Autonomous traveling robot

Abstract

To provide an autonomous traveling robot which can perform security action while traveling safely.SOLUTION: An autonomous traveling robot travels autonomously in a travel space and performs predetermined security actions. The autonomous traveling robot includes: a movable part which may extend from a main unit of the autonomous traveling robot; an acquisition unit which acquires environment information related to an environment of the traveling space; a determination unit which determines an action timing to cause the movable part to act to perform the security action based on the environment information; and a control unit which controls the movable part at the action timing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an autonomous mobile robot. [Background technology]

[0002] For the purpose of guarding facilities, robots are known that autonomously travel within the facility and perform security operations such as detecting suspicious objects, checking that locks are in place, etc. Some of these autonomous robots have arms to efficiently perform security operations (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-41165 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When transitioning the arm position to perform security operations, there is a risk of danger to people around the robot, so arm transitions must be performed with consideration for safety, which takes time. Therefore, when operating an autonomous mobile robot with an arm, it is necessary to consider safety while efficiently performing security operations.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide an autonomous mobile robot that can perform security operations while traveling safely. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An autonomous driving robot according to an embodiment of the present invention is an autonomous driving robot that autonomously drives through a driving space and performs predetermined security operations, and has a movable part that can be extended from the main body of the autonomous driving robot, an acquisition part that acquires environmental information related to the environment of the driving space, a decision part that determines the operation timing for operating the movable part to perform security operations based on the environmental information, and a control part that controls the movable part at the operation timing.

[0007] In addition, it is preferable that the determination unit determines the operation timing to be before the autonomous mobile robot arrives at the position where the security operation will be performed when the environmental information indicates that the number of other moving objects or the degree of congestion in the driving space is less than a predetermined value.

[0008] In addition, it is preferable that the determination unit determines the operation timing to be before the autonomous mobile robot arrives at the execution position of the security operation when the autonomous mobile robot is located within a predetermined range from the execution position and the environmental information indicates that the number of other moving objects or the degree of congestion in at least the space surrounding the autonomous mobile robot within the driving space is less than a predetermined value.

[0009] Furthermore, it is preferable that the movable part transitions between a running position for traveling and an operating position for performing security operations, and that the control part initiates an operation for transitioning the movable part between the running position and the operating position at a determined operation timing.

[0010] In addition, the movable part transitions between a driving position for driving and an operating position for performing security operations, and the determination part determines the operating timing so that the autonomous driving robot starts moving after the transition is completed if the environmental information indicates that the number of other moving objects or the degree of congestion in at least the space surrounding the autonomous driving robot within the driving space is greater than or equal to a predetermined value when the security operation is completed, and determines the operating timing so that the autonomous driving robot can move before the transition is completed if the environmental information indicates that the number of other moving objects or the degree of congestion is less than the predetermined value, and it is preferable that the control part initiates an operation to transition the movable part from the operating position to the driving position at the operating timing.

[0011] In addition, it is preferable that the movable unit transitions between a driving position for driving and an operating position for performing security operations, and that when the security operations at the first execution position are completed, the control unit causes the movable unit to maintain the operating position while the autonomous driving robot is driving to the second execution position if the environmental information indicates that the number of other moving objects or the degree of congestion in the driving space from the first execution position to the second execution position of the next security operation is less than a predetermined value. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The autonomous mobile robot according to the present invention can perform security operations while traveling safely. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a security system 1. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the autonomous mobile robot 2. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the autonomous mobile robot 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of security processing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Various embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Please note that the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, but extends to the inventions set forth in the claims and their equivalents.

[0015] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a security system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The security system 1 is installed in a facility to be guarded. The security system 1 has an autonomous mobile robot 2, a spatial sensor 3, and a server 4. The autonomous mobile robot 2, the spatial sensor 3, and the server 4 communicate with each other via a network N, which may be the Internet or an intranet.

[0016] The autonomous mobile robot 2 autonomously travels through a travel space S and performs predetermined security operations. The travel space S is a space that includes an area in which the autonomous mobile robot 2 can travel. For example, the travel space S is a space that includes one floor of a facility. If the autonomous mobile robot 2 can move between floors of a facility, the travel space S may be a space that includes all floors of the facility.

