System and device

Abstract

This system is provided with: a work device that is used in work with respect to a manufacturing vehicle that can be driven by unmanned driving; an acquisition unit that acquires operation information relating to the operation of a vehicle that travels to a work site in which a work device is disposed by unmanned driving; and a control unit that controls the work device on the basis of the operation information.

Description

[0001] Cross-referencing of related applications

[0002] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-150359, filed on September 15, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to systems and devices. Background Technology

[0004] There is a known technology that enables vehicles to drive autonomously during the vehicle manufacturing process (e.g., Patent Document 1).

[0005] Existing technical documents

[0006] Patent documents

[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-538619 Summary of the Invention

[0008] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0009] In the manufacturing process of mobile bodies such as vehicles, there is room for research on improving the workability of assembling parts into mobile bodies when the mobile bodies are moved by unmanned driving rather than by conveyors.

[0010] Technical means for solving problems

[0011] This disclosure can be implemented in the following ways.

[0012] (1) According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a system is provided. The system is characterized in that, in the control of at least one of a work device used in an operation on a mobile body capable of moving autonomously and the mobile body moving autonomously to a work site equipped with the work device, motion information related to the action of the other party is reflected.

[0013] According to this system, the moving body and the working device can cooperate, thus improving the efficiency of operations performed on the moving body using the working device.

[0014] (2) In the system described above, it may also include: an acquisition unit that acquires motion information related to the motion of the moving body; and a control unit that controls the working device based on the motion information.

[0015] According to this system, the working device can be activated based on the movement of the moving body, thus improving the efficiency of operations performed on moving bodies using the working device.

[0016] (3) In the system described above, it may also include: an acquisition unit that acquires the motion information related to the operation of the working device; and a control unit that controls the moving body according to the motion information.

[0017] According to this system, the moving body can be moved according to the action of the working device, thus improving the work efficiency of the work performed on the moving body using the working device.

[0018] (4) According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises: an acquisition unit for acquiring motion information related to the motion of a mobile body moving by unmanned driving; a generation unit for generating, based on the motion information, work device control information used in controlling a work device for assembling components onto the moving mobile body; and a transmission unit for transmitting the work device control information to the work device.

[0019] According to this method, the working device can be activated based on the movement of the moving body, thus enabling the working device to properly assemble components on the moving body. Therefore, the efficiency of assembling components on a moving body can be improved.

[0020] (5) In the above-described apparatus, the working device may also include: an arm for holding the component; and a control unit for controlling the arm, wherein the generation unit generates working device control information including parameters used in the control of the arm, and the control unit uses the parameters to control the arm.

[0021] According to this method, the arm can be moved by sending control information of the working device to the working device.

[0022] (6) In the apparatus described above, the generating unit may also generate mobile body control information used in the control of the mobile body.

[0023] According to this method, the device can generate mobile body control information and working device control information through a single device.

[0024] (7) In the apparatus described above, the generating unit may generate at least one of the following commands when the movement of the moving body meets the preset conditions: a command to stop the moving body, a command to stop the working device, and a command to report an abnormality.

[0025] The device according to this method can respond appropriately when the movement of the moving body may be abnormal.

[0026] (8) According to a second aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus is provided for assembling components onto a mobile body capable of moving autonomously. The apparatus includes: an arm for holding the components; a sensor for detecting the movement of the mobile body; and a control unit for controlling the arm based on the detection results of the sensor.

[0027] According to this method, the device can properly assemble components onto a moving body. Therefore, the efficiency of assembling components onto a moving body can be improved.

[0028] (9) According to a third aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus is provided for assembling components into a mobile body capable of moving autonomously. The apparatus includes: an arm for holding the component; an acquisition unit for acquiring detection results from a sensor mounted on the mobile body that detects the movement of the mobile body while it is moving autonomously; and a control unit for controlling the arm based on the detection results.

[0029] According to this method, the device can properly assemble components onto a moving body. Therefore, the efficiency of assembling components onto a moving body can be improved.

[0030] (10) According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises: an acquisition unit that acquires motion information related to the operation of a work device assembling components onto a mobile body moving unmanned; a generation unit that generates mobile body control information used in the control of the mobile body based on the motion information; and a transmission unit that transmits the mobile body control information to the mobile body.

[0031] According to this method, the moving body can be moved according to the operation of the working device, and therefore, components can be properly assembled on the moving body by the working device. Thus, the efficiency of assembling components on the moving body can be improved.

[0032] (11) In the apparatus described above, the generating unit may generate moving body control information for controlling the moving body so that the relative speed between the moving body and the component is within a preset range when the component is assembled onto the moving body.

[0033] The device according to this method can reduce the impact when assembling components onto a moving body.

[0034] (12) In the apparatus described above, if the relative speed of the generating unit is not within the range when assembling the component onto the moving body, it may generate at least one of the following commands: a command to stop the moving body, a command to stop the working device, and a command to report an abnormality.

[0035] The device according to this method can be appropriately dealt with in the event of possible poor assembly of components.

[0036] (13) According to a fifth aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus is provided, which is mounted on a mobile body. The apparatus includes: an acquisition unit for acquiring motion information related to the operation of a working device for assembling components onto the mobile body in motion; and a control unit for controlling the mobile body based on the motion information.

[0037] According to this method, the moving body can be moved according to the operation of the working device, and therefore, components can be properly assembled on the moving body by the working device. Thus, the efficiency of assembling components on the moving body can be improved.

[0038] (14) According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes: an acquisition unit that acquires motion information related to the motion of a mobile body capable of moving autonomously; and a generation unit that generates, based on the motion information, work device control information used in controlling a work device that assembles components onto the mobile body parked at a work site autonomously.

[0039] According to this method, the working device can be activated based on the movement of the moving body, thus enabling the proper assembly of components onto a stationary moving body using the working device. Therefore, the efficiency of assembling components onto a moving body can be improved.

[0040] (15) According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises: an acquisition unit that acquires motion information relating to the actions of a work device that assembles components into a mobile body capable of moving autonomously, and assembling the components into the mobile body which is parked at a work site autonomously; and a generation unit that generates mobile body control information used in controlling the mobile body to stop at the work site based on the motion information.

[0041] According to this method, the moving body can be moved according to the operation of the working device, and therefore, components can be properly assembled on the stationary moving body by the working device. Thus, the efficiency of assembling components on the moving body can be improved.

[0042] (16) According to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises: an acquisition unit that acquires motion information related to the motion of a mobile body capable of moving autonomously; a generation unit that generates, based on the motion information, work device control information for use in the control of a work device capable of moving autonomously, the work device being capable of loading at least one of components assembled to the mobile body and tools used in work on the mobile body; and a transmission unit that transmits the work device control information to the work device.

[0043] According to this method, the working device can be moved according to the movement of the moving object. Therefore, the work efficiency of the operator who removes parts and / or tools from the working device and performs operations on the moving object can be improved.

[0044] (17) In the apparatus described above, the generating unit may generate the control information of the working device in such a way that the relative speed between the working device and the moving body is within a predetermined range.

[0045] The device according to this method can suppress changes in the distance between the working device and the moving body. Therefore, it can effectively improve the work efficiency of the operator.

[0046] (18) In the apparatus described above, the generating unit may generate control information for the operation device to approach a subsequent moving body after the operation is performed on the moving body when it determines that the operation for the moving body has been completed.

[0047] This type of device eliminates the need for operators to manually move the device close to the subsequent moving body, thus effectively improving operator efficiency.

[0048] (19) In the apparatus described above, the acquiring unit may acquire motion information related to the motion of the subsequent moving body during the approach of the working device to the subsequent moving body, or after the working device approaches the subsequent moving body to within a predetermined distance, and the generating unit may generate the working device control information based on the motion information of the subsequent moving body.

[0049] According to this method, the movement of the moving body can be obtained at the appropriate time.

[0050] (20) In the apparatus described above, the generating unit may generate operation control information that causes the operation device to stop when it determines that the operation for the moving body has ended and that there is no subsequent moving body.

