Control device

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of controlling the operation of a moving body at an appropriate timing according to the moving state and characteristics of the moving body.SOLUTION: A control device for controlling an operation of a mobile body capable of moving by self-driving includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire mobile body information of at least one of situation information regarding a movement situation of the mobile body and characteristic information regarding a characteristic of the mobile body, and a controller configured to control the operation of the mobile body by executing, using the mobile body information, at least one of (i) first processing of controlling the operation of the mobile body in a predetermined first time cycle, (ii) second processing of controlling the operation of the mobile body in a second time cycle shorter than the first time cycle, and (iii) third processing of controlling the operation of the mobile body at any timing without a predetermined time cycle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, a self-propelled vehicle that is controlled by a routine that is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals is known (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-43616 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In conventional technologies, vehicle operation is controlled at a predetermined time interval. Therefore, the timing of controlling the vehicle operation may be delayed by up to the predetermined time interval. Therefore, there is a need for technology that can control the vehicle operation at appropriate timing depending on the vehicle's driving conditions and characteristics. This issue is not limited to vehicles, but is common to all moving objects. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present disclosure can be realized in the following forms.

[0006] (1) According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a control device is provided. The control device controls the operation of an unmanned mobile object. The control device includes an acquisition unit that acquires mobile object information, including at least one of status information regarding the mobile object's movement status and characteristic information regarding the mobile object's characteristics, and a control unit that uses the mobile object information to execute at least one of the following processes: (i) a first process that controls the operation of the mobile object at a predetermined first time period; (ii) a second process that controls the operation of the mobile object at a second time period shorter than the first time period; and (iii) a third process that controls the operation of the mobile object at any timing without a predetermined time period. According to this embodiment, by executing the second process, the control device increases the possibility of changing the operation of the mobile object more quickly than when executing the first process. This reduces the possibility that the timing for controlling the operation of the mobile object will be delayed by up to the first time period. Furthermore, by executing the third process, the control device can quickly change the operation of the mobile object. This allows the control device to further reduce the possibility that the timing for controlling the movement of the moving object will be delayed by up to the first time period. Therefore, the control device can control the movement of the moving object at an appropriate timing by selectively using multiple processes for controlling the movement of the moving object depending on at least one of the movement status and characteristics of the moving object. (2) In the above aspect, the acquisition unit may acquire information regarding the location of the moving object as the situation information, and when the moving object is located in a first area, the control unit may execute the first process, and when the moving object is located in a second area that is more dangerous than the first area, the control unit may execute at least one of the second process and the third process. According to this aspect, when the moving object is located in the second area that is more dangerous than the first area, the control device can execute the second process or the third process that can reduce the possibility of a delay in controlling the operation of the moving object compared to the first process. In this way, the control device can control the operation of the moving object at an appropriate timing by selectively using multiple processes for controlling the operation of the moving object depending on the area in which the moving object is located. (3) In the above aspect, the acquisition unit may acquire, as the situation information, information regarding a time period during which the moving object is moving, and when the moving object is moving during a first time period, the control unit may execute the first process, and when the moving object is moving during a second time period in which the risk level is higher than that of the first time period, the control unit may execute at least one of the second process and the third process. According to this aspect, when the moving object is moving during the second time period in which the risk level is higher than that of the first time period, the control device can execute the second process or the third process, which can reduce the possibility of a delay in timing to control the operation of the moving object compared to the first process. In this way, the control device can control the operation of the moving object at an appropriate timing by selectively using multiple processes for controlling the operation of the moving object depending on the time period during which the moving object is moving. (4) In the above aspect, the acquisition unit may acquire information regarding the type of the moving object as the characteristic information, and when the type of the moving object is a first type, the control unit may execute the first process, and when the type of the moving object is a second type that is more dangerous than the first type, the control unit may execute at least one of the second process and the third process. According to this aspect, when the type of the moving object is the second type that is more dangerous than the first type, the control device can execute the second process or the third process that can reduce the possibility of delaying the timing to control the movement of the moving object compared to the first process. In this way, the control device can control the movement of the moving object at an appropriate timing by selectively using multiple processes for controlling the movement of the moving object depending on the type of the moving object. (5) In the above aspect, the control device may further include an identification unit that identifies, among the first process, the second process, and the third process, the process that corresponds to the mobile body information, using a database in which the type of process to be executed is associated with at least one of the movement status of the mobile body and the characteristics of the mobile body. According to this aspect, the control device can identify the process that corresponds to the movement status of the mobile body or the characteristics of the mobile body, using a database in which the type of process to be executed is associated with at least one of the movement status of the mobile body and the characteristics of the mobile body. The present disclosure can be realized in various forms other than the above-described control device, such as a system including a control device and a mobile object, a method for manufacturing the control device and the system, a control method for the control device and the system, a computer program for implementing the control method, a non-transitory recording medium on which the computer program is recorded, etc. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the system configuration. [Figure 3] 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for vehicle travel control in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart showing a method for controlling a vehicle depending on the area in which the vehicle is located. [Figure 5] 4 is a flowchart showing a method for controlling a vehicle according to the time period in which the vehicle is traveling. [Figure 6] 4 is a flowchart showing a vehicle control method according to the type of vehicle. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for vehicle travel control in a fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] A. First embodiment: 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a system 50 according to the first embodiment. The system 50 includes one or more vehicles 100 as moving objects, a server 200, and one or more external sensors 300. In this embodiment, the function of the "control device" in the present disclosure is realized by the server 200.

[0009] In this disclosure, a "mobile body" refers to an object that can move, such as a vehicle or an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (a so-called flying car). A vehicle may be a vehicle that runs on wheels or a vehicle that runs on tracks, such as a passenger car, truck, bus, motorcycle, automobile, tank, or construction vehicle. Vehicles include electric vehicles (BEVs: Battery Electric Vehicles), gasoline-powered vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles. When a mobile body is something other than a vehicle, the terms "vehicle" and "car" in this disclosure may be appropriately replaced with "mobile body," and the term "traveling" may be appropriately replaced with "moving."

[0010] The vehicle 100 is configured to be capable of traveling in an unmanned manner. "Unmanned driving" refers to driving without the driver's control. Driving operation refers to operations related to at least one of "running," "turning," and "stopping" of the vehicle 100. Unmanned driving is achieved by automatic or manual remote control using a device located outside the vehicle 100, or by autonomous control of the vehicle 100. A vehicle 100 traveling in an unmanned manner may have a driver on board who does not operate the vehicle. A driver who does not operate the vehicle may, for example, simply be seated in the vehicle 100, or a person who is riding in the vehicle 100 and performing work other than driving operations, such as assembly, inspection, or operating switches. Driving in which a driver controls the vehicle is sometimes called "manned driving."

