are examples of position determination performed on vehicle 100A. Decision example J2 is an example of position determination performed on vehicle 100B. Figure 2 In the diagram, objects detected as "present" by sensor 401 are marked with a shaded line. Figure 2 In the image, the object sensor 401, whose detection result is "none", is indicated in white.

[0050] In this embodiment, the first determination condition determined based on the vehicle information of vehicle 100A represents the first presence / absence mode PP1. That is, in determining the position of vehicle 100A, if the detection mode of the presence / absence of each object sensor 401 is consistent with the first presence / absence mode PP1, it is determined that vehicle 100A is in an appropriate position. The first presence / absence mode PP1 is the detection mode where the detection results of object sensors 401A, 401B, 401C, 401D, 401E, and 401F are none, none, present, present, none, and none, respectively. In determination example J1a, the detection mode is consistent with the first presence / absence mode PP1, therefore it is determined that vehicle 100A is in an appropriate position. On the other hand, in determination example J1b, the detection mode is different from the first presence / absence mode PP1, therefore it is determined that vehicle 100A is not in an appropriate position. More specifically, in decision example J1b, the detection results of object sensors 401A, 401B, 401C, 401D, 401E, and 401F are none, present, present, present, none, and none, respectively.

[0051] In this embodiment, the second determination condition determined based on the vehicle information of vehicle 100B represents the second presence / absence mode PP2. The second presence / absence mode PP2 is the mode in which the detection results of object sensors 401A, 401B, 401C, 401D, 401E, and 401F are none, present, present, present, present, and none, respectively. In determination example J2, the detection mode is consistent with the second presence / absence mode PP2, therefore it is determined that vehicle 100B is in an appropriate position.

[0052] As described above, the inventors of this application have discovered that by setting the determination conditions in position determination according to the category or shape of the vehicle 100, position determination can be performed with higher accuracy. For example, when a common determination condition is used for vehicles 100A and 100B with different shapes, it is difficult to perform position determination accurately for both vehicles 100A and 100B due to the difference in their shapes. In contrast, by setting an appropriate position for each vehicle 100, the decrease in accuracy of position determination caused by such differences can be suppressed. Furthermore, as a result, based on the position determination result, it is easier to position the vehicle 100 in the appropriate position, and various processes related to the vehicle 100 can be performed more appropriately.

[0053] In this embodiment, within the detection range DR, if other objects besides vehicle 100 are not considered, a portion of vehicle 100 is located at the sensor position of object sensor 401 where the detection result is "present". Furthermore, within the detection range DR, no part of vehicle 100 is located at the sensor position of object sensor 401 where the detection result is "absent". As a result, in this embodiment, vehicle 100 is configured in an appropriate position such that a portion of vehicle 100 is within the "present" range indicated by the determination condition, but does not exceed the "absent" range. For example, in... Figure 2In determination example J1a, vehicle 100A is located within range RG1, such that a portion of vehicle 100A is located at sensor positions PS3 and PS4. Range RG1 is the range in the X direction between sensor positions PS2 and PS5, with sensor positions PS2 and PS5 as boundaries. Similarly, in determination example J2, vehicle 100B is located within range RG2, such that a portion of vehicle 100B is located at sensor positions PS2, PS3, PS4, and PS5. Range RG2 is the range in the X direction between sensor positions PS1 and PS6, with sensor positions PS1 and PS6 as boundaries. Furthermore, ranges RG1 and RG2 are ranges excluding boundaries. Thus, in this embodiment, during position determination, by using a plurality of object sensors 401 arranged in the X direction, it is possible to determine whether vehicle 100 is located within a predetermined range in the X direction. Furthermore, in this embodiment, by using a determination condition that represents both "absence" and "presence" in a presence / absence pattern, the position of vehicle 100 located at an appropriate position can be controlled more precisely.

[0054] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing sequence of the driving control of the vehicle 100 in the first embodiment. Figure 3 In the processing sequence, the processor 201 of the server 200 functions as a remote control unit 210 by executing program PG2. Furthermore, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 functions as a vehicle control unit 115 by executing program PG1.

[0055] In step S1, the processor 201 of the server 200 uses the detection results output from the external sensor 300 to acquire vehicle position information. This vehicle position information is the basis for generating driving control signals. In this embodiment, the vehicle position information includes the position and orientation of the vehicle 100 in the global coordinate system GC of the factory FC. Specifically, in step S1, the processor 201 uses video images acquired from a camera, which is the external sensor 300, to acquire the vehicle position information.

