Autonomous running device

Abstract

To provide an autonomous running device capable of maintaining autonomous running with a high reliability.SOLUTION: An autonomous running device includes: surrounding environment recognizing units 220A, 220B and 220C that recognize surrounding environments; a self-position estimating unit 230 that estimates a self-position based on the surrounding environments recognized by the surrounding environment recognizing units; and an assist requesting unit 240 which identifies, when the self-position estimating unit lost the self-position, the other autonomous running devices 200A, 200B and 200C that have assisted in past when the self-position was lost, and which requests, to the other identified autonomous running robots, information on the self-position and information on the self-relative position to the other autonomous running robots recognized by the other autonomous running robots. The self-position estimating unit compensates information on the self-position based on the information on the respective self-positions of the other autonomous running robots, and on the information on the self-relative position to the other autonomous running robots recognized by the other autonomous running robots.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an autonomous driving device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, autonomous driving devices that perform autonomous driving while estimating their own position by comparing the positions of obstacles measured by a sensor with the positions of obstacles on a map created in advance have been widely known. For example, the autonomous driving device described in Patent Document 1 is designed to improve the reliability of information related to the self-position by sharing information related to the self-position with other autonomous driving robots. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-53536 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, in the autonomous driving device described in Patent Document 1, if it becomes unable to recognize its own position due to a change in the communication environment, etc., it is necessary to obtain information on its own position from other autonomous driving devices to supplement it. However, if it becomes unable to recognize its own position, including the other autonomous driving devices, all at once, it becomes difficult for the autonomous driving robot to maintain its autonomous driving, and an improvement in this regard has been demanded.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide an autonomous driving device that can maintain autonomous driving with high reliability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An autonomous driving device that solves the above problem comprises a surrounding environment recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding environment, a self-position estimation unit that estimates its own position based on the surrounding environment recognized by the surrounding environment recognition unit, and an assistance request unit that, when the self-position estimation unit loses its own position, identifies other autonomous driving devices that have a history of providing assistance when their own position has been lost in the past, or other autonomous driving devices that have a configuration for recognizing a surrounding environment different from its own, and requests from the identified other autonomous driving devices information regarding the self-position of the other autonomous driving devices and information regarding its own relative position relative to the other autonomous driving devices recognized by the other autonomous driving devices, and the self-position estimation unit complements the information regarding its own position based on the information regarding the self-position of the other autonomous driving devices and information regarding its own relative position relative to the other autonomous driving devices recognized by the other autonomous driving devices. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, autonomous driving can be maintained with high reliability. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the peripheral configuration of the autonomous driving robot according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 2] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of an autonomous driving process executed by the autonomous driving robot according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of an autonomous driving device will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] As shown in FIG. 1, the autonomous driving system includes, for example, a management server 100 and a plurality of (three in this embodiment) autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, and 200C.

[0011] The management server 100 includes, for example, a communication unit 110 and a robot management unit 120 .

[0012] The communication unit 110 is configured to be able to communicate with each of the autonomous mobile robots 200A, 200B, and 200C via a communication network such as a mobile communication network.

[0013] When each of the autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, and 200C is located within the range of the communication area of ​​the communication unit 110, the robot management unit 120 periodically acquires information about the self-position of each of the autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, and 200C. The robot management unit 120 also manages the autonomous driving of each of the autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, and 200C based on the acquired information about the self-position. For example, when an autonomous driving area for the autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, and 200C is set, the robot management unit 120 instructs one or more autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, and 200C located close to the autonomous driving area to drive autonomously. In this case, the robot management unit 120 transmits information about the autonomous driving area to one or more target autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, 200C via the communication unit 110, and each of the autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, 200C performs autonomous driving based on the information about the autonomous driving area received from the management server 100. The autonomous driving area can be set not only within the communication area of ​​the management server 100, but also outside the communication area of ​​the management server 100.

[0014] Each of the autonomous mobile robots 200A, 200B, 200C is an example of an autonomous mobile device, and includes a communication unit 210, a surrounding environment recognition unit 220A, 220B, 220C, a self-position estimation unit 230, and a support request unit 240, for example.

[0015] The communication unit 210 is configured to be able to communicate with the management server 100 and the other autonomous mobile robots 200A, 200B, and 200C via a communication network such as a mobile communication network.

[0016] The surrounding environment recognition units 220A, 220B, 220C recognize the surrounding environment of the autonomous mobile robots 200A, 200B, 200C, and have different configurations for each of the autonomous mobile robots 200A, 200B, 200C.

