Inspection system and inspection method

Abstract

This invention provides a novel inspection technique for testing the light distribution characteristics of headlights. [Solution] The inspection system includes an image acquisition unit 215 that acquires an image KG captured by an imaging device CM, which includes projection light LT projected from a headlight 150 attached to a moving object onto a projection target, and an inspection unit 220 that uses the acquired image to inspect the light distribution characteristics of the headlight.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for running a vehicle by autonomous driving in the manufacturing process of a vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] A novel inspection technique for inspecting the light distribution characteristics of a headlamp provided in a moving body such as a vehicle is desired. Such problems are common to any moving body equipped with a headlamp, regardless of the type of the moving body and whether the moving body can move by autonomous driving.

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 system is provided. The inspection system includes an image acquisition unit that acquires an image captured by an imaging device and including projection light projected from a headlamp provided in a moving body onto a projection target, and an inspection unit that inspects the light distribution characteristics of the headlamp using the acquired image. According to this aspect, the light distribution characteristics of the headlamp can be inspected by a novel method of using a captured image including the projection light from the headlamp. (2) In the above embodiment, an adjustment unit is provided to adjust the optical system of the headlight, and the adjustment unit may adjust the optical system according to the inspection result of the light distribution characteristics by the inspection unit. With this embodiment, not only can the light distribution characteristics be inspected, but the light distribution characteristics can also be effectively improved according to the inspection result. (3) In the above embodiment, the inspection unit may inspect the light distribution characteristics by comparing the light distribution pattern of the projected light in the image with a reference light distribution pattern corresponding to the type of moving object. This embodiment allows for inspection of the light distribution characteristics of various types of moving objects using a simpler method. (4) In the above configuration, the system is equipped with a control unit that moves the mobile body by unmanned operation, and the control unit performs an entry process to move the mobile body to a predetermined reference position, a waiting process to keep the mobile body at the reference position after the entry process, and a departure process to move the mobile body away from the reference position after the waiting process, the image acquisition unit acquires the image taken during the waiting process while the waiting process is being performed, and the inspection unit inspects the light distribution characteristics while the waiting process is being performed. According to this configuration, the mobile body can be moved to a stopping position using unmanned operation, the light distribution characteristics can be inspected while the mobile body is at the stopping position, and the stopping position can be cleared after the inspection is completed. As a result, the light distribution characteristics can be inspected more smoothly using unmanned operation. (5) In the above embodiment, the headlight is provided with an adjustment unit for adjusting the optical system, the light distribution characteristics include optical axis characteristics relating to the optical axis of the headlight, and if the inspection result of the inspection unit for the optical axis characteristics after the optical axis characteristics have been inspected does not satisfy predetermined optical axis conditions, the adjustment unit may perform an adjustment process to adjust the optical system according to the inspection result while the standby process is being performed, and the inspection unit may re-inspect the optical axis characteristics after the adjustment process has been performed while the standby process is being performed. According to this embodiment, if the inspection result of the optical axis characteristics does not satisfy the optical axis conditions, the adjustment of the optical system and the re-inspection of the optical axis characteristics can be efficiently performed while the moving body is stopped. (6) In the above configuration, the control unit does not need to perform the detachment process until the inspection result satisfies the optical axis conditions. With this configuration, the process from inspecting the optical axis characteristics to adjusting the optical system can be performed in one step while the moving body remains in the reference position. (7) In the above configuration, the control unit is configured to control the headlights, and the headlights may be switched from off to on after the entry process has started and before the image has been captured. This configuration allows for smoother inspection of the light distribution characteristics while suppressing energy consumption by the headlights. (8) In the above configuration, the control unit is configured to control the headlights, and the headlights may be switched from on to off after the image has been captured and before the departure process has started. This configuration can further reduce energy consumption by the headlights. (9) In the above embodiment, the projection target may be the wall surface of a wall installed outside the moving body. In this embodiment, the light distribution characteristics can be inspected using the wall. (10) In the above embodiment, the projection target may be the road surface of a road on which the vehicle, as the moving body, can travel. In this embodiment, the light distribution characteristics can be inspected using the road. (11) In the above embodiment, the headlight includes a first headlight and a second headlight, and the projected light includes a first light projected by the first headlight and a second light projected by the second headlight, and the inspection unit may use the acquired image to inspect the light distribution characteristics of the first headlight and the light distribution characteristics of the second headlight. According to this embodiment, the light distribution characteristics of the first headlight and the light distribution characteristics of the second headlight can be inspected together using an inspection image in which the projected light has been captured. (12) In the above embodiment, the imaging device may be installed outside the mobile body and used to acquire positional information of the mobile body for unmanned operation of the mobile body. In this embodiment, the optical distribution characteristics can be inspected using the imaging device used for unmanned operation. This disclosure can be implemented in forms other than the inspection system described above, such as a control device, an inspection method, a program for implementing the inspection method, a non-temporary recording medium on which the program is recorded, or a 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 configuration of the inspection system in the first embodiment. [Figure 2] A block diagram showing the configuration of the inspection system in the first embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 1 illustrating the headlight inspection in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] A second figure illustrating the headlight inspection in the first embodiment. [Figure 5] A flowchart illustrating the processing procedure for vehicle driving control in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] A flowchart showing the processing procedure for the inspection process in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] A diagram illustrating the headlight inspection in the second embodiment. [Figure 8] An explanatory diagram showing the schematic configuration of the inspection system in the third embodiment. [Figure 9] A flowchart illustrating the processing procedure for vehicle driving control in the third embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] A. First Embodiment: Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of the inspection system 50 in the first embodiment. The inspection system 50 comprises one or more vehicles 100, a server 200, one or more external sensors 300, and a terminal device 450.

[0009] In this disclosure, “mobile object” means an object that can move, such as a vehicle or an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (so-called flying car). A vehicle may be a wheeled vehicle or a tracked vehicle, such as a passenger car, truck, bus, motorcycle, car, or construction vehicle. Vehicles include electric vehicles (BEVs: Battery Electric Vehicles), gasoline vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles. If the mobile object is not a vehicle, the terms “vehicle” and “car” in this disclosure may be replaced with “mobile object” as appropriate, and the term “driving” may be replaced with “moving” as appropriate.

