Method, program, and system for optimizing layout of autonomous moving objects

Abstract

To provide a method, a program, and a system for easily optimizing the arrangement of mobile bodies such as autonomously mobile furniture.SOLUTION: A method for determining installation locations of self-localization markers of autonomous mobile bodies such as office furniture, includes: a temporary fixing step of fixing multiple setting markers at candidate positions realized by drones, etc.; a trial step of moving the autonomous mobile body to a target position based on positions of the multiple setting markers; and an evaluation step of comparing a position to which the autonomous mobile body has moved with the target position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for arranging autonomously movable objects, and more specifically, to a method, program, and system for easily optimizing the arrangement of autonomously movable office furniture such as chairs and tables. [Background technology]

[0002] The technology of movable furniture equipped with a means of movement such as wheels is well known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for automating furniture arrangement by issuing commands to autonomously moving furniture based on layout information stored in a database. Patent Document 2 discloses a technology for determining an optimal layout according to the participants and characteristics of a meeting. These technologies have a great advantage in that they can automate the arrangement of furniture, particularly in office conference rooms where furniture layout changes occur frequently.

[0003] In order to apply this technology in reality, each piece of furniture needs to know its own position with an accuracy of a few centimeters, but considering that this technology will mainly be used indoors, general GPS positioning does not provide sufficient accuracy. It is possible to equip each piece of furniture with a distance sensor such as LiDAR so that it can estimate its own position, but in an environment where multiple pieces of furniture move at the same time, there is a problem that the position of each piece of furniture cannot be accurately and quickly estimated with only the information from the distance sensor. As another method, indoor position estimation technology using ultrasound or beacons can be used, but it is necessary to place many speakers and beacons that generate ultrasound in the space, and it is not easy to implement in terms of maintenance such as placement costs and maintenance of power supplies and batteries. It is also possible to improve the accuracy of position estimation by placing markers on the ceiling or wall, but there is a problem that it is difficult to determine the appropriate place to place the markers in a real environment.

[0004] The present invention addresses these challenges and provides a solution for accurate positioning of furniture and other autonomously movable objects. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication JP2004-195217 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2016-1443 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] A method, a program, and a system are provided for easily optimizing the placement of a moving object such as autonomous mobile furniture. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention solves the above problem by providing a method for determining a location to install a marker for measuring the self-position of an autonomous moving body, the method including a temporary fixation step of fixing a plurality of setting markers to candidate positions, a trial step of moving the autonomous moving body to a destination position based on the positions of the plurality of setting markers, and an evaluation step of comparing the position to which the autonomous moving body has moved with the destination position.

[0008] The present invention also solves the above problem by providing a method as described in paragraph 0007, in which at least a portion of the multiple setting markers are drones equipped with an aerial hover function.

[0009] The present invention also solves the above problem by providing a method as described in paragraph 0007, in which at least a portion of the plurality of setting markers are robots equipped with a wall surface adsorption function.

[0010] The present invention also solves the above problem by providing a method as described in paragraph 0007, in which at least a portion of the plurality of setting markers are projected images onto a wall or a ceiling.

[0011] The present invention further includes a candidate position changing step of changing the candidate position, and a retry step of executing the temporary fixing step, the trial step, and the evaluation step again. The above problem is solved by providing a method as described in paragraph 0007, paragraph 0008, paragraph 0009, or paragraph 0010.

[0012] In addition, the present invention solves the above problem by providing a program for determining the installation location of a marker for measuring the self-position of an autonomous moving body, which causes a computer to execute a group of temporary fixation commands for fixing a plurality of setting markers to candidate positions, a group of trial commands for moving the autonomous moving body to a destination position based on the positions of the plurality of setting markers, and a group of evaluation commands for comparing the position to which the autonomous moving body has moved with the destination position or for inputting a comparison value.

[0013] The present invention also solves the above problem by providing the program described in paragraph 0012, in which at least a portion of the multiple setting markers are drones equipped with an aerial hover function.

[0014] The present invention also solves the above problem by providing the program described in paragraph 0012, in which at least a portion of the plurality of setting markers are robots equipped with a wall surface adsorption function.

