Information processing apparatus, information processing method, computer program, and storage medium

Abstract

To provide an information processing apparatus for searching for a destination of an obstacle in accordance with a situation.SOLUTION: The information processing apparatus includes: obstacle information acquisition means for acquiring information related to an obstacle with respect to a moving body; environment information acquisition means for acquiring environment information around the moving body; and obstacle destination search means for searching for a destination to which the obstacle is to be moved, on the basis of the information related to the obstacle and the environment information, when the obstacle is to be moved to a destination that does not hinder the movement of the moving body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, a computer program, a storage medium, and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, when an autonomous mobile robot encounters an obstacle in its path, it either takes evasive action or, if it cannot avoid the obstacle, takes a detour to another route. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which a cleaning robot does not avoid the obstacle, but instead moves to a predetermined position where the obstacle does not get in the way of cleaning, and then starts cleaning. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6154682 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in Patent Document 1, the destination of the obstacle needs to be determined in advance, and the obstacle cannot be moved to an unknown location. Also, even in a known location, the obstacle cannot be moved if the destination of the obstacle has not been set or if the set destination is in a state where the obstacle cannot be placed.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has an object to provide an information processing device that can search for the destination of an obstacle according to the situation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The information processing device according to the present invention includes: obstacle information acquisition means for acquiring information about an obstacle to a moving object; environmental information acquisition means for acquiring environmental information around the moving object; and an obstacle destination searching means for searching for a destination where the obstacle should be moved to, based on the information about the obstacle and the environmental information, so that the destination does not obstruct the passage of the moving body. It is characterized by: [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an information processing device that is capable of searching for the destination of an obstacle according to the situation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a usage scene of an information processing device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing device 100 according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing device 100 according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of an information processing method executed by the information processing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a search procedure in step S105 in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for searching for a destination of an obstacle in the second embodiment. [Figure 7] 11 is a flowchart showing an example of processing in step S106 of obstacle removal determination according to the third embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an information processing device according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are flowcharts illustrating an example of a processing procedure according to a fifth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. In each drawing, the same members or elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions will be omitted or simplified.

[0010] <Embodiment 1> In the first embodiment, an example will be described in which a destination of an obstacle is searched for in order to move the obstacle so as not to obstruct the passage of a moving object.

[0011] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a usage scene of the information processing device according to the first embodiment. The shaded areas in Fig. 1 are impassable areas due to walls, fixtures, etc., and the area between the shaded areas is a passable passage. Fig. 1 shows a situation in which a moving object 200 detects an obstacle 201 on the passage while moving along the passage.

[0012] 1, the distance between the obstacle 201 and the impassable area indicated by the diagonal lines is narrower than the width of the moving body 200, and is insufficient for the moving body 200 to pass through. Therefore, in this embodiment, a destination of the obstacle 201 that will allow the moving body 200 to pass through is searched for.

[0013] After the destination is determined by the search, the moving body 200 itself may move the obstacle 201 to the destination, or another moving body may move the obstacle 201. In this embodiment, the moving body 200 is an autonomous mobile robot equipped with a stereo camera, and moves autonomously by measuring its own position using SLAM (Simultaneous Localization And Mapping) technology.

[0014] Also, object recognition is performed based on images captured by the stereo camera of the moving body 200 to recognize surrounding objects including an obstacle 201. Furthermore, surveying using SLAM technology measures the distance between two points and the width of an object, and identifies the position of the object.

[0015] Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the information processing device 100 according to embodiment 1. Note that some of the functional blocks shown in Fig. 2 are realized by causing a CPU or the like serving as a computer included in the information processing device to execute a computer program stored in a memory serving as a storage medium.

[0016] However, some or all of these functions may be implemented by hardware, which may be a dedicated circuit (ASIC) or a processor (reconfigurable processor, DSP).

[0017] 2 may not be contained in the same housing, but may be configured as separate devices connected to each other via signal paths. The above explanation regarding FIG. 2 also applies to FIG. 8.

[0018] The obstacle information acquisition unit 101 functions as an obstacle information acquisition means that acquires information about an obstacle 201 that obstructs the passage of the moving body 200 from the sensor 104. In this embodiment, an object that obstructs the passage and is in the traveling direction of the moving body 200 is detected as the obstacle 201 based on an image acquired from the sensor 104 such as a stereo camera.

[0019] The sensor 104 may be a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) or TOF (Time Of Flight) sensor.

[0020] At this time, the position information of the obstacle 201 is acquired. Specifically, the spatial area occupied by the obstacle 201 is approximated by a rectangular parallelepiped, and the position information of each edge of the rectangular parallelepiped is acquired. The position information of the obstacle 201 is acquired as coordinates on a map created by the SLAM technology.

[0021] Furthermore, the position information of the obstacle 201 only needs to know the position information of the side extending in the height direction of the obstacle 201, and in particular, it is sufficient to acquire the position information of the three sides so that the size of the obstacle 201 in the width direction and depth direction can be known.

[0022] The environmental information acquisition unit 102 functions as an environmental information acquisition means for acquiring environmental information around the mobile object 200. In this embodiment, the environmental information acquisition unit 102 acquires position information of the ends in the width direction of the passageway through which the mobile object 200 is moving. The environmental information may be acquired from a sensor 104 such as a stereo camera, or may be acquired based on a map downloaded from an external server or the like.

[0023] The obstacle destination searching unit 103 searches for a destination where the obstacle 201 should be moved to, based on the information about the obstacle 201 acquired by the obstacle information acquiring unit 101 and the environmental information acquired by the environmental information acquiring unit 102. The obstacle destination searching unit 103 functions as an obstacle destination searching means.

[0024] Based on the search result, the obstacle movement execution determination unit 105 determines whether or not to move the obstacle 201 to the movement destination. If it is determined that the obstacle 201 should be moved, for example, the position and orientation control unit 106 moves the obstacle 201 using the moving body 200, and then moves the moving body 200 so as to avoid the obstacle 201. If the obstacle 201 is not to be moved, the moving body is controlled to take a different route that does not pass through the passage where the obstacle is located.

[0025] In this embodiment, the information processing device 100 is assumed to be mounted on the mobile object 200. However, the information processing device 100 may be provided on a server or an external operation terminal provided at a location separate from the mobile object, or on an instance on a cloud, etc.

[0026] 3 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the information processing device 100 according to the first embodiment. Reference numeral 31 denotes a CPU as a computer, which executes a CPU control program to perform the processing of this embodiment and also controls various devices connected to a system bus 38.

