Moving object carrying item being carried, method for controlling moving object, and computer program

Abstract

To provide a moving object whose goal position can be controlled based on information about an item being carried.SOLUTION: A moving object that transports an item being carried to a recipient, comprises: detection means for acquiring a present position of the recipient; item being carried detecting means for acquiring a sort of the item being carried; transport environmental information acquiring means for acquiring transport environmental information linked to positional information on a map; and travel route generating means for generating a travel route based on the present position of the recipient and modifying a goal position according to the sort of the item being carried and the transport environmental information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a moving body that carries an article, a method for controlling the moving body, a computer program, and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there are known mobile objects that move autonomously in various locations, such as houses, office buildings, and logistics centers, and transport goods to specific locations. Such mobile objects can acquire the surrounding conditions from output information of sensors mounted on the mobile objects and perform autonomous driving.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a moving object that transports an item to a recipient's location. The moving object dynamically changes its travel route based on real-time information regarding the recipient's location. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-190379 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when delivery is based on real-time information, the recipient's current location may not be the desired location. For example, if the recipient is in the bathroom or sleeping in bed, it is difficult for the mobile vehicle to deliver the coffee at that location.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a moving body capable of controlling a goal position based on information related to a transported item. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A moving body according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: A mobile object that carries a conveyance to a recipient, A detection means for acquiring a current location of the recipient; A transported item detection means for acquiring the type of the transported item; A transportation environment information acquisition means for acquiring transportation environment information linked to location information on a map; The system further comprises a route generating means for generating a route based on the current location of the recipient, and for correcting a goal location in accordance with the type of the transported item and the transport environment information. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, a moving body can be provided that can control the goal position based on information related to the transported item. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a moving body 1 and imaging devices 21 and 22 arranged on the moving body 1 in the first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating an example of optical characteristics of the optical system of the image capture device 21 according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of an autonomous driving system 150 according to a first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing example images captured by imaging devices 21 and 22 in the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of a synthetic image creation process performed by the image synthesis unit 25 in the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a goal correction distance of a travel route in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 1 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for controlling a moving object by a travel route generating unit 45 in the first embodiment. [Figure 8] 13(A) and 13(B) are diagrams illustrating an example of correction of a travel route and a goal position in the first embodiment. [Figure 9]13(A) and 13(B) are diagrams illustrating another example of correction of a travel route and a goal position in the first embodiment. [Figure 10] 13 is a diagram for explaining another example of correction of a travel route and a goal position in the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 11] 13(A) and 13(B) are diagrams illustrating correction of a travel route and a goal position in the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment. In the drawings, the same members or elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions thereof will be omitted or simplified. <Embodiment 1>

[0011] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a moving body 1 and imaging devices 21 and 22 arranged on the moving body 1 in embodiment 1. In this embodiment, the moving body 1 is a moving body for carrying an article to be transported to a recipient, and the transport platform 12 is a platform on which the article 6 transported by the moving body 1 is placed.

[0012] Moreover, in this embodiment, the imaging device 21 is installed by the support part 5 at a first position where the optical axis faces skyward, and the imaging device 22 is installed at a second position where its optical axis faces toward the ground, which is the opposite direction to the optical axis of the imaging device 21.

[0013] Moreover, the optical axes of the imaging devices 21 and 22 are arranged to overlap on the same straight line. By arranging the imaging devices 21 and 22 in this manner, it is possible to reduce positional deviation between images when the image synthesis unit 25 described later synthesizes the images captured by the imaging devices 21 and 22.

[0014] As described above, the imaging devices 21 and 22 are installed so that the optical axes of the devices face in the opposite directions, but it is desirable to place them as close to each other as possible and to set them at approximately the same height. By installing the imaging devices 21 and 22 in this way, it becomes possible to capture images of the range to the sides of the monitoring device 2 that are close to each other, thereby reducing blind spots.

[0015] In this embodiment, the optical system of the imaging devices 21 and 22 generates an image circle having a higher resolution at the peripheral angle of view compared to the vicinity of the center of the optical axis, and forms an image on the light receiving surface of an imaging element described later. In this embodiment, the imaging devices 21 and 22 are assumed to have the same configuration, and the configuration of the imaging device 21 will be described below as an example. However, this embodiment is not limited to the imaging devices 21 and 22 having approximately the same configuration.

[0016] As described below, the imaging device 21 includes an optical system 21a and an imaging element 21b. The optical system 21a has different imaging magnifications at a first angle of view (first field of view) 10a and a second angle of view (second field of view) 10b that is outside (on the peripheral side) of the first angle of view 10a.

[0017] As described below, the imaging device 22 also has an optical system 22a and an imaging element 22b. The optical system 22a has different imaging magnifications at a first angle of view 11a (first field of view) and a second angle of view 11b (second field of view) that is outside (on the peripheral side) of the first angle of view 11a.

[0018] The imaging surface (light receiving surface) of the image sensor 21b includes a first region for capturing an image of an object included in the first angle of view 10a and a second region for capturing an image of an object included in the second angle of view 10b. At this time, the number of pixels per unit angle of view in the second region is greater than the number of pixels per unit angle of view in the first region.

[0019] That is, the resolution of the imaging device 21 at the second angle of view (second region) is higher than the resolution at the first angle of view (first region).

[0020] In this manner, the present embodiment includes an imaging device 21 as a first imaging device that captures an image in the upward direction and has a higher resolution at the peripheral angle of view than the high resolution at the central angle of view, and an imaging device 22 as a second imaging device that captures an image in the downward direction and has a higher resolution at the peripheral angle of view than the high resolution at the central angle of view. Note that the combined angle of view of the first angle of view 10a and the second angle of view 10b corresponds to the imaging angle of view of the imaging device 21, which is 180° or more.

[0021] The imaging angle of view of the imaging device 22 is also 180° or more, and the imaging angles of view of the imaging devices 21 and 22 overlap at the periphery. Therefore, the surroundings of the monitoring device 2 can be captured without interruption over a wide range (360° in this embodiment).

[0022] 2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining examples of optical characteristics of the optical system of the imaging device 21 in the first embodiment, and Fig. 2A is a diagram showing the image height y at each half angle of view on the imaging surface (light receiving surface) of the imaging element 21b in the form of contour lines. Fig. 2B is a diagram showing the relationship between the half angle of view θ and the image height y (projection characteristics of the optical system 21a) in the first quadrant of Fig. 2A.

