Mobile robot, transport system, method, and program

Abstract

To provide mobile robots that can receive information necessary for management even when wireless communication with a server device that manages the mobile robots is disabled in a conveyance system that conveys conveyance items using the plurality of mobile robots capable of autonomously moving within a facility.SOLUTION: A mobile robot 20 receives first transmission information transmitted from a server device in order to manage the mobile robot 20 in a state in which wireless communication with the server device is available, and when the wireless communication with the server device is unavailable, performs direct wireless communication with another mobile robot 20 and performs a reception process of receiving the first transmission information transmitted from the server device in order to manage the mobile robot 20 from the other mobile robot 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a mobile robot, a transport system, a method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent document 1 describes a technology in which, when a robot traveling autonomously within a specified area experiences an error and loses its own position and orientation, the robot determines its own position by using a reader to read RFID tags installed within the traveling area or by photographing landmarks with a camera mounted on the robot. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-249735 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The inventors have developed a technology for a mobile robot that autonomously travels within a facility or a specified area thereof to receive information such as location and commands via wireless communication with a server. In the course of this work, they have studied the case where wireless communication with the server is interrupted due to a fire, earthquake, or the like.

[0005] If wireless communication with the server is interrupted, the mobile robot will not be able to receive information such as its position and commands from the server, and so a solution to this problem is required. If the mobile robot is transporting an object, there is a risk that the object will no longer be able to be transported unless the problem is resolved.

[0006] In addition, the technology described in Patent Document 1 can only grasp location information and cannot grasp commands given to the mobile robot, making it difficult to continue performing the instructed tasks. In addition, it requires the installation of RFID tags or landmarks to grasp location information.

[0007] The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems, and provides a mobile robot, a transport system, a method, and a program in a transport system that transports goods using multiple mobile robots that can move autonomously within a facility, which are capable of receiving information necessary for management even when wireless communication with a server device that manages the mobile robots is not possible. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A mobile robot according to a first aspect of the present disclosure is a mobile robot in a transport system that includes a server device that manages a plurality of mobile robots that can move autonomously within a facility while exchanging information via wireless communication, and transports an object using the plurality of mobile robots, and when wireless communication with the server device is possible, the mobile robot receives first transmission information transmitted from the server device for managing the mobile robot, and when wireless communication with the server device is not possible, performs a receiving process of directly wirelessly communicating with another mobile robot among the plurality of mobile robots and receiving from the other mobile robot the first transmission information transmitted from the server device for managing the mobile robot. With this configuration, the mobile robot can receive information necessary for management even when wireless communication with the server device is not possible.

[0009] A mobile robot according to a second aspect of the present disclosure is a mobile robot in a transport system that includes a server device that manages a plurality of mobile robots that can move autonomously within a facility while exchanging information via wireless communication, and transports an object using the plurality of mobile robots, and when wireless communication with the server device is possible, the mobile robot receives first transmission information transmitted from the server device for managing the mobile robot and second transmission information transmitted from the server device for managing another mobile robot among the plurality of mobile robots, and when the other mobile robot is unable to wirelessly communicate with the server device, performs a transmission process of directly wirelessly communicating with the other mobile robot and transmitting the second transmission information to the other mobile robot. With this configuration, the other mobile robot can obtain information necessary for management even when wireless communication with the server device is no longer possible.

[0010] A transport system according to a third aspect of the present disclosure includes a server device that manages a plurality of mobile robots capable of autonomously moving within a facility by exchanging information via wireless communication, and transports objects using the plurality of mobile robots, wherein the mobile robot, when capable of wireless communication with the server device, receives first transmission information transmitted from the server device for managing the mobile robot, together with second transmission information transmitted from the server device for managing another mobile robot among the plurality of mobile robots, and the other mobile robot, when capable of wireless communication with the server device, receives the first transmission information together with the second transmission information, and when wireless communication with the server device is no longer possible, the mobile robot directly communicates wirelessly with the other mobile robot, receives the first transmission information from the other mobile robot, and transmits first position information indicating the position of the mobile robot to the other mobile robot. and the other mobile robot, when it becomes unable to communicate wirelessly with the server device, performs a first communication process to transmit the second transmission information to the mobile robot, and when it becomes unable to communicate wirelessly with the server device, the other mobile robot performs a second communication process to directly communicate wirelessly with the mobile robot, receives the second transmission information from the mobile robot, and transmits second position information indicating the position of the other mobile robot to the mobile robot, the other mobile robot transmits the first position information received in the first communication process to the server device in a state in which wireless communication with the server device is possible, the mobile robot transmits the second position information received in the second communication process to the server device in a state in which wireless communication with the server device is possible, and when it becomes unable to communicate wirelessly with the mobile robot, the server device performs a search for the mobile robot based on the first position information, and when it becomes unable to communicate wirelessly with the other mobile robot, performs a search for the other mobile robot based on the second position information. With this configuration, the transport system can search for the mobile robot with which the server device is unable to communicate wirelessly and the other mobile robot.

[0011] A method according to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure is a method for a mobile robot in a transport system that includes a server device that manages a plurality of mobile robots that can move autonomously within a facility while exchanging information via wireless communication, and transports an object using the plurality of mobile robots, the method comprising the steps of: when the mobile robot is capable of wireless communication with the server device, receiving first transmission information transmitted from the server device for managing the mobile robot; and, when the mobile robot is unable to wirelessly communicate with the server device, performing a receiving process for directly wirelessly communicating with another mobile robot among the plurality of mobile robots and receiving from the other mobile robot the first transmission information transmitted from the server device for managing the mobile robot. Through such a process, the mobile robot can receive information necessary for management even when wireless communication with the server device is no longer possible.

[0012] A method according to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure is a method for a mobile robot in a transport system that includes a server device that manages a plurality of mobile robots that can move autonomously within a facility while exchanging information via wireless communication, and transports an object using the plurality of mobile robots, the method comprising: receiving, when the mobile robot is capable of wireless communication with the server device, first transmission information transmitted from the server device for managing the mobile robot, as well as second transmission information transmitted from the server device for managing another mobile robot among the plurality of mobile robots; and, when the other mobile robot is unable to wirelessly communicate with the server device, the mobile robot performs a transmission process of directly wirelessly communicating with the other mobile robot and transmitting the second transmission information to the other mobile robot. Through this process, the other mobile robot can receive information necessary for management even when wireless communication with the server device is no longer possible.

[0013] A method according to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure is a method of a server device in a transport system that transports an object using a plurality of mobile robots, the method comprising: a server device that manages a plurality of mobile robots that can move autonomously within a facility while exchanging information via wireless communication; the server device, in a state in which wireless communication with the server device is possible, the mobile robot receives second transmission information transmitted from the server device for managing another mobile robot among the plurality of mobile robots, together with first transmission information transmitted from the server device for managing the mobile robot, and the other mobile robot receives the first transmission information together with the second transmission information, in a state in which wireless communication with the server device is possible; and when wireless communication with the server device is no longer possible, the mobile robot directly wirelessly communicates with the other mobile robot, receives the first transmission information from the other mobile robot, and transmits first position information indicating the position of the mobile robot to the other mobile robot, and when the other mobile robot is unable to communicate wirelessly with the server device, the other mobile robot performs a second communication process of directly communicating wirelessly with the mobile robot, receiving the second transmission information from the mobile robot, and transmitting second position information indicating the position of the other mobile robot to the mobile robot, and the method includes the steps of: the server device receiving the first position information received in the first communication process at the other mobile robot from the other mobile robot in a state in which wireless communication with the other mobile robot is possible; the server device receiving the second position information received in the second communication process at the other mobile robot from the other mobile robot in a state in which wireless communication with the other mobile robot is possible; when the server device is unable to communicate wirelessly with the mobile robot, the server device searches for the mobile robot based on the first position information; and when the server device is unable to communicate wirelessly with the other mobile robot, the server device searches for the other mobile robot based on the second position information. In the method, such processes enable the server device to search for the mobile robot with which it is unable to communicate wirelessly and the other mobile robot.

[0014] A program according to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure is a program for causing a computer mounted on a mobile robot to execute a communication process in a transport system that includes a server device that manages a plurality of mobile robots that can move autonomously within a facility while exchanging information via wireless communication, and transports an object using the plurality of mobile robots, the communication process receiving first transmission information transmitted from the server device for managing the mobile robot when wireless communication with the server device is possible, and executing a reception process for directly wirelessly communicating with another mobile robot among the plurality of mobile robots and receiving from the other mobile robot the first transmission information transmitted from the server device for managing the mobile robot, when wireless communication with the server device is not possible. By such a process, the mobile robot can receive information necessary for management even when wireless communication with the server device is not possible.

[0015] A program according to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure is a program for causing a computer mounted on a mobile robot to execute a communication process in a transport system that includes a server device that manages a plurality of mobile robots that can move autonomously within a facility while exchanging information via wireless communication, and transports an object using the plurality of mobile robots, the communication process receiving, in a state in which wireless communication with the server device is possible, first transmission information transmitted from the server device to manage the mobile robot and second transmission information transmitted from the server device to manage another mobile robot among the plurality of mobile robots, and, when the other mobile robot is unable to wirelessly communicate with the server device, executing a transmission process of directly wirelessly communicating with the other mobile robot and transmitting the second transmission information to the other mobile robot. By such a process, the other mobile robot can receive information necessary for management even when wireless communication with the server device is unable to be performed.

