Transport vehicle travel control system and transport vehicle travel control method

Abstract

A transport vehicle travel control system and a transport vehicle travel control method are provided that make it possible to reduce the number of guideline detection sensors for a transport vehicle. [Solution] The present disclosure provides a travel control system for a transport vehicle capable of moving along a real or virtual guideline, comprising a control unit, a position and attitude acquisition unit, and a memory unit, wherein the control unit estimates a guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit with respect to the guideline based on position information and attitude information of a specific location of the transport vehicle with respect to the guideline and relative position information of the virtual detection unit with respect to the specific location, and controls the operation of the transport vehicle based on the estimated guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a travel control system for a transport vehicle and a travel control method for a transport vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, the use of autonomously driven automated guided vehicles has been put to practical use for transporting luggage within facilities such as manufacturing plants and warehouses for various products. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a technology for a guided vehicle that travels along a guideline. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2002-297239 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the technology described in Patent Document 1, sensors are provided on the front and rear of the transport vehicle to detect the guide lines when the transport vehicle travels along the guide lines. However, from the viewpoint of miniaturizing the transport vehicle, it is desirable to reduce the number of sensors.

[0005] Therefore, the present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a transport vehicle travel control system and a transport vehicle travel control method that make it possible to reduce the number of guideline detection sensors of the transport vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the present disclosure, there is provided a travel control system for a guided vehicle capable of moving along a real or virtual guideline, comprising: A control unit controls a drive unit of the transport vehicle to thereby control the operation of the transport vehicle; a position and attitude acquisition unit that acquires current position information of a specific location of the transport vehicle relative to the guideline and attitude information of the transport vehicle relative to the guideline; a storage unit configured to store in advance relative position information of a virtual detection unit set at a position different from the specific location of the transport vehicle, with respect to the specific location; The control unit is A driving control system is provided which estimates a guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit relative to the guideline based on position information and attitude information of the transport vehicle relative to the guideline and relative position information of the virtual detection unit relative to the specific location, and controls the operation of the transport vehicle based on the estimated guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, there is provided a driving control method for controlling driving of a guided vehicle that can move along a real or virtual guideline by a driving control system, comprising: The driving control system includes: A control unit controls a drive unit of the transport vehicle to thereby control the operation of the transport vehicle; a position and attitude acquisition unit that acquires current position information of a specific location of the transport vehicle relative to the guideline and attitude information of the transport vehicle relative to the guideline; a storage unit configured to store in advance relative position information of a virtual detection unit set at a position different from the specific location of the transport vehicle, with respect to the specific location; The control unit is A driving control method is provided in which a guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit with respect to the guideline is estimated based on position information and attitude information of the transport vehicle with respect to the guideline and relative position information of the virtual detection unit with respect to the specific location, and the operation of the transport vehicle is controlled based on the estimated guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a transport vehicle travel control system and a transport vehicle travel control method that make it possible to reduce the number of guideline detection sensors for a transport vehicle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a transport vehicle and a guide line according to the embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a hardware configuration of a transport vehicle according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a hardware configuration of the transport vehicle according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4] 11 is a diagram showing an example of a scene in which the transport vehicle according to the embodiment moves backward along a guide line. FIG. [Diagram 5] 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating another example of a scene in which the transport vehicle according to the present embodiment moves backward along the guide line. [Figure 6] 1 is a diagram showing a positional relationship between a transport vehicle, an object to be transported, and a guide line according to the present embodiment; [Figure 7] 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating an example of reverse control performed to move the transport vehicle and the transport object closer to the guide line according to the embodiment; [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration when a transport vehicle and a towing cart according to the present embodiment are coupled together. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating another example of a hardware configuration when the transport vehicle and the towing cart according to the present embodiment are coupled together. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a motion area according to the present embodiment; [Figure 11] 13 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the guide line and the transport vehicle when the guide line detection unit detects the two-dimensional code that constitutes the guide line. FIG. [Figure 12] 13 is a bottom view showing the positional relationship between the guide line and the transport vehicle when the guide line detection unit detects the magnetic tape that constitutes the guide line. FIG. [Figure 13] 13 is a bottom view showing the positional relationship between the guide line and the virtual detection unit of the transport vehicle. FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an overall configuration diagram of a conveying system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an overall control device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of a transport vehicle according to the present embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a control flow of a control system in the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and the drawings, components having substantially the same functional configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0011] The travel control system of this embodiment is used to control an automated guided vehicle (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a "carriage vehicle") that is used to transport transported items such as various manufacturing parts and luggage in, for example, a manufacturing factory, a logistics warehouse, etc. Note that this system is not limited to automated guided vehicles, and can also be applied to other moving bodies, both manned and unmanned.

[0012] The travel control system of this embodiment is a travel control system for a transport vehicle 10 that can move along a real or virtual guide line 111 shown in FIG. 1. The real guide line is a sign that is installed on a floor, wall, or ceiling surface, or on a signboard rising from these surfaces, and is used to guide the transport vehicle. The real guide line may be a continuous line or a sign that is intermittently arranged in a line. The guide line may be, for example, a plurality of two-dimensional codes that are arranged continuously or intermittently. The virtual guide line may be a virtual two-dimensional or three-dimensional guide line set on two-dimensional or three-dimensional map data corresponding to the real space. In either case, the guide line is set and arranged so that the transport vehicle can be guided to a predetermined position (destination, waypoint) by referring to the guide line when the transport vehicle operates.

[0013] The travel control system of this embodiment includes a control unit that controls the operation of the transport vehicle by controlling the drive unit of the transport vehicle, a position and attitude acquisition unit that acquires current position information of a specific point on the transport vehicle relative to the guideline and attitude information of the transport vehicle relative to the guideline, and a storage unit that stores in advance position information of a virtual detection unit set at a position different from the specific point of the transport vehicle relative to the specific point. The control unit, the position and attitude acquisition unit, and the storage unit are basically implemented in the transport vehicle, but a part of them (such as the storage unit) may be implemented in another device that can communicate with the transport vehicle.

[0014] The specific location on the transport vehicle may be, for example, (the center of) the line detection unit 16 on the transport vehicle 10 in FIG. 1. In this case, the line detection unit 16 is positioned on the guideline so as to overlap with the guideline 111 in a planar view, so that the relative distance (difference) with respect to the guideline 111 is 0. In addition, when the guideline is configured with a two-dimensional code or the like, the position in the extension direction of the guideline can also be acquired from code information associated with the two-dimensional code and stored. Alternatively, the relative position of the transport vehicle (specific location) with respect to the guideline may be estimated by comparing the position information (coordinate information) of the guideline in the map information of the storage unit with the current position information (coordinate information) of the transport vehicle estimated based on information acquired from a sensor or a camera.

[0015] The attitude information of the transport vehicle with respect to the guideline can be, for example, the angle θ in Fig. 1. That is, it can be expressed as a relative angle between the extension direction of the guideline and the front-rear direction of the transport vehicle (such as the center line in the width direction). For example, in the case of an image recognition method in which a camera reads a guide line using a two-dimensional code or a barcode, position information is generated based on information on the detected code in addition to a detection signal of the guide line, and further image information of the code is analyzed to generate relative angle information (angle θ) between the guide line and the transport vehicle.

[0016] The control unit estimates the guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit 116 with respect to the guideline 111 based on the position information and posture information of the transport vehicle with respect to the guideline and the relative position information with respect to a specific location of the virtual detection unit. Then, the operation of the transport vehicle is controlled based on the estimated guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit. With this configuration, the transport vehicle can be controlled to virtually detect and follow the guideline even in a position where a sensor for detecting the guideline is not actually provided. As a result, it is possible to reduce the number of guideline detection sensors of the transport vehicle.

[0017] The relative position information of the virtual detection unit 116 with respect to the specific point of the transport vehicle may be set as a position L1 rearward from the center of the line detection unit 16 of the transport vehicle 10 (in a direction toward the rearward along the center line in the width direction of the transport vehicle) as shown in FIG. 2, for example. Alternatively, it may be a distance L2 from the turning center 18 of the transport vehicle, or may be set as a specific coordinate (x1, y1) in a two-dimensional coordinate system (plane coordinate system) with the turning center 18 as the origin. The virtual detection unit 116 is preferably rearward of a pair of left and right drive wheels, but may be forward, and may be set at any position. The virtual detection unit 116 may be at the same position as the turning center 18 or at the same position as the center of the transport vehicle. In this example, the center point of the line detection unit 16 is set as the specific point, but it may be set at any position different from the virtual detection unit 116. At least the specific point is set at a position where the control unit can acquire its position information and attitude information.