[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] The vehicle 100 only needs to have a configuration that can move by autonomous driving. For example, it may be in the form of a platform having the configuration described below. Specifically, the vehicle 100 only needs to include at least a vehicle control device and an actuator group described later in order to perform the three functions of "running", "turning", and "stopping" by autonomous driving. When the vehicle 100 acquires information from the outside for autonomous driving, the vehicle 100 may further include a communication device. That is, for the vehicle 100 that can move by autonomous driving, at least a part of the interior parts such as the driver's seat and the dashboard may not be installed, at least a part of the exterior parts such as the bumper and the fender may not be installed, and the body shell may not be installed. In this case, until the vehicle 100 is shipped from the factory FC, the remaining parts such as the body shell may be installed on the vehicle 100, or after the vehicle 100 is shipped from the factory FC in a state where the remaining parts such as the body shell are not installed on the vehicle 100, the remaining parts such as the body shell may be installed on the vehicle 100. Each part may be installed from any direction such as the upper side, the lower side, the front side, the rear side, the right side or the left side of the vehicle 100, and they may be installed from the same direction, or they may be installed from different directions. Note that the positioning of the platform form can also be performed in the same manner as the vehicle 100 in the first embodiment.

[0013] In this embodiment, the inspection system 50 is used in a factory FC where the 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, a second location PL2, and an inspection location DP. The first location PL1 and the inspection location DP, and the inspection location DP and the second location PL2, are connected by a track TR on which the vehicle 100 can travel. The vehicle 100 moves unmanned from the first location PL1 to the second location PL2, passing through the inspection location DP and traveling along the track TR. Manufacturing processes related to the vehicle 100, such as assembly and inspection of the vehicle 100, are carried out in the first location PL1 and the second location PL2. The first process related to the vehicle 100 is carried out in the first location PL1. The second process following the first process is carried out in the second location PL2.

[0014] In this disclosure, "track" refers not only to the track TR but also to any floor on which the vehicle 100 can travel. In this embodiment, the first location PL1, the second location PL2, and the inspection location DP include the track.

[0015] At the inspection location DP, a headlight inspection is performed. In the headlight inspection, the headlight 150 provided on the vehicle 100 is inspected. The headlight 150 is provided on a moving body and is used to illuminate the front of the moving body. In the present embodiment, the vehicle 100 includes a first headlight 150A and a second headlight 150B as the headlight 150. That is, the headlight 150 includes the first headlight 150A and the second headlight 150B. In the present embodiment, the first headlight 150A and the second headlight 150B are headlamps arranged in a pair on the left and right of the vehicle 100. The first headlight 150A corresponds to the right headlamp, and the second headlight 150B corresponds to the left headlamp. In the present embodiment, the first headlight 150A and the second headlight 150B correspond to the headlamps to be inspected in the headlight inspection. In other embodiments, for example, one of the first headlight 150A and the second headlight 150B may be the inspection target. Hereinafter, when the first headlight 150A and the second headlight 150B are not particularly distinguished, both are simply referred to as the headlight 150.

[0016] In other embodiments, the vehicle 100 may include a fog lamp as the headlight 150. In this case, the headlight to be inspected may include at least one of one or more headlamps and one or more fog lamps.

[0017] The external sensor 300 is a sensor located outside the vehicle 100. In the present embodiment, the external sensor 300 is constituted by a camera. The camera as the external sensor 300 images the vehicle 100 and outputs a captured image as a detection result. The external sensor 300 includes a communication device (not shown) and can communicate with other devices such as the server 200 by wired communication or wireless communication. A plurality of external sensors 300 are installed along the runway TR in the factory FC. The positions of the respective external sensors 300 in the factory FC are adjusted in advance. As will be described later, in the present embodiment, the external sensor 300 is used as the "imaging device" in the headlight inspection.

[0018] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the inspection system 50. The vehicle 100 includes a vehicle control device 110 for controlling various parts of the vehicle 100, an actuator group 120 including one or more actuators driven under the control of the vehicle control device 110, a communication device 130 for communicating wirelessly with external devices such as a server 200, and the headlights 150 described above. The actuator group 120 includes actuators for the drive system to accelerate the vehicle 100, actuators for the steering system to change the direction of travel of the vehicle 100, and actuators for the braking system to decelerate the vehicle 100. The actuator group 120 also includes headlight actuators for operating the headlights 150. The headlight actuators include, for example, actuators for switching the headlights 150 on and off, and actuators for switching the operating mode of the headlights 150 between low beam mode and high beam mode.

[0019] The headlight 150 comprises an optical system 151, an adjustment mechanism 155, and a light source 159. The optical system 151 focuses the light emitted from the light source 159 and emits the focused light to the outside of the headlight 150. The optical system 151 includes lenses, reflectors, and shades for focusing and emitting light. The optical system 151 also has the function of forming the cutoff line of the headlight 150. The light source 159 is, for example, a halogen lamp, an LED lamp, or an HID lamp. The adjustment mechanism 155 is used to adjust the optical system 151. More specifically, in this embodiment, the adjustment mechanism 155 adjusts the optical axis of the headlight 150 by adjusting the position and angle of the reflector and lenses included in the optical system 151. The adjustment mechanism 155 is configured, for example, as an electric adjustment mechanism and includes a motor that generates a driving force to change the position and angle of the optical system 151, and a transmission mechanism for transmitting the driving force of the motor to the optical system 151. As will be described later, in this embodiment, the adjustment mechanism 155 is configured to be controllable by the adjustment unit 230 of the server 200.

[0020] 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, a communication device 130, and headlights 150. The processor 111 implements various functions, including those of a vehicle control unit 115, by executing a program PG1 stored in the memory 112.

[0021] 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.

[0022] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vehicle control unit 115 can operate the headlights by using control signals received from the server 200 to operate the headlight actuators included in the actuator group 120.

[0023] The server 200 is composed of a computer comprising a processor 201, memory 202, input / output interface 203, and 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 the server 200 is connected to the input / output interface 203. The communication device 205 can communicate with the vehicle 100 via wireless communication and can communicate with each external sensor 300 via wired or wireless communication. The memory 202 stores various information such as program PG2, detection model DM, reference path RR, pattern data PD, pattern detection model PM1, and condition data CD. The processor 201 implements various functions, including those of a remote control unit 210, image acquisition unit 215, inspection unit 220, determination unit 225, and adjustment unit 230, by executing program PG2 stored in memory 202. The remote control unit 210 in the first embodiment corresponds to the "control unit" in this disclosure.

