Mobile object, calculation method, and program
A 3D sensor-based system accurately calculates the placement position of items within facilities by extracting straight lines from beam and column sections, addressing the precision challenges of existing technologies and ensuring items are correctly positioned.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-08-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-13
AI Technical Summary
Existing technologies face challenges in accurately determining the placement position of stored items consisting of beam and column sections within facilities, particularly when these items lack wall surfaces, making it difficult to use 2D sensors for precise positioning.
A system and method utilizing a 3D sensor to capture a point cloud of the storage environment, extracting straight lines representing beam and column sections, and calculating the loading position based on these lines and their intersection points, enabling precise placement of items without protruding beyond the beam section.
Improves the accuracy of calculating the placement position of stored items, ensuring they are correctly positioned within the facility without extending beyond the beam section, enhancing operational efficiency.
Smart Images

Figure 2026045779000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a moving body, a calculation method, and a program.
Background Art
[0002] For example, a technology for automatically moving a moving body such as a forklift is known. For example, in Patent Document 1, a horizontal distance sensor that detects the distance to a loading position existing within a predetermined angular range extending in the horizontal direction in front of a forklift, and a vertical distance sensor that detects the distance to a loading position existing within a predetermined angular range extending in the vertical direction in front of the forklift are used to detect the loading position of the loading part based on the detection results.
Prior Art Documents
[0007] The calculation method relating to this disclosure is a calculation method for a moving body comprising a fork that is movable in the vertical direction and a sensor that is movable together with the fork and capable of measuring the front of a stored item as a three-dimensional first point cloud, the method comprising: extracting a second point cloud from the measurement results of the sensor that indicates beam and column portions relating to the loading position on the front of the stored item where the fork moves; extracting straight lines indicating the sides of the beam and column portions on the inside of the front of the stored item based on the second point cloud; and calculating position information indicating the loading position based on a plurality of extracted straight lines and the intersection points of a plurality of straight lines.
[0008] The program relating to this disclosure causes a mobile body, which includes a fork that is movable in the vertical direction and a sensor that is movable together with the fork and capable of measuring the front of a stored item as a three-dimensional first point cloud, to perform the following steps: extract a second point cloud from the measurement results of the sensor that indicates a beam portion and a column portion relating to the loading position where the fork moves on the front of the stored item; extract straight lines indicating the sides of the beam portion and the column portion on the inside of the front of the stored item based on the second point cloud; and calculate position information indicating the loading position based on the extracted plurality of straight lines and the intersection points of the plurality of straight lines. [Effects of the Invention]
[0009] According to this disclosure, the accuracy of calculating the placement position of stored items consisting of beam and column sections can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the motion control system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the items to be stored as shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the mobile body according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram of the control system. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic block diagram of an information processing device. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the names of the stored items. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic block diagram of the control device for the mobile unit. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing steps for a calculation method performed by a control device for a mobile object. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows an example of the detection range for stored items. [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows an example of a second point group extracted from the detection target area. [Figure 11] Figure 11 shows an example of extracting a straight line from the second point group. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of position information calculated by the control device. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating the loading position calculated by the mobile body according to the second embodiment. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing procedure for a calculation method executed by the control device of a mobile body according to the second embodiment. [Figure 15] Figure 15 shows an example where the transported object can be placed without extending beyond the beam section. [Figure 16]FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example where the conveyed object cannot be placed without protruding from the beam portion.
Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention
[0011] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited by this embodiment, and when there are a plurality of embodiments, those configured by combining each embodiment are also included.
[0012] (First Embodiment) (Overall Configuration of the Movement Movement Control System) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a movement control system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the stored object shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the movement control system 1 according to the first embodiment includes a moving body 10, a management device 12, and an information processing device 14. The movement control system 1 is a system that controls the movement of the moving body 10 belonging to the facility W. The facility W is a facility subject to logistics management, such as a warehouse. In the movement control system 1, the conveyed object CA conveyed within the area AR of the facility W by the moving body 10 is unloaded at the loading position PA. The area AR is, for example, the floor surface of the facility W, and is an area where the stored object P is installed or the moving body 10 moves. In the present embodiment, the conveyed object CA is an object to be conveyed with goods loaded on a pallet, but is not limited to being an object with goods loaded on a pallet and may be in any form. For example, it may be only the goods without a pallet. Hereinafter, one direction along the area AR is defined as the direction X, and a direction along the area AR and intersecting the direction X is defined as the direction Y. In the present embodiment, the direction Y is a direction orthogonal to the direction X. The directions X and Y may be referred to as horizontal directions. Also, the direction orthogonal to the directions X and Y, that is, the vertical direction, is defined as the direction Z.
[0013] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the storage item P is, for example, a rack, a nesting unit, etc. The storage item P has a plurality of columns PH and beams PG fixed between the columns PH. The area surrounded by the plurality of columns PH and the beams PG is the installation area AR0. In an example shown in FIG. 2, for the storage item P, the installation area AR0 has two upper and lower levels by one beam PG, and two loading positions PA are set at each level. That is, a plurality of loading positions PA are provided in the area AR within the facility W. The loading position PA has its position (coordinates), shape, and size in the installation area AR0 preset. Note that the number of the loading positions PA of the storage item P is not limited to this. The front surface Pa of the storage item P refers to the surface on the side where the moving body 10 approaches.
[0014] In the area AR within the facility W shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of storage items P are provided. The installation area AR0 is an area where the conveyed item CA is loaded and unloaded. As an area where the conveyed item CA should be unloaded, the loading position PA is preset in the installation area AR0.
[0015] The mobile unit 10 is an automatically moving device. In this embodiment, the mobile unit 10 is a forklift, or more precisely, a so-called AGF (Automated Guided Forklift). As illustrated in Figure 1, the mobile unit 10 moves over area AR in the facility W. The mobile unit 10 moves from the first position A1 to the second position A2 according to the first path R1 (wide-area path), detecting the stored items P multiple times using the sensor 26, which will be described later. The mobile unit 10 acquires a point cloud from the multiple detection results by the sensor 26 and determines the position and orientation of the stored items P based on the point cloud. When the mobile unit 10 reaches the second position A2, it moves from the second position A2 to the loading position A3 according to the second path R2 (approach path) set based on the position and orientation of the stored items P, and unloads the transported items CA. In this context, the position of the stored object P refers to the coordinates of the stored object P in the two-dimensional coordinate system CO in directions X and Y, and the orientation of the stored object P refers to the orientation (rotation angle) of the stored object P when viewed from a direction perpendicular to directions X and Y. Furthermore, the loading position A3 is a position and orientation that is predetermined relative to the stored object P. In this embodiment, the loading position A3 can be said to be a position and orientation from which the mobile body 10 can unload the transported object CA.