[0051] According to this method, the device can suppress the unnecessary energy consumption caused by the working device continuing to move even when there is no subsequent moving body.

[0052] (21) According to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, a work apparatus is provided that is capable of moving autonomously. The work apparatus includes: a platform capable of loading at least one of components assembled to a mobile body capable of moving autonomously and tools used in operations on said mobile body; a drive unit for moving; an acquisition unit for acquiring detection results from sensors mounted on said mobile body; and a control unit for controlling the drive unit based on said detection results.

[0053] According to this method, the working device can be moved according to the movement of the moving object. Therefore, the work efficiency of the operator who removes parts and / or tools from the working device to perform work on the moving object can be improved.

[0054] (22) According to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, a work apparatus is provided that is capable of moving autonomously. The work apparatus includes: a platform capable of loading at least one of components assembled to a mobile body capable of moving autonomously and tools used in operations on said mobile body; a drive unit for moving; a sensor for detecting the movement of said mobile body; and a control unit for controlling the drive unit based on the detection result of said sensor.

[0055] According to this method, the working device can be moved according to the movement of the moving object. Therefore, the work efficiency of the operator who removes parts and / or tools from the working device to perform work on the moving object can be improved.

[0056] This disclosure can also be implemented in various ways other than systems and apparatuses. For example, it can be implemented as a method, a computer program, or a recording medium containing a computer program. Attached Figure Description

[0057] Figure 1 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the system according to the first embodiment.

[0058] Figure 2 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle according to the first embodiment.

[0059] Figure 3 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the server device according to the first embodiment.

[0060] Figure 4 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the assembly robot according to the first embodiment.

[0061] Figure 5This is an illustration showing a vehicle operating in a factory without human intervention.

[0062] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the vehicle control processing flow of the first embodiment.

[0063] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the assembly robot control according to the first embodiment.

[0064] Figure 8 This is the first explanatory diagram showing the actions of the assembly robot.

[0065] Figure 9 This is the second explanatory diagram showing the actions of the assembly robot.

[0066] Figure 10 This is the third explanatory diagram showing the actions of the assembly robot.

[0067] Figure 11 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the system according to the second embodiment.

[0068] Figure 12 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the assembly robot according to the second embodiment.

[0069] Figure 13 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the assembly robot control according to the second embodiment.

[0070] Figure 14 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the system according to the third embodiment.

[0071] Figure 15 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle according to the third embodiment.

[0072] Figure 16 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the assembly robot according to the third embodiment.

[0073] Figure 17 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the system according to the fourth embodiment.

[0074] Figure 18 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the system according to the fifth embodiment.

[0075] Figure 19 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the system according to the sixth embodiment.

[0076] Figure 20 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the system according to the seventh embodiment.

[0077] Figure 21 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the truck according to the seventh embodiment.

[0078] Figure 22 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of truck control according to the seventh embodiment.

[0079] Figure 23 This is an explanatory diagram showing the movement of a truck.

[0080] Figure 24 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the system according to the eighth embodiment.

[0081] Figure 25 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the truck according to the eighth embodiment.

[0082] Figure 26 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the system according to the ninth embodiment.

[0083] Figure 27 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the truck according to the ninth embodiment.

[0084] Figure 28 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of vehicle control in other embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0085] A. First implementation method:

[0086] Figure 1 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of system 10 in the first embodiment. System 10 is used, for example, in a factory that manufactures vehicle 100. In this embodiment, vehicle 100 is an electric vehicle (BEV). However, vehicle 100 is not limited to electric vehicles; it may also be a gasoline vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a fuel cell vehicle.

[0087] System 10 includes a vehicle 100, a server device 200, at least one external sensor 250, an assembly robot 300, and a reporting device 500. The vehicle 100 is configured to operate autonomously. While the vehicle 100 is in the process of manufacturing, the assembly robot 300 performs component assembly operations on the autonomously operating vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the vehicle 100 operates autonomously in the form of a so-called platform. Furthermore, the vehicle 100 is sometimes referred to as a mobile body, and the assembly robot 300 as a working device.

[0088] In this disclosure, "driverless" means driving that does not rely on the driving operation of a passenger riding in vehicle 100. "Driving operation" means an operation related to at least one of "driving," "steering," or "stopping" of vehicle 100. Driverless driving is achieved through automatic or manual remote control using a device located outside vehicle 100, or through autonomous control of vehicle 100. It is also possible to have a passenger who does not perform driving operations riding in a driverless vehicle 100. Passengers who do not perform driving operations include, for example, a person simply sitting in the driver's seat of vehicle 100, or a person performing actions different from driving operations. Actions different from driving operations include, for example, assembling parts of vehicle 100, inspecting vehicle 100, or operating switches on vehicle 100. Furthermore, driving that relies on the driving operations of a passenger is sometimes referred to as "manned driving."

[0089] Figure 2 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle 100 in this embodiment. The vehicle 100 includes a vehicle control device 110 for controlling various parts of the vehicle 100, an actuator assembly 120 including at least one actuator driven under the control of the vehicle control device 110, and a communication device 130 for communicating with a server device 200 via wireless communication. In this embodiment, the actuator assembly 120 includes an actuator for accelerating the vehicle 100, an actuator for changing the direction of travel of the vehicle 100, and an actuator for decelerating the vehicle 100. The drive unit includes a battery, a driving motor driven by power from the battery, and wheels rotated by the driving motor. The actuator of the drive unit includes the driving motor.

[0090] The vehicle control unit 110 comprises a computer having 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 connected via the internal bus 114 in a bidirectional communication manner. An actuator assembly 120 and a communication device 130 are connected to the input / output interface 113.

[0091] The processor 111 functions as an acquisition unit 115 and a control unit 117 by executing a computer program PG1 pre-stored in the memory 112. The acquisition unit 115 acquires vehicle control information for controlling the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 115 acquires a driving control signal from the server device 200 as vehicle control information. The driving control signal includes, as parameters, the acceleration and steering angle of the vehicle 100. Alternatively, the driving control signal may include the speed of the vehicle 100 instead of its acceleration. The control unit 117 uses the driving control signal to control the actuator assembly 120. When a passenger is in the vehicle 100, the control unit 117 can control the actuator assembly 120 according to the passenger's driving operation, thereby causing the vehicle 100 to move. Regardless of whether a passenger is in the vehicle 100, the control unit 117 can control the actuator assembly 120 according to the driving control signal received from the server device 200, thereby causing the vehicle 100 to move. Furthermore, vehicle control information is sometimes referred to as vehicle movement control information.

[0092] Figure 3 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the server device 200 in this embodiment. The server device 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 in a bidirectional communication manner. A communication device 205 for communicating with the vehicle 100 wirelessly is connected to the input / output interface 203. In this embodiment, the communication device 205 can communicate with external sensors 250, the assembly robot 300, and the reporting device 500 via wired or wireless communication.

[0093] The processor 201 functions as the following units by executing the computer program PG2 pre-stored in the memory 202: an acquisition unit 211 acquires vehicle position information related to the position and orientation of the vehicle 100; a generation unit 212 generates vehicle control information for controlling the vehicle 100; a transmission unit 213 transmits the vehicle control information to the vehicle 100; an acquisition unit 221 acquires vehicle motion information related to the movement of the vehicle 100; a generation unit 222 generates work device control information for controlling the assembly robot 300, which serves as a work device; and a transmission unit 223 transmits the work device control information to the assembly robot 300. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 211 acquires vehicle position information using detection results output from the external sensor 250. The vehicle position information includes information about the position and orientation of the vehicle 100. The generation unit 212 generates vehicle control information using the vehicle position information. The generation unit 212 generates a driving control signal as vehicle control information. The acquisition unit 221 acquires vehicle motion information using detection results output from the external sensor 250. In this embodiment, the vehicle motion information includes information on the position, orientation, and speed of the vehicle 100. The generation unit 222 uses the vehicle motion information to generate work device control information. In this embodiment, the generation unit 222 generates motion control signals for moving the assembly robot 300 as motion control information. The generation unit 222 generates the motion control signals such that the relative speed between the vehicle 100 and the component is zero when assembling the component at a predetermined position and orientation relative to the assembly surface of the vehicle 100. In the following description, the action in which the relative speed between the vehicle 100 and the component is zero when assembling the component at a predetermined position and orientation relative to the assembly surface of the vehicle 100 is referred to as an ideal assembly action.

