Self-propelled transport device, self-propelled transport method, and computer program

Abstract

To provide a self-propelled transport device capable of reducing an effect of vibration during travel.SOLUTION: A self-propelled transport device for transporting a transport item to a delivery destination, has: vibration amount calculation means for calculating a vibration amount generated during travel on a travel route candidate to the delivery destination; and determination means for determining a final travel route from the travel route candidate based on a kind of the transport item and the vibration amount calculated by the vibration amount calculation means, wherein the self-propelled transport device is enabled to travel on the final travel route determined by the determination means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a self-propelled transport device, a self-propelled transport method, a computer program, and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a self-propelled transport device that moves autonomously in various places such as homes, office buildings, houses, and logistics centers to transport goods to specific locations. Such a self-propelled transport device can perform autonomous driving by calculating a driving route and controlling driving based on output information from sensors mounted on the device and taking into account the surrounding conditions.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a configuration in which when a self-propelled transport device travels on areas with poor floor conditions or uneven floor surfaces, it reduces speed or takes a detour to prevent vibrations from being caused to the items being transported. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-48904 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When a self-propelled transport device travels to a destination, it needs to transport the goods without being affected by vibrations during travel. For example, it needs to transport a cup of water without spilling it due to vibrations caused by uneven floor surfaces or turning to avoid obstacles.

[0006] However, in the conventional technology disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, although floor surface information is taken into consideration, vibrations caused by the self-propelled transport device itself, such as turning when avoiding obstacles, etc., may occur. Therefore, problems such as the dropping of transported goods due to the influence of vibrations, or the spilling of liquids may occur.

[0007] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a self-propelled transport device capable of reducing the effects of vibrations during travel. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides A self-propelled transport device that transports an item to a destination, a vibration amount calculation means for calculating a vibration amount generated during travel along the candidate travel route to the delivery destination; The present invention is characterized by comprising a determination means for determining a final travel route from the travel route candidates based on the type of the transported goods and the vibration amount calculated by the vibration amount calculation means. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a self-propelled transport device capable of reducing the effects of vibrations during travel. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a self-propelled transport device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 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 according to the embodiment in the form of contour lines, and FIG. 2B is a diagram showing the relationship between the half angle of view θ and the image height y in the first quadrant of FIG. 2A (the projection characteristic of the optical system 21a). [Diagram 3] 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of an autonomous driving system 150 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4]1A is a diagram showing an example of an image 100 of the monitoring device 2 taken in the sky direction by the imaging device 21, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing an example of an image 110 of the monitoring device 2 taken in the ground direction by the imaging device 22. [Diagram 5] 10A to 10C are diagrams for explaining an example of a synthetic image creation process performed by an image synthesis unit 25 according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart for explaining an example of an operation for determining a travel route in the self-propelled transportation method according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a driving route determination method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 1 is a diagram for explaining learning data held by transport item learning data 46 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] 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.

[0012] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a self-propelled transport device 1 in an autonomous driving system 150 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The autonomous driving system 150 according to this embodiment has a self-propelled transport device 1 for transporting a specific item to a specific destination. A transport platform 12 is a platform on which an item 6 to be transported by the self-propelled transport device 1 is placed.

[0013] Furthermore, the self-propelled transport device 1 is equipped with an imaging device 21 (first imaging device) and an imaging device 22 (second imaging device), and the imaging device 21 is installed at a first position where it images an upward direction by a support part 5. Furthermore, the imaging device 22 is installed at a second position where its optical axis faces downward, which is the opposite direction to the optical axis of the imaging device 21. The imaging devices 21 and 22 are part of the elements that make up the monitoring device 2, which will be described later.

[0014] The optical axes of the imaging devices 21 and 22 are arranged to be substantially aligned on the same straight line. By arranging the imaging devices 21 and 22 in this manner, it is possible to reduce positional deviation between the images when the image synthesis unit 25 (described later) synthesizes the images captured by the imaging devices 21 and 22.

[0015] 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 install 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 side of the monitoring device 2 that is close to the monitoring device 2, thereby reducing blind spots.

[0016] In this embodiment, the optical system of the imaging devices 21 and 22 generates an image circle having optical characteristics in which the resolution of the peripheral second angles of view 10b and 11b is higher than that of the first angles of view 10a and 11a near 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.

