system

Abstract

A system comprising: a first acquisition unit that acquires a first speed, measured by an inspection device, the inspection device having a roller capable of rotating while supporting a vehicle wheel and measuring the vehicle speed by means of the rotation of the roller; a second acquisition unit that, during the measurement of the vehicle speed using the inspection device, acquires a second speed, displayed on a display device of the vehicle that displays the vehicle speed; and an inspection execution unit that performs an inspection of the display device using the acquired first speed and the acquired second speed.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-228091, filed on December 25, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure pertains to the system. Background Technology

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-538619 discloses a technology for driving a vehicle autonomously or remotely during the vehicle manufacturing process. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0006] During the vehicle manufacturing process, the speedometer that displays the vehicle's speed is inspected. This inspection is performed by comparing the speed measured by inspection equipment, which has rollers that rotate while supporting the wheels. Since the speed displayed on the speedometer is measured visually by the inspector, the inspection result may depend on the inspector's skill.

[0007] Technical means for solving problems

[0008] This disclosure can be implemented in the following ways.

[0009] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a system is provided. The system comprises: a first acquisition unit that acquires a first speed, measured by an inspection device, the inspection device having a roller capable of rotating while supporting a vehicle's wheels, and measuring the vehicle's speed using the rotation of the roller; a second acquisition unit that, during the measurement of the vehicle's speed using the inspection device, acquires a second speed, displayed on a display device of the vehicle that displays the vehicle's speed; and an inspection execution unit that performs an inspection of the display device using the acquired first speed and the acquired second speed.

[0010] In addition to the system described above, this disclosure can also be implemented as, for example, a control device, a vehicle, an inspection method, a program for implementing the inspection method, or a program product containing the program. The program product can be, for example, a non-transitory recording medium containing the program, or intangible software that can be distributed via a network. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1This is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of the system in the first embodiment.

[0012] Figure 2 It is a block diagram showing the configuration of the system and the vehicle.

[0013] Figure 3 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the inspection equipment.

[0014] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of vehicle driving control in the first embodiment.

[0015] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the inspection process of the display device.

[0016] Figure 6 This is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the system according to the second embodiment.

[0017] Figure 7 This is an explanatory diagram showing the general configuration of the system in the third embodiment.

[0018] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the vehicle driving control process in the third embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0019] A. First implementation method:

[0020] <System 50 Overview>

[0021] Figure 1 This is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of system 50 in the first embodiment. System 50 performs control and inspection of one or more vehicles 100 as moving bodies. System 50 includes a server 200 and one or more sensors 300.

[0022] In this disclosure, "mobile body" means an object capable of movement, such as a vehicle or an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (so-called flying car). A vehicle can be a wheeled vehicle or a tracked vehicle, such as a passenger car, truck, bus, two-wheeled vehicle, four-wheeled vehicle, or engineering vehicle. 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" or "car" in this disclosure may be appropriately replaced with "mobile body," and the term "driving" may be appropriately replaced with "moving."

[0023] In this embodiment, vehicle 100 is configured to operate autonomously. "Autonomous operation" means driving without relying on the driving actions of passengers. Driving actions refer to operations related to at least one of "driving," "steering," or "stopping" of vehicle 100. Autonomous driving is achieved through automatic or manual remote control using a device located outside vehicle 100, or through autonomous control of vehicle 100. In a vehicle 100 operating autonomously, passengers who do not perform driving actions may also be present. Passengers who do not perform driving actions include, for example, people who merely sit in the seats of vehicle 100, or people who perform tasks different from driving actions while riding in vehicle 100. Furthermore, driving based on the driving actions of passengers is sometimes referred to as "manned driving."

[0024] In this specification, "remote control" includes "fully remote control," in which all actions of vehicle 100 are determined entirely from outside the vehicle 100, and "partially remote control," in which some actions of vehicle 100 are determined from outside the vehicle 100. Additionally, "autonomous control" includes "fully autonomous control," in which vehicle 100 autonomously controls its own actions without receiving any information from external devices, and "partially autonomous control," in which vehicle 100 autonomously controls its own actions using information received from external devices.

[0025] In this embodiment, system 50 is used in a 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. The factory FC has a first location PL1 and a second location PL2. The first location PL1 and the second location PL2 are connected by a driving road TR that the vehicle 100 can travel on. The vehicle 100 moves from the first location PL1 to the second location PL2 via the driving road TR, without human intervention. Assembly and various inspections for the manufacture of vehicle 100 are performed in the first location PL1 and the second location PL2.

