Robot mobility system, robot mobility method, and robot mobility program

Abstract

This system enables human-friendly control of mobile robots when they may come into close proximity with other moving objects in facility corridors. [Solution] The robot mobility system is a system for moving a mobile robot in a facility where a mobile object that may be accompanied by a human exists, and includes a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to control the movement of the mobile robot differently when it is determined that a human is accompanying the mobile object compared to when it is determined that a human is not accompanying the mobile object.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a robot movement system, a robot movement method, and a robot movement program.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an autonomous movement system. In this system, a mobile robot measures the distance to an obstacle and determines the type of the obstacle, and travels while leaving a predetermined distance set according to the type of the obstacle between itself and the obstacle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When a mobile robot passes by, overtakes, or simply approaches a moving object and gets close to the moving object, the mobile robot travels so as not to hit the moving object. However, when a human is accompanying the moving object, it is desirable for the mobile robot to consider the human so as not to impair the comfort of the human.

[0005] Therefore, one aspect of the present disclosure aims to realize control of a mobile robot that takes into account humans when the mobile robot can get close to a moving object.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A robotic mobility system according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a system for moving a mobile robot in a facility where a mobile body that may be accompanied by a human being exists, and comprises a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to control the movement of the mobile robot differently when it is determined that a human being is accompanied by the mobile body compared to when it is determined that a human being is not accompanied by the mobile body.

[0007] A robot movement method according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a method for moving a mobile robot in a facility where a mobile body that may be accompanied by a human being exists, wherein the control of the movement of the mobile robot is determined to be different when it is determined that a human being is accompanied by the mobile body compared to when it is determined that a human being is not accompanied by the mobile body.

[0008] A robot movement program according to one aspect of the present disclosure causes a computer system including at least one processor to execute a method. The program may be stored in a computer-readable, non-temporary, and tangible storage medium. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to one aspect of this disclosure, when a mobile robot and a mobile object may be in close proximity to each other in a facility's passageway, it is possible to achieve human-friendly control of the mobile robot. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the robotic mobile system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a block diagram of the mobile robot shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a block diagram of the server shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating the processing of the robot movement system shown in Figure 1. [Figure 5]Figure 5A shows an image from a facility camera when no human is accompanying the moving object. Figure 5B shows an image from a facility camera when a human is accompanying the moving object but the moving object itself is empty. Figure 5C shows an image from a facility camera when a human is accompanying the moving object and the moving object itself is empty. [Figure 6] Figure 6A shows a camera image of a mobile robot without a human accompanying it. Figure 6B shows a camera image of a mobile robot with a human accompanying it but without the human riding on the robot. Figure 6C shows a camera image of a mobile robot with a human accompanying it and with the human riding on the robot. [Figure 7] Figure 7A is a plan view showing the normal control speed when a mobile robot passes a mobile object without a human being accompanying it. Figure 7B is a plan view showing the first concession control speed when a mobile robot passes a mobile object with a human being accompanying it but without the human being riding on the mobile object. Figure 7C is a plan view showing the second concession control speed when a mobile robot passes a mobile object with a human being accompanying it and with the human being riding on the mobile object. [Figure 8] Figure 8A is a plan view showing the separation distance under normal control when a mobile robot passes a mobile object without a human accompanying it. Figure 8B is a plan view showing the separation distance under first concession control when a mobile robot passes a mobile object with a human accompanying it but without the human riding on the mobile object. Figure 8C is a plan view showing the separation distance under second concession control when a mobile robot passes a mobile object with a human accompanying it and with the human riding on the mobile object. [Figure 9] Figure 9A is a plan view showing the operation of normal control when a mobile robot passes a mobile object without a human being accompanying it. Figure 9B is a plan view showing the first retreat position of the first concession control when a mobile robot passes a mobile object with a human being accompanying it but without a human being on the mobile object. Figure 9C is a plan view showing the second retreat position of the second concession control when a mobile robot passes a mobile object with a human being accompanying it and with a human being on the mobile object. [Figure 10]Figure 10A is a diagram illustrating the normal control operation of a mobile robot riding in an elevator car when no human is accompanying the mobile body. Figure 10B is a diagram illustrating the first concession control operation of a mobile robot riding in an elevator car when a human is accompanying the mobile body but the mobile body itself is empty. Figure 10C is a diagram illustrating the second concession control operation of a mobile robot riding in an elevator car when a human is accompanying the mobile body and the mobile body itself is empty. [Figure 11] Figure 11A is a diagram illustrating the normal control operation of a mobile robot that is about to board an elevator when there is no human accompanying the mobile body. Figure 11B is a diagram illustrating the first concession control operation of a mobile robot that is about to board an elevator when there is a human accompanying the mobile body but the mobile body is not carrying the human. Figure 11C is a diagram illustrating the second concession control operation of a mobile robot that is about to board an elevator when there is a human accompanying the mobile body and the human is carrying the mobile body. [Figure 12] Figure 12A is a diagram illustrating the normal control operation of a mobile robot preparing to pass through an automatic door when no human is accompanying the mobile body. Figure 12B is a diagram illustrating the first concession control operation of a mobile robot preparing to pass through an automatic door when a human is accompanying the mobile body but the human is not riding on the mobile body. Figure 12C is a diagram illustrating the second concession control operation of a mobile robot preparing to pass through an automatic door when a human is accompanying the mobile body and the human is riding on the mobile body. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a diagram showing the planned movement path of the mobile robot. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a robot movement system 1 according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the robot movement system 1 includes at least one mobile robot 2 that autonomously moves, and a server 3 that can communicate with the mobile robot 2 via a communication network N. The communication network N can be, for example, the Internet, but may also be an intranet or the like. The mobile robot 2 autonomously moves on the floor within the facility 4. In the facility 4, a plurality of facility cameras 5 for photographing the floor from above are installed. The server 3 receives the images captured by the facility cameras 5 via the communication network N. The facility 4 may include an elevator 6. The facility 4 is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, a hospital.

[0013] Within the facility 4, there exists a moving body 7 that is different from the mobile robot 2 and with which a human 9 can accompany. The moving body 2 moves by being manually moved by the human 9. In this embodiment, as the moving body 7, a transport bed 7A and a wheelchair 7B are exemplified. Note that the moving body 7 may also be a stretcher, a transport cart, or the like. The human 9 accompanying the moving body 7 includes the human 9 riding on the moving body 7 and the human 9 moving together with and accompanying the moving body 7 without riding on it.

[0014] The transport bed 7A is pushed by a nurse and moves with a patient on it. The transport bed 7A may also be pushed by a nurse and move with the nurse when no one is on it. The wheelchair 7B is operated by the occupant himself / herself and moves with a patient or an elderly occupant on it. The wheelchair 7B may also be pushed by an attendant and move with the attendant when a patient or an elderly occupant is on it. The wheelchair 7B may also be pushed by an operator and move with the operator when no one is on it.

[0015] The moving body 7 is provided with an identification device 8 that records the identification information of the moving body 7. The identification device 8 can be a two-dimensional code such as a QR code (registered trademark), for example. The identification device 8 faces upward so as to be easily photographed by the facility camera 5. Note that the identification device 8 may be an RFID tag or the like that records the identification information of the moving body 7. In that case, it is preferable that a plurality of RFID readers are distributed and arranged in the facility 4.

[0016] The moving task assigned to the mobile robot 2 is a task including movement to a destination. Note that the moving task may include work at the departure point, via point, or destination. The types of moving tasks are, for example, movement, delivery, or patrol.