[0017] The imaging device 21 has an optical system 21a and an imaging element 21b, as described later in Fig. 3. The optical system 21a is an optical system having different imaging magnifications at a first angle of view (central angle of view) 10a and a second angle of view (peripheral angle of view) 10b that is outside (on the peripheral side) of the first angle of view 10a.

[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] In other words, 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). That is, the resolution of the peripheral angle of view of the imaging device 21 (first imaging device) is higher than the high resolution of the central angle of view, and the resolution of the peripheral angle of view of the imaging device 22 (second imaging device) is higher than the high resolution of the central angle of view.

[0020] 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. 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 in the peripheral area. Therefore, the surroundings of the monitoring device 2 can be captured in a wide range (360° in this embodiment).

[0021] Next, the optical characteristics of the optical system 21a will be described with reference to Fig. 2(A) and (B). Fig. 2(A) 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 according to the embodiment in the form of contour lines. Fig. 2(B) 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. 2(A).

[0022] 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. That is, the optical system 21a is configured such that, when the increase in image height y per unit 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).

[0023] 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 gradient of the projection characteristic y(θ) in Fig. 2(B), the higher the resolution. Also, in Fig. 2(A), the greater the interval between the contour lines of the image height y at each half angle of view, the higher the resolution.

[0024] The optical system 21a of this embodiment has a projection characteristic in which the rate of increase of 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 image height y becomes larger as the angle of view becomes larger in the peripheral region outside the central region.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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.

[0027] As described above, the first region 21c is a relatively low-resolution region, and the second region 21d is a relatively high-resolution region. Also, 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. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first region 21c is also called a low-resolution region or a high-distortion region, and the second region 21d is also called a high-resolution region or a low-distortion region.

[0028] Note that the characteristics shown in Fig. 2 are just an example and are not limited to this. For example, the low-resolution area and the high-resolution area of ​​the optical system do not have to be configured as concentric circles, and each area may have a distorted shape.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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 the projection characteristic that represents the relationship between the image height y and the half angle of view θ, and θmax is the maximum half angle of view that the optical system 21a has. 0.2<2×f×tan(θmax / 2) / y(θmax)<0.92 (Formula 1)

[0031] In this way, the optical system 21a of this embodiment is configured so that the projection characteristic y(θ) is different from 2ftan(θ / 2) (stereoscopic projection method).

[0032] Therefore, in the optical system of this embodiment, 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 the 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.

[0033] Moreover, by satisfying the above formula 1, the resolution in the second region 21d can be made higher than that of the 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.

[0034] 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. Note that the above formula 1 is only one example, and the optical system in this embodiment is not limited to this.

[0035] 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.

[0036] Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of an autonomous driving system 150 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] The autonomous driving system 150 includes a monitoring device 2, a map data generating device 3, and an autonomous driving control device 4. The self-propelled transport device 1 is equipped with at least a part of the autonomous driving system 150 and is capable of autonomous driving.

[0039] First, a description will be given of the configuration of the monitoring device 2. The monitoring device 2 has imaging devices 21 and 22, 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. The imaging device 22 has an optical system 22a and an imaging element 22b.

[0040] 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.

[0041] The imaging elements 21b and 22b are two-dimensional image sensors such as CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) etc. The imaging elements 21b and 22b photoelectrically convert the optical images formed on the light receiving surfaces by the optical systems 21a and 22a to output imaging signals.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] The image synthesis unit 25 creates a composite image by synthesizing the images captured by the imaging devices 21 and 22 into one image after panorama expansion of the images captured by the imaging devices 21 and 22. Here, the image synthesis unit 25 functions as a synthesis means for synthesizing the image of the first imaging device and the image of the second imaging device to generate a composite image. The panorama expansion method may be a method based on the equirectangular projection or a method based on the Mercator projection.

[0045] Here, examples of images captured by the imaging devices 21 and 22 in the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 4(A) and (B). Fig. 4(A) is a diagram showing an example of an image 100 of the monitoring device 2 captured in the sky direction by the imaging device 21, and Fig. 4(B) is a diagram showing an example of an image 110 of the monitoring device 2 captured in the ground direction by the imaging device 22.

[0046] In this embodiment, the self-propelled transport device 1 on which the monitoring device 2 is mounted is, for example, located indoors, and the images 100 and 110 are taken of an indoor space.