[0017] Specifically, the surrounding environment recognition unit 220A of the autonomous mobile robot 200A is configured with a GPS (Global Positioning System) type sensor.

[0018] In addition, the surrounding environment recognition unit 220B of the autonomous running robot 200B is composed of a camera-based sensor, and recognizes the scenery around the autonomous running robot 200B by performing image recognition processing on image data showing the surrounding environment of the autonomous running robot.

[0019] In addition, the surrounding environment recognition unit 220C of the autonomous running robot 200C is composed of a LiDAR sensor, and recognizes the surrounding environment of the autonomous running robot 200C based on data regarding the shapes of objects located around the autonomous running robot 200C detected by the LiDAR.

[0020] The self-position estimation unit 230 estimates the self-positions of the autonomous running robots 200A, 200B, and 200C based on the surrounding environment of the autonomous running robots 200A, 200B, and 200C recognized by the surrounding environment recognition units 220A, 220B, and 220C. Specifically, the self-position estimation unit 230 of the autonomous running robot 200A estimates the self-position of the autonomous running robot 200A based on information on the position coordinates of the autonomous running robot 200A identified by the surrounding environment recognition unit 220A. In addition, the self-position estimation unit 230 of the autonomous running robot 200B estimates the self-position of the autonomous running robot 200B while collating the surrounding environment of the autonomous running robot 200B recognized by the surrounding environment recognition unit 220B with map data. Similarly, the self-position estimation unit 230 of the autonomous running robot 200C estimates the self-position of the autonomous running robot 200C while comparing the surrounding environment of the autonomous running robot 200C recognized by the surrounding environment recognition unit 220C with map data.

[0021] When the self-position estimation unit 230 loses its own position, the assistance request unit 240 identifies other autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, 200C that have provided assistance in the past when they lost their own position, or other autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, 200C that have a configuration for recognizing a surrounding environment different from its own, and requests from the identified other autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, 200C information regarding the self-position of the other autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, 200C, and information regarding its own relative position to other autonomous driving devices recognized by the other autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, 200C.

[0022] Then, the self-position estimation unit 230 complements the information about its own position based on information about the self-positions of the other autonomous running robots 200A, 200B, 200C acquired through the communication unit 210 in response to a request from the support request unit 240, and information about its own relative positions with respect to the other autonomous running robots 200A, 200B, 200C recognized by the other autonomous running robots 200A, 200B, 200C.

[0023] Next, an example of an autonomous traveling process executed by the autonomous traveling robots 200A, 200B, and 200C will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in Fig. 2. The flowchart shown in Fig. 2 is executed, for example, repeatedly at a predetermined cycle.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 2, first, the support request unit 240 checks the state of estimation of the self-positions of the autonomous mobile robots 200A, 200B, and 200C by the self-position estimation unit 230 (step S10).

[0025] Next, the support request unit 240 determines whether or not the self-positions of the autonomous mobile robots 200A, 200B, 200C estimated by the self-position estimation unit 230 have been lost (step S11).

[0026] When the support request unit 240 determines that the self-positions of the autonomous mobile robots 200A, 200B, 200C have not been lost (step S11=NO), the support request unit 240 returns the process to step S10.

[0027] On the other hand, if the support request unit 240 determines that the self-position of the autonomous mobile robots 200A, 200B, 200C has been lost (step S11=YES), it checks the past estimation status of the self-position by the self-position estimation unit 230 (step S12).

[0028] Next, the support request unit 240 determines whether or not there has been a loss in the past (step S13).

[0029] When it is determined that there has been a loss in the past (step S13=YES), the support request unit 240 specifies the autonomous mobile robots 200A, 200B, 200C with a sensor configuration for which support has been provided in the past as targets for the support request (step S14).

[0030] On the other hand, when it is determined that there has been no past loss (step S13=NO), the support request unit 240 acquires data on characteristic points of the surrounding environment of the autonomous mobile robots 200A, 200B, and 200C (step S15).

[0031] Next, the support request unit 240 determines whether the number of data items relating to the feature points is equal to or greater than a threshold value (step S16).

[0032] When the support request unit 240 determines that the number of data relating to the feature points is equal to or greater than the threshold value (step S16=YES), it identifies an excess of obstacles as the cause (step S17), and identifies the autonomous mobile robot 200A equipped with a surrounding environment recognition unit 220A whose sensor configuration is GPS-based as the target for the support request (step S18).