[0017] The space sensor 3 is disposed in the driving space S and generates information about the environment of the driving space S. For example, the space sensor 3 may include a surveillance camera that photographs the driving space S and generates an image. The space sensor 3 may also include a distance sensor, a proximity sensor, or a thermal imaging camera that generates information about moving objects in the driving space S. The space sensor 3 may also include other sensors that generate information about the temperature, humidity, noise, vibration, illuminance, etc. of the driving space S. The space sensor 3 transmits the generated information about the environment of the driving space S to the server 4.

[0018] The server 4 is an information processing device having a memory and a processor. The server 4 acquires information about the environment of the traveling space S from the spatial sensor 3 and transmits it to the autonomous traveling robot 2. The server 4 also transmits instructions to the autonomous traveling robot for security operations to be performed using the robot arm 21, causing the autonomous traveling robot to perform the security operations.

[0019] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the autonomous mobile robot 2, and Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram of the autonomous mobile robot 2. The autonomous mobile robot 2 has a robot arm 21, tires 22, memory 23, a communication interface 24, sensors 25, an arm driving unit 26, a tire driving unit 27, and a processor 28. The memory 23, the communication interface 24, the sensors 25, the arm driving unit 26, the tire driving unit 27, and the processor 28 are housed in a housing H.

[0020] The robot arm 21 has an arm unit 211, a hand unit 212, and an imaging unit 213. The arm unit 211 connects the housing H and the hand unit 212, and changes the position and posture of the hand unit 212. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the arm unit 211 is a bent arm having a bent portion, but is not limited to this example and may be a curved or extendable arm. The hand unit 212 grasps an object. The hand unit 212 may have three or more grasping portions. The imaging unit 213 is provided in the hand unit 212, and captures an image of the vicinity of the hand unit 212 to generate an image. The robot arm 21 is an example of a movable unit that can be extended from the main body of the autonomous mobile robot 2.

[0021] The robot arm 21 takes a traveling position for traveling and an operating position for security operations. The traveling position is a position for preventing the autonomous traveling robot 2 from coming into contact with other objects while traveling. For example, the traveling position is a position in which the arm unit 211 is folded near the housing H. The robot arm 21 in the traveling position may be housed inside the housing H. The operating position is a position required to perform security operations.

[0022] Security operations performed using the robot arm 21 include detecting suspicious objects, checking whether doors are locked, and checking the location of equipment such as fire extinguishers. For example, to perform a security operation to detect a suspicious object, it is necessary to move the hand unit 212 to the location of the detection target so that the imaging unit 213 can capture an image of the location. Therefore, the operational position for detecting a suspicious object in a trash can is a position in which the arm unit 211 is extended so that the hand unit 212 is positioned above the top surface of the trash can. Furthermore, to perform a security operation to check whether a door is locked, it is necessary for the hand unit 212 to grasp the knob and perform an operation to open the door. Therefore, the operational position for checking whether the door is locked is a position in which the arm unit 211 is extended so that the hand unit 212 is positioned at the same height as the knob.

[0023] The tires 22 are arranged on the bottom surface of the autonomous mobile robot 2 and rotate to make the autonomous mobile robot 2 move.

[0024] The memory 23 stores data and programs. The memory 23 is a semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, or the like. The memory 23 stores an operating system program, a driver program, an application program, data, and the like used for processing by the processor 28. Programs may be installed into the memory 23 from a computer-readable, non-transitory, portable storage medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory).

[0025] The communication interface 24 enables the autonomous mobile robot 2 to communicate with the spatial sensor 3 and the server 4. For example, the communication interface 24 is an interface for wireless communication such as mobile communication or wireless LAN (Local Area Network). The communication interface 24 transmits data supplied from the processor 28 to the spatial sensor 3 or the server 4, and also supplies data received from the spatial sensor 3 or the server 4 to the processor 28.

[0026] The sensor 25 generates information about the environment of the surrounding space of the autonomous mobile robot 2. For example, the sensor 25 may include a camera that captures and generates images of the surrounding space. The sensor 25 may include a distance sensor, a proximity sensor, or a thermal imaging camera that generates information about moving objects in the surrounding space. The sensor 25 may also include other sensors that generate information about the temperature, humidity, noise, vibration, illuminance, etc. of the surrounding space. The sensor 25 supplies the generated information about the environment of the surrounding space to the processor 28.

