Mobile object management system, mobile object management method, and program

Abstract

To provide a mobile object management system, a mobile object management method, and a program that appropriately move a mobile object while considering multiple types of operations. [Solution] The mobile vehicle management system according to this disclosure includes a path search unit that sets a travel path from a starting position where the mobile vehicle begins to move until it reaches a target position, and a determination unit that determines a travel method that indicates which direction of the mobile vehicle's body should be the direction of travel when traveling along the travel path, and a turning method for the mobile vehicle, so as to optimize the time it takes for the mobile vehicle to reach the target position via the travel path.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a mobile body management system, a mobile body management method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] When transporting an object using a mobile body that autonomously operates in a warehouse or the like, it has been required to automatically set an optimal movement route and for the mobile body to operate along the movement route. Consideration factors at that time included the time taken to travel the movement route and interference with other mobile bodies.

[0003] For example, in Patent Document 1 below, for each route candidate, the travel time through the transfer route constituting the route and the turning time through the branching device are obtained. For each branching device, the ideal arrival time obtained by adding the travel time and the turning time up to that point, and the actual arrival time obtained by further adding the total waiting time up to that point are obtained. The difference between the obtained actual arrival time and the reservation cancellation time of the branching device is obtained as the waiting time at that branching device and accumulated in the total waiting time, thereby obtaining the total travel time, total turning time, and total waiting time up to the end of each route candidate, and adding them up to obtain the transfer time of the work. A work transfer time calculation method and a work transfer system are disclosed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the prior art described in Patent Document 1 above, the route that results in the shortest transport time is selected from all possible route candidates to the transport vehicle's destination, and since there is only one type of operation at the transport vehicle's operation change point, the transport vehicle could not perform various types of operations at each operation change point. In addition, the computational load required to simultaneously minimize the shortest route and transport time of the transport vehicle was large.

[0006] In view of the above issues, this disclosure aims to provide a mobile object management system, a mobile object management method, and a program that can appropriately move a mobile object while considering multiple types of operations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objectives, the mobile body management system according to this disclosure includes a path search unit that sets a travel path from a starting position where the mobile body begins to move to a target position, and a determination unit that determines a travel method that indicates which direction of the mobile body will be the direction of travel when traveling along the travel path, and a turning method for the mobile body, so as to optimize the time it takes for the mobile body to reach the target position via the travel path.

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objectives, the mobile body management method according to this disclosure includes the steps of: setting a travel path from a starting position where the mobile body begins to move to a target position; determining a travel method that indicates which orientation of the mobile body will be the direction of travel when traveling along the travel path, and a turning method for the mobile body, so as to optimize the time it takes for the mobile body to reach the target position via the travel path.

[0009] To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, the program relating to this disclosure causes a computer to perform the following steps: setting a travel path from a starting position where the moving body begins to move until it reaches a target position; determining a travel method that indicates which direction of the moving body's body should be the direction of travel when traveling along the travel path, and a turning method for the moving body, so as to optimize the time it takes for the moving body to reach the target position via the travel path. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a mobile object management system, a mobile object management method, and a program that can appropriately move a mobile object while considering multiple types of operations. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the overview of the mobile control system related to this disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of the configuration of the mobile control system according to this disclosure. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the mobile body relating to this disclosure. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the cornering motion of the mobile body according to this disclosure. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows the operation of the mobile body according to this disclosure when traveling through a narrow space. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the folding of the moving body according to this disclosure. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows the operation of the mobile vehicle according to this disclosure when it performs cargo handling at its destination. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows the operation of the mobile body according to this disclosure when it is performing cargo handling in a confined space. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows the patterns of operation switching of the mobile body according to this disclosure. [Figure 10]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a first example of a movement route when the mobile body according to the present disclosure performs a loading and unloading operation in a narrow section. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a second example of a movement route when the mobile body according to the present disclosure performs a loading and unloading operation in a narrow section. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a logistics management system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a mobile body management system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a first example of information stored in a required time information storage unit of a mobile body management system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a second example of information stored in a required time information storage unit of a mobile body management system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a first example of information stored in a vehicle body attitude information storage unit of a mobile body management system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a first example of information stored in a passage characteristic information storage unit of a mobile body management system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a second example of information stored in a passage characteristic information storage unit of a mobile body management system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in a mobile body position information storage unit of a mobile body management system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a diagram showing an example of a directed graph generated by a mobile body management system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a diagram showing an example of a correction process of a directed graph by a mobile body management system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a diagram for explaining a process of weight setting by a mobile body management system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a diagram showing an example of a route determined by a mobile body management system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 24]Figure 24 shows an example of the configuration of a control device for a mobile body according to this disclosure. [Figure 25] Figure 25 is a hardware configuration diagram showing an example of a computer that implements the functions of the mobile device management system described herein. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments described below will not limit this disclosure.

[0013] (Overview of the mobile control system) First, the mobile control system 1 relating to this disclosure will be explained using Figure 1. Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the overview of the mobile control system relating to this disclosure. As shown in Figure 1, the mobile control system 1 relating to this disclosure includes a mobile body 10, a mobile body management system 100, and a logistics management system 300. Although only one mobile body 10 is shown in Figure 1, the mobile control system 1 may include multiple mobile bodies 10.

[0014] The mobile control system 1 manages the movement of multiple mobile units 10 by determining the movement routes, travel methods, and operations of mobile units 10 belonging to the facility using the mobile unit management system 100. The facility to which the mobile units 10 belong is, for example, a warehouse, or other facility subject to logistics management, but it may be any facility that operates the mobile units 10. In the mobile control system 1, the mobile units 10 pick up and transport objects placed within the facility. In this embodiment, the objects transported by the mobile units 10 are transported objects with goods loaded on pallets. However, the objects are not limited to those with goods loaded on pallets and may take any form, for example, they may consist only of goods without pallets. Furthermore, the mobile units 10 are not limited to transporting objects, but may be devices that move within the facility for any purpose. The logistics management system 300 manages information such as the location, contents, and storage period of transported items in the facility, and in response to requests from clients, instructs the mobile units 10 to move the transported items via the mobile unit management system 100.

[0015] As shown in Figure 1, waypoints W are set for each position (coordinate) within the facility's area. Here, "position" refers to the position (coordinate) in the coordinate system (area coordinate system) on the two-dimensional plane of the area where the mobile body 10 moves within the facility. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the "attitude (orientation)" of the mobile body 10 refers to the orientation of the mobile body 10 in the area coordinate system, and refers to the yaw angle (rotation angle) of the mobile body 10 when viewed from the Z direction (vertical direction) perpendicular to the area.

[0016] The movement path of the mobile unit 10 is set to connect waypoints W. In other words, the movement path of the mobile unit 10 is the path that connects the waypoints W that the mobile unit 10 is scheduled to pass through. Waypoints W are set according to the layout of the equipment. For example, waypoints W are set in a matrix within the area. In the example in Figure 1, waypoints W1 to W29 are shown, and the mobile unit 10 moves through the area within the equipment along waypoints W1 to W29 to perform various tasks.

[0017] (Configuration of the mobile control system) Next, the configuration of the mobile control system according to this disclosure will be explained using Figure 2. Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the mobile control system according to this disclosure. As shown in Figure 2, the mobile control system 1 according to this disclosure includes mobile bodies 10 (10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E, 10F), a mobile management system 100 (100A, 100B), a logistics management system 300, and a network N (Na, Nb, Nc). These configurations will be briefly explained in order below.

[0018] The mobile body 10 is a device capable of autonomous movement. In this embodiment, the mobile body 10 is a holologic system that can move sideways or perform pivot turns as described later, but is not limited to this. In this embodiment, the mobile body 10 is a device capable of transporting a target object. Examples of the mobile body 10 include an AGF (Automated Guided Forklift) or an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) that moves in a two-dimensional plane. The mobile body 10 may also be, for example, a vehicle that autonomously travels on the ground (e.g., UGV: Unmanned Ground Vehicle), a vehicle that autonomously flies in the air (e.g., UAV: ​​Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), or a vehicle that autonomously moves underwater (UUV: Unmanned Underwater Vehicle). Therefore, the mobile body 10 also includes vehicles that can autonomously move in three-dimensional space. The type of mobile body 10 is not limited to these and may be arbitrary.

[0019] The mobile object management system 100 is an information processing system that manages multiple mobile objects 10. The mobile object management system 100 sets, for example, the movement path from the starting position (the position where movement begins) of the mobile object 10 to the destination position, as well as the driving method and operation. The mobile object management system 100 is, for example, an FCS (Fleet Control System), but is not limited to that, and may be any device that processes information related to the movement of the mobile objects 10. The mobile object management system 100 may be implemented by, for example, a PC (Personal Computer), a WS (Work Station), or a computer with server functionality. The number of mobile objects 10 managed by the mobile object management system 100 may be arbitrary, and may be one or any multiple units.

[0020] The logistics management system 300 is an information processing system that manages the logistics of transported goods in a logistics warehouse. The logistics management system 300 is a WCS (Warehouse Control System) or a WMS (Warehouse Management System), but is not limited to WCS and WMS and may be any system, for example, a backend system such as other production management systems. The logistics management system 300 may also manage mechanisms other than the mobile bodies 10 installed in facilities such as warehouses (for example, elevators and doors), and may set information to control these mechanisms. The number of mobile body management systems 100 and facilities managed by the logistics management system 300 may be arbitrary, and may be one or any number.