[0016] (Mobile) Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the mobile body 10 according to the first embodiment. In Figure 3, the front-rear direction XA, the left-right direction YA, and the up-down direction ZA are all perpendicular straight lines, with the forklift serving as the reference point.
[0017] As shown in Figure 3, the mobile body 10 comprises a vehicle body 20, wheels 20A, straddle legs 21, a mast 22, a fork 24, a side shift device 25, a sensor 26, and a control device 28.
[0018] The straddle legs 21 are a pair of shaft-shaped members that are provided at one end of the vehicle body 20 in the longitudinal direction XA and protrude from the vehicle body 20. The wheels 20A are provided at the tips of each straddle leg 21 and on the vehicle body 20. In other words, a total of three wheels 20A are provided, but the position and number of wheels 20A can be arbitrary. In the example shown in Figure 2, the wheels 20A have front wheels and rear wheels. The front wheels are wheels 20A that are rotatably provided at the front ends of the left and right straddle legs 21, respectively. The rear wheels are wheels 20A that are rotatably provided in the center of the vehicle body 20. The rear wheels are configured to be both rotatable and steerable. In this embodiment, the mobile body 10 is configured to be able to control its turning by operating one of the rear wheels 20A.
[0019] The mast 22 is movably attached to the straddle legs 21 and moves in the longitudinal direction XA of the vehicle body 20. The mast 22 extends along the vertical direction ZA perpendicular to the longitudinal direction XA, and the backrest 23 is configured to move in the left-right direction YA and the vertical direction ZA. The mast 22 has a lift device (not shown), which raises and lowers the backrest 23, thereby raising and lowering the forks 24, i.e., moving them in the vertical direction ZA. When the forks 24 are inserted into the transported object CA, the lift device raises or lowers the forks 24 so that the front end of the forks 24 and the insertion opening of the transported object CA are on the same horizontal plane. When unloading the transported object CA, the lift device lowers the forks 24 so that the front end of the forks 24 is lower than the insertion opening of the transported object CA. The backrest 23 is a load receiving frame that prevents the load on the forks 24 from falling to the rear of the mast 22.
[0020] The fork 24 is mounted on the mast 22 via the backrest 23 so as to be movable in the vertical direction ZA. The fork 24 is movable relative to the mast 22 in the left-right direction YA of the vehicle body 20 by a side shift device 25. The fork 24 has a pair of forks 24A and 24B. Forks 24A and 24B extend from the backrest 23 (mast 22) toward the front of the vehicle body 20. Forks 24A and 24B are positioned apart from each other in the left-right direction YA of the mast 22. Hereinafter, in the longitudinal direction XA, the direction on the side of the movable body 10 where the fork 24 is not provided will be referred to as the rear direction, and the direction on the side where the fork 24 is provided will be referred to as the front direction.
[0021] The forks 24 are provided to extend along the front-rear direction XA, and when inserted into the opening (insertion port) of the pallet, they become capable of lifting the transported object CA. In this embodiment, the forks 24 are provided in pairs with a gap between them in the left-right direction YA, but a configuration of three or more forks is also possible.
[0022] The side shift device 25 moves the pair of forks 24 in the left-right direction YA without changing the distance between them. By moving the forks 24, the side shift device 25 adjusts the position of the forks 24 relative to the target position.
[0023] Sensor 26 comprises sensor 26A and sensor 26B. Sensor 26A detects at least one of the position and orientation of an object present around the vehicle body 20. It can also be said that sensor 26A detects at least one of the position of an object relative to the moving body 10 and the orientation of an object relative to the moving body 10. In this embodiment, sensor 26A is provided at the front end of each straddle leg 21 and on the rear side of the vehicle body 20. Sensor 26A can be, for example, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), a proximity sensor, etc. Note that the position of sensor 26A is not limited to this, and it may be provided at any position, and the number of sensors provided may also be arbitrary. Sensor 26A supplies sensor information indicating at least one of the position of an object relative to the moving body 10 and the orientation of an object relative to the moving body 10 to the control device 28.
[0024] Sensor 26B detects the position, orientation, etc., of the stored item P. Sensor 26B is located at the left-right center position on the lower surface of a pair of forks 24 on the backrest 23 and moves together with the forks 24. That is, even if the forks 24 move in the vertical direction ZA or the left-right direction YA, the relative positional relationship between the forks 24 and sensor 26B does not change. In this embodiment, the case in which sensor 26B is a 3D sensor such as a 3D ToF (Time of Flight) camera or LiDAR that measures distance (depth) is described, but various sensors capable of detecting the 3D position of an object can be used. Sensor 26B captures a depth image capable of identifying the 3D position and distance, and supplies sensor information indicating the captured depth image to the control device 28.
[0025] The control device 28 is a computer and a device that controls the mobile body 10. The control device 28 detects the position of the object to be detected from the imaging information. The control device 28 calculates the relative position of the mobile body 10 and the pallet, which changes during the insertion operation of the fork 24. The control device 28 will be described later.
[0026] (Management device) Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram of the management device 12. The management device 12 is a system for managing logistics in facility W. In this embodiment, the management device 12 is a WMS (Warehouse Management System), but it is not limited to a WMS and may be any system, for example, a backend system such as another production management system. The location where the management device 12 is installed is arbitrary; it may be installed within facility W, or it may be installed at a location away from facility W and manage facility W from that location. The management device 12 is a computer and, as shown in Figure 4, includes a communication unit 30, a storage unit 32, and a control unit 34.
[0027] The control unit 34 is an arithmetic unit, or CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 34 includes a task determination unit 36. The control unit 34 realizes the task determination unit 36 and executes its processing by reading and executing a program (software) from the storage unit 32. The control unit 34 may execute processing with a single CPU, or it may have multiple CPUs and execute processing with those multiple CPUs. The task determination unit 36 may also be realized with hardware circuits. Furthermore, the program for the control unit 34 stored in the storage unit 32 may be stored on a recording medium that can be read by the management device 12.
[0028] The work determination unit 36 determines the storage container P in which the transported object CA will be stored. Specifically, the work determination unit 36 determines the work content, which indicates the information of the storage container P in which the transported object CA will be stored, based on, for example, the input work plan. The work content can also be said to be information that identifies the storage container P in which the transported object CA will be stored. In the example of this embodiment, the work content determines which storage container P in which equipment W the transported object CA will be transported to and by when. That is, the work content is information indicating the equipment W in which the storage container P in which the transported object CA will be stored is stored, the object to be transported (transported object CA), the location of the storage container P within the equipment W, and the transport time. The work determination unit 36 transmits the determined work content to the information processing device 14 via the communication unit 30.
