Lead Mobility
The lead mobility system addresses the lack of post-arrival security by integrating monitoring and control features to detect and respond to potential theft or vandalism, enhancing security and practicality.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-18
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-30
Smart Images
Figure 2026106545000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to lead mobility for electronically towing a vehicle.
Background Art
[0002] Conventionally, for example, a controller disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. The conventional controller is mounted on a lead mobility that autonomously moves, and is configured to guide a vehicle as a follower vehicle to travel along a travel route traveled by the lead mobility by remote control. In other words, the lead mobility has a function of controlling a vehicle to follow itself by wireless communication as a following vehicle.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] By the way, in addition to the function of a controller mounted on a lead mobility for causing a follower vehicle to travel following the lead mobility by remote control, that is, the function of electronically towing, by providing some other function separately, it is possible to improve the practicality of the lead mobility. Based on this, an object of the present invention is to provide a highly practical lead mobility.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0005] The lead mobility of the present invention comprises a mobility unit, an ambient monitoring device mounted on the mobility unit for detecting the surrounding conditions of the mobility unit, a controller mounted on the mobility unit capable of autonomously moving the mobility unit and controlling a vehicle to follow the mobility unit via wireless communication as a follow vehicle, based on the detection results of the ambient monitoring device, and a target monitoring device mounted on the mobility unit capable of detecting the status of luggage transported by the mobility unit, luggage transported by the follow vehicle, or the follow vehicle, which are set as targets for monitoring. The controller is configured to execute a warning and / or special processing related to the operation of the follow vehicle if, for a predetermined period after the mobility unit has arrived at its destination, the controller determines, based on the detection results of the target monitoring device, that the status of the target is in a specific state.
[0006] According to the present invention, the monitored object is monitored for a predetermined period after arrival at the destination. When the status of the monitored object reaches a specific state, special processing is performed. Through this special processing, for example, a warning sound is emitted around the mobility unit and / or the operation of the following vehicle is prohibited, thereby deterring theft, vandalism, etc., of the monitored object. In other words, according to the present invention, it is possible to monitor the transported goods even after the lead mobility has arrived at its destination, improving practicality. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0007] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the electronic towing of a follower vehicle by lead mobility according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a side view illustrating lead mobility. [Figure 3] This is a planar conceptual diagram illustrating the upper part of the lead mobility. [Figure 4] This is a block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the controller and the traction control device. [Figure 5] This is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of the placement of objects to be monitored. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart illustrating the flow of monitoring, judgment, and special processing. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0008] Hereinafter, a lead mobility device 10, which is an embodiment of this disclosure, will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition to the embodiments described below, this disclosure can be implemented in various forms with various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.
[0009] [A] Lead Mobility Configuration The lead mobility 10 is configured to be autonomously drivable (autonomous), and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, it electronically tows a follower vehicle (corresponding to a "following vehicle") 20 to its destination, maintaining a specific positional relationship through control via wireless communication, i.e., remote control. Here, the lead mobility 10 can be a vehicle that travels on the road surface or an aerial vehicle such as a drone, and in this embodiment, the case where the lead mobility 10 is a vehicle will be described.
[0010] The Lead Mobility 10 of this embodiment is equipped with a pair of left and right drive wheels 11 and driven wheels 12 for autonomous driving. Each of the left and right drive wheels 11 is independently driven by a pair of left and right electric motors (not shown) powered by a battery (not shown) mounted on the body of the Lead Mobility 10. As a result, the Lead Mobility 10 can rotate around a rotation axis along the vertical direction by, for example, applying a difference in rotational speed (difference in driving force) between the left and right drive wheels 11. Thus, the Lead Mobility 10 can turn right or left, change direction, and make turns (including pivot turns in place) during autonomous driving, even without being equipped with a separate steering device to steer the left and right drive wheels 11 around the steering axis. In the following description, right and left turns, changes direction, and turns may be collectively referred to as "right and left turns, etc."
[0011] Each drive wheel 11 is fitted with a friction braking device (drum brake or disc brake) not shown. Therefore, in a stationary state, the friction braking device functions as a parking brake by generating braking force through friction.