[0011] In this specification, "remote control" includes "full remote control" in which all of the operations of vehicle 100 are completely determined from outside vehicle 100, and "partial remote control" in which some of the operations of vehicle 100 are determined from outside vehicle 100. Furthermore, "autonomous control" includes "full autonomous control" in which vehicle 100 autonomously controls its own operations without receiving any information from devices external to vehicle 100, and "partial autonomous control" in which vehicle 100 autonomously controls its own operations using information received from devices external to vehicle 100.

[0012] In this embodiment, the system 50 is used in a factory FC that manufactures vehicles 100. The reference coordinate system of the factory FC is a global coordinate system GC, and any position in the factory FC can be expressed by X, Y, and Z coordinates in the global coordinate system GC. The factory FC has a first location PL1 and a second location PL2. The first location PL1 and the second location PL2 are connected by a road TR along which the vehicle 100 can travel. In the factory FC, a plurality of external sensors 300 are installed along the road TR. The position of each external sensor 300 in the factory FC is adjusted in advance. The vehicle 100 moves from the first location PL1 to the second location PL2 along the road TR in an unmanned operation.

[0013] 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the system 50. The vehicle 100 includes a vehicle control device 110 for controlling each part of the vehicle 100, an actuator group 120 including one or more actuators that are driven under the control of the vehicle control device 110, and a communication device 130 for communicating via wireless communication with external devices such as a server 200. The actuator group 120 includes an actuator for a drive device for accelerating the vehicle 100, an actuator for a steering device for changing the traveling direction of the vehicle 100, and an actuator for a braking device for decelerating the vehicle 100.

[0014] The vehicle control device 110 is configured by a computer including a processor 111, a memory 112, an input / output interface 113, and an internal bus 114. The processor 111, the memory 112, and the input / output interface 113 are connected via the internal bus 114 to enable bidirectional communication. The input / output interface 113 is connected to an actuator group 120 and a communication device 130. The processor 111 executes a program PG1 stored in the memory 112 to realize various functions including a function as a vehicle control unit 115.

[0015] The vehicle control unit 115 controls the actuator group 120 to cause the vehicle 100 to travel. The vehicle control unit 115 controls the actuator group 120 using a control signal received from the server 200, thereby controlling the operation of the vehicle 100. Specifically, the vehicle control unit 115 controls the actuator group 120 using a travel control signal received from the server 200, thereby causing the vehicle 100 to travel. The travel control signal is a control signal for causing the vehicle 100 to travel. In this embodiment, the travel control signal includes the acceleration and steering angle of the vehicle 100 as parameters. In other embodiments, the travel control signal may include the speed of the vehicle 100 as a parameter instead of or in addition to the acceleration of the vehicle 100. Furthermore, the vehicle control unit 115 can stop the vehicle 100 by controlling the actuator group 120 using a stop signal received from the server 200. The stop signal is a control signal for causing the vehicle 100 to stop. The stop signal includes at least the negative acceleration of the vehicle 100, for example, as a parameter. In other embodiments, the stop signal may include the speed of the vehicle 100 as a parameter instead of or in addition to the acceleration of the vehicle 100. The stop signal may also include the steering angle of the vehicle 100 as a parameter.

[0016] The server 200 is configured by a computer including a processor 201, a memory 202, an input / output interface 203, and an internal bus 204. The processor 201, the memory 202, and the input / output interface 203 are connected via the internal bus 204 to enable bidirectional communication. A communication device 205 is connected to the input / output interface 203 for communicating with various devices external to the server 200. The communication device 205 can communicate with the vehicle 100 via wireless communication, and can communicate with each external sensor 300 via wired communication or wireless communication. The processor 201 executes a program PG2 stored in the memory 202 to realize various functions, including functions as an acquisition unit 211, an identification unit 212, and a remote control unit 213.

[0017] The acquisition unit 211 acquires at least one of vehicle information, situation information related to the traveling situation of the vehicle 100 and characteristic information related to the characteristics of the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, in order to identify the areas A1 and A2 in which the vehicle 100 is located, the acquisition unit 211 acquires information related to the position of the vehicle 100 as the situation information. The acquisition unit 211 acquires, for example, coordinates indicating the position of the vehicle 100 as the information related to the position of the vehicle 100.

[0018] The identification unit 212 uses the database DB stored in the memory 202 to identify processes P1 to P3 from among a first process P1, a second process P2, and a third process P3, according to the vehicle information. The first process P1 is a process for controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 in a predetermined first time period. The second process P2 is a process for controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 in a second time period that is shorter than the first time period. The third process P3 is a process for controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 at any timing without having a predetermined time period. In the database DB, the type of process P1 to P3 to be executed from among the first process P1, the second process P2, and the third process P3 is associated with at least one of the traveling status of the vehicle 100 and the characteristics of the vehicle 100. In the database DB in this embodiment, the type of process P1 to P3 to be executed from among the first process P1, the second process P2, and the third process P3 is associated with each area A1 and A2. The second area A2 is an area where the collision risk is higher than that of the first area A1. The collision risk indicates the possibility that the vehicle 100 will collide with an obstacle OB. The obstacle OB is, for example, a person, equipment, or a moving object. The moving object includes, for example, transport vehicles such as trucks and trailers, carts, and automated guided vehicles (AGVs). The second area A2 is, for example, an area where the number of obstacles OB present in the areas A1 and A2 is greater than that of the first area A1. Thus, the greater the number of obstacles OB present in each of the areas A1 and A2, the higher the collision risk. The number of obstacles OB present in the areas A1 and A2 can be identified, for example, using a table that indicates the number of obstacles OB for each of the areas A1 and A2. The number of obstacles OB present in the areas A1 and A2 may also be identified by detecting objects present in the areas A1 and A2 using a sensor. In the database DB, the first area A1 is associated with a first process P1. The second area A2 is associated with at least one of the second process P2 and the third process P3.

[0019] In this embodiment, the identification unit 212 identifies in which of the first area A1 and the second area A2 the vehicle 100 is located, using information about the location of the vehicle 100 acquired by the acquisition unit 211. Then, the identification unit 212 identifies, in the database DB, the types of processes P1 to P3 associated with the areas A1 and A2 identified as the areas A1 and A2 in which the vehicle 100 is located, as the processes P1 to P3 to be executed by the remote control unit 213.

[0020] The remote control unit 213 uses the vehicle information to execute at least one of the processes P1 to P3 from a first process P1, a second process P2, and a third process P3, to control the operation of the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the remote control unit 213 uses information related to the location of the vehicle 100 to execute the processes P1 to P3 corresponding to the areas A1 and A2 identified by the identification unit 212, to control the operation of the vehicle 100. Specifically, when the vehicle 100 is located in the first area A1, the remote control unit 213 executes the first process P1. When the vehicle 100 is located in the second area A2, the remote control unit 213 executes at least one of the second process P2 and the third process P3.