[0017] The mobile robot 2 is an autonomous mobile robot that autonomously moves toward a destination. When the mobile robot 2 moves via a via point until it reaches the final destination, the mobile robot 2 may move with the nearest via point from the current location as the destination. The mobile robot 2 travels on the ground, but may also fly in the air.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the mobile robot 2 in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the mobile robot 2 includes a processor 11, a system memory 12, a storage memory 13, a distance measuring sensor 14, a touch panel display 15, a camera 16, a speaker 17, a lamp 18, a communication interface 19, a traveling actuator ACT, wheels W, etc. These devices 14 to 19 are electrically connected to the processor 11.

[0019] The processor 11 may include a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The system memory 12 may include RAM. The storage memory 13 may include a hard disk, flash memory, or a combination thereof. The storage memory 13 stores the robot movement program P1. An example of a processing circuit 10 is a configuration in which the processor 11 executes the robot movement program P1 read from the storage memory 13 to the system memory 12. Based on information input from at least one of the distance measuring sensor 14, the touch panel display 15, and the communication interface 19, the processor 11 controls the touch panel display 15 and at least one of the travel actuator ACT according to the robot movement program P1.

[0020] The distance measuring sensor 14 detects the shape of the area around the mobile robot 2 in three dimensions by measuring the distance around the mobile robot 2 in three dimensions. The distance measuring sensor 14 detects the position data of the outer surface of obstacles within the facility 4 by receiving reflected waves from obstacles around the mobile robot 2. For example, the distance measuring sensor 14 may emit light, radio waves, or ultrasonic waves toward the area around the mobile robot 2 and receive the reflected waves. The distance measuring sensor 14 may receive reflected waves from light, radio waves, or ultrasonic waves present in the outside world that are reflected off objects. The distance measuring sensor 14 can measure distance in all directions horizontally with respect to the mobile robot 2. Note that the distance measuring sensor 14 may measure distance in two dimensions around the mobile robot 2.

[0021] The distance measuring sensor 14 may, for example, detect the distance to an obstacle by measuring the time from the time laser light is irradiated until the reflected wave is received. The distance measuring sensor 14 may be a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor. As an example, the distance measuring sensor 14 is a three-dimensional LIDAR sensor. The distance measuring sensor 14 may also be a sensor assembly including a forward-facing LIDAR sensor, a rear-facing LIDAR sensor, a left-facing LIDAR sensor, and a right-facing LIDAR sensor. The distance measuring sensor 14 may be an infrared distance measuring sensor, a millimeter-wave radar, or a depth-sensing camera. The depth-sensing camera may measure the distance to an object using parallax from a stereo camera.

[0022] The processor 11 downloads map data showing a map of facility 4 from server 3 via the communication network N and stores it in storage memory 13. The processor 11 determines the position of the mobile robot 2 on the map data by matching the surrounding shape detected by the distance measuring sensor 14 with the shape in the map data. In other words, a positioning sensor is realized by combining software that matches the shape detected by the distance measuring sensor 14 with the map data and the distance measuring sensor 14. Note that other means may be used to position the mobile robot 2, for example, WiFi® positioning, beacon (BLE) positioning, RFID positioning, etc.

[0023] The touch panel display 15 is an example of a user interface. That is, the touch panel display 15 serves as both a user input interface and a user output interface. The user input interface may be a keyboard, mouse, or a smartphone or tablet device capable of communicating with the mobile robot 2. A non-touch panel display may be used as the user output interface.

[0024] Camera 16 is a digital camera that captures images of at least the environment in front of the mobile robot 2. Speaker 17 can emit a warning sound around the mobile robot 2 to alert people in the vicinity of the mobile robot 2. Lamp 18 can alert people in the vicinity of the mobile robot 2 by lighting up or flashing.

[0025] The communication interface 19 is an interface that wirelessly connects to the communication network N. The communication interface 19 functions as a transmitter that sends information about its mobile robot 2 to the server 3 via the communication network N. The communication interface 19 also functions as a receiver that receives information from the server 3.

[0026] The travel actuator ACT includes a wheel drive actuator that drives the wheels W to rotate. The travel actuator ACT is, for example, an electric motor. The travel actuator ACT may also include a braking actuator that drives a brake that brakes the wheels W. The mobile robot 2 may change its direction of travel by making the rotation speeds of the left and right wheels W different, by making the rotation directions of the left and right wheels W different, or by steering the wheels W with a steering actuator. The mobile robot 2 may have an opposing differential two-wheel mechanism or an omnidirectional Mecanum mechanism.

[0027] Figure 3 is a block diagram of server 3 in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 3, server 3 includes a processor 21, system memory 22, storage memory 23, and a communication interface 24. The processor 21 may include a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The system memory 22 may include RAM. The storage memory 23 may include a hard disk, flash memory, or a combination thereof. The storage memory 23 stores the robot movement program P2. An example of a processing circuit 20 is a configuration in which the processor 21 executes the robot movement program P2 read from the storage memory 23 to the system memory 22. The communication interface 24 includes a communication device that connects to the communication network N by wire or wireless.

[0028] The storage memory 23 stores map data 26 that shows a map of facility 4. The map data 26 identifies the shape of the area where the mobile robot 2 can travel. For example, the map data 26 identifies the shape of the floors within facility 4. By identifying the contours of obstacles on the floors, the map data 26 identifies the contour of the area where the mobile robot 2 can travel. Note that the map data 26 may be stored in a database different from the server 3. The map data 26 is downloaded by the mobile robot 2 whenever it is updated.

[0029] The storage memory 23 has a camera database 27. The camera database 27 stores in advance the identification information of the facility camera 5 and the positional relationship between the shooting range of the facility camera 5 and the map data 26, associating them with each other. In other words, the position on the image captured by the facility camera 5 and the position on the map data 26 are associated with each other.

[0030] The processor 11, system memory 12, and storage memory 13 of the mobile robot 2, and the processor 21, system memory 22, and storage memory 23 of the server 3, constitute a computer system 50 connected via a communication network N. Robot movement programs P1 and P2 are executed by the computer system 50. In this embodiment, the robot movement programs executed by the computer system 50 are distributed between robot movement program P1 stored in the storage memory 13 of the mobile robot 2 and robot movement program P2 stored in the storage memory 23 of the server 3.

[0031] The computer system 50 may include the processor 11, system memory 12, and storage memory 13 of the mobile robot 2, but omit the processor 21, system memory 22, and storage memory 23 of the server 3.

[0032] The following describes the processing of the robot movement system 1. When the robot movement system 1 is about to approach a mobile body 7, if it is determined that a human 9 is accompanying the mobile body 7, the robot movement system 1 will control the movement of the mobile robot 2 differently than if it is determined that a human 9 is not accompanying the mobile body 7. Furthermore, if it is determined that a human 9 is accompanying the mobile body 7 AND the human 9 is riding on the mobile body 7, the robot movement system 1 will control the movement of the mobile robot 2 differently than if it is determined that a human 9 is accompanying the mobile body 7 AND the human 9 is not riding on the mobile body 7.

[0033] Specifically, if it is determined that the mobile body 7 is not accompanied by a human 9, the mobile robot 2 is made to perform normal control. However, if it is determined that the mobile body 7 is accompanied by a human 9, the mobile robot 2 is made to perform concession control that prioritizes the movement of both the mobile body 7 and the human 9 compared to the case where it is determined that the mobile body 7 is not accompanied by a human 9. More specifically, if it is determined that the mobile body is accompanied by a human and the mobile body is not carrying a human, the mobile robot 2 is made to perform first concession control. However, if it is determined that the mobile body 7 is accompanied by a human 9 and the mobile body is carrying a human 9, the mobile robot 2 is made to perform second concession control.