[0021] Networks Na and Nb connect the mobile device 10 and the mobile device management system 100 wirelessly, enabling them to communicate with each other. Networks Na and Nb may be implemented, for example, by a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) as defined in IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth®, Wi-Fi®, 5th generation mobile communication system (5G), or 6th generation mobile communication system (6G).

[0022] Network Nc connects the mobile device management system 100 and the logistics management system 300 so that they can communicate with each other via wired or wireless means. In the case of a wired connection, Network Nc may be implemented using Ethernet (registered trademark) as defined in IEEE 802.3, USB (Universal Serial Bus) cables, or various control signal cables such as serial communication cables. In the case of a wireless connection, Network Nc may be implemented using a configuration similar to that of Networks Na and Nb described above.

[0023] (Regarding mobile devices) Next, the mobile body relating to this disclosure will be described using Figure 3. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the mobile body relating to this disclosure. As shown in Figure 3, in this embodiment, the mobile body 10 is a forklift, specifically an AGF (Automated Guided Forklift).

[0024] As shown in Figure 3, the mobile body 10 comprises a vehicle body 20, wheels 20A, straddle legs 21, a mast 22, forks 24, a sensor 26A, and a control device 200. The straddle legs 21 are a pair of axial members that are provided at one end of the vehicle body 20 in the longitudinal direction and protrude from the vehicle body 20. The wheels 20A are provided at the tip 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. The mast 22 is movably attached to the straddle legs 21 and moves in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 20. The mast 22 extends along the vertical direction (in this case, the Z direction) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The forks 24 are movably attached to the mast 22 in the Z direction. The fork 24 may also be movable relative to the mast 22 in the lateral direction of the vehicle body 20 (in a direction intersecting the vertical and longitudinal directions). The fork 24 has a pair of claws 24A and 24B. The claws 24A and 24B extend from the mast 22 toward the front of the vehicle body 20. The claws 24A and 24B are positioned apart from each other in the lateral direction of the mast 22. Hereinafter, in the longitudinal direction, the direction (orientation) on the side of the movable body 10 where the fork 24 is provided will be referred to as the rear direction (rearward direction), and the direction on the side where the fork 24 is not provided will be referred to as the front direction (forward direction).

[0025] 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 the first embodiment, sensors 26A are provided at the front end of each straddle leg 21 and on the rear side of the vehicle body 20. However, the position of sensors 26A is not limited to this, and they may be provided at any position, and the number of sensors provided may also be arbitrary.

[0026] Sensor 26A detects the position and orientation of an object by detecting (receiving) reflected light from surrounding objects. More specifically, sensor 26A is a light-emitting sensor, and more precisely, it uses a semiconductor laser to emit pulsed laser light. Sensor 26A detects the position and orientation of an object by detecting the reflected light of the emitted laser light using a photodiode or the like. Sensor 26A emits laser light while scanning in one direction and detects the position and orientation of an object from the reflected light of the emitted laser light. Sensor 26A may be a 2D-LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) sensor.

[0027] Sensor 26A scans a laser beam horizontally, i.e., perpendicular to direction Z, using a scanning device such as a polygon laser scanner with an optical system or a galvanometer scanner. However, sensor 26A is not limited to the above and may be any sensor that detects an object by any method, such as a 3D-LiDAR that scans in multiple directions or a camera.

[0028] The control device 200 controls the movement of the mobile body 10. The control device 200 will be described in detail later.

[0029] (Regarding the method of movement and operation of the mobile device) Next, the method of movement and turning of the mobile unit 10 will be explained with the help of diagrams.

[0030] (How to drive) The mobile unit 10 can select from the following modes of travel: forward travel, where the front of the vehicle body 20 is the direction of travel; reverse travel, where the rear of the vehicle body 20 is the direction of travel; and lateral travel, where either the left or right direction of the vehicle body 20 is the direction of travel. In other words, the mode of travel here refers to which direction the mobile unit 10 faces in the direction of travel. Forward travel can be described as a mode of travel where the vehicle body 20 is facing forward relative to the direction of travel, reverse travel can be described as a mode of travel where the vehicle body 20 is facing backward relative to the direction of travel, and lateral travel can be described as a mode of travel where the vehicle body 20 is facing sideways relative to the direction of travel.

[0031] (Turning method when the driving method is kept constant) (cornering) The mobile body 10 can turn (switch direction of travel) while maintaining a constant driving method (orientation of the vehicle body relative to the direction of travel). For example, when the mobile body 10 enters a second path that intersects the first path from a predetermined first path, it turns at the corner where the first and second paths intersect. In this case, if the width of the passage of the travel path is sufficiently wide for the mobile body 10, the mobile body 10 can perform cornering travel as shown in Figure 4 when traveling around a corner. Cornering travel refers to a turning method in which the mobile body 10 turns (switches direction of travel) while maintaining a constant orientation of the vehicle body 20 relative to the direction of travel. Cornering travel can also be described as a turning method (normal turning) in which the mobile body 10 turns while positioning the center of rotation of the turn outside the area occupied by the mobile body 10 (vehicle body area) when viewed from the Z direction. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing cornering travel of a mobile body according to this disclosure. As shown in Figure 4, the mobile vehicle 10 can perform cornering by changing the direction of its wheels at the corner of waypoint W2, where the width of the passage is sufficiently wide for the mobile vehicle 10, when moving from waypoint W21 to waypoint W4 while maintaining forward movement (with the vehicle body 20 facing forward relative to the direction of travel of the mobile vehicle 10). However, whether or not the mobile vehicle 10 can corner varies depending on the waypoint which is a corner, and there are places where cornering is not possible.

[0032] (Pivot turn) The mobile body 10 can also perform a pivot turn when turning while maintaining a constant driving method. For example, the mobile body 10 may not be able to corner even with its minimum turning radius if the width of the passage of the travel path is narrow. In such cases, as shown in Figure 5, the mobile body 10 can travel straight to the corner, perform a pivot turn at the corner, and align the direction of the vehicle body 20 with the next direction of travel of the mobile body 10. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the operation of the mobile body according to this disclosure when traveling in a narrow area. As shown in Figure 5, when the mobile body 10 moves from waypoint W21 to waypoint W4, it performs a pivot turn (90°) at the corner of waypoint W17 where the passage is narrow. That is, it travels forward from waypoint W21 to waypoint W17, turns the front of the vehicle body 20 toward waypoint W4 at waypoint W17, and continues in the forward direction from waypoint W17 to waypoint W4.

[0033] Pivot turning refers to a turning pattern in which the orientation of the moving body 10 is changed without changing the coordinates of the reference position of the moving body 10. Furthermore, pivot turning can be described as a turning pattern in which the moving body 10 is turned while positioning the center of rotation of the turn within the area occupied by the moving body 10 (vehicle body area) when viewed from the Z direction. In this embodiment, pivot turning may be either a first pattern in which turning occurs with a configuration in which only some of the wheels are steerable, or a second pattern in which turning occurs with a configuration in which all of the wheels are steerable, or both. The first pattern refers to a pattern in which the vehicle turns with one of the non-steerable wheels (one of the wheels 20A provided on the straddle leg 21 in this example) as the center of rotation by steering the steerable wheels (wheels 20A provided on the vehicle body 20 in this example) in place while driving the drivable wheels (a so-called heel turn in this example). The second pattern refers to a pattern in which the moving body 10 rotates around an arbitrary position (for example, the center of the vehicle body) within the area occupied by the moving body 10 (vehicle body area) by steering all steerable wheels in place while driving the drivable wheels (in this example, a so-called super-pivot turn).

[0034] (Turning method when switching driving modes) (return) The mobile vehicle 10 can turn in order to switch its driving method (the orientation of the vehicle body relative to the direction of travel). For example, the mobile vehicle 10 can change its driving method by making a U-turn at an intersection (T-junction or crossroads) on its travel path. Here, an intersection refers to a waypoint W connected to three or more waypoints W. Making a U-turn means passing through an intersection while keeping the driving method (the orientation of the vehicle body 20 relative to the direction of travel) constant, then turning in the opposite direction from the point it passed through, and returning to the intersection. This changes the driving method. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the U-turn of the mobile vehicle according to this disclosure. As shown in Figure 6, when the mobile vehicle 10 moves from waypoint W21 to waypoint W4, it moves from waypoint W21 to waypoint W22, then makes a U-turn at waypoint W22, that is, it can change the direction of travel of the mobile vehicle 10 to the opposite direction. In other words, the mobile unit 10 can travel forward from waypoint W21 to waypoint W22, and then switch to reverse travel at waypoint W22. However, the possibility of turning around differs at each waypoint, and in some locations, turning around may not be possible.

[0035] (Pivot turn) The mobile unit 10 can also perform a pivot turn as a turning method to switch its travel method. For example, if the mobile unit 10 cannot turn around, it can travel straight to the corner, perform a pivot turn at the corner to align the direction of the vehicle body 20 with the next direction of travel of the mobile unit 10. For example, when performing a pivot turn in Figure 6, the mobile unit 10 travels forward from waypoint W21 to waypoint W2, performs a pivot turn at waypoint W2 to orient the rear of the vehicle body 20 toward waypoint W4, and then travels backward from waypoint W2 to waypoint W4.