[0029] (Information processing device) Figure 5 is a schematic block diagram of the information processing device 14. The information processing device 14 is installed in the facility W and is a device, a so-called ground system, that transmits and receives information regarding the movement of the mobile body 10 to and from the mobile body 10. The information processing device 14 is a computer and, as shown in Figure 5, includes a communication unit 40, a storage unit 42, and a control unit 44. The communication unit 40 is a module used by the control unit 44 to communicate with external devices such as the management device 12 and the mobile body 10, and may include, for example, an antenna. In this embodiment, the communication method used by the communication unit 40 is wireless communication, but the communication method may be arbitrary. The storage unit 42 is a memory that stores various information such as the calculation contents and programs of the control unit 44, and includes, for example, at least one of RAM, a main memory device such as ROM, and an external memory device such as an HDD.
[0030] The control unit 44 is an arithmetic unit, i.e., a CPU. The control unit 44 includes a work content acquisition unit 50 and a mobile object selection unit 52. The control unit 44 reads a program (software) from the storage unit 42 and executes it to realize the work content acquisition unit 50 and the mobile object selection unit 52 and perform their processing. The control unit 44 may perform these processing with a single CPU, or it may have multiple CPUs and perform the processing with those multiple CPUs. In addition, at least a part of the work content acquisition unit 50 and the mobile object selection unit 52 may be realized with hardware circuits. Furthermore, the program for the control unit 44 stored in the storage unit 42 may be stored on a recording medium that the information processing device 14 can read.
[0031] The work content acquisition unit 50 acquires information on the work content determined by the management device 12, that is, information on the stored items P to be transported. From the information on the stored items P in the work content, the work content acquisition unit 50 identifies the loading location PA where the transported items CA will be unloaded. For example, the storage unit 42 stores the stored items P and the installation area AR0 in which the stored items P are installed in association with each other, and the work content acquisition unit 50 identifies the loading location PA in the installation area AR0 by reading this information from the storage unit 42. The mobile body selection unit 52 selects the target mobile body 10. For example, the mobile body selection unit 52 selects the mobile body 10 that will transport the transported items CA from among a plurality of mobile bodies 10 belonging to the equipment W. The mobile body selection unit 52 may select the target mobile body 10 by any method.
[0032] (Example of contents to be stored) Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the name of the stored item P. In the example shown in Figure 6, the surface to which the mobile body 10 approaches the stored item P is the front Pa, and the storage position PA is set at a position where the transported item CA can be stored. Note that in Figure 6, the transported item CA omits the cargo and only shows the pallet. The stored item P has, at the front Pa, an upper beam section PGU and a lower beam section PGL, which are beam sections, and a left column section PHL and a right column section PHR, which are column sections PH. In the following description, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the upper beam section PGU and the lower beam section PGL, they will simply be referred to as beam section PG. When it is not necessary to distinguish between the left column section PHL and the right column section PHR, they will simply be referred to as column section PH.
[0033] When a storage location PA is set on the left side of the second tier for the stored item P, the shape, position, and reference point BP of the lower beam section PGL corresponding to the storage location PA and the left column section PHL located near the storage location PA are set as parameters. The reference point BP is the intersection of the upper edge of the lower beam section PGL and the inner edge of the left column section PHL. The parameters corresponding to the storage location PA of the stored item P are provided to the mobile body 10, for example, as shape information. Note that in the stored item P shown in Figure 6, since there is no beam section PG on the first tier, the floor surface is set as the parameter for beam section PG. However, if a beam section PG is provided, the parameters of that beam section PG will be set.
[0034] For example, when the mobile unit 10 places cargo P (shelves) into storage, precise front-to-back, left-to-right positional information and height information with an error of ±10 mm or less are required due to the layout constraints of the equipment W. On the other hand, the relative positional relationship between the mobile unit 10 (forklift) that performs the unloading operation and the storage P is not constant, as it deviates from the specified position and orientation with each operation. Therefore, it is essential for the mobile unit 10 to detect the placement position each time cargo is placed. The placement position indicates the position of the transported cargo CA on the storage P at the placement position PA.
[0035] Here, if the mobile body 10 wants to simultaneously detect the placement position (left / right position, distance, and height), it is generally possible to use two 2D sensors or one 3D sensor. A 2D sensor can acquire the cross-sectional shape of a space depending on its mounting position, but it is not suitable for acquiring shape information of narrow areas (e.g., a few centimeters or less), such as the front of the side panel of a shelf. In the example shown in Figure 6, the stored item P does not have wall surfaces such as side panels or back panels between the multiple column sections PH. Therefore, it is difficult to apply a 2D sensor to the left / right position detection of the stored item P which consists only of the beam section PG and column sections PH. A stored item P which consists only of the beam section PG and column sections PH means, for example, that it does not have any wall surfaces such as a top panel, floor panel, side panels, or back panel. Accordingly, the mobile body 10 according to this embodiment provides a technique for accurately calculating the placement position PA using the sensor 26 for a stored item P which does not have wall surfaces between the multiple column sections PH.
[0036] (Control device for mobile devices) Next, the control device 28 for the mobile body 10 will be described. Figure 7 is a schematic block diagram of the control device 28 for the mobile body 10. The control device 28 controls the mobile body 10. The control device 28 moves the mobile body 10 to the loading position A3 along a second path R2 set based on multiple detection results from the sensor 26 of the mobile body 10, and controls the mobile body 10 to perform operations such as loading and unloading the transported goods CA. The control device 28 is a computer and, as shown in Figure 7, includes a communication unit 70, a storage unit 72, and a control unit 74. The control device 28 is electrically connected to the side shift device 25, the sensor 26, the drive device 29, and the lift device 220.
[0037] The drive unit 29 includes the drive unit and steering mechanism of the mobile body 10. The control device 28 is configured to control the movement, rotation, etc., of the mobile body 10 by controlling the drive unit and rotation mechanism of the drive unit 29. The mobile body 10 is configured to change the posture and orientation of the forks 24 relative to the stored items P by rotating.
[0038] The lifting device 220 is mounted on the mast 22 and includes a mechanism for raising and lowering the backrest 23. The control device 28 raises and lowers the backrest 23 by controlling the lifting device 220. By raising and lowering the backrest 23, the lifting device 220 positions the forks 24 and sensor 26B at a desired height. The lifting device 220 raises or lowers the forks 24 so that the loading position PA of the stored goods P and the front end of the forks 24 are on the same horizontal plane. The lifting device 220 is connected to a position detector 230, which is an encoder, and detects the height of the lifting device 220 from the rotation position of the motor of the lifting device 220 detected by the position detector 230. The lifting device 220 can provide the control device 28 with the height detected by the position detector 230 as height information for sensor 26B.