[0012] The driven wheel 12 is positioned behind the drive wheel 11 in the longitudinal direction of the lead mobility 10. In this embodiment, the driven wheel 12 is in the form of a swivel caster and is provided so as to have a single axis of rotation extending vertically in the approximately central part of the lead mobility 10 in the width direction (lateral direction).
[0013] As shown in Figure 3, the Lead Mobility 10 is equipped with a self-propelled detector 13, a position detector 14, and a vehicle detector 15, all housed in the upper part 10U of the vehicle body. The self-propelled detector 13 detects the relative positional relationship, specifically the relative distance, between the Lead Mobility 10 and objects such as obstacles (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "detection targets") that are present in the direction of travel when the Lead Mobility 10 is autonomously driving.
[0014] Therefore, in this embodiment, the self-propelled detector 13 is configured to include a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) 13A and a distance measuring device such as a camera 13B. The LiDAR 13A acquires three-dimensional point cloud data indicating the three-dimensional position of point clouds representing the object to be detected with high accuracy. The camera 13B can be, for example, a stereo camera, a monocular camera, or an RGB-D camera (depth camera), and acquires imaging data representing the direction and size of the object to be detected. In addition to or instead of using the LiDAR 13A and camera 13B, it is also possible to use, for example, a ToF (Time of Flight) sensor.
[0015] The self-propelled detector 13 outputs the acquired data, i.e., three-dimensional point cloud data and image data, to the controller 100, which will be described later. The controller 100 then uses the acquired three-dimensional point cloud data and image data in simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) for autonomous driving of the lead mobility 10, as will be described later.
[0016] The position detector 14 has, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver and detects the position of the lead mobility 10 based on the received signal. In this embodiment, the lead mobility 10 has two position detectors 14 positioned at each of the left and right positions in the vehicle width direction (lateral direction) of the upper part 10U of the vehicle body, that is, in a pair on the left and right.
[0017] The lead mobility 10 is configured to include a vehicle detector 15 for detecting a follower vehicle 20 that is following it. The vehicle detector 15 is a device for measuring various data used to estimate the relative position of the follower vehicle 20 with respect to the lead mobility 10 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "relative position"). Here, the relative position includes the relative orientation and attitude of the follower vehicle 20 with respect to the lead mobility 10 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "relative attitude").
[0018] The vehicle detector 15 is primarily equipped with a LiDAR for measuring three-dimensional point cloud data of the follower vehicle 20 electronically towed by the lead mobility 10. In the controller 100, which will be described later, for example, only the relative position of the follower vehicle 20 detected by the vehicle detector 15 (i.e., the LiDAR) may be acquired, and the relative attitude and direction of travel of the follower vehicle 20 may be estimated by understanding the changes in the follower vehicle 20 over time based on the intermittently acquired relative position.
[0019] The self-propelled detector 13 and the vehicle detector 15 constitute a peripheral monitoring device 9 that detects the peripheral situation of the lead mobility 10. That is, the peripheral monitoring device 9 is mounted on the mobility main body 7 and is composed of a plurality of detectors 13, 15 that detect the peripheral situation of the mobility main body 7. The plurality of detectors 13, 15 that constitute the peripheral monitoring device 9 are arranged so as to detect at least the situations in front of, behind, to the left, and to the right of the lead mobility 10. The self-propelled detector 13 also functions as the vehicle detector 15, the vehicle detector 15 also functions as the self-propelled detector 13, and each detector 13, 15 can also function as the target monitoring device 8 described later.
[0020] It can be said that the lead mobility 10 is composed of a controller 100, a peripheral monitoring device 9, a target monitoring device 8, and a mobility main body 7 which is the part other than these. The mobility main body 7 can also be said to be a vehicle body main body part including a vehicle body upper part 10U, wheels 11, 12, and each actuator. The target monitoring device 8 is configured to detect the situation of a target monitoring object described later. In the present embodiment, at least the vehicle detector 15 (a part of the peripheral monitoring device 9) arranged at the rear part of the vehicle body upper part 10U also functions as the target monitoring device 8. Details regarding the monitoring of the monitoring object will be described later.
