Testing method

Abstract

This technology provides a way to perform vehicle speed inspections without using a roller device. [Solution] The inspection method involves obtaining a target pulse count, which represents the number of pulses corresponding to the rotation of the vehicle's wheels, from a plurality of pulses output from a sensor while the vehicle travels a predetermined reference distance, and then comparing the obtained target pulse count with a predetermined reference pulse count to determine any abnormalities related to the vehicle's speed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an inspection method.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for automatically or remotely controlling a vehicle to run in a vehicle manufacturing process.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] For a vehicle, a vehicle speed inspection, which is an inspection related to the vehicle speed, is carried out. In the conventional vehicle speed inspection, the wheels of the vehicle are rotated on a roller that can rotate while supporting the wheels of the vehicle, and the vehicle speed indicated value shown by the vehicle speed meter is compared with the peripheral speed of the roller. Therefore, in the conventional vehicle speed inspection, a roller device including such rollers is required. However, a technique that can perform a vehicle speed inspection without using a roller device is desired.

Means for Solving the Problems

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

[0006] (1) According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an inspection method is provided. This inspection method obtains a target pulse number representing the number of a plurality of pulses output from a sensor while a vehicle travels a predetermined reference distance, the plurality of pulses corresponding to the rotation of the wheels of the vehicle, and determines an abnormality related to the vehicle speed of the vehicle by comparing the obtained target pulse number with a predetermined reference pulse number. This configuration allows for vehicle speed inspections to be performed without using a roller device that includes rollers capable of rotating while supporting the vehicle's wheels. (2) In the above configuration, at least a portion of the plurality of pulses may be output while the vehicle is traveling from a first location where the first operation relating to the vehicle is performed toward a second location where a second operation relating to the vehicle, which follows the first operation, is performed. With this configuration, the vehicle speed inspection can be performed while the vehicle is moving from the first location toward the second location, so that the location movement and the vehicle speed inspection can be performed more efficiently compared to when such location movement and vehicle speed inspection are performed separately. (3) In the above configuration, at least a portion of the plurality of pulses may be output during an inspection of the vehicle that does not affect the vehicle speed. With this configuration, the vehicle speed inspection and other inspections that do not affect the vehicle speed can be performed in parallel, so that each inspection can be performed more efficiently compared to when the vehicle speed inspection and other inspections are performed separately. (4) In the above configuration, the plurality of pulses may be output while the vehicle is traveling at a vehicle speed of 10 km / h or less. This configuration allows the vehicle speed inspection to be performed while the vehicle is traveling at a relatively low speed. (5) In the above configuration, if the vehicle has the abnormality, the vehicle may be driven unmanned to a repair location to repair the abnormality, and the plurality of pulses may be output while the vehicle is driven unmanned. In this configuration, the vehicle speed inspection and the movement of the vehicle to the repair location can be performed without the presence of a passenger in the vehicle. This disclosure can be implemented in forms other than the inspection method described above, such as an inspection system, inspection device, vehicle, program for implementing the inspection method, non-temporary recording medium on which the program is recorded, or program product. The program product may be provided, for example, as a recording medium on which the program is recorded, or as a program product that can be distributed via a network. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A conceptual diagram showing the system configuration in the first embodiment. [Figure 2] A block diagram showing the system configuration in the first embodiment. [Figure 3] A flowchart illustrating the processing procedure for vehicle driving control in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] A flowchart illustrating the vehicle speed inspection method. [Figure 5] An explanatory diagram showing an example of a vehicle speed inspection method. [Figure 6] An explanatory diagram showing the schematic configuration of the system in the second embodiment. [Figure 7] A flowchart illustrating the processing procedure for vehicle driving control in the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] A. First Embodiment: Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of system 50 in the first embodiment. System 50 comprises one or more vehicles 100, a server 200, and one or more external sensors 300. In this embodiment, system 50 is used as a driving system that drives the vehicles 100 by unmanned operation, and as an inspection system that performs vehicle speed inspection of the vehicles 100. Vehicle speed inspection is an inspection related to vehicle speed.

[0009] Vehicle 100 may be a vehicle that runs on wheels or a vehicle that runs on tracks, and examples include passenger cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, automobiles, construction vehicles, etc. Vehicle 100 includes electric vehicles (BEV: Battery Electric Vehicle), gasoline automobiles, hybrid automobiles, and fuel cell automobiles.

[0010] Vehicle 100 is configured to operate autonomously. "Autonomous operation" means operation without the operation of a passenger. Operation refers to operations related to at least one of the following: "going," "turning," or "stopping" of vehicle 100. Autonomous operation is achieved by automatic or manual remote control using a device located outside vehicle 100, or by autonomous control of vehicle 100. Vehicle 100 operating autonomously may have passengers on board who do not perform operation. Passengers who do not perform operation include, for example, people simply sitting in the seats of vehicle 100, or people performing tasks other than operation, such as assembly, inspection, or operating switches, while on board vehicle 100. Operation by a passenger is sometimes called "manned operation."

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

[0012] In this embodiment, system 50 is used in a factory FC where vehicle 100 is manufactured. The reference coordinate system of the factory FC is the global coordinate system GC, and any position within the factory FC can be represented by X, Y, Z coordinates in the global coordinate system GC. The factory FC comprises a first location PL1 and a second location PL2. The first location PL1 and the second location PL2 are connected by a track TR1 on which vehicle 100 can travel. Multiple external sensors 300 are installed in the factory FC along the track within the factory FC. The position of each external sensor 300 in the factory FC is pre-adjusted. Vehicle 100 moves from the first location PL1 to the second location PL2 via track TR1 by unmanned operation.

[0013] The first location PL1 and the second location PL2 correspond to workplaces where work related to the vehicle 100 is carried out. In the first location PL1, the first work related to the vehicle 100 is carried out. In the second location PL2, the second work related to the vehicle 100 is carried out. The second work is a subsequent work to the first work and corresponds to the post-process of the first work. In the present embodiment, the first work is the assembly of the vehicle 100. The second work is an inspection subsequent to the vehicle speed inspection. The first work and the second work may be various works such as, in addition to assembly and inspection, for example, the assembly of parts to the vehicle 100, the maintenance, repair, standby, and shipment of the vehicle 100.

