Mobile System

Abstract

To provide a mobile system that is able to efficiently observe peripheral environment of a mobile robot by using a small number of cameras.SOLUTION: A mobile system according to the present disclosure includes: a mobile robot; a first camera installed in a first predetermined area that is an upper side and one of a front side and a rear side in an area of a side surface of a housing of the mobile robot; a second camera installed in a second predetermined area that is a lower side and the other of the front side and the rear side in the area of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot. The first camera is installed to face downward from the first predetermined area so that any side surface of a quadrangular pyramid-shaped visual field range having a viewpoint of the first camera as a vertex is substantially in contact with the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot. The second camera is installed to face upward from the second predetermined area so that any side surface of a quadrangular pyramid-shaped visual field range having a viewpoint of the second camera as a vertex is substantially in contact with the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a mobile system.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, there has been a demand for efficiently observing the surrounding environment of a mobile robot. Related technologies are disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a control device for remotely controlling a mobile body having at least an imaging unit and a drive unit for self-position movement. This control device includes a generation unit that generates search range specification information used to specify the search range in response to the specification of a search range in which a predetermined object is autonomously searched, and a control unit that controls the viewing angles of the drive unit and the imaging unit to search within the search range using the search range specification information.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Not limited to the method disclosed in Patent Document 1, there is a continuing demand for efficiently observing the surrounding environment of a mobile robot.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above background, and an object thereof is to provide a mobile system capable of efficiently observing the surrounding environment of a mobile robot using a small number of cameras.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The mobile system according to the present disclosure includes a mobile robot, a first camera installed in a first predetermined area that is an area above and one of the front and rear in the area of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot, and a second camera installed in a second predetermined area that is an area below and the other of the front and rear in the area of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot. The first camera is installed downward from the first predetermined area such that any side surface of a quadrangular pyramid-shaped viewing range with the viewpoint of the first camera as the apex substantially contacts the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot, and the second camera is installed upward from the second predetermined area such that any side surface of a quadrangular pyramid-shaped viewing range with the viewpoint of the second camera as the apex substantially contacts the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot. Thereby, this mobile system can efficiently observe the surrounding environment of the mobile robot using a small number of cameras.

[0008] The housing of the mobile robot has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the first predetermined area is an area of a corner portion that is above and one of the front and rear in the area of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot, and the second predetermined area may be an area of a corner portion that is below and the other of the front and rear in the area of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot.

[0009] The housing of the mobile robot has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with rounded corners, and the first predetermined area is an area of a corner portion that is above and one of the front and rear in the area of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot, and the second predetermined area may be an area of a corner portion that is below and the other of the front and rear in the area of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot.

[0010] The first predetermined area is an area that is above and in front of the area of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot. The second predetermined area is an area that is below and behind the area of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot. Taking the vertically upward direction as the positive direction of the z-axis, the front direction of the mobile robot as the positive direction of the x-axis, and for any position coordinate (z’, x’) in the area of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot included in the zx plane, the coordinate where the viewpoint of the first camera is located as (z_u, x_u), and the coordinate where the viewpoint of the second camera is located as (z_d, x_d), the first camera is installed so as to satisfy the condition that there is no coordinate (z’, x’) such that z’ > z_u and x’ > x_u, and the second camera may be installed so as to satisfy the condition that there is no coordinate (z’, x’) such that z’ < z_d and x’ < x_d.

[0011] The first predetermined area is an area that is above and behind the area of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot. The second predetermined area is an area that is below and in front of the area of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot. Taking the vertically upward direction as the positive direction of the z-axis, the front direction of the mobile robot as the positive direction of the x-axis, and for any position coordinate (z’, x’) in the area of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot included in the zx plane, the coordinate where the viewpoint of the first camera is located as (z_u, x_u), and the coordinate where the viewpoint of the second camera is located as (z_d, x_d), the first camera is installed so as to satisfy the condition that there is no coordinate (z’, x’) such that z’ > z_u and x’ < x_u, and the second camera may be installed so as to satisfy the condition that there is no coordinate (z’, x’) such that z’ < z_d and x’ > x_d.

[0012] The first camera may have a shape extending in the left-right direction and be installed such that its longitudinal direction is parallel to the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot, and the second camera may have a shape extending in the left-right direction and be installed such that its longitudinal direction is parallel to the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot.

[0013] Both the first camera and the second camera may be depth cameras.

Advantages of the Invention

[0014] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a movement system capable of efficiently observing the surrounding environment of a mobile robot using a small number of cameras.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

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Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention. However, the invention according to the claims is not limited to the following embodiments. Also, not all of the configurations described in the embodiments are essential as means for solving the problems. For the sake of clarity of explanation, the following description and drawings have been appropriately omitted and simplified. In each drawing, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same elements, and redundant descriptions are omitted as necessary.

