Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and program

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program that can improve the operability of a vehicle.SOLUTION: A vehicle control device according to an embodiment includes: a sensor that detects a tilt of a posture of a user on an own vehicle; and a control unit that causes the own vehicle to travel at a predetermined speed in a tilting direction of the user on the basis of a detection result of the sensor, wherein the control unit continues a traveling state of the own vehicle when a specific operation by the user is received during traveling of the own vehicle by tilting of the user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, vehicles with inverted pendulum-controlled drive wheels (hereinafter referred to as "inverted pendulum type vehicles") have been developed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Inverted pendulum type vehicles are vehicles with a unique steering method that differs from general vehicles such as passenger cars, and therefore have a wide range of uses. For example, they are expected to be used for leisure purposes to enjoy a unique physical experience, and for nursing care purposes to support the mobility of physically disabled people. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7009535 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, inverted pendulum vehicles can detect the tilt of the user's posture and move in the tilted direction, but when traveling long distances, the tilted state needs to be maintained, which can be a burden on the user's operation, which has been an issue.

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one of the objects of the present invention is to improve the operability of vehicles, which in turn further improves traffic safety and contributes to the development of a sustainable transportation system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program according to the present invention employ the following configuration.

[0007] (1): A vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a sensor that detects the tilting of the posture of a user riding in the vehicle, and a control unit that causes the vehicle to travel at a predetermined speed in the direction of the user's tilt based on the detection results of the sensor, and the control unit continues the traveling state of the vehicle when it receives a specific operation from the user while the vehicle is traveling due to the user's tilt.

[0008] (2): In the above aspect (1), an operation reception unit that receives an operation by the user is further provided, and the specific operation is an operation on a mechanical switch or a GUI switch provided on the operation reception unit.

[0009] (3): In the above aspect (1), the specific operation is the user continuing to tilt the device for a predetermined period of time.

[0010] (4): In the above aspect (1), the control unit cancels the continuation of the running state when it receives a specific operation from the user and a cancellation operation from the user while the running state of the vehicle is continuing.

[0011] (5): In the above aspect (4), an operation reception unit that receives an operation by the user is further provided, and the release operation is an operation on a mechanical switch or a GUI switch provided on the operation reception unit.

[0012] (6) In the above aspect (4), the release operation is tilting the posture of the user in a direction other than the tilting direction.

[0013] (7): In the above aspect (4), the control unit cancels the continuation of the driving state when it receives a cancellation operation in an operation manner similar to the operation manner of a specific operation for continuing the driving state of the vehicle.

[0014] (8) In the above aspect (4), when the control unit receives the release operation and releases the running state of the host vehicle, the control unit decelerates or stops the host vehicle.

[0015] (9) In the above aspect (1), the predetermined speed is set based on the tilt angle of the user's posture.

[0016] (10): In the above aspect (1), the vehicle is capable of a first inverted state in which it stands upright using the ground contact points of the main wheels as fulcrums, a second inverted state in which it can maintain the inverted state including ground contact means other than the main wheels, or a third inverted state in which it maintains the inverted state by preventing the movement of the vehicle, and the control unit enables the user to travel by leaning in the first inverted state or the second inverted state.

[0017] (11): A vehicle control method according to one aspect of the present invention is a vehicle control method in which a computer detects tilting of the posture of a user riding in the vehicle, and based on the detected result, causes the vehicle to travel at a predetermined speed in the direction of the user's tilting, and when a specific operation is received from the user while the vehicle is traveling due to the user's tilting, causes the vehicle to continue traveling.

[0018] (12): A program according to one aspect of the present invention is a program that causes a computer to detect tilting of the posture of a user riding in the vehicle, and based on the detected results, causes the vehicle to travel at a predetermined speed in the direction of the user's tilting, and when a specific operation is received from the user while the vehicle is traveling due to the user's tilting, causes the vehicle to continue traveling. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the above aspects (1) to (12), the operability of the vehicle can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1]1 is an external view (part 1) showing a schematic configuration of an inverted pendulum type vehicle according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a second external view showing the outline of the configuration of the inverted pendulum type vehicle according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a third external view showing the outline of the configuration of the inverted pendulum type vehicle according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is an image diagram showing a state in which a user is on board a vehicle 100 in a takeoff state. [Figure 5] 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the configuration of an omnidirectional wheel 101. FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a diagram (part 1) showing an example of operation of the vehicle 100. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram (part 2) showing an example of operation of the vehicle 100. [Figure 8] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a vehicle 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 10 is a diagram for explaining the details of movement control of the vehicle 100 by the drive control unit 330. FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing for continuing the traveling state of the vehicle 100. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing for canceling the continuation of the traveling state of the vehicle 100. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, embodiments of a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program of the present invention will be described. In the following, it is assumed that the vehicle control device is mounted on an electric vehicle. An electric vehicle is a mobile body that can carry a user and move using power supplied from a battery or the like mounted on the vehicle. Furthermore, in the following, an inverted pendulum vehicle will be used as an example of an electric vehicle.