[0027] The arm driving unit 26 drives the robot arm 21. The arm driving unit 26 includes a motor, an actuator, and a control circuit. The motor and actuator are connected to the arm unit 211 and hand unit 212 of the robot arm 21. The control circuit controls the motor and actuator in accordance with instructions from the processor 28 to transition the robot arm 21 between the traveling position and the operating position and to perform security operations.

[0028] The tire driving unit 27 drives the tires 22. The tire driving unit 27 includes a motor and a control circuit. The motor is connected to the tires 22. The control circuit controls the motor in accordance with instructions from the processor 28 to drive the tires 22, thereby causing the autonomous mobile robot 2 to travel.

[0029] The processor 28 comprehensively controls the operation of the autonomous mobile robot 2. For example, the processor 28 is at least one CPU (Central Processing Unit). The processor 28 may be an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or the like. The processor 28 executes processing based on a program stored in the memory 23.

[0030] The processor 28 has an instruction acquisition unit 281, an information acquisition unit 282, an action determination unit 283, a timing determination unit 284, an arm control unit 285, and an action control unit 286. Each of these units is a functional module realized by the processor 28 executing a program. Each of these units may be implemented in the autonomous mobile robot 2 as a dedicated processing circuit.

[0031] 4 is a flow diagram showing an example of the flow of security processing executed by the autonomous mobile robot 2. The security processing is executed when an operation instruction is generated to cause the autonomous mobile robot 2 to perform security operations. The security processing is realized by the processor 28 executing a program and working in cooperation with other components of the autonomous mobile robot 2.

[0032] First, the instruction acquisition unit 281 acquires an operation instruction (step S11). For example, the instruction acquisition unit 281 requests the server 4 for an operation instruction and receives and acquires the operation instruction from the server 4. The instruction acquisition unit 281 may generate and acquire the operation instruction itself.

[0033] The operation instruction includes the content of the security operation to be performed by the autonomous mobile robot 2 and the security target. For example, the content of the security operation is detecting a suspicious object, checking that a door is locked, etc. The security target is information identifying a location where a suspicious object should be detected (for example, a trash can, on a shelf, etc.), or information indicating a door that should be checked to see if it is locked.

[0034] The operation instructions may be generated according to a predetermined schedule. For example, the operation instructions may be generated at a predetermined time or in a predetermined order so that the autonomous mobile robot 2 patrols all security operation targets in the traveling space S. The operation instructions may also be generated by a facility manager. For example, the operation instructions may be generated by the facility manager operating the server 4.

[0035] The instruction acquisition unit 281 controls the tire driving unit 27 to make the autonomous mobile robot 2 travel toward the security target.

[0036] Next, the information acquisition unit 282 acquires environmental information (step S12). For example, the information acquisition unit 282 requests the environmental information from the server 4. The information acquisition unit 282 receives and acquires the environmental information of the driving space S generated by the space sensor 3 from the server 4.

[0037] The information acquisition unit 282 may acquire only environmental information indicating the environment of a subspace including a path from the current position of the autonomous mobile robot 2 to the position of the target of security operation, from among the environmental information generated by the spatial sensor 3. For example, the information acquisition unit 282 transmits information indicating the current position of the autonomous mobile robot 2 and the target of security operation to the server 4. The autonomous mobile robot 2 estimates its current position using a known SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) technique, or based on information identifying a wireless LAN access point detected by the communication interface 24. The server 4 calculates a path from the current position of the autonomous mobile robot 2 to the position of the target of security operation, and transmits environmental information generated by spatial sensors 3 arranged near the path to the autonomous mobile robot 2. The information acquisition unit 282 receives and acquires the environmental information transmitted from the server 4.

[0038] The information acquisition unit 282 may acquire only environmental information about the space surrounding the autonomous mobile robot 2. For example, the information acquisition unit 282 transmits information indicating the current position of the autonomous mobile robot 2 to the server 4. The server 4 transmits environmental information generated by a spatial sensor 3 arranged near the current position of the autonomous mobile robot 2 to the autonomous mobile robot 2. The information acquisition unit 282 receives and acquires the environmental information transmitted from the server 4. The information acquisition unit 282 may acquire information generated by the sensor 25 of the autonomous mobile robot 2 as environmental information about the space surrounding the autonomous mobile robot 2 without communicating with the server 4, or may acquire information generated by the spatial sensor 3 and information generated by the sensor 25 of the autonomous mobile robot 2 as environmental information.