[0026] Inspection equipment 500 is installed at the second location PL2. Vehicle 100, which moves to the second location PL2, moves to the inspection equipment 500 by autonomous driving and undergoes inspection. Details about the inspection equipment 500 will be described later.

[0027] Multiple sensors 300 are installed at the first location PL1, the second location PL2, and the driving road TR. The sensors 300 are located outside the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the sensors 300 are sensors that capture images of the vehicle 100 from outside the vehicle 100. The sensors 300 are, for example, cameras. The sensors 300 are equipped with a communication device (not shown) capable of communicating with other devices such as the server 200 via wired or wireless communication.

[0028] <Composition of System 50 and Vehicle 100>

[0029] Figure 2 This is a block diagram showing the configuration of system 50 and vehicle 100. Vehicle 100 includes a vehicle control unit 110 for controlling various parts of vehicle 100, an actuator assembly 120 including one or more actuators driven under the control of vehicle control unit 110, a communication device 130 for communicating with external devices such as server 200 via wireless communication, a display device 140 for displaying the speed of vehicle 100, and a passenger-side camera 150. Actuator assembly 120 includes actuators for a drive mechanism to accelerate vehicle 100, actuators for a steering mechanism to change the direction of travel of vehicle 100, and actuators for a braking mechanism to decelerate vehicle 100.

[0030] 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 various functions, including those of the vehicle control unit 115, by executing the program PG1 stored in the memory 112. Furthermore, the vehicle control unit 110 controls the display device 140.

[0031] The vehicle control unit 115 drives the vehicle 100 by controlling the actuator assembly 120. The vehicle control unit 115 controls the actuator assembly 120 using a driving control signal received from the server 200, thereby enabling the vehicle 100 to drive. 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 other embodiments, the driving control signal may include the speed of the vehicle 100 as a parameter instead of its acceleration, or it may include the speed of the vehicle 100 as a parameter in addition to its acceleration.

[0032] Display device 140 is a so-called speedometer that displays the speed of vehicle 100. The speed of vehicle 100 is determined using a vehicle speed sensor installed on vehicle 100. The vehicle speed sensor detects the rotational speed of the wheels of vehicle 100. Vehicle control device 110 uses the detected wheel rotational speed and the outer circumference of the wheels to calculate the speed of vehicle 100. The calculated speed is transmitted to display device 140. The vehicle speed sensor is not limited to the above method, and the vehicle speed can be calculated by any method.

[0033] A carriage camera 150 is installed in the vehicle 100 to capture images of the carriage and output the captured data. In this embodiment, the carriage camera 150 is included within the field of view of the display device 140. The speed displayed on the display device 140 can also be said to be obtained by the carriage camera 150. The captured data is transmitted to the server 200 via the communication device 130.

[0034] <Server 200 Composition>

[0035] 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 bidirectionally connected via the internal bus 204. A communication device 205 for communicating with various external devices is connected to the input / output interface 203. The communication device 205 can communicate with the vehicle 100 wirelessly and with each sensor 300 via wired or wireless communication. The processor 201 executes the program PG2 stored in the memory 202 to perform various functions, including those of a remote control unit 211, a first acquisition unit 212, a second acquisition unit 213, and a check execution unit 214.

[0036] The remote control unit 211 acquires detection results based on sensors, uses these results to generate driving control signals for controlling the actuator assembly 120 of the vehicle 100, and sends these driving control signals to the vehicle 100, thereby controlling the autonomous driving of the vehicle 100. In addition to driving control signals, the remote control unit 211 can also generate and output control signals for actuators that control various auxiliary devices, windshield wipers, power windows, and headlights of the vehicle 100. That is, the remote control unit 211 can also remotely control the operation of such various devices and auxiliary devices.

[0037] The first acquisition unit 212 acquires the speed, i.e., the first speed, measured by the inspection equipment 500 (described later). Further details will be provided later.

[0038] The second acquisition unit 213 acquires the speed displayed on the display device 140, i.e., the second speed, during the speed measurement of the vehicle 100 using the inspection equipment 500. In this embodiment, the second speed is acquired using image data captured by the in-vehicle camera 150. Specifically, the second acquisition unit 213 uses the image data and known image recognition technology to acquire the speed displayed on the display device 140 as the second speed.