[0024] The remote control unit 210 acquires detection results from the sensor, 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 this embodiment, the remote control unit 210 can also generate a control signal to operate the headlights 150 and transmit it to the vehicle 100, thereby enabling remote control of the headlights.

[0025] Figure 3 is the first diagram illustrating the headlight inspection in this embodiment. In the headlight inspection, the light distribution characteristics of the headlight 150 are inspected. In the headlight inspection, it is preferable that at least one of the optical axis characteristics, light intensity characteristics, and light color characteristics of the headlight 150 are inspected as the light distribution characteristics of the headlight. That is, it is preferable that the inspection items in the headlight inspection include at least one of the optical axis characteristics, light intensity characteristics, and light color characteristics. Optical axis characteristics are characteristics related to the optical axis of the headlight 150. Light intensity characteristics are characteristics related to the light intensity of the headlight 150. Light color characteristics are characteristics related to the light color of the headlight 150. In the inspection of optical axis characteristics, it is checked whether the position of the cutoff line of the headlight 150 is appropriate. When the headlight 150 is a headlamp as in this embodiment, "the position of the cutoff line is appropriate" includes "the position of the elbow point is appropriate". The elbow point means the point where the cutoff line refracts.

[0026] As shown in Figure 3, the image acquisition unit 215 acquires an inspection image KG captured by the imaging device CM. The inspection image KG includes projection light LT. Projection light LT is light projected from the headlight 150 onto the projection target. In this embodiment, the projection target is the wall surface WP of wall WL installed outside the vehicle 100. Wall WL is installed at the inspection location DP. More specifically, in this embodiment, wall WL is formed by a gate GT provided in the factory FC. Gate GT is configured to be openable and closable. When gate GT is closed, wall WL is formed. Vehicle 100 can pass through gate GT by driving between the open gate GTs. That is, gate GT is configured to be switchable between an permitted state that allows vehicle 100 to pass and a prohibited state that prohibits vehicle 100 to pass. Gate GT may be configured to be controllable by, for example, a control unit. In this way, wall WL can be appropriately formed by gate GT and vehicle 100 can be appropriately permitted to pass, depending on the progress of the headlight inspection. Alternatively, for example, gate GT may be configured as an automatic door that permits vehicle 100 to pass when vehicle 100 is located in front of reference position P1 (described later), and prohibits vehicle 100 from passing when vehicle 100 is located at reference position P1, and when vehicle 100 is located behind reference position P1, thereby forming a wall WL. In Figure 3 and Figure 4 (described later), gate GT in the permitted state is shown by a dashed line.

[0027] In this embodiment, the projected light LT includes a first light LT1 projected by the first headlight 150A and a second light LT2 projected from the second headlight 150B. More specifically, the projected light LT in this embodiment is formed by the simultaneous projection of light from the first headlight 150A and light from the second headlight 150B onto the projection target. In the inspection image KG including this projected light LT, the first light LT1 and the second light LT2 may be located separately from each other, or they may partially or completely overlap each other. In this embodiment, the inspection unit 220 uses the inspection image KG including this projected light LT to inspect the light distribution characteristics of the first headlight 150A and the light distribution characteristics of the second headlight 150B together.

[0028] More specifically, the imaging device CM obtains an inspection image KG by capturing an image of the projection target while the projection light LT is projected onto it. As will be described later, the inspection image KG is used for headlight inspection. In headlight inspection, for example, an inspection image KG that has undergone various preprocessing steps may be used. In this embodiment, the imaging device CM is a camera acting as an external sensor 300. As a result, as will be described later, in this embodiment, the imaging device CM is also used to acquire vehicle position information for unmanned operation.

[0029] The inspection unit 220 inspects the light distribution characteristics of the headlight 150 using the inspection image KG acquired by the image acquisition unit 215. In this embodiment, the inspection unit 220 inspects the light distribution characteristics by performing a comparison process. The comparison process is a process of comparing a target pattern with a reference light distribution pattern. The target pattern represents the light distribution pattern of the projected light LT in the inspection image KG. The reference light distribution pattern is a standard light distribution pattern according to the type of vehicle 100, i.e., the vehicle type. In addition to the vehicle type, the reference light distribution pattern may also be a light distribution pattern according to, for example, the specifications of the headlight 150 or the destination of the vehicle 100. The specifications of the headlight 150 are, for example, the type of light source 159. "Destination" represents the country or region to which the vehicle 100 as a product is intended. The reference light distribution pattern corresponds to the light distribution pattern of the projected light projected onto the projection target from a headlight having ideal light distribution characteristics.

[0030] In the comparison process, the inspection unit 220 first acquires target pattern information TI representing the target pattern and reference pattern information SI representing the reference light distribution pattern. In this embodiment, the inspection unit 220 acquires the target pattern information TI using a pattern detection model PM1. In this embodiment, the pattern detection model PM1 is a machine learning model that takes an image as input and outputs pattern information representing the light distribution pattern in the input image. As the pattern detection model PM1, for example, a convolutional neural network (CNN) trained by supervised learning can be used. In such supervised learning, a training dataset is used that includes the inspection image KG as an explanatory variable and the pattern information as the target variable, i.e., a label. In this embodiment, the pattern information includes cutoffline information representing the position of the cutoffline, light intensity information representing the light intensity, and light color information representing the light color, depending on the inspection items of the headlight inspection. The cutoffline information may also include elbow information representing the position of the elbow point. The cutoffline information is used, for example, for inspecting the optical axis characteristics. The light intensity information is used, for example, for inspecting the light intensity characteristics. Light color information is used, for example, to inspect light color characteristics. The inspection unit 220 acquires target pattern information TI, which includes these various types of information, by inputting the inspection image KG to the pattern detection model PM1.

[0031] In this embodiment, the inspection unit 220 acquires pre-prepared reference pattern information SI. The reference pattern information SI is prepared in advance, for example, by inputting an image including a reference light distribution pattern to the pattern detection model PM1. In other embodiments, the inspection unit 220 may acquire a reference image including a reference light distribution pattern in a comparison process, for example, and input the acquired reference image to the pattern detection model PM1 to acquire the reference pattern information SI. In this case, the inspection unit 220 acquires the reference image from, for example, memory 202, memory 112, an external computer, or a recording medium.