[0039] The communication unit 70 is a module used in the control unit 74 to communicate with external devices such as the information processing device 14, and may include, for example, an antenna. In this embodiment, the communication method used by the communication unit 70 is wireless communication, but the communication method may be arbitrary.
[0040] The storage unit 72 is a memory that stores various information such as the calculation contents and programs of the control unit 74, and includes at least one of the following: RAM, main memory such as ROM, and external memory such as HDD. The storage unit 72 can store programs 721, work information 722, sensor information 723, position information 724, shape information 725, etc. Program 721 includes a program for realizing functions such as movement control, fork control, and detection control of the mobile body 10. Work information 722 includes information indicating the first path R1, second path R2, etc. of the mobile body 10 obtained from the information processing device 14, database, etc. Sensor information 723 includes information obtained from the sensor 26. Position information 724 includes information that can identify the position and orientation of the stored item P, the loading position PA, etc., based on the sensor information 723. Shape information 725 includes information that can identify the known shape of the stored item P. For example, the shape information 725 includes information indicating parameters such as the shape, position, and reference point BP of the beam section PG and column section PH corresponding to the loading position PA. The storage unit 72 can store the sensor information 723, position information 724, and shape information 725 in a related order over time.
[0041] The control unit 74 is an arithmetic unit and includes arithmetic circuits such as a CPU. The control unit 74 includes an information acquisition unit 80, a movement control unit 82, a detection control unit 84, a point cloud extraction unit 86, a line extraction unit 88, a calculation unit 90, and a fork control unit 92. The control unit 74 reads and executes a program 721 (software) from the storage unit 72 to realize the information acquisition unit 80, the movement control unit 82, the detection control unit 84, the point cloud extraction unit 86, the line extraction unit 88, the calculation unit 90, and the fork control unit 92, and executes their processing. The control unit 74 may execute these processes with a single CPU, or it may have multiple CPUs and execute the processing with those multiple CPUs. In addition, at least a part of the movement control unit 82, the detection control unit 84, the calculation unit 90, and the fork control unit 92 may be realized with hardware circuits. Furthermore, the program 721 for the control unit 74 stored in the storage unit 72 may be stored on a recording medium that the control device 28 can read.
[0042] The information acquisition unit 80 acquires various information related to the work, such as the first pass R1, the second pass R2, the structure of the stored item P, and the location of the stored item P, as work information 722. When the mobile body 10 is selected as the work target, the information acquisition unit 80 may acquire work information from the information processing device 14, or it may read work information that has been previously stored in the storage unit 72.
[0043] The movement control unit 82 controls the movement mechanism of the drive unit 29, such as the drive unit and steering, to control the movement of the mobile body 10. The movement control unit 82 moves the mobile body 10 according to the first path R1 and second path R2 acquired by the information acquisition unit 80. The movement control unit 82 moves the mobile body 10 so that it passes through the first path R1 and second path R2 by sequentially grasping the position information 724 of the mobile body 10. The method of acquiring the position information 724 of the mobile body 10 is arbitrary, but for example, in this embodiment, a detection body (not shown) is provided on the equipment W, and the movement control unit 82 acquires position and orientation information of the mobile body 10 based on the detection of the detection body. The position of the mobile body 10 is the coordinate in the two-dimensional coordinate system CO of directions X and Y in the area AR of the equipment W. The orientation of the mobile body 10 is the orientation (rotation angle) of the mobile body 10 when viewed from direction Z which is perpendicular to directions X and Y.
[0044] The movement control unit 82 controls the movement of the mobile body 10 so that the forks 24 approach the front Pa of the stored item P. The movement control unit 82 moves the mobile body 10 to the loading position A3 by moving it along the second path R2 (approach path), and positions it so that it faces the loading position PA of the stored item P. If the transported item CA to be placed at the loading position PA protrudes outside the beam section PG of the stored item P, the movement control unit 82 controls the movement of the mobile body 10 so that it faces the loading position PA directly.
[0045] The detection control unit 84 causes the sensor 26 to detect the position of the stored object P, the front view Pa of the stored object P, the position of the fork 24, etc., and acquires the detection results of the sensor 26 as a first point group. The detection control unit 84 stores the acquired information as sensor information 723 in the storage unit 72 in chronological order. For example, the detection control unit 84 analyzes the position of the stored object P, the front view Pa of the stored object P, characteristic positions of the stored object P, etc., based on the first point group obtained by the sensor 26, and stores the analysis results as sensor information 723 in the storage unit 72. The characteristic positions of the stored object P are the positions of characteristic structures set for the stored object P, and include, for example, the position of the part where the column PH and the beam PG intersect.
[0046] The point cloud extraction unit 86 extracts a second point cloud from the measurement results of the sensor 26B that represents the beam portion PG and column portion PH related to the loading position PA where the fork 24 moves in front of the stored item P Pa. The point cloud extraction unit 86 extracts a second point cloud from the first point cloud of the measurement results of the sensor 26B that represents the beam portion PG and column portion PH indicated by the shape information 725 of the stored item P at the loading position PA in front of the stored item P Pa.
[0047] The line extraction unit 88 extracts lines representing the sides of the beam section PG and column section PH inside the front surface Pa of the stored object P based on the second point group. The line extraction unit 88 extracts a first line representing the upper side of the beam section PG and a second line representing the inner side of the column section PH inside the front surface Pa of the stored object P. Alternatively, the line extraction unit 88 may extract a first line representing the lower side or center of the beam section PG and a second line representing the outer side or center of the column section PH inside the front surface Pa of the stored object P, or a combination of these.
[0048] The calculation unit 90 calculates position information 724 indicating the loading location PA based on the multiple lines extracted by the line extraction unit 88 and the intersection points of the multiple lines. The calculation unit 90 calculates a reference point where the first line and the second line intersect, and calculates position information 724 that can identify the positions of the beam section PG and column section PH at the loading location PA based on the positions indicated by the second group of points of the first line, the second line, and the reference point. In other words, the calculation unit 90 calculates position information 724 that can identify the positions of the beam section PG and column section PH at the loading location PA based on the positions indicated by the upper side of the beam section PG, the inner side of the column section PH, and the second group of points of the reference point. The calculation unit 90 projects the first line and the second line onto a plane that provides an overhead view of the beam section PG at the loading location PA, and calculates position information 724 indicating the loading location PA from the intersection points of the first line and the second line. The position information 724 includes, for example, information indicating the three-dimensional position of the upper side of the beam section PG, the inner side of the column section PH, and a reference point.