[0039] The inspection execution unit 214 uses the first speed obtained by the first acquisition unit 212 and the second speed obtained by the second acquisition unit 213 to perform an inspection related to the accuracy of the speed displayed on the display device 140. In this embodiment, the inspection is performed by determining whether the difference between the first speed and the second speed is within a preset range. The preset range is set as the range of allowable error for the speed displayed on the display device 140. The preset range is, for example, 10 km / h or less. The preset range is stored in the memory 202. The absolute value of the difference between the first speed and the second speed is calculated by subtracting the first speed from the second speed, and the absolute value of the difference is determined to be within the preset range. The inspection execution unit 214 stores the determination result thus obtained in the memory 202. The determination result includes whether the difference between the first speed and the second speed is within the preset range or whether the difference between the first speed and the second speed is not within the preset range. The inspection execution unit 214 may also store the difference between the first speed and the second speed and the determination result together in the memory 202. Details regarding the inspection will be described later.

[0040] <Composition of Inspection Equipment 500>

[0041] Figure 3 This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the inspection equipment 500. The inspection equipment 500 is used in the inspection of the display device 140 that displays the speed of the vehicle 100. The inspection equipment 500 includes multiple rollers RL, a speed sensor 550, an equipment control device 530, a communication device 520, and a display device 540.

[0042] Multiple rollers RL are partially embedded in the road surface. Each roller RL is configured to support the wheel WL of the vehicle 100 while rotating. Each roller RL has a rotation axis along the left-right direction of the vehicle 100. Each roller RL is made of metal. In this embodiment, one wheel WL is supported by two rollers RL arranged along the front-rear direction of the vehicle 100. When the vehicle 100 has four wheels, eight rollers RL are provided in one inspection device 500. Each roller RL has the same configuration as the wheel WL. Each roller RL rotates as the wheel WL rotates. Thus, the vehicle 100 supported by multiple rollers RL does not move in the front-rear direction, but allows the wheel WL to rotate. Furthermore, a portion of the multiple wheels WL can also be supported by a single roller RL.

[0043] The speed sensor 550 detects the speed of the roller RL. The detected speed is transmitted to the equipment control unit 530.

[0044] The equipment control device 530 is composed of a computer having a processor 531, a memory 532, an input / output interface 533, and an internal bus 534. The processor 531, memory 532, and input / output interface 533 are bidirectionally connected via the internal bus 534. Additionally, a communication device 520 and a speed sensor 550 are connected to the input / output interface 533. In this embodiment, the communication device 520 communicates with the server 200 via wireless or wired communication. The communication device 520 can also communicate with the vehicle 100 via wireless communication. The processor 531 executes the program PG3 stored in the memory 532 to perform various functions, including the function of a speed detection unit 591.

[0045] The speed detection unit 591 uses the rotational speed of the roller RL detected by the rotational speed sensor 550 to measure the speed of the vehicle 100, which is supported by multiple rollers RL while traveling on the inspection equipment 500. Furthermore, "speed" includes the speed of the vehicle 100 even when it is traveling on the inspection equipment 500 but its actual position does not change. The speed detection unit 591 calculates the circumferential speed of the roller RL using the detected rotational speed and the outer circumference of the roller RL. The calculated circumferential speed corresponds to the speed of the vehicle 100. The speed detection unit 591 can calculate the speed of the vehicle 100 using any method that utilizes the rotation of the roller RL. The speed detection unit 591 transmits the calculated speed of the vehicle 100 to the server 200. This speed is the first speed obtained by the first acquisition unit 212 described above.

[0046] The display device 540 displays various information related to the inspection performed by the inspection equipment 500. For example, the display device 540 displays the first speed measured by the speed detection unit 591 in real time.

[0047] <Vehicle 100 Driving Control>

[0048] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the driving control of vehicle 100 in the first embodiment. This flow is executed to enable vehicle 100 to drive autonomously. Figure 4 In the processing flow, the processor 201 of the server 200 functions as a remote control unit 211 by executing program PG2. Additionally, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 functions as a vehicle control unit 115 by executing program PG1.

[0049] In step S1, the processor 201 of the server 200 uses the detection results output from the sensor 300 to obtain 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 images captured from a camera, which is the sensor 300, to obtain the vehicle position information.

[0050] Specifically, in step S1, the processor 201 detects the shape of the vehicle 100 from the captured image, calculates the coordinates of the vehicle 100's location points in the coordinate system of the captured image (i.e., the local coordinate system), 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 captured image can be detected, for example, by inputting the captured image into a detection model DM employing 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 trained in a manner that achieves either semantic segmentation or instance segmentation can be used. As this machine learning model, for example, a convolutional neural network (hereinafter CNN) trained using a learning dataset can be used. The learning dataset, for example, has multiple training images containing 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 back-propagation (error backpropagation method) to reduce the error between the output of the detection model DM and the label. In addition, the processor 201 uses, for example, optical flow to estimate the direction of the vehicle 100's movement vector calculated from the position changes of the vehicle 100's feature points between frames of the captured image, thereby obtaining the vehicle 100's orientation.