[0015] The present invention also solves the above problem by providing the program described in paragraph 0012, in which at least a portion of the plurality of setting markers are images projected onto a wall or a ceiling.

[0016] In addition, the present invention solves the above problem by providing a program described in paragraph 0012, paragraph 0013, paragraph 0014, or paragraph 0015, which causes a computer to execute a group of position change instructions that cause the computer to input a new candidate position that has been changed from the candidate position, and a group of retry instructions that cause the computer to execute the group of temporary fixation instructions, the group of trial instructions, and the group of evaluation instructions again.

[0017] In addition, the present invention solves the above problem by providing a drone for use in the method described in paragraph 0008, the drone comprising a flight unit, a connection unit, and a marker unit, the marker unit being used to position the moving body.

[0018] In addition, the present invention solves the above problem by providing the drone described in paragraph 0017, in which the connection part is configured as a universal joint whose direction can be changed based on an external command. Effect of the Invention

[0019] A method, program, and system are provided for easily optimizing the placement of a moving object, such as autonomous mobile furniture. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates an environment in which a method according to an embodiment of the present invention is performed. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the functions of a movable piece of furniture according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an execution environment of a method according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a setting marker used in the method according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 4 is a schematic flowchart of a marker position determination program using a method according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an execution environment of a method according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 13 is a flowchart of a marker position determination program using a method according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. All drawings are illustrative.

[0022] The environment after the method according to the embodiment of the present invention is performed is shown. The room (100) is a place where one or more pieces of mobile furniture (101) are placed, typically, but not limited to, a conference room in an office. The present invention may also be practiced outdoors (for example, in a park, a garden, an outdoor stage, etc.). The mobile furniture (101) is specifically, but not limited to, a chair, a desk, a whiteboard, a podium, a display stand, a shelf, etc. used in an environment such as an office or a conference room, and may be autonomously movable furniture, equipment, fixtures, devices, and devices (for example, a bed, a chest of drawers, a mobile wall, home appliances such as a television or a refrigerator, a dolly, a podium, a musical instrument, a robot, etc.).

[0023] The markers (102) are provided on the walls, ceiling, floor, etc. of the room (100) and are read by the movable furniture (101) to serve as a guide for identifying its own position. They may be realized using wireless tag technology, etc., but are preferably realized using a pattern that is easily recognized by image recognition technology, such as a two-dimensional barcode (for example, an ArUco-compliant marker, a QR code (registered trademark)). The pattern is preferably made of a material that can be recognized only by invisible light such as infrared light and is invisible to the human eye when viewed with visible light, so as not to spoil the aesthetic appeal of the room (100), etc. Each marker is preferably assigned a unique identifier and is readable by the movable furniture (101).

[0024] The control computer (104) is a means for running a program that issues commands to the movable furniture (101) and the setting markers (described later) to place them in appropriate positions, and may be a general-purpose personal computer, a server computer, a tablet terminal, a smartphone, etc. The functions of the control computer (104) may be realized by multiple computers including a server on a cloud outside the organization. The control computer (104) preferably runs a layout execution program (105) and a marker position determination program (106) and can communicate with the movable furniture (101) via wireless communication technology such as wireless LAN or Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0025] FIG. 2 shows an outline of the functions of the mobile furniture (101) according to the embodiment of the present invention. As described above, the mobile furniture (101) includes furniture, equipment, fixtures, devices, and devices that can move autonomously. The moving means (201) is typically wheels such as casters and a motor or battery that drives the wheels, and the speed and direction are controlled by the moving means control means (202). The fixing means (203) is a means for fixing the movable furniture (101) moved by the moving means (201) to a predetermined position, and may be realized as a brake or lock for the wheels such as casters, or may be realized as an extendable leg. The communication means (204) is a means for exchanging information with the control computer (104), and may be realized by wireless LAN or Bluetooth (registered trademark). In addition, the mobile furniture (101) may be configured to exchange information with each other via the communication means (204). The marker reading means (205) is a means for reading the marker (102) and the setting marker (described later) to enable the movable furniture (101) to grasp its own position, and may be a camera. The self-position estimation means (206) is a means for the movable furniture (101) to estimate its own position based on the positional relationship with the multiple markers (103) or the setting marker (described later) read by the marker reading means (205). It is preferable that not only the position of the movable furniture (101) but also the direction of the movable furniture (101) can be estimated. In addition, the environment (such as the boundary of the room, the presence of pillars and beams) may be grasped at the same time as the estimation of the self-position, and an environmental map may be created. The environmental map may be created and saved in advance. In addition, the self-position estimation means (206) may include a means for accurately grasping its own position in the marker position setting stage described later, for example, a sensor for reading a mark on the floor (which may not be used after the position of the marker (103) is determined).