[0047] The images 100 and 110 are images formed on the light receiving surfaces of the image pickup elements 21b and 22b, respectively, according to the characteristics of the optical systems 21a and 22a of the above-mentioned imaging devices 21 and 22. For example, the ceiling C1 and the self-propelled transport device 1 itself in the images 100 and 110 are imaged at positions corresponding to the first area 21c described in FIG.

[0048] On the other hand, the images of people P1 and P2 present at the horizontal periphery of the self-propelled transport device 1 are formed at positions corresponding to the second region 21d. That is, in the images 100 and 110, the ceiling C1 present in the space above the monitoring device 2 and the self-propelled transport device 1 itself present toward the ground are captured with a lower resolution than an image captured by an imaging device using a fisheye lens with equidistant projection characteristics.

[0049] On the other hand, objects present in the horizontal peripheral direction of the monitoring device 2, such as persons P1 and P2, are captured with higher resolution and less distortion than images captured by an imaging device using a fisheye lens with equidistant projection characteristics.

[0050] In this manner, the imaging devices 21 and 22 constituting the monitoring device 2 in this embodiment are installed at the positions described using FIG. 1, and therefore, images of subjects with little information, such as the ceiling C1 in the sky or the ground, are captured at a low resolution.

[0051] 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.

[0052] 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of a composite image creation process by the image composition unit 25 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The image composition 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.

[0053] In this embodiment, the image synthesis unit 25 determines 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.

[0054] That is, if the horizontal resolution W of image 120P is W=R, where R is the number of pixels on the outer periphery of the image circle of image 100, then panoramic development can be achieved with almost no change in the pixel density of the second region, which is the high-resolution region (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.

[0055] Furthermore, the vertical resolution H of the image 120P is, for example, H=2r, where r is the number of pixels of the image circle of the image 100. Furthermore, the vertical pixel density of the image 120P is changed for each region based on the projection characteristics of the 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 of the image and the image height shown in FIG. 2B.

[0056] As described above, in this embodiment, by determining the vertical resolution H and pixel density of image 120P, a panoramic image can be created without enlarging or reducing the second region, which is a high-resolution, low-distortion region in images 100 and 110, in the vertical direction.

[0057] As described above, by the image synthesis unit 25 synthesizing the image 120P without enlarging the images 100 and 110, it is possible to reduce the processing load imposed on the autonomous driving control device 4, which will be described later, when using the image 120P.

[0058] Furthermore, by the image synthesis unit 25 synthesizing the image 120P without enlarging the images 100 and 110, the detection accuracy does not decrease when the autonomous driving control device 4, which will be described later, performs object detection using the image 120P.

[0059] Furthermore, when a panoramic image is developed based on equirectangular projection, the vertical resolution W and vertical resolution H of image 120P can also be determined to be W:H=2:1, which is an aspect ratio commonly used in equirectangular projection.

[0060] Next, a configuration example of the map data generating device 3 will be described. The map data generating device 3 has a distance measuring sensor 31 and a map creating unit 32. The map creating unit 32 creates a map 33 based on at least one of the output image from the image synthesis unit 25 and the measurement value of the distance measuring sensor 31. The map 33 is required for estimating the self-position and orientation and generating a route.

[0061] In addition, 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, and also includes step information such as the position and height of steps on the floor surface.

[0062] By using the output image from the image synthesis unit 25, the map creation unit 32 can obtain information about structures around the self-propelled transport device 1 over a wide range and with high resolution about structures in the horizontal direction.

[0063] Therefore, it is possible to create a map 33 that includes information about the entire circumference and is detailed in the horizontal direction, which is the moving direction of the self-propelled transport device 1. The map data generating device 3 can update the map 33 at any time while the self-propelled transport device 1 is traveling.

[0064] Next, a configuration example of the autonomous driving control device 4 will be described. At least a part of the autonomous driving control device 4 is mounted on the self-propelled transport device 1, and is a device that drives the self-propelled transport device 1. The autonomous driving control device 4 has a detection unit 41, a self-position and attitude estimation unit 42, a travel route generation unit 43, a vibration condition calculation unit 44, a travel route determination unit 45, transported item learning data 46, a transport device control unit 47, a drive unit 48, and a voice notification unit 49.

[0065] The detection unit 41 detects objects present around the self-propelled transport device 1 based on the output image of the image synthesis unit 25. That is, the detection unit 41 functions as a detection means that detects objects around the self-propelled transport device based on the synthesized image.