[0021] The controller 100 executes driving control so that the follower vehicle 20 maintains a specific positional relationship with respect to the lead mobility 10 by remote operation. The controller 100 executes control regarding the autonomous movement of the lead mobility 10 and the remote operation of the follower vehicle 20.
[0022] [B] Configuration and Basic Functions of the Controller As shown in FIG. 4, the controller 100 includes a CPU 110, a storage device 120, an interface circuit 130, and a communication device 140. The CPU 110, the storage device 120, and the interface circuit 130 are connected so as to be communicable bidirectionally via an internal bus. The communication device The CPU 110 executes a computer program stored in the storage device 120 to implement at least some of the functions provided in this embodiment. By executing this computer program, the CPU 110 functions as a remote control unit 111, a point cloud data acquisition unit 112, a position determination unit 113, a relative position estimation unit 114, a SLAM unit 115, an automatic driving control unit 116, and a special control unit 117. However, some or all of these functions can also be configured by hardware circuits.
[0024] The remote control unit 111 generates control commands for remote control and transmits them wirelessly to the follower vehicle 20 so that the follower vehicle 20 maintains a specific positional relationship with the lead mobility 10 and follows the lead mobility 10, for example, as if the lead mobility 10 were towing the follower vehicle 20 with a rope. Here, the state in which the follower vehicle 20 is towed as if with a rope by the control commands transmitted by the remote control unit 111 of the controller 100 mounted on the lead mobility 10 via wireless communication using the communication device 140 is called "electronic towing".
[0025] The remote control unit 111 can generate a control command as a command including, for example, a driving force or braking force and a steering angle. Alternatively, the remote control unit 111 can generate a control command as a command including at least one of the position and orientation of the follower vehicle 20 and the future travel route. As a result, the follower vehicle 20 can follow the lead mobility 10 by receiving a control command for remote control, as will be described later.
[0026] The point cloud data acquisition unit 112 acquires three-dimensional point cloud data (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "vehicle point cloud data VP") measured by the vehicle detector 15. The position determination unit 113 determines the starting position for starting the matching of the vehicle point cloud data VP with the three-dimensional point cloud data around the lead mobility 10 acquired by the LiDAR 13A of the self-propelled detector 13.
[0027] Here, the vehicle point cloud data VP functions as a template point cloud for estimating at least one of the position and orientation (attitude) of the follower vehicle 20. The vehicle point cloud data VP can include information for identifying the orientation (attitude) of the follower vehicle 20. As a result, the position determination unit 113 and the relative position estimation unit 114 can estimate the position and orientation (attitude) of the follower vehicle 20 in the surrounding three-dimensional point cloud data with high accuracy by template matching using the vehicle point cloud data VP.
[0028] In this embodiment, the position determination unit 113 determines the starting position of template matching using information relating to the position of the follower vehicle 20 in the three-dimensional point cloud data (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "position-related information"). Here, the position-related information is data used to estimate the position of the follower vehicle 20 in the three-dimensional point cloud data, and / or the position adjacent to the follower vehicle 20. In order to speed up the processing of template matching, the position-related information is preferably data of a small capacity or data obtained by simple processing, such as a GNSS signal.
[0029] The relative position estimation unit 114 estimates the relative position of the follower vehicle 20, including its relative orientation (attitude) relative to the lead mobility 10, in the acquired three-dimensional point cloud data. Here, the relative position can be exemplified by the relative distance to the follower vehicle 20 in the direction of travel, the deviation of the follower vehicle 20 in the vehicle width direction (lateral direction) relative to the movement trajectory of the lead mobility 10, and the relative turning attitude (right or left turning attitude) of the follower vehicle 20 relative to the lead mobility 10, based on the position and attitude of the lead mobility 10.
[0030] In this embodiment, the relative position estimation unit 114 estimates the relative position, including the relative attitude, of the follower vehicle 20 in the three-dimensional point cloud data by performing template matching using vehicle point cloud data VP on the three-dimensional point cloud data. For the template matching of vehicle point cloud data VP on the three-dimensional point cloud data performed by the position determination unit 113 and the relative position estimation unit 114, for example, well-known ICP (Interactive Closest Point) algorithms or well-known NDT (Normal Distribution Transform) algorithms can be used.