[0032] In this embodiment, the reference pattern information SI is included in the pattern data PD pre-stored in the memory 202. In the pattern data PD, the vehicle type and the reference pattern information SI corresponding to the vehicle type are associated with each other. As described above, if the reference light distribution pattern is a light distribution pattern corresponding to the specifications of the headlight 150 or the destination of the vehicle 100, the reference pattern information SI in the pattern data PD is further associated with the specifications of the headlight 150 or the destination of the vehicle 100. The inspection unit 220 can acquire the reference pattern information SI corresponding to the vehicle type by acquiring type information IM1 representing the vehicle type of the vehicle 100 and referring to the pattern data PD using the acquired type information. Furthermore, the inspection unit 220 may also acquire the reference pattern information SI corresponding to the specifications and destination of the headlight 150 by referring to the pattern data PD using, for example, specification information IM2 representing the specifications of the headlight 150 or destination information IM3 representing the destination of the vehicle 100.

[0033] The type information IM1, specification information IM2, and destination information IM3 may be obtained, for example, by reading a two-dimensional code attached to the vehicle 100, or by being input to the server 200 by the user via an input device, or by being obtained from a process control device (not shown) that manages the manufacturing process of the vehicle 100. The user referred to here means a user of the factory FC or inspection system 50, for example, an administrator or worker at the factory FC. As an input device, for example, a terminal device 450 owned by the user may be used. The terminal device 450 may be, for example, a tablet terminal or a smartphone.

[0034] In the comparison process, the inspection unit 220 then compares the acquired target pattern information TI with the reference pattern information SI to obtain light distribution characteristic information DI representing the light distribution characteristics of the headlight 150. The inspection unit 220 then outputs the light distribution characteristic information DI as an inspection result for each headlight 150 under inspection and for each inspection item. In this embodiment, the light distribution characteristic information DI includes optical axis characteristic information representing the optical axis characteristics, light intensity characteristic information representing the light intensity characteristics, and light color characteristic information representing the light color characteristics, depending on the inspection items of the headlight inspection. In this embodiment, the light distribution characteristic information DI represents the difference between the target pattern information TI and the reference pattern information SI. For example, the optical axis characteristic information includes information representing the difference in the position coordinates of the cutoff line, the distance between cutoff lines, the difference in the position coordinates of elbow points, and the distance between elbow points between the target pattern information TI and the reference pattern information SI. In addition, the light intensity characteristic information includes information representing the difference in light intensity between the target pattern information TI and the reference pattern information SI. Furthermore, the optical color characteristic information includes, for example, the difference in optical color between the target pattern information TI and the reference pattern information SI.

[0035] The determination unit 225 determines whether the inspection result of the light distribution characteristics by the inspection unit 220 satisfies the predetermined characteristic condition CC. In this embodiment, the determination unit 225 determines whether the characteristic condition CC is satisfied for each inspection result obtained for each headlight 150 to be inspected and for each inspection item. The determination unit 225 then outputs a determination result JR for each headlight 150 to be inspected and for each inspection item. In this embodiment, the characteristic condition CC is the condition that the difference represented by the light distribution characteristic information DI is below a predetermined standard. Therefore, the characteristic condition CC in this embodiment includes an optical axis condition related to the optical axis characteristics, an optical intensity condition related to the light intensity characteristics, and an optical color condition related to the light color characteristics. Furthermore, the characteristic condition CC is included in the condition data CD and is defined for each inspection item in the condition data CD.

[0036] The adjustment unit 230 adjusts the optical system 151 according to the inspection results of the light distribution characteristics performed by the inspection unit 220. In this embodiment, the adjustment unit 230 adjusts the optical system 151 of the headlight 150 corresponding to the inspection results by controlling the adjustment mechanism 155. For example, the adjustment unit 230 adjusts the optical system 151 of the first headlight 150A according to the inspection results of the optical axis of the first headlight 150A. Also, the adjustment unit 230 adjusts the optical system 151 of the second headlight 150B according to the inspection results of the optical axis of the second headlight 150B. More specifically, when the adjustment unit 230 adjusts the optical system 151, it generates an optical system control signal OS for controlling the adjustment mechanism 155 and transmits the generated optical system control signal OS to the vehicle 100. As a result, the adjustment mechanism 155 is operated by remote control and the optical system 151 is adjusted. In this embodiment, the adjustment unit 230 adjusts the optical system 151 to reduce the optical axis difference by transmitting an optical system control signal OS to the vehicle 100 in accordance with the optical axis difference related to the optical axis as expressed in the optical axis characteristic information.

[0037] The notification unit 235 notifies the user of inspection result information regarding the inspection results of the headlight inspection. The inspection result information FI represents, for example, at least one of the information representing the inspection result by the inspection unit 220 and the judgment result JR by the judgment unit 225. In this embodiment, the notification unit 235 notifies the inspection result information FI via the terminal device 450. In other embodiments, the notification unit 235 may notify the inspection results via, for example, a display device that outputs visual information, a speaker that outputs audio information, or a printing device. Also in this embodiment, the notification unit 235 notifies the inspection result information FI for each inspection item of the headlight inspection.

[0038] Figure 4 is a second diagram illustrating the headlight inspection in this embodiment. As shown in Figure 4, in the headlight inspection in this embodiment, the remote control unit 210 performs an entry process EP, a standby process SP, and an exit process LP.

[0039] The entry process EP is the process of moving the vehicle 100 to a predetermined reference position P1. In the entry process EP in this embodiment, the remote control unit 210 generates a driving control signal RS1 to drive the vehicle 100 to the reference position P1, and transmits the generated driving control signal RS1 to the vehicle 100.

[0040] The standby process SP is a process that keeps the vehicle 100 at the reference position P1 after the entry process EP. In the standby process SP, the remote control unit 210 generates a driving control signal RS2 to keep the vehicle 100 at the reference position P1 and transmits the generated driving control signal RS2 to the vehicle 100. For example, if the vehicle 100 is configured to stop when it does not receive a driving control signal, the remote control unit 210 may keep the vehicle 100 at the reference position P1 by stopping the transmission of the driving control signal in the standby process SP. In addition, in the standby process SP in this embodiment, the vehicle 100 is controlled to face a predetermined reference direction DS at the reference position P1. In this embodiment, the reference direction DS is the orthogonal direction perpendicular to the wall surface WP among the opposing directions facing the wall surface WP. More specifically, the reference direction DS is the -Y direction.