[0066] The object to be detected is, for example, a desk, a chair, a person, an obstacle on the floor, or the like, which may be an obstacle to the self-propelled transport device 1 when it travels, or an object that may be the destination of the travel. The output of the detection unit 41 includes the positions of these objects. The detection unit 41 also detects the transported goods 6 placed on the transport platform 12.

[0067] While the self-propelled transport device 1 is moving, the self-position and attitude estimation unit 42 estimates the position and attitude of the self-propelled transport device 1 equipped with the autonomous driving control device 4 using the output image from the image synthesis unit 25, the measurement values ​​of the distance measurement sensor 31, and the map 33.

[0068] That is, the self-position and attitude estimation unit 42 extracts characteristics of structures around the self-propelled transport device 1 based on, for example, the output image from the image synthesis unit 25 and the measurement values ​​of the distance measurement sensor 31, and performs self-position estimation by comparing them with the map 33.

[0069] The self-position and orientation estimation unit 42 of this embodiment can obtain information on structures around the self-propelled transport device 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 characteristics of structures around the self-propelled transport device 1 can be obtained with high efficiency while suppressing the processing load, and the accuracy of self-position estimation can be improved.

[0070] The driving route generating unit 43 generates a driving route based on the measurement value of the distance measuring sensor 31, the self-position and orientation estimation result by the self-position and orientation estimation unit 42, the map 33, and the detection result of the detection unit 41. The vibration condition calculating unit 44 calculates the vibration amount (vibration condition) based on at least one of floor surface information of the driving route candidate and the amount of change of the driving route in the driving route candidate.

[0071] The vibration level calculation unit 44 functions as a vibration amount calculation means for calculating the amount of vibration generated during travel along the candidate travel route to the destination. At that time, the vibration amount corresponding to the floor surface information of the candidate travel route is calculated based on the map 33 created in advance.

[0072] The travel route determination unit 45 determines a final travel route based on the output of the vibration condition calculation unit, the output of the detection unit 41, and the transported goods learning data 46. Here, the travel route determination unit 45 functions as a determination means for determining a final travel route from travel route candidates based on the type of transported goods and the vibration amount calculated by the vibration amount calculation means.

[0073] The transported goods learning data 46 is data that has been learned in advance regarding information indicating whether the magnitude of step vibration and the magnitude of avoidance operation vibration are tolerable for each type of transported goods. The transported goods learning data 46 will be described later with reference to FIG. 8.

[0074] The transport device control unit 47 controls the driving of the drive unit 48 based on the final travel route determined by the travel route determination unit 45. Here, the transport device control unit 47 functions as a travel control means for traveling along the final travel route determined by the travel route determination unit 45 as a determination means. The drive unit 48 performs driving for moving and changing the direction of the self-propelled transport device 1. The audio notification unit 49 issues various notifications and warnings by voice based on the output of the travel route determination unit 45 etc.

[0075] Now, with reference to Figs. 6 to 8, an example of the operations of the driving route generating unit 43, the vibration condition calculating unit 44, the driving route determining unit 45, and the voice notifying unit 49, which are involved in determining a driving route, will be described.

[0076] Fig. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an example of an operation for determining a travel route in the self-propelled transport method according to the embodiment of the present invention. Note that the operation of each step of the flowchart in Fig. 6 is performed sequentially by a CPU or the like as a computer in the autonomous driving system 150 executing a computer program stored in a memory.

[0077] In step S100 (travel route calculation start step), the travel route calculation process is started by the travel route generation unit 43. Next, in a transported goods detection step of step S101, the detection unit 41 detects the transported goods 6 transported by the self-propelled transport device 1 based on the images captured by the imaging devices 21 and 22.

[0078] In addition, since the transported goods are judged based on images captured by the imaging devices 21 and 22, it is possible to reduce user specification errors compared to when the transported goods are judged based on instructions from a database or a GUI. Furthermore, the imaging devices 21 and 22, which can capture the entire surroundings, generate map data and detect surrounding objects, and also detect the transported goods, so that the transported goods can be judged at low cost without using any special detection device.