[0049] The fork control unit 92 controls the vertical movement ZA, longitudinal movement XA, and lateral movement YA of the pair of forks 24 based on the height and distance of the loading position PA of the stored item P. The fork control unit 92 moves the pair of forks 24 vertically ZA using the lift device 220. The fork control unit 92 moves the pair of forks 24 longitudinally XA by moving the mast 22 using the drive device 29 of the straddle legs 21. The fork control unit 92 moves the pair of forks 24 longitudinally YA using the side shift device 25. The fork control unit 92 controls the vertical movement ZA and longitudinal movement XA of the forks 24 based on the loading position PA of the stored item P. The fork control unit 92 controls the vertical movement ZA and lateral movement YA of the forks 24 based on the height of the insertion opening PB of the stored item P and the position of the stored item P. The fork control unit 92 controls the vertical movement and lateral movement of the forks 24 based on the height of the insertion opening PB of the stored item P, the position of the target object and the orientation of the target object. The fork control unit 92 controls the side shift of the pair of forks 24 until they are facing the loading position. The fork control unit 92 controls the movement of the forks 24 so that the transported object CA to be placed at the loading position PA is placed at the loading position PA if the transported object CA does not protrude outside the beam portion PG of the stored object P.
[0050] (Method for calculating the control device) Next, the calculation method performed by the control device 28 of the mobile body 10 will be described. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing procedure of the calculation method performed by the control device 28 of the mobile body 10. The processing procedure shown in Figure 8 is performed by the control unit 74 of the control device 28 when the mobile body 10 approaches the stored item P.
[0051] As shown in Figure 8, the control device 28 acquires sensor information obtained when the sensor 26B measures the front Pa of the stored item P (step S101). For example, the control device 28 has the sensor 26B measure the front Pa of the stored item P, acquires the measurement result from the sensor 26B as a point cloud, and stores the acquired information as sensor information 723 in the storage unit 72 in chronological order. When the processing in step S101 is completed, the control device 28 proceeds to step S102.
[0052] The control device 28 extracts a first point cloud of the detection target range PE from the sensor information 723 based on predetermined parameters (step S102). For example, the control device 28 extracts a first point cloud of points that can identify a structure corresponding to a parameter, based on predetermined parameters in the shape information 725 that correspond to the loading position PA of the stored item P.
[0053] In this embodiment, the detection target range PE is set as a cube that includes the front surface of the lower beam section PGL and the front surface of the column section PH of the storage unit P on which the transported object CA is placed. The default parameter PE is set based on the known relative positional relationship between the sensor 26B and the storage unit P (shelf). The three-dimensional coordinate range of the cube representing the detection target range PE is, for example, X-axis: 0.5m to 1.5m, Y-axis: -1.0m to 1.0m, Z-axis: -0.5m to 0.5m. The default parameters for extracting the point cloud corresponding to the column section PH and the lower beam section PGL are also set based on the known relative positional relationship between the sensor 26B and the storage unit P. The three-dimensional coordinate range of the cube indicating the detection target area PE is, for example, that the column section PH has X-axis: 0.5m to 1.5m, Y-axis: -1.0m to 0.5m, and Z-axis: -0.5m to 0.0m, while the lower beam section PGL has X-axis: 0.5m to 1.5m, Y-axis: -0.5m to 0.5m, and Z-axis: 0.0m to 0.5m.
[0054] Figure 9 shows an example of a detection range PE for a stored item P. As shown in Figure 9, the detection range PE corresponds to the stored item P and is a range used to limit the range in which point clouds are extracted from the measurement results indicated by the sensor information 723 based on predetermined parameters. In the example shown in Figure 9, the detection range PE is described as a range that includes the lower beam section PGL and the left column section PHL and the right column section PHR on both sides of the front Pa of the stored item P, but is not limited to this. For example, if the storage position PA is set to the left of the second tier of the stored item P, the detection range PE may be a range that includes the left half of the lower beam section PGL and the left column section PHL on the front Pa of the stored item P.
[0055] In Figure 8, after the processing in step S102 is completed, the control device 28 performs plane detection of the front Pa of the stored item P in the first point cloud of the detection target range PE, and extracts the first point cloud corresponding to the front Pa of the stored item P, which is located on the detected plane (step S103). For example, the control device 28 performs plane detection using the known RANSAC on the point cloud of the detection target range PE, and extracts the first point cloud corresponding to the front Pa of the stored item P, which is located on the detected plane. As a result, the first point cloud has been updated to include the points of the plane corresponding to the front Pa, and the point cloud corresponding to the depth in the sensor information 723 has been deleted. After the processing in step S103 is completed, the control device 28 proceeds to step S104.
[0056] The control device 28 extracts a second point group from the first point group corresponding to the front Pa, based on predetermined parameters, which corresponds to the beam PG and column PH of the stored object P (step S104). For example, if the lower beam PGL and the left column PHL and right column PHR on either side of it are set as predetermined parameters, the control device 28 extracts the point group corresponding to the lower beam PGL, the left column PHL, and the right column PHR from the first point group as the second point group.
[0057] Figure 10 shows an example of a second point group extracted from the detection target area PE. As shown in Figure 10, the second point group 300 is extracted from point groups corresponding to the lower beam section PGL and the left column section PHL and the right column section PHR on both sides thereof. As a result, the control device 28 can extract a second point group 300 that measures the characteristic structure of the stored object P in the detection target area PE.
[0058] In Figure 8, after the processing in step S104 is completed, the control device 28 extracts a first straight line indicating the edge of the beam section PG corresponding to the loading position PA and a second straight line indicating the edge of the column section PH based on the second point group 300 (step S105).
[0059] Figure 11 shows an example of extracting a straight line from the second point group 300. As shown in Figure 11, the control device 28 detects a first straight line 310A passing above the lower beam section PGL corresponding to the loading position PA, and a second straight line 310B passing inside the left column section PHL and the right column section PHR, within the three-dimensional space indicated by the second point group 300, using the RANSAC algorithm. The algorithm used for detecting the straight line may be, for example, an algorithm such as Hough transform or edge detection. The control device 28 calculates the intersection point where the first straight line 310A and the second straight line 310B intersect as a reference point 320, and based on the reference point 320, it can detect the positions of both ends above the lower beam section PGL.
[0060] Furthermore, the control device 28 may extract a straight line passing below the upper beam section PGU and include information regarding the position of that upper beam section PGU in the position information 724. This allows the control device 28 to identify the upper beam section PGU above the loading position PA as an obstacle.
[0061] In Figure 8, after the processing in step S105 is completed, the control device 28 projects the first straight line 320A and the second straight line 320B onto a vertical plane and calculates position information 724 of the loading location PA based on the first straight line 310A, the second straight line 310B and the reference point 320 (step S106). For example, if the shape information 725 indicates a structure in which the column portion PH and the lower beam portion PGL of the stored item P are located on the same plane, the control device 28 calculates position information 724 that can identify the vertical, horizontal, and vertical positions of the column portion PH and the lower beam portion PGL at the loading location PA, based on the positions indicated by the point cloud of the first straight line 310A, the second straight line 310B and the reference point 320.