[0041] In other embodiments, the remote control unit 210 may, for example, determine whether the vehicle 100 located at the reference position P1 is facing the reference direction DS before the inspection image KG is acquired. An external sensor 300 can be used, for example, to determine this orientation. If the vehicle 100 located at the reference position P1 is not facing the reference direction DS, the remote control unit 210 may remotely control the vehicle 100 so that it is located at the reference position P1 and facing the reference direction DS.

[0042] The departure process LP is a process that moves the vehicle 100 from the reference position P1 after the standby process SP. In the departure process LP in this embodiment, the remote control unit 210 generates a driving control signal RS3 to move the vehicle 100 from the reference position P1 to the next position, and transmits the generated driving control signal RS1 to the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, when the departure process LP is executed, the vehicle 100 passes through the permitted gate GT and heads towards the second location PL2.

[0043] In this embodiment, the inspection image KG is captured while the standby process SP is being executed. More specifically, when light is shone from the headlights 150 of a vehicle 100 stopped at a reference position P1 facing the reference direction DS toward the wall surface WP, a projected light LT is displayed on the wall surface WP. The projected light LT displayed on the wall surface WP is then captured by the imaging device CM, thereby capturing the inspection image KG. The image acquisition unit 215 acquires the thus captured inspection image KG while the standby process SP is being executed. The inspection unit 220 also uses the acquired inspection image KG to inspect the light distribution characteristics while the standby process SP is being executed.

[0044] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, in this embodiment, the remote control unit 210 switches the headlight 150 of the vehicle under inspection from off to on after the entry process EP is started and before the inspection image KG is captured. Also, the remote control unit 210 switches the headlight 150 of the vehicle under inspection from on to off after the inspection image KG is captured and before the departure process LP is started.

[0045] Figure 5 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 5, the processor 201 of the server 200 functions as a remote control unit 210, and the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 functions as a vehicle control unit 115.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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. Examples of the detection model DM include a 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 containing 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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 inspection system 50 of 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.

[0052] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the processing steps for the inspection process to implement the inspection method in this embodiment. The inspection process is for performing a headlight inspection. The inspection process is started by the processor 201 of the server 200 when, for example, the vehicle 100 is positioned at a predetermined location within the factory FC.

[0053] In step S105 of Figure 6, the remote control unit 210 starts the entry process EP, as shown in Figure 4, thereby initiating the movement of the vehicle 100 to the reference position P1. In step S110 of Figure 6, the remote control unit 210 switches the headlight 150 to be inspected from off to on, more specifically, from off to low beam mode, as shown in Figure 4. Step S110 is performed while the entry process EP is being executed.

[0054] In step S115 of Figure 6, the remote control unit 210 terminates the entry process EP and starts the standby process SP, as shown in Figure 4, thereby keeping the vehicle 100 at the reference position P1. Step S115 is executed when the vehicle 100 has completed its movement to the reference position P1. While the standby process SP is running, the external sensor 300, acting as the imaging device CM, captures an inspection image KG.

[0055] In step S120 of Figure 6, the image acquisition unit 215 acquires the captured inspection image KG. In step S125, the inspection unit 220 uses the inspection image KG acquired in step S120 to acquire target pattern information TI. In step S130, the inspection unit 220 acquires reference pattern information SI corresponding to the vehicle type 100. In step S135, the inspection unit 220 inspects the light distribution characteristics of the headlight 150 by comparing the target pattern information TI acquired in step S125 with the reference pattern information SI acquired in step S130.

[0056] In steps S140, S141, and S142, the determination unit 225 determines whether the inspection result in step S135 satisfies characteristic condition CC. More specifically, in step S140, the determination unit 225 determines whether the inspection result of the optical color characteristics, i.e., the optical color characteristic information, satisfies the optical color condition. If the optical color characteristic information satisfies the optical color condition in step S140, then in step S141, the determination unit 225 determines whether the inspection result of the light intensity characteristics, i.e., the light intensity characteristic information, satisfies the light intensity condition. If characteristic condition CC is not satisfied in step S140 or step S141, the determination unit 225 proceeds to step S150. If the light intensity characteristic information satisfies the light intensity condition in step S141, then in step S142, the determination unit 225 determines whether the inspection result of the optical axis characteristics, i.e., the optical axis characteristic information, satisfies the optical axis condition.

[0057] If the optical axis conditions are not met in step S142, the adjustment unit 230 performs an adjustment process in step S145. The adjustment process is a process of adjusting the optical system 151 while the standby process SP is being executed. In step S145 in this embodiment, the adjustment unit 230 adjusts the optical system 151 so that the optical axis difference becomes smaller, according to the optical axis difference expressed in the optical axis characteristic information. After that, the inspection image KG is captured again by the external sensor 300, which acts as the imaging device CM.

[0058] Subsequently, the inspection unit 220 returns to step S120. In the second step S120, the inspection image KG, which was captured after the completion of the adjustment process in step S145, is acquired. The process in the second step S135 corresponds to the re-inspection process. The re-inspection process is a process in which the optical axis characteristics of the headlight 150 are re-inspected while the standby process SP is being executed. In the second steps S140, S141, and S142, the determination unit 225 determines whether the inspection result of the optical distribution characteristics re-inspected in the second step S135 satisfies the characteristic condition CC. After step S135, which is executed for the second time or later, the processes in steps S140 and S141 may be omitted.

[0059] If the light color conditions or light intensity conditions are not met in steps S140 or S141, and if the optical axis conditions are met in step S142, in step S150, the remote control unit 210 switches the headlight 150 under inspection from on to off, more specifically from low beam mode to off. As shown in Figure 4, the processes from steps S115 to S150 are executed while the standby process SP is running.

[0060] In step S155, the waiting process SP is terminated and the departure process LP is executed, moving the vehicle 100 from the reference position P1 to the next location. That is, in this embodiment, the inspection unit 220 executes the departure process LP when the inspection result of the optical axis characteristics satisfies the optical axis conditions, and does not execute the departure process LP until the inspection result of the optical axis characteristics satisfies the optical axis conditions. As a result, in this embodiment, with the vehicle 100 stopped at the reference position P1, the inspection of the optical axis characteristics and the adjustment of the optical system 151 can be repeatedly performed until the optical axis characteristics of the headlights 150 satisfy the optical axis conditions. Then, when the optical axis conditions are satisfied, the vehicle 100 is quickly moved from the reference position P1 by the departure process LP.