[0034] The first concession control may be a control that prioritizes the movement of the mobile body 7 and the human 9 compared to normal control. The second concession control may be a control that prioritizes the movement of the mobile body 7 and the human 9 compared to the first concession control. Here, prioritizing the movement of the mobile body 7 and the human 9 means changing the way the mobile robot 2 moves in order to reduce the influence that the mobile robot 2 has on the movement of the mobile body 7 accompanied by the human 9. When prioritizing the movement of the mobile body 7 and the human 9, the movement efficiency of the mobile robot 2 may decrease. For example, when the first concession control is executed, the way the mobile robot 2 moves is changed to reduce the stress that the mobile robot 2 has on the movement of the mobile body 7 accompanied by the human 9 compared to when normal control is executed. In this case, the time required for the mobile robot 2 to reach the destination of the movement task will be longer. For example, when the second concession control is executed, the time required for the mobile robot 2 to reach the destination of the movement task may be longer compared to when the first concession control is executed.

[0035] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating the processing of the robot mobile system 1 in Figure 1. The processing of the robot mobile system 1 will be explained following the flow shown in Figure 4, with reference to Figures 1-3 as appropriate. Hereafter, the processing of the mobile robot 2 will be executed by processing circuit 10, and the processing of the server 3 will be executed by processing circuit 20.

[0036] Furthermore, the processes in steps S6-S7 and S9-11 performed by the mobile robot 2 as described below may be performed by the server 3, and the processes in steps S2-5 performed by the server 3 as described below may be performed by the mobile robot 2. In other words, the entity that performs each process of the robot mobile system 1 is not particularly limited. However, it is preferable for the server 3 to perform processes that involve a broad perspective, and for the mobile robot 2 to perform processes that involve a local perspective.

[0037] Mobile robot 2 downloads the latest map data 26 from server 3 (step S1). Server 3 acquires image data obtained from multiple facility cameras 5, along with camera identification information for each facility camera 5 (step S2). Server 3 calculates the positions of the mobile body 7 and human 9 within facility 4 from the acquired image data (step S3). Specifically, server 3 uses image processing technology to identify the positions of the mobile body 7 and human 9 in the image data, refers to the camera database 27 using the camera identification information, and calculates the positions of the mobile body 7 and human 9 in the map data 26 from their positions in the image data.

[0038] The positions of the mobile body 7 and the human 9 on the map data 26 may be detected by other means. For example, if the mobile body 7 and the human 9 have communication devices for determining their location, then WiFi® positioning, beacon (BLE) positioning, RFID positioning, etc., may be used.

[0039] Server 3 transmits the latest calculated positions of the mobile body 7 and human 9 to the mobile robot 2 at a predetermined sampling period (step S4). In Figure 4, the acquisition of image data, calculation of position information, and transmission of position information are conveniently shown as steps S2 to S4, but these processes are carried out continuously in subsequent steps as well.

[0040] When a movement task for the mobile robot 2 occurs on server 3 (step SS5), server 3 generates a movement plan for the mobile robot 2 from its current location to its destination to perform the movement task (step S6), and transmits the movement plan to the mobile robot 2. The movement plan includes information indicating the destination and waypoints. The mobile robot 2 determines the planned movement route from its current location to the waypoint or target location according to the known Dijkstra's algorithm. The movement task may be input via the touch panel display 15 of the mobile robot 2, via an information processing terminal connectable to the communication network N, or automatically generated by server 3.

[0041] The mobile robot 2 determines whether it can approach the mobile object 7 in its movement plan (step S7). An example of the mobile robot 2 approaching the mobile object 7 is the case in which the mobile robot 2 passes by the mobile object 7, but it may also be the case in which the mobile robot 2 overtakes the mobile object 7, or the mobile robot 2 simply approaches the mobile object 7. For example, if the movement plan does not include the planned movement path but includes the destination and waypoints, the mobile robot 2 may calculate the planned movement path according to Dijkstra's algorithm based on the destination and waypoints, and determine that the mobile robot 2 can approach the mobile object 7 if the mobile object 7 is on that planned movement path. If the movement plan includes the planned movement path, the mobile robot 2 may determine that the mobile robot 2 can approach the mobile object 7 if the mobile object 7 is on that planned movement path. Determining whether the mobile body 7 is on the planned movement path may include determining whether the current location of the mobile body 7 is on the planned movement path, or it may include estimating the planned movement path of the mobile body 7 and determining whether there is any overlap with the planned movement path of the mobile robot 2.

[0042] If it is determined that the mobile robot 2 cannot approach the mobile body 7 (step S7:N), the mobile robot 2 moves according to the initial movement plan as normal control (step S8). The mobile robot 2 determines whether the movement task is complete or not (step S9). If it is determined that the movement task is not complete (step S9:N), the process returns to step S7. That is, even while the mobile robot 2 is moving, it determines whether it can approach the mobile body 7 based on the latest position information of the mobile body 7 and the human 9 (step S7).

[0043] When it is determined that the mobile robot 2 can approach the mobile body 7 (step S7:Y), the mobile robot 2 determines whether or not the human 9 is accompanying the mobile body 7 based on the latest position information of the mobile body 7 and the human 9 (step S10). When it is determined that the human 9 is not accompanying the mobile body 7 (step S10:N), the mobile robot 2 moves according to the movement plan as a normal control (step S8).

[0044] If it is determined that a human 9 is attached to the mobile body 7 (step S10:Y), the mobile robot 2 determines whether or not a human 9 is riding on the mobile body 7 (step S11). If it is determined that a human 9 is not riding on the mobile body 7 (step S11:N), the mobile robot 2 moves using the first concession control described later (step S12). If it is determined that a human 9 is riding on the mobile body 7 (step S11:Y), the mobile robot 2 moves using the second concession control described later (step S12).

[0045] As described above, the mobile robot 2 may perform different control over movement depending on whether it is determined that a human 9 is attached to the mobile body 7 (step S10:Y) or whether it is determined that a human 9 is not attached to the mobile body 7 (step S10:N). Furthermore, the mobile robot 2 may perform different control over movement depending on whether it is determined that a human 9 is riding on the mobile body 7 (step S11:Y) or whether it is determined that a human 9 is not riding on the mobile body 7 (step S11:N). In the following explanation, the case in which threshold determination is used in steps S10 and S11 is given as an example, but the determinations in steps S10 and S11 may also be performed by artificial intelligence based on images from the facility camera 5.

[0046] Figures 5A-C illustrate an example of making decisions in steps S10 and S11 based on images from the facility camera 5. The images from the facility camera 5 shown in Figures 5A-C are images of the space inside the facility 4 viewed from above. Figure 5A is an image from the facility camera 5 when the mobile body 7 is not accompanied by a person 9. The server 3 calculates the contours of the mobile body 7 and the person 9 from the image data acquired from the facility camera 5 using image processing technology and transmits the positions of the contours of the mobile body 7 and the person 9 on the map data 26 to the mobile robot 2. As shown in Figure 5A, if the distance L1 between the mobile body 7 and the person 9 is greater than or equal to a threshold, the mobile robot 2 determines that the mobile body 7 is not accompanied by a person 9 (step S10:N). Once it is determined that the mobile body 7 is not accompanied by a person 9 (step S10:N), the mobile robot 2 moves according to the movement plan (step S8).