[0021] The external sensor 300 is a sensor located outside the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the external sensor 300 is a sensor that captures the vehicle 100 from outside the vehicle 100. The external sensor 300 is equipped with a communication device (not shown) and can communicate with other devices such as the server 200 via wired communication or wireless communication.

[0022] Specifically, the external sensor 300 is configured by a camera. The camera serving as the external sensor 300 captures an image of the vehicle 100 and outputs the captured image as a detection result.

[0023] 3 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for driving control of the vehicle 100 in the first embodiment. In the processing procedure in FIG. 3, the processor 201 of the server 200 executes the program PG2 to function as the remote control unit 213. Also, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 executes the program PG1 to function as the vehicle control unit 115.

[0024] In step S1, the processor 201 of the server 200 acquires vehicle position information using the detection results output from the external sensor 300. The vehicle position information is position information that serves as the basis for generating a driving control signal. In this embodiment, the vehicle position information includes the position and orientation of the vehicle 100 in the global coordinate system GC of the factory FC. Specifically, in step S1, the processor 201 acquires the vehicle position information using a captured image acquired from a camera, which is the external sensor 300.

[0025] In detail, in step S1, the processor 201, for example, detects the outer shape of the vehicle 100 from the captured image, calculates the coordinates of the positioning point of the vehicle 100 in the coordinate system of the captured image, i.e., the local coordinate system, and converts the calculated coordinates into coordinates in the global coordinate system GC, thereby acquiring the position of the vehicle 100. The outer shape of the vehicle 100 included in the captured image can be detected, for example, by inputting the captured image into a detection model DM that utilizes artificial intelligence. The detection model DM is prepared, for example, inside or outside the system 50, and is pre-stored in the memory 202 of the server 200. The detection model DM may be, for example, a trained machine learning model that has been trained to achieve either semantic segmentation or instance segmentation. As this machine learning model, for example, a convolutional neural network (hereinafter, CNN) trained by supervised learning using a training dataset may be used. The training dataset may, for example, include a plurality of training images including the vehicle 100 and labels indicating whether each region in the training image represents the vehicle 100 or a region other than the vehicle 100. During CNN training, it is preferable to update the parameters of the CNN by backpropagation (error backpropagation method) so as to reduce the error between the output result of the detection model DM and the label. In addition, the processor 201 can acquire the orientation of the vehicle 100 by estimating it based on the orientation of the movement vector of the vehicle 100 calculated from the positional change of the feature points of the vehicle 100 between frames of the captured image using, for example, an optical flow method.

[0026] In step S2, the processor 201 of the server 200 determines a target position to which the vehicle 100 should next head. In this embodiment, the target position is represented by X, Y, and Z coordinates in the global coordinate system GC. A reference route RR, which is a route to be traveled by the vehicle 100, is stored in advance in the memory 202 of the server 200. The route is represented by nodes indicating the departure point, nodes indicating passing points, nodes indicating the destination, and links connecting the nodes. The processor 201 uses the vehicle position information and the reference route RR to determine a target position to which the vehicle 100 should next head. The processor 201 determines a target position on the reference route RR that is ahead of the current location of the vehicle 100.

[0027] In step S3, the processor 201 of the server 200 generates a travel control signal for causing the vehicle 100 to travel toward the determined target position. The processor 201 calculates the travel speed of the vehicle 100 from the change in the position of the vehicle 100 and compares the calculated travel speed with the target speed. When the travel speed is lower than the target speed, the processor 201 determines an acceleration such that the vehicle 100 accelerates. When the travel speed is higher than the target speed, the processor 201 determines an acceleration such that the vehicle 100 decelerates. Furthermore, when the vehicle 100 is located on the reference route RR, the processor 201 determines a steering angle and acceleration such that the vehicle 100 does not deviate from the reference route RR. When the vehicle 100 is not located on the reference route RR, in other words, when the vehicle 100 has deviated from the reference route RR, the processor 201 determines a steering angle and acceleration such that the vehicle 100 returns to the reference route RR.

[0028] In step S4, the processor 201 of the server 200 transmits the generated driving control signal to the vehicle 100. The processor 201 repeats, at a predetermined cycle, the acquisition of vehicle position information, the determination of a target position, the generation of a driving control signal, and the transmission of the driving control signal.

[0029] In step S5, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 receives the driving control signal transmitted from the server 200. In step S6, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 controls the actuator group 120 using the received driving control signal, thereby causing the vehicle 100 to drive at the acceleration and steering angle indicated in the driving control signal. The processor 111 repeats receiving the driving control signal and controlling the actuator group 120 at a predetermined cycle. According to the system 50 of this embodiment, the vehicle 100 can be driven by remote control, and the vehicle 100 can be moved without using transportation equipment such as a crane or conveyor.

[0030] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a method for controlling the vehicle 100 according to the area A1, A2 in which the vehicle 100 is located. FIG. 4 illustrates a case where, in a database DB showing the types of processes P1 to P3 to be executed for each area A1, A2, the first area A1 is associated with the first process P1 and the second area A2 is associated with the third process P3. In the example shown in FIG. 4, when the vehicle 100 is located in the first area A1, as in the case of the first vehicle 101 and the second vehicle 102 shown in FIG. 1, the server 200 determines that the collision risk is low and executes the first process P1 using a travel control signal. This allows the server 200 to drive the vehicle 100. On the other hand, in the example shown in FIG. 4, when the vehicle 100 is located in the second area A2, as in the case of the third vehicle 103 shown in FIG. 1, the server 200 determines that the collision risk is high and executes the third process P3 using a stop signal. This allows the server 200 to promptly stop the vehicle 100. That is, in the third process P3, the server 200 controls the operation of the vehicle 100 at the timing when it is determined that the collision risk is high.

[0031] In step S101, the processor 201 of the server 200 transmits a request signal to the external sensor 300 to acquire a captured image. In step S102, the external sensor 300, having received the request signal, transmits the captured image to the server 200. If the server 200 has acquired the captured image (step S103: Yes), in step S104, the processor 201 of the server 200 acquires vehicle position information using the captured image. In step S105, the processor 201 of the server 200 identifies the areas A1 and A2 in which the vehicle 100 is located using the vehicle position information.

[0032] If the vehicle 100 is located in the first area A1 (step S106: Yes), in step S107, the processor 201 of the server 200 identifies a first process P1. In step S108, the processor 201 of the server 200 determines a target position of the vehicle 100. In step S109, the processor 201 of the server 200 generates a traveling control signal. If a first time has elapsed since the previous transmission of the traveling control signal (step S110: Yes), in step S111, the processor 201 of the server 200 transmits the generated traveling control signal to the vehicle 100.