[0018] The guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit with respect to the guideline can be estimated by, for example, calculating the distance D from the guideline to the virtual detection unit 116 using the distance L1 from the line detection unit 16 to the virtual detection unit 116 shown in Fig. 1 and the above-mentioned relative angle θ. The calculation formula can be D = L1 * sin θ. Also, it can be estimated on which side of the guideline the virtual detection unit 116 is located (for example, on the left or right side of the guideline based on the left-right direction of the transport vehicle, etc.) from the posture information with respect to the guideline.

[0019] In the case of Fig. 1, for example, the control unit controls the driving unit of the transport vehicle so that the virtual detection unit 116 moves onto the guideline. Specifically, the transport vehicle may be rotated until the relative angle θ becomes 0° at that position or until the virtual detection unit 116 is located on the guideline, or the transport vehicle may be moved forward so that the turning center 18 of the transport vehicle is located on the guideline and then rotated until the relative angle θ becomes 0°, or the transport vehicle may be moved backward while slowly rotating until the virtual detection unit 116 is located on the guideline. When the transport vehicle moves forward so that the turning center 18 of the transport vehicle is located on the guideline, the control unit can calculate the forward distance as the difference between L1 and L2 shown in Fig. 2.

[0020] Here, when the line detection unit 16 detects a guideline, the relative position and orientation of the line detection unit 16 with respect to the guideline can be obtained, and therefore the relative position of the virtual detection unit 116 with respect to the guideline can be estimated based on the relative position and orientation of the line detection unit 16 with respect to the guideline and the relative position of the virtual detection unit 116 with respect to the line detection unit 16 stored in the memory unit.

[0021] Furthermore, when the line detection unit 16 does not detect the guideline (when the line detection unit 16 is not located on the guideline), the position of the specific point of the transport vehicle relative to the guideline can be estimated by comparing the guideline position information included in the map data stored in the storage unit with the estimated self-position information (the position of the specific point of the transport vehicle), and the relative position of the virtual detection unit 116 with respect to the guideline can be estimated based on the position information of the virtual detection unit 116 with respect to the specific point stored in the storage unit. By repeating this estimation process and controlling the drive unit of the transport vehicle to turn, move forward, move backward, etc., the virtual detection unit can be brought closer to the guideline, and the virtual detection unit can be moved so as to follow the guideline.

[0022] When estimating the guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit with respect to the guideline, the control unit may obtain a relative difference between the position of the guideline and the position of the virtual detection unit. The difference may be the above-mentioned distance D. In addition, the control unit may estimate the angle of the travel direction (front-rear direction) of the transport vehicle with respect to the extension direction of the guideline as the difference.

[0023] The vehicle may include a guide detection unit that is disposed at a specific location and detects the actual guideline, and the position and orientation acquisition unit may estimate relative position information of the specific location of the vehicle with respect to the current guideline and orientation information of the vehicle with respect to the guideline based on the detection information of the guide detection unit. The guide detection unit may be the line detection unit 16.

[0024] The storage unit may store in advance map data (map data) corresponding to the real space and position data of a virtual guideline set on the map data, and the position and orientation acquisition unit may estimate relative position information of a specific location on the transport vehicle with respect to the current guideline and orientation information of the transport vehicle with respect to the guideline based on the position data of the virtual guideline on the map data and current position information and orientation information of the transport vehicle. Current position information and orientation information of a specific location of the transport vehicle (e.g., the center of the transport vehicle or the position of a position sensor) can be acquired by, for example, a position estimation unit 265 and an orientation detection unit 235 described later. The map data and the position information of the guideline may be stored in the storage unit in advance, or may be generated based on sensor data acquired while the transport vehicle is traveling. In this case, for example, a SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) technique using sensor data such as LiDAR may be adopted.

[0025] The virtual detection unit may be set at a position on the rear side of the specific location of the transport vehicle. For example, the virtual detection unit 116 is located on the rear side of the specific location, which is the line detection unit 16, the turning center 18, or the center of the transport vehicle. The specific location may be located in front of or behind the pair of left and right drive wheels.

[0026] The control unit may determine whether or not the virtual detection unit is located on a guideline when the transport vehicle retreats, and if the virtual detection unit is located on the guideline, control the operation of the transport vehicle so that the virtual detection unit moves along the guideline, and if the virtual detection unit is not located on the guideline, control the operation of the transport vehicle so that the virtual detection unit approaches the guideline.

[0027] The drive unit may have a pair of left and right drive wheels. When the drive unit is configured with a pair of left and right drive wheels that can be controlled individually, the vehicle can turn so that the midpoint between the left and right drive wheels is the turning center. The drive unit may have another configuration.

[0028] The control unit may estimate the position of the virtual detection unit relative to the guideline at every predetermined fixed period. The fixed period may be set to any value, such as 0.1 seconds, 1 second, 5 seconds, etc. Alternatively, the position of the virtual detection unit relative to the guideline may be repeatedly estimated based on other conditions, rather than the fixed period. The other conditions may be conditions based on the distance or speed of movement, such as moving a predetermined distance or changing the speed. By having the transport vehicle repeatedly check its position relative to the guideline, the accuracy of movement can be improved.

[0029] The current position of the transport vehicle may be acquired by scanning a two-dimensional code as a guideline installed on the road surface, wall surface, or ceiling surface. The estimation accuracy can be improved by using a two-dimensional code such as an AR marker.

[0030] <Construction of the transport vehicle> FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of the hardware configuration of a transport vehicle according to this embodiment. The transport vehicle in this example is an unmanned transport vehicle, but can also be applied to various vehicles on which people can ride. An arrow 15 in FIG. 3 indicates the traveling direction (forward) of the transport vehicle. The traveling direction is basically the forward direction of the transport vehicle, but can also be the rear depending on the situation. As shown in FIG. 3, the transport vehicle is equipped with a coupling unit 11 for switching between a coupled state and a non-coupled state with the dolly, an object position detection unit 12 for detecting objects around the transport vehicle, drive wheels 13, and non-driven wheels 14.

[0031] For example, a connecting section 11 and an object position detection section 12 are mounted on the upper surface side of the transport vehicle. The connecting section 11 is, for example, composed of an actuator, and is configured such that when connecting to a dolly, the actuator is extended upward to connect to a connecting receiving section (not shown) on the dolly side, and when disconnecting, the actuator is retracted to disconnect the connecting section from the connecting receiving section on the dolly side. In addition, the connecting section 11 is arranged at four positions surrounding the driving wheels 13 of the transport vehicle on a plane, and can be connected to the dolly at five positions. In this embodiment, an example having four connecting sections will be described, but the number of connecting sections does not necessarily have to be five, and any number of one or more can be selected. The connecting structure between the transport vehicle and the transported object is not particularly limited, and any connecting structure can be adopted.

[0032] The object position detection unit 12 is a device that detects the distance from the transport vehicle to an object. Examples of the object position detection unit 12 include a laser distance sensor (such as LiDAR (Light detection and ranging)) that measures the distance and direction to an object by irradiating a laser light and measuring the time it takes for the laser light to hit the object and bounce back, a millimeter wave radar that detects the distance to an object based on a millimeter wave transmission signal and a received signal that is reflected by the object and returns, and a camera-type distance sensor that measures the distance to an object by photographing the object with a camera and analyzing the photographed image. In this embodiment, an example has been shown in which the object position detection unit 12 is disposed on the top surface of the transport vehicle at the front in the traveling direction, but instead, it may be disposed on the front side in the traveling direction. Also, it may be disposed not only at the front but also at the rear side or both left and right sides in the traveling direction.

[0033] The object position detection unit 12 can detect the position and attitude (relative position and angle with respect to the transport vehicle) of a transport object such as a dolly connected to the transport vehicle. The object position detection unit 12 may be provided at the front and rear of the vehicle body, and the front side may detect obstacles and people and the rear side may detect transport objects, or vice versa.