[0036] (When handling cargo) For example, when the mobile body 10 performs cargo handling at a target location, the mobile body 10 must arrive at the target location while maintaining an orientation with its forks 24 facing the cargo handling area, that is, by traveling in reverse. Therefore, as shown in Figure 7, when the mobile body 10 is traveling forward along the travel path, it is necessary to change the orientation of the mobile body 10 by turning around or pivoting before arriving at the target location. Figure 7 is a diagram showing the operation of the mobile body according to this disclosure when performing cargo handling at a target location. As shown in Figure 7, when the mobile body 10 performs cargo handling at the target location s1, the mobile body 10 moves forward from waypoint W10 to waypoint W14, then turns around and arrives at the target location s1 by traveling in reverse while maintaining an orientation with its forks 24 facing the cargo handling area. Furthermore, for example, if there is no place to turn around before loading and unloading, the mobile body 10 may move forward from waypoint W10 to waypoint W13, then perform a pivot turn at waypoint W13 to orient the forks 24 of the mobile body 10 toward the loading and unloading area, and then move backward to the target position s1.

[0037] Furthermore, if the loading / unloading area of ​​the mobile body 10 is located in a narrow passage, there is a risk of the mobile body 10 coming into contact with a structure if it performs a pivot turn in the narrow passage. In this case, as shown in Figure 8, it is necessary for the mobile body 10 to perform a pivot turn before entering the narrow passage so that the forks 24 of the mobile body 10 are facing the loading / unloading area when it arrives at the loading / unloading area. Figure 8 is a diagram showing the operation of the mobile body according to this disclosure when it performs loading / unloading in a narrow area. As shown in Figure 8, when the mobile body 10 moves from waypoint W6 to waypoint W13, it is necessary to perform a pivot turn (180°) at waypoint W9 before entering waypoint W13 from waypoint W10 which is in the narrow passage, and move to waypoint W12 by moving sideways with the forks 24 of the mobile body 10 facing the direction of s2 of the loading / unloading area.

[0038] (Operation when switching) Furthermore, when the mobile body 10 changes the orientation of the vehicle body 20 relative to the direction of travel, that is, when switching between forward travel, reverse travel, and lateral travel, it is necessary to stop and perform an action to change the direction of the wheel axles (stationary steering). Also, when the mobile body 10 performs a pivot turn, it is necessary to perform an action to change the direction of the wheel axles (stationary steering). On the other hand, when the mobile body 10 is cornering, it is not necessary to stop because it can continue traveling while changing the direction of the wheel axles. Figure 9 is a diagram showing the patterns when the operation of the mobile body according to this disclosure is switched. As shown in Figure 9, when the mobile body 10 switches from forward travel and reverse travel to a super pivot turn and lateral travel, the mobile body 10 is necessary to perform these actions in the order of stop, stationary steering, stop.

[0039] (Setting the vehicle's orientation and turning method) Thus, the mobile vehicle 10 can choose between cornering and pivot turning as the turning method when turning around a corner while maintaining its driving method. Furthermore, the mobile vehicle 10 can choose between turning around and pivot turning as the turning method when switching driving methods. When turning around or pivot turning, as described above, stopping and turning maneuvers are required, and these actions take time. Therefore, when moving the mobile vehicle 10 appropriately, especially in order to get the mobile vehicle 10 to its destination quickly, it is preferable to consider not only the waypoints to be passed through, that is, the distance to the destination, but also multiple actions such as the turning method of the vehicle 20.

[0040] For example, as shown in Figure 10, if the initial position of the mobile body 10 is waypoint W21, which is position (1) shown in Figure 10, and the target position of the mobile body 10 is S4, the shortest required time is for the mobile body 10 to travel forward to waypoint W9, stop, turn, make a pivot turn (180°) at waypoint W9, stop, turn, move laterally, turn, and travel in reverse. Figure 10 is a diagram showing a first example of a travel path when the mobile body according to this disclosure performs cargo handling in a narrow space.

[0041] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, if the initial position of the mobile body 10 is at waypoint W17, which is position (2), the required time can be shortened if the mobile body 10 travels forward to waypoint W5, stops at waypoint W5, turns, makes a pivot turn (90°), stops, turns, travels in reverse, stops at waypoint W9, turns, moves laterally, turns, and travels in reverse. Figure 11 is a diagram showing a second example of a travel path when the mobile body according to this disclosure performs cargo handling in a narrow space.

[0042] Thus, when determining the path and movement of the moving body 10, the rule of traveling along the shortest path using the fastest travel speed and performing a turnaround or pivot turn when reaching a position where such a turnaround or pivot turn is necessary cannot minimize the travel time. In contrast, the moving body management system 100 of this disclosure sets a travel path from the starting position to the destination position and determines the travel method and turning method so as to optimize the time it takes to reach the destination position, thereby enabling the moving body to move appropriately while considering multiple types of movements. The device configuration of this embodiment, including the moving body management system 100, and its processing details will be described below.

[0043] (Regarding the logistics management system) Next, the logistics management system 300 related to this disclosure will be described using Figure 12. Figure 12 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the logistics management system related to this disclosure. As shown in Figure 12, the logistics management system 300 includes a communication unit 310, a storage unit 320, a control unit 330, an input unit 340, and a display unit 350. These configurations will be described in order below.

[0044] The communication unit 310 is a communication module that communicates with external devices such as the mobile device management system 100. The communication unit 310 may be implemented, for example, by a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) or an antenna that transmits and receives radio waves such as 5G or 6G. The communication unit 310 communicates with the mobile device management system 100 by wireless or wired communication, and the communication method is arbitrary.

[0045] The memory unit 320 is a memory that stores various information such as the calculation contents and programs of the control unit 330, and includes at least one of the following: RAM (Random Access Memory), main memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory), and external memory such as HDD (Hard Disk Drive).

[0046] The control unit 330 is an arithmetic unit and includes arithmetic circuits such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). As shown in Figure 12, the control unit 330 includes an acquisition unit 331 and a notification unit 332. The control unit 330 implements these functions and performs these processes by reading and executing a program (software) from the storage unit 320. The control unit 330 may perform these processes using a single CPU, or it may have multiple CPUs and perform the processes using those multiple CPUs. Furthermore, at least one of the acquisition unit 331 and the notification unit 332 may be implemented using hardware circuits.

[0047] The acquisition unit 331 acquires order information including the target object to be transported by the mobile body 10, the location information of the source of transport for the mobile body 10, and the location information of the destination of transport for the mobile body 10. For example, the acquisition unit 331 may acquire order information entered by the administrator from the input unit 340, or it may acquire order information from an external information processing system connected via the communication unit 310.

[0048] The notification unit 332 selects a mobile body 10 to be transported based on the order information and sets the destination location of the mobile body 10. Then, the notification unit 332 transmits the order information and the identification number of the mobile body 10 to be transported to the mobile body management system 100 to which the mobile body 10 belongs, via the communication unit 310.

[0049] The input unit 340 receives various operation information from the administrator. The input unit 340 may receive, for example, information such as the work content of the mobile unit 10 and location information of the target location. The input unit 340 may receive various operation information through, for example, various operation switches, a keyboard, a mouse, etc. In addition, the input unit 340 may receive various operation information via a display surface using a touch panel.

[0050] The display unit 350 displays various types of information. For example, the display unit 350 may display a GUI (Graphical User Interface) for receiving operation information regarding various processes from an administrator, or the results of various processes. The display unit 350 may be implemented using a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display, a micro-LED (Light Emitting Diode) display, etc. The display unit 350 may also be a touch panel of various types, such as a capacitive touch panel.

[0051] (Regarding mobile management systems) Next, the mobile device management system 100 according to this disclosure will be described using Figure 13. Figure 13 is a diagram showing an example configuration of the mobile device management system according to this disclosure. As shown in Figure 13, the mobile device management system 100 includes a communication unit 110, a storage unit 120, a control unit 130, an input unit 140, and a display unit 150. These configurations will be described in order below.

[0052] The communication unit 110 is a communication module that communicates with external devices such as the mobile unit 10 and the logistics management system 300. The communication unit 110 may be implemented by, for example, a wireless LAN (Local Area Network), an antenna responsible for transmitting and receiving radio waves such as 5G and 6G, or serial communication interface devices such as Ethernet (registered trademark) as defined in IEEE 802.3 or USB (Universal Serial Bus). The communication unit 110 communicates with the mobile unit 10 by wireless communication, and with the logistics management system 300 by wired communication or wireless communication.

[0053] The memory unit 120 is a memory that stores various information such as the calculation contents and programs of the control unit 130, and includes at least one of the following: RAM (Random Access Memory), main memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory), and external memory such as HDD (Hard Disk Drive).

[0054] The memory unit 120 includes a route information memory unit 121, a required time information memory unit 122, a vehicle body attitude information memory unit 123, a passage characteristic information memory unit 124, and a moving body position information memory unit 125. An example of the information stored by these components will be described in order below.