[0047] Figure 5B is an image from the facility camera 5 showing a state where a person 9 is accompanying the mobile body 7, but the person 9 is not riding on the mobile body 7. As shown in Figure 5B, the mobile robot 2 determines that a person 9 is accompanying the mobile body 7 if the distance L1 between the mobile body 7 and the person 9 is less than a threshold (step S10:Y). Once it is determined that a person 9 is accompanying the mobile body 7 (step S10:Y), the mobile robot 2 determines whether or not the person 9 is riding on the mobile body 7 (step S11). In Figure 5B, the mobile robot 2 determines that there is no person overlapping the mobile body 7, so it determines that there is no person riding on the mobile body 7 (step S11:N). Once it is determined that there is no person riding on the mobile body 7 (step S11:N), the mobile robot 2 performs a first concession control with respect to movement (step S12). Examples of a person 9 accompanying the mobile body 7 without riding on it include cases where the person 9 is pushing a transport bed 7A, or where the person 9 is pushing a wheelchair 7B. Details of the first concession control will be described later with reference to Figures 7-13.

[0048] Figure 5C is an image from the facility camera 5 showing a mobile body 7 with humans 9A and 9B attached and human 9A riding on the mobile body 7. As shown in Figure 5C, the mobile robot 2 determines that human 9A is riding on the mobile body 7 if human 9A is overlapping with the mobile body 7 (step S11:Y). Once it is determined that human 9A is riding on the mobile body 7 (step S11:Y), the mobile robot 2 performs a second concession control regarding movement (step S13). In Figure 5C, human 9B, who is different from human 9A, is attached to the mobile body 7 but is not riding on it. However, the process proceeds to step S12 whether human 9B is attached to the mobile body 7 or not. Examples of human 9 being on the mobile body 7 include human 9 lying on a transport bed 7A or human 9 being in a wheelchair 7B. Details of the second concession control will be described later with reference to Figures 7-13.

[0049] Figures 6A-C illustrate an example of making decisions in steps S10 and S11 based on images from the camera 16 of the mobile robot 2. The images from the camera 16 of the mobile robot 2 shown in Figures 6A-C are images of the space inside the facility 4 viewed from the horizontal direction. Figure 6A is an image from the camera 16 of the mobile robot 2 when the human 9 is not attached to the mobile body 7. As shown in Figure 6A, the mobile robot 2 recognizes the contours of the mobile body 7 and the human 9 in the image from the camera 16 using image processing technology and calculates the positions of the contours of the mobile body 7 and the human 9 on the map data 26.

[0050] Mobile robot 2 sets a predetermined margin M above the contour of the mobile body 7. When viewed from the horizontal, mobile robot 2 determines that the mobile body 7 is not accompanied by the human 9 if the distance L2 between the virtual contour (the contour of the mobile body 7 plus the margin M) and the human 9 is greater than or equal to a threshold (step S10:N). If it is determined that the mobile body 7 is not accompanied by the human 9 (step S10:N), mobile robot 2 moves according to the movement plan (step S8).

[0051] Figure 6B is an image from the camera 16 of the mobile robot 2 in a state where a human 9 is attached to the mobile body 7 but the human 9 is not riding on the mobile body 7. As shown in Figure 6B, the mobile robot 2 determines that a human 9 is attached to the mobile body 7 if the distance L2 between the virtual contour obtained by adding a margin M to the contour of the mobile body 7 when viewed from the horizontal direction is less than a threshold (step S10:Y). If it is determined that a human 9 is attached to the mobile body 7 (step S10:Y), the mobile robot 2 determines whether or not the human 9 is riding on the mobile body 7 (step S11). In Figure 6B, the mobile robot 2 determines that there is no human overlapping the virtual contour obtained by adding a margin M to the contour of the mobile body 7, so it determines that there is no human riding on the mobile body 7 (step S11:N). If it is determined that there is no human riding on the mobile body 7 (step S11:N), the mobile robot 2 performs first concession control with respect to movement (step S12). Details of the first concession control will be described later with reference to Figures 7-13.

[0052] Figure 6C is an image from the camera 16 of the mobile robot 2 showing a mobile body 7 with a human 9 attached and the human 9 riding on the mobile body 7. As shown in Figure 5C, the mobile robot 2 determines that a human 9 is riding on the mobile body 7 if the human 9 overlaps with a virtual contour obtained by adding a margin M to the contour of the mobile body 7 (step S11:Y). Once it is determined that a human 9 is riding on the mobile body 7 (step S11:Y), the mobile robot 2 performs a second concession control regarding movement (step S13). Note that in Figure 6C there are no other humans attached to the mobile body 7 that are not riding on it, but the process proceeds to step S13 whether or not other humans are attached to the mobile body 7. Details of the second concession control will be described later with reference to Figures 7-13.

[0053] Figures 7A, 8A, 9A, 10A, 11A, and 12A each show examples of normal control. Figures 7B, 8B, 9B, 10B, 11B, and 12B each show examples of first concession control. Figures 7C, 8C, 9C, 10C, 11C, and 12C each show examples of second concession control. These controls may be implemented in any combination.

[0054] Figure 7A is a plan view showing the normal control movement speed V0 when the mobile robot 2 passes by the mobile body 7 when the mobile body 7 is not accompanied by a human 9. As shown in Figure 7A, in normal control, the mobile robot 2 passes alongside the mobile body 7 at a movement speed V0. The movement speed V0 of the mobile robot 2 when passing by the mobile body 7 is the same as the movement speed of the mobile robot 2 when not passing by the mobile body 7. This prevents delays in the movement of the mobile robot 2 when the mobile body 7 is not accompanied by a human 9. In addition, in normal control, the mobile robot 2 does not output a predetermined warning sound from the speaker 17 when passing by the mobile body 7. Also, in normal control, the mobile robot 2 does not output a predetermined light from the lamp 18 when passing by the mobile body 7.

[0055] Figure 7B is a plan view showing the movement speed V1 of the first concession control when the mobile robot 2 passes by the mobile body 7 when a human 9 is accompanying the mobile body 7 but the human 9 is not riding on the mobile body 7. As shown in Figure 7B, in the first concession control, when the mobile robot 2 passes by the mobile body 7 which is accompanied by a mobile body 7 without a human 9 riding on it, it passes by the mobile body 7 at a movement speed V1 that is lower than the movement speed V0 in normal control. That is, if it is determined that a human 9 is accompanying the mobile body 7, the mobile robot 2 is made to perform concession control that prioritizes the movement of the mobile body 7 and the human 9 compared to when it is determined that the mobile body 7 is not accompanied by a human 9. This prevents the comfort of the human 9 from being compromised when the mobile robot 2 passes by the mobile body 7 when a human 9 is accompanying the mobile body 7.

[0056] Furthermore, in the first concession control, the mobile robot 2 may output a predetermined warning sound from the speaker 17 when it passes the mobile body 7. The warning sound may be, for example, a voice message such as "I'm passing you." This allows the person 9 accompanying the mobile body 7 to be aware of the mobile robot 2 in advance, preventing any disruption to the person's comfort. Also, in the first concession control, the mobile robot 2 may or may not output a predetermined light from the lamp 18 when it passes the mobile body 7.

[0057] Figure 7C is a plan view showing the movement speed V2 of the second concession control when the mobile robot 2 passes by the mobile body 7 while humans 9A and 9B are attached to the mobile body 7 and human 9A is riding on the mobile body 7. As shown in Figure 7C, in the second concession control, when the mobile robot 2 passes by the mobile body 7 on which human 9A is riding, it passes by the mobile body 7 at a movement speed V2 that is lower than the movement speed V1 in the first concession control. That is, if it is determined that human 9A is riding on the mobile body 7, the movement of the mobile body 7 and humans 9A and 9B is given priority compared to the case where human 9 is attached to the mobile body 7 and it is determined that human 9 is not riding on the mobile body 7, as shown in Figure 7B. This prevents the comfort of human 9A from being compromised when the mobile robot 2 passes by the mobile body 7 when human 9A is riding on the mobile body 7. Note that if it is determined that human 9A is riding on the mobile body 7, the movement speed V2 of the mobile robot 2 may be set to zero.