[0056] Specifically, in step S1, the processor 201 detects the shape of the vehicle 100 from the camera image, calculates the coordinates of the vehicle 100's location points in the local coordinate system of the camera image, and converts the calculated coordinates into coordinates in the global coordinate system GC, thereby obtaining the position of the vehicle 100. The shape of the vehicle 100 contained in the camera image can be detected, for example, by inputting the camera image into a detection model DM utilizing artificial intelligence. The detection model DM is prepared, for example, within or outside the system 50, and pre-stored in the memory 202 of the server 200. As the detection model DM, for example, a learned machine learning model that has been learned in a manner that achieves either semantic segmentation or instance segmentation can be cited. As this machine learning model, for example, a convolutional neural network (hereinafter, CNN) learned using supervised learning with a learning dataset can be used. The learning dataset, for example, has multiple training images including the vehicle 100 and labels indicating which region in the training images represents the vehicle 100 and which region outside the vehicle 100 it represents. During CNN learning, it is preferable to update the CNN parameters by using backpropagation (error backpropagation method) to reduce the error between the output of the detection model DM and the label. Furthermore, the processor 201 can, for example, infer the orientation of the vehicle 100 by inferring the orientation of the vehicle 100 based on the orientation of the movement vector of the vehicle 100 calculated from the positional changes of the feature points of the vehicle 100 between frames of the camera image using optical flow.

[0057] In step S2, the processor 201 of the server 200 determines the next target location that the vehicle 100 should head for. In this embodiment, the target location is represented by the X, Y, and Z coordinates in the global coordinate system GC. The memory 202 of the server 200 pre-stores the path that the vehicle 100 should travel, i.e., the reference path RR. The path is represented by nodes indicating the starting point, nodes indicating the points passed through, nodes indicating the destination, and links connecting the nodes. The processor 201 uses the vehicle position information and the reference path RR to determine the next target location that the vehicle 100 should head for. The processor 201 determines the target location on the reference path RR preceding the current position of the vehicle 100.

[0058] In step S3, the processor 201 of the server 200 generates a driving control signal to cause the vehicle 100 to move towards the determined target position. The processor 201 calculates the vehicle 100's speed based on the vehicle 100's position shift and compares the calculated speed with the target speed. Generally, when the speed is lower than the target speed, the processor 201 determines acceleration by accelerating the vehicle 100; when the speed is higher than the target speed, it determines acceleration by decelerating the vehicle 100. Furthermore, when the vehicle 100 is on the reference path RR, the processor 201 determines the steering angle and acceleration to ensure the vehicle 100 does not leave the reference path RR; when the vehicle 100 is not on the reference path RR—in other words, when the vehicle 100 has left the reference path RR—the processor determines the steering angle and acceleration to ensure the vehicle 100 returns to the reference path RR.

[0059] In step S4, the processor 201 of the server 200 sends the generated driving control signal to the vehicle 100. The processor 201 repeatedly performs tasks such as acquiring vehicle position information, determining target position, generating driving control signals, and sending driving control signals at a predetermined cycle.

[0060] In step S5, the processor 111 of vehicle 100 receives a driving control signal sent from server 200. In step S6, the processor 111 of vehicle 100 controls the actuator group 120 using the received driving control signal, causing vehicle 100 to travel at the acceleration and steering angle represented by the driving control signal. The processor 111 repeatedly receives the driving control signal and controls the actuator group 120 at a predetermined cycle. According to the system 50 of this embodiment, vehicle 100 can be driven remotely, and vehicle 100 can be moved without using conveying equipment such as cranes or conveyor belts.

[0061] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the position adjustment process in this embodiment. In step S10, the acquisition unit 215 acquires vehicle information of the vehicle 100. In step S20, the determination unit 220 determines the determination conditions based on the vehicle information acquired in step S100.

[0062] In step S30, the remote control unit 210 drives the vehicle 100 to the second location PL2 via autonomous driving, and stops the vehicle 100 at the second location PL2. In step S30, the remote control unit 210 generates a driving control signal to stop the vehicle 100 at the appropriate position in the second location PL2, and outputs it to the vehicle 100. However, in step S30, for example, due to environmental factors such as external interference or internal factors of the system 50 such as communication delays, the actual position of the vehicle 100 deviates from the assumed position, and thus sometimes the vehicle 100 does not actually stop at the appropriate position.

[0063] In step S40, the determination unit 225 performs a position determination. That is, the position determination in step S40 is performed after the vehicle 100 stops at the work site. If the vehicle 100 is in an appropriate position in step S40, the start output unit 235 outputs a start signal in step S50. By executing step S50, the work begins. Furthermore, step S40 can be triggered, for example, by detecting the stopping of the vehicle 100 through an external sensor 300 or an internal sensor mounted on the vehicle 100. This can suppress false determinations in position determination caused by movement of the vehicle 100.

[0064] If vehicle 100 is not in the appropriate position in step S40, steps S60 and S70 are executed without outputting a start signal. In steps S60 and S70, the error output unit 230 outputs an error signal. More specifically, in step S60, the error output unit 230 outputs a notification signal. Furthermore, in step S70, the error output unit 230 outputs a position change signal. After step S70 is completed, the error output unit 230 returns processing to step S40. That is, in the re-executed step S40, with the position of vehicle 100 corrected by the position change signal, a new position determination is performed.

[0065] In other embodiments, for example, after step S30 is completed, the determination unit 225 determines whether the elapsed time since the vehicle 100 stopped in step S30 is greater than or equal to a preset reference time. If the elapsed time is greater than or equal to the reference time, step S70 can be skipped and the position adjustment process can be terminated. In this case, the error output unit 230 can output a signal to the terminal device 450 or the like to notify the user that the elapsed time is greater than or equal to the reference time. This can suppress repeated position determinations when the vehicle 100 cannot smoothly reach the appropriate position.