[0014] An inspection section CS is provided in the factory FC. In the present embodiment, the inspection section CS is a part of the runway TR1. The inspection section CS has a starting point ST and an end point GL. In the direction Dp from the first location PL1 to the second location PL2, the end point GL is located on the front side of the starting point ST. The length of the inspection section CS, more specifically, the distance between the starting point ST and the end point GL, corresponds to a predetermined reference distance DS.

[0015] In the factory FC, a first sensor 311 for detecting the arrival of the vehicle 100 at the starting point ST and a second sensor 312 for detecting the arrival of the vehicle 100 at the end point GL are arranged. The first sensor 311 corresponds to a sensor for detecting the entry of the vehicle 100 into the inspection section CS. The second sensor 312 corresponds to a sensor for detecting the exit of the vehicle 100 from the inspection section CS. As the first sensor 311 and the second sensor 312, for example, photoelectric sensors are used. In other embodiments, the entry and exit of the vehicle 100 to and from the inspection section CS may be detected using an external sensor 300.

[0016] In this embodiment, predetermined inspections that do not affect the vehicle speed of the vehicle 100 are performed in the inspection section CS. These predetermined inspections include, for example, inspections of various electronic components installed in the vehicle 100, such as on-board diagnostics (OBD) and inspections of each switch. In the OBD, the vehicle 100 is inspected based on diagnostic trouble codes (DTC). OBD is also called diagnostics. In the switch inspection, for example, the connection status and operating status of various switches that operate various devices such as hazard lights, turn signals, wipers, and power windows are inspected. These predetermined inspections may be performed, for example, by the remote control unit 210 described later, by the occupants of the vehicle 100, or by robots inside or outside the vehicle 100.

[0017] In this embodiment, the factory FC further includes a repair location RL. The repair location RL is a location for repairing vehicle speed abnormalities of the vehicle 100. A vehicle speed abnormality is an abnormality related to vehicle speed. More specifically, a vehicle speed abnormality is an abnormality that causes a vehicle speed deviation. A vehicle speed deviation means a difference between the actual speed of the vehicle 100 and the indicated vehicle speed, and represents a state in which the difference between the actual speed of the vehicle 100 and the indicated vehicle speed is outside a predetermined standard range. Vehicle speed abnormalities include, for example, at least one of a wheel abnormality, a vehicle speed sensor 141 abnormality, and a pulse measurement unit abnormality, which will be described later. The repair location RL is connected to track TR1 via track TR2 and track TR3. Track TR2 connects the portion of track TR1 ahead of the endpoint GL in direction Dp to the repair location RL. The intersection of track TR2 and track TR1 is also called intersection IS. Track TR3 connects the portion of track TR1 behind the starting point ST in direction Dp to the repair location RL.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of system 50. Vehicle 100 includes a vehicle control device 110 for controlling each part of vehicle 100, an actuator group 120 including one or more actuators driven under the control of vehicle control device 110, a communication device 130 for communicating with an external device such as server 200 by wireless communication, and an internal sensor 140. Actuator group 120 includes an actuator of a driving device for accelerating vehicle 100, an actuator of a steering device for changing the traveling direction of vehicle 100, and an actuator of a braking device for decelerating vehicle 100.

[0019] Internal sensor 140 is a sensor mounted on vehicle 100. Internal sensor 140 includes a vehicle speed sensor 141. In addition to vehicle speed sensor 141, internal sensor 140 may include, for example, a camera, a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) device, a millimeter wave radar, an ultrasonic sensor, a GPS sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, etc.

[0020] Vehicle speed sensor 141 is a sensor that can be used to calculate the vehicle speed of vehicle 100. In the present disclosure, "vehicle speed" means the relative speed of vehicle 100 with respect to the road surface on which vehicle 100 is located. In the present embodiment, vehicle speed sensor 141 is a wheel speed sensor provided on each wheel mounted on vehicle 100. Vehicle speed sensor 141 outputs a pulse in response to the rotation of the wheel. Such a pulse output from the sensor in response to the rotation of the wheel is also referred to as a vehicle speed pulse. In the present embodiment, the vehicle speed pulse is a wheel speed pulse output from vehicle speed sensor 141 as a wheel speed sensor. The number of vehicle speed pulses is also referred to as the vehicle speed pulse number. In other embodiments, vehicle speed sensor 141 may be provided, for example, on the output shaft of the transmission or the differential device of vehicle 100. Also, for example, when two or more vehicle speed sensors 141 are provided, only some of vehicle speed sensors 141 may actually be used for calculating the vehicle speed.

[0021] Vehicle speed pulses can be used to calculate vehicle speed. More specifically, vehicle speed can be calculated as the peripheral speed of the wheel based on the number of vehicle speed pulses and the wheel diameter, as shown in equation (1) below. v = π·d·p / n …(1) In equation (1), v represents the vehicle speed (m / s), d represents the outer diameter of the wheel (m), and p represents the number of vehicle speed pulses per unit time (s -1 This represents the number of pulses per revolution, where n represents the number of pulses per unit rotation. "Number of pulses per unit rotation" means the number of vehicle speed pulses per wheel rotation.

[0022] In particular, the vehicle speed pulse can be used to calculate the vehicle speed indication value of vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the vehicle speed pulse output from the vehicle speed sensor 141 is actually used to calculate the vehicle speed indication value. The vehicle speed indication value is used, for example, to display the vehicle speed on the vehicle speed meter of vehicle 100 or to control the vehicle speed of vehicle 100. The vehicle speed indication value is expressed by the following equation (2). vi = π·di·p / ni …(2) In equation (2), vi represents the vehicle speed indication value (m / s), di represents the standard value of the wheel outer diameter (m), and ni represents the standard value of the number of pulses per unit rotation (s). -1 This represents the vehicle speed. The indicated vehicle speed may be displayed on the speedometer in any unit, such as km / h. In the following, the state in which the outer diameter of the wheels and the number of pulses per unit rotation of vehicle 100 are at their respective standard values ​​will also be referred to as the "optimal state." From equations (1) and (2) above, in the optimal state, the indicated vehicle speed and the actual vehicle speed will match, provided that wheel slippage and slippage are not taken into consideration.