[0062] Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of position information 724 calculated by the control device 28. In Figure 12, scene C11 shows a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the loading position PA at the front Pa of the stored item P, and scene C12 shows a schematic overhead view of scene C11. In scene C11 of Figure 12, the control device 28 extracts from the second point group 300 a first straight line 310A passing above the lower beam section PGL corresponding to the loading position PA at the front Pa of the stored item P, and a second straight line 310B passing inside the left column section PHL. Then, as shown in scene C12 of Figure 12, the control device 28 projects the first straight line 310A and the second straight line 310B onto a plane that provides an overhead view of the loading position PA of the stored item P. The shape information 725 indicates that the column section PH of the stored item P protrudes towards the front Pa side from the lower beam section PGL. The control device 28 calculates the amount of displacement 240 between the reference point 320 and the second straight line 310B on the vertical plane based on the shape information 725. Based on the position and displacement 340 indicated by the point cloud of the first straight line 310A, the second straight line 310B, and the reference point 320, the control device 28 calculates position information 724 that can identify the front-rear, up-down, left-right, and right positions of the column section PH and the lower beam section PGL at the loading position PA.
[0063] In Figure 8, once the control device 28 stores the position information 724 calculated by the process in step S106 in the storage unit 72, it terminates the processing procedure shown in Figure 8.
[0064] In this manner, the mobile body 10 is equipped with a sensor 26B that is movable together with the fork 24, and measures the front Pa of the stored item P from below the fork 24 as a three-dimensional first point cloud. The mobile body 10's point cloud extraction unit 86 extracts a second point cloud 300 from the measurement results of the sensor 26B, which represents the beam portion PG and column portion PH related to the loading position PA where the fork 24 moves in front of the stored item P Pa. The mobile body 10's line extraction unit 88 extracts lines representing the sides of the beam portion PG and column portion PH inside the front Pa of the stored item P based on the second point cloud 300. The mobile body 10's calculation unit 90 calculates position information 724 indicating the loading position PA based on multiple lines and the intersection points of multiple lines. As a result, the mobile body 10 can extract a second point cloud 300 from the measurement results of the sensor 26B that represents the characteristics of the beam portion PG and column portion PH of the stored item P related to the loading position PA, and calculate position information 724 indicating the loading position based on the second point cloud 300. As a result, by equipping the sensor 26B below the fork 24, the mobile unit 10 can improve the accuracy of calculating the loading position PA for the stored item P, which consists of the beam section PG and the column section PH. Furthermore, by accurately calculating the loading position PA for the stored item P, which consists of the beam section PG and the column section PH, the mobile unit 10 can place the item so that the edge of the transported item CA aligns with the edge of the loading position PA.
[0065] (Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment will be described. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it detects the orientation of the stored item P simultaneously with detecting its position. In the second embodiment, parts that are common to the first embodiment will not be described. Note that the second embodiment may be applied to or combined with the mobile body 10 of the first embodiment.
[0066] The control device 28 of the mobile body 10 according to the second embodiment includes a communication unit 70, a storage unit 72, and a control unit 74, similar to the first embodiment. The control unit 74 includes an information acquisition unit 80, a movement control unit 82, a detection control unit 84, a point cloud extraction unit 86, a line extraction unit 88, a calculation unit 90, and a fork control unit 92.
[0067] The control device 28 can provide a function to prevent the transported object CA from overhanging the beam section PG of the stored object P. The calculation unit 90 of the control device 28 calculates the attitude angle of the stored object P from the second point group 300 and adjusts the loading position PA of the stored object P based on the attitude angle. The calculation unit 90 calculates the attitude angle of the stored object P based on multiple distances from the beam section PG and column section PH at the front Pa of the stored object P. The control device 28 prevents the transported object CA from overhanging the beam section PG of the stored object P by having the calculation unit 90 calculate the optimal loading position PA of the transported object CA in the stored object P.
[0068] Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating the cargo placement position PC calculated by the mobile body 10 according to the second embodiment. In the example shown in Figure 13, the control device 28 of the mobile body 10 calculates the height of the upper end of the beam portion PG of the stored item P, and also calculates the attitude of the mobile body 10 relative to the stored item P, based on the sensor information 723 of the sensor 26B. As shown in the first embodiment, the control device 28 uses the reference point 320 calculated relative to the stored item P as the reference point 320Y for the left and right position. The control device 28 sets left and right reference lines 20L and front and rear reference lines 20F passing through the representative point 20P of the mobile body 10, and calculates the point where the front and rear reference line 20F intersects with the beam portion PG of the stored item P as the reference point 320X for the front and rear position. The control device 28 calculates a front and rear reference line 350 that passes through the reference point 320X and is perpendicular to the front and rear reference line 20F. The control device 28 calculates left and right reference lines 360 that pass through the left and right reference point 320Y and are perpendicular to the left and right reference lines 20L. The control device 28 calculates the distance 370 between the left and right reference line 20L and the front and rear reference line 350, and the distance 380 between the front and rear reference line 20F and the left and right reference line 360. Based on the distances 370 and 380, the control device 28 calculates an offset distance 390 that shifts the loading position PC in the front and rear direction from the front and rear reference line 350, thereby obtaining an offset distance 390 that takes into account the attitude angle of the moving body 10. An offset distance 390 that takes into account the attitude angle means taking into account at least one of the front and rear body movement of the moving body 10 and the reach-in / reach-out of the forks 24, or at least one of the left and right body movement of the moving body 10 and the side shift of the forks 24.
[0069] Figure 14 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing procedure for a calculation method executed by the control device 28 of the mobile body 10 according to the second embodiment. The processing procedure shown in Figure 14 is executed by the control unit 74 of the control device 28 when the mobile body 10 approaches the stored item P.
[0070] As shown in Figure 14, the control device 28 of the mobile unit 10 acquires reference position information for the transported object CA (step S201). For example, as shown in Figure 13, the control device 28 acquires reference position information regarding the reference position of the transported object CA in the stored object P and stores it in the storage unit 72. When the processing in step S201 is completed, the control device 28 proceeds to step S202.