[0022] [Summary] 1 to 3 are external views showing a schematic configuration of an inverted pendulum vehicle 100 according to an embodiment. The inverted pendulum vehicle 100 is an example of a "host vehicle" and will be referred to simply as the "vehicle 100" below. FIGS. 1 to 3 respectively show a front view, a side view, and a rear view of the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is a single-seater electric mobility vehicle that includes a vehicle base 10 equipped with a drive mechanism such as wheels and a motor, and a passenger section 20 that includes a seat 21, a backrest 22, a headrest 23, and armrests 24. The vehicle 100 is capable of autonomously maintaining an inverted balance state through balance control. More specifically, the vehicle 100 includes omnidirectional wheels (an example of main wheels) 101 that enable the vehicle to move in any direction, forward, backward, left, or right, from a point where it touches the ground. The vehicle 100 maintains an inverted balance state through feedback control of the vehicle's direction of travel and acceleration in accordance with the vehicle's balance state. This type of balance control allows the vehicle 100 to move or stand still while maintaining the inverted state. For this type of balance control, the vehicle 100 is equipped with various sensors (not shown) that detect the balance state of the vehicle 100. Hereinafter, the inverted state of the vehicle 100 achieved by this type of balance control will be referred to as the "first inverted state." Figure 1 shows the vehicle 100 in the first inverted state.

[0023] On the other hand, the vehicle 100 is equipped with a plurality of training wheels 102-1 to 102-4 (hereinafter collectively referred to as training wheels 102), and is also capable of standing upright in a naturally balanced state supported by the training wheels 102. Hereinafter, a state in which the vehicle 100 stands upright naturally using the training wheels 102 without balance control will be referred to as a "second inverted state." FIG. 2 shows the vehicle 100 in the second inverted state. For example, in the first inverted state, the vehicle 100 holds the training wheels 102 in a high position so that they do not touch the ground, and when transitioning to the second inverted state, the vehicle 100 moves the training wheels 102 to a lower position so that the training wheels 102 touch the ground. The training wheels 102 are configured so that their movement in the vertical direction (arrow A1 shown in FIG. 1) can be controlled to change their position in this way. In this embodiment, in the second inverted state, the omnidirectional wheels 101 as well as the auxiliary wheels 102 come into contact with the ground, and the vehicle 100 can move in any direction even in the second inverted state by controlling the omnidirectional wheels 101. The auxiliary wheels 102 are an example of a ground contact means for achieving the second inverted state by forming multiple ground contact points different from the ground contact points of the omnidirectional wheels 101.

[0024] In the second inverted state, the lower the height of the vehicle base 10, the more stable the balance during movement may be. Therefore, the vehicle base 10 may be configured to be able to control its vertical movement so that its height in the second inverted state is lower than its height in the first inverted state. In this case, the vehicle 100 can transition to the second inverted state by lowering the height of the vehicle base 10 and moving the auxiliary wheels 102 downward relative to the vehicle base 10. In this case, the ground contact state of the omnidirectional wheels 101 does not change between the first and second inverted states. Therefore, if the height of the vehicle base 10 is used as a reference, transition from the first inverted state to the second inverted state can be said to be achieved by moving the omnidirectional wheels 101 upward and moving the auxiliary wheels 102 downward. Therefore, in order to change the height of the vehicle base 10, the omnidirectional wheels 101 may be configured to be able to control their vertical movement (arrow A2 shown in FIG. 1 ) relative to the vehicle base 10.

[0025] On the other hand, the vehicle 100 is equipped with a plurality of stoppers 103-1 to 103-4 (hereinafter collectively referred to as stoppers 103). The stoppers 103 support the vehicle 100, preventing it from moving from its stopping position and allowing it to remain stationary at the stopping position. FIG. 3 shows the vehicle 100 stopped at its stopping position by the stoppers 103. The stoppers 103 shown in the figure prevent the vehicle 100 from moving by friction with the floor (ground). To adjust the friction, the stoppers 103 are configured to be able to control movement in the vertical direction (arrow A3 in FIG. 1). Note that the stoppers 103 are not limited to this configuration. For example, the stoppers 103 may be locking mechanisms that prevent the omnidirectional wheels 101 and the training wheels 102 from rotating, or brake mechanisms that suppress rotation. Hereinafter, the state in which the vehicle 100 is stopped at its stopping position by the stoppers 103 will be referred to as the "third inverted state." In the third inverted state, the movement of the vehicle 100 is restricted and the inverted state is maintained. The balance control may be continued or temporarily stopped in the third inverted state.

[0026] 1, arrow A4 indicates that headrest 23 can be moved up and down relative to backrest 22. For example, headrest 23 is connected to backrest 22 by guide 23G, and the height of headrest 23 can be adjusted by sliding guide 23G inward and outward directions of backrest 22. The height adjustment of headrest 23 may be performed by a manual sliding operation, or may be performed electrically by controlling a driving unit such as a motor.

[0027] 2, arrow A5 indicates that armrest 24 can be rotated up and down around the end portion on the backrest 22 side as a fulcrum. Also, arrow A6 indicates that seat 21 can slide horizontally from reference position 21b relative to vehicle base 10. For example, in the example of FIG. 2, reference position 21b may be the position closest to backrest 22 within the movable range of seat 21. Also, FIG. 2 indicates that vehicle base 10 in vehicle 100 has footrest 25 in the forward direction.