[0016] A program according to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure is a program for causing a server computer to execute a management process in a transport system that transports goods using the plurality of mobile robots, the program comprising: a server computer that manages a plurality of mobile robots that are capable of autonomously moving within a facility while exchanging information via wireless communication; wherein, when wireless communication with the server computer is possible, the mobile robot receives second transmission information transmitted from the server computer for managing another mobile robot among the plurality of mobile robots, along with first transmission information transmitted from the server computer for managing the mobile robot; the other mobile robot receives the first transmission information along with the second transmission information, when wireless communication with the server computer is possible; and, when wireless communication with the server computer is no longer possible, the mobile robot directly wirelessly communicates with the other mobile robot, receives the first transmission information from the other mobile robot, and The program executes a first communication process to transmit first position information indicating a position of the mobile robot to the other mobile robot, and when the other mobile robot is unable to wirelessly communicate with the server computer, the other mobile robot directly wirelessly communicates with the mobile robot, receives the second transmission information from the mobile robot, and executes a second communication process to transmit second position information indicating the position of the other mobile robot to the mobile robot, and the management process receives the first position information received in the first communication process from the other mobile robot in a state where wireless communication with the other mobile robot is possible, receives the second position information received in the second communication process from the other mobile robot in a state where wireless communication with the other mobile robot is possible, and when wireless communication with the mobile robot is unable to be performed, executes a search for the mobile robot based on the first position information, and when wireless communication with the other mobile robot is unable to be performed, executes a search for the other mobile robot based on the second position information. By such processes, the program enables the server device to search for the mobile robot with which wireless communication is unable to be performed and the other mobile robot.

[0017] In the first, fourth and seventh aspects of the present disclosure, the mobile robot may receive, together with the first transmission information, second transmission information transmitted from the server device for managing the other mobile robot when the mobile robot is capable of wireless communication with the server device, and when the other mobile robot is no longer able to wirelessly communicate with the server device, the mobile robot may execute a transmission process for directly wirelessly communicating with the other mobile robot and transmitting the second transmission information to the other mobile robot, thereby allowing the other mobile robot to receive information necessary for management even when wireless communication with the server device is no longer possible.

[0018] In the first, second, fourth, fifth, seventh, and eighth aspects of the present disclosure, the following configurations can be adopted.

[0019] The transmission process may be executed when the server device is shut down, and the second transmission information transmitted in the transmission process may be information received from the server device before the server device is shut down. In this way, even if wireless communication is not possible due to the server device going down, the other mobile robots can receive information necessary for management.

[0020] The receiving process may be executed when the server device is shut down, and the first transmission information received in the receiving process may be information received by the other mobile robot from the server device before the server device is shut down. In this way, even if wireless communication is not possible due to the server device going down, the mobile robot can receive information necessary for management.

[0021] The mobile robot may transmit to the server device, in a state where wireless communication with the server device is possible, status information indicating the status of the other mobile robot transmitted from the other mobile robot when the other mobile robot becomes unable to wirelessly communicate with the server device, thereby enabling the server device to manage the status of the other mobile robot with which wireless communication has become impossible. Effect of the Invention

[0022] The present disclosure makes it possible to provide a mobile robot, a transport system, a method, and a program that can receive information necessary for management even when wireless communication with a server device that manages the mobile robots is not possible in a transport system that transports items using multiple mobile robots that can move autonomously within a facility. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is a conceptual diagram for explaining an example of the overall configuration of a transport system in which a mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present invention is used; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a control block diagram illustrating an example of a transport system according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a control block diagram illustrating an example of a facility management system. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a mobile robot. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a management area managed by the facility management system of FIG. [Figure 6] 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7] 6 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a method according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] The present invention will be described below through embodiments of the invention, but the invention according to the claims is not limited to the following embodiments. Also, not all of the configurations described in the embodiments are necessarily essential as means for solving the problems.

[0025] (Schematic configuration) FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram for explaining an example of the overall configuration of a transport system 1 in which a mobile robot 20 according to this embodiment is used. The transport system 1 according to this embodiment is a system that transports objects using multiple mobile robots that can move autonomously within a facility. Here, the mobile robot 20 shown in FIG. 1 is taken as an example of the mobile robot. Note that, although the explanation will be given on the premise that each mobile robot 20 transports one or more objects independently, multiple mobile robots 20 may cooperate to transport one or more objects.

[0026] In addition to the mobile robot 20, the transport system 1 can include a host management device 10, a facility management system 30, a network 600, a communication unit 610, and a user terminal 400.

[0027] The mobile robot 20 is a transport robot that performs the task of transporting an object. The mobile robot 20 travels autonomously to transport the object in medical and welfare facilities such as hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, and elderly care facilities. The transport system 1 according to this embodiment can also be used in facilities (buildings) such as commercial facilities such as shopping malls. Of course, the mobile robot 20 may be capable of autonomous movement not only within a facility but also outside the facility.

[0028] A user U1, such as a user or assistant user of the transported item, or a manager of the transported item, requests the mobile robot 20 to transport the item. When making the transport request, the user U1 stores the item in the mobile robot 20 at the requested location, or at the recipient (origin) included in the transport request information. Of course, the storage of the item can also be performed by a storage robot or the like. Note that the user U1 may carry the item exposed on another example of a mobile robot (not shown) and transport it, but for the sake of simplicity of explanation, it is assumed that the item is stored in the mobile robot 20 when it is transported.

[0029] The transported goods include equipment to be rented (hereinafter, rented equipment), and the following description will be given taking rented equipment as an example. Examples of rented equipment include medical equipment such as testing equipment and medical instruments. However, the mobile robot 20 can also transport equipment other than rented equipment and transported goods other than equipment, such as medicines, consumables such as packets, specimens, hospital food, and stationery.

[0030] The user U1 can request the delivery of the rental equipment according to the rental schedule (rental schedule). This rental schedule can be managed by an equipment rental system (not shown) connected to the network 600, and can be referred to by the user U1 from the user terminal 400 for the transportation request, and can also be referred to by the upper management device 10.

[0031] The mobile robot 20 autonomously moves to the set destination and transports the rental equipment. That is, the mobile robot 20 executes a luggage transport task (hereinafter, simply called a task). In the following description, the location where the rental equipment is loaded is referred to as the transport origin, and the location where the rental equipment is delivered is referred to as the transport destination.

[0032] For example, the mobile robot 20 moves within a general hospital with multiple medical departments. The mobile robot 20 transports rental equipment between multiple medical departments. For example, the mobile robot 20 delivers the rental equipment from a nurse's station in one medical department to a nurse's station in another medical department. Alternatively, the mobile robot 20 delivers the rental equipment from its storage to the nurse's station in the medical department. In addition, when the destination is on a different floor, the mobile robot 20 may move using an elevator or the like.

[0033] In the transport system 1 shown in FIG. 1, the facility management system 30, the mobile robot 20, and the user terminal 400 are connected to the host management device 10 via a network 600. The mobile robot 20 and the user terminal 400 are connected to the network 600 via a communication unit 610. The network 600 is a wired or wireless LAN (Local Area Network) or WAN (Wide Area Network). Furthermore, the host management device 10 is connected to the network 600 by wire or wireless. The communication unit 610 is, for example, a wireless LAN unit installed in each environment. The communication unit 610 may be, for example, a general-purpose communication device such as a WiFi router.

[0034] The host management device 10 is a server (server device) connected to each device, and collects data from each device. Furthermore, the host management device 10 is not limited to a single physical device, and may have multiple devices that perform distributed processing. Furthermore, the host management device 10 may be distributed and disposed in edge devices such as mobile robots 20. For example, a part or the whole of the transport system 1 may be mounted on the mobile robot 20.

[0035] The user terminal 400 is, for example, a tablet computer or a smartphone, but may also be a stationary computer. The user terminal 400 may be any information processing device capable of wireless or wired communication.

[0036] User U1 or user U2 can make a transport request using the user terminal 400. For example, user U1 can access the equipment rental system from the user terminal 400 (possibly via the upper management device 10) to refer to the schedule for the transport request, and can make a transport request for the rental equipment to the upper management device 10 based on the result of the reference. The transport request can be made by transmitting transport request information including, for example, the contents of the rental equipment, the transport source, the transport destination, the expected arrival time at the transport source (the time of receipt of the rental equipment), the expected arrival time at the transport destination (the transport deadline), and the like, to the upper management device 10. Note that the rental equipment can be loaded onto the mobile robot 20, for example, before or after the transport request is transmitted from the user terminal 400.

[0037] The host management device 10 that receives this transport request can issue the transport request to the mobile robot 20. The host management device 10 is a management system that manages a plurality of mobile robots 20, and transmits operation commands to each mobile robot 20 to execute the transport task. At this time, the host management device 10 determines the mobile robot 20 that will execute the transport task for each transport request. Then, the host management device 10 transmits a control signal including the operation command to the mobile robot 20. The mobile robot 20 moves from the transport source to the transport destination according to the operation command.