[0023] The vehicle control device 110 is composed of a computer comprising a processor 111, a memory 112, an input / output interface 113, and an internal bus 114. The processor 111, the memory 112, and the input / output interface 113 are connected via the internal bus 114 to enable bidirectional communication. The input / output interface 113 is connected to an actuator group 120 and a communication device 130. The processor 111 executes a program PG1 stored in the memory 112 to realize various functions, including those of a vehicle control unit 115 and a pulse measurement unit 116.

[0024] The vehicle control unit 115 drives the vehicle 100 by controlling the actuator group 120. The vehicle control unit 115 can drive the vehicle 100 by controlling the actuator group 120 using the driving control signal received from the server 200. The driving control signal is a control signal for driving the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the driving control signal includes the acceleration and steering angle of the vehicle 100 as parameters. In other embodiments, the driving control signal may include the speed of the vehicle 100 as a parameter instead of, or in addition to, the acceleration of the vehicle 100.

[0025] The pulse measurement unit 116 acquires vehicle speed pulses output from the vehicle speed sensor 141. The pulse measurement unit 116 also measures the number of vehicle speed pulses by counting the acquired vehicle speed pulses and records the cumulative value of the measured number of vehicle speed pulses in the memory 112. Timing information of when the vehicle speed pulse was acquired is associated with each vehicle speed pulse. Therefore, it is possible to identify the number of vehicle speed pulses counted during a predetermined period, that is, the number of vehicle speed pulses output from the vehicle speed sensor 141 during a predetermined period.

[0026] The external sensor 300 is a sensor located outside the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the external sensor 300 is a sensor that captures the vehicle 100 from outside the vehicle 100. Specifically, the external sensor 300 is composed of a camera. The camera as the external sensor 300 takes an image of the vehicle 100 and outputs the captured image as a detection result. The external sensor 300 is equipped with a communication device (not shown) and can communicate with other devices such as the server 200 via wired or wireless communication.

[0027] Server 200 is a computer comprising a processor 201, memory 202, an input / output interface 203, and an internal bus 204. The processor 201, memory 202, and input / output interface 203 are connected via the internal bus 204 to enable bidirectional communication. A communication device 205 for communicating with various external devices of Server 200 is connected to the input / output interface 203. The communication device 205 can communicate with the vehicle 100 and terminal devices 400 owned by the user via wireless communication. The communication device 205 can also communicate with various external devices such as external sensors 300 via wired or wireless communication. The user refers to a user of System 50 or Factory FC, such as a manager or worker at Factory FC. Memory 202 stores various information such as the program PG2, the detection model DM, and the database DB. The processor 201 executes the program PG2 stored in the memory 202 to realize various functions, including those of a remote control unit 210, a pulse count acquisition unit 215, a determination unit 220, and a notification unit 225.

[0028] The remote control unit 210 acquires detection results from the sensors, generates a driving control signal to control the actuator group 120 of the vehicle 100 using the detection results, and transmits the driving control signal to the vehicle 100, thereby driving the vehicle 100 by remote control. In addition to the driving control signal, the remote control unit 210 may also generate and output control signals to control various auxiliary equipment provided on the vehicle 100, such as actuators that operate various equipment such as wipers, power windows, and lamps.

[0029] The pulse count acquisition unit 215 acquires the target pulse count, which is the number of target pulses. The target pulses represent the vehicle speed pulses output from the vehicle speed sensor 141 while the vehicle 100 is traveling a reference distance DS. More specifically, in this embodiment, the target pulse count represents the number of vehicle speed pulses output from the vehicle speed sensor 141 while the vehicle 100 is traveling through the inspection section CS. In addition, in this embodiment, the target pulse count is acquired for one of the drive wheels of the vehicle 100. The target pulse count is expressed by the following equation (3). P = (n·A) / (π·d) …(3) In equation (3), P represents the number of target pulses, and A represents the reference distance (m).

[0030] Furthermore, the pulse count acquisition unit 215 acquires a predetermined reference pulse count. The reference pulse count corresponds to the target pulse count when the vehicle 100 travels a reference distance DS under ideal conditions. Ideal conditions include the vehicle 100 being in proper condition and the vehicle 100 not experiencing wheel slip or slippage. The reference pulse count may be defined as a numerical range including a lower limit and an upper limit. The reference pulse count corresponds to the pulse count Ps expressed by the following equation (4), or a numerical range including the pulse count Ps. Ps = (ni·A) / (π·di) …(4)

[0031] In this embodiment, the reference pulse count is defined as a numerical range. Hereinafter, the numerical range representing the reference pulse count will also be referred to as the "reference range." The reference range is defined, for example, as a wide range that can appropriately tolerate errors in the vehicle speed inspection while ensuring the quality of the vehicle speed inspection. The reference pulse count may be determined, for example, based on the results of an experiment in which the vehicle 100 is driven a reference distance DS. The experiment referred to here includes a simulated experiment by simulation. Alternatively, the reference pulse count may be determined, for example, based on equation (4) above.

[0032] In this embodiment, the pulse count acquisition unit 215 acquires identification information of the vehicle 100 and obtains a reference pulse count by referring to the database DB based on the acquired identification information. The database DB stores the identification information of each vehicle 100 and the reference pulse count associated with each identification information. The identification information may be, for example, individual information of the vehicle 100, or information representing the model, type, specifications, etc. of the vehicle 100. The pulse count acquisition unit 215 may acquire identification information entered by the user via, for example, a terminal device 400, or it may acquire identification information from a two-dimensional code attached to the vehicle 100, or it may acquire identification information from a management device that manages the manufacturing process of the vehicle 100. In other embodiments, for example, the reference pulse count may be constant regardless of the type of vehicle 100.

[0033] The determination unit 220 determines an abnormal vehicle speed by comparing the number of target pulses with the number of reference pulses.