[0028] 1 to 3 also show that an operation panel 110, which is used by a user (passenger) to operate the vehicle 100, is installed on the armrest 24 on the right arm side. For example, the operation panel 110 includes a display, mechanical switches such as buttons, switches, and levers, a speaker, a microphone, and the like, and is configured to input and output information related to the operation of the vehicle 100 to and from a control unit (not shown) of the vehicle 100. For example, the operation panel 110 may display information on an operation menu output from the control unit on a display, and may accept operation inputs for the operation menu and other operation instructions (e.g., specific operations described below) using buttons and switches. The operation panel 110 may also output audio, such as explanations of the operation menu and various sound effects, from a speaker, or may accept audio operation inputs via a microphone. The operation panel 110 may also be a touch panel device capable of input and output. In this case, images representing GUI (Graphical User Interface) switches and icons are displayed on the display, and by selecting a specific image, information associated with that image is accepted.

[0029] The operation panel 110 does not necessarily have to be installed in the armrest 24 on the right arm side. For example, the operation panel 110 may be installed in the armrest 24 on the left arm side, or may be installed in both the armrests 24 on the right arm side and the armrests 24 on the left arm side, or may be configured to be detachable from the armrests 24 and storable in any of the armrests 24. The operation panel 110 may also be a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal. In this case, short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) is performed between the mobile terminal and the vehicle 100.

[0030] Regarding the above-described omnidirectional wheels 101, auxiliary wheels 102, stoppers 103, vertical movement of headrest 23, rotational movement of armrest 24, and horizontal movement of seat 21, vehicle 100 is assumed to have displacement mechanisms (not shown) such as rails, guides, gears, drive wheels, and motors. The displacement mechanisms are not limited to specific ones as long as they can realize the above-described vertical, rotational, and horizontal movements. Furthermore, the term "displacement" as used here refers to a change in the position or orientation of an object, and does not mean that the object itself is deformed or distorted by an external force, stress, or the like. A displacement mechanism may be provided for each type of movement, such as vertical, rotational, or horizontal movement, or for each part to be moved. Furthermore, when multiple displacement mechanisms are configured, one displacement mechanism may be configured so that some components are shared with other displacement mechanisms.

[0031] FIG. 4 is an image diagram showing a state in which a user is aboard vehicle 100 in a take-off state. As described above, balance control is required in a take-off state. FIG. 4 illustrates a situation in which vehicle 100 maintains its balance by controlling omnidirectional wheels 101. In this situation, if the user performs a steering operation, vehicle 100 will travel in the supported direction of travel while maintaining balance, whereas if the user does not perform a steering operation, vehicle 100 will continue to balance on the spot while remaining inverted. Note that vehicle 100 of this embodiment is equipped with omnidirectional wheels as omnidirectional wheels 101. With this configuration, vehicle 100 of this embodiment can move forward in any direction within 360 degrees from the spot (inverted state).

[0032] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the outline of the configuration of the omnidirectional wheel 101. The omnidirectional wheel 101 includes, for example, a large-diameter wheel 101A and a plurality of small-diameter wheels 101B arranged around the circumference of the large-diameter wheel 101A. The large-diameter wheel 101A is a wheel that mainly realizes linear movement in the forward and backward directions. The small-diameter wheel 101B is a wheel that mainly realizes lateral movement on the spot by rotating in the direction of arrow RB around the rotation direction of the large-diameter wheel 101A (circumferential direction; arrow RA) as an axis. The omnidirectional wheel 101 is driven by motors (not shown) that can independently control the rotation of the large-diameter wheel 101A and the small-diameter wheel 101B. With this configuration, the omnidirectional wheel 101 can move forward and backward, left and right, or diagonally from the spot.

[0033] The vehicle 100 may also include a swivel wheel in addition to the omnidirectional wheels 101. For example, the swivel wheel is disposed as a rear wheel of the omnidirectional wheels 101, and can change the direction of the vehicle 100 by rotating on an axis of rotation perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the large diameter wheels 101A. In other words, when only the swivel wheel is rotated, the vehicle 100 can be rotated in place, and when the large diameter wheels 101A and the swivel wheel are rotated simultaneously, the vehicle 100 can be made to turn and move forward while changing its direction of travel.

[0034] 6 and 7 are diagrams showing an example of operation of the vehicle 100. For simplicity, the vehicle 100 in a take-off state is shown in a simplified form, showing only the vehicle base 10, the seat 21, and the omnidirectional wheels 101, but the vehicle 100 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is the same as that described in FIGS. 1 to 4. The vehicle 100 is equipped with a sensor that detects the tilting movement (tilting) of a user U riding in the vehicle 100. Note that the sensor may detect the balance state of the vehicle 100 based on, for example, the weight shift caused by the tilting of the user U. The vehicle 100 is configured to balance the vehicle based on the detection results of the sensor.

[0035] FIG. 6 shows a case where a user U shifts their weight by tilting their body (e.g., upper body) to the right with the front direction of the page as the frontal direction for the vehicle 100 configured in this way. In this case, the vehicle 100 moves to the right, which is the tilting direction, to recover the balance lost due to the weight shift of the user U. FIG. 7 shows a case where the user U shifts their weight forward (to the left on the page), and in this case, the vehicle 100 moves forward to recover the balance. By performing such balance control, the user U can instruct the vehicle 100 on the direction of travel by shifting their weight in the direction they want to travel.