[0058] Furthermore, in the second concession control, the mobile robot 2 may output a predetermined warning sound from the speaker 17 when it passes the mobile body 7. The warning sound in the second concession control may differ from the warning sound in the first concession control in at least one of the type or volume. For example, the volume of the warning sound in the second concession control may be louder than the volume of the warning sound in the first concession control. The type of warning sound in the second concession control may also differ from the type of warning sound in the first concession control.

[0059] Specifically, the warning sound in the first concession control may be an audio message such as "I'm passing by," and the warning sound in the second concession control may be an audio message such as "Excuse me, I'm passing by." This allows the mobile robot 2 to provide appropriate notification depending on the situation. In addition, in the second concession control, the mobile robot 2 may output a predetermined light from the lamp 18 when it passes the mobile body 7. The output of sound or light from the speaker 17 or lamp 18 in the concession control can also be applied to other examples of concession control described below.

[0060] Figure 8A is a plan view showing the normal control separation distance D0 when the mobile robot 2 passes by the mobile body 7 when the human 9 is not attached to the mobile body 7. As shown in Figure 8A, in normal control, when the mobile robot 2 passes by the mobile body 7, it passes alongside the mobile body 7 with a separation distance D0 in the lateral direction perpendicular to the direction of travel.

[0061] Figure 8B is a plan view showing the separation distance D1 of the first concession control when the mobile robot 2 passes by the mobile body 7 when a human 9 is accompanying the mobile body 7 but the human 9 is not riding on the mobile body 7. As shown in Figure 8B, in the first concession control, when the mobile robot 2 passes by the mobile body 7 which is accompanied by a mobile body 7 without a human 9 riding on it, it passes alongside the mobile body 7 at a separation distance D1 that is larger than the separation distance D0 in normal control. That is, if it is determined that a human 9 is accompanying the mobile body 7, the mobile robot 2 is made to perform concession control that prioritizes the movement of the mobile body 7 and the human 9 compared to when it is determined that the mobile body 7 is not accompanied by a human 9. This prevents the comfort of the human 9 from being compromised when the mobile robot 2 passes by the mobile body 7 when a human 9 is accompanying the mobile body 7.

[0062] Figure 8C is a plan view showing the separation distance D2 of the second concession control when mobile robot 2 passes by mobile body 7 while humans 9A and 9B are attached to mobile body 7 and human 9A is riding on mobile body 7. As shown in Figure 8C, in the second concession control, when mobile robot 2 passes by mobile body 7 with human 9A on it, it passes alongside mobile body 7 at a separation distance D2 that is larger than the separation distance D1 in the first concession control. That is, if it is determined that human 9A is riding on mobile body 7, the movement of mobile body 7 and humans 9A and 9B is prioritized compared to the case where human 9 is attached to mobile body 7 and it is determined that human 9 is not riding on mobile body 7, as shown in Figure 8B. This prevents human 9A's comfort from being compromised when mobile robot 2 passes by mobile body 7 when human 9A is riding on mobile body 7. Furthermore, if the mobile robot 2 has a control mechanism that suppresses movement when the distance between it and the wall falls below a predetermined limit due to an increase in the separation distances D1 and D2, the limit may be reduced when the conceding control is executed.

[0063] Furthermore, both the example in Figure 7B and the example in Figure 8B may be applied to the first concession control. Both the example in Figure 7C and the example in Figure 8C may be applied to the second concession control. The example in Figure 7B may be applied to the first concession control and the example in Figure 8C may be applied to the second concession control. The example in Figure 8B may be applied to the first concession control and the example in Figure 7C may be applied to the second concession control.

[0064] Figure 9A is a plan view showing the normal control operation when a mobile robot 2 passes by a mobile body 7 without a human 9 accompanying the mobile body 7. As shown in Figure 9A, in normal control, the mobile robot 2 passes by the mobile body 7 by passing alongside it without stopping.

[0065] Figure 9B is a plan view showing the first retraction position A1 of the first concession control when a mobile robot 2 passes a mobile body 7 with a human 9 accompanying it but without the human 9 riding on the mobile body 7. As shown in Figure 9B, in the first concession control, when the mobile robot 2 passes a mobile body 7 with a human 9 accompanying it but without the human 9 riding on the mobile body 7, it moves to a predetermined first retraction position A1 and stops at the first retraction position A1 until the mobile body 7 passes the side of the mobile robot 2. The first retraction position A1 is set to a position away from the mobile body 7, for example, based on the position of the mobile robot 2 immediately before moving to the first retraction position A1. In the example in Figure 9B, the first retraction position A1 is set to a position close to a wall in the direction away from the mobile body 7. This prevents compromising the comfort of the human 9 when the human 9 is accompanying the mobile body 7.

[0066] Figure 9C is a plan view showing the second retraction position A2 of the second concession control when the mobile robot 2 passes by the mobile body 7 while humans 9A and 9B are attached to the mobile body 7 and human 9A is riding on the mobile body 7. As shown in Figure 9C, in the second concession control, when the mobile robot 2 passes by the mobile body 7 on which human 9A is riding, it moves to the predetermined second retraction position A2 and stops at the second retraction position A2 until the mobile body 7 passes the side of the mobile robot 2. The second retraction position A2 is different from the first retraction position A1. The width of the passage where the second retraction position A2 is located is greater than the width of the passage where the first retraction position A1 is located. That is, when it is determined that human 9A is riding on the mobile body 7, the movement of the mobile body 7 and humans 9A and 9B is given priority compared to when human 9 is attached to the mobile body 7 and it is determined that there is no human riding on the mobile body 7, as shown in Figure 9B. This prevents the comfort of humans 9A and 9B from being compromised when humans 9A are riding on the mobile unit 7.

[0067] Figure 10A is a diagram illustrating the normal control operation of a mobile robot 2 riding in the elevator car 6a of an elevator 6 when a human 9 is not accompanying the mobile body 7. As shown in Figure 10A, in normal control, when the mobile robot 2 is scheduled to pass the mobile body 7 on the planned travel path R0 which includes the elevator 6, it moves in the elevator 6 according to the initially planned travel path R0. That is, in normal control, even if the mobile robot 2 is scheduled to use the elevator 6 at the same time, it moves in the elevator 6 according to the initially planned travel path R0.

[0068] Figure 10B is a diagram illustrating the operation of the first concession control of a mobile robot 2 in the elevator car 6a of elevator 6 when a human 9 is accompanying the mobile body 7 but the human 9 is not riding in the mobile body 7. As shown in Figure 10B, in the first concession control, the server 3 changes the planned movement path R0 to a modified movement path R1 and has the mobile robot 2 disembark from the car 6a at any intermediate floor between the current location of the car 6a and the floor of the elevator hall where the mobile body 7 is located. In other words, the first concession control prioritizes the movement of the mobile body 7 and the humans 9A and 9B compared to normal control. This prevents compromising the comfort of the humans 9 when they are accompanying the mobile body 7. Note that even if a human 9 is accompanying the mobile body 7, if the human 9 is not riding in the mobile body 7, the mobile robot 2 may move in the elevator 6 according to the original planned movement path R0, as in normal control.

[0069] Figure 10C is a diagram illustrating the operation of the second concession control of the mobile robot 2 riding in the elevator car 6a of elevator 6 when humans 9A and 9B are attached to the mobile body 7 and human 9A is riding in the mobile body 7. As shown in Figure 10C, in the second concession control, the server 3 changes the planned movement path R0 to the modified movement path R1 and has the mobile robot 2 disembark from the car 6a at any intermediate floor between the current location of the car 6a and the floor of the elevator hall where the mobile body 7 is located. That is, if the first concession control uses the modified movement path R1, the second concession control can be the same as the first concession control. If the first concession control uses the original planned movement path R0, the second concession control prioritizes the movement of the mobile body 7 and humans 9A and 9B more than the first concession control.