[0034] The notification unit 225 provides notification to the user. In this embodiment, when the vehicle 100 has an abnormal vehicle speed, the notification unit 225 notifies the user of the abnormal vehicle speed via the terminal device 400. The notification unit 225 transmits a control signal to the terminal device 400, causing the terminal device 400 to output visual and audio information indicating the abnormal vehicle speed. In other embodiments, the notification unit 225 may use various devices such as display devices, speakers, and alarm devices provided in the factory fuel cell, in place of or in addition to the terminal device 400, to notify the user.

[0035] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for controlling the movement of the vehicle 100 in the first embodiment. In the processing procedure shown in Figure 3, the processor 201 of the server 200 functions as a remote control unit 210 by executing program PG2. The processor 111 of the vehicle 100 functions as a vehicle control unit 115 by executing program PG1.

[0036] In step S1, the processor 201 of the server 200 acquires vehicle position information using the detection results output from the external sensor 300. The vehicle position information is the position information that forms the basis for generating the driving control signal. In this embodiment, the vehicle position information includes the position and orientation of the vehicle 100 in the global coordinate system GC of the factory FC. Specifically, in step S1, the processor 201 acquires vehicle position information using the captured image acquired from the camera, which is the external sensor 300.

[0037] In detail, in step S1, the processor 201 detects the outline of the vehicle 100 from the captured image, calculates the coordinates of the vehicle 100's positioning point in the coordinate system of the captured image, i.e., the local coordinate system, and obtains the position of the vehicle 100 by converting the calculated coordinates to coordinates in the global coordinate system GC. The outline of the vehicle 100 included in the captured image can be detected, for example, by inputting the captured image into a detection model DM that utilizes artificial intelligence. The detection model DM is prepared, for example, within or outside the system 50 and pre-stored in the memory 202 of the server 200. Examples of the detection model DM include a pre-trained machine learning model that has been trained to implement either semantic segmentation or instance segmentation. As this machine learning model, for example, a convolutional neural network (CNN) trained by supervised learning using a training dataset can be used. The training dataset includes, for example, multiple training images including the vehicle 100, and labels indicating whether each region in the training image represents the vehicle 100 or a region other than the vehicle 100. During CNN training, it is preferable that the CNN parameters be updated using backpropagation to reduce the error between the output result of the detection model DM and the label. Furthermore, the processor 201 can obtain the orientation of vehicle 100 by, for example, using the optical flow method, estimating the orientation of the vehicle 100's movement vector calculated from the positional changes of the vehicle 100's feature points between frames of the captured image.

[0038] In step S2, the processor 201 of the server 200 determines the next target location that the vehicle 100 should head to. In this embodiment, the target location is represented by X, Y, Z coordinates in the global coordinate system GC. The memory 202 of the server 200 pre-stores a reference route RR, which is the path that the vehicle 100 should travel. The route is represented by a node indicating the starting point, nodes indicating waypoints, a node indicating the destination, and links connecting each node. The processor 201 uses the vehicle position information and the reference route RR to determine the next target location that the vehicle 100 should head to. The processor 201 determines the target location on the reference route RR beyond the vehicle 100's current location.

[0039] In step S3, the processor 201 of the server 200 generates a driving control signal to drive the vehicle 100 toward the determined target position. The processor 201 calculates the vehicle's speed from the change in the vehicle's position and compares the calculated speed with the target speed. Overall, the processor 201 determines the acceleration so that the vehicle 100 accelerates if the speed is lower than the target speed, and determines the acceleration so that the vehicle 100 decelerates if the speed is higher than the target speed. Furthermore, if the vehicle 100 is located on the reference path RR, the processor 201 determines the steering angle and acceleration so that the vehicle 100 does not deviate from the reference path RR, and if the vehicle 100 is not located on the reference path RR, in other words, if the vehicle 100 has deviated from the reference path RR, the processor 201 determines the steering angle and acceleration so that the vehicle 100 returns to the reference path RR.

[0040] In step S4, the processor 201 of the server 200 transmits the generated driving control signal to the vehicle 100. The processor 201 repeats the acquisition of vehicle position information, determination of target position, generation of driving control signal, and transmission of driving control signal at predetermined intervals.

[0041] In step S5, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 receives a driving control signal transmitted from the server 200. In step S6, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 controls the actuator group 120 using the received driving control signal, thereby driving the vehicle 100 at the acceleration and steering angle indicated in the driving control signal. The processor 111 repeats the reception of the driving control signal and the control of the actuator group 120 at predetermined intervals. According to the system 50 in this embodiment, the vehicle 100 can be driven by remote control, and the vehicle 100 can be moved without using transport equipment such as cranes or conveyors.

[0042] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the vehicle speed inspection method in this embodiment. Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the execution of the vehicle speed inspection method. In step S100, the reference pulse count of the vehicle 100 is acquired. In this embodiment, in step S100, the pulse count acquisition unit 215 acquires identification information of the vehicle 100 and acquires the reference pulse count for the vehicle 100.

[0043] In step S110, the vehicle 100 is made to travel through the inspection section CS. In this embodiment, in step S110, the remote control unit 210 executes the vehicle control shown in Figure 3, causing the vehicle 100 to travel in a straight line from the first location PL1 to the second location PL2 on the track TR1, thereby making the vehicle 100 travel through the inspection section CS. In step S110 in this embodiment, the remote control unit 210 makes the vehicle 100 travel at a vehicle speed vp in the inspection section CS. The vehicle speed vp is a vehicle speed of 10 km / h or less and greater than zero. The vehicle speed vp does not have to be a constant vehicle speed. More specifically, in step S110, the remote control unit 210 generates a driving control signal so that the vehicle speed instruction value of the vehicle 100 becomes the vehicle speed vp and transmits it to the vehicle 100, thereby making the vehicle 100 travel at a vehicle speed vp in the inspection section CS.