[0036] Furthermore, if the user U significantly tilts his / her posture and shifts his / her weight, the vehicle 100 is controlled to move faster in order to regain balance. That is, the direction and speed of movement of the vehicle 100 are controlled based on the tilt direction and tilt angle of the user U. For example, in FIG. 6, the vehicle 100 controls the speed to the right to increase as the tilt angle θ1 of the user U relative to the right direction of the vehicle 100 (the angle formed by the vertical direction (Z-axis direction in the figure) relative to the surface on which the vehicle 100 is running and the direction above the user U's head when tilting) increases. Also, in the example of FIG. 7, the vehicle 100 controls the speed to the forward direction to increase as the tilt angle θ2 of the user U relative to the front of the vehicle 100 increases. In this way, the user U can adjust the moving speed of the vehicle 100 by changing the magnitude of the tilt angle.

[0037] Furthermore, instead of (or in addition to) the magnitude of the tilt angles θ1 and θ2, the vehicle 100 may adjust the speed according to the time the user U is tilting (time the user U is shifting his / her weight). In this case, the vehicle 100 controls the speed so that the longer the time the user U is tilting his / her body posture, the faster the speed becomes. The vehicle 100 may also set an upper limit on the speed and control the speed so that it does not exceed the upper limit. Note that the upper limit may be set to a different value for the first inverted state and the second inverted state, for example. This can further improve the safety of the user U.

[0038] Furthermore, when the user U shifts their weight (tilts their body) in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the vehicle 100, the vehicle 100 controls to decelerate to a predetermined speed or stop. In this case, the vehicle 100 may be controlled so that the deceleration amount increases depending on the magnitude of the tilting angle and the tilting time. Furthermore, the vehicle 100 may be controlled to gradually decelerate and stop when the moving person U shifts their weight in the direction opposite to the moving direction. The above-mentioned speed control is executed by the control unit 300, which will be described later.

[0039] [Overall configuration] 8 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle 100 according to this embodiment. The vehicle 100 includes, for example, an operation panel 110, a sensor 120, a camera 130, a wireless communication unit 140, a location information acquisition unit 150, an indicator 160, a storage unit 170, an internal battery 180, a drive unit 200, and a control unit 300. The control unit 300 is realized by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). In addition, part or all of the control unit 300 may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or may be realized by a combination of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device (a storage device having a non-transitory storage medium) such as the storage unit 170, or may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the storage unit 170 of the vehicle 100 by inserting the storage medium (non-transitory storage medium) into a drive device. The operation panel 110, the sensor 120, and the control unit 300 are an example of a "vehicle control device."

[0040] As described above, the operation panel 110 is a device that provides the user with a user interface for operating the vehicle 100. For example, the operation panel 110 accepts operation input from the user U regarding the operation of the vehicle 100 and outputs it to the control unit 300, and also outputs various information output from the control unit 300. The operation panel 110 is an example of an "operation accepting unit."

[0041] The sensor 120 detects the tilt of a user U riding in the vehicle 100. The sensor 120 may also detect the balance state of the vehicle 100 based on the weight shift caused by the tilt of the user U. The sensor 120 includes, for example, a sensor that detects the pressure (load) on the seat 21 or the pressure distribution on the upper surface of the seat, an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) sensor that detects three-dimensional inertial motion of the vehicle 100, an acceleration sensor that detects translational motion, and a gyro sensor that detects rotational motion. The sensor 120 also detects the tilt (weight shift) of the user U based on the pressure distribution and the tilt of the vehicle 100. The sensor 120 outputs the detection result to the control unit 300.

[0042] Camera 130 captures images of the surroundings of vehicle 100. Camera 130 captures images of the surroundings at a predetermined cycle or at a predetermined timing, for example. Camera 130 outputs image data of the captured images of the surroundings of the vehicle to control unit 300.

[0043] The wireless communication unit 140 is a communication interface for communication between the vehicle 100 and other devices. The wireless communication unit 140 may be a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) interface based on Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or the like, or may be a WAN (Wide Area Network) interface for connecting to a cellular network, a dedicated line, or the like.

[0044] The position information acquisition unit 150 acquires position information of the vehicle 100. The position information acquisition unit 150 includes, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) transmitter, acquires the position information of the vehicle 100, and outputs the information to the control unit 300.

[0045] The indicator 160 is a device such as a sign, gauge, display, pointer, or index, and is a device that performs various indications related to the vehicle 100 in response to instructions from the control unit 300.

[0046] The storage unit 170 is a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), or a flash memory. The storage unit 170 stores various setting information 171 related to the control of the vehicle 100. The setting information 171 is referenced or updated by the control unit 300. The setting information 171 includes, for example, the speed (including acceleration and deceleration) and upper speed limit of the vehicle 100 according to the tilting magnitude (tilting angle) and tilting time of the user U, the height of the seat position for each user U in the first to third inverted states, and information on the height of the seat position when getting on and off the vehicle 100 in a predetermined area. The predetermined area is, for example, a toilet (where the toilet seat is located), a chair, a sofa, or a predetermined location where the user U gets on and off the vehicle 100. At least a portion of the setting information 171 can be set by the user U using the operation panel 110.