[0027] Reference numeral 32 denotes a ROM that stores a BIOS program and a boot program. Reference numeral 33 denotes a RAM that is used as a main storage device for the CPU 31. A storage unit 34 is an HDD, SSD, or flash memory that stores computer programs executed by the CPU 31 of the information processing device 100.

[0028] The storage unit 34 may be an external storage medium such as a CD, DVD, USB memory, SD card, etc. The input unit 35 is a keyboard, mouse, robot controller, etc., and performs processing related to input of information, etc.

[0029] The display unit 36 ​​outputs a display signal for outputting the calculation results of the information processing device 100 to a display device. The display device may be of any type, such as a liquid crystal display device, a projector, or an LED indicator. The display device may be separate from the information processing device. Instead of or in addition to a display, a sound notification may be provided.

[0030] Reference numeral 37 denotes an I / O such as a communication interface, which communicates information with external devices. The communication interface can be a local area network, or any type such as USB, serial communication, or wireless communication. The I / O 37 also receives output information from various sensors or other information processing devices.

[0031] Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the information processing method executed by the information processing device according to embodiment 1. Note that the CPU or the like serving as a computer in the information processing device reads and executes a computer program stored in a memory serving as a storage medium, thereby sequentially performing the operations of the steps in the flowchart of Fig. 4.

[0032] In this embodiment, this process is initiated when the moving body 200 is powered on or starts moving. In step S101, the information processing device 100 is initialized. That is, a program is read from the storage unit 34, and the information processing device 100 is put into an operable state. In addition, various setting parameters are read from the storage unit 34 as necessary. For example, these are parameters related to the width of the moving body 200 and a predetermined widthwise margin of the space through which the moving body 200 passes.

[0033] In step S102, when an obstacle 201 is detected, the obstacle information acquisition unit 101 acquires position information and size information of the obstacle 201. Here, step S102 functions as an obstacle information acquisition step for acquiring information about an obstacle to the moving object 200.

[0034] If no obstacle is detected, the process does not proceed to step S103, but repeats this step until an obstacle is detected.

[0035] In step S103, the environmental information acquisition unit 102 acquires position information of the widthwise end of the passage through which the moving object 200 is moving based on the output of the sensor 104 such as a stereo camera. Here, step S103 functions as an environmental information acquisition step for acquiring environmental information around the moving object.

[0036] In step S104, it is determined whether or not it is possible to pass through while avoiding the obstacle. If the determination in step S104 is Yes, the process returns to step S102, and if the determination is No, the process proceeds to step S105.

[0037] In step S105, the obstacle destination search unit 103 searches for the destination of the obstacle 201 based on the position information and size information of the obstacle 201 acquired in step S102 and the position information of the passage end acquired in step S103.

[0038] Here, step S105 functions as an obstacle destination searching step that searches for a destination where the obstacle is to be moved to a destination that does not obstruct the passage of the moving body, based on information about the obstacle and environmental information.

[0039] As the destination, a destination of the obstacle 201 is searched for that can secure space for the moving body 200 to pass through while avoiding the obstacle 201. That is, the obstacle destination search unit 103 searches for a position that can secure space for the moving body 200 to pass through while avoiding the obstacle, as the destination of the obstacle.

[0040] Specifically, the destination of the obstacle 201 is searched for so that the distance from the widthwise end position of the obstacle 201 included in the position information and size information of the obstacle 201 to the widthwise end position of the passage is equal to the width of the moving body 200 plus a predetermined margin.

[0041] Note that after obstacle movement is determined in step S106, before the movement of the obstacle 201 is started in step S107, or further during or at the end of the movement, the display unit 36 ​​may display or notify the user, people nearby, or the manager of the moving object 200, or may notify them by voice. Alternatively, the notification may be made by voice together with the display.

[0042] This allows the user and people around to be aware of dangers and problems that may accompany the obstacle movement when the moving object moves over the obstacle. The above-mentioned notification may be made by a warning sound, a warning light, etc. Furthermore, in addition to the fact that the obstacle is being moved, information about the destination determined by the obstacle destination search unit 103 may also be notified.

[0043] The administrator of the moving object 200 can decide whether to move the obstacle by notifying the administrator's server or mobile terminal via the I / O 37. The administrator may also notify other moving objects in the vicinity to instruct them to move the obstacle.

[0044] Thereafter, in step S106, it is determined whether to move the obstacle 201. The information processing device 100 may be configured so that the user can set whether to move the obstacle 201. Alternatively, the user may be able to set whether to move the obstacle 201 depending on the result of estimating the type, size, weight, etc. of the obstacle based on image recognition or the like.

[0045] Alternatively, in step S106, the obstacle movement execution determination unit 105 may determine to move the obstacle 201 when the destination of the obstacle 201 has been determined by the obstacle movement destination search unit 103. Furthermore, the obstacle movement execution determination unit 105 may determine not to move the obstacle 201 when the destination of the obstacle 201 has not been determined.

[0046] That is, when the destination of the movement of the obstacle 201 is determined to be a position close to the edge of the passage, if the width of the passage is narrow and the distance from the edge of the obstacle 201 to the edge of the passage is less than the width of the moving object 200 plus a margin, the destination of the movement cannot be determined. For this reason, in step S106, it may be determined that the obstacle will not be moved.

[0047] In addition to cases other than when the passage width is narrow, for example, when an obstacle is to be lifted and moved, the moving body 200 may determine not to move the obstacle if the moving body 200 does not have sufficient capacity to lift the obstacle and no other destination can be determined. Also, if the destination of the obstacle 201 is a place that will obstruct other moving bodies, such as in front of a door or a place with heavy foot traffic, the moving body 200 may determine not to move the obstacle 201.

[0048] If it is determined in step S106 that the obstacle should be moved, the process proceeds to step S107, where the obstacle 201 is moved to a position where it does not obstruct the passage of the moving object 200. If it is determined No in step S106, the process proceeds to step S108.

[0049] In step S108, it is determined whether there is a detour route that does not pass through the passage containing obstacle 201, and if the determination is Yes, the detour route is followed in step S109. On the other hand, if the determination is No in step S108, a warning is displayed to the user using display unit 36 ​​in step S110. After steps S107, S109, and S110, the process proceeds to step S111.

[0050] In step S111, when the power supply of the moving body 200 is turned off, when the moving body 200 has finished moving, or when it is determined that there is no means to move the obstacle, it is determined that the processing has ended, and the flow of Fig. 4 is ended. If it is not determined that the processing has ended, the process returns to step S102 and the processing is repeated.