[0023] 2B, the optical system 21a is configured such that its projection characteristic y(θ) differs between angles of view less than a predetermined half angle of view θa and angles of view equal to or greater than the half angle of view θa. Therefore, the optical system 21a is configured such that, when the increase in image height y per unit of half angle of view θ is defined as the resolution, the resolution differs depending on the angle of view (the area on the light receiving surface of the image sensor).

[0024] This local resolution can be expressed as the differential value dy(θ) / dθ of the projection characteristic y(θ) at the half angle of view θ. For example, the greater the slope of the projection characteristic y(θ) in Fig. 2(B), the higher the resolution. Also, Fig. 2(A) shows that the greater the interval between the contour lines of the image height y at each half angle of view, the higher the resolution.

[0025] The optical system 21a of this embodiment has a projection characteristic in which the rate of increase of the image height y (the slope of the projection characteristic y(θ) in FIG. 2(B)) is small in the central region near the optical axis, and the rate of increase of the image height y becomes larger as the angle of view becomes larger in the peripheral region outside the central region.

[0026] 2A, a first region 21c including the center corresponds to an angle of view less than the half angle of view θa, and a second region 21d outside the first region corresponds to an angle of view equal to or greater than the half angle of view θa. The angle of view less than the half angle of view θa corresponds to the first angle of view 10a in FIG. 1, and the angle of view equal to or greater than the half angle of view θa corresponds to the second angle of view 10b in FIG. 1.

[0027] 1. Similarly, an angle of view less than the half angle of view θa of the optical system 22a of the imaging device 22 corresponds to the first angle of view 11a in FIG. 1, and an angle of view equal to or greater than the half angle of view θa corresponds to the second angle of view 11b in FIG.

[0028] As described above, the first region 21c is a relatively low-resolution region, and the second region 21d is a relatively high-resolution region. In addition, the first region 21c is a high-distortion region with relatively more distortion, and the second region 21d is a low-distortion region with relatively less distortion.

[0029] Therefore, in this embodiment, the first region 21c may be called a low-resolution region or a high-distortion region, and the second region 21d may be called a high-resolution region or a low-distortion region.

[0030] 2(A) and (B) are merely examples, and are not intended to be limiting. For example, the low-resolution and high-resolution regions of the optical system do not have to be concentric, and each region may have a distorted shape.

[0031] The center of gravity of the low resolution region and the center of gravity of the high resolution region do not have to coincide with each other. The center of gravity of the low resolution region and the center of gravity of the high resolution region may be offset from the center of the light receiving surface of the image sensor. In the optical system of this embodiment, it is sufficient that the low resolution region is formed near the optical axis, and the high resolution region is formed on the peripheral side near the optical axis.

[0032] The optical system 21a is configured to satisfy the following formula 1, where f is the focal length, θ is the half angle of view, y is the image height on the image plane, y(θ) is a projection characteristic that indicates the relationship between the image height y and the half angle of view θ, and θmax is the maximum half angle of view of the optical system. That is, the optical system 21a is configured so that the projection characteristic y(θ) is different from 2ftan(θ / 2) (stereoscopic projection method). 0.2<2×f×tan(θmax / 2) / y(θmax)<0.92 (Formula 1)

[0033] In an optical system with such optical characteristics, the magnification in the radial direction with respect to the optical axis can be adjusted by adjusting the projection characteristic y(θ). This allows the aspect ratio in the radial direction and circumferential direction with respect to the optical axis to be controlled, so that, unlike conventional fisheye lenses, it is possible to obtain a high-resolution image with little distortion in the peripheral area even with a wide angle of view.

[0034] Moreover, by satisfying formula 1, the resolution in the second region 21d can be made higher than that of a stereoscopic projection optical system. However, if the upper limit of formula 1 is exceeded, the resolution in the second region 21d becomes low, and the difference with the resolution in the first region 21c becomes small, which is not preferable.

[0035] Moreover, if the lower limit of the formula 1 is not satisfied, it becomes difficult to satisfactorily correct various aberrations such as field curvature, which is not preferable. However, the above formula 1 is only one example, and the optical system in this embodiment is not limited to this.

[0036] By configuring the optical system as described above, high resolution can be obtained in the high resolution region, while the increase in image height y per unit half angle of view θ can be reduced in the low resolution region, making it possible to capture a wider angle of view. Therefore, while providing an imaging range with a wide angle of view equivalent to that of a fisheye lens, high resolution can be obtained in the high resolution region.

[0037] Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of the autonomous driving system 150 in the embodiment 1. Note that some of the functional blocks shown in Fig. 3 are realized by causing a CPU or the like as a computer (not shown) included in the autonomous driving system 150 to execute a computer program stored in a memory (not shown) as a storage medium.

[0038] However, some or all of these may be realized by hardware. For the hardware, a dedicated circuit (ASIC) or a processor (reconfigurable processor, DSP) may be used. Furthermore, the functional blocks shown in Fig. 3 do not have to be built into the same housing, and may be configured by separate devices connected to each other via signal paths.

[0039] The autonomous driving system 150 includes a monitoring device 2, a map data generating device 3, and an autonomous driving control device 4. The moving object 1 includes the autonomous driving system 150 and is capable of autonomous driving.

[0040] In this embodiment, an example will be described in which a mobile object 1 receives a predetermined instruction from a recipient (user), moves to a predetermined location (first destination), and then moves to the recipient's location (second destination).

[0041] The moving object 1 is, for example, a moving robot such as an Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) or an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV).

[0042] The moving body 1 of the present embodiment can be used as a robot that monitors the surrounding situation while assisting human actions, particularly in the home, such as serving food and carrying furniture and objects, etc. However, the moving body of the present embodiment may be a drone or a car, and is not limited to the AMR or AGV described above.

[0043] The autonomous driving system 150 includes, as hardware, a calculation unit such as a CPU as a computer, and a storage unit as a storage medium such as a RAM, a ROM, a flash memory, a hard disk drive, etc. These hardware elements are not shown in the drawings.

[0044] Of the storage unit, the ROM mainly stores programs necessary for the moving object 1 to perform autonomous traveling, and the flash memory and hard disk drive mainly store necessary data.

[0045] The autonomous driving system 150 includes a communication device that communicates with an external device. Instead of or in addition to the CPU, a programmable logic device (PLD) or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) may be used.

[0046] Alternatively, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) may be used. The operation of the monitoring device may be controlled by the CPU or the like, or may be controlled by a controller including a CPU, an MPU, or the like that is provided separately from the CPU.

[0047] 3, at least some of the functional blocks other than the imaging devices 21 and 22 and the driving unit 47 may be mounted on a device (such as a remote device or an external server) other than the moving object 1. In this case, the moving object 1 may be configured to be able to communicate mainly wirelessly with the remote device or server.