[0038] For example, the host management device 10 assigns a transport task to a mobile robot 20 at or near the transport origin. Alternatively, the host management device 10 assigns a transport task to a mobile robot 20 heading toward the transport origin or its vicinity. The mobile robot 20 to which the task is assigned goes to the transport origin to pick up the rental equipment. The transport origin may be, for example, a storage location or a location where the user U1 who requested the task is located.

[0039] When the mobile robot 20 arrives at the destination, the user U1 or another staff member loads the rental equipment onto the mobile robot 20. The mobile robot 20 equipped with the rental equipment moves autonomously to the destination. The upper management device 10 transmits a signal to the user terminal 400 of the user U2 at the destination. This allows the user U2 to know that the rental equipment is being transported and the estimated arrival time. When the mobile robot 20 arrives at the set destination, the user U2 can receive the rental equipment stored in the mobile robot 20. In this manner, the mobile robot 20 executes the transport task.

[0040] As described above, various signals transmitted from the user terminals 400 of the users U1 and U2 are first sent to the host management device 10 via the network 600, and then transferred from the host management device 10 to the target mobile robot 20. Similarly, various signals transmitted from the mobile robot 20 are first sent to the host management device 10 via the network 600, and then transferred from the host management device 10 to the target user terminal 400.

[0041] The user terminal 400 and the mobile robot 20 may transmit and receive signals without going through the higher level management device 10. For example, the user terminal 400 and the mobile robot 20 may transmit and receive signals directly by wireless communication. Alternatively, the user terminal 400 and the mobile robot 20 may transmit and receive signals via the communication unit 610.

[0042] The facility management system 30 is a system that manages a facility, and can manage, for example, fire alarms, earthquake detectors (tremor detectors), lighting equipment, air conditioning equipment, etc. in each area within the facility. In addition to managing the equipment to be managed, the facility management system 30 collects disaster information via the Internet, etc., and transmits the information to the higher-level management device 10 all the time or only when the level of urgency is high.

[0043] The facility management system 30 may have some of its functions distributed to the host management device 10, or may be incorporated into the host management device 10. The facility management system 30 may have some of its functions distributed to edge devices such as the mobile robot 20.

[0044] Furthermore, the upper management device 10 may go down (shut down) when a notification from the facility management system 30 indicates a high level of urgency, or due to a malfunction, etc. In such a case, the upper management device 10 will be restarted, and after the restart, it can collect status information such as the position and remaining battery level from each mobile robot 20, reassign tasks as necessary based on the collected status information, and transmit signals such as operation commands after the reassignment to each mobile robot 20.

[0045] (Control block diagram) Fig. 2 is a control block diagram showing an example of a control system of the transport system 1, and Fig. 3 is a control block diagram showing an example of a facility management system 30 in the transport system 1 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 2, the transport system 1 can have a host management device 10, a mobile robot 20, a facility management system 30, and an environmental camera 300.

[0046] The transport system 1 efficiently controls a plurality of mobile robots 20 while autonomously moving the mobile robots 20 within a given facility. For this purpose, a plurality of environmental cameras 300 are installed within the facility. For example, the environmental cameras 300 are installed in passageways, halls, elevators, entrances, etc. within the facility.

[0047] The environmental camera 300 captures images of the range in which the mobile robot 20 moves. In the transport system 1, the images captured by the environmental camera 300 and information based on the images are collected by the host management device 10. Alternatively, the images captured by the environmental camera 300 may be directly transmitted to the mobile robot. The environmental camera 300 may be a surveillance camera installed in a passageway or an entrance / exit in a facility. The environmental camera 300 may be used to obtain the distribution of congestion in the facility.

[0048] Here, an example is given in which the environmental camera 300 is directly connected to the upper management device 10, but it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the environmental camera 300 is managed by the facility management system 30, and the data obtained by the environmental camera 300 is received by the upper management device 10 via the facility management system 30.

[0049] In the transportation system 1, the host management device 10 performs route planning based on transportation request information and generates route planning information. The route planning information can be generated as information that plans a transportation route corresponding to the above-mentioned transportation schedule. The host management device 10 instructs each mobile robot 20 on a destination based on the generated route planning information. Then, the mobile robot 20 moves autonomously toward the destination specified by the host management device 10. The mobile robot 20 moves autonomously toward the destination (destination) using sensors, floor maps, position information, etc. provided on the mobile robot.

[0050] For example, the mobile robot 20 runs so as not to come into contact with surrounding equipment, objects, walls, and people (hereinafter collectively referred to as surrounding objects). Specifically, the mobile robot 20 detects the distance to the surrounding objects, and runs while being at a certain distance (referred to as the distance threshold) or more away from the surrounding objects. When the distance to the surrounding object becomes equal to or less than the distance threshold, the mobile robot 20 slows down or stops. In this way, the mobile robot 20 can run without coming into contact with surrounding objects. As contact can be avoided, safe and efficient transportation becomes possible.

[0051] In addition, the upper level management device 10 can transmit restriction instructions (restriction commands) to each mobile robot 20 to restrict its operation, such as by making an emergency stop, and a mobile robot 20 that receives a restriction instruction can restrict its own operation based on the restriction instruction.

[0052] The upper management device 10 may have a calculation processing unit 11, a storage unit 12, a buffer memory 13, and a communication unit 14. The calculation processing unit 11 performs calculations for controlling and managing the mobile robot 20. The calculation processing unit 11 may be implemented as a device capable of executing a program, such as a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer. Various functions may also be realized by a program. Although only the robot control unit 111, route planning unit 115, and detection unit 116, which are characteristic of the calculation processing unit 11, are shown in FIG. 2, other processing blocks may also be provided.

[0053] The robot control unit 111 performs calculations for remotely controlling the mobile robot 20 and generates a control signal. The robot control unit 111 generates the control signal based on route planning information 125, which will be described later, and the like. Furthermore, the control signal is generated based on various information obtained from the environmental camera 300 and the mobile robot 20. The control signal may include update information such as a floor map 121, robot information 123, and robot control parameters 122, which will be described later. In other words, when various information is updated, the robot control unit 111 generates a control signal according to the update information.

[0054] The information can be updated even when communication with a certain mobile robot 20 is not possible. One of the main features of the transport system 1 according to the present embodiment is that when the upper management device 10 cannot communicate with a certain mobile robot 20, communication between the mobile robots is performed.

[0055] The mobile robot 20 can obtain necessary information by this inter-mobile robot communication. Furthermore, the mobile robot 20 that can communicate with the host management device 10 can obtain status information of other mobile robots 20 that cannot communicate with the host management device 10 by the inter-mobile robot communication and transmit it to the host management device 10. This status information can also include its own error information, road closure information acquired by its own sensor, and the like. The robot control unit 111 can update the robot information 123, robot control parameters 122, transported object information 126, and the like based on the status information of other mobile robots 20 (other robot status information 228) transmitted from the mobile robot 20 with which it cannot communicate, and generate a control signal based on the updated information.

[0056] The route planning unit 115 plans a route for each mobile robot 20. When a transport task is input, the route planning unit 115 plans a route for transporting the rental equipment to a transport destination (destination) based on the transport request information. Specifically, the route planning unit 115 refers to route planning information 125 and robot information 123 already stored in the storage unit 12 to determine the mobile robot 20 that will execute the new transport task. The starting point is the current location of the mobile robot 20, the transport destination of the previous transport task, the recipient of the rental equipment, etc. The destination is the transport destination of the rental equipment, but may also be a waiting location, a charging location, etc.

[0057] Here, the route planning unit 115 sets pass points from the starting point to the destination of the mobile robot 20. The route planning unit 115 sets the order of passing the pass points for each mobile robot 20. The pass points are set, for example, at branching points, intersections, lobbies in front of elevators, and the surrounding areas. In addition, in narrow passages, it may be difficult for the mobile robots 20 to pass each other. In such cases, a pass point may be set just before the narrow passage. Candidates for pass points may be registered in the floor map 121 in advance.

[0058] The route planning unit 115 determines which mobile robot 20 will perform each transport task from among the multiple mobile robots 20 so that the tasks can be executed efficiently as a whole system. The route planning unit 115 preferentially assigns transport tasks to mobile robots 20 that are on standby or that are close to the transport source.

[0059] The route planning unit 115 sets pass points including a starting point and a destination point for the mobile robot 20 to which a transport task is assigned. For example, when there are two or more moving routes from the transport origin to the transport destination, the pass points are set so that the robot can travel in a shorter time. For this reason, the upper level management device 10 updates information indicating the congestion status of the passageway based on camera images, etc. Specifically, places where other mobile robots 20 are passing through and places with many people are highly crowded. Therefore, the route planning unit 115 sets pass points so as to avoid places with high congestion.

[0060] There are cases where the mobile robot 20 can move to the destination via either a left-handed or a right-handed movement route. In such cases, the route planning unit 115 sets a passing point so that the mobile robot 20 passes through the less congested movement route. By the route planning unit 115 setting one or more passing points on the way to the destination, the mobile robot 20 can move along a less congested movement route. For example, when the passageways are divided at a branch point or an intersection, the route planning unit 115 appropriately sets passing points at the branch point, intersection, corner, and their surroundings. This can improve the efficiency of transportation.