[0039] Next, the movement determination unit 283 determines movements that are permitted while traveling based on the environmental information (step S13). For example, the movement determination unit 283 determines whether or not there are other moving objects other than the autonomous traveling robot 2 in the traveling space S based on the environmental information. The movement determination unit 283 determines movements that are permitted while traveling based on whether or not there are other moving objects in the traveling space S. Note that the movement determination unit 283 may determine movements that are permitted while traveling by selecting a movement that is permitted from among a plurality of movements of the robot arm 21, or may determine movements that are permitted while traveling by selecting a movement that is prohibited from among a plurality of movements.

[0040] For example, the operation determination unit 283 determines whether or not another moving object exists in the driving space S by applying background subtraction to images generated by photographing the driving space S at different times. The operation determination unit 283 may determine whether or not another moving object exists in the driving space S based on information about the moving object generated by a proximity sensor or a thermal imaging camera. Alternatively, the operation determination unit 283 may determine whether or not another moving object exists in the driving space S by using a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) as a distance measurement sensor, irradiating a laser, and measuring the time it takes for the laser to reflect off the object and return.

[0041] When the environmental information indicates that no other moving objects are present in the traveling space S, the movement determination unit 283 may determine that the movement of the robot arm 21 transitioning between the traveling position and the operating position is the movement that is permitted while traveling, and may also determine that the movement of the robot arm 21 maintaining the operating position is the movement that is permitted while traveling. In other words, when the environmental information indicates that other moving objects are present in the traveling space S, the movement determination unit 283 determines that the movement of the robot arm 21 transitioning between the traveling position and the operating position is the movement that is prohibited while traveling. Since the position of the robot arm 21 does not change while the autonomous traveling robot 2 is traveling, it becomes easier to prevent the robot arm 21 from coming into contact with other moving objects, and the safety of the autonomous traveling robot 2 is improved.

[0042] When the environmental information indicates that another moving object is present in the traveling space S, the movement determination unit 283 may determine that the movement of the robot arm 21 transitioning between the traveling position and the operating position is a movement that is prohibited while traveling, and may determine that the movement of the robot arm 21 maintaining the operating position is a movement that is permitted while traveling. By having the robot arm 21 maintain the operating position while the autonomous traveling robot 2 is traveling, it is possible to smoothly perform security operations for multiple security targets. In this case, safety can be further improved by setting a condition that the travel distance to the execution position of the next security operation is short (less than a predetermined distance). Therefore, the safety of the autonomous traveling robot 2 is improved and security operations become more efficient.

[0043] When the environmental information indicates the presence of another moving object in the traveling space S and the extension direction of the robot arm 21 in the operating position satisfies a predetermined condition, the operation determination unit 283 may determine that the operation of the robot arm 21 maintaining the operating position is an allowable operation during traveling. For example, the predetermined condition is that the extension direction of the robot arm 21 is approximately vertical. When the robot arm 21 extends in the approximately vertical direction, collision accidents are less likely to occur compared to when the robot arm 21 extends horizontally. By maintaining the operating position in which the robot arm 21 extends in the approximately vertical direction while the autonomous traveling robot 2 is traveling, safety is improved and security operations for multiple security targets are smoothly executed. Note that the extension direction of the robot arm 21 being approximately vertical means that the angle between the extension direction of the robot arm 21 and the vertical direction is equal to or less than a predetermined angle. When the arm portion 211 of the robot arm 21 has multiple bends, the angle between the extension direction of the robot arm 21 and the vertical direction may be determined to be the largest angle between each part of the arm portion 211 and the vertical direction, or may be determined to be a representative value (e.g., average value, median, etc.) of the angle between each part of the arm portion 211 and the vertical direction.

[0044] The predetermined condition may be that the extension direction of the robot arm 21 is vertical or substantially the same as the traveling direction of the autonomous mobile robot 2. If the extension direction of the robot arm 21 differs from the vertical and the traveling direction of the autonomous mobile robot 2, the robot arm 21 will extend in the width direction of the passage when the autonomous mobile robot 2 travels down the passage, increasing the possibility of contact with other users. By maintaining an operating position in which the robot arm 21 extends in substantially the same direction as the traveling direction while the autonomous mobile robot 2 is traveling, safety is improved and security operations for multiple security targets can be smoothly performed. Note that the extension direction of the robot arm 21 being substantially the same as the traveling direction of the autonomous mobile robot 2 means that the angle between the extension direction of the robot arm 21 and the traveling direction is equal to or smaller than a predetermined angle.