[0034] The object position detection unit 12 may detect an object in a 360-degree range around the transport vehicle, but is configured to detect an object at least in the traveling direction 15 of the transport vehicle. The traveling direction 15 may be either in front of or behind the transport vehicle.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing an example of the hardware configuration of the transport vehicle according to this embodiment. Drive wheels 13 are provided on the bottom of the transport vehicle at both the left and right sides with respect to the travel direction 15 of the transport vehicle, and non-driven wheels 14 are provided in front of and behind each of the drive wheels 13. The drive wheels 13 are wheels that are connected to the rotating shaft of a motor and driven, and the right drive wheel and the left drive wheel are controlled individually. The control unit can control the speed of the transport vehicle by controlling the rotation speed of the drive wheels. In addition, the control unit can control the speed of the transport vehicle by making a curve and running the transport vehicle, rotating the transport vehicle on the spot to change direction, stopping, and moving backward by individually controlling the rotation speed and rotation direction of each drive wheel. The non-driven wheels 14 are wheels that are not driven and passively rotate as the transport vehicle moves due to the drive wheels 13. The non-driven wheels 14 have, for example, a fork that fixes the wheel and the axle, and the fork is composed of a rotating caster that is rotatably connected to the bottom member of the transport vehicle. Therefore, the wheel rotation direction of the non-driven wheels 14 changes passively according to the traveling direction and rotational operation of the transport vehicle. Although Fig. 2 illustrates a hardware configuration of a transport vehicle having two driven wheels and four non-driven wheels at the four corners, the present invention is not limited to this hardware configuration, and it is also possible to adopt a configuration with a total of four wheels, two driven wheels and two non-driven wheels, and it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the front wheels are steerable in the four-wheel configuration.

[0036] The guide line detector 16 is provided on the bottom of the transport vehicle to detect the guide line (guide line). The guide line detector 16 is preferably provided ahead of the drive wheels 13 in the travel direction of the transport vehicle. This makes it easier for the transport vehicle to travel along the guide line when traveling at a curved guide line, and also allows the transport vehicle and the towing cart to receive information from the guide line as soon as possible when traveling, thereby enabling them to quickly execute processing such as stopping. The guide line detector uses a sensor according to the type of guidance method as described above. When the electromagnetic induction method is used as the guidance method, a pickup coil is used as the sensor for the guide line detector. When the magnetic induction method is used, a magnetic sensor is used. When the image recognition method is used, a camera is used. The guide line detector may be provided not only on the floor surface but also on the side wall surface or ceiling surface of a building, and the sensor (including a camera) of the transport vehicle may be installed at a position where the guide line can be recognized (the bottom surface, side surface, top surface, etc. of the transport vehicle). The guide line may also be a track virtually provided on two-dimensional or three-dimensional map data. The control unit of the transport vehicle may control the travel of the transport vehicle along virtual guidelines based on map information and trajectory information (travel route information) stored in advance in the memory unit, and current self-position information estimated based on information from cameras, sensors, etc.

[0037] In this embodiment, the virtual detection unit 116 is set at a predetermined location of the transport vehicle. As virtually shown in FIG. 2, the virtual detection unit 116 is set at a position different from the line detection unit 16 located at a specific location of the transport vehicle. The virtual detection unit 116 is preferably located on the opposite side of the guide line detection unit 16 as viewed from the center (or turning center) of the transport vehicle (for example, it may be symmetrical with respect to the center line of the front and rear, left and right of the transport vehicle, or point symmetrical with respect to the center point). For example, when the guide line detection unit 16 is located forward of the center of the transport vehicle, the virtual detection unit can be set at the rear of the transport vehicle, or vice versa. According to this, the virtual detection unit 116 set at a position where the line detection unit 16 is not provided can be effectively utilized to control the travel. When the guide line detection unit 16 is located at the rear of the transport vehicle, the virtual detection unit can be set at the front of the transport vehicle. The position of the guide line detection unit 16 or the virtual detection unit may be the turning center of the transport vehicle. The number of virtual detection units is not limited to one, and multiple virtual detection units may be set. The virtual detection unit can be set at any position, and may be set at any or all of the four corners (front right, front left, rear right, rear left) of the transport vehicle. Information on the position of the virtual detection unit is stored in advance in the storage unit. The position information can be relative position information with respect to a specific point such as the center of the transport vehicle, the turning center, or the center of the line detection unit 16. The position of the line detection unit may be set in three-dimensional coordinates. As shown in FIG. 2, the center point (middle point) between the left and right driving wheels 13 is the turning center 18. In this example, the turning center coincides with the center of the transport vehicle, but may be shifted. Information regarding the relative positional relationship between the turning center 18, the center of the transport vehicle, and the virtual detection unit 116, such as the distance L2 from the turning center 18 to the virtual detection unit 116 and the distance L3 from the center of the transport vehicle to the virtual detection unit 116, is also stored in advance in the storage unit.

[0038] Here, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, for example, there are situations in which the transport vehicle retreats along the guideline depending on the purpose. For example, in the case of Fig. 4, after towing an object to be transported and transporting it to a stopping position along the guideline, if it is necessary to move the object to the opposite side, the coupling may be released once, and only the transport vehicle may move to the opposite side of the object to be transported, and the object may be recoupled. In that case, when recoupling the object to be transported, the transport vehicle retreats along the guideline toward the object to be transported. Fig. 5 shows an example in which the transport vehicle to which the object to be transported is coupled retreats along the guideline, and the object is stopped at a predetermined position.

[0039] In either case, the drive unit is controlled so that the virtual detection unit 116 is located on the guideline while repeatedly estimating the relative position and angle of the virtual detection unit 116 with respect to the guideline, thereby making it possible to move the transport vehicle backward in the intended direction (direction along the guideline). As a result, for example, it becomes possible to smoothly connect objects to be transported and to reduce the possibility of collision with obstacles on the left and right located behind. Note that the drive unit can be controlled so that the virtual detection unit 116 is located on the guideline not only when moving backward, but also when moving forward and to the left and right.

[0040] The virtual detection unit may be set at a predetermined position on the object to be transported connected to the transport vehicle, and the control unit may estimate the position of the virtual detection unit based on relative position information and attitude information of the object to be transported with respect to the transport vehicle.

[0041] For example, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, when a transport vehicle transports an object to be transported that is connected to the transport vehicle, a virtual detection unit may be set at any position, such as the rear of the object to be transported (the side farther from the transport vehicle). When the transport vehicle and the object to be transported are fixed so as not to be swingable, the relative positions of the transport vehicle and the object to be transported do not change, and therefore control similar to that when virtual detection unit 116 is set on the transport vehicle is possible. On the other hand, when the relative positional relationship of the object to be transported to the transport vehicle changes, such as when the object is connected to the transport vehicle so as to be swingable (rotatable) around a vertical shaft as a fulcrum, it is preferable to detect the relative position of the object to be transported with respect to the transport vehicle by an angle sensor or the like.

[0042] Specifically, an encoder provided on the shaft of the transport vehicle may measure a displacement angle from a predetermined state, or a distance sensor provided on the transport vehicle may be used to measure the distance from the transport vehicle to a specific point on each of the left and right sides of the transport object to estimate the relative angle. As shown in FIG. 6, the relative position of the virtual detection unit with respect to the specific point can be estimated using a distance L4 from the specific point of the transport vehicle to axis A (the axis of the swing shaft provided at the connection between the transport vehicle and the transport object), a distance L5 from axis A to the virtual detection unit, and an angle α. The relative position (distance D) of the virtual detection unit with respect to the guideline can be calculated based on the relative position and orientation of the specific point with respect to the guideline and the relative position and orientation of the virtual detection unit with respect to the specific point. According to this, a virtual detection unit can be set on the transport object rotatably connected to the transport vehicle, and the transport vehicle can be controlled to travel so that the virtual detection unit moves along the guideline. In this case, the transport vehicle may be advanced until the virtual detection unit is positioned on the guideline, and then retreated from a state in which the virtual detection unit is positioned on the guideline, the widthwise center lines of the transport vehicle and the transport object are parallel to the extension direction of the guideline, and the relative angle α of the transport object with respect to the transport vehicle is 0. Note that, for example, if the line detection unit 16 of the transport vehicle is positioned on the guideline and the transport vehicle is advanced straight along the guideline, the towed transport object will also be aligned on the guideline, and then the transport vehicle may be retreated. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7, the transport vehicle may be reversed while making a gentle curve, and turned while retreating so that the virtual detection unit and the line detection unit are positioned on the guideline.