[0061] The route planning unit 115 may set the passing points in consideration of the congestion status of the elevators, the moving distance, and the like. Furthermore, the upper management device 10 may estimate the number of mobile robots 20 and the number of people at the scheduled time when the mobile robots 20 pass a certain location. Then, the route planning unit 115 may set the passing points according to the estimated congestion status. Furthermore, the route planning unit 115 may dynamically change the passing points according to the change in the congestion status. The route planning unit 115 sets the passing points in order for the mobile robots 20 to which the transportation task is assigned. The passing points may include the transportation origin and the transportation destination. As will be described later, the mobile robot 20 moves autonomously so as to pass through the passing points set by the route planning unit 115 in order.

[0062] The detection unit 116 detects emergency information transmitted from the facility management system 30 and received by the communication unit 14. The emergency information is a notification informing of the occurrence of an emergency event such as a fire or an earthquake. When the detection unit 116 detects such a notification, the robot control unit 111 transmits a control signal including a restriction instruction (restriction command) for restricting the operation of the mobile robot 20, such as an emergency stop, via the communication unit 14. In addition, the robot control unit 111 may store a transmission history of the restriction instruction at the stage of detection by the detection unit 116 or immediately after the transmission, prior to transmitting the control signal including such a restriction instruction. The robot control unit 111 may also be configured to transmit an instruction to release the restriction to the mobile robot 20, and in that case, may issue the release instruction by referring to the transmission history. This release instruction may be an instruction to restart the mobile robot 20. This instruction may be included in the control signal and transmitted to the mobile robot 20.

[0063] Furthermore, when the detection unit 116 detects the above-mentioned notifications, and a notification with a particularly high level of urgency (such as a notification of a fire or earthquake of a certain magnitude or greater) is detected, the calculation processing unit 11 can execute a shutdown of the host management device 10 to protect the host management device 10. Furthermore, when the robot control unit 111 of the calculation processing unit 11 is started up again after a shutdown, it can collect status information such as the position and remaining battery power from each mobile robot 20, reset tasks as necessary based on the collected status information, and transmit signals such as operation commands after the resetting to each mobile robot 20.

[0064] The storage unit 12 is a storage unit that stores information necessary for managing and controlling the robot. In the example of Fig. 2, a floor map 121, robot information 123, robot control parameters 122, route planning information 125, and transported item information 126 are shown, but the information stored in the storage unit 12 may be other than these, such as the transmission history. The calculation processing unit 11 performs calculations using the information stored in the storage unit 12 when performing various processes. In addition, the various information stored in the storage unit 12 can be updated to the latest information.

[0065] The floor map 121 is map information of the facility in which the mobile robot 20 moves. This floor map 121 may be created in advance, may be generated from information obtained from the mobile robot 20, or may be a basic map created in advance to which map correction information generated from information obtained from the mobile robot 20 has been added.

[0066] The robot information 123 describes the ID, model number, specifications, etc. of the mobile robot 20 managed by the upper management device 10. The robot information 123 may include information on transportable rental equipment and non-transportable rental equipment.

[0067] The robot information 123 may also include status information such as position information indicating the current position of the mobile robot 20 and remaining battery level information indicating the current remaining battery level. This status information corresponds to the mobile robot's own status information 227 described later, and may be supplemented with other robot's status information 228 when communication with the upper management device 10 is not possible. The status information may also include information indicating whether the mobile robot 20 is in normal operation (operating), restricted, or out of order, and may include information indicating that the mobile robot is restricted as the transmission history when restricted. The status information may also include information indicating whether the mobile robot 20 is executing a task or is on standby.

[0068] The robot control parameters 122 describe control parameters such as a threshold distance between the mobile robot 20 managed by the upper management device 10 and a surrounding object. The threshold distance is a margin distance for avoiding contact with a surrounding object including a person. Furthermore, the robot control parameters 122 may include information on the strength of the operation of the mobile robot 20, such as an upper limit of the moving speed of the mobile robot 20.

[0069] The robot control parameters 122 may be updated according to the situation. The robot control parameters 122 may include information indicating the availability and usage of storage space in the repository 291 described below. The robot control parameters 122 may include information on transportable rental equipment and untransportable rental equipment. Of course, the robot control parameters 122 may also include information indicating whether or not transport is possible for items other than rental equipment. The robot control parameters 122 associate the above various information with each mobile robot 20.

[0070] The route planning information 125 includes route planning information planned by the route planning unit 115. The route planning information 125 includes, for example, information indicating a transportation task. The route planning information 125 may include information such as an ID of the mobile robot 20 to which the task is assigned, a starting point, details of the rental equipment, a transportation destination, a transportation origin, an expected arrival time at the transportation destination, an expected arrival time at the transportation origin, and an arrival deadline. In the route planning information 125, the above-mentioned various information may be associated with each transportation task. The route planning information 125 may include at least a part of transportation request information input by the user U1.

[0071] Furthermore, the route planning information 125 may include information on pass points for each mobile robot 20 and each transport task. For example, the route planning information 125 includes information indicating the order of passing through pass points for each mobile robot 20. The route planning information 125 may include the coordinates of each pass point on the floor map 121 and information on whether or not the pass point has been passed.

[0072] The transported item information 126 is information about the rental equipment for which a transport request has been made. For example, it includes information such as the details (type) of the rental equipment, the origin of transport, and the destination of transport. Of course, the transported item information 126 may include information about items other than rental equipment, and the same applies to items other than the transported item information 126 below. The transported item information 126 may include the ID of the mobile robot 20 in charge of the transport. Furthermore, the transported item information 126 may include information indicating the status, such as being transported, before transport (before loading), and already transported. The transported item information 126 associates these pieces of information with each rental equipment.

[0073] The route planning unit 115 formulates a route plan by referring to various information stored in the storage unit 12. For example, the mobile robot 20 that executes the task is determined based on the floor map 121, the robot information 123, the robot control parameters 122, and the route planning information 125. The route planning unit 115 then sets pass points to the destination and the order of passing through them by referring to the floor map 121 and the like. Candidates for pass points are registered in the floor map 121 in advance. The route planning unit 115 then sets the pass points according to the congestion situation and the like. In addition, when tasks are processed continuously, the route planning unit 115 may set the source and destination as pass points.

[0074] The buffer memory 13 is a memory that accumulates intermediate information generated in the processing in the arithmetic processing unit 11. The communication unit 14 is a communication interface for communicating with the facility management system 30, the multiple environmental cameras 300 installed in the facility where the transport system 1 is operated, and the multiple mobile robots 20. The communication unit 14 can perform both wired and wireless communication, but communication with the mobile robots 20 is performed wirelessly. For example, the communication unit 14 transmits control signals required for controlling each mobile robot 20 to each mobile robot 20. The communication unit 14 also receives information collected by the mobile robots 20 and the environmental cameras 300. The communication unit 14 can receive various information such as emergency information from the facility management system 30, and may also be able to transmit requests for such information to the facility management system 30.

[0075] The mobile robot 20 may have a calculation processing unit 21, a memory unit 22, a communication unit 23, a proximity sensor (e.g., a distance sensor group 24), a camera 25, a drive unit 26, a display unit 27, and an operation reception unit 28. Note that, although Fig. 2 shows only representative processing blocks provided in the mobile robot 20, the mobile robot 20 also includes many other processing blocks that are not shown.

[0076] The communication unit 23 has a first communication interface for communicating (wirelessly communicating) with the communication unit 14 of the host management device 10, and a second communication interface for wirelessly communicating with the communication unit 23 of another mobile robot 20. The communication unit 23 communicates with the communication unit 14 using wireless signals. When wireless communication with the host management device 10 is possible, the communication unit 23 receives first transmission information transmitted from the host management device 10 to manage the mobile robot 20. This first transmission information is information such as a command or other information as described above, and can be received as a control signal.

[0077] The second communication interface is only required to perform communication between mobile robots as described above, and can utilize short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark; the same applies below) communication. In this embodiment, information transmitted and received by this communication between robots can be position information about the robot itself and other robots, status information such as remaining battery power, and information (commands, etc.) transmitted from the higher-level management device 10 to other robots.

[0078] The distance sensor group 24 is, for example, a proximity sensor, and outputs nearby object distance information indicating the distance to an object or person present around the mobile robot 20. The camera 25, for example, takes an image for grasping the situation around the mobile robot 20. The camera 25 can also take an image of a position marker provided on, for example, the ceiling of a facility. The mobile robot 20 may grasp its own position using the position marker.

[0079] The driving unit 26 drives the driving wheels provided on the mobile robot 20. The driving unit 26 may have an encoder that detects the number of rotations of the driving wheels or the driving motor. The mobile robot's own position (current position) may be estimated according to the output of the encoder. The mobile robot 20 detects its own current position and transmits it to the upper management device 10.

[0080] The display unit 27 and the operation reception unit 28 are realized by a touch panel display. The display unit 27 displays a user interface screen that serves as the operation reception unit 28. The display unit 27 may also display information indicating the destination of the mobile robot 20 and the state of the mobile robot 20. The operation reception unit 28 receives operations from the user. The operation reception unit 28 includes the user interface screen displayed on the display unit 27, as well as various switches provided on the mobile robot 20.