[0066] According to the system 50 in this embodiment described above, the detection results of the object-based sensor 401 and the determination conditions determined based on vehicle information are used to determine whether the vehicle 100 is within the reference range. Therefore, for various types or shapes of vehicles 100, it is possible to determine with good accuracy whether the vehicle 100 is in the appropriate position.

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the object sensor 401 is configured to detect the presence or absence of an object, and the determination condition represents the detection mode of the presence or absence of an object for each object sensor 401. Therefore, by using a simple presence or absence sensor such as a photoelectric sensor, it is possible to determine with good accuracy whether the vehicle 100 is in an appropriate position.

[0068] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if there is no vehicle 100 at the appropriate location, an abnormality signal is output. The abnormality signal includes at least one of a notification signal for notifying of the abnormality and a location change signal for changing the location of the vehicle 100. Therefore, for example, the vehicle 100 can be moved to the appropriate location or moved from the work site by a user notifying of the abnormality via the notification signal or by a device receiving the location change signal, so as not to obstruct the operation of subsequent vehicles 100. In this way, an appropriate response can be provided when there is no vehicle 100 at the appropriate location.

[0069] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the anomaly output unit 230 can output a position change signal when the magnitude of the pattern difference between the detection result detected by the object sensor group 400 and the determination condition is a first difference, and output a notification signal when the magnitude of the pattern difference is a second difference. The second difference is greater than the first difference. In the first embodiment, the pattern difference is represented by the number or ratio of detection results that are inconsistent with the presence or absence of the detection result and the presence or absence of the determination condition. The larger this pattern difference is, the higher the probability that the vehicle 100 is located further away from the appropriate position. That is, if the position of the vehicle 100 when the pattern difference is the first difference is set as the first position, and the position of the vehicle 100 when the pattern difference is the second difference is set as the second position, then the second position is more likely to be farther away from the appropriate position than the first position. In this way, when the vehicle 100 is relatively close to the appropriate position, the position of the vehicle 100 can be appropriately corrected by the position change signal without notifying the anomaly, and when the vehicle 100 is relatively far from the appropriate position, the anomaly can be notified to the user. As a result, for example, compared to the case where a notification signal is uniformly output when there is no vehicle 100 in the appropriate position, it is possible to suppress unnecessary notification anomalies when appropriate position correction of vehicle 100 based on position change signal is possible.

[0070] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, a position change signal can be output when the magnitude of the mode difference is a first difference, and a driving control signal for braking the vehicle 100 can be output when the magnitude of the mode difference is a third difference. The third difference is greater than the first difference. The third difference can be the same magnitude as the second difference mentioned above. In this way, when the vehicle 100 is close to the appropriate position, the position of the vehicle 100 can be appropriately corrected by the position change signal, and when the vehicle 100 is far from the appropriate position, the vehicle 100 can be braked. Therefore, for example, compared to the case where the vehicle 100 is braked uniformly when there is no vehicle 100 at the appropriate position, when the position of the vehicle 100 can be appropriately corrected by the position change signal, unnecessary braking of the vehicle 100 can be suppressed. As a result, for example, the driving of each vehicle 100 or the operation of each vehicle 100 can be performed more smoothly.

[0071] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an object sensor group 400 is configured at the work site. After the vehicle 100 stops at the work site via autonomous driving, a position determination is performed. If the vehicle 100 is in an appropriate position according to the position determination, a start signal for starting work at the work site is output. Therefore, the movement of the vehicle 100 to the work site and the position determination can be performed automatically, and work can be started automatically when the vehicle 100 is in an appropriate position.

[0072] Furthermore, in other embodiments, the number of object sensors 401 included in the object sensor group 400 may not be six, but may be five or fewer, or seven or more. Also, for example, in position determination, instead of using multiple object sensors 401 arranged along the X direction, multiple object sensors 401 arranged along the Y direction may be used to determine whether the vehicle 100 is within a preset Y-direction range. This allows for more precise control of the position or angle of the vehicle 100 at the appropriate location. Furthermore, for example, the determination of the vehicle 100's orientation using external sensors 300 or internal sensors may be combined with position determination. In this case, for example, if the vehicle 100 is in the appropriate position and its orientation is a preset orientation, a start signal can be output.

[0073] B. Second Implementation Method:

[0074] Figure 5This diagram illustrates an example of position determination in the second embodiment. In this embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the object sensor 402 included in the object sensor group 400b is configured as a distance sensor capable of detecting the distance from the object sensor 402 to the object. Furthermore, the determination condition represents a combination pattern of threshold ranges for the distance of each object sensor 402. Other structures are the same as in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0075] The object sensor 402 is configured as a ranging sensor to detect the distance from the object to the object. The ranging sensor can employ any method, such as optical, radio wave, or ultrasonic. In this embodiment, the object sensor 402 is configured as a laser ranging sensor that detects the distance to the object in a non-contact manner by illuminating the object with a laser beam, which serves as the detection light. Hereinafter, the distance detected by the object sensor 402 will also be referred to as the "detection distance".