[0094] An external sensor 250 is located outside the vehicle 100. The external sensor 250 is used to detect the position and orientation of the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the external sensor 250 is a camera installed at the factory. The external sensor 250 has a communication device (not shown) and can communicate with the server device 200 via wired or wireless communication. Furthermore, the external sensor 250 is not limited to a camera; it could also be, for example, a LiDAR sensor.

[0095] Figure 4This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the assembly robot 300 in this embodiment. The assembly robot 300 includes a control device 310, an arm 320, and a communication device 330. In this embodiment, the control device 310 controls each part of the assembly robot 300. The arm 320 is composed of a vertical multi-joint type robotic arm. An end effector for gripping parts is mounted at the front end of the arm 320. In this embodiment, the end effector is configured to clamp the parts. The communication device 330 can communicate with the server device 200 via wired or wireless communication. Furthermore, the arm 320 is not limited to a vertical multi-joint type robotic arm, but may also be composed of, for example, a horizontal multi-joint type robotic arm, an orthogonal type robotic arm, or a parallel linkage type robotic arm. The end effector may also be configured to attract parts instead of clamping them.

[0096] The control device 310 is composed of a computer having a processor 311, a memory 312, an input / output interface 313, and an internal bus 314. The processor 311, memory 312, and input / output interface 313 are connected bidirectionally via the internal bus 314. An arm 320 and a communication device 330 are connected to the input / output interface 313.

[0097] In this embodiment, the processor 311 functions as an acquisition unit 315 for acquiring control information of the work device and a control unit 317 for controlling the arm 320 by executing the computer program PG3 pre-stored in the memory 312. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 315 acquires motion control signals from the server device 200 as work device control information. The control unit 317 controls the arm 320 according to the motion control signals.

[0098] like Figure 1 As shown, the reporting device 500 is used to report abnormalities that have occurred in the factory to the administrator of system 10 and the factory operators. In the following description, the administrator of system 10 and the factory operators will be referred to as administrators, etc. The reporting device 500 may be, for example, an alarm buzzer or an alarm light installed in the factory. The reporting device 500 may also be a tablet terminal carried by the administrator, etc. The reporting device 500 has a communication device (not shown) and can communicate with the server device 200 via wired or wireless communication.

[0099] Figure 5 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating a scenario where vehicle 100 operates autonomously in factory KJ. In this embodiment, factory KJ includes a first location PL1, a second location PL2, and a third location PL3. The first location PL1, the second location PL2, and the third location PL3 are connected by a travel road SR through which vehicle 100 can travel. In factory KJ, a plurality of external sensors 250 are installed along the travel road SR.

[0100] Location PL1 is the site where the vehicle 100 is assembled. After assembly at location PL1, the vehicle 100 is capable of autonomous driving; in other words, it is capable of performing the functions of "driving," "steering," and "stopping" autonomously. In this embodiment, the vehicle 100 assembled at location PL1 is in the form of a test bench. The vehicle 100 moves from location PL1 to location PL2 autonomously.

[0101] The second location PL2 is where the further assembly of components onto the vehicle 100 is carried out. An assembly robot 300 is installed in the second location PL2. Components assembled in the second location PL2 include, for example, body parts, interior components such as seats, headlights, and windshield wipers. In this embodiment, the vehicle 100, after component assembly is completed in the second location PL2, becomes a finished vehicle. The vehicle 100 moves from the second location PL2 to the third location PL3 autonomously.

[0102] The third location, PL3, is where the inspection of vehicle 100 is carried out. Vehicles 100 that pass inspection in the third location, PL3, are shipped from factory KJ. However, vehicles 100 shipped from factory KJ may not be in a finished vehicle state. That is, vehicles 100 shipped from factory KJ may contain unassembled parts. In this case, the unassembled parts can be assembled onto vehicle 100 after it has been shipped from factory KJ.

[0103] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the vehicle control processing flow in this embodiment. In this embodiment, a QR code containing the vehicle's individual identification number is affixed to the vehicle 100. A worker at the factory uses a reader to read the QR code, and the individual identification number is sent from the reader to the server device 200. Upon receiving the individual identification number, vehicle control begins. The processor 201 of the server device 200 executes the first routine R100. The processor 111 of the vehicle 100 executes the second routine R200.

[0104] The first routine R100 includes steps S110, S120, S130, and S140. In step S110, the acquisition unit 211 acquires vehicle position information using the detection result output from the external sensor 250. In this embodiment, the vehicle position information includes the position and orientation of the vehicle 100 in the global coordinate system GA of the factory KJ. In this embodiment, the external sensor 250 is a camera installed in the factory KJ, and the image output from the external sensor 250 is used as the detection result. The position and orientation of the external sensor 250 are pre-adjusted. The acquisition unit 211 uses the image acquired from the external sensor 250 to acquire the position and orientation of the vehicle 100 in the factory KJ.

[0105] Regarding the method for obtaining the position of vehicle 100, the obtaining unit 211 can, for example, detect the shape of vehicle 100 from an image, calculate the coordinates of the vehicle 100's location point in the image's coordinate system, or in other words, the local coordinate system of the factory KJ, and transform the calculated coordinates into coordinates in the global coordinate system GA, thereby obtaining the position of vehicle 100. The shape of vehicle 100 contained in the image can be detected, for example, by inputting the image to a detection model that utilizes artificial intelligence. As a detection model, for example, a machine learning model that has been trained to perform either semantic segmentation or instance segmentation can be used. As this machine learning model, for example, a convolutional neural network (hereinafter, CNN) that has been trained using supervised learning with a learning dataset can be used. The learning dataset includes, for example, multiple training images containing vehicle 100 and correct answer labels indicating which region in the training images represents vehicle 100 and which region outside vehicle 100. During the training of the CNN, it is preferable to update the CNN parameters by backpropagation (error backpropagation method) to reduce the error between the output of the detection model and the correct answer label. Regarding the method for obtaining the orientation of vehicle 100, the obtaining unit 211 may, for example, use optical flow to calculate the movement vector of vehicle 100 based on the positional changes of feature points of vehicle 100 between frames of the image, and estimate the orientation of vehicle 100 based on the direction of the movement vector, thereby obtaining the orientation of vehicle 100.

[0106] In step S120, the generation unit 212 determines the target location that the vehicle 100 should go to next. In this embodiment, the target location is represented by the X, Y, and Z coordinates in the global coordinate system GA. The server device 200 pre-stores the ideal path IR that the vehicle 100 should travel. The ideal path IR is represented by nodes indicating the origin, nodes indicating the waypoints, nodes indicating the destination, and links connecting the nodes. The generation unit 212 uses the vehicle 100's location information and the ideal path IR to determine the target location that the vehicle 100 should go to next. The generation unit 212 determines the target location on the ideal path IR that is ahead of the vehicle 100's current position.

[0107] In step S130, the generation unit 212 generates a driving control signal for causing the vehicle 100 to move toward the determined target position. In this embodiment, the driving control signal includes the acceleration and steering angle of the vehicle 100 as parameters. The generation unit 212 calculates the current driving speed of the vehicle 100 based on the shift in the vehicle 100's position and compares the calculated driving speed with a preset target speed for the vehicle 100. When the driving speed is lower than the target speed, the generation unit 212 determines the acceleration to make the vehicle 100 accelerate; when the driving speed is higher than the target speed, the generation unit 212 determines the acceleration to make the vehicle 100 decelerate. When the vehicle 100 is on the ideal path IR, the generation unit 212 determines the steering angle to prevent the vehicle 100 from deviating from the ideal path IR; when the vehicle 100 is not on the ideal path IR, in other words, when the vehicle 100 has deviated from the ideal path IR, the generation unit 212 determines the steering angle to return the vehicle 100 to the ideal path IR.