[0033] If vehicle 100 is located in second area A2 (step S106: No), in step S112, processor 201 of server 200 identifies third process P3. In step S113, processor 201 of server 200 generates a stop signal. In step S114, processor 201 of server 200 immediately transmits the generated stop signal to vehicle 100 without taking into account the timing of the previous transmission of a control signal.

[0034] If the vehicle 100 receives the control signal (step S115: Yes), in step S116, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 controls the actuator group 120 using the received control signal. As a result, if the vehicle 100 receives a driving control signal, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 causes the vehicle 100 to drive at the acceleration and steering angle indicated in the driving control signal. Also, if the vehicle 100 receives a stop signal, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 causes the vehicle 100 to stop.

[0035] According to the first embodiment, the server 200 executes the second process P2 for controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 in a second time period shorter than the first time period, thereby increasing the possibility of transmitting a control signal to the vehicle 100 earlier than when the first process P1 is executed. This allows the server 200 to reduce the possibility of the timing for controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 being delayed by up to the first time period. Furthermore, the server 200 executes the third process P3 for controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 at any timing without a predetermined time period, thereby enabling the server 200 to instantly transmit a control signal to the vehicle 100. This allows the server 200 to further reduce the possibility of the timing for controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 being delayed by up to the first time period. Therefore, the server 200 can control the operation of the vehicle 100 at an appropriate timing by selectively using multiple processes P1 to P3 for controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 depending on the traveling conditions of the vehicle 100.

[0036] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, when the vehicle 100 is located in the second area A2, which has a higher risk level than the first area A1, the server 200 can execute the second process P2 or the third process P3, which can reduce the possibility of delaying the timing of controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 more than the first process P1. In this way, the server 200 can control the operation of the vehicle 100 at an appropriate timing by selectively using the multiple processes P1 to P3 for controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 depending on the area A1 or A2 in which the vehicle 100 is located.

[0037] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, when the vehicle 100 is located in the second area A2, in an emergency, the server 200 can reduce the possibility that the timing of controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 will be delayed by up to the first time period. This reduces the possibility that the vehicle 100 will collide with the obstacle OB. An emergency situation is, for example, a situation in which it becomes necessary to urgently stop the vehicle 100, urgently decelerate the vehicle 100, or urgently change the steering angle of the vehicle 100 in order to avoid the vehicle 100 from colliding with the obstacle OB.

[0038] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the server 200 can identify the areas A1 and A2 in which the vehicle 100 is located by acquiring coordinates indicating the position of the vehicle 100 as information regarding the position of the vehicle 100. Note that the server 200 may also acquire information indicating the external sensors 300 that include the vehicle 100 in their detection ranges as information regarding the position of the vehicle 100. In this way, since the detection ranges of the external sensors 300 are determined in advance, the server 200 can identify the areas A1 and A2 in which the vehicle 100 is located by identifying which external sensor 300 detected the vehicle 100.

[0039] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the server 200 can use a database DB in which the types of processes P1 to P3 to be executed are associated with each of the areas A1 and A2 to identify the processes P1 to P3 according to the position of the vehicle 100. Note that the processes P1 to P3 according to the traveling conditions and characteristics of the vehicle 100 may be identified by a method other than the database DB.

[0040] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the server 200 can control the operation of the vehicle 100 at an appropriate timing by selectively using a plurality of processes P1 to P3 for controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 depending on the number of obstacles OB present in the areas A1 and A2 in which the vehicle 100 is located.

[0041] The second area A2 may be an area where the possibility of an obstacle OB entering the area A1 or A2 is higher than that of the first area A1. In this case, the higher the possibility of an obstacle OB entering the area A1 or A2, the higher the collision risk. The possibility of an obstacle OB entering the area A1 or A2 can be determined, for example, in the same way as determining the number of obstacles OB present in the area A1 or A2. The possibility of an obstacle OB entering the area A1 or A2 may be determined according to the characteristics of each area A1 or A2. The characteristics of each area A1 or A2 are determined, for example, according to the possibility of pedestrians appearing. The possibility of pedestrians appearing can be determined, for example, according to whether a crosswalk, an employee entrance, or the like is present in the area A1 or A2. In this way, the server 200 can control the operation of the vehicle 100 at an appropriate timing by selectively using multiple processes P1 to P3 for controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 according to the possibility of an obstacle OB entering the area A1 or A2 where the vehicle 100 is located.

[0042] The second area A2 may be an area where the road width of the road TR is narrower than that of the first area A1. In this case, the narrower the road width of the road TR, the higher the collision risk. In this way, the operation of the vehicle 100 can be controlled according to the characteristics of the road TR.

[0043] B. Second embodiment: In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 211 acquires, as the situation information, time period information related to the time period during which the vehicle 100 is traveling. In a database DB indicating the types of processes P1 to P3 to be executed for each time period, the identification unit 212 identifies the types of processes P1 to P3 associated with the time period during which the vehicle 100 is traveling as the processes P1 to P3 to be executed by the remote control unit 213. The second time period is a time period during which the collision risk is higher than that of the first time period. The second time period is, for example, a time period during which the number of obstacles OB present around the vehicle 100 is greater than that of the first time period. Thus, the greater the number of obstacles OB present around the vehicle 100 in each time period, the higher the collision risk. The number of obstacles OB present around the vehicle 100 can be identified, for example, using a table indicating the number of obstacles OB for each time period. In the database DB, the first time period is associated with the first process P1. The second time period is associated with at least one of the second process P2 and the third process P3. When the vehicle 100 is traveling in a first time period, the remote control unit 213 executes a first process P1. When the vehicle 100 is traveling in a second time period, the remote control unit 213 executes at least one of a second process P2 and a third process P3. Unless otherwise specified, the other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0044] Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing a method of controlling vehicle 100 according to the time period in which vehicle 100 travels. Fig. 5 illustrates a case in which, in a database DB that indicates the types of processes P1 to P3 to be executed for each time period, a first process P1 is associated with a first time period and a second process P2 is associated with a second time period. In the example shown in Fig. 5, when vehicle 100 travels in the first time period, server 200 determines that the collision risk is low and causes vehicle 100 to travel by executing first process P1 using a travel control signal. On the other hand, when vehicle 100 travels in the second time period, server 200 determines that the collision risk is high and causes vehicle 100 to travel by executing second process P2 using a travel control signal.

[0045] In step S201, the processor 201 of the server 200 transmits a request signal to the external sensor 300 to acquire a captured image. In step S202, the external sensor 300, having received the request signal, transmits the captured image to the server 200. If the server 200 has acquired the captured image (step S203: Yes), in step S204, the processor 201 of the server 200 acquires vehicle position information using the captured image. In step S205, the processor 201 of the server 200 acquires information about the time period in which the vehicle 100 is traveling.