[0076] In this embodiment, the object sensor group 400b includes four object sensors 402, more specifically, object sensors 402A, 402B, 402C, and 402D. Object sensors 402A and 402B are arranged in a row along a predetermined direction d1. Object sensors 402A and 402B are configured such that their respective illumination directions da face the same +Y direction. Object sensors 402C and 402D are arranged in a row along the predetermined direction d1 at the +Y direction positions of object sensors 402A and 402B. Object sensors 402C and 402D are configured such that their respective illumination directions db face the same -Y direction. Furthermore, object sensors 402A and 402B and object sensors 402C and 402D are arranged opposite each other in the Y direction. With this configuration, the detection range DRb of the object based on the object sensor group 400b is set in the region on the +Y direction side of object sensors 402A and 402B and the -Y direction side of object sensors 402C and 402D. Furthermore, in this embodiment, sensor positions PS1 and PS3 are the same, and sensor positions PS2 and PS4 are the same. In other embodiments, sensor positions PS1 and PS3 may be different, and sensor positions PS2 and PS4 may also be different.

[0077] More specifically, object sensors 402A and 402B are configured to illuminate a first side of the vehicle 100, which is positioned at an appropriate location and facing a predetermined direction d1, with their respective detection lights. Object sensors 402C and 402D are configured to illuminate a second side of the vehicle 100, which is positioned at an appropriate location and facing the predetermined direction d1, with their respective detection lights. The second side is the side opposite to the first side. In this embodiment, the first side is the right side, and the second side is the left side.

[0078] Figure 5 Judgment examples J3a and J3b are examples of performing position determination on vehicle 100A. Judgment example J4 is an example of performing position determination on vehicle 100B. In this embodiment, the first determination condition determined based on the vehicle information of vehicle 100A represents the first distance mode PD1. That is, in determining the position of vehicle 100A, if the combination pattern of the detection distances of each object sensor 402 is consistent with the first distance mode PD1, it is determined that vehicle 100A is in an appropriate position. The first distance mode PD1 is the detection mode in which the detection distances of object sensors 402A, 402B, 402C, and 402D are within the first threshold range, the second threshold range, the third threshold range, and the fourth threshold range, respectively. The first threshold range, the second threshold range, the third threshold range, and the fourth threshold range are threshold ranges that include distances DS1, DS2, DS3, and DS4, respectively. In judgment example J3a, the detection mode matches the first distance mode PD1, therefore it is determined that vehicle 100A is in an appropriate position. On the other hand, in decision example J3b, the detection mode is different from the first distance mode PD1, therefore it is determined that vehicle 100A is not in an appropriate position. More specifically, in decision example J3b, the detection distances of object sensors 402A, 402B, 402C, and 402D are distances DS1, DS2b, DS3, and DS4b, respectively. Distance DS2b is a distance less than the second threshold range. Distance DS4b is a distance less than the fourth threshold range.

[0079] In this embodiment, the second determination condition determined based on the vehicle information of vehicle 100B represents the second distance mode PD2. The second distance mode PD2 is a detection mode where the detection distances of object sensors 402A, 402B, 402C, and 402D are within the 5th threshold range, the 6th threshold range, the 7th threshold range, and the 8th threshold range, respectively. The 5th threshold range, the 6th threshold range, the 7th threshold range, and the 8th threshold range are threshold ranges that include distances DS5, DS6, DS7, and DS8, respectively. In determination example J4, the detection mode is consistent with the second distance mode PD2, therefore it is determined that vehicle 100B is in an appropriate position.

[0080] According to the system 50 in the second embodiment described above, the object sensor 402 is configured to detect the distance up to the object, and the determination condition represents a combination pattern of the detection distances of each object sensor 402. Therefore, using a simple ranging sensor such as a laser rangefinder, it is possible to determine with good accuracy whether the vehicle 100 is in an appropriate position.

[0081] Furthermore, in other embodiments, the number of object sensors 402 included in the object sensor group 400b may not be four; it may be three or fewer, or five or more. Also, for example, in the second embodiment, only object sensors 402A and 402B may be used for position determination. That is, only the object sensor 402 configured to detect light illuminating the first side of the vehicle 100 may be used for position determination. However, as explained in the second embodiment, by using both the object sensor 402 configured to detect light illuminating the first side and the object sensor 402 configured to detect light illuminating the second side for position determination, position determination can be performed with greater accuracy. Furthermore, false determinations caused by foreign objects different from the vehicle 100 can be suppressed.

[0082] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the abnormal output unit 230 can output a position change signal when the magnitude of the mode difference between the detection result detected by the object sensor group 400 and the determination condition is a first difference, and output a notification signal when the magnitude of the mode difference is a second difference. In the second embodiment, the mode difference is represented, for example, by the maximum value of the difference between the distance pattern as the detection result and the distance pattern as the determination condition, or the average value of the difference between the detection distances. Moreover, in the second embodiment, a position change signal can be output when the magnitude of the mode difference is a first difference, and a driving control signal for braking the vehicle 100 can be output when the magnitude of the mode difference is a third difference.

