Transport robot travel control system, transport robot travel control method, and transport robot travel control program

Abstract

To make it possible to readily and accurately recognize a position of a transport robot, and to assist in the travel of the transport robot.SOLUTION: A transport robot travel control system includes a control unit that acquires a plurality of image data items which show at least one painted movement line captured by an imaging unit incorporated in a transport robot, generates position information on the basis of image data showing a predesignated feature part out of the plurality of image data items, and uses the position information to instruct the transport robot to travel. In the transport robot travel control system, the transport robot may include a crawler.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport robot travel control system, a transport robot travel control method, and a transport robot travel control program. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, technological development of automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) has progressed, and AGVs have begun to be used in various situations. For example, by using AGVs in warehouses where products are stored, it becomes possible to automatically transport a wide variety of products. This improves work efficiency and reduces costs. As an example of such an AGV, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which an AGV slips under a cart, lifts up the cart, and tows it.

[0003] On the other hand, the automatic guided vehicle needs power to lift the cart, so the automatic guided vehicle becomes larger. In particular, many materials at construction sites are heavy, so more power is needed to lift the cart loaded with such materials, and the automatic guided vehicle becomes even larger. For this reason, development of a small automatic guided robot with a line tracing function and an automatic following function that can connect to the cart under the cart and pull the cart using the casters of the cart and pull the cart is underway. In the case of line tracing, a moving line (conductor) dedicated to the transport robot is formed at the work site, and the automatic guided robot can recognize the moving line and reach the destination. As a method of line tracing, Patent Document 2 discloses a magnetic tape, Patent Document 3 discloses a marker pattern and odometry, and Patent Document 4 discloses a self-location recognition method using a landmark image projection device or Simultaneous Localization AND Mapping (hereinafter referred to as SLAM). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-59460 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2019-204195 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2021-144363 A [Patent Document 4] Patent Publication No. 2022-093887 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When an AGV moves, at a construction site, unlike a factory, there are steps on the road surface. Therefore, a crawler that is resistant to steps may be used for the running part of the AGV. However, since the friction between the crawler and the ground is strong, if the magnetic tape disclosed in Patent Document 2 is used, there is a problem that the tape attached to the ground will be peeled off when turning. In addition, there is a problem that the crawler has a lot of slippage and cannot obtain the odometry disclosed in Patent Document 3 as accurately as tires. In addition, unlike a factory, the surrounding environment of a construction site changes frequently. Therefore, if the SLAM disclosed in Patent Document 4 is used, the map needs to be updated frequently.

[0006] In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for easily and accurately recognizing the position of a transport robot and to assist the transport robot in traveling. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a transport robot driving control system is provided that has a control unit that acquires a plurality of image data including at least one coated moving line captured by an imaging unit provided on the transport robot, generates position information based on image data having a predetermined characteristic portion among the plurality of image data, and uses the position information to instruct the transport robot to move.

[0008] In the above-mentioned transport robot driving control system, when the at least one moving line included in the image data has a first moving line extending in a first direction in which the transport robot moves and having a first color, and a second moving line extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction and having a second color different from the first color, the control unit may set the second moving line to the characteristic portion.

[0009] In the above-mentioned transport robot travel control system, a blank portion where neither the first movement line nor the second movement line is coated may be provided at the portion where the first movement line and the second movement line intersect in the image data.

[0010] In the above-mentioned transport robot driving control system, when the image data includes a first movement line extending in a first direction in which the transport robot moves, a second movement line extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a marker pattern provided near either the first movement line or the second movement line, the control unit may set the marker pattern to the characteristic portion.

[0011] In the above-mentioned transfer robot travel control system, the marker pattern may include a third color different from the first color and the second color.

[0012] In the above-mentioned transport robot travel control system, the marker pattern may include identifiable information.

[0013] In the above-mentioned transport robot travel control system, the transport robot may include a crawler.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling the movement of a transport robot, in which a computer acquires a plurality of image data including at least one coated moving line captured by an imaging unit provided on the transport robot, generates position information based on image data having a predetermined characteristic portion among the plurality of image data, and uses the position information to instruct the movement of the transport robot.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a transport robot driving control program is provided which causes a computer to acquire a plurality of image data including at least one coated moving line captured by an imaging unit provided on a transport robot, generate position information based on image data having a predetermined characteristic portion among the plurality of image data, and instruct the transport robot to move using the position information. Effect of the Invention