[0026] The moving means control means (202), the communication means (204), the marker reading means (205), and the self-location estimation means (206) may be realized by a computer and a program executed thereon. The computer may be built in the mobile furniture (101), may be provided externally, may be common to the control computer (104), or may be a combination of them.

[0027] The control computer (104), which executes the layout execution program (105), issues a command to the movement means control means (202) via the communication means (204), thereby executing an automatic layout of the movable furniture (101). As a result, the movable furniture (101) automatically changes its arrangement, for example, from a tidy state to a layout for a meeting, or from a layout for one meeting (for example, a lecture for a large number of people) to a layout for another meeting (for example, a video conference for a small number of people).

[0028] An example of the execution logic of the layout execution program (105) is shown below. First, the layout information of the target is read from a file or a database. The target destination of each piece of mobile furniture (101) is determined from the current position estimated by the self-position estimation means (206) of each piece of mobile furniture (101). In this case, it is desirable to determine the target destination so that the cost (for example, the total of the movement distances, or the longest movement distance, etc.) is minimized. Next, the layout execution program (105) transmits a command to each piece of mobile furniture (101) to start moving. Each piece of mobile furniture (101) reads the multiple markers (102) by the marker reading means (205), and the self-position estimation means (206) periodically grasps its own position based on the principle of triangulation or the like. In order to avoid collision with other pieces of mobile furniture (101) that are moving, it is desirable for the layout execution program (105) to interrupt the movement of a specific piece of mobile furniture (101) as necessary. When the movement is completed, it is preferable that the layout execution program (105) issues a command to the fixing means (203) of each piece of movable furniture (101) to fix each piece of movable furniture (101) in the target position (so that it cannot be easily moved).

[0029] Here, when determining the layout, from the standpoint of social distancing, rules may be applied as appropriate, such as automatically keeping the distance between seats at 2 meters or more, automatically moving chairs that are close to each other when a user finishes using the conference room and leaves to a position that maintains social distancing, and arranging chairs to face a television screen or projector screen when it is clear in advance from stored schedule information, etc. that the purpose of using the room (100) is for video conferencing, or when a user issues such instructions to the control computer (104).

[0030] Here, rooms (100) that are actually used, such as conference rooms, have various shapes and have obstacles such as pillars and beams. Therefore, the position where the multiple markers (102) should be installed becomes an issue. In addition, since the markers spoil the aesthetic look of the room (100), there is also a demand to reduce the number of markers as much as possible. Experiments by the inventors have revealed that it is difficult to optimize the optimal number of markers (102) and their installation positions only through desk calculations, and trial and error in the actual usage environment is necessary, but attaching and detaching the markers (102) to the wall or ceiling requires manual work. In particular, since attaching and detaching the markers to the ceiling is a heavy burden, it is preferable to use a setting marker (described later), which is a temporary marker that can be easily moved, to make it easier to find the optimal position of the marker (103) before actually installing the markers (102) on the wall or ceiling.

[0031] Fig. 3 shows an execution environment of the method according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The setting marker (303) is a temporary marker used to determine the position of the marker (103), and this figure shows an embodiment in which a drone capable of stopping (hovering) in the air is used to function as a temporary marker. In the trial and error stage (hereinafter referred to as the marker position setting stage) until the final position of the marker (103) is determined, the use of the setting marker (303) can significantly reduce the burden required for attaching and removing the marker and changing its position.