[0046] If the vehicle 100 is traveling in the first time period (step S206: Yes), in step S207, the processor 201 of the server 200 identifies a first process P1. In step S208, the processor 201 of the server 200 determines a target position of the vehicle 100. In step S209, the processor 201 of the server 200 generates a traveling control signal. If a first time has elapsed since the timing when the traveling control signal was last transmitted as the first process P1 (step S210: Yes), in step S211, the processor 201 of the server 200 transmits the generated traveling control signal to the vehicle 100.

[0047] If the vehicle 100 is traveling in the second time zone (step S206: No), in step S212, the processor 201 of the server 200 identifies the second process P2. In step S213, the processor 201 of the server 200 determines the target position of the vehicle 100. In step S214, the processor 201 of the server 200 generates a traveling control signal. If a second time, which is shorter than the first time, has elapsed since the timing when the traveling control signal was last transmitted as the second process P2 (step S215: Yes), the processor 201 of the server 200 transmits the generated traveling control signal to the vehicle 100 in step S216.

[0048] If the vehicle 100 receives the driving control signal (step S217: Yes), the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 executes step S218. In step S218, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 controls the actuator group 120 using the received driving control signal to cause the vehicle 100 to drive at the acceleration and steering angle indicated in the driving control signal.

[0049] According to the second embodiment, when the vehicle 100 is traveling in a second time period in which the risk level is higher than that of the first time period, the server 200 can execute the second process P2 or the third process P3, which can reduce the possibility of delaying the timing of controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 more than the first process P1. In this way, the server 200 can control the operation of the vehicle 100 at an appropriate timing by selectively using the multiple processes P1 to P3 for controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 depending on the time period in which the vehicle 100 is traveling.

[0050] Furthermore, according to the second embodiment, the server 200 can identify the processes P1 to P3 according to the time period in which the vehicle 100 is traveling, using the database DB in which the types of processes P1 to P3 to be executed are associated with each time period.

[0051] Furthermore, according to the second embodiment, the server 200 can control the operation of the vehicle 100 at the appropriate timing by using multiple processes P1 to P3 for controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 for each time period depending on the number of obstacles OB present around the vehicle 100.

[0052] The second time period may be a time period in which the possibility of an obstacle OB entering the vicinity of the vehicle 100 is higher than that in the first time period. In this case, the collision risk increases with the possibility of an obstacle OB entering the vicinity of the vehicle 100 during a time period. The possibility of an obstacle OB entering the vicinity of the vehicle 100 can be determined in the same manner as determining the number of obstacles OB present around the vehicle 100. The possibility of an obstacle OB entering the vicinity of the vehicle 100 may be determined according to the characteristics of each time period. The characteristics of each time period are determined, for example, by the possibility of a pedestrian appearing. The possibility of a pedestrian appearing can be determined, for example, by the working hours, arrival time, departure time, and break time of employees at the factory FC. The characteristics of each time period may also be determined by the possibility of a moving object appearing. The possibility of a moving object appearing is determined, for example, by the operation plan of a moving object operated as a regular service. In this way, the operation of vehicle 100 can be controlled at the appropriate timing by using multiple processes P1 to P3 for controlling the operation of vehicle 100 for each time period depending on the possibility that obstacle OB will enter the vicinity of vehicle 100.

[0053] Furthermore, the second time period may be a time period in which the visibility of at least one of the external sensor 300 and the internal sensor is lower than that of the first time period. The internal sensor is a sensor mounted on the vehicle 100. The internal sensor here is a sensor that detects the environment around the vehicle 100, such as a camera, LiDAR, or radar mounted on the vehicle 100. In this case, the lower the visibility of the sensor is during a time period, the higher the collision risk. In this way, the server 200 can control the operation of the vehicle 100 at an appropriate timing by selectively using multiple processes P1 to P3 for controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 according to the visibility of the sensor, which differs depending on the time period.

[0054] C. Third embodiment: In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 211 acquires type information related to the type of vehicle 100 as the characteristic information. In a database DB indicating the types of processes P1 to P3 to be executed for each type of vehicle 100, the identification unit 212 identifies the types of processes P1 to P3 associated with the type of vehicle 100 as the processes P1 to P3 to be executed by the remote control unit 213. The second type is a type having a higher damage risk than the first type. The damage risk indicates the degree of damage when the vehicle 100 collides with an obstacle OB. The second type of vehicle 100 is, for example, a vehicle 100 having a heavier weight than the first type of vehicle 100. In this way, the heavier the type of vehicle 100, the higher the damage risk. When the type of vehicle 100 is the first type, the remote control unit 213 executes the first process P1. If the type of vehicle 100 is the second type, the remote control unit 213 executes at least one of the second process P2 and the third process P3. Unless otherwise specified, the other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0055] Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing a method for controlling the vehicle 100 according to the type of the vehicle 100. Fig. 6 illustrates a case where, in a database DB showing the types of processes P1 to P3 to be executed for each time period, a first process P1 is associated with a first type and a second process P2 is associated with a second type. In the example shown in Fig. 6, when the type of the vehicle 100 is the first type, the server 200 determines that the damage risk is low and causes the vehicle 100 to travel by executing the first process P1 using a travel control signal. When the type of the vehicle 100 is the second type, the server 200 determines that the damage risk is high and causes the vehicle 100 to travel by executing the second process P2 using a travel control signal.

[0056] In step S301, the processor 201 of the server 200 transmits a request signal to the external sensor 300 to acquire a captured image. In step S302, the external sensor 300, which has received the request signal, transmits the captured image to the server 200. If the server 200 has acquired the captured image (step S303: Yes), in step S304, the processor 201 of the server 200 acquires vehicle position information using the captured image. In step S305, the processor 201 of the server 200 acquires type information.

[0057] If the type of vehicle 100 is the first type (step S306: Yes), in step S307, processor 201 of server 200 identifies a first process P1. In step S308, processor 201 of server 200 determines a target position of vehicle 100. In step S309, processor 201 of server 200 generates a traveling control signal. If a first time has elapsed since the timing of the previous transmission of a traveling control signal as first process P1 (step S310: Yes), in step S311, processor 201 of server 200 transmits the generated traveling control signal to vehicle 100.

[0058] If the type of vehicle 100 is the second type (step S306: No), in step S312, processor 201 of server 200 identifies second process P2. In step S313, processor 201 of server 200 determines a target position of vehicle 100. In step S314, processor 201 of server 200 generates a driving control signal. If a second time has elapsed since the timing of the previous transmission of a driving control signal as second process P2 (step S315: Yes), in step S316, processor 201 of server 200 transmits the generated driving control signal to vehicle 100.

[0059] If the vehicle 100 receives the driving control signal (step S317: Yes), the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 executes step S318. In step S318, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 controls the actuator group 120 using the received driving control signal to cause the vehicle 100 to drive at the acceleration and steering angle indicated in the driving control signal.