[0031] The SLAM unit 115 performs SLAM using data (image data and three-dimensional point cloud data) detected by the self-propelled detector 13 to generate a map that the lead mobility 10 will use for autonomous driving. The automatic driving control unit 116 controls the operation of actuators 150, such as the electric motors that drive the drive wheels 11 mounted on the lead mobility 10 and the electric motors that constitute the friction braking system, thereby enabling the lead mobility 10 to drive autonomously. Specifically, by controlling the operation of the actuators 150, the automatic driving control unit 116 uses the map generated by the SLAM unit 115 to enable the lead mobility 10 to drive autonomously along the lead vehicle route GR to a set destination TP, for example. When the lead mobility 10 is driving autonomously, the automatic driving control unit 116 detects the position of the lead mobility 10 based on the GNSS signal received by the position detector 14.
[0032] The special control unit 117 is a functional unit that enables special functions in the lead mobility 10. The details of this special control unit 117 will be explained in detail later.
[0033] The storage device 120 can be exemplified by RAM, ROM, HDD, and SSD, among others. The read / write area of the storage device 120 stores vehicle point cloud data VP, read vehicle route GR, destination TP, actuator drive history AC, and previous matching position BM.
[0034] Here, the lead vehicle route GR is a target route that can be set for the lead mobility 10 to travel. The destination TP is an arbitrarily set destination for the lead mobility 10. However, when the automatic driving control unit 116 autonomously drives the lead mobility 10 using a map generated by the SLAM unit 115 based on data output from the self-driving detector 13, the lead vehicle route GR can be omitted. However, in this case, the automatic driving control unit 116 generates a driving route to the set destination TP, for example, and drives the lead mobility 10 along the generated driving route.
[0035] The actuator drive history AC is the history of input and output values for each actuator 220 of the follower vehicle 20, as described later. The actuator drive history AC can also be described as the history of control command values transmitted from the controller 100 to the follower vehicle 20. The actuator drive history AC may also be measured values detected by the detectors of the follower vehicle 20, such as the vehicle speed, steering angle, braking force, and rotation angle of the follower vehicle 20. The previous matching position BM is the coordinate value of the position where template matching between the three-dimensional point cloud data and the vehicle point cloud data VP, which was previously performed by the relative position estimation unit 114 of the controller 100, was completed.
[0036] [C] Follower Vehicle Configuration The follower vehicle 20 is a vehicle (e.g., a passenger car, truck, bus, construction vehicle, motorcycle, or tricycle) equipped with a driving control device 200 and a communication device 230. The driving control device 200 and the communication device 230 are basic devices currently installed in vehicles and can also be retrofitted. Each communication device 140 and 230 is in a state where it is authorized to communicate with each other. The lead mobility 10 electronically tows the authorized follower vehicle 20.
[0037] As shown in Figure 4, the driving control device 200 is equipped with an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 210. The ECU 210 is a microcomputer whose main components are a CPU 211, a storage device 212, and an interface circuit 213. The CPU 211, storage device 212, and interface circuit 213 are connected via an internal bus to enable bidirectional communication. The interface circuit 213 is connected to an actuator 220 and a communication device 230. The communication device 230 communicates wirelessly with the communication device 140 of the controller 100 mounted on the lead mobility 10, either via a network or directly.
[0038] The CPU 211 implements the function of driving control of the follower vehicle 20 by executing a computer program stored in the read / write area of the storage device 212. Here, driving control refers to various controls for driving the actuators 220 that perform the functions of "driving," "turning," and "stopping" of the follower vehicle 20, such as adjusting the acceleration, deceleration, speed, and steering angle of the follower vehicle 20. The actuators 220 are, for example, drive actuators, brake actuators, and steering actuators.
[0039] The CPU 211 controls the operation of the actuator 220 in response to control commands sent from the controller 100, regardless of whether the follower vehicle 20 has a driver, thereby enabling the follower vehicle 20 to follow the lead mobility 10 while maintaining a specific positional relationship with it.