[0032] FIG. 4-a) shows the structure of an embodiment of the setting marker (303) using a drone, which is used in the method according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The figure is a schematic diagram for expressing the function, and the scale and detailed structure are not accurate. The flying means (401) is a means for flying and hovering the drone in the air, and a general drone may be used. The flying means (401) may have functions that a general drone has, such as a rotor (propeller), rotor control means, and a battery. The flying means (401) is preferably configured to be controllable from an external device (preferably a control computer (104)) and to be capable of controlling the position, altitude, and orientation of the aircraft. The temporary marker (402) has the same function as the marker (102), and is a member that can be read by the marker reading means (204) of the mobile furniture (101).

[0033] The connection unit (403) is a means for connecting the flying means (301) and the temporary marker (402), and is preferably capable of fixing the temporary marker (402) in either a horizontal or vertical orientation. When the temporary marker (402) is in a horizontal orientation, it functions as a temporary substitute for the marker (103) provided on the ceiling, and when the temporary marker (402) is in a vertical orientation, it functions as a temporary substitute for the marker (103) provided on a wall, pillar, or the like. Furthermore, the connection unit (403) may be configured so that the temporary marker (402) can be fixed at any angle between the horizontal position and the vertical position. The connection unit (403) may be configured as a universal joint. Furthermore, the connection unit (403) may be configured so that the fixing direction of the temporary marker (402) can be adjusted by an external command. In this case, it is preferable that the external command can be transmitted from the control computer (104).

[0034] FIG. 4-b) shows the structure of an embodiment of the setting marker (303) using a wall-surface adhesion robot, which is used in the method according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The figure is a schematic diagram for expressing the function, and the scale and detailed structure are not accurate. The adhesion means (404) is a means for fixing the setting marker (303) to a wall or ceiling, and may use suction force by a pump, electrostatic force (if the setting marker (303) is extremely small), or magnetic force (if the wall or ceiling contains a magnetic material). The movement means (405) is a means for moving the setting marker (303) on the wall or ceiling, and may be realized using wheels or belts (tracks). It is preferable that the movement means (405) can be controlled from an external device (preferably a control computer (104)) and is configured so that the position, altitude, and orientation can be controlled. The temporary marker (406) has the same function as the marker (102), and can be read by the marker reading means (204) of the mobile furniture (101).

[0035] FIG. 5 shows a schematic flow chart of the marker position determination program (106) using the setting marker (303) by the drone according to the first embodiment of the present invention. S501 to S505 correspond to the marker position setting stage. First, the setting markers (303) are made to float (hover) at candidate positions for the installation of the markers (103) (S501). The candidate positions may be determined arbitrarily, or may be determined according to heuristics based on past cases. It is preferable that the hovering position can be fine-tuned by instructions from the control computer (104) for the drone and visual observation by the operator. Next, the movable furniture (101) is moved to a predetermined position based on the temporary marker (402) provided on the setting marker (303) (S502). It is preferable that the movement logic in this case is the same as that of the layout execution program (105).

[0036] When the movement of the movable furniture (101) is completed, an evaluation is performed by comparing the target position of the movable furniture with the actual moved position (S503). This evaluation may be performed visually by a human, or may be performed automatically by the cooperation of the movable furniture (101) and the control computer (104). For example, it may be performed automatically by recording the number of revolutions and the direction of the tires, which are the moving means (201) equipped on the movable furniture (101). It may be performed automatically by a sensor equipped on the movable furniture (101) using a mark (used only in the marker position setting stage and not used in the actual operating environment where the position of the marker (103) is fixed) affixed to the floor at the target position. Similarly, a camera installed on the ceiling, which is used only in the marker position setting stage, may be used. In addition to the difference between the target position and the actual moved position, the evaluation may take into account the time until the movement is completed, the number of collisions between the furniture pieces during the movement, etc.