[0055] The route information storage unit 121 stores information about the route taken by the mobile body 10. The route information may include location information of waypoints and information about the connections between waypoints and other waypoints. The route information storage unit 121 may also include information about the distance between waypoints and other waypoints. In other words, it may show the connections between waypoints that the mobile body 10 can travel through.

[0056] The required time information storage unit 122 stores information regarding the travel method of the mobile body 10 and the required time for the operation of the mobile body 10. First, the required time information storage unit 122 stores the required time for each travel method of the mobile body 10. Here, using Figure 14, a first example of the information stored by the required time information storage unit 122 will be explained. Figure 14 is a diagram showing a first example of the information stored in the required time information storage unit of the mobile body management system according to this disclosure.

[0057] As shown in Figure 14, the required time information storage unit 122 stores the required time per unit distance for each of the three types of movement methods of the mobile body 10: forward, backward, and sideways movement. Note that the required times shown in Figure 14 are just examples and may be set arbitrarily according to the characteristics of the mobile body 10.

[0058] Furthermore, the required time information storage unit 122 stores information regarding the required time for each operation of the mobile body 10. Here, a second example of the information stored in the required time information storage unit 122 will be explained using Figure 15. Figure 15 is a diagram showing a second example of the information stored in the required time information storage unit of the mobile body management system according to this disclosure.

[0059] As shown in Figure 15, the required time information storage unit 122 stores the required time for each of the following operations of the mobile body 10: turning around, pivot turning (90°), pivot turning (180°), and stationary turning. Note that the required times shown in Figure 15 are just examples and may be set arbitrarily according to the characteristics of the mobile body 10.

[0060] The vehicle body attitude information storage unit 123 stores information regarding the constraints on the orientation (attitude) of the moving body 10 as it passes through waypoint W. Here, a first example of the information stored in the vehicle body attitude information storage unit 123 will be explained using Figure 16. Figure 16 is a diagram showing a first example of the information stored in the vehicle body attitude information storage unit of the moving body management system according to this disclosure.

[0061] As shown in Figure 16, the vehicle attitude information storage unit 123 stores information regarding the constraints on the attitude of the moving body 10, according to the direction of the moving body 10's advance represented by the next waypoint W it will pass through, as the moving body 10 passes through waypoint W. For example, Figure 16 shows that the vehicle attitude information storage unit 123 needs to assume an attitude of -90° when passing through waypoint W9 toward W10. In other words, for areas where the moving body 10 cannot make a U-turn or a pivot turn, such as narrow roads, the vehicle attitude at the waypoint at the entrance of that area is specified and stored in the vehicle attitude information storage unit 123 by angle. Note that although Figure 16 shows angles that represent the definition of the vehicle attitude, these are just examples and can be set arbitrarily.

[0062] The passage characteristics information storage unit 124 stores information regarding the characteristics of the movement path of the mobile body 10. Specifically, the passage characteristics information storage unit 124 may store information regarding constraints on the movement method of the mobile body 10 along the movement path that arise from the characteristics of the movement path of the mobile body 10. Here, a first example of the information stored in the passage characteristics information storage unit 124 will be explained using Figure 17. Figure 17 is a diagram showing a first example of the information stored in the passage characteristics information storage unit of the mobile body management system according to this disclosure.

[0063] As shown in Figure 17, the passage characteristic information storage unit 124 stores information about the possibility of the moving body 10 turning back at waypoints W located at intersections such as T-junctions and crossroads. Specifically, Figure 17 shows, as an example, that the moving body 10 can turn back at waypoint W2.

[0064] Furthermore, the passage characteristic information storage unit 124 may store information regarding corners and intersections on the passage in the travel path through which the mobile body 10 passes, specifying whether cornering is possible for each direction of entry of the mobile body 10. Figure 18 is a diagram showing a second example of information stored in the passage characteristic information storage unit of the mobile body management system according to this disclosure.

[0065] As shown in Figure 18, the passage characteristic information storage unit 124 stores information about corners and intersections in the travel path that the moving body 10 passes through, specifying whether cornering is possible for each corner and intersection in the direction of entry of the moving body 10. Specifically, Figure 18 shows, as an example, that cornering is possible for the moving body 10 when entering waypoint W18 from waypoint W2.

[0066] The mobile object location information storage unit 125 stores location information for each mobile object 10. Here, a first example of the information stored by the mobile object location information storage unit 125 will be explained using Figure 19. Figure 19 is a diagram showing an example of the information stored in the mobile object location information storage unit of the mobile object management system according to this disclosure.

[0067] As shown in Figure 19, the mobile body position information storage unit 125 stores the position information for each mobile body 10. The position information for each mobile body 10 stored in the mobile body position information storage unit 125 may be updated as needed.

[0068] As shown in Figure 19, the mobile object position information storage unit 125 stores information related to the items "mobile object ID," "position information," and "posture information."

[0069] The "Mobile Entity ID" is an identifier that identifies the mobile entity 10, and is represented by a string of characters or a number. The "Location Information" is the location information of the mobile entity 10 identified by the "Mobile Entity ID," and is represented, for example, by latitude and longitude. The "Attitude Information" is the attitude information of the mobile entity 10 identified by the "Mobile Entity ID," and may be represented, for example, by azimuth.

[0070] In other words, Figure 19 shows an example in which the location information "LC#1" and attitude information "AG#1" of the mobile body 10, which is identified by the mobile body ID "MVID#1", are linked and stored together.

[0071] The information stored in the mobile body position information storage unit 125 is not limited to information relating to the items "mobile body ID," "position information," and "orientation information," but may also store any other information relating to the position information and orientation information of the mobile body 10.

[0072] The control unit 130 is a controller that performs various calculations and functions. The control unit 130 is implemented by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or MPU (Micro Processing Unit), etc., which executes various programs stored in the memory unit 120 using RAM as the working area. Alternatively, the control unit 130 may be implemented by an integrated circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0073] As shown in Figure 13, the control unit 130 includes an acquisition unit 131, a path search unit 132, an endpoint setting unit 133, an initial setting unit 134, a candidate setting unit 135, a weight setting unit 136, a determination unit 137, and an instruction unit 138. The control unit 130 implements these functions and performs these processes by reading and executing a program (software) from the storage unit 220. The control unit 230 may perform these processes with a single CPU, or it may have multiple CPUs and perform the processes with those multiple CPUs. At least one of these may also be implemented with hardware circuits. These processes will be described later.

[0074] The input unit 140 receives various operation information from the administrator. The input unit 140 may receive, for example, information such as the work content of the mobile unit 10 and location information of the target location. The input unit 140 may receive various operation information through, for example, various operation switches, dials, levers, handles, keyboards, joysticks, mice, etc. In addition, the input unit 140 may receive various operation information via a display surface using a touch panel.

[0075] The display unit 150 displays various types of information. For example, the display unit 150 may display a GUI (Graphical User Interface) for receiving operation information regarding various processes from an administrator, or the results of various processes. The display unit 150 may be implemented using a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display, a micro-LED (Light Emitting Diode) display, etc. The display unit 150 may also be a touch panel of various types, such as a capacitive touch panel.

[0076] (Processing in the mobile management system) Next, we will explain the process of setting the route of the mobile object 10 by the mobile object management system 100.

[0077] (Obtaining the starting position and destination) The acquisition unit 131 acquires information on the starting position and destination position for the selected mobile body 10 (the mobile body 10 to be routed). The starting position refers to the position where the mobile body 10 begins to move, for example, the current position of the mobile body 10. The destination position refers to the destination position of the mobile body 10. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 131 acquires order information from the logistics management system 300 and extracts the starting position and destination position information from the order information. Specifically, the acquisition unit 131 acquires order information transmitted from the logistics management system 300 via the communication unit 110. The order information includes the target object to be transported by the mobile body 10, the location information of the source of transport for the mobile body 10, the location information of the destination of transport for the mobile body 10, and the identification number of the selected mobile body 10. Based on the identification number of the selected mobile body 10 included in the order information, the acquisition unit 131 reads the location information of the selected mobile body 10 from the mobile body location information storage unit 125 as the starting position. When the acquisition unit 131 retrieves the target object from the source, it extracts the location information of the source included in the order information as the target location. When the acquisition unit 131 transports the target object to the destination, it extracts the location information of the destination included in the order information as the target location.

[0078] (Setting the travel route) The path search unit 132 sets the movement path from the starting position of the moving body 10 to the destination position. Based on the information of the starting position and destination position acquired by the acquisition unit 131, the path search unit 132 sets the movement path from the starting position to the destination position. In other words, in this embodiment, the path search unit 132 sets each waypoint W that the moving body will pass through from the starting position to the destination position.

[0079] The path search unit 132 may set any path (waypoint W) that reaches the destination from the starting position as the travel path (waypoint W to be passed through). In this embodiment, the path search unit 132 searches for and determines the travel path by performing an optimization calculation that minimizes the cost of the travel path. The search method may be, for example, Dijkstra's algorithm. Here, the cost is, for example, distance, and the path with the minimum distance may be set as the travel path. Alternatively, for example, a weight may be set for each waypoint W, and the distance and weight may be used as the cost. The weight in this case may be set arbitrarily; for example, a higher weight may be set for a waypoint W that is a predetermined distance from the area where a person is working, or a higher weight may be set for a waypoint W that another mobile body 10 is scheduled to pass through during the time period when the selected mobile body 10 is scheduled to pass through.