[0044] As shown in Figure 5, in step S110 of Figure 4, first, at time t1, the vehicle 100 enters the inspection section CS while accelerated to a vehicle speed vp. By having the vehicle 100 enter the inspection section CS with a vehicle speed greater than zero in this way, chattering of the vehicle speed sensor 141 at the starting point ST can be suppressed. Next, at time t2, which is later than time t1, the vehicle 100 travels through the inspection section CS at a vehicle speed vp. As shown in Figure 5, a predetermined inspection is performed for at least a portion of the time the vehicle 100 travels through the inspection section CS, such as at time t2. After that, at time t3, the vehicle 100 exits the inspection section CS at a vehicle speed vp. By having the vehicle 100 exit the inspection section CS with a vehicle speed greater than zero in this way, chattering of the vehicle speed sensor 141 at the ending point GL can be suppressed.

[0045] In step S120, the target pulse count P is acquired. More specifically, in step S120, the pulse count acquisition unit 215 sends a request signal to the vehicle 100 to request the target pulse count P, and acquires the target pulse count P transmitted from the vehicle 100. As shown in Figure 5, the target pulse count P is acquired as the number of pulses output from the vehicle speed sensor 141 during the period from the entry timing ts to the exit timing tg. The entry timing ts is the timing when the vehicle 100 enters the inspection section CS, and is detected using the first sensor 311 shown in Figure 1. The exit timing tg is the timing when the vehicle 100 exits the inspection section CS, and is detected using the second sensor 312 shown in Figure 1. The request signal includes, for example, information representing the entry timing ts and information representing the exit timing tg.

[0046] In step S130 of Figure 4, the determination unit 220 determines a vehicle speed abnormality by comparing the number of target pulses acquired in step S120 with the number of reference pulses acquired in step S110. More specifically, in step S130, the pulse count acquisition unit 215 determines whether the number of target pulses is within the reference range. If the number of target pulses is not within the reference range, that is, if the number of target pulses is smaller than the lower limit of the reference range or larger than the upper limit of the reference range, the determination unit 220 determines that there is a vehicle speed abnormality in vehicle 100 and proceeds to step S140. If the number of target pulses is within the reference range, the determination unit 220 terminates the vehicle speed inspection. In this case, the notification unit 225 may notify the user that there is no vehicle speed abnormality in vehicle 100. Steps S120 and S130 in this embodiment are executed after the exit timing tg and before the timing when vehicle 100 passes through intersection IS.

[0047] In the following, the state in which the number of target pulses is greater than the number of reference pulses will also be referred to as the first state. The state in which the number of target pulses is smaller than the number of reference pulses will also be referred to as the second state. The state in which the number of target pulses and the number of reference pulses are equal will also be referred to as the reference state. When vehicle 100 is in the first state, it means that the distance traveled by vehicle 100 per vehicle speed pulse is greater than in the reference state. Therefore, from equations (3) and (4) above, in the first state, vehicle 100 is in at least one of the following states: a state in which the wheel diameter is larger than in the reference state, or a state in which the number of pulses per unit rotation is smaller than in the reference state. As a result, from equations (1) and (2) above, in the first state, the actual vehicle speed is greater than the indicated vehicle speed. Conversely, when vehicle 100 is in the second state, it means that the distance traveled by vehicle 100 per vehicle speed pulse is greater than in the reference state. Therefore, from equations (3) and (4) above, in the second state, vehicle 100 is in at least one of the following states: a state in which the wheel diameter is smaller than that of the reference state, and a state in which the number of pulses per unit rotation is larger than that of the reference state. As a result, from equations (1) and (2), in the second state, the actual vehicle speed is smaller than the indicated vehicle speed.

[0048] In step S140, the notification unit 225 notifies the user of an abnormal vehicle speed. In step S150, the remote control unit 210 drives the vehicle 100 to the repair location RL. More specifically, in step S150, the remote control unit 210 executes the vehicle control shown in Figure 3 and drives the vehicle 100 along the route RR2 on the track TR2 shown in Figure 1 to the repair location RL.

[0049] At the repair location RL, for example, follow-up inspections are performed to identify the type of vehicle speed anomaly, and repair work is carried out for the identified vehicle speed anomaly. Follow-up inspections include, for example, inspections of the wheels of vehicle 100, inspections of the vehicle speed sensor 141, and inspections of the pulse measurement unit 116. If a wheel anomaly is found through the follow-up inspection, the repair work involves repairing the wheel. Wheel repairs include various maintenance such as replacing the wheel or adjusting the air pressure to ensure the wheel diameter is within the standard range. If a vehicle speed sensor 141 anomaly is found through the follow-up inspection, the repair work involves repairing the vehicle speed sensor 141. Repairs to the vehicle speed sensor 141 include various maintenance such as replacing the vehicle speed sensor 141, removing foreign objects, or resolving connection problems to ensure the number of pulses per rotation is within the standard range. If a pulse measurement unit 116 anomaly is found through the follow-up inspection, the repair work involves, for example, repairs to the vehicle control device 110 or repairs to the program PG1. At least some of the tasks included in the subsequent inspection and repair work may be performed manually by an operator, for example, or automatically by work equipment such as a robot located at the repair site RL. Furthermore, at least some of the tasks included in the subsequent inspection and repair work may be performed using unmanned operation.

[0050] In step S160, the remote control unit 210 drives the repaired vehicle 100, which was repaired in step S140, to track TR1 by unmanned operation and returns it to track TR1. More specifically, in step S160, the remote control unit 210 executes the vehicle control shown in Figure 3 and drives the vehicle 100 from the repair location RL to track TR1 along the route RR3 on track TR3 shown in Figure 1.