[0108] In step S140, the transmitting unit 213 sends a driving control signal to the vehicle 100. The processor 201 repeatedly performs a first routine R100, which includes acquiring the position information of the vehicle 100, determining the target position, generating the driving control signal, and sending the driving control signal, at a predetermined cycle.

[0109] During the execution of the first routine R100, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 executes the second routine R200. The second routine R200 includes steps S210 and S220. In step S210, the acquisition unit 115 receives a driving control signal from the server device 200. In step S220, the control unit 117 uses the received driving control signal to control the actuator assembly 120, thereby driving the vehicle 100 with the acceleration and steering angle included in the driving control signal. The processor 111 repeatedly executes the second routine R200, which includes receiving the driving control signal and controlling the actuator assembly 120, at a predetermined cycle. According to the system 10 of this embodiment, the vehicle 100 can be driven remotely, thus enabling the vehicle 100 to move without using conveying equipment such as cranes or conveyors.

[0110] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the assembly robot control. This processing is executed by the processor 201 of the server device 200. In step S310, the acquisition unit 221 acquires the detection results output from the external sensor 250 and uses the detection results from the external sensor 250 to obtain vehicle motion information. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 221 acquires the position, orientation, and speed of the moving vehicle 100 as vehicle motion information.

[0111] In step S320, the generation unit 222 determines whether there is an abnormality in the driving state of the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the generation unit 222 determines that there is an abnormality in the driving state if at least one of the vehicle 100's position, orientation, and speed is outside a predetermined range.

[0112] If no abnormality is determined in the driving state in step S320, the generation unit 222 generates a motion control signal in step S330 to move the arm 320 based on the vehicle motion information. The generation unit 222 generates the motion control signal in a manner that assembles the component into the moving vehicle 100 through an ideal assembly action.

[0113] If an abnormality is determined in step S320, the generation unit 222 generates an action control signal to stop the arm 320 in step S335, generates a driving control signal to stop the vehicle 100 and sends it to the vehicle 100 in step S338, and generates a report control signal to report the abnormality through the reporting device 500 and sends it to the reporting device 500.

[0114] After step S330 or S338, the sending unit 213 sends motion control signals to the assembly robot 300. The processor 201 performs this process repeatedly at a predetermined cycle.

[0115] Figure 8This is the first explanatory diagram schematically illustrating the movement of the assembly robot 300. Figure 9 This is a second explanatory diagram schematically illustrating the movement of the assembly robot 300. Figure 10 This is a third explanatory diagram schematically illustrating the movements of the assembly robot 300. Figures 8 to 10 In the diagram, arrows represent the velocity vector of vehicle 100, and hollow arrows represent the velocity vector of component PT held by assembly robot 300. For example... Figure 8 As shown, when vehicle 100 is traveling on the ideal path IR in an ideal driving state, assembly robot 300 can, for example, appropriately assemble component PT onto the moving vehicle 100 through pre-taught actions. However, in vehicle 100 during manufacturing, as... Figure 9 or Figure 10 As shown, the driving state of vehicle 100 is prone to instability. If the driving state of vehicle 100 becomes unstable, it is difficult to properly assemble parts on the vehicle 100 while it is in motion. Therefore, the workability of the assembly operation is reduced, and poor assembly is likely to occur.

[0116] like Figure 9 As shown, for example, if the wheel alignment of vehicle 100 deviates, vehicle 100 cannot travel straight, and its position is prone to deviating to the left or right from the ideal path IR. In this case, the steering angle is repeatedly changed in order to return vehicle 100 to the ideal path IR, causing the position and orientation of vehicle 100 to change periodically. Therefore, there is a possibility that the position and orientation of component PT relative to vehicle 100 may deviate to the left or right, and that the relative speed between vehicle 100 and component PT may increase.

[0117] like Figure 10 As shown, for example, if the resistance relative to the travel of vehicle 100 is large, the speed of vehicle 100 is prone to decrease. In this case, acceleration is repeatedly applied to restore the speed of vehicle 100, causing the speed of vehicle 100 to change periodically. Therefore, there is a possibility that the position of component PT relative to vehicle 100 may shift forward or backward, and there is a possibility that the relative speed between vehicle 100 and component PT may increase. Figure 9 The phenomenon shown is similar to Figure 10 The combination of the phenomena shown may cause the driving state of vehicle 100 to become unstable.

[0118] To address this problem, in this embodiment, the actions of the assembly robot 300 are determined based on the driving state of the vehicle 100. Therefore, even if the driving state of the vehicle 100 becomes unstable, it is possible to suppress the deviation of the position or orientation of the component PT relative to the vehicle 100 and the increase of the relative speed between the vehicle 100 and the component PT.

[0119] According to the system 10 of this embodiment described above, the action of the assembly robot 300 is determined based on the driving state of the vehicle 100. Therefore, even if the driving state of the vehicle 100 becomes unstable, the assembly robot 300 can properly assemble the component PT on the moving vehicle 100. Thus, even without stopping the vehicle 100, the component PT can be properly assembled on the vehicle 100, thereby improving the work efficiency of the component PT assembly operation.

[0120] In this embodiment, the server device 200 generates work device control information containing parameters used in the control of the arm 320 and sends it to the assembly robot 300. The assembly robot 300 uses the parameters contained in the work device control information to control the arm 320. Therefore, by sending work device control information from the server device 200 to the assembly robot 300, the assembly robot 300 can perform actions corresponding to the driving state of the vehicle 100.

[0121] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the server device 200 also generates vehicle control information used in the control of the vehicle 100 and sends it to the vehicle 100. Therefore, the server device 200 enables the vehicle 100 to cooperate with the assembly robot 300.

[0122] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the server device 200 determines that the driving state of the vehicle 100 is abnormal, it stops the vehicle 100 and the assembly robot 300. Therefore, it is possible to halt the assembly of component PT relative to the vehicle 100 when the driving state of the vehicle 100 is abnormal. Moreover, in this embodiment, when the server device 200 determines that the driving state of the vehicle 100 is abnormal, it reports the abnormality to the manager or other personnel via the reporting device 500. Therefore, it is possible for the manager or other personnel to become aware of the abnormality earlier.

[0123] B. Second implementation method:

[0124] Figure 11 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of system 10b in the second embodiment. Figure 12 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the assembly robot 300 in the second embodiment. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that the assembly robot 300 includes a camera 340, and the assembly robot 300 generates vehicle motion information using the detection results from the camera 340. Other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0125] like Figure 12As shown, in this embodiment, the assembly robot 300 includes a camera 340 for detecting the movement of the vehicle 100. The camera 340 is fixed to the front end of the arm 320. The camera 340 moves with the movement of the arm 320. Alternatively, the camera 340 may be fixed to the base of the arm 320. In this case, the camera 340 does not move even if the arm 320 moves. The assembly robot 300 may also include a LiDAR instead of the camera 340. The camera 340 and LiDAR used to detect the movement of the vehicle 100 are sometimes referred to as sensors.

[0126] In this embodiment, the processor 311 functions as the following units by executing the computer program PG3 pre-stored in the memory 312: an acquisition unit 315 that acquires vehicle motion information; a generation unit 316 that generates motion control signals for controlling the arm 320; and a control unit 317 that controls the arm 320. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the assembly robot 300 generates the motion control signals itself, it is not necessary to include them in the server device 200. Figure 3 The acquisition unit 221, generation unit 222, and transmission unit 223 are shown.

[0127] Figure 13 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the assembly robot control in the second embodiment. This processing is executed by the processor 311 of the assembly robot 300. In step S410, the acquisition unit 315 acquires vehicle motion information using the detection results output from the camera 340. In this embodiment, the vehicle motion information includes the position, orientation, and speed of the vehicle 100 in the global coordinate system GA. Based on the detection results of the camera 340, the position, orientation, and speed of the vehicle 100 in the local coordinate system based on the camera 340 are obtained. For example, the acquisition unit 315 can acquire the position and orientation of the camera 340 in the global coordinate system GA based not only on the detection results of the camera 340, but also on the position and orientation set by the assembly robot 300 in the factory KJ, information from the encoder built into the arm 320, etc. Therefore, the acquisition unit 315 can transform the position, orientation, and speed of the vehicle 100 in the local coordinate system based on the camera 340 into the position, orientation, and speed of the vehicle 100 in the global coordinate system GA.