[0060] According to the third embodiment, the server 200 can control the operation of the vehicle 100 at an appropriate timing by selectively using a plurality of processes P1 to P3 for controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 depending on the type of the vehicle 100 that determines the characteristics of the vehicle 100. Note that the characteristics of the vehicle 100 may be determined by something other than the type of the vehicle 100.

[0061] Furthermore, according to the third embodiment, when the damage risk level is a second type that is higher than the first type, the server 200 can execute the second process P2 or the third process P3 that can reduce the possibility of delaying the timing of controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 more than the first process P1. In this way, the server 200 can control the operation of the vehicle 100 at an appropriate timing by selectively using a plurality of processes P1 to P3 for controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 depending on the type of the vehicle 100.

[0062] Furthermore, according to the third embodiment, the server 200 can identify the processes P1 to P3 according to the type of vehicle 100 by using the database DB in which the types of processes P1 to P3 to be executed are associated with each type of vehicle 100.

[0063] Furthermore, according to the third embodiment, by selectively using a plurality of processes P1 to P3 for controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 depending on the weight of the vehicle 100, the operation of the vehicle 100 can be controlled at an appropriate timing.

[0064] The first type of vehicle 100 may be equipped with more safety equipment than the second type of vehicle 100. In this case, the more safety equipment the vehicle 100 is equipped with, the lower the risk of injury. The first type of vehicle 100 may be equipped with safety equipment that is safer than the safety equipment equipped on the second type of vehicle 100. In this case, the safer the safety equipment equipped on the vehicle 100, the lower the risk of injury. The safety equipment is equipment that prevents the vehicle 100 from colliding with an obstacle OB or reduces damage when the vehicle 100 collides with the obstacle OB. The safety equipment is, for example, a braking device. In this case, the first type of vehicle 100 is equipped with, for example, a braking device that has a shorter braking distance than the braking device equipped on the second type of vehicle 100. The safety equipment may be equipment that achieves active safety, such as a vehicle distance control device, or equipment that achieves passive safety, such as an impact-absorbing body that absorbs external impacts. In this way, by using multiple processes P1 to P3 for controlling the operation of the vehicle 100 depending on the number and type of safety equipment installed in the vehicle 100, the operation of the vehicle 100 can be controlled at the appropriate timing.

[0065] D. Fourth embodiment: FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system 50v in the fourth embodiment. In this embodiment, the system 50v differs from the first embodiment in that it does not include a server 200. In this embodiment, the vehicle 100v can travel by autonomous control of the vehicle 100v. In this embodiment, the function of the "control device" in this disclosure is realized by the vehicle control device 110v. Unless otherwise specified, the other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0066] In this embodiment, the processor 111v of the vehicle control device 110v executes a program PG1 stored in the memory 112v, thereby functioning as an acquisition unit 116, an identification unit 117, and a vehicle control unit 115v. The acquisition unit 116 acquires vehicle information. The identification unit 117 identifies processes P1 to P3 according to the vehicle information. The vehicle control unit 115v uses the vehicle information to execute at least one of processes P1 to P3, a first process P1, a second process P2, and a third process P3, to control the operation of the vehicle 100v. In this embodiment, in addition to the program PG1, a detection model DM and a reference route RR are pre-stored in the memory 112v.

[0067] 8 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for driving control of the vehicle 100v in the fourth embodiment. In the processing procedure in Fig. 8, the processor 111v of the vehicle 100v functions as a vehicle control unit 115v by executing a program PG1.

[0068] In step S901, the processor 111v of the vehicle control device 110v acquires vehicle position information using the detection results output from the camera, which is the external sensor 300. In step S902, the processor 111v determines a target position to which the vehicle 100v should next head. In step S903, the processor 111v generates a driving control signal for driving the vehicle 100v toward the determined target position. In step S904, the processor 111v controls the actuator group 120 using the generated driving control signal, thereby causing the vehicle 100v to drive in accordance with the parameters represented in the driving control signal. The processor 111v repeats the acquisition of vehicle position information, determination of the target position, generation of the driving control signal, and control of the actuators at a predetermined cycle. According to the system 50v in this embodiment, the vehicle 100v can be driven by autonomous control of the vehicle 100v without remote control of the vehicle 100v by the server 200.

[0069] According to the fourth embodiment, the vehicle control device 110v executes the second process P2, which controls the operation of the vehicle 100v in a second time period shorter than the first time period, thereby increasing the possibility of changing the operation of the vehicle 100v earlier than when the first process P1 is executed. As a result, the vehicle control device 110v can reduce the possibility that the timing of controlling the operation of the vehicle 100v will be delayed by up to the first time period. Furthermore, the vehicle control device 110v can quickly change the operation of the vehicle 100v by executing the third process P3, which controls the operation of the vehicle 100v at any timing without having a predetermined time period. As a result, the vehicle control device 110v can further reduce the possibility that the timing of controlling the operation of the vehicle 100v will be delayed by up to the first time period. Therefore, the vehicle control device 110v can control the operation of the vehicle 100v at an appropriate timing by selectively using multiple processes P1 to P3 for controlling the operation of the vehicle 100v depending on the traveling conditions of the vehicle 100v.

[0070] E. Other Embodiments: (E1) Control signals may be exchanged via different systems in the first process P1 and the second process P2. Control signals may be exchanged via different systems in the first process P1 and the third process P3. For example, when a control signal is transmitted to the vehicles 100, 100v from the same server 200 as in the first process P1 using the same communication line as in the first process P1, the following may be done. In the second process P2 and the third process P3, the vehicles 100, 100v may receive the control signal from a communication port different from that used in the first process P1. In this way, control signals can be received from the server 200 via different systems in the first process P1 and in the second process P2 and the third process P3. Furthermore, in the second process P2 and the third process P3, control signals may be transmitted to the vehicles 100, 100v from a server 200 different from that used in the first process P1. In this way, the system 50 can transmit control signals to the vehicles 100, 100v via separate systems for the first process P1, the second process P2, and the third process P3. As a result, even if one of the multiple servers 200 is unable to transmit control signals to the vehicles 100, 100v due to a malfunction or other reason, the other servers 200 can transmit control signals to the vehicles 100, 100v to control the operation of the vehicles 100, 100v. This makes it possible to avoid situations where the operation of the vehicles 100, 100v cannot be controlled at the appropriate time.