[0071] The control device 28 calculates a longitudinal offset distance 390 based on attitude angle information with respect to the loading reference position (step S202). For example, the control device 28 calculates a distance 370 between the left / right reference line 20L and the longitudinal reference line 350, and a distance 380 between the longitudinal reference line 20F and the left / right reference line 360, and calculates an offset distance 390 to shift the loading position PC in the longitudinal direction from the longitudinal reference line 350 based on distances 370 and 380. For example, the shape information 725 of the memory unit 72 is set to 1100 mm as the width of the transported object CA. When the control device 28 calculates the attitude angle of the stored object P as 1 deg, it calculates an offset distance 390 in the rearward direction as 550 mm × tan 1 deg = 9.625 mm. The offset distance 390 is the distance that prevents the loading position PC from extending beyond the stored object P. When the processing in step S202 is completed, the control device 28 proceeds to step S203.
[0072] The control device 28 determines whether the transported object CA can be placed without extending beyond the beam section PG (step S203). For example, the control device 28 determines that the transported object CA can be placed without extending beyond the beam section PG if the loading position PC to which the offset distance 390 is applied does not extend beyond the beam section PG. In detail, the control device 28 determines that the transported object CA can be placed without extending beyond the beam section PG if the width of the known stored object P is greater than the determination threshold. The determination threshold is, for example, 1100 mm + 9.625 mm × 2. The control device 28 also determines that the transported object CA cannot be placed without extending beyond the beam section PG if the width of the known stored object P is smaller than the determination threshold.
[0073] If the control device 28 determines that the transported object CA can be placed without extending beyond the beam section PG (Yes in step S203), it proceeds to step S204. The control device 28 controls the unloading of the transported object CA to the loading position PC (step S204). For example, based on the loading position PC of the stored object P, the control device 28 controls the movement of the forks 24 in the vertical direction ZA and the forward / backward direction XA to place the transported object CA at the loading position PC. Once the processing in step S204 is completed, the control device 28 terminates the processing procedure shown in Figure 14.
[0074] Furthermore, if the control device 28 determines that the transported object CA cannot be placed without extending beyond the beam section PG (No in step S203), it proceeds to step S205. The control device 28 retries the approach of the moving body 10 to the loading position PC (step S205). For example, the control device 28 controls the vehicle body 20 to move again so that the moving body 10 is directly facing the loading position PC. Once the processing in step S205 is completed, the control device 28 terminates the processing procedure shown in Figure 14.
[0075] Figure 15 shows an example where the transported object CA can be placed without extending beyond the beam section PG. Figure 16 shows an example where the transported object CA cannot be placed without extending beyond the beam section PG.
[0076] As shown in Figure 15, the mobile unit 10 calculates a longitudinal offset distance 390 based on attitude angle information with respect to the loading reference position, and determines that the transported object CA can be placed without protruding from the beam portion PG if the loading position PC to which the offset distance 390 is applied does not protrude from the beam portion PG of the stored item P. In this case, the mobile unit 10 controls the unloading of the transported object CA from the loading position PC, moves the forks 24 to the loading position PC, and places the transported object CA at the loading position PC. As a result, the mobile unit 10 can place the transported object CA at the optimal loading position PC for the stored item P, thereby preventing the transported object CA from protruding from the stored item P.
[0077] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 16, if the corner PCA of the loading position PC to which the calculated offset distance 390 is applied protrudes from the beam portion PG of the stored item P, it is determined that the transported item CA cannot be placed without protruding from the beam portion PG. In this case, the mobile body 10 can avoid placing the transported item CA at the loading position PC of the stored item P with the transported item CA protruding from the beam portion PG by retrying its approach to the loading position PC.
[0078] (effect) A mobile body 10 according to a first aspect of this disclosure includes a fork 24 that is movable in the vertical direction ZA, a sensor 26B that is movable together with the fork 24 and capable of measuring the front surface Pa of the stored item P as a three-dimensional first point cloud, a point cloud extraction unit 86 that extracts a second point cloud 300 from the measurement results of the sensor 26B that shows the beam portion PG and column portion PH related to the loading position PA on the front surface Pa of the stored item P, where the fork 24 moves, a line extraction unit 88 that extracts lines that show the sides of the beam portion PG and column portion PH inside the front surface Pa of the stored item P based on the second point cloud 300, and a calculation unit 90 that calculates position information 724 indicating the loading position PA based on the extracted lines and the intersection points of the lines. As a result, the mobile body 10 can extract a second point cloud 300 that shows the characteristics of the beam portion PG and column portion PH of the stored item P related to the loading position PA from the measurement results of the sensor 26B, and calculate position information 724 indicating the loading position based on the second point cloud 300. As a result, by providing the sensor 26B below the fork 24, the mobile body 10 can improve the accuracy of calculating the loading position PA of the stored item P, which consists of the beam section PG and the column section PH.
[0079] In the mobile body 10 according to the second aspect of this disclosure, the straight line extraction unit 88 extracts a first straight line 310A that indicates the upper side of the beam section PG and a second straight line 310B that indicates the inner side of the column section PH at the front Pa of the stored item P. The calculation unit 90 calculates a reference point 320 where the first straight line 310A and the second straight line 310B intersect, and calculates position information 724 that can identify the positions of the beam section PG and the column section PH at the loading position PA, based on the positions indicated by the second point group 300 of the first straight line 310A, the second straight line 310B and the reference point 320. As a result, the mobile body 10 can perform loading operations that take into account the beam section PG and the column section PH, as the position information 724 indicates the positions of the beam section PG and the column section PH at the loading position PA.
[0080] In the mobile body 10 according to the third aspect of this disclosure, the point cloud extraction unit 86 extracts a second point cloud 300 from the measurement results of the sensor 26B, which represents the beam portion PG and column portion PH indicated by the shape information 725 of the stored item P at the storage position PA, on the front Pa of the stored item P. As a result, the mobile body 10 can extract a second point cloud 300 from the measurement results of the sensor 26B with the information of points related to depth removed, thereby improving the accuracy of the position information 724 calculated from the second point cloud 300.
[0081] In the mobile body 10 according to the fourth aspect of this disclosure, the calculation unit 90 projects the first straight line 310A and the second straight line 310B onto a plane that provides an overhead view of the beam section PG at the loading position PA, and calculates position information 724 indicating the loading position PA from the intersection of the first straight line 310A and the second straight line 310B. As a result, the mobile body 10 can calculate position information 724 indicating the accurate position of the loading position PA even if the positions of the beam section PG and the column section PH are shifted in the front-rear direction.
[0082] In the mobile body 10 according to the fifth aspect of this disclosure, the calculation unit 90 calculates the attitude angle of the stored item P from the second point group 300 and adjusts the loading position PC of the stored item P based on the attitude angle. As a result, even when the mobile body 10 is not directly facing the front Pa of the stored item P, the mobile body 10 can calculate position information 724 of the optimal loading position PC that takes into account the influence of the attitude angle of the stored item P.