[0048] The monitoring device 2 has an imaging device 21 as a first imaging device, an imaging device 22 as a second imaging device, image processing units 23 and 24, and an image synthesis unit 25. The imaging device 21 has an optical system 21a and an imaging element 21b, and the imaging device 22 has an optical system 22a and an imaging element 22b.

[0049] The optical systems 21a and 22a of the imaging devices 21 and 22 are each composed of one or more optical lenses and have the optical characteristics shown in Figures 2(A) and 2(B). The optical systems 21a and 22a form (focus) their respective optical images on the light receiving surfaces of the imaging elements 21b and 22b, respectively.

[0050] The imaging elements 21b and 22b are two-dimensional image sensors such as complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS), which photoelectrically convert the formed optical image and output an imaging signal.

[0051] In addition, on the light receiving surfaces of the imaging elements 21b and 22b, for example, R, G, and B color filters are arranged for each pixel in a Bayer array, and R, G, and B pixel signals are sequentially output from the imaging devices 21 and 22, respectively, as imaging signals.

[0052] The image processing units 23 and 24 perform various image processing such as white balance adjustment, demosaic processing, gain / offset adjustment, gamma correction, and color correction on the imaging signals output from the imaging devices 21 and 22, respectively.

[0053] The image synthesis unit 25 functions as a synthesis means for creating a synthetic image by synthesizing the images captured by the imaging devices 21 and 22 into one image after panorama expansion of the images. The panorama expansion method may be based on the equirectangular projection or the Mercator projection.

[0054] 4(A) and (B) are diagrams showing examples of images captured by the imaging devices 21 and 22 in the first embodiment, and Fig. 4(A) is a diagram showing an example of an image 100 of the monitoring device 2 in the sky direction captured by the imaging device 21. Fig. 4(B) is a diagram showing an example of an image 110 of the monitoring device 2 in the ground direction captured by the imaging device 22.

[0055] In this embodiment, a mobile object 1 equipped with a monitoring device 2 is present indoors, and images 100 and 110 are taken of an indoor space. The images 100 and 110 are images formed on the imaging elements 21b and 22b in accordance with the characteristics of the optical systems 21a and 22a of the imaging devices 21 and 22 described above.

[0056] For example, the ceiling C1 in the image 100 and the moving object 1 itself in the image 110 are imaged at a position corresponding to the first region 21c described in Fig. 2(A). On the other hand, the people P1 and P2 present in the horizontal peripheral positions of the moving object 1 are imaged at a position corresponding to the second region 21d.

[0057] That is, in the images 100 and 110, the ceiling C1 and the moving object 1 itself that exist in the sky and on the ground above the monitoring device 2 are captured with lower resolution than an image captured by an imaging device using a fisheye lens with equidistant projection characteristics. On the other hand, objects that exist in the horizontal peripheral direction of the monitoring device 2, such as people P1 and P2, are captured with higher resolution and less distortion than an image captured by an imaging device using a fisheye lens with equidistant projection characteristics.

[0058] As described above, the imaging devices 21 and 22 constituting the monitoring device 2 in this embodiment are installed at the positions as described using FIG. 1, so that subjects with little information, such as the ceiling C1 in the sky or on the ground, can be photographed at low resolution.

[0059] On the other hand, the side areas where subjects with a large amount of information, such as persons P1 and P2, are present can be imaged with high resolution and low distortion. Therefore, the monitoring device 2 can obtain captured images of the periphery of the monitoring device 2 with good data efficiency without unnecessarily increasing the size of the captured image data.

[0060] Next, a process for creating a composite image by the image synthesis unit 25 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of a process for creating a composite image by the image synthesis unit 25 in embodiment 1. The image synthesis unit 25 creates images 100P and 110P by panorama-expanding the images 100 and 110, respectively, and creates a single image 120P by arranging the images one above the other.

[0061] When a panorama is developed based on the equirectangular projection, the vertical resolution W and vertical resolution H of the image 120P may be determined to be W:H=2:1, which is an aspect ratio commonly used in the equirectangular projection.

[0062] Alternatively, the image synthesis unit 25 may determine the horizontal resolution W, vertical resolution H and pixel density of the image 120P based on the optical characteristics of the optical systems 21a and 22a, as described below.

[0063] First, if the number of pixels on the outer periphery of the image circle of image 100 is R, then the horizontal resolution W of image 120P is W=R, allowing panoramic development with almost no change in the pixel density of the second region, which is a high-resolution, low-distortion region in images 100 and 110. Note that the number of pixels R on the outer periphery is R=2πr, where r is the radius of the image circle of image 100.

[0064] Furthermore, the vertical resolution H of image 120P may be H=2r, where r is the number of pixels of the image circle of image 100. Furthermore, the vertical pixel density of image 120P may be changed for each region based on the projection characteristics of optical systems 21a and 21b, without enlarging or reducing the vertical direction so that the number of pixels per unit angle is constant. Specifically, it is desirable to maintain the relationship between the half angle of view and the image height of images 100 and 110 shown in FIG. 2B.

[0065] As described above, by determining the vertical resolution H and pixel density of image 120P, a panoramic image can be created without vertically enlarging or reducing the second region, which is a high-resolution, low-distortion region in images 100 and 110.

[0066] In this way, by the image synthesis unit 25 creating the image 120P without enlarging the images 100, 110, it is possible to reduce the processing load when the autonomous driving control device 4 described below uses the image 120P. Furthermore, by the image synthesis unit 25 creating the image 120P without enlarging the images 100, 110, it is possible to obtain the effect of not reducing the detection accuracy when the autonomous driving control device 4 described below performs object detection using the image 120P.

[0067] Next, a description will be given of the configuration of the map data generating device 3. The map data generating device 3 has a distance measuring sensor 31 and a map creating unit 32. The distance measuring sensor 31 is a sensor for measuring the distance to an object, and uses, for example, a stereo camera or LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging).

[0068] The map creation unit 32 creates a map 33 required for estimating the self-position and orientation and generating a route based on at least one of the output image from the image synthesis unit 25 and the measurement values ​​of the distance measurement sensor 31. The map 33 is three-dimensional spatial data such as three-dimensional point cloud data and coordinate data of characteristic points that represent the characteristics of structures such as objects existing in space and floors, walls, and ceilings of buildings.

[0069] Furthermore, the map creation unit 32 can obtain information on structures around the moving object 1 over a wide range and with high resolution in the horizontal direction by using the output image from the image synthesis unit 25. Therefore, it is possible to create a map 33 that includes information on the entire circumference and is detailed in the horizontal direction, which is the moving direction of the moving object 1.