[0047] The internal battery 180 functions as a power source that supplies power to each part of the vehicle 100. For example, a rechargeable storage battery such as a lithium ion battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, or a nickel-cadmium battery is used as the internal battery 180. The internal battery 180 may be fixed to the vehicle 100 or may be detachable from the vehicle 100. The internal battery 180 can be charged by an external power supply device, for example, while attached to or detached from the vehicle 100.

[0048] The drive unit 200 is a collection of various displacement mechanisms that change the position or posture of each part of the vehicle 100. The term "collection" here refers to a conceptual collection, and does not necessarily mean that the displacement mechanisms are physically assembled together. In other words, the displacement mechanisms may be physically separate, or may share some or all of them. The operation of the drive unit 200 is controlled by the control unit 300.

[0049] More specifically, the drive unit 200 includes, for example, an omnidirectional wheel drive unit 210, an auxiliary wheel drive unit 220, a stopper drive unit 230, a seat drive unit 240, a headrest drive unit 250, and an armrest drive unit 260. The omnidirectional wheel drive unit 210 is a drive unit that drives the omnidirectional wheels 101. The auxiliary wheel drive unit 220 is a drive unit that drives the auxiliary wheels 102. The stopper drive unit 230 is a drive unit that drives the stopper 103. The seat drive unit 240 is a drive unit that drives the seat 21. The headrest drive unit 250 is a drive unit that drives the headrest 23. The armrest drive unit 260 is a drive unit that drives the armrest 24.

[0050] The control unit 300 has a function of controlling the operation of each unit of the vehicle 100. More specifically, the control unit 300 determines the control content of each unit based on various information acquired from the operation panel 110, the sensor 120, the camera 130, the wireless communication unit 140, the position information acquisition unit 150, and the storage unit 170, and controls the operation of each unit according to the determined control content. For example, the control unit 300 includes a main control unit 310 that performs overall control of the vehicle 100, a surrounding recognition unit 320 that recognizes the situation around the vehicle, and a drive control unit 330 that has control functions corresponding to the various drive units of the drive unit 200.

[0051] The main control unit 310 controls the state of the vehicle 100 while it is running or stopped based on the driving operation (manual driving) by the user U or automatic driving control. For example, the main control unit 310 controls each component of the drive control unit 330, which will be described later, based on the recognition result by the surroundings recognition unit 320, manual operation by the user U, etc.

[0052] The periphery recognition unit 320 recognizes objects (e.g., transfer objects, obstacles, handrails, etc.) around the vehicle 100 (within a predetermined distance from the vehicle 100) based on the detection results of the sensor 120 and image data captured by the camera 130. The periphery recognition unit 320 may also recognize feature information such as the type, shape, position, and orientation of the object based on well-known image analysis processing of the image data. The periphery recognition unit 320 may also recognize the situation around the vehicle 100 (e.g., where the vehicle 100 is located) by referring to map information, etc., based on the position information of the vehicle 100 acquired by the position information acquisition unit 150. The periphery recognition unit 320 may also determine whether the vehicle 100 is located within a predetermined area based on the position information of the vehicle 100. The predetermined area may be, for example, an area registered in the area information of the setting information 171, or a specific area (e.g., a public restroom) included in the map information.

[0053] The drive control unit 330 includes, for example, an omnidirectional wheel control unit 331, an auxiliary wheel control unit 332, a stopper control unit 333, a seat control unit 334, a headrest control unit 335, and an armrest control unit 336. The omnidirectional wheel control unit 331 controls the omnidirectional wheel drive unit 210. The auxiliary wheel control unit 332 controls the auxiliary wheel drive unit 220. The stopper control unit 333 controls the stopper drive unit 230. The seat control unit 334 controls the seat drive unit 240. The headrest control unit 335 controls the headrest drive unit 250. The armrest control unit 336 controls the armrest drive unit 260.

[0054] For example, the main control unit 310 can cause the omnidirectional wheels 101 to move in omnidirectional directions or move the omnidirectional wheels 101 up and down by controlling the omnidirectional wheel control unit 331 to control the omnidirectional wheel drive unit 210. Note that the omnidirectional movement by the omnidirectional wheels 101 includes movement in a first inverted state and movement in a second inverted state, and the control of the omnidirectional wheel drive unit 210 includes balance control based on the detection results of the sensor 120. By performing balance control, the omnidirectional wheel control unit 331 can move the vehicle 100 while maintaining the inverted state of the vehicle 100.

[0055] In addition, in the second inverted state, the main control unit 310 controls the auxiliary wheel drive unit 220 via the auxiliary wheel control unit 332 to move the vehicle 100 using the auxiliary wheels 102. The main control unit 310 can also move the auxiliary wheels 102 up and down. The vehicle 100 can also move the stoppers 103 up and down via the stopper control unit 333 to move the stoppers 103. In this way, the main control unit 310 controls one of the following inverted states: a first inverted state in which the vehicle 100 stands upright using the ground contact point of the omnidirectional wheel 101 as a fulcrum; a second inverted state in which the vehicle 100 can maintain the inverted state including the auxiliary wheels 102, which are ground contact means other than the omnidirectional wheel 101; and a third inverted state in which the vehicle 100 is maintained in the inverted state by preventing movement using a locking mechanism or the like. The main control unit 310 is an example of an "inverted state control unit."