[0080] (Determination of driving and turning methods) The determination unit 137 determines the driving method and turning method of the mobile body 10 when traveling along the travel path (each waypoint W) set by the path search unit 132, so as to optimize the time it takes to reach the target position. As a result, the travel path (waypoints W to be passed through), the driving method (orientation of the vehicle body 20 relative to the direction of travel), and the turning method at corners and intersections are set for the mobile body 10. Therefore, in addition to the travel path, multiple types of actions such as the driving method and turning method can be taken into consideration when moving the mobile body 10.Specific examples of the setting process for the driving method and turning method will be described below.

[0081] (Setting the driving method at the starting position and destination position) The endpoint setting unit 133 sets the travel method at the starting position and the travel method at the destination position. For example, the endpoint setting unit 133 sets the travel method at the starting position based on the orientation of the moving body 10 at the starting position and the travel path (i.e., the next waypoint W from the starting position). The orientation of the moving body 10 at the starting position may be read from, for example, the moving body position information storage unit 125. For example, if there is a path in the forward direction from the starting position, the endpoint setting unit 133 specifies the travel method at the starting position as forward travel. Also, for example, the endpoint setting unit 133 sets the travel method at the destination position based on the work content at the destination position. For example, if cargo handling is to be performed at the destination position, the endpoint setting unit 133 specifies the travel method upon arrival at the destination position as reverse travel.

[0082] In other words, the endpoint setting unit 133 determines the method of travel at the starting position based on the direction of movement of the starting position for the path searched by the path search unit 132. Furthermore, the endpoint setting unit 133 determines the method of travel at the target position based on the work content at the target position for the path searched by the path search unit 132.

[0083] (Initial settings for driving method) The initial setup unit 134 initializes a temporary driving method for each waypoint W included in the travel path. More specifically, the initial setup unit 134 sets a temporary driving method for each waypoint W, both when entering and exiting that waypoint W. The initial setup unit 134 sets all possible driving methods that the mobile body 10 can perform (i.e., in this embodiment, forward driving, reverse driving, and lateral movement) as temporary driving methods.

[0084] In this embodiment, the initial setting unit 134 sets a provisional driving method for each waypoint W included in the travel path, excluding the starting position and the destination position. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the initial setting unit 134 sets a provisional driving method for each waypoint W included in the travel path, specifically for waypoints W located at corners and intersections.

[0085] In this embodiment, the initial setup unit 134 uses nodes to represent the temporary travel methods for each waypoint W, connects the nodes of adjacent waypoints W with edges, and sets a directed graph containing these nodes and edges as information representing the temporary travel methods. More specifically, the initial setup unit 134 connects the node representing the temporary travel method when exiting waypoint W with an edge, and the node representing the temporary travel method when entering the next waypoint W. The initial setup unit 134 also connects the node representing the temporary travel method when entering waypoint W with an edge, and the node representing the temporary travel method when exiting waypoint W. However, it is not essential to represent the temporary travel methods as a directed graph.

[0086] An example of a directed graph generated by the initial setup unit 134 will be explained using Figure 20. Figure 20 is a diagram showing an example of a directed graph generated by the mobile vehicle management system according to this disclosure. First, the initial setup unit 134 extracts waypoints W at the locations of corners and intersections from the starting position of the travel path to the destination position. Next, it generates nodes representing the travel method (forward, backward, lateral movement) when entering (arriving) and exiting (departing) the waypoints W. Next, it generates edges by connecting the nodes representing the travel method (forward, backward, lateral movement) when entering and departing the waypoints along the direction of travel of the travel path. Then, the initial setup unit 134 generates a directed graph as shown in Figure 20.

[0087] (Candidate settings for driving method) The candidate setting unit 135 sets candidate driving methods for each waypoint W included in the travel path. More specifically, the initial setting unit 134 sets candidate driving methods (driving candidates) for each waypoint W, both for entry into and exit from that waypoint W. The candidate setting unit 135 sets candidate driving methods based on the constraints on the orientation of the vehicle body 20 at waypoint W, and more preferably based on the constraints on the orientation of the vehicle body 20 and the direction of travel at the time of exit (position of the next waypoint). In other words, the candidate setting unit 135 sets as candidate driving methods the driving methods that can comply with the constraints on the orientation of the vehicle body 20 among all driving methods that the mobile body 10 can perform. The constraints on the orientation of the vehicle body 20 may be read from the vehicle body attitude information storage unit 123.

[0088] The candidate setting unit 135 sets candidate driving methods for each waypoint W included in the travel path, excluding the starting position and the destination position. More specifically, in this embodiment, the candidate setting unit 135 sets candidate driving methods for each waypoint W included in the travel path, specifically for waypoints W located at corners and intersections.

[0089] Specifically, the candidate setting unit 135 extracts driving methods that do not violate the constraints on the orientation of the vehicle body 20 by excluding driving methods that violate the constraints on the orientation of the vehicle body 20 from among the provisional driving methods for each waypoint W set by the initial setting unit 134, and sets them as driving method candidates. In other words, in this embodiment, the candidate setting unit 135 removes nodes that violate the constraints on the orientation of the vehicle body 20 and the edges connected to those nodes from the directed graph set by the initial setting unit 134 to obtain a directed graph that shows the driving method candidates. The candidate setting unit 135 modifies the directed graph generated by the initial setting unit 134 based on the information stored in the vehicle body attitude information storage unit 123 and the passage characteristic information storage unit 124. It can be said that the candidate setting unit 135 modifies the generated directed graph based on the characteristics of the waypoints in the travel path and the constraints on the movement of the moving body. Specifically, the directed graph may be modified by the method shown below. However, it is not essential to represent the driving method candidates as a directed graph.

[0090] The candidate setting unit 135 identifies a waypoint travel method based on the vehicle's attitude upon entry, which is specified for each waypoint. For each waypoint travel method, it removes nodes other than those specified, and the edges connected to those nodes, from the directed graph. For example, suppose the vehicle attitude information storage unit 123 stores a constraint of -90° on the vehicle's attitude when moving from waypoint W9 to waypoint W10. And suppose the angle from waypoint W9 to waypoint W10 on the travel path is 0°. In this case, the only way for the moving body 10 to move from waypoint W9 to waypoint W10 on the travel path while maintaining a vehicle attitude of -90° is limited to lateral movement. Therefore, as shown in Figure 21, the candidate setting unit 135 removes the forward and reverse nodes from the waypoint W9 nodes in the directed graph. Figure 21 is a diagram showing an example of the directed graph modification process by the moving body management system according to this disclosure.

[0091] Furthermore, the candidate setting unit 135 may, when entering a waypoint W at the corner or intersection following the starting position, select the same driving method as the starting position as a candidate driving method. In other words, when entering a waypoint W following the starting position, the unit may delete nodes with a different driving method than the starting position and the edges connected to those nodes. Also, the candidate setting unit 135 may, when exiting a waypoint W at the corner or intersection immediately preceding the destination position, select the same driving method as the destination position as a candidate driving method. In other words, when exiting a waypoint W immediately preceding the destination position, the unit may delete nodes with a different driving method than the destination position and the edges connected to those nodes.

[0092] (Setting candidate turning methods) The weight setting unit 136 sets a candidate turning method (turning candidate) for each waypoint W where a candidate driving method has been set, based on the candidate driving method at that waypoint W. Furthermore, the weight setting unit 136 sets a candidate turning method for each combination of candidate driving methods for entering and exiting waypoint W (for each edge connecting the entry node of waypoint W and the exit node of the same waypoint W), based on the candidate driving methods for entering and exiting waypoint W. The weight setting unit 136 sets as a candidate turning method a turning method that is possible to enter using a candidate driving method and exit using a candidate driving method. That is, for example, if entering by forward driving and exiting by reverse driving is a candidate driving method, then a turnaround or pivot turn that switches from forward driving to reverse driving will be set as a candidate turning method.

[0093] More specifically, the weight setting unit 136 sets candidate turning methods based on the constraints on the turning method at waypoint W, and more preferably based on the constraints on the turning method and the direction of travel when entering (the position of the previous waypoint). That is, the weight setting unit 136 sets as candidate turning methods any turning method that allows entry using a candidate driving method and exit using a candidate driving method, and that can comply with the constraints on the turning method at waypoint W. For example, if the candidate is to enter by driving forward and exit by driving in reverse, and turning around at waypoint W is not possible, then a pivot turn that switches from driving forward to driving in reverse will be set as a candidate turning method. Note that the constraints on the turning method may be read from the passage characteristic information storage unit 124.

[0094] (Calculation of the first required time) The weight setting unit 136 calculates, as a weight, the first required time for executing the turning method specified in each candidate turning method (an edge connecting the entry node and the exit node at the same waypoint W). The weight setting unit 136 calculates the time specified in the candidate turning method from the time required to execute each pre-set operation and sets it as the first required time for that candidate turning method. The time required to execute each operation may be read from the required time information storage unit 122. In some cases, if there are no particular constraints, multiple turning methods may be set for one combination of candidate driving methods (one edge connecting the entry node and the exit node). In this case, the weight setting unit 136 may select the turning method with the shortest execution time from among the multiple turning methods as a candidate and set the time required for that turning as the first required time. In other words, if both turning around and pivot turning are possible in one combination of candidate driving methods, the turning around method, which takes less time, may be selected as the candidate, and the time required for turning around may be taken as the first required time.