[0051] If it is determined that there is no means to move the obstacle, the display unit 36 ​​may display a message to the user or a warning. Instead of or in addition to the display, a voice notification may be given.

[0052] In step S104, if the moving body can avoid the obstacle by changing the way it passes, it may be determined as Yes. For example, if the width and height of the obstacle 201 are acquired, and the width is smaller than the length between the wheels of the moving body 200 and the height is lower than the minimum ground clearance of the moving body 200, it may be determined that the moving body 200 passes over the obstacle 201, and it may be determined as Yes in step S104.

[0053] Furthermore, if the width of the moving body or the width of the cargo carried by the moving body is different in the vertical and horizontal directions, for example, if the horizontal width is narrow, it is possible for the moving body to pass between the obstacle and the aisle edge if the horizontal width is shorter than the length between the obstacle and the aisle edge, so the answer may be Yes in step S104.

[0054] Also, if the moving object can change its size by folding its arms, for example, and if the moving object can pass by reducing its size, it may be determined as "Yes" in step S104. In this way, in the first embodiment, it is determined whether or not to move the obstacle based on the determination of whether the moving object can pass while avoiding the obstacle.

[0055] Fig. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the search procedure in step S105 in embodiment 1. The example of Fig. 5 shows a case where an obstacle 201 is present in a position that obstructs the passage of a moving object 200, similar to Fig. 1.

[0056] In this embodiment, a destination of the obstacle 201 is searched for so that the distance 202 from the edge of the obstacle 201 to the edge of the passage in the width direction is equal to or greater than the width 203 of the moving object 200 plus a margin 204. If the obstacle 201 is moved to the destination 205 determined by this search, the moving object 200 will be able to pass between the obstacle 201 and the end of the passage.

[0057] As described above, in this embodiment, a destination for moving an obstacle to a position that does not obstruct the passage of a moving object is searched for, so that the destination for moving the obstacle can be determined so that it is an appropriate distance from the end of the passage depending on the situation. Furthermore, by moving the obstacle to the determined destination, the moving object can pass through while avoiding the obstacle.

[0058] In the first embodiment, the spatial region occupied by the obstacle is approximated by a rectangular parallelepiped, and the position information of three of the edges of the rectangular parallelepiped is acquired as the position information of the obstacle. However, if the position information of the three edges cannot be acquired due to a blind spot, the mobile object 200 may be moved to a position where the invisible edges are visible.

[0059] Furthermore, the acquired position information of the obstacle is not limited to the position information of three sides, and the width of the obstacle may be acquired from the position information of two sides of the obstacle. In this case, if the passage width is longer than the width of the obstacle 201 and the width of the moving object 200 plus a margin, the obstacle destination search unit 103 can determine that if the obstacle 201 is moved to the edge of the passage, a space that allows the moving object 200 to pass through can be secured. Therefore, the destination of the obstacle 201 can be determined so that it is closer to the edge of the passage.

[0060] In addition, the environmental map created by SLAM technology can be used as a grid map to obtain the shape of the grid occupied by an obstacle and its position information. By doing so, even if the shape of the obstacle is a cylinder, sphere, etc., the area occupied by the obstacle can be approximated by the shape of the grid where the obstacle exists.

[0061] In addition, in the first embodiment, the SLAM technology using a stereo camera is applied to acquire information about obstacles. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and information about obstacles may be acquired using a monocular camera using an image sensor of an image plane phase difference detection type, or a LiDAR or ToF sensor as described above.

[0062] Alternatively, multiple images captured by a monocular camera at different positions can be used to obtain multiple images with different parallax, and the position information of obstacles can be obtained from these multiple images. Object recognition can also be performed from images captured by an overhead camera that captures an overhead view of the passage, and the position information and width of obstacle objects can be obtained.

[0063] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the position of the widthwise end of the passage is acquired as environmental information, but this is not limited to this. Information on the increase or decrease in the passage width may also be acquired as information on the position of a passage whose width is wider than the width of the passage in which the obstacle is located.

[0064] The method of acquisition can be to determine whether the aisle width is widening or not using SLAM technology surveying and acquire the location of that widening. Alternatively, map information can be acquired from a server, etc., and information on the location where the aisle width is wider than the current location can be acquired based on that map.

[0065] Also, instead of location information of the place where the aisle width is wide, it is also possible to acquire the distance from the current location of the obstacle to the place where the aisle width is wide. Similarly, location information of the place where an intersection is located may also be acquired, because the aisle width is wide at an intersection.

[0066] That is, when there is a place where the passage width widens (including a place where the passage width temporarily widens due to an empty space) or an intersection within a predetermined range of the obstacle 201, the obstacle destination search unit 103 determines the place where the passage width widens or the side road of the intersection as the destination of the obstacle 201.

[0067] In this way, by moving the obstacle to a place where the passage width is wider or to a side road at an intersection, space can be secured for the moving body 200 to pass through while avoiding the obstacle 201, allowing the moving body to pass through.

[0068] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, an example of using SLAM technology using a stereo camera to acquire environmental information has been described, but this is not limited to this, and environmental information may also be acquired using SLAM technology using a monocular camera, LiDAR, ToF sensor, etc.

[0069] In addition, SLAM technology may be used to acquire position information of the width direction ends of the aisle, or parallax may be used with a stereo camera, or position information of the width direction ends of the aisle may be acquired by parallax using images captured by a monocular camera at different positions.In addition, object recognition may be performed on images captured by an overhead camera that captures images of the aisle from above to acquire position information of the width direction ends of the aisle.

[0070] Alternatively, a map of the environment in which the mobile body 200 moves may be stored in the memory unit 34 of the mobile body 200 or in a database of a server or the like that can communicate through the I / O 37, and the map may be acquired to obtain the location information of each object registered on the map.

[0071] In the first embodiment, a destination of the obstacle 201 is searched for such that the distance from the edge of the obstacle 201 to the edge of the passage in the width direction is equal to the width of the moving object 200 plus a margin. This is because, taking into consideration the time wasted for moving the obstacle 201 and the battery usage of the moving object 200, the destination with the shortest travel distance is selected, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0072] That is, the obstacle may be moved to any position as long as the distance from the edge of the obstacle 201 to the edge of the passage in the width direction is longer than the width of the moving body 200 plus a margin. For example, the obstacle may be moved to the edge of the passage in the width direction, or may be moved to a position with a preset margin from the edge of the passage in the width direction.

[0073] Even in this way, the distance from the edge of the obstacle 201 to the edge of the passage in the width direction is longer than the width of the moving body 200 plus a margin, and a space can be secured for the moving body 200 to pass through while avoiding the obstacle 201.