[0051] In step S2, the processor 201 of the server 200 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 GC. The memory 202 of the server 200 pre-stores a reference path RR, which serves as the path that the vehicle 100 should travel. The path is represented by nodes indicating the starting point, nodes indicating the waypoints, nodes indicating the destination, and links connecting the nodes. The processor 201 uses the vehicle location information and the reference path RR to determine the target location that the vehicle 100 should go to next. The processor 201 determines the target location on the reference path RR, which is further ahead of the vehicle 100's current location.

[0052] In step S3, the processor 201 of the server 200 generates a driving control signal to move the vehicle 100 toward 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 to make the vehicle 100 accelerate; when the speed is higher than the target speed, it determines acceleration to make the vehicle 100 decelerate. Furthermore, when the vehicle 100 is on the reference path RR, the processor 201 determines the steering angle and acceleration to prevent the vehicle 100 from leaving 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—it determines the steering angle and acceleration to return the vehicle 100 to the reference path RR.

[0053] 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.

[0054] 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 uses the received driving control signal to control the actuator assembly 120, thereby 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 assembly 120 at a predetermined cycle. According to system 50 in this embodiment, vehicle 100 can be driven remotely, and vehicle 100 can be moved without the use of conveying equipment such as cranes or conveyors.

[0055] <Inspection of display device 140>

[0056] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the inspection process of the display device 140. The inspection of the display device 140 is performed when the vehicle 100, which moves onto the inspection equipment 500, travels on the roller RL. In this embodiment, the vehicle 100 moves to the inspection equipment 500 in an unmanned manner under the control of the remote control unit 210. Specifically, the vehicle 100 moves with wheels WL... Figure 3 The roller RL shown is used to support the vehicle 100, causing it to travel on the roller RL at a preset speed. The preset speed is, for example, 40 km / h.

[0057] The inspection of the display device 140 is performed to ensure the accuracy of the speed displayed on the display device 140. The speed displayed on the display device 140 is measured using the outer circumference of the wheel WL, as described above. However, the outer circumference of the wheel WL may vary due to factors such as tire air pressure. Therefore, in the inspection equipment 500, the outer circumference of a roller RL made of metal or the like is used for measurement. Compared to the wheel WL, the outer circumference of the roller RL varies less due to the surrounding environment. Therefore, the speed measured by the inspection equipment 500 is used as a reference when performing an inspection of the speed displayed on the display device 140.

[0058] like Figure 5 As shown, in step S10, the first acquisition unit 212 acquires the first speed, and the second acquisition unit 213 acquires the second speed.

[0059] In step S20, the checking execution unit 214 determines whether the difference between the obtained first speed and second speed is within a preset range.

[0060] In step S30, the inspection execution unit 214 stores the result of the determination made in step S20 in the memory 202.

[0061] After step S30 is completed, vehicle 100 moves from the second location PL2 by driverless operation and performs other inspection procedures, etc.

[0062] Furthermore, if it is determined in step S20 that the difference between the first speed and the second speed is not within a preset range, it is presumed that at least one of the wheel WL, the vehicle speed sensor, and the display device 140 is abnormal.

[0063] The system 50 of the first embodiment described above is equipped with an inspection execution unit 214 that performs inspections of the display device 140 using a first speed and a second speed, so it is able to suppress situations where the inspection result depends on the skill of the inspector.

[0064] Furthermore, according to the system 50 of the first embodiment, since the inspection execution unit 214 performs the inspection by determining whether the difference between the first speed and the second speed is within a preset range, it is possible to determine whether the error is included in the preset range by setting the speed range that is allowed as the error between the first speed and the second speed to a preset range.

[0065] Furthermore, according to the system 50 of the first embodiment, since the second acquisition unit 213 uses the shooting data output by the carriage camera 150 that takes pictures of the display device 140 to acquire the second speed, the inspection can be performed using the carriage camera 150 that takes pictures of the carriage.

[0066] B. Second implementation method:

[0067] Figure 6 This is a block diagram showing the configuration of system 50b according to the second embodiment. System 50b of the second embodiment differs from system 50 of the first embodiment in that the processor 201 also functions as a correction unit 215. The configuration, which will not be specifically described below, is the same as that of the first embodiment.