[0017] <Embodiment 1> FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a configuration example of a movement system according to Embodiment 1. The movement system according to the present embodiment can efficiently observe the surrounding environment of the mobile robot by devising the mounting positions of the cameras on the mobile robot, using a small number of cameras. This will be specifically described below.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the movement system according to the present embodiment includes at least a mobile robot 100, a camera (first camera) 200, and a camera (second camera) 300. Note that the mobile robot 100 and the cameras 200 and 300 can also be collectively referred to as a mobile robot.

[0019] The mobile robot 100 is, for example, a robot configured to be capable of autonomous movement. However, the mobile robot 100 may be a robot configured to be movable by user operation. The mobile robot 100 includes at least, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped housing 101 and a plurality of wheels 102 provided on the lower side of the housing 101. Further, a control device (not shown) and the like are provided inside the housing 101. The control device grasps the position information and the surrounding environment of the mobile robot 100 from the captured images of the cameras 200 and 300, and controls the running of the mobile robot 100 by rotating the plurality of wheels 102.

[0020] Cameras 200 and 300 are installed on each side surface of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100. Since the installation positions of the cameras 200 and 300 installed on one side surface of the housing 101 are basically the same as those of the cameras 200 and 300 installed on the other side surface of the housing 101, hereinafter, the installation positions of the cameras 200 and 300 in the area of one side surface of the housing 101 (hereinafter simply referred to as the side surface of the housing 101) will be described as a representative.

[0021] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the camera 200. Since the structure of the camera 300 is the same as that of the camera 200, the description thereof will be omitted. As shown in FIG. 2, the camera 200 is a depth camera such as a TOF camera, and has a housing 200a having a shape extending in the left-right direction (a capsule shape in the example of FIG. 2), and depth sensors 200b, 200c and an RGB sensor 200d installed along the longitudinal direction of the housing 200a. The camera 300 can acquire information regarding the depth (depth) of an object existing around the mobile robot 100 by using the depth sensors 200b and 200c.

[0022] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the viewing range of the camera 200. As shown in FIG. 3, the camera 200 is configured to be able to photograph (scan) a frustum-shaped viewing range having the viewpoint P1 of the camera as the apex. In the examples of FIGS. 2 and 3, the central portions of the depth sensors 200b and 200c of the camera 200 are defined as the viewpoint P1. Similarly, in the camera 300, the central portions of the two depth sensors installed in the camera 300 are defined as the viewpoint P2.

[0023] The camera 200 is installed in an area (first predetermined area) that is above (the +z-axis side), and either in front (the +x-axis side) or behind (the -x-axis side) in the area of the side surface of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100. Further, the camera 200 is installed downward from the installation position of the camera 200 such that one side surface of the frustum-shaped viewing range having the viewpoint P1 as the apex substantially contacts the side surface of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100.

[0024] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the mobile robot 100 and the camera 200. Note that, in FIG. 4, the camera 300 is not shown in order to make the drawing easier to view. In the example of FIG. 4, the camera 200 is installed in the region of the upper and front corner of the side surface region of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100. Further, the camera 200 is installed facing downward from the installation position of the camera 200 such that one side surface S1 of the quadrangular pyramid-shaped viewing range with the viewpoint P1 as the apex substantially contacts the side surface of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100. Thereby, the camera 200 can photograph the peripheral region mainly on the lower side (such as the floor surface) of the mobile robot 100 including the vicinity of the side surface of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100.

[0025] Note that the camera 200 is preferably installed such that the longitudinal direction is parallel to the side surface of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the longitudinal direction of the camera 200 from protruding from the housing of the mobile robot 100.

[0026] Here, among the regions of the side surface of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100 included in the zx plane, if the coordinates of an arbitrary position are (z’, x’) and the coordinates of the viewpoint P1 of the camera 200 are (z_u, x_u), the camera 200 is preferably installed so as to satisfy the condition (hereinafter referred to as conditional expression (1)) that there are no coordinates (z’, x’) such that z’ > z_u and x’ > x_u. Thereby, the camera 200 can photograph a wider area around the mobile robot 100.

[0027] The camera 300 is installed in the region (second predetermined region) of the side surface region of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100 that is on the lower side (z-axis negative side) and on the other of the front and rear. Further, the camera 300 is installed facing upward from the installation position of the camera 300 such that any side surface of the quadrangular pyramid-shaped viewing range with the viewpoint P2 as the apex substantially contacts the side surface of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100.

[0028] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the mobile robot 100 and the camera 300. Note that, for ease of viewing the drawing, the camera 200 is not shown in FIG. 5. In the example of FIG. 5, the camera 300 is installed in the area of the lower and rear corner of the side surface area of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100. Also, the camera 300 is installed facing upward from the installation position thereof such that one side surface S2 of the frustum-shaped viewing range with the viewing point P2 as the apex substantially contacts the side surface of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100. Thereby, the camera 300 can capture the upper peripheral area of the mobile robot 100 mainly including the vicinity of the side surface of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100.