[0079] In step S102 (destination detection step), the destination of the transported goods 6 is detected. For example, the detection unit 41 detects a person P2 present in the vicinity of the self-propelled transport device 1, and the travel destination is set to, for example, the position of the person P2. The destination is set by existing methods such as gesture recognition or voice recognition of the surrounding people.

[0080] In step S103 (driving route generation step), the driving route generation unit 43 generates at least one driving route that takes into consideration steps and obstacles on the floor surface based on the measurement value of the distance measurement sensor 31, the self-position estimation result, the map 33, and the detection result of the detection unit 41. That is, one or more driving routes to the destination are generated.

[0081] 7 is a diagram for explaining a travel route determination method according to an embodiment of the present invention. In step S103, as shown in FIG 7, routes R1 to R3 are generated as travel routes of the self-propelled transport device 1 to the position (destination) of person P2.

[0082] Here, the route R1 is a route that travels through the carpet C2, the route R2 is a route that travels while avoiding the obstacles O1 to O4, and the route R3 is a route that travels around the carpet C2 and the obstacles O1 to O4.

[0083] Next, in step S104 (vibration condition calculation step), the vibration condition (vibration amount) of all vibration generation factors in each route generated in step S103 is calculated in the vibration condition calculation unit 44. That is, step S104 functions as a vibration amount calculation step that calculates the amount of vibration generated during travel along the travel route candidate to the destination.

[0084] Here, the vibration generation factors refer to steps on the floor, obstacle avoidance operations while driving, etc. The degree of vibration when driving over steps on the floor is determined from the height of the steps stored in the step information on the map 33 and the driving speed.

[0085] For example, if the step height is more than half of the maximum step height that the self-propelled transport device 1 can overcome, the step vibration is large, and if it is less than half, the step vibration is small. Also, the faster the traveling speed, the larger the step vibration. The degree of vibration due to the obstacle avoidance operation is determined by determining the degree of vibration expected to occur due to the operation associated with obstacle avoidance in the traveling route generated in step S103.

[0086] For example, if a change of direction is required accompanied by stopping or sudden deceleration, the avoidance action vibration is deemed large. If a change of direction per unit time or per unit distance within a given distance of movement does not involve stopping or sudden deceleration but exceeds a given angle, for example, a change of more than 90° within 1 m, the avoidance action vibration is deemed large.

[0087] In this embodiment, for example, the step of the carpet C2 on the route R1 in FIG. 7 is determined to be small step vibration, and on the route R2, for example, avoidance operation positions K1 and K3 are determined to be small avoidance vibration, and K2 is determined to be large avoidance vibration.

[0088] In step S105 (vibration level comparison step), it is determined whether the vibration level of the travel route corresponds to the transported goods. That is, the travel route determination unit 45 determines whether the travel route is navigable based on the transported goods 6, the vibration level calculated in step S104, and the tolerable vibration level of the transported goods held in the transported goods learning data 46.

[0089] If the vehicle is capable of traveling, the result is determined as Yes and the process proceeds to step S106, whereas if the vehicle is not capable of traveling, the result is determined as No and the process proceeds to step S107.

[0090] Here, the data held in the transport item learning data 46 will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a diagram for explaining the learning data held in the transport item learning data 46 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0091] The transported goods learning data 46 holds data in the form of a table as shown in Fig. 8. The table in Fig. 8 has data indicating whether or not the vehicle can travel for each type of transported goods in the cases of large step vibration, small step vibration, large avoidance operation vibration, and small avoidance operation vibration described in step S104.

[0092] 8 shows a table for a predetermined reference speed, different table data may be stored for a plurality of different speeds. That is, table data may be stored so that the number of cases where travel is possible increases when the speed is lower than the reference speed.

[0093] Generally, the acceleration is greater when there is a step, but since the directions of the step vibration and the avoidance action vibration are different, there are cases in which the step vibration has a higher tolerance depending on the type of transported goods. By calculating these independently in the vibration condition calculation step, it is possible to flexibly select a route according to the type of transported goods.

[0094] In step S106, a candidate travel route extraction step, the travel routes that are determined to be travelable in step S105 are extracted as candidate travel routes.

[0095] In step S107 (all route confirmation decision step), it is determined whether or not all of the driving routes generated in step S103 have been confirmed as candidate driving routes. If all driving routes have been confirmed, the process proceeds to step S108. If there are any unconfirmed driving routes, the process proceeds to step S104.