[0128] In step S420, the generation unit 316 determines whether there is an abnormality in the driving state of the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the generation unit 316 determines that there is an abnormality in the driving state if at least one of the vehicle 100's position, orientation, and speed is outside a predetermined range.

[0129] If no abnormality is determined in step S420, the generation unit 316 generates a motion control signal in step S430 to move the arm 320 based on vehicle motion information. The generation unit 316 generates the motion control signal by assembling components onto the moving vehicle 100 through an ideal assembly action. For example, the generation unit 316 can generate the motion control signal by correcting a motion control signal pre-generated through teaching based on the vehicle motion information. Furthermore, the vehicle motion information may include the relative position, orientation, and speed of the front end of the arm 320 relative to the vehicle 100, rather than including the position, orientation, and speed of the vehicle 100 in the global coordinate system (GA). Even in this case, the generation unit 316 can still generate a motion control signal for the moving vehicle 100. Since the positional relationship between the camera 340 and the front end of the arm 320 is known, the acquisition unit 315 can obtain the relative position, relative orientation, and relative speed of the front end of the arm 320 and the vehicle 100 based on the position, orientation, and speed of the vehicle 100 in the local coordinate system with the camera 340 as the reference.

[0130] If an abnormality is determined in step S420, the generation unit 316 generates an action control signal to stop the arm 320 in step S435. In step S438, the generation unit 316 generates a driving control signal to stop the vehicle 100 and sends it to the vehicle 100, and generates a report control signal to report the abnormality to the reporting device 500 and sends it to the reporting device 500.

[0131] After step S430 or step S438, the control unit 317 controls the arm 320 according to the motion control signal. The processor 311 repeats this process at a predetermined cycle.

[0132] As described above, in this embodiment of system 10b, similar to the first embodiment, even if the driving state of the vehicle 100 becomes unstable, the assembly robot 300 can properly assemble the component PT onto the moving vehicle 100. In particular, in this embodiment, the assembly robot 300 can obtain vehicle motion information using the detection results of the camera 340 and generate motion control signals for moving the arm 320.

[0133] C. Third implementation method:

[0134] Figure 14 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of system 10c in the third embodiment. Figure 15 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle 100 in the third embodiment. Figure 16This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the assembly robot 300 in the third embodiment. The difference between this embodiment and the second embodiment is that the vehicle 100 is equipped with an internal sensor 140, and the assembly robot 300 generates motion control signals based on the detection results of the internal sensor 140. Other configurations are the same as in the second embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0135] like Figure 15 As shown, in this embodiment, the vehicle 100 includes at least one internal sensor 140. The internal sensor 140 is mounted on the vehicle 100. The internal sensor 140 detects the movement of the vehicle 100. The internal sensor 140 may include, for example, an acceleration sensor for detecting the acceleration of the vehicle 100, a speed sensor for detecting speed, a yaw rate sensor for detecting the yaw axis angular velocity, a wheel speed sensor for detecting the rotational speed of the wheels, a steering angle sensor for detecting the steering angle, a camera, a LiDAR, and a GPS receiver, etc.

[0136] In this embodiment, the processor 111 functions as the following units by executing the computer program PG1 pre-stored in the memory 112: the acquisition unit 115, which acquires driving control signals from the server device 200 as vehicle control information; the control unit 117, which controls the actuator group 120 according to the driving control signals; and the transmission unit 118, which transmits the detection results of the internal sensor 140 to the assembly robot 300.

[0137] like Figure 16 As shown, in this embodiment, the processor 311 of the assembly robot 300 functions as the following units by executing the computer program PG3 pre-stored in the memory 312: an acquisition unit 315 that acquires vehicle motion information; a generation unit 316 that generates motion control signals for moving the arm 320; and a control unit 317 that controls the arm 320. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 315 acquires the detection results of the internal sensor 140 from the vehicle 100 as vehicle motion information.

[0138] As described above, the system 10c in this embodiment, similar to the second embodiment, allows the assembly robot 300 to properly assemble components PT onto the moving vehicle 100 even if the vehicle 100's driving state becomes unstable. In particular, in this embodiment, the assembly robot 300 can generate motion control signals for moving the arm 320 using the detection results from the internal sensors 140 mounted on the vehicle 100.

[0139] D. Fourth Implementation Method:

[0140] Figure 17This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of system 10d in the fourth embodiment. The difference from the first embodiment is that the movement of the vehicle 100 is adjusted in conjunction with the movement of the assembly robot 300, rather than the movement of the assembly robot 300 being adjusted in conjunction with the movement of the vehicle 100. Other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0141] In this embodiment, the assembly robot 300 performs pre-taught actions. For example, sometimes due to the cumulative error of the arm 320 or the arm 320's mishandling of the component, the position or orientation of the component during assembly may deviate from the ideal position or orientation. In this case, even if the vehicle 100 travels on the ideal path IR at the ideal speed, the assembly robot 300 cannot properly assemble the component for the moving vehicle 100. The assembly robot 300 sends work device action information related to the actions of the assembly robot 300 to the server device 200. The work device action information includes, for example, the deviation in position, deviation in orientation, and deviation in speed of the front end of the arm 320.

[0142] In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 211 of the server device 200 is in Figure 6 In step S110, vehicle position information is obtained based on the detection results of external sensor 250, and operation information of the working device is obtained from assembly robot 300. In step S120, generation unit 212 determines the next target position based on the vehicle position information and the operation information of the working device. Generation unit 212 determines the next target position of vehicle 100 in a manner that compensates for the deviation of the position of the component held by assembly robot 300 from that of vehicle 100. At this time, the next target position may also deviate from the ideal path IR. In step S130, generation unit 212 generates a driving control signal in a manner that compensates for the deviation of the position, orientation, or speed of the component held by assembly robot 300 from that of vehicle 100. The content after step S130 is the same as in the first embodiment.

[0143] According to the system 10d in this embodiment described above, the movement of the vehicle 100 is adjusted to compensate for deviations in the movement of the assembly robot 300. Therefore, even if the movement of the assembly robot 300 becomes unstable, the assembly robot 300 can properly assemble the component PT onto the moving vehicle 100.

[0144] E. Fifth implementation method:

[0145] Figure 18This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of system 10e in the fifth embodiment. The difference from the first embodiment is that the assembly robot 300 assembles components for the stationary vehicle 100, rather than assembling components for the moving vehicle 100. Other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0146] Vehicle 100 moves autonomously to the work site where assembly work is performed by assembly robot 300, and stops there autonomously. Assembly robot 300 assembles parts on vehicle 100 at the work site. After the assembly work is completed, vehicle 100 moves autonomously to the next work site. For example, if the driving state of vehicle 100 becomes unstable, the target stopping position P1 may deviate from the actual stopping position P2. In this embodiment, if the stopping position of vehicle 100 deviates, the operation of assembly robot 300 is adjusted.

[0147] In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 221 acquires the deviation d1 between the target stopping position P1 and the actual stopping position P2 as vehicle motion information. The acquisition unit 211 can acquire the deviation d1, for example, based on the detection results of the external sensor 250. The acquisition unit 211 can acquire the deviation d1 either after the vehicle 100 has stopped or by prediction before the vehicle 100 stops. For example, by knowing in advance the extent to which the braking performance of the vehicle 100 deviates from a reference braking performance, the deviation d1 can be predicted. The generation unit 222 generates a motion control signal by correcting the position of the front end of the arm 320 during assembly with the deviation d1, and the sending unit 223 sends the motion control signal to the assembly robot 300.