[0045] The operation determination unit 283 may determine the operations that are permitted while the autonomous mobile robot 2 is traveling, based on environmental information about the environment of a portion of the traveling space S. The portion of the traveling space S may be a partial space that includes a path from the current position of the autonomous mobile robot 2 to the target position of the security operation, or the space surrounding the autonomous mobile robot 2. For example, the operation determination unit 283 may determine the operations that are permitted while the autonomous mobile robot 2 is traveling, based on the number of other moving objects in the partial space or the surrounding space (for example, whether or not other moving objects are present, or whether or not the number is equal to or greater than a predetermined number).

[0046] Next, the timing determination unit 284 determines the operation timing for operating the robot arm 21 to perform security operations based on the environmental information (step S14). The operation timing is the timing for starting the operation of the robot arm 21 to transition between the traveling position and the operating position. For example, the timing determination unit 284 determines whether or not there are other moving objects in the traveling space S based on the environmental information. The timing determination unit 284 determines the operation timing for operating the robot arm 21 based on whether or not there are other moving objects in the traveling space S. The operation timing may be determined to be either before the autonomous mobile robot 2 arrives at the position where the security operation is to be performed or after the autonomous mobile robot 2 arrives at the position where the security operation is to be performed.

[0047] For example, when the environmental information indicates that no other moving objects are present in the traveling space S, the timing determination unit 284 determines the operation timing to be before the autonomous mobile robot 2 arrives at the security operation execution position. For example, the timing determination unit 284 determines the operation timing to be a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) before the estimated arrival time (or required arrival time) at the security operation execution position, and starts the operation of the robot arm 21. Note that the predetermined time before is a time that takes the time required for the robot arm 21 to transition from the traveling position to the operation position, and the transition is completed by the time the autonomous mobile robot 21 arrives at the security operation execution position. When the environmental information indicates that other moving objects are present in the traveling space S, the timing determination unit 284 determines the operation timing to be after the autonomous mobile robot 2 arrives at the security operation execution position. By transitioning the robot arm 21 to the operation position while the autonomous mobile robot 2 is traveling, the security operation can be smoothly executed after the autonomous mobile robot 2 arrives at the security operation execution position. Furthermore, if there is another moving object, the position of the robot arm 21 is not changed while the autonomous mobile robot 2 is traveling, making it easier to avoid contact between the robot arm 21 and the other moving object. This improves the safety of the autonomous mobile robot 2 and makes security operations more efficient.

[0048] The timing determination unit 284 may determine the operation timing based on environmental information regarding the environment of a portion of the traveling space S. For example, the timing determination unit 284 determines the operation timing based on whether or not another moving object exists in the partial space or the surrounding space.

[0049] For example, when the environmental information indicates that no other moving objects are present in the subspace or the surrounding space, the timing determination unit 284 determines the operation timing to be before the autonomous mobile robot 2 arrives at the execution position of the security operation. In other words, when the environmental information indicates that other moving objects are present in the subspace or the surrounding space, the timing determination unit 284 determines the operation timing to be after the autonomous mobile robot 2 arrives at the execution position of the security operation. Even if other moving objects are present in the traveling space S, the robot arm 21 will not come into contact with the other moving objects unless the other moving objects are present near the autonomous mobile robot 2. When no other moving objects are present near the autonomous mobile robot 2, the efficiency of the security operation is improved by transitioning the robot arm 21 to the operation position while the autonomous mobile robot 2 is traveling.

[0050] The timing determination unit 284 may determine the operation timing based on the relationship between the current position of the autonomous mobile robot 2 and the position where the security operation is to be performed. For example, when the autonomous mobile robot 2 is located within a predetermined range from the position where the security operation is to be performed and the environmental information indicates that no other moving objects exist in the surrounding space, the timing determination unit 284 determines the operation timing to be before the autonomous mobile robot 2 arrives at the position where the security operation is to be performed. When the autonomous mobile robot 2 is close to the position where the security operation is to be performed, the traveling time until the autonomous mobile robot 2 arrives at the position where the security operation is to be performed is short, so even if the robot arm 21 is operated while traveling, there is little chance of contact with other moving objects. Therefore, by determining the operation timing based on the relationship between the current position of the autonomous mobile robot 2 and the position where the security operation is to be performed, the safety of the autonomous mobile robot 2 is improved.