[0043] The transport vehicle may be provided with a transport object detection unit that detects the posture (e.g., the relative angle α) of the transport object. The transport object detection unit may be, for example, an encoder, a distance measurement sensor, a resolver, or the like.

[0044] The control unit may select and set one of a plurality of predetermined positions of the virtual detection unit based on whether the transport object is connected or not. For example, the control unit can set the virtual detection unit at the rear of the transport vehicle shown in Fig. 2 when the transport object is not connected, and set the virtual detection unit at the rear of the transport object shown in Fig. 6 when the transport object is connected. The control unit can determine whether the transport object is connected or not based on information from a sensor provided on the transport vehicle.

[0045] 8 shows an example of the hardware configuration when the transport vehicle and towing dolly according to this embodiment are coupled, specifically, showing an example in which the transport vehicle 10 is coupled to the dolly while slipping under the dolly to be towed. At this time, a mortar-shaped coupling receiver is disposed on the bottom surface of the dolly at a position corresponding to the cone-shaped coupling part 11, and the dolly can be coupled by extending the coupling part 11 upward, and the dolly can be released from coupling by contracting the coupling part 11. The transport vehicle 10 may be coupled to the front side of the dolly, or it may be coupled to the center or rear side.

[0046] FIG. 9 shows another example of the hardware configuration when the transport vehicle and the towing dolly according to the present embodiment are coupled. The transport object such as the towing dolly may be coupled to the transport vehicle so as to be swingable (rotatable) around the shaft as a fulcrum, or may be fixed in a state in which it cannot swing with respect to the transporter. In the example shown in FIG. 9, the transport vehicle is coupled to the dolly while being positioned to the side of the dolly 2000 (not directly under the dolly, but shifted forward, backward, left or right). The dolly has a coupling receiving part 2010 that couples with at least a part of the coupling part 11 of the transport vehicle, and can be coupled to the dolly by extending the coupling part 11 upward, and can be released from the dolly by contracting the coupling part 11. In FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, an example is shown in which the coupling part 11, which is composed of an actuator or the like on the top surface of the transport vehicle, is extended and contracted in the vertical direction to couple and release the coupling to the dolly, but the coupling method between the transport vehicle and the dolly is not limited to this, and other coupling methods may be used. Furthermore, the transported object coupled to the transport vehicle is not limited to a cart, and may be, for example, a pallet or cabinet without wheels, a conveyor, a robot arm, etc. When transporting a pallet or cabinet, the transport vehicle slides under the pallet or cabinet and couples to the pallet or cabinet in a lifted state.

[0047] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the operation area 130 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, guide lines 131 (guide lines) are laid in the operation area 130, and when a guided vehicle traveling in the autonomous traveling mode detects the guide lines 131 at a preset traveling mode switching position 132, the traveling control mode is switched from the autonomous traveling mode to the guided traveling mode. Conversely, when a guided vehicle traveling in the guided traveling mode on the guide lines enters the preset traveling mode switching position 132, the traveling control mode is switched from the guided traveling mode to the autonomous traveling mode. In order to guide the guided vehicle to a position close to a shelf or a belt conveyor on which luggage is stored, or a work position of a worker, a track formed by the guide lines 131 is laid at a position close to the shelf or work position via multiple branch points.

[0048] The guided vehicle 10 traveling in an autonomous travel area where no guide line is laid in the autonomous travel mode changes its travel mode to the guided travel mode in which it follows the guide line on the condition that it enters the travel mode switching position 132 and detects the guide line 131. On the other hand, when the guided vehicle traveling in the guided travel mode on the guide line enters the travel mode switching position 132, the travel control mode is switched from the guided travel mode to the autonomous travel mode, and the guided vehicle leaves the guide line and starts autonomous travel.

[0049] As the induction line 131 shown in Fig. 10, induction lines of various induction methods that have been used conventionally can be applied, as described later. Specifically, for example, an electromagnetic induction method in which a pickup coil on the carrier side detects a magnetic field generated by passing a weak alternating current through a metal wire installed as an induction line, a magnetic induction method in which a magnetic sensor on the carrier side reads a magnetic tape laid on the floor as an induction line, or an image recognition method in which a camera on the carrier side takes an image of a code (such as a barcode or a two-dimensional code) laid on the floor as an induction line and processes the image can be applied.

[0050] 11 shows the positional relationship between the guide line and the transport vehicle when the two-dimensional code constituting the guide line is detected by the guide line detection unit 16. The guide line is formed by printing a plurality of two-dimensional codes, each having code information printed on a two-dimensional plane as shown in the two-dimensional code 1000, side by side in the laying direction of the guide line. When the guide line detection unit 16 detects the two-dimensional code, it acquires the position information of the two-dimensional code based on the code information acquired from the two-dimensional code.

[0051] FIG. 12 shows the positional relationship between the guide line and the carrier when the magnetic tape constituting the guide line is detected by the guide line detection unit 16. The guide line detection unit 16 shown in FIG. 12 is configured to have a plurality of magnetic sensors 17 for detecting the magnetic tape arranged horizontally toward the traveling direction of the carrier. The plurality of magnetic sensors 17 provided in the guide line detection unit 16 each output a detection signal indicating whether or not the magnetic tape is detected. In the case shown in FIG. 12, the three magnetic sensors 17A located in the center of the guide line detection unit 16 detect the magnetic tape, and the two magnetic sensors 17B on each side of the guide line detection unit 16 do not detect the magnetic tape. This makes it possible to detect where the guide line is located (rightward, leftward, center, etc.) within the range of the guide line detection unit 16 (the entire area including the plurality of magnetic sensors).

[0052] 13, in the virtual detection unit 116, a plurality of virtual sensors may be set in the same manner as the magnetic sensor 17, and position information of the virtual sensors may be set in the storage unit to estimate the position of each virtual sensor relative to the guideline. In this case, the accuracy of the position estimation relative to the guideline using the virtual detection unit can be improved.

[0053] <Conveyor system configuration> Next, the configuration of the transport system of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of the transport system according to this embodiment. The transport system 1000 includes a plurality of transport vehicles (10a, 10b), a dolly 2000 which is a transported object, a control device 3000 which can display the state of the transport vehicles or input commands to the transport vehicles, a general control device 4000 which manages information required for the operation of the transport vehicles, an input / output device 5000 which displays information of the general control device and inputs information to the general control device, and a communication network 6000 which communicably connects the plurality of transport vehicles (10a, 10b), the control device 3000, and the general control device 4000. The various devices such as the control device 3000, the general control device 4000, and the input / output device 5000 may be separate devices, or may be formed as an integrated device in part or in whole.

[0054] The transport system 1000 can also be connected to an external system 7000 via a communication network 6000. When the transport system 1000 is introduced into a manufacturing factory to transport parts required for manufacturing from a storage facility to a manufacturing line, the transport system 1000 performs inter-system cooperation with a manufacturing management system as the external system 7000. In this case, by acquiring information on the operational progress of the manufacturing work from the manufacturing management system, the transport volume and transport route by the transport vehicle can be dynamically adjusted according to the progress of the manufacturing work.

[0055] As another example, in the case where the conveyance system 1000 is introduced into a logistics warehouse and conveys the incoming goods from an entrance to a storage warehouse when the goods are brought into the warehouse by truck or the like, and conveys the goods to be shipped from the storage warehouse to an exit when the goods are shipped from the warehouse, the conveyance system 1000 performs inter-system cooperation with a logistics management system as an external system 7000. In this case, by acquiring information related to the incoming goods and the outgoing goods from the logistics management system, the transportation amount and transportation route by the conveyance vehicle can be changed.

[0056] In a facility where a transport system is installed, a plurality of transport vehicles (10a, 10b) are generally in operation, and each transport vehicle is communicatively connected to other transport vehicles and other components via a communication network 6000. For example, the transport vehicle transmits various detection information detected by its own detection unit and other control information to the control device 3000, the overall control device 4000, and the other transport vehicles 10. The transport vehicle 10 is also electrically connected to the cart 2000 or communicatively connected via short-range communication means, and is configured to be able to receive information on the connection state and identification information of the cart from the cart.