[0016] By using one embodiment of the present invention, the transport robot can easily and accurately recognize its own position, and the travel of the transport robot can be supported. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a transport robot travel control system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is a perspective view of a transfer robot according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] 3 is a functional block diagram of a control unit of a cruise control server according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart of a transport robot travel control method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a construction site where a transport robot is controlled to travel. [Figure 6] 1 is an example of captured image data. [Figure 7] 1 is an example of captured image data. [Figure 8]1 is an example of captured image data. [Figure 9] 1 is an example of captured image data. [Figure 10] 1 is an example of captured image data. [Figure 11A] 1 is an example of captured image data. [Figure 11B] 1 is an example of captured image data. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments are merely examples, and those skilled in the art can easily modify the embodiments while maintaining the gist of the invention. Anything that can be conceived of is naturally included in the scope of the present invention. In addition, in order to make the explanation clearer, the drawings may be shown in schematic form in terms of width, thickness, shape, etc., of each part compared to the actual embodiment. However, the shapes shown in the drawings are merely examples and do not limit the interpretation of the present invention.

[0019] In this specification, the letters "first", "second", etc., attached to each component are convenient labels used to distinguish each component, and have no other meaning unless otherwise specified.

[0020] In this specification and drawings, the same reference numerals are used to collectively represent multiple identical or similar components, and capital or lowercase alphabets may be added to distinguish between the multiple components. Furthermore, a hyphen (-) and a natural number may be used to distinguish between multiple parts of one component.

[0021] In addition, the following embodiments can be combined with each other as long as no technical contradiction occurs.

[0022] First Embodiment (1-1. Configuration of the transport robot driving control system) 1 shows the configuration of a transfer robot travel control system 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the transfer robot travel control system 10 includes a transfer robot 100 and a travel control server 200.

[0023] The transport robot 100 captures images of the moving line at any time. The transport robot 100 is a robot that can be coupled with a dolly at a work site and automatically travel while towing the dolly to a specified location as instructed. In this case, a vehicle can be given as an example of the robot. Therefore, the transport robot 100 can also be called an automatic transport vehicle.

[0024] The driving control server 200 recognizes the position of the transfer robot 100 based on the captured image data, and instructs the driving of the transfer robot 100. Each component will be described in detail below.

[0025] (1-2. Configuration of the Transport Robot 100) The transfer robot 100 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0026] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the transfer robot 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the transfer robot 100 as viewed from above the transfer robot 100.

[0027] 1 and 2, the transport robot 100 includes a robot body unit 110, a traveling unit 120, and an imaging unit 130. The robot body unit 110 is located between the two traveling units 120. The transport robot 100 may also have a lighting unit for illuminating a moving line for traveling and imaging at night or in a dark situation.

[0028] The robot main body 110 has a control unit 111, a storage unit 113, and a communication unit 115. The robot main body 110 receives instructions from the driving control server 200 at the communication unit 115. A communication device such as a wireless module is used for the communication unit 115. The received instruction information can be stored in the storage unit 113.

[0029] In addition to a semiconductor memory such as an SSD (Solid State Drive), a magnetic recording medium (magnetic tape, magnetic disk, etc.), an optical recording medium, a magneto-optical recording medium, or a memorizable element that is a storage medium may be used for the storage unit 113. The storage unit 113 stores captured data.

[0030] The control unit 111 is a type of computer and uses a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 111 can control the traveling unit 120 and the imaging unit 130 based on instruction information from the traveling control server 200.

[0031] The transfer robot 100 includes a battery as the power supply unit 117. Specifically, a lithium ion battery is used for the power supply unit 117. In addition, the robot main body 110 may be appropriately provided with a motor for driving the traveling unit 120, a brake, and the like.

[0032] The running unit 120 is provided on the side of the robot body unit 110. The running unit 120 can move the robot body unit 110. In this example, a crawler is used for the running unit 120. In this embodiment, the transport robot 100 can move forward or backward by rotating the two running units 120 in the same direction. In addition, the transport robot 100 can rotate (turn) at its position by rotating the two running units 120 in different directions.

[0033] The imaging unit 130 is provided facing downward and forward at the front of the transport robot 100. The imaging unit 130 uses a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) type camera or a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) type camera.

[0034] (1-3. Configuration of Driving Control Server 200) Returning to Fig. 1, the driving control server 200 includes a control unit 210, a storage unit 220, a communication unit 230, an operation unit 240, a display unit 250, and an output unit 260.