[0051] Next, the arm control unit 285 controls the robot arm 21 at the determined operation timing (step S15). For example, if operation of the robot arm 21 according to the content of the security operation is permitted while the autonomous mobile robot 2 is traveling and the operation timing is determined to be before the autonomous mobile robot 2 arrives at the position where the security operation is to be performed, the arm control unit 285 controls the robot arm 21 so that the transition from the traveling position to the operation position begins before arrival. If operation of the robot arm 21 according to the content of the security operation is not permitted while the autonomous mobile robot 2 is traveling, or if the operation timing is determined to be after the autonomous mobile robot 2 arrives at the position where the security operation is to be performed, the arm control unit 285 controls the robot arm 21 so that the transition from the traveling position to the operation position begins after arrival. Furthermore, if transitioning the robot arm 21 from the operation position to the traveling position is prohibited while the autonomous mobile robot 2 is traveling, the arm control unit 285 controls the robot arm 21 to maintain the operation position while traveling.

[0052] Next, the operation control unit 286 executes the security operation of the content included in the acquired instruction (step S16). For example, if the security operation is to detect a suspicious object, the operation control unit 286 controls the imaging unit 213 of the robot arm 21 after arriving at the execution position of the security operation to generate an image of the vicinity of the imaging unit 213 and detects the suspicious object appearing in the generated image. The operation control unit 286 may detect the suspicious object appearing in the image using an object detection method such as template matching or a trained model. Furthermore, if the security operation is to check whether a door is locked, the operation control unit 286 controls the hand unit 212 of the robot arm 21 after arriving at the execution position of the security operation to grasp the door knob and execute the operation of opening and closing the door. The operation control unit 286 determines that the door is unlocked if the operation of opening and closing the door is successful, and determines that the door is locked if the operation of opening and closing the door is unsuccessful.

[0053] When an abnormality related to the security operation is detected, the operation control unit 286 may report the abnormality to the server 4. For example, when a suspicious object is detected from an image generated by the imaging unit 213, the operation control unit 286 reports the abnormality to the server 4. When the operation control unit 286 determines that the door is not locked, the operation control unit 286 may also report the abnormality to the server 4. This completes the security processing.

[0054] Furthermore, when the autonomous mobile robot 2 travels toward the execution position for the next security operation, if the environmental information indicates that no other moving objects exist in the travel space S, the operation control unit 286 may cause the robot arm 21 to maintain the operation position while the autonomous mobile robot 2 is traveling. At this time, the distance to the next execution position may also be taken into consideration. For example, if the distance to the next execution position is less than a predetermined distance, the autonomous mobile robot 2 may travel while maintaining the operation position, and if the distance is greater than or equal to the predetermined distance, the operation position may be transitioned to the running position. For example, the timing when the autonomous mobile robot 2 starts moving toward the execution position for the next security operation may be determined as the operation timing for transitioning the robot arm 21 from the operation position to the running position. This allows for efficient security operations while taking safety into consideration.

[0055] When the security processing is completed and the environmental information indicates the presence of another moving object in the traveling space S, the timing determination unit 284 determines the operation timing of the operation for transitioning the robot arm 21 from the operating position to the traveling position so that the autonomous traveling robot 2 starts moving after the transition of the robot arm 21 is completed. That is, the timing determination unit 284 determines the operation timing to be before the autonomous traveling robot 2 starts moving, and allows the autonomous traveling robot 2 to move after the transition is completed. This allows consideration to be given to safety. On the other hand, when no other moving object is present in the traveling space S, the timing determination unit 284 determines the operation timing of the operation for transitioning the robot arm 21 from the operating position to the traveling position so that the autonomous traveling robot is allowed to move before the transition of the robot arm 21 is completed. That is, the movement of the autonomous traveling robot 2 and the transition of the robot arm 21 are performed simultaneously. This allows the autonomous traveling robot 2 to transition to the traveling position while traveling, contributing to efficient security operations.

[0056] As described above, the autonomous mobile robot 2 has a timing determination unit 284 that determines the operation timing for operating the robot arm 21 to perform security operations based on environmental information. This allows the autonomous mobile robot 2 to operate the robot arm 21 while avoiding dangerous timing, allowing it to perform security operations while traveling safely.

[0057] The autonomous mobile robot 2 also has an operation determination unit 283 that determines, based on environmental conditions, which of multiple operations of the robot arm 21 are permitted while the robot is traveling. This allows the autonomous mobile robot 2 to perform only non-hazardous operations while traveling, enabling it to perform security operations while traveling safely.