[0057] The control device 3000 has a function of displaying status information of each transport vehicle and a function of inputting commands to a specified transport vehicle. For example, the status information of the transport vehicle displayed on the control device includes identification information of each transport vehicle, position (coordinates, position on a map), speed, direction, travel history, information on the charge level of a battery mounted on the transport vehicle and serving as the power source for the transport vehicle, and identification information of transported objects such as a dolly transported by the transport vehicle. Examples of commands input to the transport vehicle include command information on the destination (destination position) of the transport vehicle, operation commands for coupling and uncoupling with the dolly, commands to start the transport vehicle, commands to stop the transport vehicle, commands to return to the charging station, and the like.

[0058] 15 shows a configuration diagram of the overall control device 4000 in this embodiment. The overall control device 4000 has a status information recording unit 4010 that records status information of multiple transport vehicles operated in a facility area, an operation scenario management unit 4020 that manages operation scenarios of the multiple transport vehicles, a map management unit 4030 that generates and updates a map of the work area based on detection information of the transport vehicles including detection information of the guide lines acquired by the guide line detection unit of the transport vehicles, an abnormality determination unit 4040 that determines abnormalities of the guide lines and the transport vehicles based on the detection information of the transport vehicles, and a communication unit 4050 that communicates with an external input / output device 5000 and a communication network 6000.

[0059] The status information of the transport vehicles recorded by the status information recording unit 4010 includes, for example, obstacle detection positions detected by the multiple transport vehicles during operation, guide line detection positions, history information of the travel positions of the transport vehicles, and further, information on the battery charge amount, identification information of the dolly connected to the multiple transport vehicles, operation modes of the multiple transport vehicles (guided travel mode or autonomous travel mode, virtual sensor use mode), various other detection information detected by the detection unit 230 of the transport vehicles, map information of the work area, etc. The operation scenario managed by the operation scenario management unit 4020 includes, for example, information on the destination of each of the multiple transport vehicles, the contents of multiple operations to be performed until the multiple transport vehicles reach the destination, the operation sequence of the multiple operations, and switching conditions for the multiple operations.

[0060] The map management unit 4030 generates a map including the position information of obstacles and guide lines in the work area based on the obstacle detection position detected by the guided vehicle, the guide line detection position, and the history information of the travel position of the guided vehicle. Furthermore, the map management unit 4030 updates the information of the guide lines and the work area registered in the map based on the information of the detection position of the guide lines accumulated by one or more guided vehicles.

[0061] The abnormality determination unit 4040 determines abnormalities in the guide lines and the guided vehicle based on the position information of the guide lines registered in the map information and the detection information of the guided vehicle including the detection position information of the guide lines detected by the guided vehicle.

[0062] The input / output device 5000 displays information recorded in the state information recording unit 4010 of the overall control device 4000, map information (including map update information), and the determination result by the abnormality determination unit, and can add or update a new operation scenario by inputting an operation scenario managed by the operation scenario management unit 4020. Information input to the input / output device 5000 includes, for example, that the destination of a given transport vehicle is the working area A of the guided travel area 110, operation contents for entering the guided travel area 110 and reaching the working area A, operation switching conditions, and the like.

[0063] <Functions of the transport vehicle> The functions of the transport vehicle will be described with reference to Fig. 16. Fig. 16 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the transport vehicle according to this embodiment. The transport vehicle 10 includes a communication unit 210 that communicates with a dolly 2000 outside the transport vehicle and a communication network 6000, a recording unit 220 (including a storage unit), a detection unit 230 equipped with various sensors described later, a coupling unit 11 for coupling with the dolly, a wheel driving unit 280 that drives the wheels, an input unit 240, a display unit 250, and a control unit 260 that controls the operations of the wheel driving unit 280, etc.

[0064] The recording unit 220 has a function of recording information received by the communication unit 210 from the outside, detection information detected by the detection unit 230, and information generated and output by the control unit. The recording unit 220 stores a specific location of the transport vehicle, position information of the virtual detection unit, information of the virtual detection unit according to the type of transport object to be connected, and the like. The recording unit 220 can store information such as the destination position, movement route, and movement history of the transport vehicle. The recording unit 220 can store speed information according to the distance to the destination position, calculation formula (program) information for calculating the speed information, and the like.

[0065] The detection unit 230 includes an object position detection unit 12, a guide line detection unit 16, a travel distance detection unit 233, a collision detection unit 234, a posture detection unit 235, and a charge amount detection unit 236. As described above, the object position detection unit 12 includes a laser distance sensor (such as LiDAR (Light detection and ranging)) that measures the distance and direction to an object by irradiating a laser beam and measuring the time it takes for the laser beam to bounce back after hitting the object, a millimeter wave radar that detects the distance to an object based on a millimeter wave transmission signal and a received signal that is reflected by the object and returns, or a camera-type distance sensor that measures the distance to an object by photographing the object with a camera and analyzing the photographed image. The control unit can estimate information on the current position and current speed of the transport vehicle based on information from the detection unit. The detection unit 230 includes a position sensor including a GNSS or the like that detects the current position of the transport vehicle, and a speed sensor that detects the speed of the transport vehicle.

[0066] As described above, the guide line detection unit 16 uses a sensor according to the type of guide method. When the electromagnetic induction method is used as the guide method, a pickup coil is used as the sensor of the guide line detection unit. When the magnetic induction method is used, a magnetic sensor is used. When the image recognition method is used, a camera is used as the sensor of the guide line detection unit. When the guide line detection unit is located directly above the guide line, it detects the guide line and outputs a detection signal. In addition to the detection signal of the guide line, in the case of an image recognition method in which a camera reads a guide line using a two-dimensional code or a barcode, position information is generated based on the information of the detected code, and further, by analyzing the image information of the code, relative angle information (angle θ) between the guide line and the carrier can be generated.

[0067] The travel distance detection unit 233 detects the number of rotations of the non-driven wheels 14 or the driven wheels 13, and can measure the travel distance and travel speed of the transport vehicle based on the detection information of the number of rotations and the information of the diameter (or circumference) of the non-driven wheels or the driven wheels (in this case, the travel distance detection unit 233 can function as a speed sensor). As an alternative, it is also possible to apply a means for detecting the travel speed of the transport vehicle using a millimeter wave sensor that irradiates millimeter waves in any horizontal direction (may be a wall or floor surface) and detects reflected waves, and integrating the travel speed to estimate the travel distance. Also, any method for measuring the travel distance or acquiring the travel speed other than the above-mentioned methods can be applied.

[0068] The collision detection unit 234 has a function of detecting that the transport vehicle collides with an object or a person. Specifically, it is possible to detect acceleration using a gyro sensor or the like, and determine that a collision has occurred when a sudden change in acceleration is detected. As an alternative, it is also possible to apply a means of providing a physical switch together with a bumper at the front of the transport vehicle in the traveling direction, and determining that a collision has occurred when the physical switch is pressed. In addition, a collision detection method other than the above can be applied. When the collision detection unit 234 detects a collision, it stops the transport vehicle, records at least one of the collision occurrence information and the collision occurrence position information in the recording unit, and notifies the information to the general control device 4000 and the control device 3000. The attitude detection unit 235 detects the direction (attitude) of the vehicle based on a magnetic compass, information on the rotation speed of the left and right drive wheels, or steering information of the wheels.

[0069] The charge amount detection unit 236 detects the charge amount of the battery, which is the power source of the transport vehicle. When the charge amount detected by the charge amount detection unit 236 becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value, it determines that charging is necessary, records the detection information of the decrease in charge amount in the recording unit, and notifies the information to the general control device 4000 and the control device 3000. Furthermore, when it is detected that the charge amount is equal to or less than a predetermined value, in addition to the above processing, it may be configured to automatically move to a charging spot and charge. The predetermined value for the charge amount detection unit 236 to determine that charging is necessary may be a value set in advance based on at least one of the distance to the destination set for the transport vehicle and the weight of the transported object coupled to the transport vehicle.