[0035] The control unit 210 is a computer, and uses a CPU, ASIC, FPGA, or other arithmetic processing circuit to control processing based on instructions defined in driving control software (program). In addition, a user interface for executing the driving control program may be provided to the display unit 250 by instructions from the control unit 210.

[0036] In addition to a semiconductor memory such as an SSD, a magnetic recording medium (magnetic tape, magnetic disk, etc.), an optical recording medium, a magneto-optical recording medium, or a memorizable element that is a storage medium may be used for the storage unit 220. The storage unit 220 functions as a database that stores position information, map information, and the route that the transport robot 100 will automatically travel, which are used in the travel control program.

[0037] The communication unit 230 has a transceiver and communicates information related to automatic transport with the transport robot 100 via a communication network. The communication between the communication unit 230 and the transport robot 100 is performed using wireless communication such as wireless LAN, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or the Internet.

[0038] The operation unit 240 includes a controller, a button, or a switch. When the operation unit 240 is moved up, down, left, right, pressed, rotated, or the like, information based on the operation is transmitted to the control unit 210. In addition, when the display unit 250 is a display device (touch panel) having a touch sensor, the display unit 250 and the operation unit 240 may be disposed in the same place.

[0039] The display unit 250 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, and the display content is controlled by a signal input from the control unit 210.

[0040] The output unit 260 includes a speaker, a lighting device, etc. The output unit 260 outputs information based on a signal input from the control unit 210 to the outside.

[0041] (1-4. Functional block diagram of control unit 210) Next, a description will be given of the functional configuration of the control unit 210. Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram of the control unit 210. The control unit 210 includes an imaging control unit 2101, an acquisition unit 2103, a feature portion detection unit 2105, a position recognition unit 2107, and a movement instruction unit 2109.

[0042] The imaging control unit 2101 has a function of controlling imaging, such as starting and ending imaging by the imaging device (transport robot 100).

[0043] The acquisition unit 2103 has a function of acquiring various information such as a plurality of image data captured by the imaging unit 130, position information stored in the storage unit 220, and information on characteristic parts.

[0044] The characteristic portion detection unit 2105 has a function of detecting whether a plurality of image data includes a characteristic portion that is set in advance.

[0045] The position recognition unit 2107 has a function of recognizing the current position of the transport robot (generating position information) based on a plurality of image data and information on characteristic parts.

[0046] The movement instruction unit 2109 has a function of instructing the movement of the transfer robot 100 based on the position information generated by the position recognition unit 2107 .

[0047] (1-5. Transport robot travel control method) FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a method for controlling the travel of the transport robot in this embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a construction site where the travel control of the transport robot in this embodiment is performed. As shown in FIG. 5, a building 50 at a construction site is provided with a work floor 51 where workers or machines perform work. On a floor surface 51a of the work floor 51, materials 53 (in this example, rod-shaped materials 53-1 and block-shaped materials 53-2) are arranged, and a moving line 55 is provided. The moving line 55 is formed on the floor surface 51a using paint or the like. As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of moving lines 55 are provided intersecting with each other on the floor surface 51a of the work floor 51. In this example, the moving line 55-1 corresponds to the traveling direction D1 (also referred to as the first direction) of the transport robot 100. The moving line 55-2 is a direction (also referred to as the second direction) that intersects with the traveling direction D1. At this time, the moving line 55-1 and the moving line 55-2 are perpendicular to each other, but are not necessarily limited to being perpendicular to each other. Moreover, the moving line 55-1 and the moving line 55-2 are formed in different colors. In this example, the moving line 55-1 is formed in red (first color). The moving line 55-2 is formed in blue (second color) different from the moving line 55-1. The travel control method of the transport robot in this embodiment will be described in detail below.

[0048] First, as shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, the driving control server 200 instructs the transport robot 100 to move along the movement line 55 and capture an image of the floor surface 51a including the movement line 55. Based on the instruction from the driving control server 200, the imaging unit 130 of the transport robot 100 performs an imaging process of the floor surface 51a including the movement line 55. The captured image data is transmitted to the driving control server 200. The driving control server 200 acquires the image data (step S101).