[0037] If it is determined that the predetermined accuracy has not been achieved (S504), the position, the number, or both of the setting markers (303) are changed (S505), and the processes of S501, S502, S503, and S504 are repeated. If it is determined that the predetermined accuracy has been achieved (S504), the marker (103) to be finally used is placed at a position corresponding to the setting marker (303) (S506). In determining the predetermined accuracy, not only the average value of the difference between the target position and the actual moving position, but also conditions such as whether any of the differences exceeds a predetermined threshold, whether the number of collisions between movable furniture pieces exceeds a predetermined threshold, and whether the time until the movement is completed exceeds a predetermined threshold may be taken into consideration. Instead of or in addition to this method, the number of times the processes of S501, S502, S503, and S504 are repeated may be determined in advance, and the position of the setting marker with the highest accuracy may be set as the final marker (103).

[0038] 6 shows an execution environment of the method according to the second embodiment of the present invention. When the marker (102) is realized by a figure recognizable by visible light such as a two-dimensional barcode, instead of a setting marker (103) that physically flies, an image of the marker (602) may be projected onto a wall or ceiling in a room by a projector (601) to fulfill the same function.

[0039] FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of a marker position determination program using a setting marker according to a second embodiment of the present invention. S701 to S705 correspond to the marker position setting stage. The difference is that in setting the temporary marker, instead of floating a drone, a projector (601) projects onto a wall, a ceiling, or both, and the rest is the same as the first embodiment. The first and second embodiments may be implemented in combination.

[0040] The above describes a marker positioning method for optimally arranging furniture and other autonomous mobile objects inside a room (100) such as a conference room, but the method according to the present invention may also be applied outdoors. For example, in a park or event venue, the method, program, and device according to the present invention can be used to find the optimal position for installing markers on benches, fences, road surfaces, guardrails, fences, walls, exterior walls of buildings, trees, etc., in order to arrange autonomously movable equipment, signs, and other facilities.

[0041] Furthermore, when using AR (Augmented Reality) technology using a head mounted display or the like, markers (e.g., ArUCO compliant markers) are fixed to the walls, ceilings, and objects around the user in order to allow the user to accurately grasp the surrounding environment. In this case, the method, program, and device according to the present invention can be used to determine the optimal position of the marker.

Claims

1. A method for assisting in determining a location for installing a marker for self-localization of an autonomous moving body, comprising: A temporary fixing step of fixing a plurality of setting markers at candidate positions; A trial step of moving the autonomously moving body to a destination position based on the positions of the plurality of setting markers; An evaluation step of comparing a position to which the autonomously moving body has moved with the destination position, At least a portion of the plurality of setting markers is a drone equipped with an air hover function. A computer implemented method.

2. A method for assisting in determining a location for installing a marker for self-localization of an autonomous moving body, comprising: A temporary fixing step of fixing a plurality of setting markers at candidate positions; A trial step of moving the autonomously moving body to a destination position based on the positions of the plurality of setting markers; An evaluation step of comparing a position to which the autonomously moving body has moved with the destination position, At least a part of the plurality of setting markers is a robot having a wall surface adsorption function. A computer implemented method.

3. A program for assisting in determining a location for installing a marker for self-localization of an autonomous moving body, comprising: A group of temporary fixing instructions for fixing a plurality of setting markers to candidate positions; A group of trial commands for moving the autonomous moving body to a destination position based on the positions of the plurality of setting markers; A group of evaluation commands for comparing the position to which the autonomous moving body has moved with the destination position or inputting a comparison value; Let the computer run it. At least a portion of the plurality of setting markers are drones equipped with an aerial hover function. program.

4. A program for assisting in determining a location for installing a marker for self-localization of an autonomous moving body, comprising: A group of temporary fixing instructions for fixing a plurality of setting markers to candidate positions; A group of trial commands for moving the autonomous moving body to a destination position based on the positions of the plurality of setting markers; A group of evaluation commands for comparing the position to which the autonomous moving body has moved with the destination position or inputting a comparison value; Let the computer run it. At least a part of the plurality of setting markers is a robot having a wall surface adsorption function. program.

5. A drone for use in the method of claim 1, The flying department and A temporary marker portion; A connecting portion is provided to connect the flying portion and the temporary marker portion, The autonomous moving body determines its own position based on the temporary marker unit. Drone.

6. The drone according to claim 5 , wherein the connection portion is configured as a universal joint capable of changing a direction in response to an external command.

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