[0056] Furthermore, the seat control unit 334 controls the seat drive unit 240 to slide and move the seat 21 in the horizontal direction. More specifically, the seat control unit 334 controls the seat drive unit 240 based on the inverted state of the vehicle. Furthermore, the seat control unit 334 controls the seat drive unit 240 to move the seat 21 in the vertical direction. When the vehicle 100 is present within a predetermined area, the main control unit 310 performs control to stop the vehicle at a predetermined position, switch the inverted state, and adjust the height of the seating surface of the seat 21.

[0057] The headrest control unit 335 can move the headrest 23 in the up and down direction by controlling the headrest driving unit 250. The armrest control unit 336 can move the armrest 24 in a rotational manner around a fulcrum by controlling the armrest driving unit 260.

[0058] The drive control unit 330 may control the drive units to be operated based on the content input by the user to the operation panel 110, or may control each drive unit based on the situation around the vehicle recognized by the surroundings recognition unit 320, or may control each drive unit based on the state of the vehicle (balance state, position, attitude, etc.) detected by the sensor 120, the position information acquisition unit 150, etc., or may control each drive unit based on the overall control of the main control unit 310. For example, as described above, the drive control unit 330 controls the vehicle 100 to travel in a predetermined direction at a predetermined speed (for example, a speed corresponding to the tilt angle of the user U's attitude or the time during which the attitude is tilted) based on the tilt of the user U's attitude (weight shift).

[0059] Here, when moving the vehicle 100, the user U needs to tilt his / her posture (shift his / her weight) in the desired direction of movement. However, when moving the vehicle 100 over a long distance, the tilted state needs to be continued, which makes the user U's posture uncomfortable and increases the burden on the user U in operating the vehicle. Therefore, in the embodiment, when the drive control unit 330 receives a specific operation from the user U while the vehicle 100 is moving by tilting in the first inverted state or the second inverted state in which the vehicle 100 is movable, the drive control unit 330 maintains (keeps) the current running state (movement direction and movement speed) of the vehicle 100. As a result, the current moving state is maintained even if the user U's posture returns to the original state (state in which the body is not tilted) after the specific operation until a release operation is received.

[0060] Fig. 9 is a diagram for explaining the movement control of the vehicle 100 by the drive control unit 330. In the example of Fig. 9, the user U is seated in the second inverted state, but similar control may be executed in the first inverted state. In addition, in the example of Fig. 9, the user U tilts the posture of his or her upper body in the forward direction of the vehicle 100 (the X-axis direction in the figure) at a tilt angle θ3, causing the vehicle 100 to travel forward at a speed V1 corresponding to the tilt angle θ3.

[0061] While the vehicle 100 is currently traveling, the user U presses a continue button provided on the operation panel 110 as an example of a specific operation. The continue button may be, for example, a mechanical switch provided on the operation panel 110, or a GUI switch provided on the touch panel of the operation panel 110. When the drive control unit 330 receives a continue instruction by pressing the continue button on the operation panel 110, the drive control unit 330 controls the drive of the omnidirectional wheel drive unit 210 by the omnidirectional wheel control unit 331 so that the current moving direction and moving speed V1 are continued even if the user U returns to the original posture.

[0062] Furthermore, instead of (or in addition to) pressing a continue button provided on the operation panel 110, the drive control unit 330 may perform control so that the current traveling state continues when the user U continues the state of the tilt angle θ3 shown in FIG. 9 for a first predetermined time or more, as an example of a specific operation. The first predetermined time may be, for example, a fixed time or a time set in the setting information 171 (i.e., a time set by the user U). This can reduce the burden on the user U caused by maintaining a tilted posture, and can further improve the operability of the vehicle 100.

[0063] When the running state of the vehicle 100 is continued by the above-mentioned specific operation, the main control unit 310 outputs information indicating that the running state of the vehicle 100 is continued (kept) to the indicator 160 and the operation panel 110. This allows the user U to more accurately grasp the control state of the vehicle 100, and the user U can feel at ease and not feel uncomfortable that the vehicle 100 will continue to move even after returning to its original posture. Furthermore, after the running state is released by the specific operation, the state continues until a release operation is received. Therefore, even if the user U shifts their weight without intending to change the running state, for example, the vehicle 100 can continue to run, and stable movement can be achieved.

[0064] Furthermore, when canceling the continuation after continuing the running state by accepting a specific operation, the user U presses, for example, a cancel button provided on the operation panel 110. The cancel button may be, for example, a mechanical switch provided on the operation panel 110, or a GUI switch provided on the touch panel of the operation panel 110. The cancel button may be the same button as the above-mentioned continue button, or may be a different button. When the drive control unit 330 accepts a cancel instruction from the operation panel 110 by pressing the cancel button, the drive control unit 330 cancels the continuation of the current running state.

[0065] Note that while the traveling state continues, the user U may be tilting the vehicle 100 without the intention of moving it, and therefore, if the control unit 330 operates in accordance with the user U's tilt immediately after the traveling state is released, the user U may move in an unintended direction. Therefore, when the traveling state is released, the drive control unit 330 controls the vehicle 100 to gradually slow down to a predetermined speed or stop the vehicle 100.