[0070] The map data generating device 3 creates the map 33 by traveling in advance within the area where the goods are to be transported, and can update the map 33 as needed while traveling. The map data generating device 3 can also write map information from outside onto the map 33. Here, the map information refers to areas on the map 33 and their names, and in the case of a house, this corresponds to the toilet, bathroom, kitchen, living room, etc.

[0071] The autonomous driving control device 4 is mounted on the moving body 1 and is a device that drives the moving body 1, and has a detection unit 41, a transported item detection unit 42, a voice input unit 43, a self-position and attitude estimation unit 44, a driving path generation unit 45, a moving body control unit 46, a drive unit 47, and a voice notification unit 48, etc.

[0072] The detection unit 41 detects objects existing around the moving body 1 from the output image of the image synthesis unit 25. The objects to be detected are, for example, objects such as desks, chairs, or people that are obstacles to the moving body 1's travel or objects that are the destination of the travel, and the positions of the objects.

[0073] In this embodiment, the detection unit 41 constantly detects surrounding objects while moving along the travel route, and constantly detects the latest location (current location) of the recipient. That is, the detection unit 41 functions as a detection means for acquiring the current location of the recipient.

[0074] In the case where the destination of a trip is a person, the destination changes when the person moves. In this embodiment, since the monitoring device 2 capable of taking a wide range of images around the moving object 1 is provided, it is easy to detect a moving person.

[0075] Furthermore, the detection unit 41 detects an instruction based on a body movement (hereinafter referred to as a gesture) of a person present around the moving object 1 from the output image of the image synthesis unit 25. Here, an example of the gesture detection operation by the detection unit 41 will be described.

[0076] The detection unit 41 stores and retains information regarding a plurality of gestures and the instructions associated with them in advance, and determines whether a human gesture detected from the output image of the image synthesis unit 25 matches the gesture information previously recorded in a recording unit (not shown).

[0077] For example, when the detection unit 41 detects a gesture of a person holding their palms up towards the sky and still for a certain period of time, the detection unit 41 determines that an instruction to go to the person has been received. Also, when the detection unit 41 detects a gesture of a person holding their palms up towards the moving object 1 and still for a certain period of time, the detection unit 41 determines that an instruction to stop running has been received.

[0078] Furthermore, the detection unit 41 detects the recipient's voice or a predetermined sound from a voice input unit 43 such as a microphone, and accepts an instruction that has been stored in advance in association with the voice.

[0079] For example, when an instruction to "bring coffee" is received, it is determined that the instruction is to first move to a predetermined place (first destination), pick up (receive) a predetermined package, and then return to the recipient (second destination). In this embodiment, the predetermined place is a kitchen, and the predetermined package is coffee, etc. The detection unit 41 transmits the detected instruction to the driving route generation unit 45.

[0080] The detection unit 41 may have a function of detecting a specific object or person from the output image of the image synthesis unit 25. For example, when the detection unit 41 detects a person, the detection unit 41 can identify the person by referring to person data recorded (registered) in advance in a recording unit (not shown). The detection unit 41 may operate to detect instructions based on gestures only from specific people who have been registered in advance.

[0081] Furthermore, in order for a person to control the moving body 1 with gestures, the detection unit 41 is required to detect the gestures of the person regardless of whether the person is located in any direction within 360° to the side of the moving body 1 or whether the person is located far away.

[0082] For example, the people who are targets of gesture detection in the image 120P described in Fig. 5 are not only the person P1 who is relatively close to the moving object 1, but also the person P2 who is far away. Therefore, as described above, the detection unit 41 is configured to detect people's gestures based on an image captured by the monitoring device 2, which is captured over a wide range around the monitoring device 2 and has high resolution and low distortion in the horizontal direction.

[0083] The goods detection unit 42 detects the type of goods 6 from the output image of the image synthesis unit 25. The types referred to here include individual beverages and foods such as coffee and bread, as well as daily necessities such as tableware, TV remote controls, books, stationery, towels, and toilet paper.

[0084] While the moving body 1 is moving, the self-position and attitude estimation unit 44 estimates the position and attitude of the moving body 1 on which the autonomous driving control device 4 is mounted, using the output image from the image synthesis unit 25, the measurement values ​​of the distance measurement sensor 31, and the map 33.

[0085] The self-position and orientation estimation unit 44 extracts characteristics of structures around the moving object 1 from, for example, the output image from the image synthesis unit 25 and the measurement values ​​from the distance measurement sensor 31, and compares them with the map 33 to estimate the self-position.

[0086] The self-position and orientation estimation unit 44 can obtain information on structures around the moving object 1 over a wide range and with high resolution on horizontal structures by using the output image from the image synthesis unit 25. Therefore, detailed features of structures around the moving object 1 can be obtained with high efficiency while suppressing the processing load, and the accuracy of self-position estimation can be improved.

[0087] The driving route generation unit 45 generates a driving route based on the measurement values ​​of the distance measurement sensor 31, the self-position and orientation estimation result by the self-position and orientation estimation unit 44, the map 33, and the detection result of the detection unit 41. The driving route generation unit 45 generates a driving route to the destination based on the instruction detected by the detection unit 41.

[0088] The travel route generating unit 45 updates the travel route even while the moving body 1 is moving. When the detection unit 41 detects another moving body existing around the moving body 1, the travel route generating unit 45 determines the possibility of collision with the object, and when it determines that there is a possibility of collision, regenerates a travel route to avoid the collision.

[0089] In addition, when the transported goods 6 are loaded on the transport platform 12, the travel route generation unit 45 of this embodiment corrects the goal position of the travel route according to a combination of the type of transported goods 6 and the transport environment information. This controls how close the moving body 1 is to the recipient. In this embodiment, the type of object around the travel destination, the area name of the travel destination, etc. are used as the transport environment information.

[0090] A specific example will be given. The travel route generation unit 45 sets a position a little distance (away) from the recipient as the goal position of the travel route so that the moving object 1 does not hinder the movement of the recipient. For example, this distance is set to 1 m. The recipient can receive the transported goods by taking several actions, such as taking a step forward. This is the normal distance setting.

[0091] On the other hand, if it is determined that there is a high possibility that the transported item 6 will be used on the spot based on a combination of the type of transported item 6 and the type of objects around the driving destination, the driving route generation unit 45 sets the goal position of the driving route at a closer distance.

[0092] For example, this distance is set to 0.2 m. At this distance, the recipient can receive the delivery immediately without any special movement, improving convenience. For example, this applies to cases where the recipient receives a coffee while sitting on the sofa.