[0033] On the other hand, when it is determined that the number of data relating to the feature points is less than the threshold value (step S16=NO), the support request unit 240 determines whether or not the surrounding environment recognition unit 220B, whose sensor configuration is a camera system, is provided (step S19).

[0034] When the support request unit 240 determines that the autonomous robot 200C has a surrounding environment recognition unit 220B whose sensor configuration is a camera system (step S19=YES), it identifies a lack of landscape features as the cause (step S20), and identifies the autonomous robot 200C, which has a surrounding environment recognition unit 220C whose sensor configuration is a LiDAR system, as the target of the support request (step S21).

[0035] On the other hand, when the support request unit 240 determines that the surrounding environment recognition unit 220B having a sensor configuration of a camera system is not included (step S19=NO), the support request unit 240 determines whether or not the surrounding environment recognition unit 220C having a sensor configuration of a LiDAR system is included (step S22).

[0036] If the support request unit 240 determines that the autonomous robot 200C has a surrounding environment recognition unit 220C whose sensor configuration is a LiDAR system (step S22 = YES), it identifies the lack of shape features as the cause (step S23), and identifies the autonomous robot 200C, which has a surrounding environment recognition unit 220B whose sensor configuration is a camera system, as the target of the support request (step S24).

[0037] Then, the support request unit 240 executes a support request for the autonomous mobile robots 200A, 200B, 200C identified in the previous step S14, step S18, step S21, or step S24 (step S25), and ends the flowchart shown in FIG.

[0038] On the other hand, if the support request unit 240 determines that the surrounding environment recognition unit 220C does not have a LiDAR-based sensor configuration (step S22 = NO), the support request unit 240 ends the flowchart shown in Figure 2 without identifying the autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, 200C that are the target of the support request.

[0039] As described above, according to the autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, 200C of this embodiment, when the self-position estimation unit 230 loses its own position, it identifies other autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, 200C that have provided assistance in the past when it lost its own position, or other autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, 200C that have a configuration for recognizing a surrounding environment different from its own, and requests from the identified other autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, 200C information regarding the self-position of the other autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, 200C, and information regarding its own relative position to the other autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, 200C recognized by the other autonomous driving robots 200A, 200B, 200C. Then, the autonomous running robots 200A, 200B, and 200C complement information about their own positions based on information about the self-positions of the other autonomous running robots 200A, 200B, and 200C, and information about their own relative positions to the other autonomous running robots 200A, 200B, and 200C recognized by the other autonomous running robots 200A, 200B, and 200C. Therefore, even if the autonomous running robots 200A, 200B, and 200C lose their own positions when they are located outside the communication area of ​​the communication unit 110 of the management server 100, they can complement their own positions based on information acquired from the other autonomous running robots 200A, 200B, and 200C that have a sensor configuration for recognizing a surrounding environment different from their own and have different causes for losing their own positions. Therefore, the autonomous running of the autonomous running robots 200A, 200B, and 200C can be maintained with high reliability.

[0040] The above-described embodiments are intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention may be modified / improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and equivalents are also included in the present invention. That is, those in which a person skilled in the art appropriately changes the design of each embodiment are also included in the scope of the present invention as long as they have the characteristics of the present invention. For example, the elements and their arrangements, materials, conditions, shapes, sizes, etc. of each embodiment are not limited to those exemplified, and can be appropriately changed. In addition, each embodiment is an example, and it goes without saying that partial replacement or combination of the configurations shown in different embodiments is possible, and these are also included in the scope of the present invention as long as they include the characteristics of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 100... management server, 110... communication unit, 120... robot management unit, 200A, 200B, 200C... autonomous mobile robot, 210... communication unit, 220A, 220B, 220C... surrounding environment recognition unit, 230... self-position estimation unit, 240... support request unit.

Claims

[Claim 1] An autonomous driving device, A surrounding environment recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding environment; a self-location estimation unit that estimates a self-location based on the surrounding environment recognized by the surrounding environment recognition unit; an assistance request unit that, when the self-position estimation unit loses its own position, identifies another autonomous driving device that has provided assistance in the past when its own position was lost, or another autonomous driving device that has a configuration for recognizing a surrounding environment different from its own, and requests information regarding the self-position of the other autonomous driving device and information regarding its own relative position with respect to the other autonomous driving device recognized by the other autonomous driving device from the identified other autonomous driving device; Equipped with The self-position estimation unit complements information about its own position based on information about the self-position of the other autonomous driving device and information about its own relative position with respect to the other autonomous driving device recognized by the other autonomous driving device. Autonomous driving device.

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