[0148] According to the system 10e of this embodiment described above, the operation of the assembly robot 300 is adjusted to compensate for deviations in the stopping position of the vehicle 100. Therefore, even if the stopping position of the vehicle 100 deviates, the assembly robot 300 can properly assemble the component PT onto the stopped vehicle 100.

[0149] F. Sixth Implementation Method:

[0150] Figure 19This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of system 10f in the sixth embodiment. In this embodiment, while it is common to the fourth embodiment in adjusting the movement of the vehicle 100 in coordination with the movement of the assembly robot 300, the difference lies in that the assembly robot 300 assembles parts for the stationary vehicle 100, rather than assembling parts for the moving vehicle 100. Other configurations are the same as in the fourth embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0151] Vehicle 100 moves autonomously to the work area where assembly work is performed by assembly robot 300, and stops there autonomously. Assembly robot 300 assembles parts on vehicle 100 at the work area. After the assembly work is completed, vehicle 100 moves autonomously to the next work area. For example, if the movement of assembly robot 300 is subject to errors, or if the gripping position of arm 320 on the part deviates, even if vehicle 100 stops at the target stopping position, the position P3 of the target part during assembly may deviate from the actual position P4 of the part. In this embodiment, if the movement of assembly robot 300 deviates, the stopping position of vehicle 100 is adjusted.

[0152] The acquisition unit 211 of the server device 200 acquires, for example, vehicle position information related to the position and orientation of the vehicle 100, and work device action information related to the movement of the assembly robot 300, based on the detection results of the external sensor 250. The acquisition unit 211 acquires the deviation d2 between the target component position P3 and the actual component position P4 during assembly, and uses this deviation as work device action information. The acquisition unit 211 can acquire the deviation d2 either after the arm 320 stops at the assembly position, or it can acquire the deviation d2 by prediction before the arm 320 stops at the assembly position. The generation unit 212 generates a driving control signal by correcting the stopping position of the vehicle 100 with the deviation d2, and the transmission unit 213 sends the driving control signal to the vehicle 100.

[0153] According to the system 10f in this embodiment described above, the stopping position of the vehicle 100 is adjusted to compensate for deviations in the movement of the assembly robot 300. Therefore, even if the movement of the assembly robot 300 deviates, the assembly robot 300 can properly assemble the component PT onto the stopped vehicle 100.

[0154] G. Seventh Implementation Method:

[0155] Figure 20This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of system 10g in the seventh embodiment. In this embodiment, the difference from the first embodiment is that system 10g includes a wagon 400 instead of an assembly robot 300. Other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, the wagon 400 is sometimes referred to as a working device.

[0156] A truck 400 is positioned beside the road on which vehicle 100 travels. The truck 400 has a loading platform 405. Components to be assembled onto vehicle 100 are loaded on the loading platform 405. An operator WK removes components from the loading platform 405 and assembles them onto vehicle 100. For example, the operator WK travels back and forth between the truck 400 and vehicle 100, assembling multiple components onto vehicle 100. Furthermore, tools used in the work on vehicle 100 may also be loaded on the loading platform 405, either in place of the components or along with the components. These tools may include, for example, power tools used for assembling components onto vehicle 100.

[0157] Figure 21 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a truck 400. The truck 400 includes a control device 410, an actuator assembly 420 driven under the control of the control device 410, and a communication device 430 for communicating with a server device 200 via wireless communication. In this embodiment, the actuator assembly 420 includes an actuator for accelerating the truck 400, an actuator for changing the direction of travel of the truck 400, and an actuator for decelerating the truck 400. The drive device includes a battery, a travel motor driven by power from the battery, and wheels rotated by the travel motor. The actuator of the drive device includes the travel motor. Furthermore, the truck 400 may not have a steering device or a braking device. Even in this case, the truck 400 can still perform acceleration, deceleration, and switching between forward and reverse movement via the travel motor.

[0158] The control device 410 comprises a computer having a processor 411, a memory 412, an input / output interface 413, and an internal bus 414. The processor 411, memory 412, and input / output interface 413 are connected via the internal bus 414 in a bidirectional communication manner. A communication device 430 for communicating with the server device 200 wirelessly is connected to the input / output interface 413.

[0159] The processor 411 functions as an acquisition unit 415 for acquiring control information of the operating device and a control unit 417 for controlling the actuator assembly 420 by executing a computer program PG4 pre-stored in the memory 412. In this embodiment, Figure 3The server device 200 shown has a generation unit 222 that generates motion control signals for controlling the actuator assembly 420 as operating device control information, and a transmission unit 223 that sends the motion control signals to the truck 400. The truck 400's control unit 417 controls the actuator assembly 420 according to the motion control signals received from the server device 200.

[0160] Figure 22 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of truck control. This process is repeatedly executed by the processor 201 of the server device 200. This process begins, for example, when a manager or other personnel perform a prescribed start operation on the server device 200. In step S710, the acquisition unit 221 determines whether the assembly of components relative to the target vehicle 100 has been completed. In the following description, the target vehicle 100 will be referred to as the target vehicle 100. The acquisition unit 221 determines, for example, that the assembly of components relative to the target vehicle 100 has been completed when it receives a signal sent when the operator WK operates a button located at the work site.

[0161] If it is not determined in step S510 that the assembly of the component relative to the target vehicle 100 is complete, in step S520, the acquisition unit 221 acquires information related to the movement of the target vehicle 100. In step S530, the generation unit 222 generates a motion control signal that causes the truck 400 to follow the target vehicle 100. In this disclosure, the truck 400 following the target vehicle 100 means that the truck 400 travels in the same direction as the target vehicle 100. That is, the truck 400 following the target vehicle 100 includes not only the truck 400 traveling behind the target vehicle 100, but also the truck 400 traveling beside the target vehicle 100 and the truck 400 traveling in front of the target vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the generation unit 222 generates the motion control signal in a manner that keeps the relative speed between the truck 400 and the target vehicle 100 within a predetermined range. Preferably, the generation unit 222 generates the motion control signal in a manner that makes the relative speed between the truck 400 and the target vehicle 100 zero.

[0162] If it is determined in step S510 that the assembly of the component relative to the target vehicle 100 has been completed, in step S525, the generation unit 222 determines whether there are any subsequent vehicles. The generation unit 222 determines whether there are any subsequent vehicles, for example, by obtaining information related to the manufacturing plan and manufacturing performance from the factory's process management system. For example, if the plan is to manufacture 100 vehicles 100 per day, there are subsequent vehicles at the time when the assembly of the component for the 50th vehicle 100 of the day is completed, but there are no subsequent vehicles after the assembly of the component for the 100th vehicle 100 of the day is completed.

[0163] If it is determined in step S525 that a following vehicle exists, in step S535, the generation unit 222 generates a control signal that causes the truck 400 to approach the following vehicle. The generation unit 222 generates the motion control signal in a manner that makes the distance between the truck 400 and the following vehicle less than a predetermined distance.

[0164] If no subsequent vehicle is detected in step S525, in step S538, the generation unit 222 generates an action control signal to stop the truck 400. The generation unit 222 can generate an action control signal that stops the truck 400 in place, or it can generate an action control signal that stops the truck 400 only after it has moved to a predetermined home position.

[0165] In step S540, the sending unit 223 sends the motion control signal generated in step S530, step S535, or step S538 to the truck. The processor 201 repeats the above processing until the administrator or others perform the prescribed termination operation on the server device 200. The truck 400 acquisition unit 415 receives the motion control signal via the communication device 430 and controls the actuator group 420 according to the motion control signal.