[0068] When the inspection execution unit 214 determines that the difference between the first speed and the second speed is not within a preset range, the correction unit 215 corrects the speed displayed on the display device 140 of the vehicle 100. The speed displayed on the display device 140 is corrected based on the difference between the first speed and the second speed. An example is given where the preset range is set to within 10 km / h, and the difference between the first speed and the second speed calculated by the inspection execution unit 214 is 15 km / h. In this case, the speed displayed on the display device 140 of the vehicle 100 means that it is 15 km / h greater than the speed measured on the inspection device 500. The correction unit 215 calculates a correction value that brings the difference between the first speed and the second speed into the preset range. For example, the correction value in the above example is -15 km / h. The correction unit 215 transmits this correction value to the vehicle 100. Alternatively, the correction value can be a value other than one that makes the difference between the first speed and the second speed zero. That is, the correction value can be any value that makes the difference between the first speed and the second speed converge to a predetermined range. For example, the correction value in the above example could also be, for example, -6 km / h.

[0069] Display device 140 displays the corrected speed using the speed transmitted from the vehicle speed sensor and the correction value transmitted from the correction unit 215. Specifically, the vehicle control unit 110 of the vehicle 100 calculates a value obtained by adding the speed transmitted from the vehicle speed sensor to the correction value transmitted from the correction unit 215. The calculated speed is transmitted to display device 140. Display device 140 displays the corrected speed.

[0070] The system 50b of the second embodiment described above also includes a correction unit 215 that corrects the speed displayed on the display device 140 when it is determined that the difference between the first speed and the second speed is not within a preset range, so the error of the speed displayed on the display device 140 can be reduced.

[0071] C. Third implementation method:

[0072] Figure 7 This is an explanatory diagram showing the schematic configuration of system 50v in the third embodiment. In this embodiment, the difference from the first embodiment is that system 50v does not include server 200. Furthermore, the vehicle 100v in this embodiment can drive under autonomous control. Other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified. Moreover, system 50v of the third embodiment can also be used in combination with system 50b of the second embodiment.

[0073] In this embodiment, the processor 111v of the vehicle control device 110v functions as the vehicle control unit 115v by executing the program PG1 stored in the memory 112v. The vehicle control unit 115v obtains the output results based on the sensors, uses the output results to generate a driving control signal, and outputs the generated driving control signal to actuate the actuator assembly 120, thereby enabling the vehicle 100v to drive autonomously. In this embodiment, in addition to the program PG1, the memory 112v also stores the detection model DM and the reference path RR in advance.

[0074] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the vehicle 100V driving control in the third embodiment. Figure 8 In the processing flow, the processor 111v of the vehicle 100v functions as the vehicle control unit 115v by executing program PG1.

[0075] In step S901, the processor 111v of the vehicle control device 110v obtains vehicle position information using the detection results output from the camera, which is a sensor 300. In step S902, the processor 111v determines the target location that the vehicle 100v should go to next. In step S903, the processor 111v generates a driving control signal to make the vehicle 100v move towards the determined target location. In step S904, the processor 111v controls the actuator group 120 using the generated driving control signal, thereby making the vehicle 100v move according to the parameters represented by the driving control signal. The processor 111v repeatedly performs 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, even without remote control of the vehicle 100v through the server 200, the vehicle 100v can be driven autonomously.

[0076] In addition, such as Figure 7 As shown, in this embodiment, the processor 111v executes the program PG1 stored in the memory 112v, and also functions as the first acquisition unit 125v, the second acquisition unit 135v, and the check execution unit 145v. The first acquisition unit 125v, the second acquisition unit 135v, and the check execution unit 145v each have the same functions as the first acquisition unit 212, the second acquisition unit 213, and the check execution unit 214 in the first embodiment. Therefore, in this embodiment, the processor 111v of the vehicle 100v executes the functions of... Figure 5 The inspection method shown is the same. Furthermore, although... Figure 7 Although not shown in the figure, the processor 111v also performs the same function as the correction unit 215 in the second embodiment.

[0077] The system 50v of the third embodiment described above can also perform the driving control and inspection method of the vehicle 100v in the same way as the systems 50 and 50b of the first and second embodiments.

[0078] D. Other implementation methods 1:

[0079] (D1) In the above embodiments, the second acquisition unit 213 acquires the second speed using the shooting data output by the vehicle camera 150 that captures images of the display device 140, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. The second acquisition unit 213 may also acquire the second speed from a shooting device that captures images of the display device 140 and is provided outside the vehicle 100. Such a shooting device is, for example, a camera provided in the factory FC. The shooting device may also be one of the multiple sensors 300 described above. In addition, the second acquisition unit 213 may also acquire the second speed from a vehicle speed sensor provided by the vehicle 100. Furthermore, the second acquisition unit 213 may also acquire the second speed from a vehicle control device 110 that controls the display on the display device 140.