[0096] Here, a specific example of the process of steps S105 to S107 will be described with reference to Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. When the transported product 6 is item A, travel is impossible when the step vibration is large, and travel is possible when the step vibration is small, the avoidance operation vibration is large, and the avoidance operation vibration is small, so the travel route candidates are route R1, route R2, and route R3.

[0097] When the transported product 6 is item B, the vehicle cannot travel if the step vibration is large or small, but can travel if the avoidance operation vibration is large or small. Therefore, route R1 is excluded from the candidates, and the candidate travel routes are routes R2 and R3.

[0098] When the transported product 6 is item C, the vehicle cannot travel if there is a large step vibration, a small step vibration, or a large avoidance action vibration, but can travel if there is a small avoidance action vibration. Therefore, routes R1 and R2 are excluded from the candidates, and the candidate travel route is route R3.

[0099] When the transported item 6 is item D, the vehicle cannot travel if the step vibration is large, the step vibration is small, the avoidance operation vibration is large, or the avoidance operation vibration is small, but the vehicle can travel if the avoidance operation vibration is small. Therefore, routes R1 and R2 are excluded from the candidates, and route R3 is the candidate travel route.

[0100] In step S108 (candidate existence confirmation step), it is determined whether or not there is a travel route candidate among the travel routes generated up to step S107. If there is a travel route candidate, the process proceeds to step S109, and if not, the process proceeds to step S110.

[0101] In step S109 (travel route determination step), the travel route determination unit 45 determines the travel route that can reach the destination in the shortest time from among the candidate routes, and proceeds to step S113. For example, if the transported goods 6 are goods A, the route R1 is determined as the travel route.

[0102] That is, when determining the final travel route from the travel route candidates, the final travel route with the shortest travel time is determined from among the multiple travel routes. Here, step S109 functions as a determination step for determining the final travel route from the travel route candidates based on the type of transported goods and the vibration amount calculated in the vibration amount calculation step.

[0103] In step S110 (travel route recalculation step), the travel route generation unit 43 generates a travel route again, excluding the route calculated in step S103.

[0104] In step S111 (travel route recalculation confirmation step), if there is a route generated in step S110, that is, if it is determined that there is a Yes in step S111, the process returns to step S104. If there is no route, that is, if it is determined that there is a No in step S111, the process proceeds to step S112.

[0105] In step S112 (user notification step), since there is no drivable route, the voice notification unit 49 notifies the user terminal of the person P2 at the destination that "there is no drivable route", and the process proceeds to step S113 (travel route calculation end step). Here, step S112 functions as a notification step (notification means) that issues a predetermined notification when there is no final travel route.

[0106] If the answer is No in step S111, the traveling speed may be decreased to increase the number of cases where the vehicle can travel. In that case, as described above, the transported goods learning data in which the number of cases where the vehicle can travel at a speed lower than the reference speed is increased is stored as the table in FIG.

[0107] In step S113, the travel route calculation is completed. Note that steps S100 to S113 in Fig. 6 are periodically executed, and the travel route generation unit 43 updates the travel route even while the self-propelled transport device 1 is moving. Note that in steps S101 to S113, if the detection unit 41 detects another self-propelled transport device existing in the vicinity of the self-propelled transport device 1, the travel route generation unit 43 may determine the possibility of a collision with that object.

[0108] If it is determined that there is a possibility of collision, a travel route to avoid the collision is generated. For example, if an animal D1 enters the route to the destination person P2, a travel route to avoid the animal D1 and to the destination person P2 may be calculated again using steps S101 to S113.

[0109] If a travel route determined by the travel route determination unit 45 exists, the transport device control unit 47 controls the movement direction of the self-propelled transport device 1 equipped with the autonomous travel control device 4 based on the travel route. The drive unit 48 drives the wheels of the self-propelled transport device 1 equipped with the autonomous travel control device 4. If obstacle avoidance occurs during travel, travel control may be performed to reduce the speed during the obstacle avoidance operation below a reference speed and suppress vibrations.

[0110] Also, while traveling, an image of the transported goods 6 on the transport platform 12 may be monitored, and the travel control by the drive unit 48 may be performed according to the vibration state of the transported goods 6 while traveling. For example, if the transported goods 6 is liquid in a container, the degree of shaking of the liquid may be observed, and if the shaking is large, the travel speed and acceleration may be controlled to be reduced.