[0071] (E2) In the first process P1 and the second process P2, communication between the vehicles 100, 100v and the outside may be performed using different systems. In the first process P1 and the third process P3, communication between the vehicles 100, 100v and the outside may be performed using different systems. In the second process P2 and the third process P3, the vehicles 100, 100v may acquire information from the outside using a communication method different from that used in the first process P1. The communication method used in each of the processes P1 to P3 may be, for example, 3G / 4G / 5G communication, LTE communication, or Wi-Fi communication. In this way, even if communication using a specific communication method is disrupted, the vehicles 100, 100v can communicate with the outside using another communication method. Furthermore, in the second process P2 and the third process P3, the vehicles 100, 100v may acquire information from the outside using a communication line different from that used in the first process P1. In this way, even if a communication problem occurs in a specific communication line, the vehicles 100 and 100v can communicate with the outside world using other communication lines, thereby avoiding a situation where the operation of the vehicles 100 and 100v cannot be controlled at the appropriate time.

[0072] (E3) The control devices 110v, 200, such as the vehicle control device 110v and the server 200, may use multiple types of vehicle information to execute processes P1 to P3 according to the vehicle information. In this way, the control devices 110v, 200 can control the operation of the vehicles 100, 100v at more appropriate timing.

[0073] (E4) When executing the second process P2, the control device 110v, 200 may further execute at least one of the first process P1 and the third process P3. When executing the third process P3, the control device 110v, 200 may further execute at least one of the first process P1 and the second process P2. In this way, the control device 110v, 200 can control the operation of the vehicle 100, 100v at more appropriate timing.

[0074] (E5) When the vehicle 100, 100v is located in the second area A2, the control device 110v, 200 may execute the second process P2. Even in this case, the control device 110v, 200 executes the second process P2 to control the operation of the vehicle 100 in a second time period that is shorter than the first time period, thereby increasing the possibility of transmitting a control signal to the vehicle 100, 100v earlier than when the first process P1 is executed. Therefore, the control device 110v, 200 can control the operation of the vehicle 100, 100v at an appropriate timing.

[0075] (E6) When the vehicle 100, 100v is traveling in the second time period, the control device 110v, 200 may execute the third process P3. For example, the control device 110v, 200 may control the operation of the vehicle 100, 100v by executing at least one of the first process P1 and the second process P2 before determining that an emergency is required. Then, the control device 110v, 200 may immediately control the operation of the vehicle 100, 100v by executing the third process P3 at the timing of determining that an emergency is required. In this way, when an emergency is required in the second time period when the collision risk is high, the control device 110v, 200 can quickly control the operation of the vehicle 100, 100v. Therefore, the control device 110v, 200 can control the operation of the vehicle 100, 100v at an appropriate timing.

[0076] (E7) When the type of the vehicle 100, 100v is the second type, the control device 110v, 200 may execute the third process P3. For example, the control device 110v, 200 may control the operation of the vehicle 100, 100v by executing at least one of the first process P1 and the second process P2 before determining that an emergency is required. Then, the control device 110v, 200 may immediately control the operation of the vehicle 100, 100v by executing the third process P3 at the timing when it is determined that an emergency is required. In this way, when an emergency is required for the second vehicle type with a high risk of damage, the control device 110v, 200 can quickly control the operation of the vehicle 100, 100v. Therefore, the control device 110v, 200 can control the operation of the vehicle 100, 100v at an appropriate timing.

[0077] (E8) In each of the above embodiments, the external sensor 300 is not limited to a camera and may be, for example, a distance measuring device. The distance measuring device may be, for example, a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). In this case, the detection result output by the external sensor 300 may be three-dimensional point cloud data representing the vehicle 100, 100v. In this case, the server 200 or the vehicle 100, 100v may acquire vehicle position information by template matching using the three-dimensional point cloud data as the detection result and reference point cloud data prepared in advance.

[0078] (E9) In each of the first to third embodiments, the processes from obtaining vehicle position information to generating a driving control signal are executed by server 200. However, at least a part of the processes from obtaining vehicle position information to generating a driving control signal may be executed by vehicle 100. For example, the following forms (1) to (3) may be used.

[0079] (1) The server 200 may acquire vehicle position information, determine a target position to which the vehicle 100 should next head, and generate a route from the current location of the vehicle 100 indicated in the acquired vehicle position information to the target position. The server 200 may generate a route to the target position between the current location and the destination, or may generate a route to the destination. The server 200 may transmit the generated route to the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 may generate a driving control signal so that the vehicle 100 drives on the route received from the server 200, and control the actuator group 120 using the generated driving control signal.

[0080] (2) Server 200 may acquire vehicle position information and transmit the acquired vehicle position information to vehicle 100. Vehicle 100 may determine a target position to which vehicle 100 should next head, generate a route from the current location of vehicle 100 indicated in the received vehicle position information to the target position, generate a driving control signal so that vehicle 100 travels on the generated route, and control actuator group 120 using the generated driving control signal.

[0081] (3) In the above embodiments (1) and (2), the vehicle 100 may be equipped with an internal sensor, and detection results output from the internal sensor may be used for at least one of generating a route and generating a driving control signal. The internal sensor may include, for example, a sensor that detects the motion state of the vehicle 100, a sensor that detects the operating state of each part of the vehicle 100, and a sensor that detects the environment around the vehicle 100. Specifically, the internal sensor may include, for example, a camera, LiDAR, millimeter-wave radar, an ultrasonic sensor, a GPS sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, and the like. For example, in the above embodiment (1), the server 200 may acquire the detection results of the internal sensor and reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the route when generating a route. In the above embodiment (1), the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results of the internal sensor and reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the driving control signal when generating a driving control signal. In the above embodiment (2), the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results of the internal sensor and reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the route when generating a route. In the above embodiment (2), the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection result of the internal sensor, and when generating the driving control signal, may reflect the detection result of the internal sensor in the driving control signal.

[0082] (E10) In the above fourth embodiment, the vehicle 100v may be equipped with an internal sensor, and a detection result output from the internal sensor may be used for at least one of generating a route and generating a driving control signal. For example, the vehicle 100v may acquire the detection result of the internal sensor and, when generating a route, reflect the detection result of the internal sensor in the route. The vehicle 100v may acquire the detection result of the internal sensor and, when generating a driving control signal, reflect the detection result of the internal sensor in the driving control signal.

[0083] (E11) In the fourth embodiment, the vehicle 100v acquires vehicle position information using the detection results of the external sensor 300. Alternatively, the vehicle 100v may be equipped with an internal sensor. The vehicle 100v may acquire vehicle position information using the detection results of the internal sensor, determine a target location to which the vehicle 100v should next travel, generate a route from the current location of the vehicle 100v represented in the acquired vehicle position information to the target location, generate a driving control signal for traveling along the generated route, and control the actuator group 120 using the generated driving control signal. In this case, the vehicle 100v can travel without using any of the detection results of the external sensor 300. The vehicle 100v may acquire a target arrival time or traffic congestion information from outside the vehicle 100v and reflect the target arrival time or traffic congestion information in at least one of the route and the driving control signal. Furthermore, all of the functional configuration of the system 50v may be provided in the vehicle 100v. In other words, the processing performed by the system 50v in the present disclosure may be performed solely by the vehicle 100v.