[0080] (D2) In the above embodiments, the inspection execution unit 214 may also provide notifications related to the determination result. For example, the inspection execution unit 214 may notify that the difference between the first speed and the second speed is within or outside a preset range. The notification may be made, for example, by displaying visual information on the display device 540 provided on the inspection equipment 500. The notification is not limited to the inspection equipment 500 and may also be displayed on a display device different from the speedometer. Furthermore, the notification may include information related to the difference between the first speed and the second speed in addition to the determination result. In this manner, the determination result performed by the inspection execution unit 214 can be notified to the inspector.

[0081] (D3) In the above embodiments, the first acquisition unit 212 may also acquire the first speed after the acceleration of the vehicle 100 measured by the roller RL converges to a preset range. Similarly, the second acquisition unit 213 may acquire the second speed after the acceleration calculated based on the speed displayed on the display device 140 converges to a preset range. The preset range of acceleration is set as the range of acceleration indicating that the vehicle 100 has completed acceleration and its driving state has stabilized. For example, the preset range of acceleration is 0.1 m / s². 2 Furthermore, the first acquisition unit 212 and the second acquisition unit 213 can acquire the first speed and the second speed respectively after a preset time has elapsed since the vehicle 100 started moving on the roller RL. The preset time is set as the time required until the vehicle 100 has completed acceleration and the driving state has stabilized. The preset time is, for example, 20 seconds. In this way, the first acquisition unit 212 and the second acquisition unit 213 can acquire the speed of the vehicle 100 when the acceleration has been completed and the driving state is relatively stable.

[0082] (D4) In the above embodiments, the inspection execution unit 214 performs the inspection by determining whether the difference between the first speed and the second speed is within a preset range, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. The inspection execution unit 214 can use the first speed and the second speed and perform the inspection in any way. For example, the inspection execution unit 214 can also perform the inspection by comparing the first speed and the second speed. For example, the inspection execution unit 214 can also perform the inspection by comparing the time change of the first speed and the time change of the second speed.

[0083] (D5) In the above embodiments, the vehicle 100 is driven by an unmanned driver, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. The vehicle 100 may also be driven by a human driver.

[0084] (D6) In the above embodiments, the memories 112, 112v, 202, and 532 can be any storage device. Such storage devices are, for example, HDD (Hard Disc Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), etc.

[0085] (D7) In the above embodiments, the function of at least one of the remote control unit 211, the first acquisition unit 212, the second acquisition unit 213, the inspection execution unit 214, and the correction unit 215 may also be performed by the inspection device 500.

[0086] (D8) In the above embodiments, the number of wheels of the vehicle 100 can be arbitrary. For example, the number of wheels is 2 or more. When there is only one wheel, the wheel is clamped and supported by two rollers RL.

[0087] E. Other implementation methods 2:

[0088] (E1) In the above embodiments, the sensor 300 is not limited to a camera, but may also be a ranging device, such as a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) device. In this case, the detection result output by the sensor 300 may also be three-dimensional point cloud data representing the vehicle 100. In this case, the server 200 and the vehicle 100 may also obtain vehicle position information by matching the three-dimensional point cloud data as the detection result with a template of pre-prepared reference point cloud data.

[0089] (E2) In the first embodiment described above, the server 200 performs the process from obtaining the vehicle location information to generating the driving control signal. In contrast, the vehicle 100 may also perform at least a portion of the process from obtaining the vehicle location information to generating the driving control signal. For example, it may be performed in the manner described in (1) to (3) below.

[0090] (1) The server 200 may obtain vehicle location information, determine the target location that vehicle 100 should go to next, and generate a path from the current location of vehicle 100 as indicated by the obtained vehicle location information to the target location. The server 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 200 may send the generated path to vehicle 100. Vehicle 100 may generate a driving control signal in such a way that vehicle 100 travels on the path received from server 200, and use the generated driving control signal to control actuator group 120.

[0091] (2) The server 200 can obtain vehicle location information and send the obtained vehicle location information to the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 can decide the target location that the vehicle 100 should go to next, generate a path from the current position of the vehicle 100 represented by the received vehicle location information to the target location, generate a driving control signal in the manner that the vehicle 100 travels on the generated path, and use the generated driving control signal to control the actuator group 120.