[0111] That is, the transport device control unit 47 as a travel control means may monitor the vibration state of the transported goods while the goods are traveling on the final travel route, and control the travel speed according to the vibration state of the transported goods.

[0112] In this case, it is desirable to reduce the acceleration, especially when turning, starting, and stopping. It is also desirable to reduce the speed when passing over a step. In other words, it is desirable for the transport device control unit 47, which serves as a travel control means, to reduce the travel speed at a point on the final travel route where the vibration amount is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0113] When the self-propelled transport device 1 travels to the destination person P2, it is desirable to adjust the distance between the person passing by during travel depending on the type of transported goods 6. For example, even if the self-propelled transport device 1 can normally approach to within 20 cm when passing by another person, if the transported goods 6 is a cup containing, for example, a hot drink, and the self-propelled transport device 1 passes by the person P1 during travel, it may be dangerous if the liquid splashes on the person P1.

[0114] Therefore, when transporting goods that are expected to be dangerous, the travel route is set so that when passing people, the distance between the vehicle and people is longer than usual, for example, 50 cm or more. In other words, when passing people while traveling on the final travel route, the distance between the vehicle and people is controlled to be greater than a predetermined value.

[0115] Also, when passing people while traveling on the final route, it is desirable to reduce the traveling speed to a predetermined value or less. In such a case, it is desirable to run while issuing a predetermined notification to the surroundings using the voice notification unit 49.

[0116] Furthermore, the map 33 may be accessible 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.

[0117] As described above, in this embodiment, the vibration level of the transported goods 6 is calculated for each travel route based on the transported goods 6 and obstacles detected by the detection unit 41, and the obstacle information on the floor surface held in the map 33. Then, the travel route determination unit 45 determines a travel route based on the vibration level of the transported goods 6.

[0118] Therefore, depending on the type of transported goods 6, a travel route can be determined that takes into consideration vibrations such as floor steps and turning movements when avoiding obstacles, thereby reducing the possibility that the transported goods 6 will fall over or be damaged due to vibrations, thereby enabling safe transportation.

[0119] 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.

[0120] (Configuration 1) A self-propelled transport device that transports goods to a destination, comprising: a vibration amount calculation means that calculates the amount of vibration generated while traveling along a candidate travel route to the destination; and a determination means that determines a final travel route from the candidate travel routes based on the type of the goods and the vibration amount calculated by the vibration amount calculation means.

[0121] (Configuration 2) The self-propelled transport device described in Configuration 1, characterized in that the vibration amount calculation means calculates the vibration amount based on at least one of floor surface information of the candidate travel route and an amount of change in the travel route in the candidate travel route.

[0122] (Configuration 3) The self-propelled transport device according to configuration 1 or 2, further comprising a travel control means for causing the self-propelled transport device to travel along the final travel route determined by the determination means.

[0123] (Configuration 4) The self-propelled transport device according to configuration 3, wherein the travel control means reduces the travel speed at a point on the final travel route where the vibration amount is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0124] (Configuration 5) The self-propelled transport device described in Configuration 3 or 4, characterized in that the travel control means monitors the vibration state of the transported item while it is traveling on the final travel route, and controls the travel speed in accordance with the vibration state of the transported item.

[0125] (Configuration 6) The self-propelled transport device described in any one of Configurations 3 to 5, characterized in that the driving control means controls the distance between the self-propelled transport device and a person when passing by the person while traveling on the final driving route so that the distance between the self-propelled transport device and the person is greater than or equal to a predetermined value.

[0126] (Configuration 7) The self-propelled transport device according to any one of configurations 3 to 6, wherein the travel control means reduces the travel speed to a predetermined value or less when passing a person while traveling on the final travel route.

[0127] (Configuration 8) The self-propelled transport device according to any one of configurations 3 to 7, wherein the travel control means issues a predetermined notification when passing a person while traveling on the final travel route.

[0128] (Configuration 9) The self-propelled transporter according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, wherein the determining means determines a final travel route that provides the shortest travel time.

[0129] (Configuration 10) The self-propelled transport device according to any one of configurations 1 to 9, further comprising a notification means for issuing a predetermined notification when the final travel route does not exist.

[0130] (Configuration 11) The self-propelled transport device according to any one of configurations 1 to 10, characterized in that the vibration amount calculation means calculates the vibration amount corresponding to floor surface information of the candidate driving route based on a map created in advance.