[0074] Alternatively, the destination may be searched for taking into consideration feasible movement methods of the moving body 200. First, the environment information acquisition unit 102 acquires position information of candidate destinations, such as shelves or desks. At this time, the positions of the four corners or four sides of the flat space on the shelf or desk may be acquired as position information of the empty space on the shelf or desk. Then, a flag indicating whether the moving body 200 has lifting capability, which is stored in advance in the storage unit 34, is acquired.

[0075] If the moving body 200 has the ability to lift the obstacle 201, there is a shelf or desk near the obstacle 201, and there is space on the shelf or desk where the obstacle 201 can be placed, the empty space on the shelf or desk may be determined as the destination of the obstacle 201.

[0076] This not only enables the moving body to pass through while avoiding the obstacle, but also removes the obstacle from the passage so that it does not hinder the passage of other moving bodies. In this way, in this embodiment, it may be determined whether to move the obstacle based on whether the destination of the obstacle will hinder the passage of other moving bodies.

[0077] At this time, information on the weight and size of the object that can be lifted by the moving body 200, which is stored in advance in the storage unit 34, may be acquired, and it may be determined whether the weight and size of the obstacle 201 can be lifted.

[0078] At that time, the obstacle information acquisition unit 101 may recognize the material of the obstacle 201 from an image of the obstacle 201, and estimate the weight of the obstacle 201 from the size and material of the obstacle 201. For example, the estimated weight may be defined in a matrix table of the size and material of the obstacle 201, or the weight predicted by machine learning may be acquired from the image of the obstacle 201.

[0079] Then, information on the weight of the object that can be lifted by the moving body 200, which is stored in the storage unit 34, may be acquired, and it may be determined whether or not the estimated weight of the obstacle 201 can be lifted. Alternatively, the obstacle information acquisition unit 101 may acquire the height, inclination, shape, etc. of the obstacle 201, and determine whether or not the obstacle 201 can be lifted, taking into consideration the balance when the obstacle 201 is lifted.

[0080] Specifically, if the obstacle is high, has a steep incline, or is larger at the top than at the bottom, it is likely to lose balance and fall over, so height thresholds, incline thresholds, and movable shape information can be stored and used to determine whether or not it can be lifted.

[0081] Furthermore, it may be determined not only whether the moving body 200 can lift the obstacle 201 but also whether it can move while lifted. Alternatively, it may be determined whether the obstacle 201 will be deformed when pushed, pulled, or lifted by estimating the hardness of the material of the obstacle 201, and if it is predicted that the obstacle 201 will be significantly deformed, it may be determined that the obstacle cannot be moved.

[0082] Furthermore, if the moving body 200 has the ability to lift the obstacle 201, the destination of the obstacle 201 may be determined to be behind the moving direction of the moving body 200. In this case, the moving body 200 may turn 180° while the obstacle 201 is lifted, and then the obstacle 201 may be lowered behind the moving direction of the moving body 200, and the moving body 200 may be turned 180° again and the moving body 200 may resume moving.

[0083] In this way, if the obstacle is behind the moving body, it is highly likely that it can be determined as the destination of the obstacle, and the possibility of passage of the moving body increases. Also, in the first embodiment, the obstacle 201 is moved laterally (for example, perpendicularly to the passage) with respect to the traveling direction of the moving body 200, but this is not limiting, and the angle and position of the destination with respect to the traveling direction of the moving body 200 do not matter.

[0084] For example, if the moving object 200 cannot avoid the obstacle 201, it cannot get between the obstacle 201 and the edge of the passage, and it is often difficult to push the obstacle 201 sideways in the direction of travel.

[0085] For this reason, when the obstacle 201 is pushed, the destination of the obstacle 201 may be determined to be diagonally behind the moving direction of the moving object 200. Similarly, when the obstacle 201 is pulled, the destination of the obstacle 201 may be determined to be diagonally in front, and when the obstacle 201 is lifted, the destination of the obstacle 201 may be determined to be directly to the side in order to shorten the moving distance.

[0086] <Embodiment 2> Furthermore, these multiple destination search methods may be combined, and the search methods may be prioritized.

[0087] Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for searching for the destination of an obstacle in embodiment 2, and the process in Fig. 6 is executed as step S105 in Fig. 4. Note that the operation of each step in the flowchart in Fig. 6 is performed sequentially by a CPU or the like serving as a computer in the information processing device executing a computer program stored in a memory.

[0088] In step S201, it is determined whether the moving object 200 can pass if the obstacle 201 is moved closer to the edge of the passage (the edge in the width direction of the passage). Specifically, if the width of the passage is longer than the sum of the width of the obstacle 201, the width of the moving object 200, and a predetermined margin, it can be determined that the moving object 200 can pass if the obstacle 201 is moved closer to the edge of the passage. If it is determined that the moving object 200 can pass, the process proceeds to step S202. If it is not determined that the moving object 200 can pass, the process proceeds to step S203.

[0089] In step S202, the destination of the obstacle 201 is determined to be the end of the passage. In step S203, it is determined whether there is a place where the passage widens. Since it is known in step S201 that the passage width at the position of the obstacle 201 is narrow, it is determined whether there is a place before or after the direction of travel where the passage width is sufficiently wider than the passage width at the position of the obstacle 201.

[0090] As described above, the locations where the passage is sufficiently wide and the information on these locations are acquired from the sensor 104 or map information. When determining whether or not there is a location where the passage width is sufficiently wide in step S203, it is determined whether or not the passage width at that location is wide enough for the mobile object 200 to pass through, similar to step S201.

[0091] Also, if there are multiple locations where the passage width is sufficiently wide, the location closest to the current position of the obstacle 201 may be selected. If there is a location where the passage width is sufficiently wide in step S203, the process proceeds to step S204. If there is no location where the passage width is sufficiently wide, the process proceeds to step S205.

[0092] In step S204, a location where the passage is sufficiently wide is determined as the destination of the obstacle 201. In step S205, it is determined whether there are any intersections before or after the traveling direction. If there is an intersection, it is determined that if the obstacle 201 is moved to a side road, the moving object 200 will be able to pass through while avoiding the obstacle 201.

[0093] As described above, the intersection information is acquired from the sensor 104 or map information. In step S205, it may be determined whether the width of the side road of the intersection is longer than the width of the obstacle 201 plus a margin. If it is determined in step S205 that an intersection exists, the process proceeds to step S206. If it is determined that an intersection does not exist, the process proceeds to step S207. In step S206, the side road of the intersection is determined as the destination of the obstacle 201.