[0095] For example, if the weight setting unit 136 considers cornering as a candidate turning method and sets the time required for cornering as the first required time, then the driving method for entering and exiting a waypoint is the same, and cornering is possible at that waypoint. The time required for cornering may be zero, for example. Alternatively, if the driving method for entering and exiting a waypoint is the same, and cornering is not possible at that waypoint, then the weight setting unit 136 considers pivot turning as a candidate turning method and sets the time required for pivot turning as the first required time. Specifically, the weight setting unit 136 determines the weight of edges connecting nodes that indicate the driving method when entering a waypoint and nodes that indicate the driving method when exiting a waypoint. For edges connecting nodes that indicate the same driving method, the unit identifies the next waypoint to be entered from the path characteristics information storage unit 124, reads whether cornering is possible from the waypoint entry to the waypoint exit, and sets a weight to set the first required time to zero if cornering is possible. If cornering is not possible, the weight of the edge is set as the first required time for pivot turning stored in the required time information storage unit 122.

[0096] In this way, the weight setting unit 136 also sets weights for other waypoints based on whether cornering is possible when moving from the waypoint to the next waypoint.

[0097] Furthermore, the weight setting unit 136, in the case of candidate travel methods, if the travel method for entering and exiting a waypoint is different and a turnaround is possible at the waypoint, selects the turnaround as a candidate for turning method and sets the time required for the turnaround as the first required time. Also, for example, if the travel method for entering and exiting a waypoint is different and a turnaround is not possible at the waypoint, the weight setting unit 136 selects the pivot turn as a candidate for turning method and sets the time required for the pivot turn as the first required time. Specifically, in the directed graph, for the weights of edges connecting nodes where the travel method for entering and exiting a waypoint is different, the weight setting unit 136 reads from the passage characteristic information storage unit 124 whether a turnaround is possible at the waypoint and sets the first required time for the turnaround as the weight if a turnaround is possible, and the first required time for a super-pivot turn as the weight if a turnaround is not possible.

[0098] (Calculation of the second required time) The weight setting unit 136 calculates a weight for each combination of candidate travel methods between adjacent corner or intersection waypoints W (the edge connecting the exit node of waypoint W and the entry node of the next waypoint W). Specifically, the second required time is the time required to travel between the first waypoint (waypoint W at a corner or intersection) where constraints are set and the next second waypoint (waypoint W at a corner or intersection following the first waypoint) where constraints are set.

[0099] The weight setting unit 136 calculates the second required time based on the candidate travel methods when exiting waypoint W (first waypoint) and the distance between waypoints W (distance from the first waypoint to the second waypoint), and sets the weight of the edge accordingly. In other words, the weight setting unit 136 calculates the required time to travel between the waypoints as the second required time based on the candidate travel methods when exiting waypoint W (first waypoint), the required time for each travel method stored in the required time information storage unit 122, and the distance between waypoints W. That is, assuming that the travel method is constant between these waypoints W and that no turns are made, the second required time is calculated assuming that the same travel method is used to travel between waypoints W.

[0100] The processing of the weight setting unit 136 described above will now be explained with reference to Figure 22. Figure 22 is a diagram illustrating the weight setting process by the mobile vehicle management system according to this disclosure. As shown in Figure 22, weights (first required time and second required time) are set for each of the following using the method described above: the edge connecting the waypoint arrival method and the waypoint departure method when they are the same; the edge connecting the waypoint arrival method and the waypoint departure method when they are different; and the edge connecting the waypoint departure method and the waypoint entry method node.

[0101] (Determination of the driving and turning methods to be adopted) The decision unit 137 selects the combination of candidate travel methods and turning methods for each waypoint W (each combination of nodes and edges connected without branching from the starting position to the destination position) set as described above, and chooses the combination that optimizes the time it takes to reach the destination from the starting position. Here, the time it takes to reach the destination may refer to the total time of travel between each waypoint from the starting position to the destination position and the time required for turning at each waypoint. In other words, the decision unit 137 selects the travel method and turning method to be adopted based on at least one (both in this example) of the first required time and the second required time. Furthermore, the optimization of the time it takes to reach the destination may refer to, for example, minimizing the time it takes to reach the destination from the starting position. Alternatively, for example, the optimization of the time it takes to reach the destination may also consider other factors (such as the degree of power usage) and aim to make the time it takes to reach the destination as small as possible while also optimizing other factors as much as possible (for example, minimizing the degree of power usage).

[0102] In other words, the decision unit 137 determines the travel method and turning method of the mobile body 10 at each waypoint on the travel path that will result in the shortest required time, based on the weights set for each edge of the directed graph. That is, the decision unit 137 selects the travel method of the mobile body 10 when entering and exiting a waypoint such that the weights of the edges connecting the nodes at the time of entering and exiting the waypoint are minimized. In other words, it selects the travel method of the mobile body 10 such that the sum of the weights of the routes formed by connecting nodes with edges in the directed graph is minimized. For example, Dijkstra's method may be used to calculate the optimal value for the minimum required time. This is then determined as the travel method for the mobile body 10 on the travel path. Next, based on the constraints on the operation of the mobile body 10 shown in Figure 6, the operation of the mobile body 10 when switching the travel method of the mobile body 10 is determined. For example, if the vehicle was traveling forward upon arrival at waypoint W9, but is to travel in reverse upon exiting waypoint W9, then the vehicle 10 will travel forward, stop, and then travel in reverse.

[0103] Figure 23 is a diagram showing an example of a route determined by the mobile vehicle management system according to this disclosure. In Figure 23, the travel method represented by the edge indicated by the thick arrow is the determined travel method. Specifically, Figure 23 shows that the mobile vehicle 10 moves forward from waypoint W21 to waypoint W9, stops, turns, and stops again at waypoint W9, moves laterally from waypoint W9 to waypoint W12, stops, turns, and stops again at waypoint W12, and moves backward from waypoint W12 to waypoint S.

[0104] (Sending information) The instruction unit 138 transmits instruction information, which is information regarding the determined travel route, travel method, and turning method, to the mobile body 10. That is, the instruction unit 138 transmits information regarding the determined travel route, travel method, and turning method to the mobile body 10 via the communication unit 110. The mobile body 10 to which the instruction information is transmitted may be the mobile body 10 identified by the identification number of the mobile body 10 transmitted together with the order information transmitted from the logistics management system 300.

[0105] As described above, the mobile object management system 100 sets a travel path from the starting position to the destination position, and sets the travel method and turning method of the mobile object 10 so that the time to reach the destination position is optimized. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the mobile object 10 can be moved appropriately by taking into account the travel method, turning method, and other operations. In other words, according to this embodiment, by setting the travel method and turning method, the time to reach the destination can be optimized more appropriately, and the mobile object 10 can be moved appropriately. Furthermore, by setting the travel path used to set the travel method and turning method before setting the travel method and turning method, it becomes unnecessary to optimize the path in addition to the travel method and turning method at the same time, thereby reducing the computational load. In addition, according to this embodiment, a directed graph can be generated, and the travel method and operations of the mobile object 10 can be set appropriately after taking into account constraints such as vehicle attitude constraints and whether or not the mobile object 10 can corner at T-junctions and crossroads. Therefore, the travel method and operations can be set appropriately in addition to the travel path of the mobile object 10.

[0106] (Regarding the configuration of the control device) Next, the control device 200 for the mobile body 10 according to this disclosure will be described with reference to Figure 24. Figure 24 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control device for the mobile body according to this disclosure. As shown in Figure 24, the control device 200 for the mobile body 10 according to this disclosure includes a communication unit 210, a storage unit 220, a control unit 230, a self-position detection unit 240, an obstacle detection unit 250, and a drive signal transmission unit 260. These configurations will be described in order below.

[0107] The communication unit 210 is responsible for transmitting and receiving various types of information wirelessly between the device and external devices such as the mobile device management system 100. The communication unit 210 may be implemented by, for example, an antenna for wireless LAN as defined in IEEE 802.11, a Bluetooth® module, a Wi-Fi® module, an antenna for a 5th generation mobile communication system (5G), or a 6th generation mobile communication system (6G).

[0108] The memory unit 220 is a storage device that stores various types of information. The memory unit 220 comprises a main memory and an auxiliary storage device. The main memory may be implemented using semiconductor memory elements such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), or flash memory. The auxiliary storage device may be implemented using a hard disk, SSD (Solid State Drive), or optical disc, for example.

[0109] The control unit 230 is a controller that performs various calculations and functions. The control unit 230 is implemented by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or MPU (Micro Processing Unit), etc., which executes various programs stored in the memory unit 220 using RAM as the working area. Alternatively, the control unit 230 may be implemented by an integrated circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0110] The control unit 230 includes a movement path information acquisition unit 231, a self-position information acquisition unit 232, an obstacle information acquisition unit 233, and a drive control signal generation unit 234, as functions realized by the execution of a program stored in the memory unit 220 and the circuit configuration. The control unit 230 may execute these processes with a single CPU, or it may have multiple CPUs and execute these processes in parallel with the multiple CPUs. These configurations will be described in detail below.