[0051] According to the inspection method in this embodiment described above, an abnormality in the vehicle speed of vehicle 100 is determined by comparing the number of target pulses with the number of reference pulses. In contrast to this embodiment, conventional inspection methods use a relatively large roller device equipped with rollers that can rotate while supporting the wheels of vehicle 100. More specifically, in conventional inspection methods, the wheels of vehicle 100 are rotated on the rollers, and the vehicle speed indication value of vehicle 100 is compared with the peripheral speed of the rollers. In contrast, in this embodiment, vehicle speed inspection can be performed without using a roller device, and for example, there is no need to prepare a roller device or secure space for installing a roller device.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, at least a portion of the target pulses are output while the vehicle 100 is traveling from the first location PL1 to the second location PL2. This allows the vehicle speed inspection to be performed while the vehicle 100 is moving from the first location PL1 to the second location PL2, thus enabling more efficient implementation of location movement and vehicle speed inspection compared to performing these operations separately. In particular, in this embodiment, all target pulses are acquired in the inspection section CS provided on the track TR1, that is, during the period when the vehicle 100 is traveling from the first location PL1 to the second location PL2, thus enabling more efficient implementation of location movement and vehicle speed inspection. In addition, since at least a portion of the track TR1 is used as the inspection section CS, the factory FC can be made more space-efficient compared to the case where the inspection section CS is provided outside the track TR1.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, at least a portion of the target pulses are output while a predetermined inspection that does not affect vehicle speed is being performed. Therefore, the vehicle speed inspection and the predetermined inspection can be performed in parallel, and each inspection can be performed efficiently. In addition, compared to the case where separate work areas are provided for the vehicle speed inspection and the predetermined inspection, the factory fuel cell can be made more space-efficient.

[0054] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vehicle speed pulse used for vehicle speed inspection is output while the vehicle 100 is traveling at a speed of 10 km / h or less. In conventional inspection methods using a roller device, the wheels of the vehicle 100 are rotated on the rollers so that the indicated vehicle speed is relatively high, such as 40 km / h or 60 km / h or higher. In contrast, in this embodiment, the vehicle speed inspection can be performed while the vehicle 100 is traveling at a relatively low speed.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if it is determined that vehicle 100 has an abnormality related to vehicle speed, vehicle 100 is driven to the repair location RL by unmanned operation. Therefore, both the vehicle speed inspection and the movement of vehicle 100 to the repair location RL can be performed without the presence of a passenger in vehicle 100.

[0056] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the pulse measurement unit 116 is provided in the vehicle 100. Therefore, the server 200 can obtain the number of target pulses without having to acquire the vehicle speed pulses in real time via wireless communication. Consequently, for example, the communication performance of the communication device 130 and the communication device 205 can be reduced, and costs can be reduced. In other embodiments, the pulse measurement unit 116 may be provided in the server 200 instead of the vehicle 100. In this case, the pulse measurement unit 116 provided in the server 200 may acquire the vehicle speed pulses transmitted from the vehicle 100 in real time via wireless communication and count the number of acquired vehicle speed pulses.

[0057] B. Second Embodiment: Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the schematic configuration of system 50v in the second embodiment. In this embodiment, system 50v differs from the first embodiment in that it does not have a server 200. Also, in this embodiment, vehicle 100 can be driven by autonomous control of vehicle 100. The other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0058] In this embodiment, the processor 111 of the vehicle control device 110 functions as a vehicle control unit 115v, a pulse count acquisition unit 215, a determination unit 220, and a notification unit 225 by executing a program PG1 stored in the memory 112. The vehicle control unit 115v acquires output results from sensors, generates a driving control signal using the output results, and outputs the generated driving control signal to operate the actuator group 120, thereby enabling the vehicle 100 to be driven autonomously. In this embodiment, in addition to the program PG1, the memory 112 pre-stores a detection model DM, a reference path RR, and a database DB. In this embodiment, the communication device 130 is configured to communicate with various external devices such as each external sensor 300 and terminal device 400.

[0059] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for vehicle 100 driving control in the second embodiment. In the processing procedure shown in Figure 7, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 functions as a vehicle control unit 115v by executing the program PG1.

[0060] In step S901, the processor 111 of the vehicle control device 110 acquires vehicle position information using the detection result output from the camera, which is an external sensor 300. In step S902, the processor 111 determines the target position to which the vehicle 100 should next go. In step S903, the processor 111 generates a driving control signal to drive the vehicle 100 toward the determined target position. In step S904, the processor 111 controls the actuator group 120 using the generated driving control signal to drive the vehicle 100 according to the parameters expressed in the driving control signal. The processor 111 repeats the acquisition of vehicle position information, determination of the target position, generation of the driving control signal, and control of the actuators at a predetermined cycle. According to the system 50v in this embodiment, the vehicle 100 can be driven by autonomous control of the vehicle 100 without remote control of the vehicle 100 by the server 200.

[0061] In this embodiment, in the vehicle speed inspection method shown in Figure 4, each process executed by the processor 201 of the server 200 in the first embodiment is executed by the processor 111 of the vehicle control device 110. For example, in this embodiment, steps S110, S150, and S160 in Figure 4 are realized by autonomous driving of the vehicle 100.

[0062] With the system 50v in the second embodiment described above, vehicle speed inspection can be performed by comparing the number of target pulses with the number of reference pulses without using a roller device.

[0063] C. Other embodiments: (C1) In each of the above embodiments, the vehicle 100 travels in a straight line through the inspection section CS. That is, the vehicle 100 travels the reference distance DS by traveling along a straight line. In contrast, the vehicle 100 may travel the reference distance DS by traveling along any route, not limited to a straight line, such as a curved line, a route combining two or more straight lines in different directions, or a route combining a straight line and a curve.

[0064] (C2) In each of the above embodiments, the target pulse is acquired for one drive wheel of the vehicle 100, but is not limited thereto. For example, the number of target pulses may be acquired for one or more of the wheels of the vehicle 100, and each target pulse count may be used to determine an abnormal vehicle speed. When the number of target pulses is acquired for multiple wheels, for example, the average value of the number of target pulses for each wheel may be compared with a reference pulse count, or each target pulse count may be compared with a reference pulse count.