[0094] In step S207, it is determined whether the moving body 200 has the ability to lift the obstacle 201. For example, if the moving body 200 has the ability to lift the obstacle 201 by slipping a pedestal installed on the top of the moving body 200 under the obstacle 201, it can be determined that the moving body 200 has the ability to lift the obstacle 201.

[0095] Alternatively, if the moving body 200 has something like a bulldozer blade or an arm that can grab an object, it can be determined that it has the ability to lift the obstacle 201. Flags indicating whether or not the moving body 200 has the lifting ability can be stored in advance in the storage unit 34, and that information can be acquired.

[0096] Alternatively, in step S207, it may be determined by trying whether the moving body 200 can actually lift the obstacle 201. The determination method is as described above. If it is determined in step S207 that the moving body 200 has the ability to lift the obstacle 201, the process proceeds to step S208. If it is determined that the moving body 200 does not have the ability to lift the obstacle 201, the flow in FIG. 6 ends.

[0097] In step S208, it is determined whether there is a shelf or desk near the current position. If there is a shelf or desk near the obstacle 201, the obstacle 201 can be placed there so that the moving object 200 can pass by avoiding the obstacle 201.

[0098] Also, in step S208, it may be further determined whether there is an empty space on a shelf or desk where the obstacle 201 can be placed. If it is determined in step S208 that there is a shelf or desk, the process proceeds to step S209. If it is determined that there is no shelf or desk, the process proceeds to step S210.

[0099] In step S209, the top of a shelf or a desk is determined as the destination of the obstacle 201. In step S210, the rear of the moving direction of the moving body 200 is determined as the destination of the obstacle 201. That is, the moving body 200 lifts up the obstacle 201, turns 180°, and places the obstacle 201 behind the moving direction of the moving body 200. Thereafter, the moving body 200 turns 180° again, and returns to a state where it can move along the predetermined moving path.

[0100] In this way, the end of the passage (the end in the width direction of the passage) where the moving distance of the obstacle 201 is short may be given a high priority as a destination, followed by a place where the passage is wide, and then a side road of an intersection, so that a better destination can be searched for preferentially.

[0101] Side roads at intersections have low priority because they may obstruct other moving objects, and destinations that require lifting an obstacle have low priority because lifting an obstacle is not very efficient, as it takes a long time and lifting a heavy object consumes a lot of power.

[0102] However, since placing it on a shelf or desk will not get in the way of other moving objects, in situations where order is a priority, it may be possible to give higher priority to the top of a shelf or desk as a destination. Also, if the robot has the ability to lift various obstacles, it may be possible to give higher priority to the area behind itself. This is because there is a high possibility that the area behind itself will be determined as a destination in any case.

[0103] The user may be allowed to set the priority of the obstacle destination, or the user may be allowed to change some of the priorities of the destinations that have been set in advance. The obstacle destination search unit 103 may search for a destination from among these multiple destinations based on the obstacle movement cost.

[0104] For example, if the movement cost of an intersection is smaller than that of a location where the passage widens, the side road of the intersection may be determined as the destination of the obstacle 201. The obstacle movement cost may be the travel distance when moving the obstacle 201 to the destination, or the travel time required to move that travel distance. Alternatively, the obstacle movement cost may be a weighted sum of the travel distance and the travel time.

[0105] In this case, the travel distance and travel time may be calculated based on a travel route that takes into account the shape of the passageway and the arrangement of fixtures obtained from the map information in the database. Alternatively, the environmental information acquisition unit 102 may acquire the slope of the passageway and the material of the floor surface, and the travel time and power consumption may be calculated taking into account the friction associated with the slope of the passageway and the material of the floor surface, and these may be included in the obstacle travel cost.

[0106] In this case, the obstacle movement cost will be high if the passageway slopes uphill or if the floor material has a high coefficient of friction. The obstacle movement cost may also be calculated taking into account the method of obstacle movement.

[0107] That is, when the obstacle 201 is pushed, pulled, or lifted, the travel time for the same obstacle will vary depending on the capabilities of the moving body 200, so the travel time can be calculated taking into account the travel method and used as the obstacle travel cost.

[0108] The moving time can also be calculated taking into account the weight of the obstacle. As an example of this calculation method, a matrix table is prepared that combines the weight of the obstacle with the moving distance. For example, estimated times can be stored in advance, such as 10 seconds to push a 10 kg object 1 m, and 15 seconds to push a 20 kg object 1 m, and the time that meets these conditions can be used as the obstacle moving cost.

[0109] The method for calculating the weight of an obstacle is as described above. The obstacle movement cost may also be calculated taking into account the height and inclination of the obstacle. Since a tall or inclined obstacle may lose balance when moved, the obstacle movement cost may be increased as the height or inclination increases.

[0110] Furthermore, the obstacle movement cost may be calculated taking into account the direction of tilt. If an obstacle is pushed from the direction in which its upper part is tilted, the upper part may collapse. Therefore, the obstacle movement cost may be set higher the closer the obstacle is pushed to the direction in which its upper part is tilted. Furthermore, these obstacle movement costs may be combined or weighted to calculate the obstacle movement cost.

[0111] Alternatively, the amount of work or power consumption required for the movement may be used as the obstacle movement cost instead of the distance traveled or the time spent moving. Furthermore, taking into consideration the possibility of the obstacle being damaged by contact with the obstacle by the mobile object itself or its arm, a cost according to the value of the obstacle and the distance traveled may be added to the obstacle movement cost. As described above, the obstacle movement cost is calculated based on at least one of the distance traveled, time traveled, power consumption, and method of moving the obstacle to its destination.

[0112] In this way, by selecting a destination with a low obstacle moving cost, it is possible to move the obstacle more efficiently. A destination with a low obstacle moving cost may be a destination with the lowest obstacle moving cost, or a destination with an obstacle moving cost equal to or less than a predetermined threshold.

[0113] Furthermore, when moving the obstacle 201 to the end of the passage, the state of the road shoulder and wall surface may be taken into consideration. The state of the road shoulder and wall surface is acquired by the environmental information acquisition unit 102. The state of the road shoulder refers to the slope of the road shoulder and the presence or absence of a gutter.

[0114] If the shoulder of the road is sloped or has a gutter, it may not be suitable as a destination for the obstacle, so the destination may be a place without a slope or gutter, rather than the end of the aisle.Similarly, if the wall surface is uneven due to protrusions or luggage, the destination may be a place where the obstacle will not collide with the protrusions, rather than the end of the aisle.