[0092] (3) In the methods described in (1) and (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. The internal sensors are sensors mounted on the vehicle 100. The internal sensors may include, for example, sensors that detect the motion state of the vehicle 100, sensors that detect the motion state of various parts of the vehicle 100, and sensors that detect the surrounding environment of the vehicle 100. Specifically, the 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 200 may obtain the detection results of the internal sensors and reflect the detection results of the internal sensors in the path when generating the path. In the method described in (1) above, the vehicle 100 may also obtain the detection results of the internal sensors and reflect the detection results of the internal sensors in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal. In the method described in (2) above, the vehicle 100 may obtain the detection results of the internal sensors and reflect the detection results of the internal sensors in the path when generating the path. In the above (2) method, the vehicle 100 may obtain the detection results of the internal sensors and reflect the detection results of the internal sensors in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal.

[0093] (E3) In the third embodiment described above, the vehicle 100v 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 100v may acquire the detection results of the internal sensor and reflect these results in the path generation. Alternatively, the vehicle 100v may acquire the detection results of the internal sensor and reflect these results in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal.

[0094] (E4) In the third embodiment described above, vehicle 100v obtains vehicle position information using the detection results of sensor 300. Alternatively, vehicle 100v may be equipped with internal sensors. Vehicle 100v uses the detection results of these internal sensors to obtain vehicle position information, determines the target location that vehicle 100v should proceed to, generates a path from the current position of vehicle 100v as indicated by the obtained vehicle position information to the target location, generates a driving control signal for traveling along the generated path, and uses the generated driving control signal to control actuator assembly 120. In this case, vehicle 100v can travel without using the detection results of any sensor 300. Furthermore, vehicle 100v may obtain the target arrival time and / or congestion information from outside the vehicle, reflecting the target arrival time and / or congestion information in at least one of the path and the driving control signal.

[0095] (E5) 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 may also 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 server 200 may generate a driving control signal corresponding to the operation applied to the driving control device by an external operator operating a control device equipped with a display showing images captured from the sensor 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.

[0096] (E6) In the above embodiments, the vehicle 100 only needs to have a configuration that enables it to move autonomously, for example, it can also be in the form of a platform with the configuration described below. Specifically, in order for the vehicle 100 to perform the three functions of "driving", "steering" and "stopping" through autonomous driving, it only needs to have at least 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 also needs to have a communication device 130. That is, the vehicle 100 that can move autonomously may not be equipped with at least a portion of the interior components such as the driver's seat and dashboard, may not be equipped with at least a portion of the exterior components such as bumpers and mudguards, and may not be equipped with a body shell. In this case, the remaining components such as the body shell can be assembled onto the vehicle 100 during the period until the vehicle 100 is shipped from the factory FC, or the remaining components such as the body shell can be assembled onto the vehicle 100 after the vehicle 100 is shipped from the factory FC in a state where the remaining components such as the body shell are not assembled onto the vehicle 100. Each component can be assembled from any direction, such as the upper, lower, front, rear, right, or left side of the vehicle 100, and can be assembled from the same direction or from different directions. Furthermore, the shape of the test stand can be determined in the same way as the vehicle 100 in the first embodiment.

[0097] (E7) The vehicle 100 can also be manufactured by combining multiple modules. A module means a unit consisting of one or more parts that are aggregated according to the structure 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. Furthermore, the number of modules constituting the chassis is not limited to three, and can be two or less or four or more. In addition, parts of the vehicle 100 that are different from the chassis can be modularized, or parts of the vehicle 100 that are different from the chassis can be modularized instead of the chassis. In addition, various modules can also include any exterior parts such as bumpers and grilles, and any interior parts such as seats and consoles. Furthermore, 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 parts using welding or fasteners, or by integrally molding at least a portion of the module into a single part using casting. A molding method that integrally molds at least a portion of a module into a single component is also known as Giga-casting or Mega-casting. By using Giga-casting, it is possible to form the various parts of a mobile body, which were previously formed by joining multiple components, into a single component. For example, the aforementioned front module, central module, and rear module can also be manufactured using Giga-casting.

[0098] (E8) Transporting vehicle 100 using the driving of driverless vehicle 100 is also called "autonomous transport". In addition, the configuration used to realize autonomous transport is also called "vehicle remote control autonomous driving transport system". In addition, the production method of producing vehicle 100 using autonomous transport is also called "autonomous production". In autonomous production, for example in the factory FC that manufactures vehicle 100, at least a part of the transport of vehicle 100 is realized by autonomous transport.

[0099] (E9) In the above embodiments, some or all of the functions and processes implemented in software may also be implemented in hardware. Conversely, some or all of the functions and processes implemented in hardware may also be implemented in software. As the hardware for implementing the various functions in the above embodiments, various circuits such as integrated circuits and discrete circuits may be used.