[0070] The input unit 240 is composed of a physical switch or a touch panel mounted on the transport vehicle, and allows the user to directly input operation commands, etc. to the transport vehicle. The display unit 250 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal panel mounted on the transport vehicle, and can display status information of the transport vehicle (various types of detection information by the detection unit 230, the type of driving mode, the currently running operation scenario, etc.).

[0071] The control unit 260 includes an operation determination unit 261, a mode switching unit 262, a connection control unit 263, a display control unit 264, a position estimation unit 265, and a travel control unit 266. The operation determination unit 261 determines the operation of the guided vehicle based on the operation scenario of the self-guided vehicle acquired from the operation scenario management unit 4020.

[0072] The mode switching unit 262 switches the travel mode of the transport vehicle between a guided travel mode and an autonomous travel mode based on conditions predetermined by an operation scenario or the like, or a command input by the input unit 240. The connection control unit 263 controls the operation of the connection unit 11 to control connection / disconnection with a transported object such as a cart based on conditions predetermined by an operation scenario or the like, or a command input by the input unit 240. The display control unit 264 controls the input IF of the input unit 240 and the display unit 250 described above.

[0073] The position estimation unit 265 can estimate the position and attitude of the vehicle at a predetermined time including the current position and current attitude in the entire driving area based on the travel distance detected by the travel distance detection unit 233, the information on the direction of the vehicle detected by the attitude detection unit 235, and the map information of the entire area recorded in the recording unit 220. Alternatively, the position and attitude of the vehicle in the entire driving area can be estimated based on the information on the distance and direction from the vehicle to an object measured by the object position detection unit 12 and the map information of the entire area recorded in the recording unit 220. If the map information includes a guideline, the position and attitude relative to the guideline can also be estimated. Alternatively, if the vehicle is traveling on a guideline formed by a two-dimensional code, the position and attitude of the vehicle in the entire driving area can be estimated based on the identification information of the two-dimensional code and the map information. The position estimation unit 265 can also acquire position information by a GNSS or the like provided in the carrier vehicle.

[0074] The position estimation unit 265 can estimate the position where the object exists based on the estimated vehicle position information and the distance information from the vehicle to the object detected by the object position detection unit 12. In addition, it is also possible to estimate the installation position and extension angle of the guide line based on the vehicle position information and attitude information when the guide line detection unit 16 detects the guide line.

[0075] The travel control unit 266 controls the travel of the transport vehicle based on at least one of the determination information by the operation determination unit 261 and the mode switching unit 262. The travel control unit 266 can control the forward movement, backward movement, stopping, turning, and the moving speed and turning speed of the transport vehicle. Specifically, the travel control unit 266 individually controls the right wheel driving unit 281 and the left wheel driving unit 282 of the wheel driving unit 280. The right wheel driving unit 281 and the left wheel driving unit 282 are composed of, for example, a motor, and by individually controlling the rotation speed and rotation direction of each drive wheel, it becomes possible to make the transport vehicle travel on a curve with an arbitrary trajectory radius or to turn the transport vehicle on the spot to change its direction.

[0076] For example, when moving along the guideline, the control unit 260 can execute a travel control process to control the travel speed of the transport vehicle based on the difference in distance between the current position of the transport vehicle and the destination position in the extension direction of the guideline. The control unit 260 may execute a distance estimation process to calculate the difference in distance between the current position of the transport vehicle and the destination position in the extension direction of the guideline based on the current position information and the destination position information of the transport vehicle.

[0077] The distance estimation process can estimate the distance difference between the current position of the transport vehicle and the destination position in the extension direction of the guideline, for example, by calculating the difference between the position coordinates as the current position information of the transport vehicle and the position coordinates of the destination position as the destination position information.

[0078] When the transport vehicle advances toward the destination position, a travel control process may be executed based on the distance to the destination position, and when the transport vehicle passes the destination position, a travel control process may be executed to control the speed in the backward direction based on the distance in the same way as when the transport vehicle advances. In this case, even if the transport vehicle passes the destination position, the transport vehicle can reach the destination position while traveling backward with high accuracy and efficiency in the same way as when traveling forward.

[0079] The direction of the transport vehicle may be controlled based on the angle estimation process, which estimates the angle of the transport vehicle with respect to the extension direction of the guideline based on information from a sensor provided on the transport vehicle, the relative position estimation process, which estimates the relative position between the guideline and a specific point of the transport vehicle in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the guideline based on information from a sensor provided on the transport vehicle, and the angle and relative position of the transport vehicle. For example, in the case of an image recognition method in which a camera reads a guideline using a two-dimensional code or a barcode, in addition to the detection signal of the guideline, position information may be generated based on information of the detected code, and further image information of the code may be processed to generate relative angle information between the guideline and the transport vehicle. The control unit 260 controls the travel of the transport vehicle so that the angle (direction) of the transport vehicle finally coincides with the extension direction of the guideline (or the difference in angle is a predetermined value (e.g., 1°, 3°, 5°, etc.) or less) and so that the deviation between the guideline and the transport vehicle in the direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the guideline is a predetermined value or less. For example, when it is determined that the deviation between the guideline and the transport vehicle in the direction perpendicular to the guideline exceeds a predetermined value, the direction (angle) of the transport vehicle can be controlled to face the guideline side and move forward or backward so that the transport vehicle approaches the guideline. Also, when the deviation between the guideline and the transport vehicle in the direction perpendicular to the guideline is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, the drive control can be performed so that the guideline and the transport vehicle are oriented in the same direction.

[0080] In the distance estimation process, the control unit 260 may calculate the distance from the current position to the destination position based on the difference between the current position acquired from the position estimation unit and the destination position acquired from the storage unit. Alternatively, the control unit 260 may perform image recognition of a two-dimensional code provided on a floor or wall, and acquire information on the distance (the distance from the current position to the destination position) associated with the two-dimensional code.

[0081] The control unit 260 may execute the travel control process based on speed information acquired by a speed sensor of the transport vehicle. The type of the speed sensor is not particularly limited, and any sensor such as a sensor that detects the number of rotations or the rotation speed of the drive wheels, or a camera can be used as the speed sensor. The control unit 260 detects the speed of the transport vehicle at every predetermined fixed period, judges whether the speed matches the target speed, and can control the travel while repeatedly adjusting it. That is, the control unit 260 judges whether the difference between the actual speed and the target speed is equal to or less than a predetermined value (predetermined threshold value, etc.), and if it is equal to or less than the predetermined value, maintains the control, and if it exceeds the predetermined value, can perform deceleration or acceleration control so as to approach the target speed. By repeating such a speed adjustment process, it is possible to suppress (reduce) the deviation from the target speed.

[0082] The control unit 260 can repeatedly execute the distance estimation process at a predetermined fixed time period. Similarly, the control unit 260 may execute the process of estimating the position and orientation of the virtual detection unit relative to the guideline and calculate the difference at a fixed time period. This can further improve the accuracy when the virtual detection unit retreats while positioned on the guideline.

[0083] The control unit 260 may acquire information such as the current position, the distance to the destination position, and / or the target speed at that point, which are associated with the two-dimensional code, by scanning the two-dimensional code with a sensor (camera). For example, if information on the target speed is associated with the two-dimensional code, the carrier vehicle can acquire the information on the target speed from the two-dimensional code and execute the above-mentioned speed control.

[0084] In the travel control method of this embodiment, the control unit 260 switches from a normal operation mode to a virtual sensor use mode in which the transport vehicle is operated so that the virtual detection unit is positioned on the guideline when a predetermined condition is satisfied, for example, as shown in FIG. 17 (S101). The predetermined condition can be, for example, a case of moving backward, but is not limited thereto. It may also be a case in which an input requesting switching is received from a user, or a case in which switching instruction information previously associated with a two-dimensional code read by a camera (sensor) is recognized. The normal operation mode can be a mode in which the transport vehicle moves forward along the guideline while detecting the guideline with the line detection unit 16, but it may also be another mode, such as an autonomous travel mode.

[0085] Then, the control unit 260 (position and orientation acquisition unit) estimates the relative position and relative angle θ of the line detection unit 16 with respect to the guideline. For example, when the line detection unit 16 is located on the guideline, the distance from the guideline to the line detection unit 16 is 0 (zero).