[0081] The arithmetic processing unit 21 performs calculations used to control the mobile robot 20. The arithmetic processing unit 21 can be implemented as a device capable of executing programs, such as a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer. Various functions can also be realized by the programs. The arithmetic processing unit 21 can have a communication control unit 210, a command extraction unit 211, and a drive control unit 212. Note that while FIG. 2 shows only representative processing blocks of the arithmetic processing unit 21, processing blocks not shown in the figure are also included. The arithmetic processing unit 21 may search for a route between passing points.

[0082] The communication control unit 210 judges whether or not communication with the communication unit 14 in the communication unit 23 is possible. The judgment itself can be performed by trying communication and performing threshold processing on the received radio waves, and this judgment can determine whether the mobile robot 20 is isolated from the host management device 10. If the result of the judgment shows that communication with the communication unit 14 is not possible, that is, if the mobile robot 20 is in a state where communication with the host management device 10 is not possible, the communication control unit 210 attempts inter-mobile robot communication with another mobile robot 20. Then, if communication with the communication unit 23 of another mobile robot 20 in the communication unit 23 is possible, the communication control unit 210 receives the first transmission information from the other mobile robot 20, or receives the first transmission information and transmits the mobile robot's own robot status information 227 to the other mobile robot 20, by inter-mobile robot communication.

[0083] The first transmission information is information (commands, etc.) transmitted from the host management device 10 to manage (control) the mobile robot 20 as described above, and can be transmitted as a control signal to the mobile robot 20. However, in this case, since a situation is described in which communication with the host management device 10 is not possible, the first transmission information is received by another mobile robot 20 and transmitted from the other mobile robot 20.

[0084] In addition, in a case where the mobile robot 20 transmits its own status information 227, this own status information 227 is received by the other mobile robot 20 and transmitted to the upper management device 10 as other mobile robot status information 228, thereby enabling the upper management device 10 to obtain the own status information 227 of the mobile robot 20 that is in an uncommunicable state.

[0085] The command extraction unit 211 extracts a movement command or a restriction command such as an emergency stop command from the control signal provided by the higher-level management device 10. For example, the movement command includes information on the next passing point. For example, the control signal for the movement command may include the coordinates of the passing point or information on the order of passing through the passing point. Then, the command extraction unit 211 extracts this information as a movement command.

[0086] Furthermore, the movement command may include information indicating that movement to the next passing point is now possible. If the passage width is narrow, the mobile robots 20 may not be able to pass each other. Also, there may be cases where the passage cannot be passed temporarily. In such cases, the control signal includes a command to stop the mobile robot 20 at a passing point just before the place where it should stop. Then, after another mobile robot 20 has passed or is able to pass, the upper management device 10 outputs a control signal to notify the mobile robot 20 that it is now able to move. This causes the mobile robot 20, which had been temporarily stopped, to resume movement.

[0087] The drive control unit 212 controls the drive unit 26 to move and restrict the operation of the mobile robot 20 based on the movement command and the restriction command given from the command extraction unit 211. For example, the drive unit 26 has a drive wheel that rotates according to a control command value from the drive control unit 212. The command extraction unit 211 extracts a movement command so that the mobile robot 20 moves toward the passing point received from the upper management device 10. Then, the drive unit 26 rotates and drives the drive wheel. The mobile robot 20 moves autonomously toward the next passing point. In this way, the mobile robot 20 passes through the passing points in order and arrives at the transport destination. In addition, the mobile robot 20 may estimate its own position and transmit a signal indicating that it has passed the passing point to the upper management device 10. This allows the upper management device 10 to manage the current position and transport status of each mobile robot 20.

[0088] Furthermore, the command extraction unit 211 extracts a restriction command from the upper management device 10 and controls the drive unit 26 to stop the drive wheels, etc. The restriction command may also include a command to move toward a specific area, in which case the drive unit 26 rotates the drive wheels to move toward that area.

[0089] The storage unit 22 can store a floor map 221, robot control parameters 222, transported object information 226, own robot status information 227, and other robot status information 228. Although Fig. 2 shows only a part of the information stored in the storage unit 22, information other than that shown in Fig. 2 can also be included.

[0090] The floor map 221 is map information of the facility in which the mobile robot 20 is moved. This floor map 221 is, for example, data obtained by downloading a part or the whole of the floor map 121 of the upper management device 10. The floor map 221 may be one created in advance. The floor map 221 may not be map information of the entire facility, but may be map information that partially includes an area to be moved. The robot control parameters 222 are parameters for operating the mobile robot 20. The robot control parameters 222 include, for example, a distance threshold value from a surrounding object. Furthermore, the robot control parameters 222 include an upper limit value of the speed of the mobile robot 20.

[0091] The transported item information 226 includes information about the rental equipment, similar to the transported item information 126. It may include information about the rental equipment (type, i.e., model), origin, destination, etc. The transported item information 226 may include information indicating a status such as being transported, before being transported (before being mounted), and already transported. The transported item information 226 associates this information with each rental equipment. The transported item information 226 only needs to include information about the rental equipment transported by the mobile robot 20. Therefore, the transported item information 226 becomes part of the transported item information 126. In other words, the transported item information 226 does not need to include information about equipment transported by other mobile robots 20.

[0092] The own device status information 227 is the above-mentioned status information indicating the current location of the own device, the remaining battery level, and other statuses, and can be stored at least when communication with the host management device 10 becomes impossible. Of course, the own device status information 227 can be constantly updated regardless of the communication status with the host management device 10.

[0093] The other robot status information 228 is information transmitted from the other mobile robot 20 to the mobile robot 20 when the other mobile robot 20 cannot communicate with the upper management device 10, and the items of information may be the same as or a minimum number of items as the own robot status information 227. The other robot status information 228 may also include transported object information 226 managed by the other mobile robot 20.

[0094] The drive control unit 212 refers to the robot control parameters 222 and stops or decelerates the operation in response to the distance indicated by the distance information obtained from the distance sensor group 24 falling below the distance threshold. The drive control unit 212 controls the drive unit 26 so that the mobile robot 20 travels at a speed equal to or lower than the upper speed limit. The drive control unit 212 limits the rotation speed of the drive wheels so that the mobile robot 20 does not travel at a speed equal to or higher than the upper speed limit.

[0095] As shown in Fig. 3, the facility management system 30 may have a calculation processing unit 31, a storage unit 32, a buffer memory 33, and a communication unit 34. The calculation processing unit 31 performs calculations for managing equipment in a facility. The calculation processing unit 31 may be implemented as a device capable of executing a program, such as a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer. Various functions may also be realized by a program. Although Fig. 3 shows only the urgency determination unit 311 and the transmission processing unit 312, which are characteristic of the calculation processing unit 31, other processing blocks may also be provided.

[0096] The urgency determination unit 311 determines the urgency of the facility by referring to disaster information received from the communication unit 34 via the Internet or the like, and facility management information 324 that manages various equipment (fire alarms, earthquake detectors, etc.) within the facility. Here, the urgency can be information indicating the degree to which the higher-level management device 10 needs to be shut down.

[0097] When the urgency determination unit 311 determines that the urgency is higher than a predetermined threshold, the transmission processing unit 312 performs a process of transmitting emergency information indicating this to the host management device 10. The emergency information is a notification that notifies the occurrence of an emergency event that requires action, such as a fire or an earthquake, and can be transmitted to the host management device 10 by the transmission processing unit 312 controlling the communication unit 34. That is, the transmission processing unit 312 transmits the emergency information to the host management device 10 via the communication unit 34. When the urgency is higher than the predetermined threshold, the transmission processing unit 312 can also transmit emergency information including the value of the urgency to the host management device 10.

[0098] The storage unit 32 is a storage unit that stores information necessary for controlling the facility management system 30. In the example of Fig. 3, floor map 321, manager information 322, facility information 323, and facility management information 324 are shown, but other information may be stored in the storage unit 32. The calculation processing unit 31 performs calculations using the information stored in the storage unit 32 when performing various processes. In addition, the various information stored in the storage unit 32 can be updated to the latest information.

[0099] The floor map 321 may be a part or the whole of the floor map 121. The facility information 323 is information indicating the ID and type of equipment in the facility, and may include information indicating the installation location, and the information on the installation location may be linked to the floor map 321. The facility management information 324 includes information indicating the operation status of each piece of equipment indicated in the facility information 323 and the values ​​of the installed sensors, and may be updated as needed. For example, in the case where a fire alarm is included as equipment, information indicating that a fire has occurred is written when a fire is detected. The administrator information 322 is information associated with each piece of equipment indicated by the facility information 323, and may include information indicating the administrator of each piece of equipment and information indicating the notification destination of each administrator.

[0100] The buffer memory 33 is a memory that accumulates intermediate information generated in the processing in the arithmetic processing unit 31. The communication unit 34 is a communication interface for communicating with the host management device 10, and this communication interface can also be configured to communicate with the user terminal 400 and the mobile robot 20. The communication unit 34 can perform both wired communication and wireless communication. For example, the communication unit 34 can transmit information such as emergency information to the host management device 10 and receive various information from the host management device 10 or the user terminal 400.

[0101] (Configuration of the mobile robot 20) Here, the appearance of the mobile robot 20 will be described. Fig. 4 shows a schematic diagram of the mobile robot 20. The mobile robot 20 shown in Fig. 4 is one aspect of the mobile robot 20, and other aspects may also be used. In Fig. 4, the x direction is the forward and backward direction of the mobile robot 20, the y direction is the left-right direction of the mobile robot 20, and the z direction is the height direction of the mobile robot 20.