[0029] Note that the camera 300 is preferably installed such that its longitudinal direction is parallel to the side surface of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the longitudinal direction of the camera 300 from protruding from the housing of the mobile robot 100.

[0030] Here, among the area of the side surface of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100 included in the zx plane, when the coordinates of an arbitrary position are (z’, x’) and the coordinates where the viewing point P2 of the camera 300 is located are (z_d, x_d), the camera 300 is preferably installed so as to satisfy the condition that there is no coordinate (z’, x’) such that z’ < z_d and x’ < x_d (hereinafter referred to as conditional expression (2)). Thereby, the camera 300 can capture a wider area around the mobile robot 100.

[0031] And the mobile system according to the present embodiment can efficiently capture the peripheral area of the mobile robot 100 by using the cameras 200 and 300 in combination.

[0032] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a method of determining the installation positions of cameras 200 and 300. As shown in FIG. 6, when the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, the conditional expression (1) is satisfied when the viewpoint P1 of the camera 200 is located in the region of the upper and front corner of the side surface region of the housing 101 (the circled part in the figure). Therefore, when the housing 101 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, the camera 200 is preferably installed in the region of the side surface region of the housing 101 where the viewpoint P1 is located in the circled part of FIG. 6.

[0033] Also, as shown in FIG. 6, when the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, the conditional expression (2) is satisfied when the viewpoint P2 of the camera 300 is located in the region of the lower and rear corner of the side surface region of the housing 101 (the triangular marked part in the figure). Therefore, when the housing 101 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, the camera 300 is preferably installed in the region of the side surface region of the housing 101 where the viewpoint P2 is located in the triangular marked part of FIG. 6.

[0034] <First Modified Example of Mobile Robot 100> FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the first modified example of the mobile robot 100 and a method of determining the installation positions of the cameras 200 and 300. In the example of FIG. 7, the corners of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100 are rounded. In this case, the conditional expression (1) is satisfied when the viewpoint P1 of the camera 200 is located in any region of the upper and front corner of the side surface region of the housing 101 (a plurality of circled parts in the figure). Therefore, when the corners of the housing 101 are rounded, the camera 200 is preferably installed in the region of the side surface region of the housing 101 where the viewpoint P1 is located in the circled part of FIG. 7.

[0035] Also, as shown in FIG. 7, when the corners of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100 are rounded, the conditional expression (2) is satisfied when the viewpoint P2 of the camera 300 is located in any area (a plurality of triangular mark portions in the figure) of the lower and rear corners of the side surface area of the housing 101. Therefore, when the corners of the housing 101 are rounded, the camera 300 is preferably installed in an area of the side surface area of the housing 101 where the viewpoint P2 is located in the triangular mark portion of FIG. 7.

[0036] <Second Modified Example of Mobile Robot 100> FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a second modified example of the mobile robot 100 and a method for determining the installation positions of the cameras 200 and 300. In the example of FIG. 8, the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100 has an uneven shape. In this case, the conditional expression (1) is satisfied when the viewpoint P1 of the camera 200 is located in any area of a plurality of upper and front corners (a plurality of round mark portions in the figure) of the side surface area of the housing 101. Therefore, when the housing 101 has an uneven shape, the camera 200 is preferably installed in an area of the side surface area of the housing 101 where the viewpoint P1 is located in the round mark portion of FIG. 8.

[0037] Also, as shown in FIG. 8, when the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100 has an uneven shape, the conditional expression (2) is satisfied when the viewpoint P2 of the camera 300 is located in any area of a plurality of lower and rear corners (a plurality of triangular mark portions in the figure) of the side surface area of the housing 101. Therefore, when the housing 101 has an uneven shape, the camera 300 is preferably installed in an area of the side surface area of the housing 101 where the viewpoint P2 is located in the triangular mark portion of FIG. 8.

[0038] In this way, the mobile system according to the present embodiment can efficiently capture the peripheral area of the mobile robot 100 by using the cameras 200 and 300 in combination. That is, the mobile system according to the present embodiment can efficiently observe the surrounding environment of the mobile robot 100 by devising the attachment positions of the cameras 200 and 300 to the mobile robot 100 and using a small number of cameras. As a result, for example, it becomes possible to detect obstacles at positions that are likely to be dead spots near the side surface of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100.

[0039] In the present embodiment, the case where the camera 200 is installed in the area of the upper and front corner of the side surface area of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100 and the camera 300 is installed in the area of the lower and rear corner of the side surface area of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100 has been described as an example, but it is not limited to this. For example, the camera 200 may be installed in the upper and rear area of the side surface area of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100, and the camera 300 may be installed in the lower and front area of the side surface area of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100.