[0115] Alternatively, the destination of the obstacle may be determined by machine learning. For example, locations where obstacles have been moved by a person to allow a moving object to pass through, or locations where a moving object can pass through calculated by simulation, may be learned by machine learning. Then, the destination of the obstacle may be determined based on the inference results obtained by inputting obstacle information and environmental information when the moving object passes through.

[0116] If there is a detour route that allows the moving body 200 to reach the final destination without passing through the passage containing the obstacle 201, the detour travel cost when changing to the detour route may be compared with the obstacle travel cost when the obstacle is moved. If the detour travel cost when changing to the detour route is lower than the obstacle travel cost when the obstacle is moved, the moving body 200 may change to the detour route without moving the obstacle.

[0117] In the above embodiment, the information processing device 100 is mounted on the moving body 200 so that the moving body 200 itself can search for the destination of the obstacle 201, but this is not limited to this, and as mentioned above, the information processing device 100 may be mounted on a server, an external operating terminal, or an instance on the cloud.

[0118] In this case, the moving body 200 appropriately communicates and transmits position information of the object recognized by the stereo camera to the information processing device 100 via the I / O 37. Then, the information processing device 100 searches for the destination of the obstacle.

[0119] Furthermore, when using an overhead camera that can take a bird's-eye view of the passageway to obtain information about obstacles and environmental information, various types of information may be obtained by direct communication between the overhead camera and the information processing device 100 installed on a server, an external operating terminal, or an instance on the cloud.

[0120] Thereafter, the destination of the obstacle 201 determined by the information processing device 100 searching for the destination of the obstacle may be received via the I / O 37, and the moving body 200 may control itself to move the obstacle 201 to the destination. Alternatively, the information processing device 100 may determine the control content and transmit it to the moving body 200, and the moving body 200 may act in accordance with the control instructions.

[0121] In the above embodiment, the moving body 200 is an autonomous mobile robot, but it is not limited to this and may be a robot or transport vehicle operated by a person, or a moving body with a person on board. In this case, a person manually moves the obstacle 201 to the destination determined by the information processing device 100, and after the movement, the moving body 200 can pass while avoiding the obstacle. Furthermore, the moving body that moves the obstacle 201 may be a moving body different from the moving body 200 that is blocked by the obstacle 201.

[0122] <Embodiment 3> In the third embodiment, an example will be described in which it is determined whether or not to move an obstacle based on the movement cost incurred when moving the obstacle.

[0123] Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing example of step S106 of obstacle removal determination according to embodiment 3. Note that the operation of each step in the flowchart in Fig. 7 is performed sequentially by a CPU or the like serving as a computer in the information processing device executing a computer program stored in a memory.

[0124] In step S701, it is determined whether the obstacle can be moved. That is, the type of the obstacle is recognized by image recognition. For example, in the case of a mark, a signboard, a pylon, etc. indicating that road construction is in progress, it is determined as No in step S701 and the process proceeds to step S707, and it is determined not to move the obstacle. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S701 that the obstacle can be moved, the process proceeds to step S702.

[0125] That is, the obstacle is recognized by image recognition, and it is determined whether the object has a constraint on the placement location. If the object has a constraint on the placement location (that is, it is better not to move), it is determined not to move the obstacle.

[0126] Therefore, specifically, an object with a constraint on the placement location (that is, it is better not to move) is stored in advance. When the object is detected as the obstacle 201, it is determined not to move the obstacle 201. Thus, it may be determined whether to move the obstacle based on the determination of whether there is a constraint regarding the movement destination of the obstacle.

[0127] In step S702, it is determined whether the movement route of the obstacle has been determined. If it is determined as Yes, the process proceeds to step S703. If it is determined as No, the process proceeds to step S707. In step S703, the obstacle movement cost C1 is calculated. Here, step S703 functions as an obstacle movement cost calculation step (obstacle movement cost calculation means) for calculating the obstacle movement cost when moving the obstacle to the movement destination.

[0128] Furthermore, in step S704, the detour movement cost C2 is calculated. Then, in step S705, it is determined whether C1 < C2. If it is determined as Yes in step S705, the process proceeds to step S706. If it is determined as No, the process proceeds to step S707.

[0129] The obstacle movement cost C1 and the detour movement cost C2 may be calculated as described above. The obstacle movement cost may be the cost for another moving body to move the obstacle instead of the moving body 200. In this case, the cost for the other moving body to move to the location of the obstacle and the damage cost when the task in progress of the other moving body is interrupted may be included in the obstacle movement cost.

[0130] In step S706, it is determined that the obstacle is to be moved, and in step S707, it is determined that the obstacle is not to be moved. Here, steps S705 to S707 function as an obstacle movement execution determination step (obstacle movement execution determination means) that determines whether or not to move the obstacle based on the obstacle movement cost. When steps S706 and S707 are completed, the flow in Fig. 7 ends.

[0131] If it is determined in step S706 that the obstacle is to be moved, then the answer is Yes in step S106 of Fig. 4 and the process proceeds to step S107. If it is determined in step S707 that the obstacle is not to be moved, then the answer is No in step S106 of Fig. 4 and the process proceeds to step S108.

[0132] In this embodiment, the process of determining whether to move the obstacle in step S106 is performed based on the movement cost of moving the obstacle, as shown in the flow of Fig. 7. If the obstacle movement cost C1 is lower than the detour movement cost C2, it is determined that the obstacle 201 should be moved, and if the opposite is true, the obstacle 201 is not moved. This prevents the obstacle from being moved at a high cost.

[0133] In the third embodiment, the obstacle may be moved if the obstacle movement cost when moving the obstacle is lower than a predetermined threshold. The detour movement cost may include at least one of the distance of the detour and the travel time when the mobile object 200 travels through the detour.

[0134] In this case, the travel distance and travel time of the detour route may be calculated based on the detour route that takes into consideration the shape of the passageway, the layout of fixtures, etc., obtained from the map information in the database. Also, the travel distance and travel time of the detour route may be calculated taking into consideration the gradient of the detour route and the friction of the floor surface.

[0135] Alternatively, the detour travel cost may be determined based on the amount of work or power consumption required to travel along the detour, rather than the travel distance or travel time of the detour.The detour travel cost may also be calculated by combining or weighting these costs.

[0136] In the third embodiment, if the obstacle is a sign, signboard, pylon, or the like indicating that construction is underway, the answer in step S701 is determined to be No, the process proceeds to step S707, and it is determined that the obstacle will not be moved.