[0102] The mobile robot 20 includes a main body section 290 and a cart section 260. The main body section 290 is mounted on the cart section 260. The main body section 290 and the cart section 260 each have a rectangular parallelepiped housing, and each component is mounted inside this housing. For example, the drive section 26 is housed inside the cart section 260.

[0103] The main body 290 is provided with a storage 291 serving as a storage space and a door 292 for sealing the storage 291. The storage 291 is provided with multiple shelves, and the availability status is managed for each shelf. For example, the availability status can be updated by arranging various sensors such as weight sensors on each shelf. The mobile robot 20 autonomously transports the rental equipment stored in the storage 291 to a destination instructed by the upper management device 10. The main body 290 may be equipped with a control box or the like (not shown) in the housing. The door 292 may be lockable with an electronic key or the like. When the user U2 arrives at the destination, the user U2 unlocks the door 292 with the electronic key. Alternatively, the door 292 may be unlocked automatically when the user U2 arrives at the destination.

[0104] 4, the exterior of the mobile robot 20 is provided with a front-rear distance sensor 241 and a left-right distance sensor 242 as the distance sensor group 24. The mobile robot 20 measures the distance to surrounding objects in the front-rear direction of the mobile robot 20 using the front-rear distance sensor 241. The mobile robot 20 also measures the distance to surrounding objects in the left-right direction of the mobile robot 20 using the left-right distance sensor 242.

[0105] For example, the front / rear distance sensor 241 is disposed on the front and rear surfaces, respectively, of the housing of the main body 290. The left / right distance sensor 242 is disposed on the left and right surfaces, respectively, of the housing of the main body 290. The front / rear distance sensor 241 and the left / right distance sensor 242 are, for example, ultrasonic distance sensors or laser range finders. They detect the distance to a surrounding object. When the distance to a surrounding object detected by the front / rear distance sensor 241 or the left / right distance sensor 242 becomes equal to or less than a distance threshold, the mobile robot 20 decelerates or stops.

[0106] The driving unit 26 is provided with a driving wheel 261 and a caster 262. The driving wheel 261 is a wheel for moving the mobile robot 20 forward, backward, left and right. The caster 262 is a driven wheel that is not given a driving force and rolls following the driving wheel 261. The driving unit 26 has a driving motor (not shown) and drives the driving wheel 261.

[0107] For example, the driving unit 26 supports, within the housing, two driving wheels 261 and two casters 262, each of which comes into contact with the running surface. The two driving wheels 261 are arranged so that their rotational axes coincide with each other. Each driving wheel 261 is independently driven to rotate by a motor (not shown). The driving wheels 261 rotate according to a control command value from the driving control unit 212 in FIG. 2. The casters 262 are driven wheels, and are provided so that a pivot axis extending vertically from the driving unit 26 is separated from the rotation axis of the wheels to support the wheels, and follow the moving direction of the driving unit 26.

[0108] For example, if the two drive wheels 261 are rotated in the same direction at the same rotation speed, the mobile robot 20 moves straight, and if they are rotated in opposite directions at the same rotation speed, the mobile robot 20 turns around a vertical axis passing through approximately the center of the two drive wheels 261. In addition, by rotating the two drive wheels 261 in the same direction at different rotation speeds, the mobile robot 20 can move while turning left and right. For example, by making the rotation speed of the left drive wheel 261 higher than that of the right drive wheel 261, the mobile robot 20 can turn right. Conversely, by making the rotation speed of the right drive wheel 261 higher than that of the left drive wheel 261, the mobile robot 20 can turn left and right, etc. in any direction by controlling the rotation directions and rotation speeds of the two drive wheels 261, respectively.

[0109] Furthermore, in the mobile robot 20, a display unit 27 and an operation interface 281 are provided on the upper surface of the main body unit 290. The operation interface 281 is displayed on the display unit 27. When the user touches the operation interface 281 displayed on the display unit 27, the operation reception unit 28 can receive an instruction input from the user. Furthermore, an emergency stop button 282 is provided on the upper surface of the display unit 27. The emergency stop button 282 and the operation interface 281 function as the operation reception unit 28.

[0110] The display unit 27 is, for example, a liquid crystal panel, and displays a character's face as an illustration, and presents information about the mobile robot 20 as text or icons. If a character's face is displayed on the display unit 27, it is possible to give the impression to observers in the vicinity that the display unit 27 is a pseudo face. The display unit 27 mounted on the mobile robot 20 can also be used as the user terminal 400.

[0111] A camera 25 is installed on the front of the main body 290. Here, the two cameras 25 function as a stereo camera. That is, the two cameras 25 having the same angle of view are arranged horizontally spaced apart from each other. Images captured by each camera 25 are output as image data. Based on the image data of the two cameras 25, it is possible to calculate the distance to the subject and the size of the subject. The arithmetic processing unit 21 can detect people, obstacles, etc. ahead in the moving direction by analyzing the image of the camera 25. If there are people, obstacles, etc. ahead in the moving direction, the mobile robot 20 moves along the route while avoiding them. In addition, the image data of the camera 25 is transmitted to the upper management device 10.

[0112] The mobile robot 20 recognizes surrounding objects and identifies its own position by analyzing image data output by the camera 25 and detection signals output by the front-rear distance sensor 241 and the left-right distance sensor 242. The camera 25 captures images of the area ahead of the mobile robot 20 in the direction of travel. As shown in the figure, the side of the mobile robot 20 on which the camera 25 is installed is considered to be the front of the mobile robot 20. In other words, during normal travel, the direction ahead of the mobile robot 20 is the direction of travel, as indicated by the arrow.

[0113] (Main features of this embodiment) Next, the main features of the present embodiment in the transport system 1 configured as described above will be explained. The main feature of the present embodiment is that when a mobile robot 20 cannot communicate wirelessly (WiFi communication, etc.) with the upper management device 10, the mobile robot 20 communicates with another mobile robot 20 via inter-robot communication (Bluetooth communication, etc.).

[0114] As described above, the transport system 1 according to the present embodiment can include a plurality of mobile robots 20 that travel autonomously within a facility and a host management device 10 that manages the mobile robots 20. As described above, the host management device 10 manages the plurality of mobile robots 20 while exchanging information via wireless communication.

[0115] The following description will be given with reference to an example of a facility shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a facility in which a mobile robot 20 moves autonomously, and is an example of a management area managed by a facility management system 30.

[0116] The example shown in Fig. 5 shows a management area 50 set in a facility where the autonomous mobile robot 20 is operated, and includes an elevator hall 51, a corridor 52 connected to the elevator hall 51, nurse stations 53 arranged on both sides of the corridor 52, and rooms (hospital rooms) 54 to 57. For the sake of simplicity, the example in Fig. 5 is based on the premise that there are two mobile robots 20a and 20b as the mobile robots 20 under the management of the upper management device 10, and that inter-robot communication can be performed between the mobile robots 20a and 20b.

[0117] Of course, three or more mobile robots 20 can be managed, in which case inter-robot communication may be performed between all mobile robots 20 that can communicate with each other, or a mobile robot 20 may perform inter-robot communication only with the closest other mobile robot 20 (such as the other mobile robot 20 that responded most quickly).

[0118] When an emergency event occurs, the facility management system 30 transmits emergency information to the host management device 10 if the level of urgency is high. When emergency information is detected by the detection unit 116, or when emergency information indicating a particularly high level of urgency is detected, the host management device 10 can execute a shutdown to protect itself. In addition to a shutdown based on such a notification, the host management device 10 may also shut down due to a malfunction (which may involve an earthquake or fire). When the host management device 10 shuts down, wireless communication with both of the mobile robots 20a and 20b becomes impossible. Even if there is no malfunction in the host management device 10, wireless communication with at least one of the mobile robots 20a and 20b may be interrupted due to a malfunction of some or all of the multiple communication units 610.

[0119] The main feature of this embodiment is the process performed when the host management device 10 loses wireless communication with at least one of the mobile robots 20a, 20b for some reason.

[0120] When the mobile robot 20a is in a state capable of wireless communication with the upper management device 10, it receives first transmission information (such as commands and other information) transmitted from the upper management device 10 in order to manage the mobile robot 20a, and its drive control is performed based on this first transmission information.

[0121] When the mobile robot 20a is unable to communicate wirelessly with the host management device 10, the mobile robot 20a performs direct wireless communication (inter-mobile robot communication) with the other mobile robot 20b and executes a receiving process to receive from the mobile robot 20b the first transmission information transmitted from the host management device 10 to manage the mobile robot 20a. This inter-robot communication can be performed by the mobile robot 20a requesting it from the mobile robot 20b when the mobile robot 20a is unable to communicate wirelessly with the host management device 10, but it can also be performed at all times. Note that the inter-robot communication performed between the mobile robots 20a and 20b can be considered as roaming communication between the mobile robots 20a and 20b.

[0122] When the above-mentioned reception process is executed when the host management device 10 is shut down due to an emergency event or the like, the first transmission information received in the above-mentioned reception process may be information received by the mobile robot 20b from the host management device 10 before the host management device 10 is shut down. This allows the mobile robot 20a to receive information necessary for management even if wireless communication is not possible due to the host management device 10 going down.