[0049] Next, the driving control server 200 analyzes the image data (step S102). In this example, when the transfer robot 100 moves in the first direction D1 along the moving line 55-1, the driving control server 200 detects a characteristic part in the image data (step S103). In this embodiment, the moving line 55-2 intersecting with the moving line 55-1 is set as the characteristic part. FIGS. 6 and 7 are examples of the acquired image data 500. In the case of the image data 500 (500-1) shown in FIG. 6, the moving line 55-2 is arranged on both sides of the moving line 55-1. In the case of the image data 500 (500-2) shown in FIG. 7, the moving line 55-2 appears as a horizontal line in the second direction D2. If the characteristic part (moving line 55-2) is not detected (step S103; No), the driving control server 200 instructs the transfer robot 100 to move straight (step S104). The straight-ahead instruction includes at least one of the following: going straight if the moving line 55-1 is visible in the center of the screen, turning slightly to the right if it is visible on the right side of the screen, and turning slightly to the left if it is visible on the left side of the screen. In this way, the robot can always travel following the moving line 55-1. At this time, the process returns to step S101.

[0050] When the characteristic portion (movement line 55-2) is detected (step S103; Yes), the driving control server 200 recognizes the position of the transport robot 100 (generates position information) (step S105). In this example, the position of the transport robot 100 is recognized based on the number of times the characteristic portion (movement line 55-2) is detected. In other words, when there are ten movement lines 55-2, the position may be recognized according to the number of detected movement lines among the ten movement lines 55-2.

[0051] At this time, the travel control server 200 determines whether the transport robot 100 has reached the destination based on the position information (step S106). If the transport robot 100 has reached the destination (step S106; Yes), the process ends.

[0052] If the destination has not been reached (step S106; No), the driving control server 200 instructs the transport robot 100 to drive (move) based on the generated position information. In this case, it is first determined whether to go straight (step S107). If the transport robot 100 will go straight (step S107; Yes), the driving control server 200 instructs the transport robot 100 to go straight (step S115).

[0053] On the other hand, if the transport robot 100 is not to go straight (step S107; No), the driving control server 200 decides whether to make the transport robot 100 turn right (step S109). If the transport robot 100 is to turn right (step S109; Yes), a right turn instruction is issued (step S111). If the transport robot 100 is to turn left (step S109; No), a left turn instruction is issued (step S113). Furthermore, the driving control server 200 issues a straight-moving instruction to the transport robot 100 that has turned right or left (step S115). In this case, the straight-moving direction of the movement line 55 may be reset to the first direction D1, and the intersecting direction may be reset to the second direction D2. At this time, the process returns to step S101. The above is the transport robot driving control method.

[0054] In the case of this embodiment, a moving line formed by applying paint is used, so that the moving line can be easily formed in the same way as when it is formed using tape, and there is less concern that the moving line will be peeled off by the running part (crawler) of the transport robot 100 compared to when it is formed using tape.

[0055] Furthermore, in the case of this embodiment, since the characteristic portion has identification information that indicates the position of the construction site, the position of the transport robot can be recognized reliably without using multiple image data.

[0056] In addition, when capturing an image of the moving line and recognizing its position, location information is generated based on the acquired characteristic parts (the number of detected intersections). This means that there is no need to generate or acquire complex location information in advance, even in places where the environment is constantly changing, such as construction sites.

[0057] In addition, in the case of this embodiment, since the characteristic parts can be recognized by the imaging unit, there is no need to provide a new dedicated sensor. Furthermore, since the characteristic parts are arranged in the vicinity of the traveling part and imaging unit of the transport robot, position recognition can be performed accurately by illuminating the transport robot with lighting and imaging in a dark situation. Furthermore, since going straight, turning right, turning left, and stopping are determined based on information acquired in advance, complex driving commands are not required. In other words, by using this embodiment, the position of the transport robot can be recognized easily and accurately, and the transport robot's driving can be supported.

[0058] <Second embodiment> In this embodiment, a method of controlling the travel of a transport robot that is different from that in the first embodiment will be described. Specifically, an example will be described in which a blank portion 58 that is not coated is provided at the intersection of a moving line 55A-1 and a moving line 55A-2.

[0059] FIG. 8 is an example of the acquired image data 500A. In the case of the image data 500A in FIG. 8, a blank portion 58 where neither of the moving lines is coated is provided at a portion 55ov where the moving line 55A-1 and the moving line 55A-2 intersect. As a result, unlike FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, when the transfer robot 100 travels on either of the intersecting moving lines 55A, the characteristic portion (moving line 55A-2) is detected in the same manner on both sides of the intersecting portion 55ov. Therefore, by using this embodiment, the characteristic portion can be more stably detected.

[0060] <Third embodiment> In this embodiment, a transfer robot movement line travel control method different from that in the first embodiment will be described. Specifically, an example will be described in which a marker pattern 56 different from that of a movement line 55B-1 and a movement line 55B-2 is arranged.