[0166] Figure 23 This is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of truck 400. (For example...) Figure 23 As shown in the upper paragraph, in the initial state, truck 400 is parked in its designated original position at the work site. (As...) Figure 23 As shown in the middle section, when the target vehicle 100 enters the work area, the truck 400 follows the target vehicle 100A. The operator WK retrieves components from the truck 400's loading dock and assembles them on the target vehicle. Then, the operator WK retrieves additional components from the truck 400's loading dock and assembles them on the target vehicle 100A. That is, the operator WK performs component assembly work while moving back and forth between the truck 400 and the target vehicle 100A. Figure 23As shown in the next paragraph, after the assembly of the components relative to the target vehicle 100A is completed, the truck 400 moves towards the subsequent vehicle 100B that will enter the work area next. Here, if the truck 400 does not have a self-propelled function, the distance between the truck 400 and the target vehicle 100A increases as the target vehicle 100A moves, thus reducing the work efficiency of the operator WK assembling the components taken from the truck 400 onto the target vehicle 100A. Furthermore, even if the truck 400 does not have a self-propelled function, the operator WK can manually move the truck 400 to prevent the distance between the truck 400 and the target vehicle 100A from increasing, but this increases the inconvenience for the operator WK, thus reducing the operator WK's work efficiency. In contrast, in this embodiment, the truck 400 follows the target vehicle 100A, therefore, the distance between the truck 400 and the target vehicle 100A remains constant during the period when the operator WK performs the component assembly work.

[0167] According to the system 10g of this embodiment described above, the truck 400 follows the target vehicle 100, thus preventing the distance between the truck 400 and the target vehicle 100 from increasing. Therefore, the work efficiency of the operator WK, who performs work while moving between the truck 400 and the target vehicle 100A, can be improved.

[0168] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the truck 400 is controlled in such a way that the relative speed between the truck 400 and the target vehicle 100 is within a specified range, thus effectively suppressing the increase in the distance between the truck 400 and the target vehicle 100.

[0169] Furthermore, in this embodiment, after the work on the preceding vehicle 100A is completed, the truck 400 automatically approaches the following vehicle 100B, thus eliminating the need for the operator WK to manually move the truck 400 closer to the following vehicle 100B. Therefore, the work efficiency of the operator WK can be further improved.

[0170] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the movement of the following vehicle 100B is obtained during the movement of the truck 400 toward the following vehicle 100B. Therefore, the movement of the following vehicle 100B can be obtained in advance, and the truck 400 can easily follow the following vehicle 100B.

[0171] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the truck 400 automatically stops when there is no following vehicle 100B. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the unnecessary energy consumption caused by the truck 400 continuing to move even when there is no following vehicle 100B.

[0172] H. Eighth Implementation Method:

[0173] Figure 24This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of system 10h in the eighth embodiment. Figure 25 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the truck 400 in the eighth embodiment. The difference between this embodiment and the seventh embodiment is that the truck 400 generates its own motion control signals using vehicle motion information obtained from the vehicle 100, instead of driving according to motion control signals received from the server device 200. Other configurations are the same as in the seventh embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0174] like Figure 25 As shown, in this embodiment, the processor 411 functions as the following units by executing the computer program PG4 pre-stored in the memory 412: an acquisition unit 415 acquires vehicle motion information; a generation unit 416 generates motion control signals; and a control unit 417 controls the actuator assembly 420. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 415 acquires driving control signals from the vehicle 100 as vehicle motion information. If the vehicle 100 is equipped with an internal sensor 140, the acquisition unit 415 can also acquire the detection results of the internal sensor 140 from the vehicle 100 and acquire vehicle motion information based on the detection results. The generation unit 416 generates motion control signals based on the vehicle motion information, such that the truck 400 follows the vehicle 100, and the control unit 417 controls the actuator assembly 420 based on the motion control signals.

[0175] As described above, in this embodiment of system 10h, similar to the seventh embodiment, the truck 400 follows the target vehicle 100, thus preventing the distance between the truck 400 and the target vehicle 100 from increasing. In particular, in this embodiment, the truck 400 can follow the vehicle 100 without relying on remote control from the server device 200.

[0176] I. Ninth Implementation Method:

[0177] Figure 26 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of system 10i in the ninth embodiment. Figure 27 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the truck 400 in the ninth embodiment. The difference between this embodiment and the seventh embodiment is that the truck 400 is equipped with a camera 440, and the operation of the truck 400 is determined based on the relative position of the truck 400 and the vehicle 100 obtained through the camera 440. Other configurations are the same as in the seventh embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0178] like Figure 27As shown, in this embodiment, the truck 400 includes a camera 440. The camera 440 is fixed at a position where it can capture images of the vehicle 100 from the truck 400. In this embodiment, the camera 440 is a stereo camera, capable of capturing not only the movement of the vehicle 100 but also the distance between the camera 440 and the vehicle 100. The camera 440 is connected to the input / output interface of the control device 410. Instead of the camera 440, the truck 400 may also be equipped with devices such as LiDAR or sonar. Furthermore, in this disclosure, the camera 440, LiDAR, sonar, etc., used to detect the movement of the vehicle 100 are sometimes referred to as sensors.

[0179] In this embodiment, the processor 411 functions as the following units by executing the computer program PG4 pre-stored in the memory 412: an acquisition unit 415 that acquires vehicle motion information; a generation unit 416 that generates motion control information; and a control unit 417 that controls the actuator assembly 420. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 415 acquires the detection results from the camera 440 and acquires vehicle motion information based on the detection results. For example, the acquisition unit 415 analyzes the image acquired by the camera 440 to obtain the distance between the truck 400 and the target vehicle 100. The generation unit 416 generates a motion control signal based on the vehicle motion information, causing the truck 400 to follow the vehicle 100, and the control unit 417 controls the actuator assembly 420 based on the motion control signal.

[0180] As described above, in this embodiment of system 10i, similar to the seventh embodiment, the truck 400 follows the target vehicle 100, thus preventing the distance between the truck 400 and the target vehicle 100 from increasing. In particular, in this embodiment, the truck 400 can autonomously follow the vehicle 100.

[0181] J. Other implementation methods:

[0182] (J1) In the above embodiments, the server device 200 performs the process from obtaining the location information of the vehicle 100 to generating the driving control signal. In contrast, the vehicle 100 may also perform at least a portion of the process from obtaining the location information of the vehicle 100 to generating the driving control signal. For example, it may be in the manner described in (1) to (3) below.

[0183] (1) The server device 200 may obtain the location information of the vehicle 100, determine the target location that the vehicle 100 should go to next, and generate a path from the current location of the vehicle 100 as indicated by the obtained location information to the target location. The server device 200 may generate either a path to the target location between the current location and the destination, or a path to the destination. The server device 200 may send the generated path to the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 may generate a driving control signal in a manner that the vehicle 100 is traveling on the path received from the server device 200, and use the generated driving control signal to control the actuator group 120.

[0184] (2) Alternatively, the server device 200 may obtain the location information of the vehicle 100 and send the obtained location information to the vehicle 100. Or, the vehicle 100 may determine its next destination, generate a path from its current location (as indicated by the received location information) to the destination, generate a driving control signal so that the vehicle 100 travels along the generated path, and use the generated driving control signal to control the actuator assembly 120. Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the vehicle motion information may also be a path from the vehicle 100's current location to the destination.

[0185] (3) In the methods described in (1) to (2) above, the vehicle 100 may be equipped with internal sensors, and the detection results output from the internal sensors may be used in at least one of the path generation and driving control signal generation. Internal sensors may include, for example, cameras, LiDAR, millimeter-wave radar, ultrasonic sensors, GPS sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc. For example, in the method described in (1) above, the server device 200 may acquire the detection results from the internal sensors and reflect these results in the path when generating the path. In the method described in (1) above, the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results from the internal sensors and reflect these results in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal. In the method described in (2) above, the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results from the internal sensors and reflect these results in the path when generating the path. In the method described in (2) above, the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results from the internal sensors and reflect these results in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal.