[0093] On the other hand, if the combination of the item 6 and the type of object around the recipient is likely to be undesirable, the goal position of the travel route is set at a greater distance. For example, this distance is set to 2 m. The recipient can receive the item after approaching the moving object. This applies when the item is food or drink such as coffee and the recipient is currently on the bed, or in the toilet or bathroom.

[0094] Since toilets, bathrooms, and the like are shielded spaces, it may be difficult for the detection unit 41 to detect the recipient. In this case, map information showing the areas of the toilets and bathrooms is used.

[0095] The user may add this map information to the map 33 using an external terminal or the like, or a function may be provided to indicate the area of ​​the toilet or bathroom on the map 33 when the detection unit 41 detects a toilet bowl or a bathtub in the bathroom. In this embodiment, the point where the recipient is lost is set as the driving destination, and the goal position of the driving route is corrected based on a combination of the transported item 6 and the map information.

[0096] The correspondence between the combination of the type / map information of the transported goods and the surrounding object of the travel destination and the goal position correction distance is realized by providing a database to the travel route generation unit 45. An example of such a database is shown as a table in Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a diagram for explaining an example of the goal correction distance of the travel route in the first embodiment.

[0097] As shown in Fig. 6, in this embodiment, the distance to the recipient at the goal position is preset based on a combination of the type of transported item and the type of object surrounding the recipient. Therefore, the travel route generating unit 45 as a travel route generating means changes the distance to the recipient at the goal position based on the table in Fig. 6.

[0098] When the detection unit 41 detects a gesture by the recipient calling the moving object 1 again after the recipient has arrived at the goal, the travel route generation unit 45 resets the goal to a predetermined short distance (0.2 m) regardless of the combination of the goods 6 and the types of objects in the vicinity of the travel destination / map information. In this way, by moving the moving object 1 to a predetermined short distance in response to the recipient's request, the recipient can receive the goods more smoothly.

[0099] The moving body control unit 46 controls the moving direction of the moving body 1 equipped with the autonomous driving control device 4 based on the driving route generated by the driving route generation unit 45. The drive unit 47 drives the wheels of the moving body 1 equipped with the autonomous driving control device 4.

[0100] The map 33 can be accessed from both the map data generation device 3 and the autonomous driving control device 4, and may be stored in either the map data generation device 3 or the autonomous driving control device 4, or may be stored in both.

[0101] The voice notification unit 48 notifies the user by voice when the user has reached the goal position. If the user has an item on board, the voice notification unit 48 also notifies the user by voice of the name of the item that has been carried.

[0102] Next, the operation of the travel route generating unit 45 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a method for controlling a moving body by the travel route generating unit 45 in the first embodiment, and explains the operation of the travel route generating unit 45 in a case where the moving body 1 is instructed to travel to a second destination after traveling to a first destination.

[0103] The operation of each step in the flowchart of FIG. 7 is performed in sequence by a CPU serving as a computer within the autonomous driving system 150 executing a computer program stored in a memory.

[0104] First, in step S01, the CPU of the autonomous driving system determines whether there is an instruction from the recipient via the detection unit 41, and if NO, returns to step S01 and waits. Note that if the second destination in the instruction from the recipient is, for example, a destination that does not move (for example, the location of furniture), it is also possible to generate a route to the first destination without following the flow below, and move along that route.

[0105] In step S01, if it is determined that an instruction from a recipient has been received via the detection unit 41, the process proceeds to step S02. In step S02, the CPU of the autonomous driving system causes the driving route generation unit 45 to generate a route to the first destination.

[0106] Specifically, the location of the first destination included in the instructions from the recipient is identified from the map 33, and this is combined with information on the self-position on the map obtained from the self-position and orientation estimation unit 44 to generate a route to the first destination.

[0107] If a driving route to reach the first destination cannot be generated, the voice notification unit 48 notifies the user that the destination cannot be reached, and the flow of FIG. 7 ends.

[0108] Next, in step S03, the CPU of the autonomous driving system instructs the mobile unit control unit 46 to travel along the generated travel route to the first destination. Furthermore, in step S04, the CPU of the autonomous driving system determines whether the first destination has been reached.

[0109] If the answer is NO in step S04, the process returns to step S02, and the above steps S02 to S03 are repeated until the first destination is reached. If the answer is YES in step S04, the process proceeds to step S05.

[0110] If it is determined in step S04 that the first destination has been reached, in step S05, the CPU of the autonomous driving system instructs the driving route generation unit 45 to issue a voice notification to the voice notification unit 48 to place the specified transport item on the transport platform 12.

[0111] Next, in step S06, the CPU of the autonomous driving system detects the type of the transported item 6 placed on the transport platform 12 by the transported item detection unit 42. Here, step S06 functions as a transported item detection step (transported item detection means) that acquires the type of the transported item.

[0112] When the transported item detection unit 42 detects the transported item 6 in step S06, in step S07, the CPU of the autonomous driving system generates a route to the second destination by the travel route generation unit 45. In this embodiment, the second destination is the location of the recipient.

[0113] In this embodiment, after receiving the instruction in step S01, the detection unit 41 as a detection unit executes a detection step of acquiring the current location of the recipient based on the output image of the monitoring device. Then, the travel route generation unit 45 receives the latest location (current location) of the recipient.

[0114] After step S01, the detection unit 41 executes a transportation environment information acquisition step of acquiring transportation environment information linked to the location information on the map. At this time, the detection unit 41 functions as a transportation environment information acquisition means. Here, the transportation environment information includes, for example, the type of surrounding object of the recipient's current location and the location information of the surrounding object.

[0115] Then, in step S07, the CPU of the autonomous driving system obtains the latest location of the recipient from the map 33, and combines this with the self-location information obtained from the self-location and orientation estimation unit 44 to generate a route to the recipient.

[0116] Next, in step S08, the CPU of the autonomous driving system corrects the goal position of the driving route using the driving route generation unit 45 based on a combination of the transportation environment information (objects around the recipient, etc.) detected by the detection unit 41 and the type of transported item detected by the transported item detection unit 42.

[0117] Here, steps S07 and S08 function as a route generation step (route generation means) that generates a route based on the current location of the recipient and modifies the goal position according to the type of the transported goods and the transport environment information. The route generation means also modifies the goal position based on the type of the transported goods and the map information. A specific method for modifying the goal position will be described later.

[0118] After correcting the goal position, in step S09, the CPU of the autonomous driving system instructs the mobile unit control unit 46 to move to the second destination along the generated driving route. In step S10, the CPU of the autonomous driving system determines whether the second destination has been reached, and if NO, returns to step S07 and continues the above steps S07 to S10 until the second destination is reached.