[0070] The determination of whether or not to execute the concession control shown in Figure 10B or Figure 10C may be made when it is determined that the mobile robot 2 is on board the elevator car 6a of the elevator 6. That is, the determinations in steps S7, S10 and S11 of Figure 4 may be made when it is determined that the mobile robot 2 is on board the elevator car 6a of the elevator 6. The timing of the determinations in steps S7, S10 and S11 may be when the mobile robot 2 is in the elevator hall of the elevator 6, or it may be just before the mobile robot 2 has finished boarding the car 6a.

[0071] Figure 11A is a diagram illustrating the normal control operation of a mobile robot 2 that is scheduled to ride the elevator 6 when the mobile body 7 is not accompanied by a human 9. As shown in Figure 11A, in normal control, when the mobile robot 2 is scheduled to pass the mobile body 7 on the planned travel path R0 which includes the elevator 6, it boards the elevator car 6a according to the original planned travel path R0. That is, in normal control, even if the mobile robot 2 is scheduled to use the elevator 6 at the same time, it boards the elevator car 6a according to the original planned travel path R0.

[0072] Figure 11B is a diagram illustrating the operation of the first concession control of a mobile robot that is scheduled to ride an elevator when a human 9 is attached to the mobile body 7 but the human 9 is not riding on the mobile body 7. As shown in Figure 11B, in the first concession control, the server 3 changes the planned movement path R0 to a modified movement path R1 and prohibits the mobile robot 2 from boarding the elevator car 6a of the elevator 6. In other words, the first concession control prioritizes the movement of the mobile body 7 and the humans 9A and 9B compared to normal control. By prohibiting the mobile robot 2 from boarding the elevator car 6a of the elevator 6 in this way, the mobile body 7 with the human 9 attached can smoothly board the elevator car 6a of the elevator 6. Note that if the human 9 is not riding on the mobile body 7, even if the human 9 is attached to the mobile body 7, the mobile robot 2 may board the elevator car 6a of the elevator 6 according to the original planned movement path R0, as in normal control.

[0073] Figure 11C is a diagram illustrating the operation of the second concession control of a mobile robot 2 that is scheduled to ride an elevator 6 when a human 9 is attached to the mobile body 7 and the human 9 is riding on the mobile body 7. As shown in Figure 11C, in the second concession control, the server 3 changes the planned movement path R0 to a modified movement path R1 and prohibits the mobile robot 2 from boarding the elevator car 6a of the elevator 6. That is, if the first concession control uses the modified movement path R1, the second concession control can be the same as the first concession control. If the first concession control uses the original planned movement path R0, the second concession control will prioritize the movement of the mobile body 7 and the humans 9A and 9B more than the first concession control. Note that when prohibiting the mobile robot 2 from boarding the elevator car 6a of the elevator 6, it may wait in the elevator hall until the mobile body 7 has finished using the elevator 6 without changing the planned movement path R0.

[0074] The determination of whether or not to execute the concession control in Figure 11B or Figure 11C may be made when it is determined that the mobile robot 2 is not in the elevator car 6a of the elevator 6, but it may also be made regardless of whether or not the mobile robot 2 is in the elevator car 6a of the elevator 6. With regard to the concession control in Figure 11B or Figure 11C, the determinations in steps S10 and S11 may be made with respect to the mobile body 7 that is present in the elevator hall, and not with respect to the mobile body 7 that is not present in the elevator hall. The determinations in steps S10 and S11 may also be made with respect to the mobile body 7 that is located in a different location within the facility 4 from the elevator hall. The determinations in steps S10 and S11 may also be made with respect to the mobile body 7 on all passages within the facility 4.

[0075] Figure 12A is a diagram illustrating the normal control operation of the mobile robot 2 when it is scheduled to pass through the automatic door 30 without a human 9 accompanying the mobile body 7. As shown in Figure 12A, in normal control, when the mobile robot 2 is scheduled to pass the mobile body 7 when passing through the automatic door 30, it passes through the automatic door 30 with predetermined normal operation, just as it would be when it is not scheduled to pass the mobile body 7.

[0076] Figure 12B is a diagram illustrating the operation of the first concession control of the mobile robot 2 when a human 9 is attached to the mobile body 7 but the human 9 is not riding on the mobile body 7, and the mobile robot 2 is scheduled to pass through the automatic door 30. As shown in Figure 13B, in the first concession control, the mobile robot 2 moves to a predetermined retraction position B1 and stops at retraction position B1 until the mobile body 7 has completed passing through the automatic door 30. Retraction position B1 is set to a position sufficiently far from the automatic door 30. This allows the mobile body 7 with the human 9 attached to it to pass through the automatic door 30 smoothly without interfering with the mobile robot 2. Note that even if the mobile body 7 has a human 9 attached to it, if the human 9 is not riding on the mobile body 7, the mobile robot 2 may pass through the automatic door 30 in the same way as in normal control without moving to retraction position B1.

[0077] Figure 12C is a diagram illustrating the operation of the second concession control of a mobile robot 2 that is scheduled to pass through an automatic door 30 when humans 9A and 9B are attached to the mobile body 7 and human 9A is riding on the mobile body 7. As shown in Figure 12C, in the second concession control, the mobile robot 2 moves to a predetermined retraction position B1 and stops temporarily at the retraction position B1 until the mobile body 7 has completed passing through the automatic door 30. That is, if the first concession control involves a temporary stop at the retraction position B1, the second concession control can be the same as the first concession control. If the first concession control is performed in the same way as normal control, the second concession control will prioritize the movement of the mobile body 7 and humans 9A and 9B compared to the first concession control.

[0078] Figure 13 is a diagram showing the planned movement path R0 of the mobile robot 2. As shown in Figure 13, the movement plan generated in step S6 of Figure 6 is assumed to have multiple waypoints Q1 and Q2 between the starting point and the destination in the movement task. The mobile robot 2 moves autonomously, passing through each waypoint Q1 and Q2 in order. The mobile robot 2 calculates the planned movement path R0 when passing through each waypoint Q1 and Q2 in order. Note that the planned movement path R0 may be predetermined in the movement plan.

[0079] If Server 3 determines that the mobile object 7 is on the planned movement path R0, it determines that the mobile robot 2 may pass by the mobile object 7 (step S7 in Figure 6). If it is determined that the mobile object 7 does not have a human 9 accompanying it (step S10:N in Figure 6), the mobile robot 2 moves according to the original planned movement path R0. If it is determined that the mobile object 7 does have a human 9 accompanying it (step S10:Y in Figure 6), and that the human 9 is not riding on the mobile object 7 (step S11:N in Figure 6), Server 3 modifies the movement plan as a first concession control to avoid passing the mobile object 7. That is, the mobile robot 2 moves along the modified movement path R1 that bypasses the mobile object 7.

[0080] Furthermore, even if a human 9 is attached to the mobile body 7, if the human 9 is not riding on the mobile body 7, the mobile robot 2 may move along the initially planned movement path R0, as in normal control. Also, if it is determined that a human 9 is riding on the mobile body 7 (step S11:Y in Figure 6), the server 3 may, as a second concession control, modify the movement plan to avoid passing the mobile body 7 and move along a modified movement path R1 that bypasses the mobile body 7.