[0111] The movement path information acquisition unit 231 acquires movement path information from the mobile device management system 100. That is, the movement path information acquisition unit 231 acquires movement path information transmitted from the mobile device management system 100 via the communication unit 210.

[0112] The self-position information acquisition unit 232 acquires self-position information indicating the position and orientation of the mobile body 10. That is, the self-position information acquisition unit 232 acquires the self-position information detected by the self-position detection unit 240, which will be described later. Once the self-position information acquisition unit 232 has acquired the self-position information, it may store the acquired self-position information in the storage unit 220. The self-position information acquisition unit 232 may also transmit the acquired self-position information to the mobile body management system 100 via the communication unit 210, either based on a request from the mobile body management system 100 or voluntarily.

[0113] The obstacle information acquisition unit 233 acquires obstacle information indicating the position and orientation of obstacles. That is, the obstacle information acquisition unit 233 acquires obstacle information detected by the obstacle detection unit 250, which will be described later. Once the obstacle information acquisition unit 233 has acquired the obstacle information, it may store the acquired obstacle information in the storage unit 220. The obstacle information acquisition unit 233 may also transmit the acquired obstacle information to the mobile vehicle management system 100 via the communication unit 210, either based on a request from the mobile vehicle management system 100 or on its own initiative.

[0114] The drive control signal generation unit 234 generates a control signal to drive the power unit of the mobile body 10 based on instruction information transmitted from the mobile body management system 100. That is, it generates a control signal to drive the power unit of the mobile body 10 based on the movement path, travel method, and operation of the mobile body 10 included in the instruction information. The drive control signal generation unit 234 may also modify the control signal to drive the power unit to reflect obstacle information. For example, if there is an obstacle on the movement path, it may generate a control signal to stop before the obstacle.

[0115] The self-position detection unit 240 is a device that detects the position and orientation of the mobile body 10. The position of the mobile body 10 refers to the coordinates in which the mobile body 10 is located within the region AR. The orientation of the mobile body 10 refers to the direction in which the mobile body 10 is facing, and refers to the orientation (rotation angle) of the mobile body 10 when viewed from directions perpendicular to directions X and Y. Hereafter, unless otherwise specified, "position" and "orientation" refer to the same thing.

[0116] The self-position detection unit 240 may detect its position and orientation by any method, but for example, a specific implementation means of the self-position detection unit 240 is a positioning device that uses a satellite positioning system such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) to detect its position.

[0117] Furthermore, for example, the self-position detection unit 240 may be an inertial measurement unit (IMU) equipped with an acceleration sensor and a gyroscope sensor to detect the position and attitude relative to a predetermined starting point.

[0118] The obstacle detection unit 250 is a sensor that detects the position and orientation of an obstacle. The obstacle detection unit 250 may be any sensor that can detect the position and orientation of an obstacle. For example, it may be the sensor 26 of a moving object. That is, the position and orientation of the obstacle may be detected based on information acquired by 2D-LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging), 3D-LiDAR, a camera, etc.

[0119] The drive signal transmission unit 260 transmits the control signals generated by the drive control signal generation unit 234 to the power unit. The drive signal transmission unit 260 may be implemented by various control signal transmission cables. For example, the drive signal transmission unit 260 may be implemented by various electrical wiring, such as a control signal cable formed by bundling multiple wires, each with an insulator covering a conductor such as copper, and covering them with an electrically insulating polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheath. In other words, the drive signal transmission unit 260 is connected to the power unit by electrical wiring.

[0120] As described above, the mobile body 10 can perform tasks such as appropriately moving transported objects and performing movement tasks based on order information obtained from the mobile body management system 100.

[0121] (Hardware configuration) The mobile device management system 100 according to the above-described embodiment is implemented by a computer 1000 having a configuration such as that shown in Figure 25. Figure 25 is a hardware configuration diagram showing an example of a computer that implements the functions of the mobile device management system according to this disclosure. The computer 1000 is connected to an output device 1010 and an input device 1020, and has a configuration in which an arithmetic unit 1030, a primary storage device 1040, a secondary storage device 1050, an output IF (Interface) 1060, an input IF 1070, and a network IF 1080 are connected by a bus 1090.

[0122] The arithmetic unit 1030 operates based on programs stored in the primary storage device 1040 and the secondary storage device 1050, as well as programs read from the input device 1020, and executes various processes. The primary storage device 1040 is a memory device, such as RAM, that temporarily stores data used by the arithmetic unit 1030 for various calculations. The secondary storage device 1050 is a storage device that stores data used by the arithmetic unit 1030 for various calculations and various databases, and is implemented using ROM, HDD, flash memory, etc.

[0123] Output IF1060 is an interface for transmitting information to be output to output devices 1010, such as monitors and printers, and is implemented using connectors of standards such as USB (Universal Serial Bus), DVI (Digital Visual Interface), and HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface). Input IF1070 is an interface for receiving information from various input devices 1020, such as mice, keyboards, and scanners, and is implemented using, for example, USB.

[0124] The input device 1020 may also be a device that reads information from, for example, an optical recording medium such as a CD (Compact Disc), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), or PD (Phase Change Rewritable Disk), a magneto-optical recording medium such as an MO (Magneto-Optical disk), tape media, magnetic recording media, or semiconductor memory. Furthermore, the input device 1020 may also be an external storage medium such as a USB memory stick.

[0125] Network IF1080 receives data from other devices via network N and sends it to the arithmetic unit 1030, and also transmits data generated by the arithmetic unit 1030 to other devices via network N.

[0126] The arithmetic unit 1030 controls the output device 1010 and the input device 1020 via the output IF 1060 and the input IF 1070. For example, the arithmetic unit 1030 loads a program from the input device 1020 or the secondary storage device 1050 onto the primary storage device 1040 and executes the loaded program.

[0127] For example, if the computer 1000 functions as a mobile device management system 100, the computer 1000's arithmetic unit 1030 executes a program loaded onto the primary storage device 1040 to realize the functions of the control unit 130 of the mobile device management system 100.

[0128] (Structure and effect) The mobile body management system 100 for the mobile body 10 according to the first embodiment includes a path search unit 132 that sets a travel path from a starting position where the mobile body 10 begins to move until it reaches a target position, and a determination unit 137 that determines a travel method that indicates which direction of the mobile body 10 will travel as the direction of travel when traveling along the travel path, and a turning method for the mobile body 10, so as to optimize the time it takes for the mobile body 10 to reach the target position via the travel path.

[0129] With this configuration, after searching for the movement path of the mobile body 10, the travel method and turning method of the mobile body 10 along the movement path can be appropriately set to optimize the arrival time. Therefore, it is possible to provide a mobile body management system 100 that can appropriately move the mobile body while considering multiple types of operations.

[0130] The mobile body management system 100 of the mobile body 10 according to the second embodiment is the mobile body management system 100 of the first embodiment, and the route search unit 132 further includes a candidate setting unit 135 that sets waypoints through which the mobile body 10 will travel from a starting position to a destination position, and sets a waypoint-specific travel candidate that indicates a candidate waypoint for entering the waypoint and a candidate waypoint for exiting the waypoint, and a weight setting unit 136 that sets a waypoint-specific turn candidate that indicates a candidate waypoint for turning based on the waypoint-specific travel candidate, and the determination unit 137 determines the combination of travel candidate and turn candidate that optimizes the arrival time from among the combinations of travel candidate and turn candidate for each waypoint as the travel method and turn method to be adopted.

[0131] With this configuration, waypoints are set through which the mobile body 10 will pass, and travel options are set for each waypoint, indicating candidate travel methods for entering and exiting the waypoint. From the combinations of travel options and turning options for each waypoint, the combination that optimizes the arrival time can be determined as the travel method and turning method to be adopted. Therefore, a mobile body management system 100 can be provided that can appropriately move the mobile body while considering multiple types of operations.

[0132] The mobile vehicle management system 100 according to the third embodiment is the mobile vehicle management system 100 according to the first or second embodiment, wherein the candidate setting unit 135 sets driving candidates based on the constraints on the orientation of the vehicle body at the waypoint, and the weight setting unit 136 sets turning candidates based on the constraints on the turning method at the waypoint.

[0133] With this configuration, it is possible to set driving candidates based on the constraints of the vehicle's orientation at the waypoint, and to set turning candidates based on the constraints of the turning method at the waypoint. Therefore, it is possible to provide a mobile body management system 100 that can appropriately move a mobile body while considering multiple types of operations.

[0134] The mobile body management system 100 according to the fourth embodiment is a mobile body management system 100 according to any one of the first to third embodiments, wherein the weight setting unit 136 calculates a first required time for each of the turning candidates, and the determination unit 137 determines the travel method and turning method to be adopted based on the first required time.

[0135] With this configuration, for each turning candidate, the first required time for the turning specified in the turning candidate can be calculated, and the driving method and turning method to be adopted can be determined based on the first required time. Therefore, it is possible to provide a mobile body management system 100 that can appropriately move a mobile body while considering multiple types of operations.