[0083] The mobile body 10 according to the sixth aspect of this disclosure further includes a movement control unit 82 that controls the movement of the mobile body 10 so that it faces the loading position PC when the transported object CA to be placed at the loading position PC protrudes from the beam section PG, and a fork control unit 92 that controls the movement of the forks 24 so that the transported object CA to be placed at the loading position PC is placed at the loading position PC when the transported object CA does not protrude from the beam section PG. As a result, the mobile body 10 can place the transported object CA at the loading position PC so that the transported object CA does not protrude from the beam section PG, thereby preventing the transported object CA from protruding from the stored items P.
[0084] A calculation method for a mobile body 10 comprising a fork 24 movably provided in the vertical direction ZA, and a sensor 26B movably provided together with the fork 24 and capable of measuring the front surface Pa of the stored item P as a three-dimensional first point cloud, includes the steps of: extracting a second point cloud 300 from the measurement results of the sensor 26B that shows a beam portion PG and a column portion PH related to a loading position PA on the front surface Pa of the stored item P; extracting straight lines indicating the sides of the beam portion PG and the column portion PH inside the front surface Pa of the stored item P based on the second point cloud 300; and calculating position information 724 indicating the loading position PA based on the extracted multiple straight lines and the intersection points of the multiple straight lines. As a result, the calculation method can be improved by having the mobile body 10 provide a sensor 26B below the fork 24, thereby improving the accuracy of calculating the loading position PA of the stored item P, which consists of a beam section PG and a column section PH.
[0085] A program according to the eighth aspect of this disclosure causes a mobile body 10, which includes a fork 24 movably mounted in the vertical direction ZA and a sensor 26B movably mounted together with the fork 24 and capable of measuring the front surface Pa of the stored item P as a three-dimensional first point cloud, to perform the following steps: extract a second point cloud 300 from the measurement results of the sensor 26B that indicates the beam portion PG and column portion PH related to the loading position PA where the fork 24 moves in front of the stored item P Pa; extract straight lines indicating the sides of the beam portion PG and column portion PH inside the front surface Pa of the stored item P based on the second point cloud 300; and calculate position information 724 indicating the loading position PA based on the extracted multiple straight lines and the intersection points of the multiple straight lines. As a result, the program causes the mobile body 10 to extract a second point cloud 300 that indicates the characteristics of the beam portion PG and column portion PH of the stored item P related to the loading position PA from the measurement results of the sensor 26B, and to calculate position information 724 indicating the loading position based on the second point cloud 300. As a result, the program can improve the accuracy of calculating the loading position PA of the stored item P, which consists of a beam section PG and a column section PH, by having the mobile body 10 place the sensor 26B below the fork 24.
[0086] Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the embodiments are not limited to those described herein. Furthermore, the aforementioned components include those that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those that fall within the so-called equivalent range. Moreover, the aforementioned components can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the components can be made without departing from the gist of the embodiments described above. [Explanation of symbols]
[0087] 1. Mobility control system 10 Mobile Units 12 Management device 14 Information Processing Devices 20 car bodies 20A Wheel 21 Straddle Legs 22 Mast 23 Backrest 24, 24A, 24B Fork 25 Side shift device 26, 26A, 26B sensors 28 Control device 29 Drive unit 70 Communications Department 72 Memory section 74 Control Unit 80 Information acquisition department 82 Mobile Control Unit 84 Detection Control Unit 86 Point cloud extraction part 88 Straight line extraction part 90 Calculation Unit 92 Fork Control Unit 220 Lifting device 230 Position detector 300 Point Group 2 310A 1st straight line 310B 2nd straight line 320,320X,320Y reference point 370,380 distance 390 Offset distance 721 Programs 722 Work Information 723 Sensor Information 724 Location information 725 Shape information P Storage Pa front PA,PC loading location PG beam section PH column
Claims
1. A fork that is movable in the vertical direction, A sensor is provided that is movable together with the fork and capable of measuring the front of the stored item as a three-dimensional first point cloud, A point cloud extraction unit extracts a second point cloud from the measurement results of the sensor that indicates the beam portion and column portion related to the loading position where the forks move on the front of the stored item. A line extraction unit that extracts straight lines representing the sides of the beam portion and the column portion on the inside of the front surface of the stored object based on the second point group, A calculation unit that calculates position information indicating the loading location based on a plurality of extracted lines and the intersection points of the plurality of lines, A mobile device equipped with [the necessary components].
2. The linear extraction unit extracts a first linear line representing the upper side of the beam portion on the front of the stored object and a second linear line representing the inner side of the column portion. The mobile body according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit calculates a reference point where the first straight line and the second straight line intersect, and calculates positional information that allows identification of the positions of the beam section and the column section at the loading position based on the positions indicated by the second point group of the first straight line, the second straight line, and the reference point.
3. The mobile body according to claim 2, wherein the point cloud extraction unit extracts a second point cloud from the measurement results of the sensor, which represents the beam portion and the column portion indicated by the shape information of the stored item at the storage position on the front surface of the stored item.
4. The mobile body according to claim 3, wherein the calculation unit projects the first line and the second line onto a plane that provides an overhead view of the beam section at the loading position, and calculates the position information indicating the loading position from the intersection of the first line and the second line.
5. The mobile body according to claim 4, wherein the calculation unit calculates the attitude angle of the stored items from the second point group and adjusts the loading position of the stored items based on the attitude angle.
6. When the transported object to be placed at the aforementioned loading position extends beyond the beam section, a movement control unit controls the movement of the moving body so that it faces the loading position directly. A fork control unit controls the movement of the forks so that the transported object to be placed at the loading position is placed at the loading position if the transported object does not protrude from the beam section. The mobile body according to claim 5, further comprising:
7. A method for calculating a moving body comprising a fork that is movable in the vertical direction, and a sensor that is movable together with the fork and capable of measuring the front of the stored object as a three-dimensional first point cloud, A step of extracting a second point group from the measurement results of the sensor that indicates the beam portion and column portion related to the loading position where the fork moves on the front of the stored item, A step of extracting straight lines representing the sides of the beam portion and the column portion on the inside of the front surface of the stored object based on the second point group, A step of calculating location information indicating the loading location based on the extracted lines and the intersection points of the lines, A calculation method that includes this.
8. A mobile body comprising a fork that is movable in the vertical direction, and a sensor that is movable together with the fork and capable of measuring the front of the stored object as a three-dimensional first point cloud, A step of extracting a second point group from the measurement results of the sensor that indicates the beam portion and column portion related to the loading position where the fork moves on the front of the stored item, A step of extracting straight lines representing the sides of the beam portion and the column portion on the inside of the front surface of the stored object based on the second point group, A step of calculating location information indicating the loading location based on the extracted lines and the intersection points of the lines, A program that executes something.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Cargo placing position detection device for automatic operating forklift
JP2020189719A