[0083] C. Third implementation method:

[0084] Figure 6 This diagram illustrates the object sensor assembly 400c in the third embodiment. In this embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the object sensor assembly 400c is configured in a work device 500b, which is a roller assembly located at the second location PL2. Other structural details are the same as in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0085] The work equipment 500b is installed at location PL2. The work equipment 500b is configured as an inspection device for the inspection vehicle 100. The work equipment 500b includes a roller 510, an equipment control unit 520, and equipment sensors 530.

[0086] Rollers 510 are provided, for example, on the road surface of the work site or on a platform for carrying vehicles 100, so that vehicles 100 can drive onto rollers 510. Rollers 510 are configured to rotate while supporting the wheels 101 of the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the work equipment 500b has a roller unit 511 for each wheel 101. In this embodiment, the roller unit 511 has two rollers 510: a front roller 510A and a rear roller 510B. The front roller 510A is located on the +X direction side of the rear roller 510B. That is, the work equipment 500b is configured to support each wheel 101 with two rollers 510, and has a total of eight rollers 510. Figure 6 In the diagram, rollers 510 are marked with shaded lines. In this embodiment, the work equipment 500b is used with each wheel 101 of the vehicle 100 facing the +X direction supported by each roller unit 511. Alternatively, in another embodiment, a roller unit 511 configured to support both the left and right wheels 101 may be provided on each of a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels. Furthermore, the roller unit 511 may be configured, for example, to support one front wheel with rollers 510 and one rear wheel with two rollers 510, or it may be configured to support one front wheel with two rollers 510 and one rear wheel with two rollers 510.

[0087] The equipment control unit 520 is, for example, composed of a computer, and controls various parts of the working equipment 500b. The equipment sensors 530 include, for example, a speed sensor for detecting the rotational speed of the roller 510 and a braking force sensor for detecting the braking force of the vehicle 100 on the roller 510.

[0088] The working device 500b has at least one of a first function and a second function. The first function is to check the function of the vehicle 100 by driving the rotation of the wheels 101 on the roller 510 to rotate in tandem. The second function is to check the function of the vehicle 100 by driving the rotating roller 510 to rotate in tandem with the wheels 101 on the roller 510. The first function is used, for example, to check the driving status or speed of the vehicle 100. The roller device with the first function is also referred to as a "roller tester". The second function is used, for example, to check the braking performance of the vehicle 100. The roller device with the second function is also referred to as a "brake tester". The roller device with the second function, for example, includes one or more electric motors or braking force sensors for driving the rotation of the roller 510.

[0089] like Figure 6As shown, in this embodiment, object sensors 401A, 401B, 401C, and 401D are correspondingly provided with each roller unit 511. Furthermore, each object sensor 402 is configured to allow the detection light LD to pass through the gap GP between the front roller 510A and the rear roller 510B of each roller unit 511 and illuminate the wheel 101 on the roller 510. More specifically, as... Figure 6 As shown in the upper section, the detection light LD illuminates the front end of the portion of each wheel 101 that protrudes downward from the body of the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, object sensors 402A and 402B are configured such that their respective illumination directions da face the same -Y direction. The detection light LD based on object sensors 402A and 402B illuminates the left side of each wheel 101 on the right side of the vehicle 100 from the +Y direction. Object sensors 402C and 402D are configured such that their respective illumination directions db face the same +Y direction. The detection light LD based on object sensors 402A and 402B illuminates the right side of each wheel 101 on the left side of the vehicle 100 from the +- direction.

[0090] In the third embodiment, the same procedure as in the first embodiment is followed. Figure 4 The position adjustment process is as follows. For example, in step S30, the remote control unit 210 stops the vehicle 100 at the second location PL2 in such a way that each wheel 101 is positioned on each roller 510 of the work equipment 500, which is a roller device. And, in step S50, the start output unit 235 sends a start signal, for example, to at least one of the vehicle 100 and the work equipment 500b. For example, if a start signal is sent to the work equipment 500b, the equipment control unit 520 uses the received start signal as a trigger to start the inspection of the roller 510.

[0091] The system 50 described in the third embodiment above can accurately determine whether a vehicle 100 is in the appropriate position for various types or shapes of vehicles 100. Furthermore, in this embodiment, an object sensor group 400c is arranged on the roller assembly so that the detection light LD shines through the gap GP between the front roller 510A and the rear roller 510B onto the wheel 101 on the roller 510. This allows for accurate determination of whether the vehicle 100 on the roller 510 is in the appropriate position, and compared to a separate arrangement of the roller assembly and the object sensor group 400c, a more space-efficient configuration is possible. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the object sensor 401, which serves as a sensor, as described in the first embodiment, can be arranged in the working device 500b, which is the roller assembly.