[0086] The control unit estimates the guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit with respect to the guideline based on the position information and posture information of the transport vehicle with respect to the guideline and the relative position information of the virtual detection unit with respect to the specific point (S102). The control unit estimates the distance D from the guideline to the specific point (center, etc.) of the virtual detection unit 116 based on, for example, the distance (relative position) from the guideline to the line detection unit 16 and the relative angle θ (the distance L1 from the line detection unit 16 to the virtual detection unit 116 stored in advance in the storage unit). The distance D can be calculated by the formula D=L1×sinθ. Note that when the line detection unit 16 is not located on the guideline, the distance D can be calculated by adding or subtracting the distance from the guideline to the line detection unit 16 (depending on the direction as seen from the guideline) to the above L1×sinθ.

[0087] The control unit controls the operation of the transport vehicle based on the estimated position of the virtual detection unit relative to the guideline (S103). For example, the transport vehicle may be rotated until the virtual detection unit is positioned on the guideline, or the transport vehicle may be rotated gradually while moving backward to bring the virtual detection unit closer to the guideline. The control unit 260 repeats the above processes of S102 and S103, and when it detects that the transport vehicle has reached the destination position, it stops the transport vehicle, and the process of moving to the destination position is completed.

[0088] The control unit can control the drive unit so that the distance D becomes a predetermined specific value (e.g., 5 mm or less, 1 mm or less, 0.5 mm or less, 0 mm, etc.) in the same way as when the line detection unit 16 moves forward while reading the guideline. For example, the left and right drive wheels can be rotated in opposite directions or at different rotation speeds to turn the carrier in a direction in which the virtual detection unit 116 approaches the guideline, thereby making it possible to make the distance D equal to or less than the predetermined specific value. At that time, the carrier may move forward or backward.

[0089] The control unit repeatedly acquires the relative position of the virtual detection unit with respect to the guideline at predetermined intervals, and when the position of the virtual detection unit deviates from the guideline, controls the drive unit so that the virtual detection unit is positioned on the guideline, and the transport vehicle moves to the destination position while backing up. Note that, not only when the transport vehicle is backing up, but also when the transport vehicle is forwarding, the control unit may acquire the relative position of the virtual detection unit with respect to the guideline and control the drive unit so that the virtual detection unit is positioned on the guideline.

[0090] The control unit 260 may execute a process of calculating the distance from the current position of the transport vehicle to the destination position based on the difference between the current position acquired from the position estimation unit 265 and the destination position acquired from the storage unit. Alternatively, the distance d may be acquired by associating information on the distance d with a two-dimensional code laid on the floor and reading the code with the transport vehicle.

[0091] The control unit 260 may control the travel speed of the transport vehicle based on speed information acquired by a speed sensor of the transport vehicle. For example, the control unit 260 compares the target speed determined based on the distance d with the current speed of the transport vehicle, and controls the transport vehicle to accelerate if the current speed is smaller than the target speed, and controls the transport vehicle to decelerate if the current speed is larger than the target speed.

[0092] The control unit 260 may execute a process of calculating a distance to a destination position, determining a target speed, and controlling a speed at every predetermined fixed period. The fixed period may be, for example, 0.01 seconds, 0.02 seconds, 0.05 seconds, 0.1 seconds, 1 second, etc., and may be stored in the storage unit in advance. The control unit 260 may execute a process of calculating the distance d at a shorter period as the distance d becomes smaller (i.e., closer to the destination) without being limited to a fixed period. On the other hand, the control unit 260 may execute a process of calculating the distance d at a shorter period as the distance d becomes larger. The control unit 260 may acquire or estimate its own position and acquire or estimate its speed at every fixed or non-fixed predetermined period, similar to the process of calculating the distance d.

[0093] The control unit 260 may calculate an appropriate torque value for the motor that drives the drive wheels based on the traveling speed v. For example, the torque value corresponding to the traveling speed v may be calculated based on a relational expression between the traveling speed v and the motor torque value that is stored in advance in the storage unit. By controlling the motor based on the appropriate torque value, it is possible to further improve the stopping accuracy.

[0094] The control unit 260 may acquire the current position by scanning a two-dimensional code placed on the road surface. This allows the information on the current position to be acquired quickly and easily. When the control unit detects that the transport vehicle has passed the destination position based on the information on the current position, the control unit may also control the travel of the transport vehicle to return to the destination position. As shown in FIG. 7, the control unit 260 can perform the same speed control when the transport vehicle moves backward to the destination position as when it moves forward. When the transport vehicle moves backward to the destination position, the control may be different from the control when it moves forward.

[0095] In addition, the transport vehicle may detect the attitude (angle) of the transport vehicle relative to the extension direction of the travel path (for example, relative to the extension direction of the guide line) at the same time as the speed control along the guide line as described above, and when the transport vehicle deviates from the travel path direction by a predetermined value (for example, 1°, 5°, etc.) or more, perform attitude control (turning) so as to bring the attitude closer to the travel path direction. In this way, by checking and correcting the angle deviation, the accuracy of the stop position can be further improved. In addition, such detection of the attitude may be repeated every predetermined period (a predetermined fixed period, or a non-fixed fixed period). In addition, the control unit can detect the traveling direction (front direction of the transport vehicle) by, for example, an attitude sensor of the transport vehicle. In addition, the control unit may detect the extension direction of the guide line by the detection unit, or data on the position and extension direction of the guide line may be stored in advance in a map of the storage unit.

[0096] Although the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure has been described in detail above with reference to the attached drawings, the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field of the present disclosure can conceive of various modified or amended examples within the scope of the technical ideas described in the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally belong to the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0097] The devices described in this specification may be realized as a single device, or may be realized by a plurality of devices (e.g., cloud servers) partially or entirely connected via a network. For example, the control unit 260 and the recording unit 220 of the transport vehicle may be realized by different servers connected to each other via a network. In addition, in the transport system described in this specification, an example has been described in which the controller 3000, the overall control device 4000, and the input / output device 5000 are configured as separate hardware connected via a network, but some or all of the functions of the controller 3000, the overall control device 4000, and the input / output device 5000 may be implemented in the transport vehicle 10.

[0098] The series of processes performed by the device described in this specification may be realized using any of software, hardware, and a combination of software and hardware. A computer program for realizing each function of the control unit 260 according to this embodiment may be created and implemented in a PC or the like. A computer-readable recording medium in which such a computer program is stored may also be provided. The recording medium may be, for example, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a flash memory, or the like. The above computer program may also be distributed, for example, via a network, without using a recording medium.

[0099] In addition, the processes described herein using flowchart diagrams do not necessarily have to be performed in the order shown. Some process steps may be performed in parallel. Additional process steps may be employed, and some process steps may be omitted.

[0100] In addition, the effects described in this specification are merely descriptive or exemplary and are not limiting. In other words, the technology according to the present disclosure may achieve other effects that are apparent to a person skilled in the art from the description of this specification, in addition to or in place of the above effects.