[0065] (C3) In each of the above embodiments, the processor 201 may also function as a success / failure determination unit. The success / failure determination unit determines the success or failure of the vehicle speed test based on the left-right difference, which is the difference in the number of pulses between the left and right wheels during the period of travel in the inspection section CS. For example, the success / failure determination unit may determine the vehicle speed test to be successful if the left-right difference is less than or equal to a predetermined reference difference, and determine the vehicle speed test to be a failure if the left-right difference is greater than the reference difference. The reference difference is defined, for example, as the left-right difference when the vehicle 100 travels along an assumed route in the inspection section CS. For example, when the vehicle 100 travels in a straight line in the inspection section CS as in the first embodiment, the reference difference may be set to zero. The success / failure determination unit may determine the success or failure of the vehicle speed test prior to determining a vehicle abnormality in step S130 in Figure 4, and proceed to step S130 if the vehicle speed test is successful. Alternatively, for example, if the vehicle speed test is a failure, the success / failure determination unit may complete the vehicle speed test without executing step S130. If the left-right difference is greater than the reference difference, there is a high probability that the actual driving path of vehicle 100 deviates from the assumed path, resulting in a difference between the actual driving distance in the inspection section CS and the reference distance DS. When such a difference occurs, it is difficult to properly determine if there is a vehicle speed abnormality. By determining the success or failure of the vehicle speed test before determining if there is a vehicle abnormality, it is possible to prevent the determination of a vehicle speed abnormality when the left-right difference is relatively large, and to perform the vehicle speed test more appropriately.

[0066] (C4) In each of the above embodiments, at least a portion of the target pulse is output while the vehicle 100 is traveling along the track TR1 from the first location PL1 to the second location PL2. In contrast, for example, all of the target pulse may be output at the first location PL1 or the second location PL2, or all of the target pulse may be output while the vehicle 100 is traveling from the second location PL2 to the first location PL1.

[0067] (C5) In each of the above embodiments, at least a portion of the target pulse is output while the predetermined inspection is being performed. In contrast, all of the target pulse may be output during the period when the predetermined inspection is not being performed. That is, the predetermined inspection may not be performed while the vehicle 100 is traveling the reference distance DS.

[0068] (C6) In each of the above embodiments, the target pulse is output while the vehicle 100 is traveling at a speed of 10 km / h or less. In contrast, the target pulse may be output while the vehicle 100 is traveling at a speed exceeding 10 km / h.

[0069] (C7) In each of the above embodiments, the target pulse is output while the vehicle 100 is running under unmanned operation. In contrast, at least a portion of the target pulse may be output, for example, while the vehicle 100 is running under manned operation.

[0070] (C8) In each of the above embodiments, the movement of the vehicle 100 to the repair location RL is achieved by unmanned driving, but is not limited to this. For example, the movement of the vehicle 100 to the repair location RL may be achieved by manned driving, transport using various devices such as conveyors and robots, or manual transport by workers. Also, the vehicle speed abnormality does not have to be repaired in the vehicle speed inspection, for example, the vehicle 100 may be dismantled without the vehicle speed abnormality being repaired.

[0071] (C9) In each of the above embodiments, the various functional units in the system 50, such as the pulse count acquisition unit 215, the determination unit 220, and the notification unit 225, may be provided in the vehicle 100. In this case, as described in the second embodiment, all of the pulse count acquisition unit 215, the determination unit 220, and the notification unit 225 may be provided in the vehicle 100, or some of these functional units may be provided in the vehicle 100. In addition, in the system 50, some or all of these functional units may be provided in, for example, external devices to the server 200 and the vehicle 100.

[0072] (C10) In each of the above embodiments, the external sensor 300 is not limited to a camera, but may be, for example, a distance measuring device. The distance measuring device may be, for example, LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging). In this case, the detection result output by the external sensor 300 may be 3D point cloud data representing the vehicle 100. In this case, the server 200 and the vehicle 100 may acquire vehicle position information by template matching using the 3D point cloud data as the detection result and pre-prepared reference point cloud data.

[0073] (C11) In the first embodiment described above, the server 200 performs the processing from acquiring vehicle position information to generating a driving control signal. In contrast, the vehicle 100 may perform at least a part of the processing from acquiring vehicle position information to generating a driving control signal. For example, the following forms (1) to (3) may be used.

[0074] (1) The server 200 may acquire vehicle location information, determine the next target location that vehicle 100 should head to, and generate a route from the vehicle 100's current location, as shown in the acquired vehicle location information, to the target location. The server 200 may generate a route to the target location between the current location and the destination, or it may generate a route to the destination. The server 200 may transmit the generated route to vehicle 100. Vehicle 100 may generate a driving control signal so that vehicle 100 travels along the route received from the server 200, and may use the generated driving control signal to control the actuator group 120.

[0075] (2) The server 200 may acquire vehicle location information and transmit the acquired vehicle location information to the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 may determine the next target location to which the vehicle 100 should go, generate a route from the vehicle 100's current location shown in the received vehicle location information to the target location, generate a driving control signal so that the vehicle 100 travels along the generated route, and control the actuator group 120 using the generated driving control signal.

[0076] (3) In the embodiments of (1) and (2) above, the vehicle 100 is equipped with an internal sensor, and the detection result output from the internal sensor may be used in at least one of the generation of the route and the generation of the driving control signal. For example, in the embodiment of (1) above, the server 200 may acquire the detection result from the internal sensor and reflect the detection result from the internal sensor in the route when generating the route. In the embodiment of (1) above, the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection result from the internal sensor and reflect the detection result from the internal sensor in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal. In the embodiment of (2) above, the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection result from the internal sensor and reflect the detection result from the internal sensor in the route when generating the route. In the embodiment of (2) above, the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection result from the internal sensor and reflect the detection result from the internal sensor in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal.

[0077] (C12) In the second embodiment described above, the vehicle 100 is equipped with an internal sensor, and the detection result output from the internal sensor may be used in at least one of the generation of the route and the generation of the driving control signal. For example, the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection result from the internal sensor and reflect the detection result from the internal sensor in the route when generating the route. The vehicle 100 may acquire the detection result from the internal sensor and reflect the detection result from the internal sensor in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal.