[0186] (J2) In the above embodiments, the server device 200 may not be provided. Without the server device 200, the information exchange between the vehicle 100 and the assembly robot 300 via the server device 200 can be performed directly. Without the server device 200, the vehicle control processing flow is executed by the processor 111 of the vehicle 100. Figure 28 As shown, in step S610, processor 111 obtains the position information of vehicle 100 using the detection results output from external sensor 250. In step S620, processor 111 determines the target position that vehicle 100 should go to next. An ideal path IR is pre-stored in memory 112. In step S630, processor 111 generates a driving control signal to make vehicle 100 move towards the determined target position. In step S640, processor 111 uses the driving control signal to control actuator assembly 120, thereby causing vehicle 100 to move with the acceleration and steering angle represented by the driving control signal. Processor 111 repeatedly performs the acquisition of vehicle 100 position information, determination of target position, generation of driving control signal, and control of actuator assembly 120 at a predetermined cycle. In this way, vehicle 100 can drive autonomously without remote control from server device 200. Alternatively, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 can obtain the position information of the vehicle 100 and the action information of the work device of the assembly robot 300, determine the target position of the vehicle 100 based on the action information of the work device, generate a driving control signal for the vehicle 100 to move toward the determined target position, and control the actuator group 120 based on the driving control signal.

[0187] (J3) In the above embodiments, the vehicle 100 may be equipped with an internal sensor, and the detection results output from the internal sensor may be used in at least one of the processes of path generation and driving control signal generation. For example, the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results of the internal sensor and reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the path when generating the path. Alternatively, the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results of the internal sensor and reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal.

[0188] (J4) In the above embodiments, the vehicle 100 uses the detection results of the external sensor 250 to obtain the vehicle 100's position information. Alternatively, the vehicle 100 may be equipped with internal sensors. The vehicle 100 uses the detection results of the internal sensors to obtain position information, determines the target location the vehicle 100 should go to next, generates a path from the current position of the vehicle 100 as represented by the obtained position information to the target location, generates a driving control signal for traveling on the generated path, and uses the generated driving control signal to control the actuator assembly 120. In this case, the vehicle 100 can travel without using the detection results of any external sensor 250. Furthermore, the vehicle 100 may obtain the target arrival time and / or congestion information from outside the vehicle 100, and reflect the target arrival time and / or congestion information in at least one of the path and the driving control signal.

[0189] (J5) In the embodiments described above, the server device 200 automatically generates driving control signals to be sent to the vehicle 100. Alternatively, the server device 200 may also generate driving control signals to be sent to the vehicle 100 according to manual operation by an operator located outside the vehicle 100. For example, the server device 200 may generate driving control signals corresponding to the operation applied to the operating device by an operator operating a control device equipped with a display showing images output from external sensors 250, a steering wheel for remotely operating the vehicle 100, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, and a communication device for communicating with the server device 200 via wired or wireless communication.

[0190] (J6) In the above embodiments, the deviation of the vehicle 100's movement can be adjusted by the movement of the vehicle 100 and the movement of the assembly robot 300, rather than by the movement of the assembly robot 300. Alternatively, the deviation of the assembly robot 300's movement can be adjusted by the movement of the vehicle 100 and the movement of the assembly robot 300, rather than by the movement of the vehicle 100.

[0191] (J7) In the above embodiments, each component can be assembled from any direction such as the upper side, lower side, front side, rear side, right side or left side of the vehicle 100. They can be assembled from the same direction or from different directions.

[0192] (J8) The vehicle 100 can also be manufactured by combining multiple modules. A module means a unit composed of multiple parts according to the location and function of the vehicle 100. For example, the chassis of the vehicle 100 can be manufactured by combining a front module constituting the front part of the chassis, a central module constituting the central part of the chassis, and a rear module constituting the rear part of the chassis. In addition, the number of modules constituting the chassis is not limited to three, and may be two or less or four or more. In addition, in addition to the components constituting the chassis, components constituting parts of the vehicle 100 that are different from the chassis can also be modularized, or components constituting parts of the vehicle 100 that are different from the chassis can be modularized in place of components constituting the chassis. In addition, various modules may also include any exterior components such as bumpers and grilles, and any interior components such as seats and consoles. In addition, not limited to the vehicle 100, any kind of moving body can be manufactured by combining multiple modules. Such modules can be manufactured, for example, by joining multiple components using welding or fasteners, or by integrally molding at least a portion of the components constituting the module into a single component using casting. The molding method of forming a component, especially a relatively large component, in one piece is also called Giga-casting or Mega-casting. For example, the front module, central module, and rear module mentioned above can also be manufactured using Giga-casting.

[0193] (J9) In the above embodiments, vehicle 100 is not limited to passenger cars, but may also be a truck, bus, construction vehicle, etc. Vehicle 100 is not limited to a four-wheeled vehicle, but may also be a two-wheeled vehicle. Vehicle 100 is not limited to a method of travel using wheels, but may also be a method of travel using tracks.

[0194] (J10) Transporting vehicle 100 using the driving of an unmanned vehicle 100 is also called "autonomous transport". Furthermore, the configuration used to achieve autonomous transport is also called a "vehicle remote control autonomous driving transport system". Additionally, the production method that uses autonomous transport to produce vehicle 100 is also called "autonomous production". In autonomous production, for example in a factory KJ that manufactures vehicle 100, at least a portion of the transport of vehicle 100 is achieved through autonomous transport.

[0195] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various configurations without departing from its spirit. For example, technical features in the embodiments that correspond to the technical features in the various embodiments described in the "Summary of the Invention" section can be appropriately replaced or combined to solve some or all of the above-described problems, or to achieve some or all of the above-described effects. In addition, such technical features can be appropriately deleted as long as they are not described as essential features in this specification.

[0196] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0197] 10…System, 100…Vehicle, 110…Vehicle Control Unit, 111…Processor, 112…Memory, 113…Input / Output Interface, 114…Internal Bus, 115…Acquisition Unit, 117…Control Unit, 118…Transmission Unit, 120…Actuator Group, 130…Communication Device, 140…Internal Sensor, 200…Server Unit, 201…Processor, 202…Memory, 203…Input / Output Interface, 204…Internal Bus, 205…Communication Device, 211…Acquisition Unit, 212…Generation Unit, 213…Transmission Unit, 221…Acquisition Unit, 222…Generation Unit, 223…Transmission Unit, 250…External Transmission Sensor, 300…Assembling robot, 310…Control device, 311…Processor, 312…Memory, 313…Input / output interface, 314…Internal bus, 315…Acquisition unit, 316…Generation unit, 317…Control unit, 320…Arm, 330…Communication device, 340…Camera, 400…Truck, 405…Platform, 410…Control device, 411…Processor, 412…Memory, 413…Input / output interface, 414…Internal bus, 415…Acquisition unit, 416…Generation unit, 417…Control unit, 420…Actuator group, 430…Communication device, 440…Camera, 500…Reporting device.

Claims

1. A system that possesses: The working device is used in the operation of manufacturing vehicles that are capable of operating autonomously. The acquisition unit acquires motion information related to the actions of the vehicle traveling unmanned to the work site equipped with the work device; and The control unit controls the operating device based on the action information.

2. An apparatus comprising: The acquisition department acquires motion information related to the motion of vehicles that are driving autonomously or under construction. The generation unit, based on the motion information, generates work device control information used in controlling the work device assembling components onto the moving vehicle; and The sending unit sends control information for the working device to the working device.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, The working device includes an arm for gripping the component and a control unit for controlling the arm. The generating unit generates control information for the working device, which includes parameters used in the control of the arm. The control unit uses the parameters to control the arm.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, The generation unit also generates vehicle control information used in the control of the vehicle.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, When the vehicle's actions meet preset conditions, the generation unit generates at least one of the following commands: a command to stop the vehicle, a command to stop the working device, and a command to report an anomaly.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, The working device is equipped with sensors to detect the movement of the vehicle. The acquisition unit uses the sensor to acquire the motion information.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, The vehicle is equipped with sensors that detect the vehicle's movements. The acquisition unit uses the sensor to acquire the motion information.

8. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, The device is located outside the vehicle. The transmitting unit sends the vehicle control information to the vehicle.

9. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, The generating unit generates vehicle control information for controlling the vehicle so that the relative speed between the vehicle and the component is within a preset range when the working device assembles the component onto the vehicle.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, If the relative speed between the vehicle and the component is not within a preset range when the component is being assembled onto the vehicle, the generating unit generates at least one of the following commands: a command to stop the vehicle, a command to stop the working device, and a command to report an abnormality.

Images