[0119] If a driving route to reach the second destination cannot be generated, the voice notification unit 48 notifies the user that the destination cannot be reached, and the flow of FIG. 7 ends.

[0120] If it is determined in step S10 that the second destination has been reached, in step S11, the CPU of the autonomous driving system instructs the driving route generation unit 45 to notify the voice notification unit 48 that the transportation has been completed, and ends the flow of Fig. 7. The flow of Fig. 7 is repeated periodically.

[0121] As described above, the autonomous driving system of this embodiment performs an operation to travel to a first destination and then to a second destination.

[0122] 8(A) and (B) are diagrams for explaining an example of correcting a travel path and a goal position in embodiment 1. Fig. 8 shows a floor plan of a house, in which, for example, a table, a sofa, a kitchen counter, storage, a bed, a toilet, etc. are arranged.

[0123] First, with reference to FIG. 8(A), a description will be given of a travel route in the case where a recipient at a position A1 instructs the moving object 1 to get coffee from the kitchen and then the recipient moves to the sofa.

[0124] First, the recipient makes a gesture at position A1 to call the moving object 1. Then, as the moving object 1 approaches, the recipient issues a voice command to the moving object 1 to bring coffee from the kitchen. The moving object then receives the command at the voice input unit 43 and moves to position B1 near the kitchen counter. Then, for example, the voice notification unit 48 requests people nearby to place the coffee cup containing the coffee on the carrier 12.

[0125] When the transported item detection unit 42 detects that the coffee cup has been placed on the transport platform of the moving object 1, the travel route generation unit 45 creates a travel route from the position of B1 to the recipient based on the measurement values ​​of the distance measurement sensor 31, the self-position estimation result, the map 33 and the detection results of the detection unit 41.

[0126] In this embodiment, even when the recipient moves from position A1 to position A2, the latest current position A2 of the recipient is detected by the detection unit 41. Therefore, a travel route to position A2 can be generated as shown in FIG.

[0127] That is, the travel route generation unit 45 determines the goal position B2 of the travel route from the combination of the coffee cup detected by the transported item detection unit 42 and the sofa, which is the peripheral object closest to the recipient's current position detected by the detection unit 41. In the case of this combination, the table in Fig. 6 is referenced and the goal position is set to position B2, which is 0.2 m away from position A2.

[0128] The moving object 1 moves along the travel route to the position B2, and when it arrives, it notifies the user by voice that the delivery is complete. In this way, the moving object 1 of this embodiment can deliver the goods close to the recipient, making it possible to smoothly deliver the goods.

[0129] Next, a description will be given of a travel route when the recipient moves to the bed after instructing the mobile body to pick up the coffee, using Fig. 8(B). The process up to the request by the voice notification unit 48 to place the coffee cup on the carrier 12 is the same as Fig. 8(A), so the description will be omitted.

[0130] When the transported item detection unit 42 detects that the coffee cup has been placed on the carrier of the moving object 1, the travel route generation unit 45 generates a travel route to the current position A3 of the recipient detected by the detection unit 41. Furthermore, the travel route generation unit 45 determines the goal position of the travel route based on the table of FIG. 6 from the combination of the coffee cup detected by the transported item detection unit 42 and the bed detected by the detection unit 41.

[0131] That is, in this combination, the goal position is set to position B3, which is 2 m away from position A3, based on the table in Figure 6. By setting the goal position of the moving object 1 to a position away from the recipient in this way, space is secured when the recipient stands up. This makes it possible to prevent the recipient from accidentally knocking over the coffee cup when standing up.

[0132] 9(A) and (B) are diagrams for explaining another example of correction of the travel route and the goal position in embodiment 1. With reference to Fig. 9(A), a travel route will be explained in a case where the recipient moves to the toilet after instructing the moving object 1 to get coffee.

[0133] Incidentally, up until the request by the voice notification unit 48 to place the coffee on the carrier 12 is made, the process is the same as in FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B), so the description will be omitted.

[0134] If the recipient moves to an enclosed space such as a toilet, the travel route generation unit 45 does not know the latest location of the recipient. Therefore, when the transported item detection unit 42 detects that the coffee cup has been placed on the carrier of the moving object 1, it generates a travel route to the last detected position A4. In addition, in the case of an enclosed space, it is difficult to detect surrounding objects, so map information describing toilet and bathroom areas is used to obtain information on the recipient's location.

[0135] From the combination of the coffee cup detected by the transported item detection unit 42 and the information that the position of A4 is a toilet, the goal position of the travel route is determined based on the table in Fig. 6. In the case of this combination, as shown in the table in Fig. 6, position B4, which is 2 m away from position A4, is set as the goal position.

[0136] In this way, the mobile object 1 can receive the coffee after going outside the restroom by keeping a predetermined distance (2 m) from the recipient. Also, by keeping a predetermined distance (2 m), the mobile object 1 can avoid carrying the food or drink near the door of the restroom.

[0137] Next, a travel route when the recipient moves to the toilet after instructing the moving body 1 to pick up the toilet paper will be described with reference to Fig. 9(B). In this embodiment, the first destination of the toilet paper transport instruction is the position B5 in front of the storage unit.

[0138] It is assumed that toilet paper is in stock in the storage section. The process up to the request by the voice notification section 48 to place toilet paper on the carrier 12 is almost the same as in Fig. 8(A) and the like, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0139] When the transported item detection unit 42 detects that the toilet paper has been placed on the carrier of the moving object 1, the travel route generation unit 45 generates a travel route to the position A4, as in the case of Fig. 9(A). In addition, based on the combination of the toilet paper detected by the transported item detection unit 42 and the information that the position of A4 is a toilet, the travel route goal position is determined based on the table of Fig. 6.

[0140] In this combination, the goal position is B6, which is 0.2 m away from A4, as shown in the table in Figure 6. The mobile object 1 delivers the toilet paper to the door of the toilet, so the recipient can receive the toilet paper as soon as they open the door.

[0141] Next, a method for determining a different goal position in a case similar to that of Fig. 8(B) described above will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a diagram for explaining another example of correction of the travel route and goal position in embodiment 1. The process up to the point where the travel route generating unit 45 generates the travel route to the detected current position A3 of the recipient is the same as in the previous description, so the description will be omitted.

[0142] When the transported item detection unit 42 detects that the coffee cup has been placed on the carrier of the moving object 1, the travel route generation unit 45 determines the position of the object that is most relevant to the transported item and is closest to the recipient among the objects detected by the detection unit 41. The relevance is determined by storing in advance a database of highly relevant objects for each transported item. The contents of this database can be changed or set by the user.