[0061] In step S160, the notification unit 235 notifies the inspection result information FI regarding the vehicle 100. In step S160, the latest inspection result information FI regarding the vehicle 100 is notified. For example, if the above re-inspection process has been performed one or more times, in step S160, the inspection result of the optical axis characteristics from the last re-inspection process performed and the judgment result JR regarding that inspection result are notified. That is, in step S160 in this embodiment, inspection result information FI indicating that the optical axis characteristics are normal is notified. Also, for example, if the light color conditions or light intensity conditions were not met in step S140 or step S141, inspection result information FI indicating that the light color characteristics or light intensity characteristics are abnormal is notified. In this way, if the light color characteristics or light intensity characteristics are abnormal, repairs to the headlight 150 may be performed, for example, by repairing or replacing the light source 159 or the optical system 151. Furthermore, after the repair of the headlight 150, the same vehicle 100 may undergo another headlight inspection.

[0062] According to the inspection system 50 of this embodiment described above, the light distribution characteristics of the headlight 150 are inspected using an inspection image KG that includes projected light LT projected from the headlight 150 onto the projection target. Therefore, the light distribution characteristics of the headlight 150 can be inspected by a novel method of using the inspection image KG. Furthermore, in this embodiment, dedicated equipment conventionally used for inspecting headlights 150, namely a headlight tester, is not required, and an inspection system 50 capable of automatically inspecting the headlight 150 can be constructed using relatively general-purpose equipment such as an imaging device CM.

[0063] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the optical system 151 is adjusted by the adjustment unit 230 according to the inspection results from the inspection unit 220. Therefore, not only can the light distribution characteristics be inspected, but the light distribution characteristics can also be effectively improved according to the inspection results.

[0064] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the light distribution characteristics are inspected by comparing the target pattern, which is the light distribution pattern of the projected light LT in the inspection image KG, with a reference light distribution pattern corresponding to the type of vehicle 100. Therefore, the light distribution characteristics of various types of vehicles 100 can be inspected using a simpler method.

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the entry process EP, the standby process SP, and the departure process LP are executed. While the standby process SP is being executed, the imaging device CM captures an inspection image KG, the image acquisition unit 215 acquires the inspection image KG, and the inspection unit 220 inspects the light distribution characteristics. Therefore, by utilizing unmanned operation, the vehicle 100 can be moved to the reference position P1, the light distribution characteristics can be inspected while the vehicle 100 is at the reference position P1, and the reference position P1 can be cleared after the inspection is completed. As a result, the light distribution characteristics can be inspected more smoothly using unmanned operation. In particular, the headlight inspection of multiple vehicles 100 can be performed smoothly and continuously.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, after the optical axis characteristics are inspected, if the inspection results do not meet the optical axis conditions, an adjustment process is performed, and after the adjustment process is performed, a re-inspection process is performed. Therefore, if the inspection results of the optical axis characteristics do not meet the optical axis conditions, the adjustment of the optical system 151 and the re-inspection of the optical axis characteristics can be efficiently performed while the vehicle 100 remains at the reference position P1.

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the departure process LP is not executed if the inspection result of the optical axis characteristics does not satisfy the optical axis conditions, the process from inspecting the optical axis characteristics to adjusting the optical system 151 can be performed all at once while the vehicle 100 remains at the reference position P1.

[0068] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the headlights 150 are switched from off to on after the entry process EP is started and before the inspection image KG is captured. Therefore, the light distribution characteristics can be inspected more smoothly while suppressing energy consumption by the headlights 150.

[0069] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the headlight 150 is switched from on to off after the inspection image KG is captured and before the departure process LP is started. Therefore, energy consumption by the headlight 150 can be further suppressed.

[0070] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the projection target is the wall surface WP of the wall WL installed outside the vehicle 100. Therefore, the light distribution characteristics can be inspected using the wall WL. As a result, since the light from the headlights 150 can be captured from the front by the wall WL as the projection target, it is possible to increase the likelihood of obtaining an inspection image KG that includes a clearer projection pattern compared to, for example, the floor surface, and thus increase the likelihood of performing a more appropriate headlight inspection. In addition, in this embodiment, the wall WL is configured with a gate GT that can permit and prohibit the passage of the vehicle 100, so by permitting the passage of the vehicle 100 with the gate GT after the inspection is completed, the vehicle 100 can be allowed to exit the inspection area DP more smoothly after the inspection is completed.

[0071] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the light distribution characteristics of the first headlight 150A and the second headlight 150B can be inspected together using an inspection image KG in which the projected light LT, which includes the first light LT1 projected by the first headlight 150A and the second light LT2 projected by the second headlight 150B, is captured.

[0072] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the light distribution characteristics can be inspected using a camera as an external sensor 300 used to acquire vehicle position information for unmanned operation.

[0073] B. Second Embodiment: Figure 7 illustrates the headlight inspection in the second embodiment. As shown in Figure 7, in the headlight inspection in the second embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the projected light LT is projected onto the road surface RP of the track TR1 at the inspection location DP. That is, the projection target is the road surface RP. In this embodiment, light is projected onto the road surface RP from the headlights 150 of a vehicle 100 stopped at a reference position P1, causing the projected light LT to appear on the road surface RP. Then, the projected light LT thus displayed on the road surface RP is captured by the imaging device CM, thereby capturing an inspection image KG. Note that the inspection system 50 in the second embodiment is the same as in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified. According to the inspection system 50 in the second embodiment, the light distribution characteristics can be inspected using the track TR1. As a result, for example, the light distribution characteristics can be inspected even if a wall WL that can be used for headlight inspection is not provided at the inspection location DP. Furthermore, since the vehicle 100 can travel on the road surface RP used as the projection target, the movement of the vehicle 100 during headlight inspection can be carried out more smoothly compared to the configuration using a wall WL.

[0074] C. Third Embodiment: Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the schematic configuration of the inspection system 50v in the third embodiment. In this embodiment, the inspection system 50v differs from the first embodiment in that it does not have a server 200. Also, in this embodiment, the vehicle 100 can be driven by autonomous control of the vehicle 100. The other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0075] In this embodiment, the communication device 130 of the vehicle 100 can communicate with the external sensor 300 and the terminal device 450. The processor 111 of the vehicle control device 110 functions as the vehicle control unit 115v, image acquisition unit 215, inspection unit 220, determination unit 225, and adjustment unit 230 by executing the program PG1 stored in the memory 112. The vehicle control unit 115v acquires the output results from the 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 the detection model DM, reference path RR, pattern data PD, pattern detection model PM1, and condition data CD. The vehicle control unit 115v in the third embodiment corresponds to the "control unit" in this disclosure.