[0131] (Configuration 12) A self-propelled transport device described in any one of configurations 1 to 11, characterized in having 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, 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, and a detection means that detects objects around the self-propelled transport device based on the synthetic image.

[0132] (Method) A self-propelled transportation method for transporting goods to a destination, comprising: a vibration amount calculation step for calculating the amount of vibration generated while traveling along a candidate driving route to the destination; and a determination step for determining a final driving route from the candidate driving routes based on the type of the goods and the vibration amount calculated in the vibration amount calculation step.

[0133] (Program) A computer program for controlling each means of the self-propelled transport device according to any one of configurations 1 to 12 by a computer.

[0134] In order to realize a part or all of the control in this embodiment, a computer program that realizes the functions of the above-mentioned embodiment may be supplied to the self-propelled transport device or the like via a network or various storage media. Then, a computer (or a CPU, MPU, or the like) in the self-propelled transport device or the like may read and execute the program. In this case, the program and the storage medium on which the program is stored constitute the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0135] 1: Self-propelled transport device 2: Monitoring device 3: Map data generator 4: Autonomous driving control device 10a: First angle of view of the imaging device 21 10b: Second angle of view of the imaging device 21 11a: First angle of view of the imaging device 22 11b: second angle of view of the imaging device 22 12: Transport stand 5: Support part 6: Transported goods 21: Imaging device 21a:Optical system 21b: Image sensor 22: Imaging device 22a:Optical system 22b: Image sensor 23: Image processing unit 24: Image processing section 25: Image synthesis unit 31: Distance sensor 32: Map Creation Department 32: Map 41: Detection section 42:Self-position and orientation estimation unit 43: Route generation unit 44: Vibration level calculation section 45: Driving route determination unit 46: Cargo training data 47: Transport device control section 48: Drive unit 49: Voice notification section

Claims

1. A self-propelled transport device that transports an item to a destination, a vibration amount calculation means for calculating a vibration amount generated during travel along the candidate travel route to the delivery destination; a determining means for determining a final travel route from among the travel route candidates based on the type of the transported item and the vibration amount calculated by the vibration amount calculating means.

2. 2. The self-propelled transport device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration amount calculation means calculates the vibration amount based on at least one of floor surface information of the travel route candidate and an amount of change in the travel route in the travel route candidate.

3. 2. The self-propelled transport device according to claim 1, further comprising a travel control means for causing the self-propelled transport device to travel along the final travel route determined by the determination means.

4. 4. The self-propelled transport device according to claim 3, wherein the travel control means reduces the travel speed at a point on the final travel route where the vibration amount is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

5. 4. The self-propelled transport device according to claim 3, wherein the travel control means monitors the vibration state of the transported item while the transported item is traveling along the final travel route, and controls the travel speed in accordance with the vibration state of the transported item.

6. 4. The self-propelled transport device according to claim 3, wherein the travel control means controls the self-propelled transport device so that when passing by a person while traveling on the final travel route, the distance between the self-propelled transport device and the person is set to a predetermined value or more.

7. 4. The self-propelled transport device according to claim 3, wherein the travel control means reduces the travel speed to a predetermined value or less when passing by a person while traveling along the final travel route.

8. 4. The self-propelled transport device according to claim 3, wherein the travel control means issues a predetermined notification when passing a person while traveling along the final travel route.

9. 2. The self-propelled transport device according to claim 1, wherein said determining means determines a final travel route that provides the shortest travel time.

10. 2. The self-propelled transport device according to claim 1, further comprising a notification means for issuing a predetermined notification when the final travel route does not exist.

11. 2. The self-propelled transport device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration amount calculation means calculates the vibration amount corresponding to floor surface information of the candidate travel route based on a map created in advance.

12. 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; 2. The self-propelled transport device according to claim 1, further comprising: a detection unit for detecting objects around the self-propelled transport device based on the composite image.

13. A self-propelled transport method for transporting an item to a destination, comprising: a vibration amount calculation step of calculating an amount of vibration generated during travel along the candidate travel route to the destination; a determining step of determining a final travel route from the travel route candidates based on the type of the transported item and the vibration amount calculated in the vibration amount calculating step.

14. A computer program for controlling each means of the self-propelled transport device according to any one of claims 1 to 12 by a computer.

Images