[0081] Mobile robot 2 may vary the content of the concession control described above depending on the type of mobile body 7. Mobile robot 2 may vary the content of the concession control described above depending on whether the mobile body 7 is a transport bed 7A or a wheelchair 7B. During the first concession control, if the mobile body 7 is a transport bed 7A, mobile robot 2 may execute a control selected from Figures 7B, 8B, 9B and any combination thereof, and if the mobile body 7 is a wheelchair 7B, it may select and execute a control different from the one in Figures 7B, 8B, 9B and any combination thereof, compared to the case where the mobile body 7 is a transport bed 7A.

[0082] During the second concession control, if the mobile robot 2 is a transport bed 7A, it may execute a control selected from the controls shown in Figures 7C, 8C, 9C, and any combination thereof. If the mobile robot 2 is a wheelchair 7B, it may execute a different control from the one shown in Figures 7C, 8C, 9C, and any combination thereof. For example, if the mobile robot 2 is a transport bed 7A, it may execute the concession control shown in Figures 7B and 7C, and if the mobile robot 2 is a wheelchair 7B, it may execute the concession control shown in Figures 9B and 9C. This ensures that when the mobile robot 2 and the mobile robot 7 can pass each other in a passageway in the facility 4, appropriate control of the mobile robot 2 according to the type of mobile robot 7 is achieved.

[0083] As described above, the embodiments have been explained as examples of the technology disclosed in this application. However, the technology in this disclosure is not limited thereto and can be applied to embodiments that have been modified, replaced, added, or omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, it is possible to combine the components described in the embodiments to create new embodiments. For example, some components or methods in one embodiment may be applied to other embodiments, and some components in an embodiment can be separated from other components in that embodiment and extracted as appropriate. In addition, the components described in the attached drawings and detailed description include not only components that are essential for solving the problem, but also components that are not essential for solving the problem, in order to illustrate the technology.

[0084] The functions of the elements disclosed herein can be performed using circuits or processing circuits, including general-purpose processors, dedicated processors, integrated circuits, ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays), GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), conventional circuits, and / or combinations thereof, configured or programmed to perform the disclosed functions. A processor is considered a processing circuit or circuit because it includes transistors and other circuits. In this disclosure, a circuit, unit, or means is hardware that performs the enumerated functions, or hardware programmed to perform the enumerated functions. The hardware may be hardware disclosed herein, or other known hardware that is programmed or configured to perform the enumerated functions. If the hardware is a processor, which is considered a type of circuit, then the circuit, means, or unit is a combination of hardware and software, and the software is used to configure the hardware and / or the processor.

[0085] [Aspect] The embodiments described above are specific examples of the following embodiments.

[0086] (Aspect 1) A system for transporting mobile robots in a facility where there are mobile objects that may be accompanied by humans, Equipped with a processing circuit, A robotic mobility system wherein the processing circuit is configured to control the movement of the mobile robot differently when it is determined that a human is accompanying the mobile body compared to when it is determined that a human is not accompanying the mobile body.

[0087] This configuration allows for different control mechanisms for the mobile robot's movement depending on whether or not a human is accompanying the mobile object. Therefore, it is possible to implement human-friendly control of the mobile robot when it may be in close proximity to other mobile objects in facility corridors.

[0088] (Aspect 2) Making the aforementioned control different means The robot movement system according to Embodiment 1, further comprising causing the mobile robot to perform concession control that prioritizes the movement of the mobile body and the human being when it is determined that the human being is accompanying the mobile body, compared to when it is determined that the human being is not accompanying the mobile body.

[0089] With this configuration, when a human is accompanying the mobile object, the mobile robot's movement is controlled to prioritize the movement of both the mobile object and the human. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the mobile robot from compromising human comfort when it is in close proximity to the mobile object.

[0090] (Aspect 3) The robot movement system according to embodiment 2, wherein the concession control includes, when it is determined that a human is accompanying the moving body, reducing the movement speed of the mobile robot when approaching the moving body compared to when it is determined that a human is not accompanying the moving body.

[0091] This configuration prevents the mobile robot from compromising the human's comfort when it approaches the mobile object if a human is accompanying it. Furthermore, it prevents delays in the mobile robot's movement if no human is accompanying it.

[0092] (Aspect 4) The robotic movement system according to embodiment 2 or 3, wherein the concession control includes, when it is determined that the human is accompanying the moving body, increasing the distance between the mobile robot and the moving body when approaching the moving body compared to when it is determined that the human is not accompanying the moving body.

[0093] This configuration prevents the mobile robot from compromising the human's comfort when it approaches the mobile object if a human is accompanying it. Furthermore, if no human is accompanying the mobile object, it increases the mobile robot's freedom of movement.

[0094] (Aspect 5) The robotic mobility system according to any one of embodiments 2 to 4, wherein the concession control includes, if it is determined that the human is accompanying the mobile body, causing the mobile robot to disembark from the elevator car at any floor between the current location of the elevator car and the floor where the mobile body is located.

[0095] With this configuration, if a human is accompanying the mobile vehicle, the mobile robot will disembark from the cage and yield the cage to the vehicle and the human, thus preventing any disruption to the human's comfort. Furthermore, if no human is accompanying the mobile vehicle, the mobile robot will not disembark from the cage, preventing delays in the robot's movement.

[0096] (Aspect 6) The robot mobility system according to any one of embodiments 2 to 5, wherein the concession control includes prohibiting the mobile robot from riding in the elevator car if it is determined that the human is accompanying the mobile body.

[0097] With this configuration, if a human is accompanying the mobile vehicle, the mobile robot is prohibited from entering the elevator car, allowing the mobile vehicle with the human to enter the elevator car smoothly.

[0098] (Aspect 7) The robot movement system according to any one of embodiments 2 to 6, wherein the concession control includes moving the moving body toward a predetermined evacuation position if it is determined that the human is accompanying the moving body.

[0099] With this configuration, if a human is accompanying the mobile object, the mobile robot will move towards a safe position to give way to the mobile object and the human, thus preventing any disruption to the human's comfort.

[0100] (Pattern 8) Performing the aforementioned different control means A robotic mobility system according to any one of embodiments 1 to 7, wherein, if it is determined that the human is not accompanying the mobile body, the mobile robot is not made to output a predetermined sound when approaching the mobile body, while if it is determined that the human is accompanying the mobile body, the mobile robot is made to output the sound when approaching the mobile body.

[0101] With this configuration, if a human is accompanying the mobile robot, the mobile robot will emit a predetermined sound to notify the human, allowing the human to be aware of the mobile robot in advance and preventing any disruption to the human's comfort. Furthermore, if a human is not accompanying the mobile robot, the mobile robot can emit a sound different from the predetermined sound or not emit any sound at all, thereby preventing noise generation.

[0102] (Aspect 9) The robot mobility system according to any one of embodiments 2 to 6, wherein the concession control includes prioritizing the movement of the mobile body and the human being when it is determined that the human being is accompanying the mobile body and the human being is riding on the mobile body, compared to when it is determined that the human being is accompanying the mobile body and the human being is not riding on the mobile body.

[0103] With this configuration, when a human is riding in the mobile vehicle, the mobile robot's movement is controlled to give priority to the movement of both the vehicle and the human. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the mobile robot from compromising the human's comfort when it comes into close proximity to the vehicle.

[0104] (Aspect 10) The robot movement system according to embodiment 9, wherein the conceding control includes, when it is determined that the human is accompanying the moving body and the human is riding on the moving body, lowering the movement speed of the mobile robot when approaching the moving body compared to when it is determined that the human is accompanying the moving body and the human is not riding on the moving body.

[0105] This configuration prevents the mobile robot from compromising the comfort of a human being when it approaches a mobile object if a human is accompanying it. For example, if it is determined that a human is riding on the mobile object, the mobile robot's movement speed may be set to zero. Also, if no human is accompanying the mobile object, it prevents delays in the mobile robot's movement.