[0058] In the above-described embodiment, the action determination unit 283 determines the action permitted during driving based on whether or not other moving objects are present in the driving space S, and the timing determination unit 284 determines the action timing according to the degree of congestion in the driving space S. The present invention is not limited to such an example, and the case where other moving objects are present in the driving space S may be replaced with the case where the number of other moving objects is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and the case where other moving objects are not present may be replaced with the case where the number of other moving objects is less than a predetermined value.

[0059] In the above-described embodiment, the movement determination unit 283 determines the movement permitted during traveling based on whether or not other moving objects are present in the traveling space S. However, the present invention is not limited to this example. The movement determination unit 283 and the timing determination unit 284 may determine the movement permitted during traveling based on whether or not other moving objects are present in the traveling space S and the congestion level in the traveling space S. For example, the number of other moving objects other than the autonomous traveling robot 2 is calculated as the congestion level in the traveling space S. When the congestion level is less than a predetermined value, the movement determination unit 283 determines the movement of the robot arm 21 transitioning between the traveling position and the operation position as the movement permitted during traveling. When the congestion level is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the movement determination unit 283 determines the movement of the robot arm 21 transitioning between the traveling position and the operation position as the movement prohibited during traveling. Even when other moving objects are present, in a less congested situation, the autonomous traveling robot 2 is more likely to select a path that avoids the moving objects, thereby ensuring safety even when the arm transitions.

[0060] Similarly, the timing determination unit 284 may determine the operation timing according to the degree of congestion in the traveling space S. If the degree of congestion is less than a predetermined value, the timing determination unit 284 determines the operation timing to be before the autonomous traveling robot 2 arrives at the position where the security operation is to be performed, and if the degree of congestion is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the timing determination unit 284 determines the operation timing to be after the autonomous traveling robot 2 arrives at the position where the security operation is to be performed. By determining the operation timing according to the degree of congestion in the traveling space, the autonomous traveling robot 2 is able to prevent contact accidents and travel safely.

[0061] Furthermore, the actions permitted during running may be determined based on the attributes of objects present in the running space S. For example, the action determination unit 283 determines whether the moving object present in the running space S is an adult or a child based on the size of the moving object. If the moving object is an adult, the action determination unit 283 determines that the action of the robot arm 21 transitioning between a running position and an action position is the permitted action during running, and if the moving object is a child, the action determination unit 283 determines that the action of the robot arm 21 transitioning between a running position and an action position is the prohibited action during running. Children are likely to be attracted to the moving robot arm 21 and may approach the autonomous running robot 2, which increases the likelihood of a contact accident. By determining the actions permitted during running based on the attributes of moving objects present in the running space S, the autonomous running robot 2 can prevent such contact accidents and travel safely.

[0062] Similarly, the timing determination unit 284 may determine the operation timing based on the attributes of an object present in the traveling space S. If the moving object is an adult, the timing determination unit 284 determines the operation timing to be before the autonomous traveling robot 2 arrives at the position where the security operation is to be performed, and if the moving object is a child, the timing determination unit 284 determines the operation timing to be after the autonomous traveling robot 2 arrives at the position where the security operation is to be performed. By determining the operation timing based on the attributes of the moving objects present in the space, the autonomous traveling robot 2 is able to prevent contact accidents and travel safely.

[0063] The attributes of the object are not limited to the above-described examples. The action determination unit 283 may determine the action permitted during travel based on whether a stationary object present in the travel space S is an important object, such as a fragile item or an expensive item. For example, when a stationary object that is a fragile item or an expensive item is present in the travel space S (particularly, from the current position of the autonomous mobile robot 2 to the position where the security operation is performed), the action determination unit 283 determines the action of the robot arm 21 transitioning between the travel position and the operation position as an action prohibited during travel, and determines the action of the robot arm 21 maintaining the operation position as an action permitted during travel. Similarly, the timing determination unit 284 may determine the action timing based on whether a stationary object present in the travel space S is an important object. For example, when no important object is present in the travel space S, the action timing is determined to be before the autonomous mobile robot 2 arrives at the position where the security operation is performed.