[0143] In this embodiment, in Fig. 10, for example, position C1 of the table is selected as the position of the highly related item for each transported item. Then, position B7 between positions A3 and C1 and 2 m away from position A3 is determined as the goal position.

[0144] That is, the position of an object (e.g., a table) that exists around the recipient and has a predetermined relationship with the transported item is acquired, and the travel route generation means sets the goal position between the recipient and this object. Then, when the transported item detection unit 42 detects that the coffee cup has been placed on the carrier of the moving object 1, the travel route generation unit 45 generates a new travel route from position B1 to position B7.

[0145] By having the moving object 1 deliver the coffee to position B7, the recipient can get up from the bed, pick up the coffee at position B7 on the way to the table, and drink it at the table. In this way, by predicting the route the recipient will take after receiving the item and delivering the item between the recipient and, for example, a table, it is possible to deliver the item more smoothly.

[0146] As described above, in this embodiment, when an item is delivered to a recipient, the location to which the item is delivered relative to the recipient's current location is controlled based on a table such as that shown in Fig. 6, thereby enabling the item to be delivered smoothly to the recipient. In addition, by delivering the item between an item highly related to the item in the vicinity of the recipient and a carrier, the item can be delivered more smoothly.

[0147] Furthermore, if the recipient moves to an area that cannot be monitored from the mobile unit 1, such as an enclosed space, the travel route can be corrected based on the transported goods and map information, allowing the transported goods to be delivered smoothly to the recipient. Furthermore, by providing a monitoring device that can capture a wide range of images around the mobile unit 1, it becomes easier to detect a moving recipient. Furthermore, it becomes possible to detect the transported goods using the monitoring device.

[0148] In the above explanation, the goal position is changed and the travel route is controlled based on the type of transported goods, but other factors may be taken into consideration. For example, a temperature measuring unit (not shown) may be provided on the transport platform 12 so that the temperature of the transported goods 6 can be measured.

[0149] If the temperature of the transported goods is equal to or higher than a certain level, the travel route generating unit 45 may generate a travel route that is farther away from the recipient and other people than usual. This allows the transported goods to be delivered smoothly and safely. <Embodiment 2>

[0150] In the first embodiment, the type of surrounding objects at the travel destination (table, sofa, bed, etc.) and the name of the area at the travel destination (bath, toilet, etc.) are used as the transportation environment information to control how far the moving body transports the transported goods (goal position). In the second embodiment, the transportation environment information includes information on the transportation permission area according to the type of transported goods, and the transportation permission area for each transported goods described on the map 33 is used to control how far the transported goods are ultimately transported (goal position).

[0151] The map data generating device 3 of the second embodiment is different from the map data generating device 3 of the first embodiment in the function of the driving route generating unit 45. That is, the map data generating device 3 of the second embodiment can describe, in addition to the contents described in the first embodiment, areas in which driving is permitted for each transported item from the outside on the map 33.

[0152] Hereinafter, this area will be referred to as the permitted transportation area. The permitted transportation area written on the map is used by the driving route generation unit 45. That is, the driving route generation unit 45 generates a driving route based on the measurement value of the distance measurement sensor 31, the self-position and attitude estimation result by the self-position and attitude estimation unit 44, the map 33 on which the permitted transportation area is written, and the detection result of the detection unit 41.

[0153] At this time, the travel route generation unit 45 refers to the transportation permitted area corresponding to the type of the transported item 6 detected by the transported item detection unit 42, and generates a travel route limited to the transportation permitted area. For example, if the transported item is a coffee cup, the transportation permitted area is limited to an area where eating and drinking are permitted.

[0154] Also, for example, if the item being transported is a book, the transport-permitted area is set to be larger than the area in which eating and drinking are permitted. If the recipient is outside the transport-permitted area, the goal position is set to, for example, a position within the transport-permitted area that is close to the recipient on the travel route to the recipient. In this way, in this embodiment, if the recipient is outside the transport-permitted area, the goal position is corrected to, for example, a position within the transport-permitted area that is close to the recipient's location.

[0155] 11(A) and (B) are diagrams for explaining the correction of the travel route and the goal position in the second embodiment, and the travel route when the moving object 1 carries the coffee cup to the recipient will be explained using Fig. 11. The shaded area in the figure indicates the permitted transport area for the coffee cup.

[0156] 11(A) is a diagram for explaining an example in which the recipient is within the transportation permission area. In this case, when the transported item detection unit 42 detects that the coffee cup has been placed on the transport platform of the moving object 1, the travel route generation unit 45 generates a route from position B1 to position A2.

[0157] Then, based on a table like that shown in Figure 6, position B2, which is 0.2 m away from position A2, is set as the goal position. In this way, if the recipient is within the permitted delivery area, the transported item can be delivered close to the recipient, as in Figure 8(A).

[0158] 11(B) shows a case where the recipient is outside the permitted transportation area. In this case, when the transported item detection unit 42 detects that the coffee cup has been placed on the carrier of the moving object 1, the travel route generation unit 45 generates a route to position A3, and sets position B3', which is on the travel route and is in the permitted transportation area and closest to position A3, as the goal position.

[0159] Note that position B3' does not have to be the position in the transportation permitted area closest to position A3. For example, if there is an obstacle between position A3 and the transportation permitted area, position B3' may be near the position where the recipient first arrives in the transportation permitted area when the recipient goes to the transportation permitted area while avoiding the obstacle. Alternatively, position B3' may be a predetermined position in the transportation permitted area designated in advance by the recipient.

[0160] Thus, in embodiment 2, by completing the delivery within the permitted delivery area, it is possible to prevent the delivery from getting too close to, for example, a bed, and it is also possible to deliver the item to a location close to a recipient who is within the permitted delivery area.

[0161] That is, in embodiment 2, when transporting an item to the recipient's location, the destination is controlled based on the permitted transport area for each item, so that if the recipient is within the permitted transport area, transport up to a short distance is possible, as in embodiment 1.

[0162] In addition, if the recipient is not within the permitted delivery area, the parcel will be delivered to a location away from the recipient, reducing the risk of the parcel being delivered to a location the recipient does not want. Also, since the parcel will be delivered to a location close to the recipient within the permitted delivery area, the recipient can receive the parcel without having to move much.

[0163] Although the present invention has been described in detail above based on the preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and various modifications and combinations of the above-mentioned embodiments are possible based on the spirit of the present invention, and are not excluded from the scope of the present invention. The present invention includes the following combinations.