[0084] (E12) In each of the first to third embodiments, the server 200 automatically generates a driving control signal to be transmitted to the vehicle 100. Alternatively, the server 200 may generate a driving control signal to be transmitted to the vehicle 100 in accordance with the operation of an external operator located outside the vehicle 100. For example, the external operator may operate a control device including a display that displays an image output from the external sensor 300, a steering wheel for remotely controlling the vehicle 100, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, and a communication device for communicating with the server 200 via wired or wireless communication, and the server 200 may generate a driving control signal in accordance with the operation applied to the control device.

[0085] (E13) In each of the above embodiments, the vehicle 100, 100v may have a configuration that allows it to travel by unmanned driving, and may be in the form of a platform having the configuration described below, for example. Specifically, the vehicle 100, 100v may have at least a vehicle control device 110, 110v and an actuator group 120 to perform the three functions of "running," "turning," and "stopping" by unmanned driving. When the vehicle 100, 100v acquires information from the outside for unmanned driving, the vehicle 100, 100v may further have a communication device 130. In other words, the vehicle 100, 100v that can travel by unmanned driving may not be equipped with at least some interior parts such as a driver's seat or a dashboard, may not be equipped with at least some exterior parts such as a bumper or a fender, and may not be equipped with a body shell. In this case, the remaining components, such as the body shell, may be attached to the vehicle 100, 100v before the vehicle 100, 100v is shipped from the factory FC, or the remaining components, such as the body shell, may be attached to the vehicle 100, 100v after the vehicle 100, 100v is shipped from the factory FC without the remaining components, such as the body shell, being attached to the vehicle 100, 100v. Each component may be attached from any direction, such as the top, bottom, front, rear, right side, or left side of the vehicle 100, 100v, and may be attached from the same direction or from different directions. Note that the position of the platform configuration may also be determined in the same manner as for the vehicle 100, 100v in the first embodiment.

[0086] (E14) Vehicle 100, 100v may be manufactured by combining multiple modules. A module refers to a unit composed of one or more parts grouped according to the configuration or function of vehicle 100, 100v. For example, the platform of vehicle 100, 100v may be manufactured by combining a front module that forms the front portion of the platform, a central module that forms the center portion of the platform, and a rear module that forms the rear portion of the platform. The number of modules that form the platform is not limited to three, but may be two or less, or four or more. Furthermore, in addition to or instead of the platform, portions of vehicle 100, 100v that are different from the platform may be modularized. Furthermore, various modules may include any exterior part such as a bumper or a grille, or any interior part such as a seat or a console. Furthermore, not limited to vehicle 100, 100v, any type of mobile object may be manufactured by combining multiple modules. Such a module may be manufactured, for example, by joining multiple parts using welding or fasteners, or by integrally molding at least a portion of the module into a single part by casting. The molding technique of integrally molding at least a portion of a module as a single component is also called gigacasting or megacasting. By using gigacasting, each part of a moving object that was previously formed by joining multiple components can be formed as a single component. For example, the front module, center module, and rear module described above may be manufactured using gigacasting.

[0087] (E15) Transporting vehicles 100, 100v using unmanned driving of vehicles 100, 100v is also called "self-propelled transport." The configuration for realizing self-propelled transport is also called a "vehicle remote-controlled autonomous transport system." The production method for producing vehicles 100, 100v using self-propelled transport is also called "self-propelled production." In self-propelled production, for example, at a factory FC where vehicles 100, 100v are manufactured, at least a portion of the transport of vehicles 100, 100v is realized by self-propelled transport.

[0088] (E16) In each of the above embodiments, some or all of the functions and processes implemented by software may be implemented by hardware. Furthermore, some or all of the functions and processes implemented by hardware may be implemented by software. Hardware for implementing the various functions in each of the above embodiments may be implemented by various circuits, such as integrated circuits or discrete circuits.

[0089] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be realized in various configurations without departing from the spirit thereof. For example, the technical features of the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each aspect described in the Summary of the Invention section can be appropriately replaced or combined to solve some or all of the above-described problems or achieve some or all of the above-described effects. Furthermore, if a technical feature is not described as essential in this specification, it can be appropriately deleted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 50, 50v... system, 100, 100v... vehicle, 101... first vehicle, 102... second vehicle, 103... third vehicle, 110, 110v... vehicle control device, 110v, 200... control device, 111, 111v... processor of vehicle control device, 112, 112v... memory of vehicle control device, 113... input / output interface of vehicle control device, 114... internal bus of vehicle control device, 115, 115v... vehicle control unit, 116, 211... acquisition unit, 117, 212... identification unit, 120... actuator group, 130... vehicle communication device, 20 0...server, 201...server processor, 202...server memory, 203...server input / output interface, 204...server internal bus, 205...server communication device, 213...remote control unit, 300...external sensor, A1...first area, A2...second area, DB...database, DM...detection model, FC...factory, GC...global coordinate system, OB...obstacle, P1...first process, P2...second process, P3...third process, PG1, PG2...program, PL1...first location, PL2...second location, RR...reference route, TR...track

Claims

1. A control device for controlling the operation of a mobile body that can be moved by unmanned operation, an acquisition unit that acquires at least one of status information regarding a moving status of the moving object and characteristic information regarding characteristics of the moving object; A control device comprising: a control unit that controls the operation of the moving body by using the moving body information to execute at least one of the following processes: (i) a first process that controls the operation of the moving body at a predetermined first time period; (ii) a second process that controls the operation of the moving body at a second time period that is shorter than the first time period; and (iii) a third process that controls the operation of the moving body at any timing without having a predetermined time period.

2. The control device according to claim 1, the acquisition unit acquires, as the situation information, information relating to a position of the moving object; When the moving object is located in a first area, the control unit executes the first process; A control device, wherein when the moving body is located in a second area that is more dangerous than the first area, the control unit executes at least one of the second process and the third process.

3. The control device according to claim 1, the acquisition unit acquires, as the situation information, information regarding a time period during which the moving object is moving; When the moving object moves during a first time period, the control unit executes the first process; A control device wherein, when the moving body moves during a second time period in which the risk is higher than that of the first time period, the control unit executes at least one of the second process and the third process.

4. The control device according to claim 1, the acquisition unit acquires, as the characteristic information, information regarding a type of the moving object; When the type of the moving object is a first type, the control unit executes the first process; When the type of the moving object is a second type that has a higher risk level than the first type, the control unit executes at least one of the second process and the third process.

5. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: A control device comprising an identification unit that identifies the first process, the second process, or the third process according to the mobile body information using a database that corresponds the type of process to be executed from the first process, the second process, or the third process to at least one of the movement status of the mobile body and the characteristics of the mobile body.

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