[0101] Note that the following configurations also fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. (Item 1) A travel control system for a guided vehicle that can move along a real or virtual guideline, A control unit controls a drive unit of the transport vehicle to thereby control the operation of the transport vehicle; a position and attitude acquisition unit that acquires current position information of a specific location of the transport vehicle relative to the guideline and attitude information of the transport vehicle relative to the guideline; a storage unit configured to store in advance relative position information of a virtual detection unit set at a position different from the specific location of the transport vehicle, with respect to the specific location; The control unit is A driving control system that estimates a guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit with respect to the guideline based on position information and attitude information of the transport vehicle with respect to the guideline and relative position information of the virtual detection unit with respect to the specific location, and controls the operation of the transport vehicle based on the estimated guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit. (Item 2) The control unit is 2. The cruise control system according to item 1, wherein, when estimating a guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit with respect to the guideline, a relative difference between the position of the guideline and the position of the virtual detection unit is obtained. (Item 3) the transport vehicle includes a guide detection unit that is disposed at the specific location and detects an actual guide line, The driving control system described in item 1, wherein the position and attitude acquisition unit estimates relative position information of a specific location on the transport vehicle relative to the guideline and attitude information of the transport vehicle relative to the guideline based on detection information from the guide detection unit. (Item 4) the storage unit stores in advance map data corresponding to a real space and position data of a virtual guide line set on the map data; 2. The driving control system according to claim 1, wherein the position and attitude acquisition unit estimates current position information of a specific point on the transport vehicle relative to the guideline and attitude information of the transport vehicle relative to the guideline based on position data of a virtual guideline on the map data and current position information and attitude information of the transport vehicle. (Item 5) 2. The travel control system according to item 1, wherein the virtual detection unit is set at a position rearward of the transport vehicle relative to the specific location. (Item 6) the control unit determines whether the virtual detection unit is located on the guideline when the transport vehicle moves backward; When the virtual detection unit is located on the guideline, the operation of the transport vehicle is controlled so that the virtual detection unit moves along the guideline; 2. The travel control system according to claim 1, wherein, if the virtual detection unit is not positioned on the guideline, the operation of the transport vehicle is controlled so that the virtual detection unit approaches the guideline. (Item 7) 2. The driving control system according to item 1, wherein the drive unit has a pair of left and right drive wheels. (Item 8) 8. The cruise control system according to item 7, wherein the specific location is located forward of the pair of left and right drive wheels. (Item 9) 8. The cruise control system according to item 7, wherein the virtual detection unit is located rearward of the pair of left and right drive wheels. (Item 10) 2. The cruise control system according to item 1, wherein the control unit estimates a position of the virtual detection unit relative to the guide line at regular intervals. (Item 11) 3. The travel control system according to item 1 or 2, wherein the current position of the transport vehicle is obtained by scanning a two-dimensional code serving as the guideline installed on a road surface, a wall surface, or a ceiling surface. (Item 12) the virtual detection unit is set at a predetermined position of the transport object coupled to the transport vehicle; 3. The travel control system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit estimates a position of the virtual detection unit based on relative position information and attitude information of the object to be transported with respect to the transport vehicle. (Item 13) Item 13. The travel control system according to item 12, wherein the transport vehicle is provided with a transport object detection unit that detects the posture of the transport object. (Item 14) The control unit selects one of the position information of a plurality of the virtual detection units stored in advance based on whether or not an object to be transported is connected to the transport vehicle. (Item 15) A travel control method for controlling travel of a guided vehicle that can move along a real or virtual guideline by a travel control system, comprising: The driving control system includes: A control unit controls a drive unit of the transport vehicle to thereby control the operation of the transport vehicle; a position and attitude acquisition unit that acquires current position information of a specific location of the transport vehicle relative to the guideline and attitude information of the transport vehicle relative to the guideline; a storage unit configured to store in advance relative position information of a virtual detection unit set at a position different from the specific location of the transport vehicle, with respect to the specific location; The control unit is A driving control method comprising: estimating a guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit with respect to the guideline based on position information and attitude information of the transport vehicle with respect to the guideline and relative position information of the virtual detection unit with respect to the specific location; and controlling the operation of the transport vehicle based on the estimated guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0102] 10 transport vehicle, 11 coupling section, 12 object position detection section, 13 drive wheel, 14 non-drive wheel, 16 guide line detection section, 17 magnetic sensor, 116 virtual detection section, 130 operating area, 131 guide line, 132 driving mode switching position, 210 communication section, 220 recording section, 230 detection section, 240 input section, 250 display section, 260 control section, 280 wheel drive section, 2000 cart, 2010 coupling receiving section, 3000 control unit, 4000 overall control device, 5000 input / output device, 6000 communication network, 7000 external system

Claims

1. A travel control system for a guided vehicle that can move along a real guideline, A control unit controls a drive unit of the transport vehicle to thereby control the operation of the transport vehicle; a position and attitude acquisition unit that acquires current position information of a specific point of the transport vehicle relative to the guideline and attitude information of the transport vehicle relative to the guideline; a storage unit configured to store in advance relative position information of a virtual detection unit set at a different position with respect to the specific location of the transport vehicle, the virtual detection unit being located at a different position with respect to the specific location; a guide detection unit that is located forward of a center or a turning center of the transport vehicle and detects the actual guide line; The virtual detection unit is set rearward of the guide detection unit and the turning center, In the transport vehicle, a sensor for detecting the guide line is not provided behind the guide detection unit, The control unit is estimating a guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit with respect to the guideline based on current position information of the specific point on the transport vehicle relative to the guideline and posture information of the transport vehicle with respect to the guideline, and relative position information of the virtual detection unit with respect to the specific point, and controlling an operation of the transport vehicle based on the estimated guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit; the attitude information of the transport vehicle with respect to the guide line includes information indicating an orientation of the transport vehicle with respect to the guide line, a guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit with respect to the guideline is represented by a vertical distance from the virtual detection unit to the guideline; The control unit determines whether or not the virtual detection unit is located on the guideline when the transport vehicle moves backward, and controls the operation of the transport vehicle based on a result of the determination.

2. The control unit is When estimating a guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit with respect to the guideline, a relative difference between a position of the guideline and a position of the virtual detection unit is obtained; The cruise control system of claim 1 , wherein the difference is the vertical distance.

3. The guide detector is disposed at the specific location, The travel control system according to claim 1 , wherein the position and attitude acquisition unit estimates relative position information of the specific location on the transport vehicle relative to the guideline and attitude information of the transport vehicle relative to the guideline based on detection information from the guide detection unit.

4. The travel control system according to claim 1 , wherein the virtual detection unit is set at a position rearward of the specific location of the transport vehicle.

5. the control unit determines whether the virtual detection unit is located on the guideline when the transport vehicle moves backward; When the virtual detection unit is located on the guideline, the operation of the transport vehicle is controlled so that the virtual detection unit moves along the guideline; The travel control system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the virtual detection unit is not positioned on the guide line, the operation of the guided vehicle is controlled so that the virtual detection unit approaches the guide line.

6. The cruise control system according to claim 1 , wherein the drive unit has a pair of left and right drive wheels.

7. The cruise control system according to claim 6 , wherein the specific location is located forward of the pair of left and right drive wheels.

8. The cruise control system according to claim 6 , wherein the virtual detection unit is located rearward of the pair of left and right drive wheels.

9. The cruise control system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit estimates a position of the virtual detection unit relative to the guide line at regular intervals.

10. 3. The cruise control system according to claim 1, further comprising: a two-dimensional code serving as the guideline provided on a road surface, a wall surface, or a ceiling surface, the two-dimensional code being scanned to acquire position information of the two-dimensional code.

11. the virtual detection unit is set at a predetermined position of the transport object coupled to the transport vehicle; The travel control system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit estimates relative position information of the virtual detection unit with respect to the specific location based on relative position information of the object to be transported with respect to the specific location of the transport vehicle and relative attitude information of the object to be transported with respect to the transport vehicle.

12. The travel control system according to claim 11, wherein the transport vehicle is provided with an object detection unit that detects an attitude of the object.

13. A travel control method for controlling travel of a guided vehicle that can move along a real guideline by a travel control system, comprising: The driving control system includes: A control unit controls a drive unit of the transport vehicle to thereby control the operation of the transport vehicle; a position and attitude acquisition unit that acquires current position information of a specific point of the transport vehicle relative to the guideline and attitude information of the transport vehicle relative to the guideline; a storage unit configured to store in advance relative position information of a virtual detection unit set at a different position with respect to the specific location of the transport vehicle, the virtual detection unit being located at a different position with respect to the specific location; a guide detection unit that is located forward of a center or a turning center of the transport vehicle and detects the actual guide line; The virtual detection unit is set rearward of the guide detection unit and the turning center, In the transport vehicle, a sensor for detecting the guide line is not provided behind the guide detection unit, The control unit is estimating a guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit with respect to the guideline based on current position information of the specific point on the transport vehicle relative to the guideline and posture information of the transport vehicle with respect to the guideline, and relative position information of the virtual detection unit with respect to the specific point, and controlling an operation of the transport vehicle based on the estimated guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit; the attitude information of the transport vehicle with respect to the guide line includes information indicating an orientation of the transport vehicle with respect to the guide line, a guideline relative position of the virtual detection unit with respect to the guideline is represented by a vertical distance from the virtual detection unit to the guideline; The control unit determines whether or not the virtual detection unit is located on the guideline when the transport vehicle moves backward, and controls the operation of the transport vehicle based on a result of the determination.

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