[0061] FIG. 9 is an example of the acquired image data 500B. As shown in FIG. 9, in this embodiment, in addition to the moving line 55-1B and the moving line 55B-2, a marker pattern 56 is arranged. In this example, the marker pattern 56 is arranged at a predetermined distance from the moving line 55B-1 or the moving line 55B-2. The marker pattern 56-1 is arranged along the moving line 55B-1. Among the marker patterns 56, the marker pattern 56-2 is arranged along the moving line 55B-2. At this time, the marker pattern 56 has a rectangular shape. In this embodiment, the traveling control server 200 sets the marker pattern 56 to the characteristic portion. The traveling control server 200 may recognize the position of the transport robot 100 based on the number of times the marker pattern 56 is detected.

[0062] The color of the marker pattern 56 may be the same as or different from the colors of the movement lines 55B-1 and 55B-2. By changing the color of the marker pattern 56, it becomes easier to recognize the characteristic portion more reliably.

[0063] In the present embodiment, the marker pattern 56 is arranged along the moving line 55B-1 or the moving line 55B-2 while being spaced apart from the moving line 55B-1 or the moving line 55B-2 by a predetermined distance, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the marker pattern 56 may be provided on the intersection of the moving line 55B-1 and the moving line 55B-2. Alternatively, the marker pattern 56 may be provided around the intersection of the moving line 55B-1 and the moving line 55B-2.

[0064] <Fourth embodiment> In this embodiment, a transport robot travel control method different from that in the first embodiment will be described. Specifically, an example will be described in which a movement line 55-1C and a marker pattern 57 that can recognize a position different from that of the movement line 55C-2 are arranged.

[0065] FIG. 10 is an example of the acquired image data 500C. As shown in FIG. 10, in this embodiment, in addition to the moving line 55C-1 and the moving line 55C-2, a marker pattern 57 is arranged. In this example, the marker pattern 57 is arranged at a predetermined distance from the moving line 55-1 or the moving line 55C-2. Among the marker patterns 57, the marker pattern 57-1 is arranged along the moving line 55C-1. The marker pattern 57-2 is arranged along the moving line 55C-2. The marker pattern 57 has a shape that allows the position to be recognized. In this embodiment, the traveling control server 200 sets the marker pattern 57 to a characteristic portion. In this example, the marker pattern 57 has a circular shape. The traveling control server 200 may recognize the position of the transport robot 100 based on the number of circles in the marker pattern 57.

[0066] The color of the marker pattern 57 may be the same as or different from the colors of the movement lines 55C-1 and 55C-2. By changing the color of the marker pattern 57, it becomes easier to recognize it as a characteristic part more reliably, and the position of the transport robot 100 becomes easier to recognize.

[0067] In addition, in the present embodiment, the marker pattern 57 is arranged along the moving line 55C-1 or the moving line 55C-2 while being spaced apart from the moving line 55C-1 or the moving line 55C-2 by a predetermined distance, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the marker pattern 57 may be provided on the intersection of the moving line 55C-1 and the moving line 55C-2. Alternatively, the marker pattern 57 may be provided around the intersection of the moving line 55C-1 and the moving line 55C-2. Furthermore, the marker pattern 57 may be provided on the moving line 55C-1 or the moving line 55C-2.

[0068] In addition, in this embodiment, the marker pattern 57 has a circular shape, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the marker pattern 57 may be provided with a number or alphabet shape. Alternatively, the marker pattern 57 may be an AR (Augmented Reality) marker pattern. In this embodiment, since the characteristic portion has identification information indicating the position of the construction site, the position of the transport robot 100 can be reliably recognized without using multiple image data.

[0069] <Fifth embodiment> In this embodiment, a method for controlling the movement of a transfer robot line, which is different from that in the second embodiment, will be described. Specifically, an example will be described in which a blank portion that is not coated is provided at the intersection of a movement line 55D-1 and a movement line 55D-2.

[0070] FIG. 11A is an example of acquired image data 500D-1. FIG. 11B is an example of acquired image data 500D-2. In the case of FIG. 11A, a blank portion 58D wider than that of the second embodiment is provided at a portion 55ov where the moving line 55D-1 and the moving line 55D-2 intersect. The blank portion 58 may also be provided at a portion where the moving line 55D-1 and the moving line 55D-2 do not intersect.