[0137] However, if the obstacle 201 is a parcel or the like, the answer to step S701 may be "No," the process may proceed to step S707, and it may be determined that the obstacle should not be moved. That is, a parcel left at a front door indicates that the parcel is intended for the resident of the house where the front door is located, and the location is specified.

[0138] <Embodiment 4> In this embodiment, an example will be described in which an attempt is made to see if an obstacle can be moved. The attempt means, for example, moving the obstacle a predetermined distance (a relatively short distance such as 10 cm). In this embodiment, after the obstacle is moved and the moving object passes through, the obstacle is returned to its original position.

[0139] 8 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing device 100 according to embodiment 4. The obstacle movement trial unit 107 attempts to actually move the obstacle 201 by a predetermined distance using the moving body 200. To achieve this, it controls the movement of the moving body 200. Here, the obstacle movement trial unit 107 functions as an obstacle movement trial means for moving the obstacle by the predetermined distance.

[0140] The obstacle position storage unit 108 functions as an obstacle position storage means that stores the position of the obstacle 201 before it is moved. The obstacle return method determination unit 109 functions as an obstacle return method determination means that determines a method for moving and returning the obstacle 201 after it has been moved to the position of the obstacle 201 before it was moved that is stored in the obstacle position storage unit 108. Note that blocks with the same reference numerals as those in Figure 2 have the same functions as the blocks in Figure 2, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0141] Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure according to embodiment 4. Note that the operation of each step in the flowchart in Fig. 9 is performed sequentially by a CPU or the like serving as a computer in an information processing device executing a computer program stored in a memory. Note that steps with the same reference numerals as those in Fig. 4 perform the same processing as those in Fig. 4, and therefore their explanation will be omitted.

[0142] 9, step S901 is an obstacle movement trial step that is executed when it is determined in step S104 that it is not possible to proceed while avoiding the obstacle. An attempt is made to move the obstacle 201, for example, 10 cm, and a result is obtained as to whether the obstacle was actually moved. At this time, the direction in which the obstacle is moved does not matter. If the obstacle 201 cannot be moved, the process proceeds to step S108 without executing the obstacle movement destination search process in step S105 and the obstacle movement execution determination process in step S106.

[0143] Alternatively, if the obstacle 201 cannot be moved in the obstacle movement trial process in step S901, it may be determined in the obstacle movement execution determination process in step S106 that the obstacle 201 will not be moved. In other words, it may be determined whether or not to move the obstacle based on the trial result of the obstacle movement trial unit 107.

[0144] By providing such step S901, the moving body tries to see if it can actually move the obstacle, thereby eliminating the needless search for a destination for the obstacle that cannot be moved. Note that before attempting to move the obstacle in step S901, a display or notification may be given that the obstacle will be moved.

[0145] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if it is determined in step S106 that the obstacle is to be moved, in step S902, the obstacle position memory unit 108 stores the current position of the obstacle 201 obtained by surveying using, for example, SLAM technology, as the position of the obstacle 201 before movement.

[0146] After the obstacle is moved in step S107, in step S903, the obstacle return method determination unit 109 determines an obstacle return method for moving the obstacle 201 to the position of the obstacle 201 before the movement that was stored in step S902. The obstacle return method is a path for moving the obstacle 201 and a method for moving the obstacle, such as pushing, pulling, or lifting the obstacle.

[0147] The obstacle return method may be determined to be the same method as that used in step S107 to move the obstacle 201 to a position where it does not obstruct the passage of the moving body 200. Alternatively, if the obstacle was moved by pushing it, a different movement method, i.e., pulling, may be determined as the return method. Also, if the obstacle was moved by pulling it, pushing may be determined as the return method.

[0148] In step S903, the return method is determined, and the determined return method is used to control, for example, the moving body 200 so as to move the obstacle 201 to the position stored in step S902. In this case, the obstacle may be returned using another moving body. In addition, in step S903, when the obstacle return method determination unit 109 determines the obstacle return method, it may display or notify that the obstacle will be moved to return to its position.

[0149] As described above, in this embodiment, a trial is performed to move the obstacle, so a more appropriate destination can be searched for. Also, after the obstacle 201 is moved and the moving object 200 passes, the obstacle is returned to its original position, so even if the obstacle 201 is moved, as long as the obstacle is returned to its original position, there is no problem even if the obstacle was placed there intentionally.

[0150] In the fourth embodiment, the position of the obstacle 201 obtained by surveying using the SLAM technology is stored, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the position of the obstacle may be stored by mapping it onto map information in a database.

[0151] Furthermore, in the fourth embodiment, the obstacle position storage unit 108 may also store the orientation of the obstacle 201 before movement, and the obstacle return method determination unit 109 may determine a movement method so that the orientation of the obstacle becomes the stored orientation of the obstacle 201 before movement. For example, the orientation may be corrected during movement in order to return the obstacle 201 along the movement path determined by the obstacle return method determination unit 109, or the orientation may be corrected after the obstacle 201 has been returned to its current position.

[0152] In the fourth embodiment, the result of whether or not the obstacle 201 can be moved is obtained by trial. However, if the obstacle 201 can be moved, the time taken to move it and the power consumed may be obtained.

[0153] When calculating the obstacle movement cost when moving the obstacle 201 to the destination, by referring to the movement time and power consumption acquired by the trial operation in step S901, it is possible to calculate the obstacle movement cost with higher accuracy. That is, in step S703, the obstacle movement cost may be calculated based on the trial result by the obstacle movement trial unit 107. Also, the destination may be searched for based on the obstacle movement cost.

[0154] In the fourth embodiment, the direction in which the obstacle is moved is not important in step S901. However, if the obstacle is in contact with the wall of the passage or another object and cannot be moved in a specific direction, the obstacle may be moved in a direction other than the specific direction. Furthermore, the direction in which the obstacle is moved may be determined taking into consideration the ease of movement. For example, the slope of the floor may be taken into consideration and the obstacle may be moved in a downhill direction where it is easier to move.

[0155] In addition, in the fourth embodiment, the case where the obstacle is pushed in step S901 has been described, but this is not limited to this. If the moving object has the ability to pull or lift the obstacle, it may be pulled or lifted a predetermined distance. Also, it may be moved a predetermined distance in each of a plurality of moving directions. Also, it may be possible to try a combination of a plurality of moving directions and a plurality of moving methods, such as pushing, pulling, and lifting.

[0156] Furthermore, in the fourth embodiment, an example has been described in which a method for returning an obstacle to its original position is determined, but an obstacle return unit may be further provided so that the moving object 200 actually returns the obstacle to its original position using the return method determined by the obstacle return method determination unit 109. In this way, after the moving object 200 has passed by while avoiding the obstacle 201, it can return the obstacle 201 to its original position by itself.