[0078] (C13) In the second embodiment described above, the vehicle 100 acquires vehicle position information using the detection results of the external sensor 300. In contrast, the vehicle 100 may be equipped with an internal sensor, and the vehicle 100 may acquire vehicle position information using the detection results of the internal sensor, determine the next target location to which the vehicle 100 should go, generate a route from the vehicle 100's current location shown in the acquired vehicle position information to the target location, generate a driving control signal for driving along the generated route, and control the actuator group 120 using the generated driving control signal. In this case, the vehicle 100 can drive without using the detection results of the external sensor 300 at all. The vehicle 100 may also acquire the target arrival time and congestion information from outside the vehicle 100 and reflect the target arrival time and congestion information in at least one of the route and the driving control signal. Furthermore, all the functional configurations of the system 50v may be provided in the vehicle 100. That is, the processing realized by the system 50v in this disclosure may be realized by the vehicle 100 alone.

[0079] (C14) In the first embodiment described above, the server 200 automatically generates a driving control signal to be transmitted to the vehicle 100. Alternatively, the server 200 may generate a driving control signal to be transmitted to the vehicle 100 in accordance with the operation of an external operator located outside the vehicle 100. For example, the external operator may operate a control device that includes a display for displaying captured images output from the external sensor 300, a steering wheel for remotely controlling the vehicle 100, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, and a communication device for communicating with the server 200 via wired or wireless communication, and the server 200 may generate a driving control signal in accordance with the operation applied to the control device.

[0080] (C15) In each of the above embodiments, the vehicle 100 only needs to have a configuration that allows it to move by unmanned operation, and may take the form of a platform having the configuration described below. Specifically, in order for the vehicle 100 to perform the three functions of "driving," "turning," and "stopping" by unmanned operation, it only needs to be equipped with at least a vehicle control device 110 and an actuator group 120. When the vehicle 100 acquires information from the outside for unmanned operation, the vehicle 100 may further be equipped with a communication device 130. That is, the vehicle 100 that can move by unmanned operation does not need to have at least some of the interior parts such as the driver's seat and dashboard installed, it does not need to have at least some of the exterior parts such as the bumper and fender installed, and it does not need to have a body shell installed. In this case, the remaining parts such as the body shell may be installed on the vehicle 100 before it is shipped from the factory FC, or the remaining parts such as the body shell may be installed on the vehicle 100 after it has been shipped from the factory FC while the remaining parts such as the body shell are not installed on the vehicle 100. Each component may be attached to the vehicle 100 from any direction, such as the top, bottom, front, rear, right, or left side, and may be attached from the same direction or from different directions. The positioning of the platform can also be determined in the same way as for the vehicle 100 in the first embodiment.

[0081] (C16) Vehicle 100 may be manufactured by combining multiple modules. A module means a unit composed of one or more parts grouped together according to the configuration and function of vehicle 100. For example, the platform of vehicle 100 may be manufactured by combining a front module that constitutes the front part of the platform, a central module that constitutes the central part of the platform, and a rear module that constitutes the rear part of the platform. The number of modules that constitute the platform is not limited to three, and may be two or fewer, or four or more. In addition to the platform, or in place of the platform, parts of vehicle 100 other than the platform may be modularized. Various modules may also include any exterior parts such as bumpers and grilles, or any interior parts such as seats and consoles. Such modules may be manufactured, for example, by joining multiple parts by welding or fasteners, or by integrally molding at least a part of the module as a single part by casting. The molding method of integrally molding at least a part of a module as a single part is also called gigacast or megacast. By using Gigacast, parts of the vehicle 100 that were conventionally formed by joining multiple parts can be formed as single parts. For example, the front module, central module, and rear module mentioned above may be manufactured using Gigacast.

[0082] (C17) Transporting vehicle 100 using the unmanned operation of vehicle 100 is also called "autonomous transport." The configuration for realizing autonomous transport is also called a "vehicle remote control autonomous driving transport system." Furthermore, a production method that uses autonomous transport to produce vehicle 100 is also called "autonomous production." In autonomous production, for example, at a factory FC that manufactures vehicle 100, at least a portion of the transport of vehicle 100 is realized by autonomous transport.

[0083] In each of the above embodiments, some or all of the functions and processes implemented in software may be implemented in hardware. Conversely, some or all of the functions and processes implemented in hardware may be implemented in software. As hardware for implementing the various functions in each of the above embodiments, various circuits such as integrated circuits and discrete circuits may be used.

[0084] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various configurations without departing from its spirit. For example, the technical features in the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each form described in the summary of the invention can be replaced or combined as appropriate in order to solve some or all of the above-described problems, or to achieve some or all of the above-described effects. Furthermore, if a technical feature is not described as essential in this specification, it can be deleted as appropriate. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0085] 50, 50V... System, 100... Vehicle, 110... Vehicle control device, 111... Processor, 112... Memory, 113... Input / Output interface, 114... Internal bus, 115, 115V... Vehicle control unit, 116... Pulse measurement unit, 120... Actuator group, 130... Communication device, 140... Internal sensor, 141... Vehicle speed sensor, 200... Server, 201... Processor, 202... Memory, 203... Input / Output interface, 204... Internal bus, 205... Communication device, 210... Remote control unit, 215... Pulse count acquisition unit, 220... Judgment unit, 225... Notification unit, 300... External sensor, 311... First sensor, 312... Second sensor, 400... Terminal device

Claims

1. The system acquires a target pulse count, which represents the number of pulses corresponding to the rotation of the vehicle's wheels, from a plurality of pulses output from a sensor while the vehicle travels a predetermined reference distance. An inspection method for determining an abnormality related to the vehicle speed of the vehicle by comparing the acquired number of target pulses with a predetermined number of reference pulses.

2. The inspection method according to claim 1, An inspection method wherein at least a portion of the plurality of pulses are output while the vehicle is traveling from a first location where a first operation relating to the vehicle is performed toward a second location where a second operation relating to the vehicle, which follows the first operation, is performed.

3. The inspection method according to claim 1, An inspection method wherein at least a portion of the plurality of pulses is output during an inspection of the vehicle, which does not affect the vehicle speed.

4. The inspection method according to claim 1, An inspection method in which the plurality of pulses are output while the vehicle is traveling at a vehicle speed of 10 km / h or less.

5. An inspection method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, Furthermore, if the vehicle has the aforementioned abnormality, the vehicle will be driven autonomously to a repair location to repair the abnormality. An inspection method in which the plurality of pulses are output while the vehicle is running under unmanned operation.

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