[0106] (Aspect 11) The robotic movement system according to embodiment 9 or 10, wherein the conceding control includes, when it is determined that the human is accompanying the mobile body and the human is riding on the mobile body, increasing the distance the mobile robot moves away from the mobile body when approaching the mobile body compared to when it is determined that the human is accompanying the mobile body and the human is not riding on the mobile body.

[0107] This configuration prevents the mobile robot from compromising the human's comfort when it approaches the mobile object if a human is accompanying it. Furthermore, if no human is accompanying the mobile object, it increases the mobile robot's freedom of movement.

[0108] (Aspect 12) The aforementioned concession control is, If it is determined that the person is attached to the moving body and the person is not riding on the moving body, then move it toward the first evacuation position. A robotic movement system according to any one of embodiments 9 to 11, further comprising: moving the moving body toward a second evacuation position different from the first evacuation position if it is determined that the human is accompanying the moving body and the human is riding on the moving body.

[0109] With this configuration, if a person is riding in the mobile vehicle, the mobile robot will move towards a designated escape position to give way to the vehicle and the person, thus preventing any disruption to the person's comfort.

[0110] (Aspect 13) Performing the aforementioned different control means The robot mobility system according to embodiment 8, further comprising: if it is determined that the human is accompanying the mobile body and the human is not riding on the mobile body, the type or volume of sound to be output by the mobile robot when approaching the mobile body is different from that when it is determined that the human is accompanying the mobile body and the human is riding on the mobile body.

[0111] With this configuration, the type or volume of sound emitted by the mobile robot differs depending on whether a person is riding on the mobile body or not, allowing for appropriate notification depending on the situation.

[0112] (Aspect 14) Making the aforementioned control different means A robotic mobility system according to any one of embodiments 1 to 9, wherein if it is determined that the human is accompanying the mobile body and the human is riding on the mobile body, the control of the mobile robot's movement is made different from the case where it is determined that the human is accompanying the mobile body and the human is not riding on the mobile body.

[0113] With this configuration, the control of the mobile robot's movement when a human is riding on the mobile vehicle is different from the control of the mobile robot's movement when a human is walking alongside the mobile vehicle. Therefore, when the mobile robot and the mobile vehicle may be in close proximity to each other in a facility's corridor, it is possible to control the mobile robot in a way that is tailored to the situation of the human accompanying the mobile vehicle.

[0114] (Aspect 15) The robot movement system according to any one of embodiments 1 to 14, wherein the processing circuit is configured to control the movement of the mobile robot differently depending on the type of the mobile body.

[0115] This configuration enables appropriate control of the mobile robot according to the type of mobile object when the mobile robot and the mobile object may be in close proximity to each other in the facility's passageways.

[0116] (Aspect 16) A method for moving a mobile robot in a facility where there are mobile objects that may be accompanied by humans, A robot movement method that, when it is determined that a human being is accompanying the mobile body, provides different control over the movement of the mobile robot compared to when it is determined that a human being is not accompanying the mobile body.

[0117] (Aspect 17) A robot movement program that causes a computer system including at least one processor to perform the procedure described in embodiment 16. [Explanation of symbols]

[0118] 1. Robot mobility system 2 Mobile robots 3 servers 4 facilities 6 Elevator 6a Basket 7 Mobile Unit 7A Transport Bed 7B Wheelchair 9 Humans 10 Processing Circuit 11 processors 50 Computer Systems A1,A2 Evacuation position D0,D1,D2 Separation distance P1 Robot Movement Program V0,V1,V2 Movement speed

Claims

1. A system for transporting mobile robots in a facility where there are mobile objects that may be accompanied by humans, Equipped with a processing circuit, A robotic mobility system wherein the processing circuit is configured to control the movement of the mobile robot differently when it is determined that a human is accompanying the mobile body compared to when it is determined that a human is not accompanying the mobile body.

2. Making the aforementioned control different means The robot movement system according to claim 1, further comprising causing the mobile robot to perform concession control that prioritizes the movement of the mobile body and the human being when it is determined that the human being is accompanying the mobile body, compared to when it is determined that the human being is not accompanying the mobile body.

3. The robot movement system according to claim 2, wherein the concession control includes, when it is determined that the human is accompanying the moving body, reducing the movement speed of the mobile robot when approaching the moving body compared to when it is determined that the human is not accompanying the moving body.

4. The robotic movement system according to claim 2, wherein the concession control includes, when it is determined that the human is accompanying the moving body, increasing the distance between the mobile robot and the moving body when approaching the moving body compared to when it is determined that the human is not accompanying the moving body.

5. The robot mobility system according to claim 2, wherein the concession control includes, if it is determined that the human is accompanying the mobile body, causing the mobile robot to disembark from the elevator car at any floor between the current location of the elevator car and the floor where the mobile body is located.

6. The robot mobility system according to claim 2, wherein the concession control includes prohibiting the mobile robot from riding in the elevator car if it is determined that the human is accompanying the mobile body.

7. The robot movement system according to claim 2, wherein the conceding control includes moving the moving body toward a predetermined evacuation position if it is determined that the human being is accompanying the moving body.

8. Performing the aforementioned different control means The robotic mobility system according to claim 1, further comprising: if it is determined that the human is not accompanying the mobile body, the mobile robot not to output a predetermined sound when approaching the mobile body; and if it is determined that the human is accompanying the mobile body, the mobile robot outputting the sound when approaching the mobile body.

9. The robot mobility system according to claim 2, wherein the concession control includes prioritizing the movement of the mobile body and the human being when it is determined that the human being is accompanying the mobile body and the human being is riding on the mobile body, compared to when it is determined that the human being is accompanying the mobile body and the human being is not riding on the mobile body.

10. The robot movement system according to claim 9, wherein the conceding control includes, when it is determined that the human is accompanying the moving body and the human is riding on the moving body, lowering the movement speed of the mobile robot when approaching the moving body compared to when it is determined that the human is accompanying the moving body and the human is not riding on the moving body.

11. The robotic movement system according to claim 9, wherein the conceding control includes, when it is determined that the human is accompanying the mobile body and the human is riding on the mobile body, increasing the distance the mobile robot moves away from the mobile body when approaching the mobile body compared to when it is determined that the human is accompanying the mobile body and the human is not riding on the mobile body.

12. The aforementioned concession control is, If it is determined that the person is attached to the moving body and the person is not riding on the moving body, then move it toward the first evacuation position. The robot movement system according to claim 9, further comprising: moving the moving body toward a second evacuation position different from the first evacuation position if it is determined that the human is accompanying the moving body and the human is riding on the moving body.

13. Performing the aforementioned different control means The robotic mobility system according to claim 8, further comprising: if it is determined that the human is accompanying the mobile body and the human is not riding on the mobile body, the type or volume of sound to be output by the mobile robot when approaching the mobile body is different from that when it is determined that the human is accompanying the mobile body and the human is riding on the mobile body.

14. Making the aforementioned control different means The robot mobility system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein if it is determined that the human is attached to the mobile body and the human is riding on the mobile body, the control of the mobile robot's movement is different from the control of the mobile robot's movement if it is determined that the human is attached to the mobile body and the human is not riding on the mobile body.

15. The robot movement system according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the processing circuit is configured to control the movement of the mobile robot differently depending on the type of the mobile body.

16. A method for moving a mobile robot in a facility where there are mobile objects that may be accompanied by humans, A robot movement method that, when it is determined that a human being is accompanying the mobile body, the control of the mobile robot's movement is different from when it is determined that a human being is not accompanying the mobile body.

17. A robot movement program that causes a computer system including at least one processor to perform the method according to claim 16.

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