[0123] Here, it is assumed that the mobile robot 20b is acquired in a state where it can communicate with the host management device 10. For example, even if the host management device 10 is shut down (falls) and both the mobile robots 20a and 20b are unable to communicate with the management device 10, the mobile robot 20b present in the vicinity transmits the first transmission information it had received before to the mobile robot 20a. With this configuration, the mobile robot 20a can receive information (commands, etc.) necessary for management and continue to perform tasks even if it is unable to wirelessly communicate with the host management device 10.

[0124] In fact, if the mobile robot 20a cannot communicate with the host management device 10 that manages it, the mobile robot 20a cannot be controlled, but in that case, the mobile robot 20a can be controlled by receiving information and commands from other mobile robots 20b in the vicinity through inter-robot communication. In this way, in this embodiment, since it is possible to receive information such as commands from other mobile robots 20b, it is possible to continue performing the instructed task even in a situation where communication with the host management device 10 is not possible.

[0125] Furthermore, even if communication with the host management device 10 is interrupted at almost the same time in the mobile robots 20a and 20b, it can be said to be beneficial for the mobile robot 20a to also receive from the mobile robot 20b the first transmission information received from the host management device 10 immediately before the communication was interrupted in order to confirm that it is the final version.

[0126] In particular, it is preferable that the mobile robot 20b, in a state where wireless communication with the host management device 10 is possible, receives the first transmission information together with the second transmission information transmitted from the host management device 10 for managing the mobile robot 20b. This makes it possible to deal with a sudden interruption of communication between the host management device 10 and the mobile robot 20a.

[0127] In addition, since it is not known which of the mobile robots 20a, 20b will be unable to communicate wirelessly with the host management device 10, it is preferable that both of the mobile robots 20a, 20b are configured to be able to execute the same process. That is, it is preferable that the mobile robot 20a is configured to receive the second transmission information together with the first transmission information when wireless communication with the host management device 10 is possible, and when the mobile robot 20b is unable to communicate wirelessly with the host management device 10, it is preferable that the mobile robot 20a is configured to directly communicate wirelessly with the mobile robot 20b and execute a transmission process of transmitting the second transmission information to the mobile robot 20b.

[0128] When the above transmission process is executed when the host management device 10 is shut down due to an emergency event or the like, the second transmission information transmitted in the above transmission process should be information received from the host management device 10 before the host management device 10 is shut down. This allows the mobile robot 20b to receive information necessary for management even if wireless communication is not possible due to the host management device 10 going down.

[0129] In addition, the mobile robot 20a and the mobile robot 20b can be configured to perform only one of the above-mentioned receiving processing or transmitting processing, in which case the processing will only allow the robot to be helped by other mobile robots or only help other mobile robots.

[0130] (method) Among the above-mentioned transport methods (transport processing) in the transport system 1, an example of a communication method that is a main feature of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the method according to this embodiment.

[0131] First, the mobile robot 20a judges whether wireless communication with the host management device 10 is not possible (S601). When the result of step S601 is YES, the mobile robot 20a performs inter-robot communication with another adjacent mobile robot 20b and receives first transmission information for itself (S602). The mobile robot 20a performs drive control based on the first transmission information received here (S603).

[0132] Next, the mobile robot 20a judges whether or not it has received a request for information (such as a command from the host management device 10) from another mobile robot 20b (which may be different from the mobile robot 20b in S602) (S604). When the answer is YES in step S604, the mobile robot 20a transmits the information to the requesting mobile robot 20b through inter-robot communication (S605), and ends the process. Drive control continues in the requesting mobile robot 20b as a result of step S605.

[0133] (Other processing examples) Next, another example of processing in the transport system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing another example of the method according to the present embodiment.

[0134] First, as in steps S601 to S603 of FIG. 6, when the mobile robot 20a is unable to communicate wirelessly with the upper management device 10 (YES in S701), the mobile robot 20a receives first transmission information from the mobile robot 20b and controls its drive based on the first transmission information (S702).

[0135] Next, the mobile robot 20a transmits the stored state information (own robot state information 227) when the mobile robot 20a is unable to wirelessly communicate with the host management device 10 to the mobile robot 20b by inter-mobile robot communication (S703). Of course, the own robot state information 227 is not limited to the above example, and can include various types of information handled by the mobile robot 20a, and can include, for example, information indicating an operation received by the mobile robot 20a from the operation receiving unit 28 or the like and a process executed in response to the operation. However, for the purpose of a later search in the host management device 10, it is preferable that the transmitted own robot state information 227 includes position information indicating the position of the own robot (the mobile robot 20a) so that the host management device 10 can search after recovery even if it is shut down. Also, from the viewpoint of the amount of information, it can be said that it is preferable that the minimum information to be left is transmitted as the own robot state information 227.

[0136] The mobile robot 20b transmits the mobile robot's own status information 227 of the mobile robot 20a received in step S703 to the host management device 10 when wireless communication with the host management device 10 is possible (when wireless communication with the host management device 10 is not possible, the moment that wireless communication is possible). This enables the host management device 10 to manage the status of the mobile robot 20a that can no longer communicate wirelessly (search for it if position information is included).

[0137] Next, the mobile robot 20a judges whether or not it has received a request for information (such as a command from the host management device 10) from another mobile robot 20b (which may be different from the mobile robot 20b in S702) (S704). When the answer is YES in step S704, the mobile robot 20a transmits the information to the requesting mobile robot 20b by inter-robot communication, as in step S605 (S705). Drive control continues in the requesting mobile robot 20b as a result of step S705.

[0138] Next, the mobile robot 20a receives from the mobile robot 20b via inter-mobile robot communication the status information (own robot status information 227) stored when the mobile robot 20b was unable to wirelessly communicate with the upper management device 10, and stores it in the storage unit 22 as other robot status information 228 (S706). The own robot status information 227 received here is status information of the mobile robot 20b, and may be the same as the own robot status information 227 transmitted in step S703, for example.

[0139] Next, the mobile robot 20a judges whether wireless communication with the host management device 10 is possible (S707). When the result in step S707 is YES, the mobile robot 20a transmits the other robot status information 228 (the mobile robot's own status information 227) received and stored in step S706 to the host management device 10 in a state in which wireless communication with the host management device 10 is possible (when the state is not possible, and the state is reached), and ends the process (S708). This enables the host management device 10 to manage the state of the mobile robot 20b that has become unable to communicate wirelessly (or to search for it if the position information is included).

[0140] By processing the moving robot 20b after step S703 and processing in step S708, the host management device 10 can obtain status information of the moving robots 20a and 20b with which it was unable to wirelessly communicate. This allows the host management device 10 to continue managing (controlling) the moving robots 20a and 20b with which it was unable to wirelessly communicate, and to restart them even if they are stopped in an emergency, for example.

[0141] In particular, if the status information includes location information, the host management device 10 can search for the mobile robots 20a and 20b, which have not been able to communicate wirelessly, based on the received location information, even if they go missing. Furthermore, the host management device 10 can also use the search results and part or all of the status information other than the location information to perform control such as redesigning a route. Furthermore, there is no need to install RFID tags or landmarks in the facility for this search.

[0142] (others) In addition, a part or all of the processes in the above-mentioned upper management device 10, the mobile robot 20, the facility management system 30, etc. can be realized as a computer program. Such a program can be stored using various types of non-transitory computer-readable media and supplied to the computer. The non-transitory computer-readable media includes various types of tangible recording media. Examples of the non-transitory computer-readable media include magnetic recording media (e.g., flexible disks, magnetic tapes, hard disk drives), magneto-optical recording media (e.g., magneto-optical disks), CD-ROMs (Read Only Memory), CD-Rs, CD-R / Ws, and semiconductor memories (e.g., mask ROMs, PROMs (Programmable ROMs), EPROMs (Erasable PROMs), flash ROMs, and RAMs (Random Access Memory)). The program may also be supplied to the computer by various types of temporary computer-readable media. Examples of the temporary computer-readable media include electrical signals, optical signals, and electromagnetic waves. The temporary computer-readable media can supply the program to the computer via wired communication paths such as electric wires and optical fibers, or wireless communication paths.

[0143] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0144] For example, in the above embodiment, a system in which a mobile robot autonomously moves within a hospital has been described, but the above-mentioned transport system can also transport goods in hotels, restaurants, office buildings, event venues, complexes, etc. Also, while the description has been given on the premise of transporting goods within one facility, the transport system can be similarly applied to transport between multiple facilities as long as the mobile robot is capable of moving between multiple facilities. Also, the transport system according to this embodiment is not limited to the case where the mobile robot 20 having the above-mentioned configuration is used, but instead of or in addition to it, mobile robots of various configurations can be used.