[0040] [D] Remote control via lead mobility The controller 100 acquires information about the electronically towed follower vehicle 20 in advance, such as specifications, minimum turning radius, wheelbase length, acceleration performance, braking performance, and other information related to the follower vehicle 20's ability to "drive," "turn," and "stop." The controller 100 then electronically tows (follows) the follower vehicle 20, for example, while autonomously driving according to the lead vehicle route GR stored in the memory device 120, from which the specifications information has been acquired.
[0041] The controller 100 causes the follower vehicle 20 to follow the lead mobility 10's trajectory while maintaining a specific distance between the lead mobility 10 and the follower vehicle 20, specifically by keeping the distance between the two vehicles a specific distance.
[0042] [E] Monitoring and judgment process As described above, the lead mobility 10 comprises a mobility unit 7, a surrounding monitoring device 9, and a controller 100. The controller 100 is mounted on the mobility unit 7 and is configured to autonomously move the mobility unit 7 based on the detection results of the surrounding monitoring device 9, and to control a vehicle to follow the mobility unit 7 via wireless communication as a follower vehicle 20. The controller 100 can be configured to monitor cargo transported by the mobility unit 7, cargo transported by the follower vehicle 20, or the follower vehicle 20 (the vehicle itself).
[0043] In this embodiment, at least one of the multiple detectors 13 and 15 constituting the surrounding monitoring device 9 functions as a target monitoring device 8 that detects the status of the object being monitored. In this embodiment, three vehicle detectors 15, which are capable of detecting the situation behind the vehicle and are located at the rear of the upper part 10U of the vehicle body, serve as both the target monitoring device 8 and the surrounding monitoring device 9. Thus, in this embodiment, a part of the surrounding monitoring device 9 also serves as the target monitoring device 8. This suppresses an increase in the number of parts.
[0044] The controller (special control unit 117) performs a monitoring and determination process, during a predetermined period after the mobility unit 7 arrives at its destination (hereinafter also referred to as the monitoring period), and determines whether the status of the monitored object (hereinafter also referred to as the monitoring status) is in a specific state based on the detection results of the target monitoring device 8. If the controller 100 determines that the monitoring status is in a specific state, it executes a warning or special processing related to the operation of the follower vehicle 20. During the monitoring period, the detector 15 among the surrounding monitoring devices 9 that is capable of detecting the monitored object detects the status of the monitored object as the target monitoring device 8.
[0045] The monitoring period is set from the time a predetermined start condition is met until a predetermined deactivation condition is met. Examples of start conditions include "a predetermined time has elapsed since the mobility unit 7 (and / or follower vehicle 20) stopped at the destination (predetermined time ≥ 0)" and "a start process has been executed by a registered user." Examples of deactivation conditions include "a deactivation process has been executed by a registered user" and "the mobility unit 7 has started moving." The start and deactivation processes here are executed, for example, by the registered user selecting them on the user terminal via wireless network (e.g., the internet) or direct communication between the controller 100 and the user terminal.
[0046] User terminals are, for example, smartphones or tablets. Registered users are, for example, users who have logged in through a dedicated website or app. For example, successful authentication of a registered user may be set as the deactivation process. Authentication of a registered user is successful, for example, when the registered user's authentication information (for example, biometric authentication information, or ID and password) matches the information detected by the peripheral monitoring device 9 or the authentication terminal of the mobility unit 7.
[0047] Controller 100 has specific conditions set, which indicate a high probability that the monitored object is likely to be stolen (or that an attempt to steal is likely). Examples of specific conditions include: (1) a person has been in contact with the monitored object for a predetermined period of time or longer; (2) the distance between the person and the monitored object remains below a predetermined distance for a predetermined period of time or longer; and (3) the position of the monitored object has changed by a predetermined threshold or more. Specific condition (3) is set assuming a situation where a person attempts to steal the monitored object from a distance using a rope or the like. Also, assuming the monitored object is a follower vehicle 20, one of the specific conditions may be, for example, (4) a person has entered the follower vehicle 20 (inside the vehicle). These conditions are set in Controller 100 as specific conditions.