[0071] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 11A, the movement line 55D-1 is also placed on the rear side of the blank portion 58D, but in Fig. 11B, the movement line 55D-1 (55D-1B) does not exist on the rear side of the blank portion 58D. In this case, the driving control server 200 may determine that the movement line 55D-1 has been lost, and generate and output error information.

[0072] (Modification) The above-described embodiments of the present invention may be combined as appropriate as long as they are not mutually inconsistent. Furthermore, those in which a person skilled in the art appropriately adds or removes components or modifies designs, or adds or omits steps or modifies conditions, based on the embodiments, are also included in the scope of the present invention as long as they include the gist of the present invention.

[0073] Even if there are other effects and advantages different from those brought about by the respective embodiments described above, those which are clear from the description in this specification or which can be easily predicted by a person skilled in the art are naturally understood to be brought about by the present invention.

[0074] In the first embodiment of the present invention, an example has been shown in which the driving control of the transport robot 100 is performed based on instructions from the driving control server 200, but the present invention is not limited to this. The processing performed by the control unit 210 of the driving control server may be performed by the control unit 111 of the transport robot 100. This allows the transport robot 100 to recognize its own position and drive.

[0075] Further, in the above, the transfer robot travel control system including the transfer robot 100 has been described, but the transfer robot travel control system is not limited to the transfer robot 100 and can be applied to any automatic transfer vehicle.

[0076] In this embodiment, the deterioration state of the moving line may be evaluated in addition to recognizing the position information. In this case, the area ratio may be calculated from the area (number of dots) of the target color relative to the area (number of dots) of the entire image data. This allows the moving line to be repaired before it disappears, thereby supporting the stable running of the transport robot.

[0077] In the first embodiment of the present invention, an example is shown in which a moving line 55-1 extending in a first direction and a moving line 55-2 extending in a second direction are arranged, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in addition to the moving lines 55-1 and 55-2, other moving lines may be arranged to intersect. In this case, the part where the three moving lines intersect may be recognized as a characteristic part. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 10···Transport robot travel control system, 50···Structure, 50···Structure, 51···Work floor, 51a···Floor surface, 53···Material, 53-1···Rod-shaped material, 53-2···Block-shaped material, 55···Moving line, 55ov···Part, 56···Marker pattern, 57···Marker pattern, 58···Blank part, 100···Transport robot, 110···Robot main body, 111···Control part, 113·· ·Memory unit, 115···Communication unit, 117···Power supply unit, 120···Travel unit, 130···Imaging unit, 200···Travel control server, 210···Control unit, 220···Memory unit, 230···Communication unit, 240···Operation unit, 250···Display unit, 260···Output unit, 500···Image data, 2101···Imaging control unit, 2103···Acquisition unit, 2105···Feature part detection unit, 2107···Position recognition unit, 2109···Movement instruction unit

Claims

1. acquiring a plurality of image data including at least one moving line formed by application, the image data being captured by an imaging unit provided in the transport robot; generating position information based on image data having a predetermined characteristic portion among the plurality of image data; A control unit that instructs the transport robot to travel using the position information. Transport robot driving control system.

2. When the at least one movement line included in the image data has a first movement line extending in a first direction in which the transport robot travels and having a first color, and a second movement line extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction and having a second color different from the first color, The control unit sets the second movement line to the characteristic portion. The transport robot travel control system according to claim 1 .

3. a blank portion where neither the first movement line nor the second movement line is coated is provided at a portion where the first movement line and the second movement line intersect in the image data; The transport robot travel control system according to claim 2 .

4. The image data includes a first movement line extending in a first direction in which the transport robot travels; a second movement line extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction; When the marker pattern is provided near either the first moving line or the second moving line, The control unit sets the marker pattern to the characteristic portion. The transport robot travel control system according to claim 3 .

5. the marker pattern includes a third color different from the first color and the second color; 5. The transport robot travel control system according to claim 4.

6. The marker pattern includes identifiable information.

5. The transport robot travel control system according to claim 4.

7. The transport robot includes a crawler. The transport robot travel control system according to claim 1 .

8. Computer acquiring a plurality of image data including at least one moving line formed by application, the image data being captured by an imaging unit provided in the transport robot; generating position information based on image data having a predetermined characteristic portion among the plurality of image data; instructing the transport robot to travel using the position information; A transport robot travel control method.

9. On the computer, acquiring a plurality of image data including at least one moving line formed by application, the image data being captured by an imaging unit provided in the transport robot; generating position information based on image data having a predetermined characteristic portion among the plurality of image data; Instructing the transport robot to travel using the position information. Transport robot driving control program.

Images