[0066] Furthermore, instead of (or in addition to) pressing a release button provided on the operation panel 110, the drive control unit 330 may release the continuous state when the user U tilts the device in a direction different from the traveling direction shown in FIG. 9 (the X-axis direction in the figure) for a second predetermined time or more, as an example of a release operation. The different direction may be the opposite direction (the -X-axis direction in the figure) or another different direction. The second predetermined time may be, for example, a fixed time or a time set in the setting information 171. The second predetermined time may be the same as or different from the first predetermined time.

[0067] Furthermore, when the drive control unit 330 cancels the continuation of the running state, the drive control unit 330 may perform control to cancel the continuation when it receives an operation mode similar to the operation mode of the specific operation that caused the running state to continue. For example, when the drive control unit 330 continues the running state by operating a button on the operation panel 110 (pressing the continue button), the drive control unit 330 cancels the continuation of the running state only when it receives a similar button operation on the operation panel 110 (pressing the release button). Furthermore, when the running state is continued by tilting the user U, the drive control unit 330 cancels the continuation of the running state by tilting in a different direction. This allows the user U to continue or cancel the running state using a preferred operation method, thereby further improving operability.

[0068] When the continuation of the running state of the vehicle 100 is cancelled by the above-mentioned cancellation operation, the main control unit 310 outputs information indicating that the continuation of the running state of the vehicle 100 has been cancelled to the indicator 160 and the operation panel 110. This allows the user U to more accurately understand the control state of the vehicle 100.

[0069] The drive control unit 330 may accept voice input for the specific operation to continue the running state and the cancellation operation to cancel the continuation. For example, the drive control unit 330 continues the current running state when it receives a voice uttering "Keep!" from the user U while tilting. The drive control unit 330 also cancels the continuation of the running state when it receives a voice uttering "Stop keeping!" from the user U while the running state is continuing. The voice content is not limited to the above example. This allows even a user U who is not good at tilting or operating the operation panel 110 to easily continue or cancel the running state, thereby further improving the operability of the vehicle 100. The drive control unit 330 may also continue or cancel the continuation of the running state by voice input when the speed of the vehicle 100 is above a threshold. For example, when the vehicle is moving at a high speed above the threshold, a delay in operating the operation panel 110 or a delay in the user U's tilting motion may cause the vehicle to continue at a speed higher than the user U's desired speed or prevent the vehicle from stopping at the desired location. Therefore, by allowing voice input when the speed of the vehicle 100 is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the drive control unit 330 can maintain a more appropriate driving state or stop the vehicle at an appropriate position.

[0070] In addition to the above-described controls, the drive control unit 330 may also perform deceleration control or the like based on the recognition results by the periphery recognition unit 320. For example, if there is an obstacle or the like in the traveling direction of the vehicle 100, the drive control unit 330 may perform control to decelerate or stop the vehicle 100 so as to avoid contact with the obstacle, or control to decelerate when traveling in a narrow space. Furthermore, if the operation panel 110 has switches for specifying the moving direction and the moving speed, the drive control unit 330 may move the vehicle 100 in the moving direction and at the moving speed corresponding to the switch operation.

[0071] [Processing flow] Next, the processing executed by the vehicle 100 of the embodiment will be described. Note that, of the processing executed by the vehicle 100, the following mainly focuses on the continuation processing and continuation cancellation processing of the traveling state (movement direction and movement speed) of the vehicle 100. Note that the flow of the continuation processing and continuation cancellation processing shown below is executed, for example, when a user U is riding in the vehicle 100.

[0072] Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing for continuing the traveling state of the vehicle 100. In the example of Fig. 10, the drive control unit 330 determines whether or not the user U has tilted their posture (shifted their weight) (step S100). If it is determined that the tilt has been received, the drive control unit 330 moves the vehicle 100 in a moving direction and at a moving speed according to the tilting direction and tilting angle (step S110).

[0073] Next, the drive control unit 330 determines whether a specific operation for maintaining the current running state (movement direction and moving speed) of the vehicle 100 has been received (step S120). If it is determined that a specific operation has been received, the current running state is continued (step S130). If the running state is continued by the processing of step S130, the running state of the vehicle 100 is continued even if the user U subsequently returns to the original posture (if the body is not tilted). This ends the processing of this flowchart. Note that if it is determined in the processing of step S100 that a tilt of the user U has not been received, or if it is determined in the processing of step S120 that a specific operation for maintaining the running state has not been received, the processing of this flowchart ends.

[0074] Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing for canceling the continuation of the running state of the vehicle 100. In the example of Fig. 11, the drive control unit 330 determines whether the running state is continuing or not by the processing of step S130 described above (step S200). If it is determined that the running state is continuing, the drive control unit 330 determines whether a cancellation operation for canceling the continuation has been received from the user U (step S210). If it is determined that a cancellation operation has been received, the drive control unit 330 cancels the continuation of the current running state (step S220) and gradually decelerates the vehicle 100 to a predetermined speed or stops the vehicle 100 (step S230).

[0075] Furthermore, if it is determined in the process of step S210 that a specific operation for canceling the continuation of the moving state has not been received, the drive control unit 330 continues the current traveling state (moving direction and traveling speed) of the vehicle 100 (step S240). This ends the process of this flowchart. Note that if it is determined in the process of step S200 that the traveling state is not continuing, the process of this flowchart ends.