[0164] (Configuration 1) A mobile body that transports a transport item to a recipient, comprising: a detection means for acquiring a current location of the recipient; a transport item detection means for acquiring a type of the transport item; a transport environment information acquisition means for acquiring transport environment information linked to position information on a map; and a travel route generation means for generating a travel route based on the current location of the recipient and correcting a goal position in accordance with the type of the transport item and the transport environment information.

[0165] (Configuration 2) The moving body according to configuration 1, wherein the transportation environment information includes information on the type of surrounding objects at the current location of the recipient and the locations of the surrounding objects.

[0166] (Configuration 3) The moving body according to configuration 2, wherein the travel route generation means changes the distance to the recipient at the goal position based on a combination of the type of the transported item and the type of the surrounding object.

[0167] (Configuration 4) The mobile body described in configuration 2 or 3, characterized in that the transportation environment information acquisition means acquires the position of an object that has a predetermined relationship with the transported item and is present in the vicinity of the recipient, and the driving route generation means sets the goal position between the recipient and the object.

[0168] (Configuration 5) The moving body according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, wherein the travel route generating means corrects the goal position based on the type of the transported goods and map information.

[0169] (Configuration 6) The moving body according to any one of configurations 1 to 5, wherein the transportation environment information includes information on a transportation permitted area according to the type of the transported goods.

[0170] (Configuration 7) The moving body described in configuration 6, characterized in that if the recipient is outside the transportation-permitted area, the goal position is modified so that it is a position within the transportation-permitted area and close to the recipient's location.

[0171] (Configuration 8) A mobile body according to any one of configurations 1 to 7, further comprising a monitoring device that photographs the surroundings of the mobile body, and the detection means acquires the current location of the recipient based on an output image of the monitoring device.

[0172] (Configuration 9) The monitoring device of the moving body described in Configuration 8 is characterized in that it has a first imaging device that captures images in an upward direction and has a resolution at a peripheral angle of view higher than the high resolution at a central angle of view, a second imaging device that captures images in a downward direction and has a resolution at a peripheral angle of view higher than the high resolution at a central angle of view, and a synthesis means that synthesizes an image from the first imaging device and an image from the second imaging device to generate a synthetic image.

[0173] (Configuration 10) The moving body described in configuration 9, characterized in that when the image height of each optical system of the first imaging device and the second imaging device is y, the focal length is f, and the half angle of view is θ, the projection characteristic y(θ) satisfies 0.2<2×f×tan(θmax / 2) / y(θmax)<0.92.

[0174] (Method) A control method for a mobile body that transports a transport item to a recipient, comprising: a detection step for acquiring the current location of the recipient; a transport item detection step for acquiring the type of the transport item; a transport environment information acquisition step for acquiring transport environment information linked to position information on a map; and a transport route generation step for generating a driving route based on the current location of the recipient and modifying the goal position in accordance with the type of the transport item and the transport environment information.

[0175] (Program) A computer program for controlling each means of the moving object according to any one of configurations 1 to 10 by a computer.

[0176] In addition, in order to realize some or all of the control in the above embodiment, a computer program that realizes the functions of the above-mentioned embodiment may be supplied to a moving body, autonomous driving system 150, etc. via a network or various storage media.

[0177] The computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) in the moving object or the autonomous driving system 150 may read and execute the program. In this case, the program and the storage medium storing the program constitute the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0178] 1: Moving object 2: Monitoring device 3: Map data generator 4: Autonomous driving control device 5: Support part 6: Transported goods 12: Transport stand 21, 22: Imaging device 23, 24: Image processing unit 25: Image synthesis unit 31: Distance sensor 32: Map Creation Department 33: Map 41: Detection section 42: Transported goods detection unit 43: Audio input section 44:Self-position and orientation estimation unit 45: Route generation unit 46: Mobile control unit 47: Drive unit 48: Voice notification section

Claims

1. A mobile object that carries a conveyance to a recipient, A detection means for acquiring a current location of the recipient; A transported item detection means for acquiring the type of the transported item; A transportation environment information acquisition means for acquiring transportation environment information linked to location information on a map; A moving body comprising: a driving route generating means for generating a driving route based on the current location of the recipient, and for correcting a goal position in accordance with the type of the transported item and the transport environment information.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the transportation environment information includes information on the types of objects in the vicinity of the current location of the recipient and the locations of the objects in the vicinity.

3. 3. The mobile body according to claim 2, wherein the travel route generating means changes a distance to the recipient at the goal position based on a combination of the type of the transported item and the type of the surrounding object.

4. The mobile body according to claim 2, characterized in that the transportation environment information acquisition means acquires the positions of objects that are present in the vicinity of the recipient and have a predetermined relationship with the transported item, and the driving route generation means sets the goal position between the recipient and the object.

5. 2. The moving body according to claim 1, wherein said travel route generating means modifies said goal position based on the type of said transported goods and map information.

6. The moving body according to claim 1 , wherein the transportation environment information includes information on a transportation permitted area according to the type of the transported goods.

7. 7. The mobile body according to claim 6, wherein, when the recipient is outside the permitted transportation area, the goal position is modified so as to be a position within the permitted transportation area close to the recipient's position.

8. A monitoring device is provided for capturing images of the surroundings of the moving object, 2. The mobile body according to claim 1, wherein said detection means acquires said current location of said recipient based on an output image of said monitoring device.

9. The monitoring device includes: a first imaging device that captures an image in an upward direction and has a higher resolution at a peripheral angle of view than a high resolution at a central angle of view; a second imaging device that captures an image in a downward direction and has a higher resolution at a peripheral angle of view than a high resolution at a central angle of view; a synthesis means for synthesizing an image of the first imaging device and an image of the second imaging device to generate a synthetic image; 9. The moving body according to claim 8, further comprising:

10. When the image height of each optical system of the first imaging device and the second imaging device is y, the focal length is f, and the half angle of view is θ, the projection characteristic y(θ) is expressed as follows: 0.2<2×f×tan(θmax / 2) / y(θmax)<0.92 10. The moving body according to claim 9, wherein the above expression is satisfied.

11. A method for controlling a moving object that transports a transport item to a recipient, comprising the steps of: a detection step of obtaining a current location of the recipient; A transported item detection step of acquiring a type of the transported item; A transportation environment information acquisition step of acquiring transportation environment information associated with the position information on the map; A control method comprising: a driving route generation step of generating a driving route based on the current location of the recipient, and modifying a goal position according to the type of the transported item and the transport environment information.

12. A computer program for controlling each means of a moving body according to any one of claims 1 to 10 by a computer.

Images