[0157] The present invention has been described above in detail based on its preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications and combinations of the above embodiments are possible based on the spirit of the present invention, and these are not excluded from the scope of the present invention.

[0158] The present invention also includes those that realize the functions of the above-described embodiments using at least one processor or circuit such as a CPU, etc. Also, it is possible to use multiple processors to perform distributed processing.

[0159] In order to realize part or all of the control in the above-described embodiments, a computer program that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments may be supplied to an information processing device or the like via a network or various storage media. Then, a computer (or a CPU, MPU, or the like) in the information processing device or the like may read and execute the program. In this case, the program and the storage medium storing the program constitute the present invention. The present invention also includes the following combinations.

[0160] (Configuration 1) An information processing device comprising: an obstacle information acquisition means for acquiring information about an obstacle to a moving body; an environmental information acquisition means for acquiring environmental information about the surroundings of the moving body; and an obstacle destination search means for searching for a destination where the obstacle is to be moved based on the information about the obstacle and the environmental information so that the destination does not obstruct the passage of the moving body.

[0161] (Configuration 2) The information processing device according to Configuration 1, wherein the obstacle destination searching means searches for a position where space can be secured for the moving body to pass through while avoiding the obstacle, as the destination of the obstacle.

[0162] (Configuration 3) Further comprising an obstacle movement cost calculation means for calculating an obstacle movement cost when moving the obstacle to the movement destination, the obstacle destination searching means searches for the destination based on the obstacle movement cost; 3. The information processing device according to configuration 1 or 2.

[0163] (Configuration 4) The information processing device according to Configuration 3, wherein the obstacle movement cost calculation means calculates the obstacle movement cost based on at least one of the movement distance, movement time, power consumption, and movement method when moving the obstacle to the destination.

[0164] (Configuration 5) The information processing device according to configuration 3 or 4, further comprising an obstacle movement trial means for moving the obstacle by a predetermined distance, wherein the obstacle movement cost calculation means calculates the obstacle movement cost based on a trial result of the obstacle movement trial means, and the obstacle movement destination search means searches for the movement destination based on the obstacle movement cost.

[0165] (Configuration 6) The information processing device according to any one of configurations 3 to 5, further comprising an obstacle movement execution determination means for determining whether or not to move the obstacle based on the obstacle movement cost.

[0166] (Configuration 7) The information processing device described in Configuration 6, characterized in that the obstacle movement determination means determines whether to move the obstacle based on at least one of the following determinations: whether there are any restrictions on the destination of the obstacle; whether the moving body can pass through while avoiding the obstacle; and whether the destination of the obstacle will obstruct the passage of other moving bodies.

[0167] (Configuration 8) Further provided is an obstacle movement trial means for moving the obstacle by a predetermined distance, 8. The information processing device according to configuration 6 or 7, wherein the obstacle movement execution determination means determines whether or not to move the obstacle based on a result of the attempt by the obstacle movement attempt means.

[0168] (Configuration 9) An information processing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, further comprising an obstacle position storage means for storing the position of the obstacle before it was moved, and an obstacle return method determination means for determining a moving path for returning the obstacle to the position of the obstacle before it was moved, which is stored in the obstacle position storage means, after the obstacle has been moved, and a method for the moving body to move the obstacle.

[0169] (Method) An information processing method comprising: an obstacle information acquisition step for acquiring information about an obstacle to a moving body; an environmental information acquisition step for acquiring environmental information about the surroundings of the moving body; and an obstacle destination search step for searching for a destination where the obstacle is to be moved to a destination that does not obstruct the passage of the moving body, based on the information about the obstacle and the environmental information.

[0170] (Program) A computer program for causing a computer to execute each means of the information processing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 9.

[0171] (Media) A computer-readable storage medium storing the above computer program. [Explanation of symbols]

[0172] 100: Information processing device 101: Obstacle information acquisition unit 102:Environmental information acquisition department 103: Obstacle destination search unit

Claims

1. an obstacle information acquisition means for acquiring information about an obstacle to the moving object; environmental information acquisition means for acquiring environmental information around the moving object; and an obstacle destination searching means for searching for a destination where the obstacle should be moved to, based on the information about the obstacle and the environmental information, so that the destination does not obstruct the passage of the moving body.

1. An information processing device comprising:

2. the obstacle destination searching means searches for a position where a space can be secured for the moving body to pass through while avoiding the obstacle, as the destination of the obstacle; 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

3. further comprising an obstacle movement cost calculation means for calculating an obstacle movement cost when the obstacle is moved to the movement destination, the obstacle destination searching means searches for the destination based on the obstacle movement cost; 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

4. the obstacle movement cost calculation means calculates the obstacle movement cost based on at least one of a movement distance, a movement time, a power consumption, and a movement method when moving the obstacle to the destination; 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3,

5. further comprising an obstacle movement trial means for moving the obstacle by a predetermined distance; the obstacle movement cost calculation means calculates the obstacle movement cost based on a trial result of the obstacle movement trial means; the obstacle destination searching means searches for the destination based on the obstacle movement cost; 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3,

6. further comprising an obstacle movement execution determination means for determining whether or not to move the obstacle based on the obstacle movement cost; 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3,

7. the obstacle movement execution determination means determines whether to move the obstacle based on at least one of the following: a determination as to whether there is a restriction on the destination of the obstacle; a determination as to whether the moving body can pass through while avoiding the obstacle; and a determination as to whether the destination of the obstacle will obstruct the passage of other moving bodies.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6,

8. further comprising an obstacle movement trial means for moving the obstacle by a predetermined distance; the obstacle movement execution determination means determines whether or not to move the obstacle based on a result of the attempt by the obstacle movement attempt means; 7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6,

9. an obstacle position storage means for storing the position of the obstacle before it is moved; and an obstacle return method determination means for determining a moving path for returning the obstacle to the position before the obstacle was moved, which is stored in the obstacle position storage means, after the obstacle is moved, and a method for the moving body to move the obstacle.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

10. an obstacle information acquisition step of acquiring information about an obstacle to the moving object; an environmental information acquisition step of acquiring environmental information around the moving object; an obstacle destination searching step of searching for a destination where the obstacle is to be moved so as not to obstruct passage of the moving body, based on information about the obstacle and the environmental information.

1. An information processing method comprising:

11. A computer program for causing a computer to execute each means of the information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

12. A computer-readable storage medium storing the computer program according to claim 11.

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