[0076] According to the embodiment described above, the vehicle control device includes a sensor 120 that detects tilting of the posture of a user U aboard the vehicle 100 (an example of the host vehicle), and a control unit 300 that causes the vehicle 100 to travel at a predetermined speed in the tilting direction of the user U based on the detection result of the sensor 120. When the vehicle 100 is traveling due to the tilting of the user U, the control unit 300 continues the traveling state of the vehicle 100 upon receiving a specific operation from the user U, thereby improving the operability of the vehicle. This can therefore further improve traffic safety and contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0077] Specifically, according to the embodiment, when the vehicle 100 moves by tilting using inversion control, the running state is continued by a specific operation, and thereafter the direction and speed of movement are maintained regardless of the user's posture. Therefore, for example, even when traveling long distances using inversion control, there is no need to keep tilting the body, thereby reducing the operating burden on the user.

[0078] The above-described embodiment can be expressed as follows. a storage medium for storing computer-readable instructions; a processor connected to the storage medium; The processor executes the computer-readable instructions to: Detecting the tilt of the posture of a user riding in the vehicle; Based on the detected result, the vehicle is caused to travel at a predetermined speed in the tilting direction of the user; When the vehicle is traveling due to the tilting of the user, the traveling state of the vehicle is continued when a specific operation by the user is received. Vehicle control device.

[0079] The above describes the form for carrying out the present invention using an embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various modifications and substitutions can be made within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 100... inverted pendulum type vehicle, 10... vehicle base, 20... boarding section, 21... seat, 21b... reference position, 22... backrest, 23... headrest, 23G... guide, 24... armrest, 25... footrest, 101... omnidirectional moving wheel, 101A... large diameter wheel, 101B... small diameter wheel, 102... training wheel, 103... stopper, 110... operation panel, 120... sensor, 130... camera, 140... wireless communication unit, 150... position information acquisition unit, 160... indicator, 170... memory unit, 171... setting information information, 180...internal battery, 200...drive unit, 210...omnidirectional wheel drive unit, 220...auxiliary wheel drive unit, 230...stopper drive unit, 240...seat drive unit, 250...headrest drive unit, 260...armrest drive unit, 300...control unit, 310...main control unit, 320...periphery recognition unit, 330...drive control unit, 331...omnidirectional wheel control unit, 332...auxiliary wheel control unit, 333...stopper control unit, 334...seat control unit, 335...headrest control unit, 336...armrest control unit

Claims

1. a sensor that detects a tilt state, which is a tilt direction and a tilt angle, of a posture of a user riding in the vehicle; a control unit that causes the vehicle to travel in the tilting direction of the user at a speed corresponding to the tilting angle based on the detection result of the sensor; an operation receiving unit that receives an operation by the user, When the control unit receives a specific operation from the user on the operation reception unit while the host vehicle is traveling in a first tilting state of the user, the control unit continues the traveling state of the host vehicle in the first tilting state even if the user changes to a tilting state different from the first tilting state. Vehicle control device.

2. When the operation receiving unit receives an operation to cancel the running state while the running state of the vehicle in the first tilting state is continued in response to the specific operation, the control unit decelerates the vehicle to a predetermined speed regardless of the user's tilting state. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

3. the specific operation is an operation on a mechanical switch or a GUI switch provided on the operation reception unit, The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the specific operation is that the user continues to tilt the device for a predetermined period of time. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. the control unit, when receiving a cancellation operation from the user while the vehicle is continuing to travel after receiving a specific operation from the user, cancels the continuation of the traveling state; The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

6. the release operation is an operation on a mechanical switch or a GUI switch provided on the operation reception unit, The vehicle control device according to claim 5.

7. The control unit cancels the continuation of the running state when a cancellation operation is received in an operation manner similar to an operation manner of a specific operation for continuing the running state of the host vehicle. The vehicle control device according to claim 3.

8. the host vehicle is capable of a first inverted state in which it stands upright with the ground contact points of the main wheels as fulcrums, a second inverted state in which it can maintain the inverted state including ground contact means other than the main wheels, or a third inverted state in which it maintains the inverted state by restricting the movement of the host vehicle, the control unit enables the user to run by tilting in the first inverted state or the second inverted state. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2.

9. The computer Detecting a tilt state, which is a tilt direction and a tilt angle of a posture of a user riding in the vehicle; Based on the detected result, the vehicle is caused to travel in the tilting direction of the user at a speed corresponding to the tilting angle; When a specific operation is received from the user at an operation receiving unit that receives operations from the user while the vehicle is traveling in a first tilt state of the user, the traveling state of the vehicle in the first tilt state is continued even if the user changes to a tilt state different from the first tilt state. Vehicle control method.

10. On the computer, Detecting a tilt state, which is a tilt direction and a tilt angle, of a posture of a user riding in the vehicle; Based on the detected result, the vehicle is caused to travel in the tilting direction of the user at a speed corresponding to the tilting angle; When a specific operation is received from the user at an operation receiving unit that receives operations from the user while the vehicle is traveling in a first tilt state of the user, the traveling state of the vehicle in the first tilt state is continued even if the user changes to a tilt state different from the first tilt state. program.

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