[0136] The mobile vehicle management system 100 according to the fifth embodiment is a mobile vehicle management system 100 according to any one of the first to fourth embodiments, wherein the weight setting unit 136 sets the turning candidate to cornering and the first required time to zero if the driving method when entering a waypoint and the driving method when exiting the waypoint are the same and cornering is possible under the constraints of the turning method at the waypoint, and sets the turning candidate to pivot turning and the time required for pivot turning to the first required time.

[0137] According to this configuration, if the driving method when entering a waypoint and the driving method when exiting the waypoint are the same, and cornering is possible under the constraints of the turning method at the waypoint, the turning candidate can be set to cornering, and the first required time can be set to zero. If cornering is not possible under the constraints of the turning method at the waypoint, the turning candidate can be set to pivot turning, and the time required for pivot turning can be set as the first required time. Therefore, it is possible to provide a mobile body management system 100 that can appropriately move a mobile body while considering multiple types of operations.

[0138] The mobile vehicle management system 100 according to the sixth embodiment is a mobile vehicle management system 100 according to any one of the first to fifth embodiments, wherein the weight setting unit 136 sets the turning candidate as a turning turn and the time required for the turning turn as the first required time if the driving method when entering a waypoint is different from the driving method when exiting the waypoint and if a turn is possible under the constraints of the turning method at the waypoint, and sets the turning candidate as a pivot turn and the time required for the pivot turn as the first required time.

[0139] With this configuration, if the method of driving when entering a waypoint differs from the method of driving when exiting the waypoint, and if the constraints on the turning method at the waypoint allow for a U-turn, the turning candidate can be set to a U-turn, and the time required for the U-turn can be set as the first required time. If the constraints on the turning method at the waypoint do not allow for a U-turn, the turning candidate can be set to a pivot turn, and the time required for the pivot turn can be set as the first required time. Therefore, it is possible to provide a mobile body management system 100 that can appropriately move a mobile body while considering multiple types of operations.

[0140] The seventh embodiment of the mobile vehicle management system 100 is a mobile vehicle management system 100 according to any one of the first to sixth embodiments, wherein the weight setting unit 136 sets a second required time required to pass through the section from a first waypoint where constraints are set to the next second waypoint where constraints are set, based on the driving method when exiting the first waypoint and the distance from the first waypoint to the second waypoint, and the determination unit 137 determines the driving method and turning method to be adopted based on the second required time.

[0141] With this configuration, the second required time for passing through the section from a first waypoint with constraints to the next second waypoint with constraints can be set based on the driving method when exiting the first waypoint and the distance from the first waypoint to the second waypoint. Based on the second required time, the driving method and turning method to be adopted can be determined. Therefore, it is possible to provide a mobile body management system 100 that can appropriately move a mobile body while considering multiple types of operations.

[0142] The mobile vehicle management system 100 according to the eighth embodiment is a mobile vehicle management system 100 according to any one of the first to seventh embodiments, wherein the candidate setting unit 135 sets a directed graph as a candidate direction for each waypoint, with the travel methods when entering and exiting a waypoint as nodes, and the connection between the node for the travel method when entering a waypoint and the node for the travel method when exiting the next waypoint as edges.

[0143] With this configuration, a directed graph can be set as a candidate direction for each waypoint, where the travel methods when entering and exiting a waypoint are defined as nodes, and the connection between the node representing the travel method when entering a waypoint and the node representing the travel method when exiting the next waypoint is defined as an edge. Therefore, a mobile object management system 100 can be provided that can appropriately move a mobile object while considering multiple types of operations.

[0144] The first embodiment of the mobile body management method includes the steps of setting a travel path from a starting position where the mobile body 10 begins to move to a target position, and determining a travel method that indicates which direction of the mobile body 10 will be the direction of travel when traveling along the travel path, and a turning method for the mobile body 10, so as to optimize the time it takes for the mobile body 10 to reach the target position via the travel path.

[0145] With this configuration, after searching for the movement path of the mobile body 10, the travel method and turning method of the mobile body 10 along the movement path can be appropriately set to optimize the arrival time. Therefore, it is possible to provide a mobile body management method that can appropriately move the mobile body while considering multiple types of operations.

[0146] The program according to the first embodiment causes the computer to perform the following steps: setting a travel path from a starting position where the mobile body 10 begins to move until it reaches a target position; determining a travel method that indicates which direction of the mobile body 10 will be the direction of travel when traveling along the travel path, and a turning method for the mobile body 10, so as to optimize the time it takes for the mobile body 10 to reach the target position along the travel path.

[0147] With this configuration, after searching for the movement path of the mobile body 10, the driving method and turning method of the mobile body 10 along the movement path can be appropriately set to optimize the arrival time. Therefore, it is possible to provide a program that can appropriately move the mobile body while considering multiple types of movements.

[0148] 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]

[0149] 1. Mobile Control System 10 Mobile Units 100 Mobile Management Systems 110 Communications Department 120 Storage section 121 Route information storage unit 122 Required time information storage section 123 Vehicle body posture information storage unit 124 Passage characteristic information storage section 125 Mobile object position information storage unit 130 Control Unit 131 Acquisition Department 132 Route Search Unit 133 End point setting section 134 Initial setting section 135 Candidate setting section 136 Weight setting section 137 Decision Section 138 Instruction section 140 Input section 150 Display section 200 Control device 210 Communications Department 220 Storage section 230 Control Unit 231 Movement route information acquisition unit 232 Self-location information acquisition unit 233 Obstacle Information Acquisition Unit 234 Drive control signal generation unit 240 Self-position detection unit 250 Obstacle detection unit 260 Drive signal transmission section 300 Logistics Management Systems 310 Communications Department 320 Storage section 330 Control Unit 331 Acquisition Department 332 Notification Department 340 Input section 350 Display section N Network

Claims

1. A path search unit sets the movement path from the starting position where the moving object begins to the destination position, The system includes a determination unit that determines a driving method that indicates which direction of the moving body of the moving body should be as the direction of travel when traveling along the movement path, and a turning method for the moving body, so as to optimize the time it takes for the moving body to reach the target position via the movement path. Mobile device management system.

2. The route search unit sets waypoints that the moving body will pass through from the starting position to the target position. A candidate setting unit sets driving candidates for each waypoint, which indicate candidate driving methods for entering the waypoint and candidate driving methods for exiting the waypoint. A weight setting unit sets a turning candidate for each of the aforementioned driving candidates, which indicates a candidate turning method at the waypoint, based on the aforementioned driving candidates. It further includes, The determination unit determines, from among the combinations of the travel candidate and the turning candidate for each waypoint, the combination of the travel candidate and the turning candidate that optimizes the arrival time, as the travel method and turning method to be adopted. The mobile device management system according to claim 1.

3. The candidate setting unit sets the driving candidates based on the constraints on the orientation of the vehicle body at the waypoint. The weight setting unit sets the turning candidates based on the constraints of the turning method at the waypoint. The mobile device management system according to claim 2.

4. The weight setting unit calculates a first required time for each of the turn candidates, which is the turn specified by the turn candidate. The determination unit determines the driving method and turning method to be adopted based on the first required time. The mobile device management system according to claim 3.

5. The aforementioned weight setting unit is If the driving method when entering the waypoint and the driving method when exiting the waypoint are the same, and cornering is possible under the constraints of the turning method at the waypoint, then the candidate turning is set to cornering, and the first required time is set to zero. If cornering is not possible due to the constraints on the turning method at the waypoint in question, the candidate turning method is set to a pivot turn, and the time required for the pivot turn is set as the first required time. The mobile device management system according to claim 4.

6. The aforementioned weight setting unit is If the driving method when entering the waypoint differs from the driving method when exiting the waypoint, and if the turning method at the waypoint allows for a U-turn, then the candidate turning point is designated as a U-turn, and the time required for the U-turn is set as the first required time. If the turning method at the waypoint in question is restricted to a non-reversal, the candidate turning method is set to a pivot turn, and the time required for the pivot turn is set as the first required time. The mobile device management system according to claim 4.

7. The weight setting unit sets the second required time required to pass through the section from the first waypoint where the constraint is set to the next second waypoint where the constraint is set, based on the driving method at the time of exiting the first waypoint and the distance from the first waypoint to the second waypoint. The determination unit determines the driving method and turning method to be adopted based on the second required time. The mobile device management system according to claim 3.

8. The candidate setting unit sets a directed graph as the candidate direction for each waypoint, where the driving method at the time of entry and exit of the waypoint is defined as a node, and the connection between the node representing the driving method at the time of entry of the waypoint and the node representing the driving method at the time of exit of the next waypoint is defined as an edge. A mobile device management system according to any one of claims 2 to 7.

9. The steps include: setting the movement path from the starting position where the moving object begins to reaching the destination position; The process includes determining a driving method that indicates which orientation of the vehicle body of the moving body should be considered as the direction of travel when traveling along the movement path, and a turning method for the moving body, so as to optimize the time it takes for the moving body to reach the target position via the movement path. Mobile object management method.

10. The steps include: setting the movement path from the starting position where the moving object begins to reaching the destination position; The computer is instructed to perform the steps of determining a driving method that indicates which direction of the vehicle body of the moving body should be as the direction of travel when traveling along the movement path, and a turning method for the moving body, so that the time it takes for the moving body to reach the target position via the movement path is optimized. program.

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