[0048] The controller 100 has registered information such as the shape of the object to be monitored or an identification code attached to the object to be monitored, in order to recognize the object to be monitored. If the object to be monitored is a follower vehicle 20, the controller 100 recognizes the follower vehicle 20 in the same way as when it is in motion. Based on the detection results (time-series data, etc.) from the surrounding monitoring device 9 and the registered information, the controller 100 recognizes the status of the object to be monitored and determines changes in the position of the object to be monitored, the presence or absence of people, and the distance between the object to be monitored and people. If the controller 100 determines that the monitoring status detected by the surrounding monitoring device 9 matches one of several set specific conditions, it determines that the monitoring status is a specific condition.
[0049] Special processing is configured to cause the mobility unit 7 and / or follower vehicle 20 to issue an alert (e.g., a warning by sound or voice, a warning by light or video). When the controller 100 determines that the monitoring situation is a specific situation, it causes the mobility unit 7's sound device (not shown) to issue an alert as special processing. Registered users can avoid the execution of special processing by, for example, performing a deactivation process before approaching the monitored object. Thus, according to this embodiment, if a person (assuming someone other than a registered user) takes action that could lead to theft of the monitored object during the monitoring period, special processing such as an alert is executed. This makes it possible to deter theft. Special processing can also be called theft prevention processing to deter the theft of the monitored object. When special processing is executed, a notification is sent to the registered user's user terminal to inform them of this.
[0050] If the monitored object is a follower vehicle 20, the special processing may, in addition to or instead of issuing an alert, involve remotely controlling the operation of the follower vehicle 20 by the controller 100. Prohibition of operation can be achieved, for example, by prohibiting the activation of the drive system or by locking the steering. This improves the deterrent effect against the theft of the follower vehicle 20.
[0051] Thus, in this embodiment, special processing when the cargo is the object to be monitored includes issuing an alert from the mobility unit 7 and / or the follower vehicle 20, and special processing when the follower vehicle 20 is the object to be monitored includes prohibiting the operation of the follower vehicle 20 by remote control. The controller 100 can also perform monitoring determination processing for multiple objects to be monitored during the monitoring period.
[0052] As shown in Figure 5, in Example 1, the monitored object M (luggage) is mounted on the rear of the mobility unit 7. For example, an identification code registered in the controller 100 is affixed to the front of the monitored object M. The mobility unit 7 operates the follower vehicle 20 and transports the monitored object M. For example, when the monitoring start condition is met, such as when the lead mobility unit 10 and the follower vehicle 20 arrive at the destination, the controller 100 and the target monitoring device 8 execute a monitoring determination process. A registered user, such as the recipient of the luggage, can receive the luggage (monitored object M) after performing a release process on their user terminal. In this way, the lead mobility unit 10 executes the monitoring determination process from the time it transports the follower vehicle 20 and the luggage to the destination until they are handed over.
[0053] In Example 2, the monitored object M (luggage) is mounted on a follower vehicle 20 (for example, a small electric transport vehicle). In Example 3, the monitored object M (luggage) is mounted on a trolley 19 connected to the rear of the mobility unit 7. In Examples 2 and 3, as in Example 1, the monitoring determination process is executed during the monitoring period. In Examples 1 to 3, the follower vehicle 20 may also be set as the monitored object. In this case, if, for example, a person gets into the follower vehicle 20 during the monitoring period, the controller 100 remotely disables the operation of the follower vehicle 20.
[0054] Example 4 shows the state after arrival at the destination, where the monitored object M (package) has been unloaded onto the road. The start condition is set to the start process being executed by the registered user. Example 4 assumes a case where, for example, a lead mobility vehicle 10 has arrived at its destination carrying multiple packages, and a registered user (e.g., delivery staff) waiting at the destination delivers each package to its corresponding intended location. When the registered user carries the packages one by one, they execute a start process on their user terminal while carrying one package, initiating the monitoring and determination process for the remaining packages. In this case, even if the monitored object M, which is another package, has been unloaded onto the road, the controller 100 can recognize the monitored object M from its identification code (or shape), making the monitoring and determination process possible. In this way, the controller 100 can execute the monitoring and determination process even if the timing (monitoring start conditions) is changed, as long as the placement of the monitored object M is within the monitoring range of the target monitoring device 8.