[0145] In addition, in the above embodiment, a mobile robot (i.e., a transport robot) in a transport system that transports transported items and the transport system have been described, but a similar concept can also be applied to other types of mobile robots, such as autonomously mobile surveillance robots, and management systems (control systems) that manage multiple such mobile robots. [Explanation of symbols]

[0146] 1. Transport system 10 Upper management device 11 Processing unit 12 Storage section 13 Buffer Memory 14 Communications Department 20, 20a, 20b Mobile robot 21 Processing unit 22 Memory section 23 Communications Department 24 Distance Sensor Group 25 Camera 26 Drive unit 27 Display section 28 Operation reception section 30 Facility Management System 31 Processing unit 32 Storage section 33 Buffer Memory 34 Communications Department 50 Management Area 51 Elevator Hall 52 Corridor 53 Nurse Station Rooms 54~57 111 Robot control unit 115 Route Planning Department 116 Detection unit 121 Floor Map 122 Robot Control Parameters 123 Robot Information 125 Route Planning Information 126 Delivery Information 210 Communication control section 211 Instruction extraction part 212 Drive control unit 221 Floor Map 222 Robot Control Parameters 226 Delivery Information 227 Aircraft Status Information 228 Other device status information 241 Front and rear distance sensor 242 Left and right distance sensor 260 Bogie section 261 Drive Wheel 262 Caster 281 Operation Interface 290 Main body 291 Storage 292 Door 311 Urgency Judgment Department 312 Transmission processing unit 321 Floor Map 322 Administrator information 323 Facility Information 324 Facility Management Information 400 User terminals 600 Network 610 Communication Unit

Claims

1. A mobile robot in a transport system including a server device that manages a plurality of mobile robots that can move autonomously within a facility while exchanging information via wireless communication, the mobile robots transporting an object to be transported using the plurality of mobile robots, receiving a first control signal transmitted from the server device for driving and controlling the mobile robot together with a second control signal transmitted from the server device for driving and controlling another mobile robot in a state in which wireless communication with the server device is possible; when wireless communication with the server device is not possible and the server device is shut down, a reception process is executed to directly wirelessly communicate with another mobile robot among the plurality of mobile robots, and to receive from the other mobile robot a first control signal transmitted from the server device for driving and controlling the mobile robot; a transmission process for directly wirelessly communicating with the other mobile robot and transmitting the second control signal to the other mobile robot when the other mobile robot is unable to wirelessly communicate with the server device and the server device has been shut down; the first control signal received in the receiving process is a signal received by the other mobile robot from the server device before the server device is shut down, the second control signal transmitted in the transmission process is a signal received from the server device before the server device is shut down; Mobile robot.

2. executing a confirmation process for confirming whether or not the first control signal received from the server device before the server device is shut down is a final version of the first control signal transmitted before the server device is shut down, by comparing the first control signal received from the other mobile robot in the receiving process; The mobile robot of claim 1 .

3. the shutdown is a shutdown that is executed based on emergency information received by the server device from a facility management system that manages a facility in which the mobile robot and the other mobile robots are operated, the first control signal received in the receiving process is a control signal for limiting operation of the other mobile robot, the control signal being received by the other mobile robot from the server device before the server device is shut down; the second control signal transmitted in the transmission process is a control signal for limiting the operation of the other mobile robot, the control signal being received from the server device before the server device is shut down; 3. A mobile robot according to claim 1 or 2.

4. transmitting, to the server device, status information indicating a status of the other mobile robot, transmitted from the other mobile robot when the other mobile robot is unable to wirelessly communicate with the server device, while being able to wirelessly communicate with the server device; The mobile robot according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A transport system comprising: a server device that manages a plurality of mobile robots that can move autonomously within a facility while exchanging information via wireless communication; and the plurality of mobile robots are used to transport objects, the mobile robot receives, in a state in which wireless communication with the server device is possible, a first control signal transmitted from the server device for driving and controlling the mobile robot, and a second control signal transmitted from the server device for driving and controlling another mobile robot among the plurality of mobile robots; the other mobile robot receives the first control signal together with the second control signal in a state in which wireless communication with the server device is possible; when wireless communication with the server device is not possible and the server device is shut down, the mobile robot executes a first communication process to directly wirelessly communicate with the other mobile robot, receive the first control signal from the other mobile robot, and transmit first position information indicating a position of the mobile robot to the other mobile robot; when wireless communication with the server device is not possible and the server device is shut down, the other mobile robot executes a second communication process to directly wirelessly communicate with the mobile robot, receive the second control signal from the mobile robot, and transmit second position information indicating a position of the other mobile robot to the mobile robot; the other mobile robot transmits the first position information received in the first communication process to the server device in a state in which wireless communication with the server device is possible; the mobile robot transmits the second position information received in the second communication process to the server device in a state in which wireless communication with the server device is possible; when wireless communication with the mobile robot becomes impossible, the server device searches for the mobile robot based on the first position information, and when wireless communication with the other mobile robot becomes impossible, the server device searches for the other mobile robot based on the second position information; the first control signal received in the first communication process is a signal received by the other mobile robot from the server device before the server device is shut down, the second control signal transmitted in the second communication process is a signal received by the mobile robot from the server device before the server device is shut down; Conveying system.

6. the mobile robot executes a confirmation process to confirm whether or not the first control signal received from the server device before the server device is shut down is a final version of the first control signal transmitted before the server device is shut down, by comparing the first control signal received from the other mobile robot in the first communication process. The transport system according to claim 5 .

7. the shutdown is a shutdown that is executed based on emergency information received by the server device from a facility management system that manages a facility in which the mobile robot and the other mobile robots are operated, the first control signal received in the first communication process is a control signal for limiting operation of the other mobile robot, the control signal being received by the other mobile robot from the server device before the server device is shut down; the second control signal transmitted in the second communication process is a control signal for limiting operation of the other mobile robot, the control signal being received by the mobile robot from the server device before the server device is shut down; The transport system according to claim 5 or 6.

8. A method for controlling a plurality of mobile robots capable of autonomously moving within a facility, the method comprising: the mobile robot receives, in a state in which wireless communication with the server device is possible, a first control signal transmitted from the server device for driving and controlling the mobile robot, and a second control signal transmitted from the server device for driving and controlling another mobile robot; a receiving process for receiving, when the mobile robot is unable to wirelessly communicate with the server device and the server device is shut down, a first control signal transmitted from the server device for driving and controlling the mobile robot and directly communicating with another mobile robot among the plurality of mobile robots by wireless communication, from the other mobile robot; executes a transmission process of directly wirelessly communicating with the other mobile robot and transmitting the second control signal to the other mobile robot when the other mobile robot is unable to wirelessly communicate with the server device and the server device is shut down; the first control signal received in the receiving process is a signal received by the other mobile robot from the server device before the server device is shut down, the second control signal transmitted in the transmission process is a signal received from the server device before the server device is shut down; method.

9. executing a confirmation process for confirming whether or not the first control signal received from the server device before the server device is shut down is a final version of the first control signal transmitted before the server device is shut down, by comparing the first control signal received from the other mobile robot in the receiving process; The method according to claim 8.

10. the shutdown is a shutdown that is executed based on emergency information received by the server device from a facility management system that manages a facility in which the mobile robot and the other mobile robots are operated, the first control signal received in the receiving process is a control signal for limiting operation of the other mobile robot, the control signal being received by the other mobile robot from the server device before the server device is shut down; the second control signal transmitted in the transmission process is a control signal for limiting the operation of the other mobile robot, which is received from the server device before the server device is shut down; 10. The method according to claim 8 or 9.

11. the mobile robot transmits to the server device, in a state where wireless communication with the server device is possible, status information indicating a status of the other mobile robot transmitted from the other mobile robot when the other mobile robot becomes unable to wirelessly communicate with the server device; The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10.

12. A transport system including a server device that manages a plurality of mobile robots that can move autonomously within a facility while exchanging information via wireless communication, the transport system transporting an object using the plurality of mobile robots, the program causing a computer mounted on the mobile robot to execute communication processing, The communication process includes: receiving a first control signal transmitted from the server device for driving and controlling the mobile robot together with a second control signal transmitted from the server device for driving and controlling another mobile robot in a state in which wireless communication with the server device is possible; when wireless communication with the server device is not possible and the server device is shut down, a reception process is executed to directly wirelessly communicate with another mobile robot among the plurality of mobile robots, and to receive from the other mobile robot a first control signal transmitted from the server device for driving and controlling the mobile robot; executes a transmission process of directly wirelessly communicating with the other mobile robot and transmitting the second control signal to the other mobile robot when the other mobile robot is unable to wirelessly communicate with the server device and the server device is shut down; the first control signal received in the receiving process is a signal received by the other mobile robot from the server device before the server device is shut down, the second control signal transmitted in the transmission process is a signal received from the server device before the server device is shut down; program.

13. The communication process includes: executing a confirmation process for confirming whether or not the first control signal received from the server device before the server device is shut down is a final version of the first control signal transmitted before the server device is shut down, by comparing the first control signal received from the other mobile robot in the receiving process; The program according to claim 12.

14. the shutdown is a shutdown that is executed based on emergency information received by the server device from a facility management system that manages a facility in which the mobile robot and the other mobile robots are operated, the first control signal received in the receiving process is a control signal for limiting operation of the other mobile robot, the control signal being received by the other mobile robot from the server device before the server device is shut down; the second control signal transmitted in the transmission process is a control signal for limiting the operation of the other mobile robot, which is received from the server device before the server device is shut down; 14. The program according to claim 12 or 13.

15. the communication process includes transmitting, to the server device, status information indicating a status of the other mobile robot, transmitted from the other mobile robot when the other mobile robot is unable to wirelessly communicate with the server device, while the other mobile robot is able to wirelessly communicate with the server device; The program according to any one of claims 12 to 14.

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