[0100] 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 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. Furthermore, technical features that are not described as essential parts in this specification can be appropriately deleted. For example, this disclosure can be implemented using the scheme described below.

[0101] (1) According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a system is provided. The system comprises: a first acquisition unit that acquires a speed, i.e., a first speed, measured by an inspection device, the inspection device having a roller capable of rotating while supporting the wheels of a vehicle and measuring the speed of the vehicle by means of the rotation of the roller; a second acquisition unit that, during the measurement of the speed of the vehicle using the inspection device, acquires a speed, i.e., a second speed, displayed on a display device of the vehicle that displays the speed of the vehicle; and an inspection execution unit that performs an inspection of the display device using the acquired first speed and the acquired second speed.

[0102] According to this system, since it has an inspection execution unit that performs inspection of the display device using the speed measured by the inspection equipment (i.e., the first speed) and the speed displayed on the vehicle's display device (i.e., the second speed), it is able to suppress situations where the inspection result depends on the inspector's skill.

[0103] (2) In the system described above, the inspection execution unit may also perform the inspection by determining whether the difference between the first speed and the second speed is within a preset range.

[0104] According to this system, since the inspection execution unit performs the inspection by determining whether the difference between the first speed and the second speed is within a preset range, it is possible to determine whether the second speed is included in the preset range by setting the speed range that is allowed as the error of the second speed to the preset range.

[0105] (3) In the system described above, the second acquisition unit may also acquire the second speed by using the shooting data output by the shooting device that shoots the display device.

[0106] According to this system, since the second acquisition unit uses the shooting data output by the shooting device that shoots the display device to obtain the second speed, the inspection can be performed using a camera installed in the carriage or a camera that shoots the vehicle.

[0107] (4) In the system described above, there may also be a correction unit that corrects the speed displayed on the display device based on the difference between the first speed and the second speed when it is determined that the difference between the first speed and the second speed is not within the preset range, and the display device displays the corrected speed.

[0108] The system according to this method also includes a correction unit that corrects the speed displayed on the display device when it is determined that the difference between the first speed and the second speed is not within a preset range, thus reducing the error of the speed displayed on the display device.

[0109] (5) In the system described above, the inspection execution unit may also execute a notification related to the result of the judgment.

[0110] According to this system, since the inspection execution department executes notifications related to the results of the judgment, the judgment made by the inspection execution department can be notified to the inspector.

[0111] (6) In the system described above, a server located outside the vehicle may also be provided. The server has a first acquisition unit, a second acquisition unit, an inspection execution unit, and a remote control unit. The remote control unit generates a driving control signal for controlling the actuators of the vehicle and sends the driving control signal to the vehicle, thereby controlling the unmanned driving of the vehicle. The remote control unit moves the vehicle to the inspection equipment and drives at a preset speed in such a way that the wheels of the vehicle are supported by the rollers.

[0112] According to this system, since the server located outside the vehicle has a first acquisition unit, a second acquisition unit, an inspection execution unit, and a remote control unit, the vehicle inspection can be performed unmanned using the server.

Claims

1. A system that possesses: The first acquisition unit acquires a speed, i.e., a first speed, measured by the inspection equipment, which has a roller capable of rotating while supporting the wheels of a vehicle and uses the rotation of the roller to measure the speed of the vehicle. The second acquisition unit, during the measurement of the vehicle's speed using the inspection equipment, acquires the speed displayed on a display device that shows the vehicle's speed, i.e., the second speed; and The inspection unit performs an inspection of the display device using the first speed and the second speed obtained.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The inspection execution unit performs the inspection by determining whether the difference between the first speed and the second speed is within a preset range.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The second acquisition unit uses the shooting data output by the shooting device that takes pictures of the display device to acquire the second speed.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein, It also includes a correction unit that corrects the speed displayed on the display device based on the difference between the first speed and the second speed when it is determined that the difference between the first speed and the second speed is not within the preset range. The display device displays the corrected speed.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein, The inspection execution department also executes notifications related to the results of the judgment.

6. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, It also has a server located outside the vehicle. The server has: The first acquisition unit; The second acquisition unit; The inspection execution unit; and The remote control unit generates driving control signals for controlling the actuators of the vehicle, and sends the driving control signals to the vehicle, thereby controlling the autonomous driving of the vehicle. The remote control unit moves the vehicle to the inspection equipment and drives it at a preset speed such that the wheels of the vehicle are supported by the rollers.

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