[0055] As shown in Figure 6, when the start condition is met (S1:Yes), the controller 100 starts the monitoring determination process (S2). Based on the detection result of the target monitoring device 8, the controller 100 determines whether the monitoring status is a specific status (S3). If the controller 100 determines that the monitoring status is a specific status (S3:Yes), it executes special processing (S4). If the controller 100 does not detect a specific status (S3:No), it continues the monitoring determination process until the release condition is met (S5).
[0056] According to this embodiment, the monitored object is monitored for a predetermined period after arrival at the destination. When the monitored object reaches a specific condition, special processing is performed. Through this special processing, for example, a warning sound is emitted around the mobility unit and / or the operation of the following vehicle is prohibited, thereby deterring theft or vandalism of the monitored object. In other words, according to this embodiment, monitoring of the transported goods is possible even after the lead mobility 10 has arrived at the destination, improving practicality. Various settings such as specific conditions as in this embodiment have a particularly strong deterrent effect against the theft of the monitored object.
[0057] (others) The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. The controller 100 may be configured to determine that a situation is not a specific situation if, for example, the monitoring status matches a specific situation, the controller can determine from the registered user's registration information (e.g., facial information) that the "person" in the specific situation is the registered user. This allows the controller 100 to determine that a registered user is performing the action of a registered user, even if the registered user forgets to deactivate the device and starts working, without immediately executing special processing. For example, it can send a message to the user terminal prompting them to deactivate the device.
[0058] Furthermore, the monitoring and judgment process may be configured to run even while the lead mobility 10 is in motion. In this case, the monitoring and judgment process during motion will assume situations that may occur during motion, such as the fall of the object to be monitored, and set specific conditions. In addition, the lead mobility 10 can transport cargo without the follower vehicle 20 following it. Even in this case, the monitoring and judgment process and special processing can still be executed. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0059] 10...Lead mobility, 100...Controller, 7...Mobility unit, 8...Target monitoring device, 9...Surroundings monitoring device, 20...Follower vehicle.
Claims
1. The mobility device itself, A surrounding monitoring device mounted on the mobility unit detects the surrounding conditions of the mobility unit, A controller mounted on the mobility unit, capable of autonomously moving the mobility unit based on the detection results of the surrounding monitoring device, and controlling a vehicle to follow the mobility unit via wireless communication as a follow vehicle, The controller is equipped with a target monitoring device mounted on the mobility unit, which is set as a target to be monitored and is capable of detecting the status of the cargo being transported by the mobility unit, the cargo being transported by the following vehicle, or the status of the following vehicle. Equipped with, The controller is configured to, for a predetermined period after the mobility unit has arrived at its destination, execute a warning and / or special processing related to the operation of the following vehicle if it determines, based on the detection results of the target monitoring device, that the status of the monitored object is in a specific state. Lead mobility.
2. The aforementioned predetermined period is the period from when a predetermined start condition is met until when a predetermined release condition is met. The aforementioned start conditions include the fact that a predetermined time has elapsed since the mobility vehicle itself stopped at the destination, or that a predetermined start process has been performed by a registered user. The aforementioned cancellation conditions include the fact that a predetermined cancellation process has been performed by a registered user. The lead mobility according to claim 1.
3. The target monitoring device is at least one of the multiple detectors that constitute the peripheral monitoring device. The lead mobility according to claim 1.
4. The controller determines that the state of the monitored object is a specific state when a person is in contact with the monitored object for a predetermined period of time or longer, when the distance between the person and the monitored object remains below a predetermined distance for a predetermined period of time or longer, or when the position of the monitored object changes by a predetermined threshold or more. The lead mobility according to claim 1.
5. The special processing when the cargo is the object being monitored includes issuing an alert from the mobility unit and / or the following vehicle. The special processing when the following vehicle is the object being monitored includes prohibiting the operation of the following vehicle by remote control. The lead mobility according to any one of claims 1 to 4.