[0076] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for vehicle 100 driving control in the third embodiment. In the processing procedure shown in Figure 9, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 functions as a vehicle control unit 115v by executing the program PG1.

[0077] 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 inspection 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.

[0078] In this embodiment, the same inspection process as in Figure 6 is performed by the processor 111 of the vehicle control device 110. However, in this embodiment, in steps S105 and S155 of Figure 6, the vehicle 100 is moved by autonomous control of the vehicle 100. Also, from step S110 to step S150, the vehicle 100 is put into standby mode by autonomous control of the vehicle 100.

[0079] The inspection system 50v in the third embodiment described above also allows for the inspection of the light distribution characteristics of the headlight 150 using a novel method that utilizes an inspection image KG.

[0080] D. Other embodiments: (D1) In each of the above embodiments, the inspection system 50 does not necessarily have to be equipped with an adjustment unit 230.

[0081] (D2) In each of the above embodiments, in the comparison process, target pattern information TI and reference pattern information SI are prepared using the pattern detection model PM1 as a machine learning model, but are not limited to this. For example, target pattern information TI and reference pattern information SI may be obtained using a predetermined algorithm for extracting predetermined features from an image and describing the extracted predetermined features. Depending on the inspection items of the headlight inspection, such predetermined features may include, for example, a brightness feature related to brightness, a chroma feature related to saturation, a hue feature related to hue, and a brightness feature related to luminance. The brightness feature, chroma feature, hue feature, and luminance feature may each include an edge feature related to edges. More specifically, for example, if the inspection item includes the optical axis, it is preferable that the predetermined feature includes at least one of the brightness feature and the luminance feature. Also, if the inspection item includes light intensity, it is preferable that the predetermined feature includes at least one of the brightness feature and the luminance feature. Also, if the inspection item includes light color, it is preferable that the predetermined feature includes a hue feature. Furthermore, the pattern detection model PM1 may be configured as a rule-based model capable of outputting target pattern information TI and reference pattern information SI using a predetermined algorithm.

[0082] (D3) In each of the above embodiments, the light distribution characteristics are inspected by comparing the target pattern with a reference light distribution pattern, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, the inspection unit 220 may inspect the light distribution characteristics by inputting the inspection image KG to the inspection model. The inspection model is configured as, for example, a machine learning model that has been trained to output the inspection result of the light distribution characteristics by taking the inspection image KG as input. As such an inspection model, for example, a convolutional neural network (CNN) trained by supervised learning can be used. Alternatively, the inspection model may be, for example, a rule-based model constructed to be able to inspect the light distribution characteristics based on the inspection image KG.

[0083] (D4) In each of the above embodiments, the entry process EP, the standby process SP, and the departure process LP are performed in the headlight inspection, but some or all of the entry process EP, the standby process SP, and the departure process LP may not be performed. For example, at least a part of the movement of the vehicle 100 to the reference position P1, the stopping of the vehicle 100 at the reference position P1, and the movement of the vehicle 100 from the reference position P1 may be achieved by manned operation or by transporting the vehicle 100 by a transport device.

[0084] (D5) In each of the above embodiments, the inspection image KG is captured while the vehicle 100 is stopped, but is not limited to this. For example, the inspection image KG may be captured while the vehicle 100 is traveling at a predetermined speed or less. The predetermined speed is a speed low enough to allow the headlight inspection to be performed properly, and is determined, for example, based on experiments or simulations. More specifically, the predetermined speed is a speed low enough to allow, for example, the detection of target pattern information TI using the pattern detection model PM1 and the extraction of predetermined features using a predetermined algorithm to be performed properly. In this way, the vehicle inspection can be performed more efficiently without stopping the vehicle 100. Even in the form in which the inspection image KG is captured while the vehicle 100 is traveling, it is preferable that the inspection image KG is captured when the vehicle 100 is located at the reference position P1 and facing the reference direction DS. This way, the positional and angular relationships between the vehicle 100, the projection target, and the imaging device CM can be fixed at the imaging timing when the inspection image KG is captured, allowing for more effective headlight inspection using the inspection image KG. In both the configuration in which the inspection image KG is captured while the vehicle 100 is stationary and the configuration in which the inspection image KG is captured while the vehicle 100 is moving, the inspection image KG may be captured even when the vehicle 100 is not at the reference position P1 or when the vehicle 100 is not facing the reference direction DS. In this case, at least one of the inspection image KG and the information acquired based on the inspection image KG may be corrected according to the position and orientation of the vehicle 100 at the timing of the acquisition of the inspection image KG. The information acquired based on the inspection image KG is, for example, target pattern information TI.

[0085] (D6) In each of the above embodiments, an adjustment process is performed, but the adjustment process does not have to be performed. For example, after the light distribution characteristics of the headlight 150 are inspected once, the withdrawal process LP may be performed without performing the adjustment process, and the inspection process may be terminated. Also, in each of the above embodiments, a re-inspection process is performed, but the re-inspection process does not have to be performed. For example, after the adjustment process is performed, the withdrawal process LP may be performed without performing the re-inspection process, and the inspection process may be terminated.

[0086] (D7) In each of the above embodiments, the headlights 150 are switched from off to on after the entry process EP is started and before the inspection image KG is captured, but this is not limited to this. For example, the headlights 150 may be switched on before the entry process EP is started and remain on until the inspection image KG is captured. Alternatively, for example, the headlights 150 may be switched on after the standby process SP is started.

[0087] (D8) In each of the above embodiments, the headlight 150 is switched from on to off after the inspection image KG is captured and before the departure process LP is started, but this is not limited to this. For example, the headlight 150 may remain on after the inspection image KG is captured without being switched off. Alternatively, the headlight 150 may be switched off, for example, after the departure process LP is started.

[0088] (D9) In each of the above embodiments, the projection target is not limited to the wall surface WP or the road surface RP. For example, the projection target may be the floor surface of a floor on which the vehicle 100 cannot travel.