[0064] The action determination unit 283 may also determine actions that are permitted while traveling based on the structure of the facility indicated by the environmental information. The structure of the facility indicated by the environmental information may be whether or not the path from the current position of the autonomous mobile robot 2 to the position where the security operation is to be performed passes through a narrow space (for example, the width of the passageway through which the autonomous mobile robot 2 travels is equal to or less than a predetermined width). For example, if the path from the current position of the autonomous mobile robot 2 to the position where the security operation is to be performed passes through a narrow space, the action determination unit 283 determines that the action of the robot arm 21 transitioning between the traveling position and the operating position is a prohibited action while traveling. In this case, if the extension direction of the robot arm 21 in the operating position satisfies a predetermined condition, the action determination unit 283 determines that the action of the robot arm 21 maintaining the operating position is a permitted action while traveling. Similarly, the timing determination unit 284 may determine the action timing based on the structure of the facility indicated by the environmental information. For example, if the path from the current position of the autonomous mobile robot 2 to the position where the security operation is to be performed does not pass through a narrow space, the action determination unit 283 determines that the action timing is before the autonomous mobile robot 2 arrives at the position where the security operation is to be performed.

[0065] Some steps of the security processing according to the above-described embodiment may be omitted or may be executed in a different order. For example, either step S13 or S14 may be omitted. If step S14 is omitted, in step S15, the arm control unit 285 may control the robot arm 21 before arrival if the operation of the robot arm 21 according to the content of the security operation is permitted while traveling, or may control the robot arm 21 after arrival if the operation of the robot arm 21 according to the content of the security operation is not permitted while traveling.

[0066] Some of the functions of the autonomous mobile robot 2 according to the above-described embodiment may be executed by the server 4. In addition, some or all of the functions of the server 4 may be executed by the autonomous mobile robot 2.

[0067] It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments and modifications may be appropriately combined within the scope of the present invention.

[0068] The autonomous mobile robot according to one embodiment of the present invention can contribute to solving social issues such as a declining labor force and long working hours. In addition, the autonomous mobile robot according to one embodiment of the present invention can contribute to achieving Goal 9 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations, "Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and promote innovation and resilience." [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 2. Autonomous robots 281 Instruction acquisition part 282 Information Acquisition Department 283 Action Decision Unit 284 Timing Determination Unit 285 Arm control unit 286 Motion control section

Claims

1. An autonomous mobile robot that autonomously travels in a travel space and performs a predetermined security operation, a movable part that can be extended from a main body of the autonomous mobile robot; an acquisition unit that acquires environmental information related to the environment of the driving space; a determination unit that determines an operation timing for operating the movable unit to perform the security operation based on the environmental information; a control unit that controls the movable unit at the operation timing; An autonomous mobile robot having the above.

2. the determination unit determines the operation timing to be before the autonomous mobile robot arrives at an execution position of the security operation when the environmental information indicates that the number of other moving objects or the congestion degree in the traveling space is less than a predetermined value. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1 .

3. the determination unit determines the operation timing to be before the autonomous mobile robot arrives at the execution position of the security operation when the autonomous mobile robot is located within a predetermined range from the execution position and the environmental information indicates that the number of other moving objects or the degree of congestion in at least the space surrounding the autonomous mobile robot within the traveling space is less than a predetermined value; The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 2 .

4. The movable unit transitions between a traveling position for traveling and an operating position for performing the security operation, the control unit starts an operation for transitioning the movable unit between the traveling position and the operating position at the determined operation timing. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1 .

5. The movable unit transitions between a traveling position for traveling and an operating position for performing the security operation, When the security operation is completed, if the environmental information indicates that the number of other moving objects or the degree of congestion in at least the space surrounding the autonomous mobile robot within the traveling space is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the decision unit decides the operation timing so that the autonomous mobile robot starts moving after the transition is completed, and if the environmental information indicates that the number of other moving objects or the degree of congestion is less than a predetermined value, the decision unit decides the operation timing so that the autonomous mobile robot is allowed to move before the transition is completed; the control unit starts an operation for transitioning the movable unit from the operating position to the traveling position at the operation timing. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1 .

6. The movable unit transitions between a traveling position for traveling and an operating position for performing the security operation, When the security operation at the first execution position is completed, if the environmental information indicates that the number of other moving objects or the degree of congestion in the travel space from the first execution position to a second execution position of the next security operation is less than a predetermined value, the control unit causes the movable unit to maintain the operation position while the autonomous mobile robot is traveling to the second execution position. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1 .

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