[0092] D. Fourth implementation method:

[0093] Figure 7 This is an explanatory diagram showing the schematic structure of system 50v in the fourth embodiment. In this embodiment, system 50v differs from the first embodiment in that it does not include a server 200. Furthermore, the vehicle 100 in this embodiment can be driven autonomously. Other structural details are the same as in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0094] In this embodiment, the processor 111 of the vehicle control device 110 executes the program PG1 stored in the memory 112, functioning as the vehicle control unit 115v, acquisition unit 215, decision unit 220, judgment unit 225, exception output unit 230, and start output unit 235. The vehicle control unit 115v acquires sensor-based output results, generates a driving control signal using the output results, and outputs the generated driving control signal to activate the actuator assembly 120, thereby enabling autonomous control to drive the vehicle 100. The vehicle control unit 115v in this embodiment corresponds to the motion control unit in this invention. In this embodiment, in addition to the program PG1, the memory 112 also stores a detection model DM, a reference path RR, and a database DB. In this embodiment, the communication device 130 is configured to communicate with various external devices such as external sensors 300 and terminal devices 450.

[0095] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing sequence of the driving control of the vehicle 100 in the fourth embodiment. Figure 8 In the processing sequence, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 functions as the vehicle control unit 115v by executing program PG1.

[0096] In step S901, the processor 111 of the vehicle control device 110 acquires vehicle position information using detection results output from the camera, which is an external sensor 300. In step S902, the processor 111 determines the next target location that the vehicle 100 should go to. In step S903, the processor 111 generates a driving control signal to cause the vehicle 100 to travel to the determined target location. In step S904, the processor 111 controls the actuator group 120 using the generated driving control signal to make the vehicle 100 travel according to the parameters represented by the driving control signal. The processor 111 repeats the acquisition of vehicle position information, determination of target location, generation of driving control signal, and control of actuators at a predetermined cycle. According to the system 50v in this embodiment, the vehicle 100 can be driven autonomously by the vehicle 100 even without remote control of the vehicle 100 through the server 200.

[0097] In this embodiment, Figure 4The position adjustment process is performed by the processor 111 of the vehicle 100. For example, in step S30, the vehicle control unit 115v of the vehicle 100 stops the vehicle 100 at the work site through autonomous control. And, in step S70, the abnormal output unit 230 of the vehicle 100 corrects the position of the vehicle 100 by actuating the actuator group 120, for example, by using a driving control signal for stopping the vehicle 100 in the appropriate position.

[0098] The system 50v described in the fourth embodiment above can accurately determine whether a vehicle 100 is in an appropriate position for various types of vehicles 100. Furthermore, in the fourth embodiment, the object sensor group 400 can be configured in the same way as in the first embodiment, the second embodiment, or the third embodiment.

[0099] E. Other implementation methods:

[0100] (E1) In the above embodiments, the object sensor group 400 may include, for example, a presence sensor and a ranging sensor. That is, the presence sensor and the ranging sensor can be used in position determination.

[0101] (E2) In the above embodiments, an abnormal signal is output when there is no vehicle 100 at the appropriate location, but an abnormal signal may not be output. In this case, the system 50 may be configured to output only the result of the location determination, regardless of whether there is a vehicle 100 at the appropriate location or not. Furthermore, in this case, the system 50 may not have an abnormal output unit 230.

[0102] (E3) In each of the above embodiments, a start signal is output when the vehicle 100 is in a suitable position, but a start signal may not be output. In this case, for example, the operation can be started manually by a user who has confirmed that the vehicle 100 is in a suitable position. Furthermore, in this case, the system 50 may not have a start output unit 235.

[0103] (E4) In the above embodiments, the object sensor group 400 is disposed at the work site and is set at an appropriate location within the work site, but is not limited thereto. For example, the object sensor group 400 may be disposed at or near the driving route TR, and may be set at an appropriate location on the driving route TR.

[0104] (E5) In the above embodiment, the position determination is performed when the vehicle 100 is stopped, but it is not limited to this. For example, the position determination can also be performed when the vehicle 100 is moving.

[0105] (E6) In the above embodiments, various functional units such as the acquisition unit 215, decision unit 220, determination unit 225, exception output unit 230, and start output unit 235 can be provided in the vehicle 100 in the system 50. In this case, as described in the fourth embodiment, all of the acquisition unit 215, decision unit 220, determination unit 225, exception output unit 230, and start output unit 235 can be provided in the vehicle 100, or some of these functional units can be provided in the vehicle 100. Furthermore, in the system 50, some or all of these functional units can be provided, for example, in the server 200 and external devices of the vehicle 100.

[0106] (E7) In the above embodiments, the external sensor 300 is not limited to a camera; for example, it may be a ranging device. The ranging device may be, for example, a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) device. In this case, the detection result output by the external sensor 300 may be three-dimensional point cloud data representing the vehicle 100. In this case, the server 200 or the vehicle 100 can obtain vehicle position information by using template matching of the three-dimensional point cloud data as the detection result and pre-prepared reference point cloud data.