[0040] In this case, among the side surface areas of the housing 101 of the mobile robot 100 included in the zx plane, if the coordinates of an arbitrary position are (z', x') and the coordinates where the viewpoint P1 of the camera 200 is located are (z_u, x_u), it is preferable that the camera 200 is installed so as to satisfy the condition that there is no coordinate (z', x') such that z' > z_u and x' < x_u. Also, it is preferable that the camera 300 is installed so as to satisfy the condition that there is no coordinate (z', x') such that z' < z_d and x' > x_d. Thereby, the cameras 200 and 300 can capture a wider area around the mobile robot 100.

[0041] Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist.

[0042] Furthermore, the present disclosure can be implemented by causing a CPU (Central Processing Unit) to execute a computer program for part or all of the control processing in the mobile system.

[0043] The above-described program, when loaded into a computer, includes a set of instructions (or software code) for causing the computer to perform one or more functions described in the embodiments. The program may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium or a tangible storage medium. By way of example and not limitation, the computer-readable medium or tangible storage medium includes RAM (Random-Access Memory), ROM (Read-Only Memory), flash memory, SSD (Solid-State Drive) or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), Blu-ray (registered trademark) disc or other optical disc storage, magnetic cassette, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices. The program may be transmitted on a transitory computer-readable medium or a communication medium. By way of example and not limitation, the transitory computer-readable medium or communication medium includes electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagated signals.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0044] 100 Mobile robot 101 Housing 102 Wheels 200 Camera 200a Housing 200b Depth sensor 200c Depth sensor 200d RGB sensor 300 Camera P1 Viewpoint P2 Viewpoint S1 Side S2 Side

Claims

1. A mobile robot having a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped housing, a first camera installed in a first predetermined region that is a region of an upper side and one of a front side and a rear side among regions of a side surface included in a zx plane, when the vertically upward direction is the positive direction of the z-axis and the front of the mobile robot is the positive direction of the x-axis; a second camera installed in a second predetermined region that is a region of a lower side and the other of the front side and the rear side among regions of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot where the first camera is installed; comprising: the first camera is installed downward from the first predetermined region such that any side surface of a quadrangular pyramid-shaped viewing range having the viewpoint of the first camera as a vertex substantially contacts the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot, and the second camera is installed upward from the second predetermined region such that any side surface of a quadrangular pyramid-shaped viewing range having the viewpoint of the second camera as a vertex substantially contacts the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot. A mobile system.

2. The first predetermined region is a corner region of an upper side and one of a front side and a rear side among regions of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot, and the second predetermined region is a corner region of a lower side and the other of the front side and the rear side among regions of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot. The mobile system according to Claim 1.

3. the housing of the mobile robot has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with rounded corners, and the first predetermined region is a corner region of an upper side and one of a front side and a rear side among regions of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot, and the second predetermined region is a corner region of a lower side and the other of the front side and the rear side among regions of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot. The mobile system according to Claim 1.

4. the first predetermined region is a region of an upper side and a front side among regions of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot, and the second predetermined region is a region of a lower side and a rear side among regions of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot. When the coordinates of an arbitrary position in a region of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot included in the zx plane, with the vertically upward direction as the positive direction of the z-axis and the front of the mobile robot as the positive direction of the x-axis, are (z', x'), the coordinates of the viewpoint of the first camera are (z_u, x_u), and the coordinates of the viewpoint of the second camera are (z_d, x_d), ​ The first camera is installed to satisfy the condition that there is no coordinate (z', x') such that z' > z_u and x' > x_u. The second camera is installed to satisfy the condition that there is no coordinate (z', x') such that z' < z_d and x' < x_d. The mobile system according to claim 1.

5. The first predetermined area is an area that is above and rearward among the areas of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot. The second predetermined area is an area that is below and forward among the areas of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot. Taking the vertically upward direction as the positive direction of the z-axis, the forward direction of the mobile robot as the positive direction of the x-axis, and the coordinates of an arbitrary position among the areas of the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot included in the zx plane as (z', x'), the coordinates where the viewpoint of the first camera is located as (z_u, x_u), and the coordinates where the viewpoint of the second camera is located as (z_d, x_d), The first camera is installed to satisfy the condition that there is no coordinate (z', x') such that z' > z_u and x' < x_u. The second camera is installed to satisfy the condition that there is no coordinate (z', x') such that z' < z_d and x' > x_d. The mobile system according to claim 1.

6. The first camera has a shape extending in the left-right direction and is installed such that its longitudinal direction is parallel to the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot, and The second camera has a shape extending in the left-right direction and is installed such that its longitudinal direction is parallel to the side surface of the housing of the mobile robot. The mobile system according to claim 1.

7. Both the first camera and the second camera are depth cameras. The mobile system according to claim 1.

Images