[0089] (D10) In each of the above embodiments, the projected light LT includes a first light LT1 from the first headlight 150A and a second light LT2 from the second headlight 150B. In contrast, the projected light LT may include only the projected light from one headlight 150, or it may include only the projected light from three or more headlights 150. For example, if the headlight to be inspected is one headlight 150, the projected light LT may include only the projected light from that one headlight 150. Also, even if the headlight to be inspected is two or more headlights 150, the projected light LT may include only the projected light from one headlight 150. In this case, the light distribution characteristics of each headlight to be inspected may be inspected using different inspection images for each headlight, each containing only the projected light from that headlight.

[0090] (D11) In each of the above embodiments, an external sensor 300, which is a camera, is used as the imaging device CM used for headlight inspection, but is not limited to this. For example, a camera installed in the factory FC that is not used for unmanned operation may be used as the external imaging device CM of the vehicle 100. Alternatively, a camera installed on a vehicle 100 other than the vehicle 100 being inspected for headlight inspection may be used as the external imaging device CM of the vehicle 100. Furthermore, the imaging device CM is not limited to an imaging device located outside the vehicle 100, but may also be an imaging device mounted on the vehicle 100.

[0091] (D12) In each of the above embodiments, the various functional units in the inspection system 50, such as the image acquisition unit 215, the inspection unit 220, the determination unit 225, and the adjustment unit 230, may be provided in the vehicle 100. In this case, as described in the third embodiment, all of the image acquisition unit 215, the inspection unit 220, the determination unit 225, and the adjustment unit 230 may be provided in the vehicle 100, or some of these functional units may be provided in the vehicle 100. In addition, in the inspection 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. Furthermore, various information such as the detection model DM, the reference path RR, the pattern data PD, the pattern detection model PM1, and the condition data CD may be stored in the memory 112, in the memory 202, or in external devices or recording media to the server 200 and the vehicle 100.

[0092] (D13) 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.

[0093] (D14) 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.

[0094] (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.

[0095] (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.

[0096] (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.

[0097] (D15) In the third 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.

[0098] (D16) In the third 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 target position to which the vehicle 100 should next go, generate a route from the vehicle 100's current location shown in the acquired vehicle position information to the target position, 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 inspection system 50v may be provided in the vehicle 100. That is, the processing realized by the inspection system 50v in this disclosure may be realized by the vehicle 100 alone.

[0099] (D17) 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.

[0100] (D18) 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 make up the platform is not limited to three, but 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. Furthermore, not limited to vehicle 100, any type of mobile body may be manufactured by combining multiple modules. 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.

[0101] (D19) 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.

[0102] 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]

[0103] 50, 50V... Inspection system, 100... Vehicle, 110... Vehicle control device, 111... Processor, 112... Memory, 113... Input / Output interface, 114... Internal bus, 115, 115V... Vehicle control unit, 120... Actuator group, 130... Communication device, 150... Headlight, 150A... First headlight, 150B... Second headlight, 151... Optical system, 155... Adjustment mechanism, 159... Light source, 200... Server, 201... Processor, 202... Memory, 203... Input / Output interface, 204... Internal bus, 205... Communication device, 210... Remote control unit, 215... Image acquisition unit, 220... Inspection unit, 225... Judgment unit, 230... Adjustment unit, 235... Notification unit, 300... External sensor, 450... Terminal device

Claims

1. An image acquisition unit that acquires an image captured by an imaging device, which includes an image of projection light projected onto a projection target from a headlight attached to a moving object, An inspection system comprising: an inspection unit that inspects the light distribution characteristics of the headlight using the acquired image.

2. The inspection system according to claim 1, further, It includes an adjustment unit for adjusting the optical system of the headlight, The adjustment unit is an inspection system that adjusts the optical system according to the inspection results of the light distribution characteristics performed by the inspection unit.

3. The inspection system according to claim 1, The inspection unit is an inspection system that inspects the light distribution characteristics by comparing the light distribution pattern of the projected light in the image with a reference light distribution pattern corresponding to the type of moving object.

4. The inspection system according to claim 1, further, The system includes a control unit that moves the mobile body by unmanned operation, The control unit, An entry process to move the aforementioned moving body to a predetermined reference position, After the entry process, a waiting process is performed to keep the moving body at the reference position, After the aforementioned waiting process, a detachment process is performed to move the moving body from the reference position, The image acquisition unit acquires the image captured during the standby process while the standby process is being executed. The inspection unit is an inspection system that inspects the light distribution characteristics while the standby process is being executed.

5. The inspection system according to claim 4, further, It includes an adjustment unit for adjusting the optical system of the headlight, The aforementioned light distribution characteristics include the optical axis characteristics relating to the optical axis of the headlight, After the optical axis characteristics have been inspected, if the inspection result of the inspection unit does not meet predetermined optical axis conditions, the adjustment unit performs an adjustment process to adjust the optical system according to the inspection result while the standby process is being executed. The inspection unit is an inspection system that re-examines the optical axis characteristics after the adjustment process has been performed and while the standby process is being executed.

6. The inspection system according to claim 5, The control unit does not perform the detachment process until the inspection result satisfies the optical axis conditions in the inspection system.

7. The inspection system according to claim 4, The control unit, The aforementioned headlights are configured to be controllable, After the entry process has started and before the image is captured, the headlights are switched from off to on. Inspection system.

8. The inspection system according to claim 4, The control unit, The aforementioned headlights are configured to be controllable, An inspection system that switches the headlights from on to off after the aforementioned image has been captured and before the aforementioned disengagement process has started.

9. The inspection system according to claim 1, The inspection system wherein the projection target is the wall surface of a wall installed outside the moving body.

10. The inspection system according to claim 1, The inspection system wherein the projection target is the road surface of a track on which the vehicle, as the moving object, can travel.

11. The inspection system according to claim 1, The aforementioned headlights include a first headlight and a second headlight. The projected light includes a first light projected by the first headlight and a second light projected by the second headlight. The inspection unit is an inspection system that uses the acquired images to inspect the light distribution characteristics of the first headlight and the light distribution characteristics of the second headlight.

12. An inspection system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, An inspection system comprising an imaging device installed on the outside of the mobile body and used to acquire positional information of the mobile body for unmanned operation of the mobile body.

13. An image captured by an imaging device, which includes projection light projected onto a target from a headlight attached to a moving object, is acquired. An inspection method for inspecting the light distribution characteristics of the headlight using the acquired image.

Images