[0107] Alternatively, for example, a LiDAR device can be used as object sensor 401. In this case, the LiDAR device, which is the external sensor 300, can be used as object sensor 401. Furthermore, if object sensor 401 is configured, for example, as a LiDAR device, to detect multiple parts of an object with a single sensor, then only a single object sensor 401 can be used for position determination. Even in this case, position determination using, for example, the presence / absence mode determination condition described in the first embodiment, and position determination using the distance mode determination condition described in the second embodiment, can still be performed.

[0108] (E8) In the first embodiment described above, the server 200 performs the process from the acquisition of vehicle location information to the generation of the driving control signal. In contrast, the vehicle 100 may perform at least a portion of the process from the acquisition of vehicle location information to the generation of the driving control signal. For example, it may be performed in the manner described in (1) to (3) below.

[0109] (1) Server 200 can obtain vehicle location information, determine the next target location that vehicle 100 should go to, and generate a path from the current location of vehicle 100 as indicated in the obtained vehicle location information to the target location. Server 200 can generate a path from the current location to the target location, or a path to the destination. Server 200 can send the generated path to vehicle 100. Vehicle 100 can generate a driving control signal to make vehicle 100 drive on the path received from server 200, and use the generated driving control signal to control actuator group 120.

[0110] (2) Server 200 can obtain vehicle location information and send the obtained vehicle location information to vehicle 100. Vehicle 100 can perform the following processing: determine the target position that vehicle 100 should face next, generate a path from the current position of vehicle 100 represented by the received vehicle location information to the target position, generate a driving control signal to make vehicle 100 drive on the generated path, and use the generated driving control signal to control actuator group 120.

[0111] (3) In the methods described in (1) and (2) above, an internal sensor is mounted on the vehicle 100, and the detection results output from the internal sensor can be used in at least one of the path generation and the generation of the driving control signal. The internal sensor is a sensor mounted on the vehicle 100. The internal sensor may include, for example, a camera, LiDAR, millimeter-wave radar, ultrasonic sensor, GPS sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope sensor, etc. For example, in the method described in (1) above, the server 200 can reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the path when acquiring the detection results of the internal sensor and generating the path. In the method described in (1) above, the vehicle 100 can reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the driving control signal when acquiring the detection results of the internal sensor and generating the driving control signal. In the method described in (2) above, the vehicle 100 can reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the path when acquiring the detection results of the internal sensor and generating the path. In the method described in (2) above, the vehicle 100 can reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the driving control signal when acquiring the detection results of the internal sensor and generating the driving control signal.

[0112] (E9) In the fourth embodiment described above, the vehicle 100 is equipped with an internal sensor, and the detection results output from the internal sensor can be used in at least one of the path generation and the generation of the driving control signal. For example, the vehicle 100 can reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the path when acquiring the detection results of the internal sensor and generating the path. The vehicle 100 can also reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the driving control signal when acquiring the detection results of the internal sensor and generating the driving control signal.

[0113] (E10) In the fourth embodiment described above, the vehicle 100 uses the detection results of the external sensor 300 to acquire vehicle position information. Alternatively, an internal sensor can be mounted on the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 uses the detection results of the internal sensor to acquire vehicle position information, determines the next target position the vehicle 100 should face, generates a path from the current position of the vehicle 100 as indicated in the acquired vehicle position information to the target position, generates a driving control signal for driving the generated path, and uses the generated driving control signal to control the actuator assembly 120. In this case, the vehicle 100 can drive without using the detection results of the external sensor 300. Furthermore, the vehicle 100 can acquire the target arrival time or congestion information from outside the vehicle 100 and reflect the target arrival time or congestion information in at least one of the path and the driving control signal. Moreover, all functional structures of the system 50v can be set within the vehicle 100. That is, the processing implemented by the system 50v in this invention can be implemented independently by the vehicle 100.

[0114] (E11) In the first embodiment described above, the server 200 automatically generates a driving control signal to be sent to the vehicle 100. Alternatively, the server 200 can generate a driving control signal to be sent to the vehicle 100 according to the operation of an external operator located outside the vehicle 100. For example, the external operator can operate a control device equipped with a display showing camera images output from external sensors 300, a steering wheel for remotely operating the vehicle 100, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, and a communication device for communicating with the server 200 via wired or wireless communication. The server 200 can then generate a driving control signal corresponding to the operation applied to the control device.

[0115] (E12) In the above embodiments, the vehicle 100 only needs to have a structure capable of moving autonomously. For example, it can be a platform with the structure described below. Specifically, in order for the vehicle 100 to perform the three functions of "driving," "turning," and "stopping" autonomously, it only needs to have a vehicle control device 110 and an actuator assembly 120. When the vehicle 100 obtains information from the outside for autonomous driving, the vehicle 100 only needs to have a communication device 130. That is, the vehicle 100 capable of moving autonomously may not have at least some of the interior components such as the driver's seat or dashboard installed, nor at least some of the exterior components such as bumpers or mudguards installed, nor may it have a body shell installed. In this case, the remaining components such as the body shell can be installed on the vehicle 100 before it is shipped from the factory FC, or the remaining components such as the body shell can be installed on the vehicle 100 after it is shipped from the factory FC, without the remaining components being installed on the vehicle 100. Each component can be installed from any direction, such as the top, bottom, front, rear, right, or left side of the vehicle 100, or from the same direction, or from different directions. Furthermore, the platform can be positioned in the same way as the vehicle 100 in the first embodiment.

[0116] (E13) Vehicle 100 can be manufactured by combining multiple modules. A module refers to a unit composed of one or more parts that are aggregated according to the structure or function of vehicle 100. For example, the platform of vehicle 100 can be manufactured by combining a front module constituting the front part of the platform, a central module constituting the central part of the platform, and a rear module constituting the rear part of the platform. In addition, the number of modules constituting the platform is not limited to three, but can be two or less or four or more. Furthermore, in addition to the platform, or in place of the platform, parts of vehicle 100 that are different from the platform can also be modularized. Furthermore, various modules can include any exterior parts such as bumpers or grilles, or any interior parts such as seats or consoles. Furthermore, not limited to vehicle 100, any kind of moving body can also be manufactured by combining multiple modules. Such modules can be manufactured, for example, by joining multiple parts together by welding or fasteners, or by casting to integrally form at least a part of the module as a component. The molding method of integrally forming at least a part of the module as a component is also called integral die casting or mega-casting. By using integrated die casting, the various parts of a moving body, which were previously formed by joining multiple components, can be formed into a single component. For example, the aforementioned front module, central module, and rear module can be manufactured using integrated die casting.

[0117] (E14) The case of transporting vehicle 100 using the driving of driverless vehicle 100 is also referred to as "autonomous driving transport". Furthermore, the structure used to realize autonomous driving transport is also referred to as a "vehicle remote control autonomous driving transport system". Furthermore, the production method that utilizes autonomous driving transport to produce vehicle 100 is also referred to as "autonomous driving production". In autonomous driving production, for example, in factory FC where vehicle 100 is manufactured, at least a portion of the transport of vehicle 100 is achieved through autonomous driving transport.

[0118] In the above embodiments, some or all of the functions and processes implemented in the software can be implemented in the hardware. Furthermore, some or all of the functions and processes implemented in the hardware can be implemented in the software. As the hardware for implementing the various functions in the above embodiments, various circuits such as integrated circuits or discrete circuits can be used.

[0119] This invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various structures without departing from its spirit. For example, to address some or all of the above-described problems, or to achieve some or all of the above-described effects, the technical features in the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in the various methods described in the summary section of the invention can be appropriately replaced or combined. Furthermore, if the technical features are described as essential in this specification, they can be appropriately omitted.

[0120] Symbol Explanation

[0121] 50, 50V - System; 100, 100A, 100B - Vehicle; 101 - Wheel; 110 - Vehicle Control Unit; 111 - Processor; 112 - Memory; 113 - Input / Output Interface; 114 - Internal Bus; 115, 115V - Vehicle Control Unit; 120 - Actuator Group; 130 - Communication Device; 200 - Server; 201 - Processor; 202 - Memory; 203 - Input / Output Interface; 204 - Internal Bus; 205 - Communication Device; 210 - Remote control unit, 215-Acquisition unit, 220-Decision unit, 225-Judgment unit, 230-Abnormal output unit, 235-Start output unit, 300-External sensor, 400, 400b, 400c-Object sensor group, 401, 402-Object sensor, 450-Terminal device, 500, 500b-Working equipment, 510-Roller, 510A-Front roller, 510B-Rear roller, 511-Roller unit, 520-Equipment control unit, 530-Equipment sensor.

Claims

1. A determination system, characterized in that, have: A mobile vehicle capable of moving autonomously; A sensor, which is configured to detect objects; The acquisition unit acquires mobile body information representing at least one of the category and shape of the mobile body; The decision-making unit determines the judgment conditions based on the information of the moving body; and The determination unit uses the detection results from the sensor and the determination conditions to determine whether the moving object exists at a preset position.

2. The determination system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Equipped with multiple of the aforementioned sensors, The multiple sensors are respectively configured in different locations. The plurality of sensors are configured to detect the presence or absence of the object. The determination criteria represent the detection mode of each sensor for the presence or absence of the object.

3. The determination system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Equipped with multiple of the aforementioned sensors, The multiple sensors are respectively configured in different locations. The plurality of sensors are configured to detect the distance to the object. The determination criteria represent a pattern of threshold ranges for the distance of each of the sensors.

4. The determination system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also has: An error output unit outputs an error signal when the moving body is not located at the preset position. This signal includes at least one of a signal for notifying an error and a signal for changing the position of the moving body.

5. The determination system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, It also has: A mobility control unit, which moves the mobile body via the unmanned driving system; and The start output unit outputs a start signal for initiating operations related to the moving body. The sensor is configured at the work site where the operation is performed. After the mobile vehicle stops at the work site via the unmanned driving system, the determination unit determines whether the mobile vehicle is located at the preset position. When the moving body is located at the preset position, the start output unit outputs the start signal.

Images