MOBILE BODY CONTROL DEVICE, MOBILE BODY CONTROL METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

Abstract

Provided is a device for controlling a mobile body comprising: a recognition unit that recognizes the conditions of the surroundings of a mobile body on the basis of the output of an external environment detection device for detecting the conditions on the exterior of the mobile body; and a control unit for controlling at least a drive unit that drives the mobile body, wherein when it is recognized by the recognition unit that the mobile body is moving in a predetermined area and the moving body should stop in front of an intersection in accordance with the state of a first traffic light present in the direction of travel of the moving body, the control unit controls the drive unit on the basis of the conditions at the intersection recognized by the recognition unit and causes the mobile body to stop.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device for a mobile object, a control method for a mobile object, and a storage medium. [Background technology]

[0002] In the past, efforts have been made to put autonomous mobile objects that move on sidewalks into practical use. In this regard, an invention has been disclosed for a device that tells the driver where to stop when braking before an intersection, etc. (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-064111 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The technology described in the patent document does not take into consideration the behavior of a moving body when it is autonomously stopped just before an intersection, and there are cases where the moving body cannot be controlled appropriately when it is autonomously stopped just before an intersection.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of these circumstances, and one of its objects is to provide a control device for a mobile body, a control method for a mobile body, and a storage medium that can suitably control the mobile body when it is stopped autonomously before an intersection. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The control device for a moving body, the control method for a moving body, and the storage medium according to the present invention employ the following configurations. (1): A control device for a moving body according to one embodiment of the present invention is a control device for a moving body that is capable of moving at least in a predetermined area different from a roadway and a crosswalk, and includes a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding situation of the moving body based on the output of an external detection device that detects the external situation of the moving body, and a control unit that controls at least a drive unit that moves the moving body. When the recognition unit recognizes that the moving body is moving in the predetermined area and that it should stop before the intersection in accordance with the status of a first traffic light that is present in the direction of travel of the moving body, the control unit controls the drive unit based on the situation of the intersection recognized by the recognition unit, and stops the moving body.

[0007] (2): In the above aspect (1), the recognition unit recognizes the shape of the area around the intersection, including the location of the crosswalk, as the moving body approaches the intersection, and stores the shape information resulting from the recognition in a memory. The control unit controls the drive unit based on the shape information stored in the memory.

[0008] (3): In the above aspect (1), the control unit stops the moving body at a first position where the state of the first traffic light can be detected by the external environment detection device.

[0009] (4): In the above aspect (3), if, after stopping the moving body, a change in the situation just before the intersection causes the state of the first traffic light to become undetectable by the external environment detection device, the control unit moves the moving body to a second position where the state of the first traffic light can be detected by the external environment detection device.

[0010] (5): In the above aspect (1), the first traffic light whose state is detected by the recognition unit is a pedestrian traffic light, and the recognition unit searches for the position of the first traffic light in the output of the external environment detection device based on the position of the sidewalk connecting to the intersection and the assumed height of the pedestrian traffic light.

[0011] (6): In the above aspect (1), the recognition unit recognizes traffic participants present around the intersection, and the control unit stops the moving body at a position that does not obstruct the flow of traffic participants moving around the intersection without stopping.

[0012] (7): In the above aspect (1), the recognition unit recognizes the position of the tactile paving blocks located in front of the intersection, and the control unit stops the moving object at a position where the moving object does not step on the tactile paving blocks.

[0013] (8): In the above aspect (1), when the state of the first traffic light cannot be detected by the external environment detection device after the moving body stops, the recognition unit recognizes the state of the second traffic light that is not in the moving body's direction of travel and the traffic participants that are present around the intersection, and the control unit performs preparatory actions to cross the intersection based on the recognized state of the second traffic light and the movement of the traffic participants.

[0014] (9) In the above aspect (8), the preparatory movement is a movement of moving the moving body in the same direction as the moving direction of the traffic participant at a speed slower than the normal set speed.

[0015] (10): In the aspect (8) above, the preparatory action includes an action of outputting predetermined information to the periphery of the moving object using an information output device.

[0016] (11): Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for controlling a moving body, which is executed by a processor that controls a moving body that can move at least through a predetermined area different from a roadway and a crosswalk, and includes: recognizing the surrounding conditions of the moving body based on the output of an external environment detection device that detects the external conditions of the moving body; and, when it is recognized that the moving body is moving through the predetermined area and should stop before the intersection in accordance with the condition of a first traffic light present in the moving body's direction of travel, controlling the drive unit based on the condition of the intersection recognized by the recognition unit to stop the moving body.

[0017] (12): Another aspect of the present invention is a storage medium that stores a program executed by a processor that controls a mobile object that can move at least through a predetermined area different from a roadway and a crosswalk. The program stores a program that causes the processor to recognize the surrounding conditions of the mobile object based on the output of an external detection device that detects the external conditions of the mobile object, and, when it is recognized that the mobile object is moving through the predetermined area and should stop before the intersection in accordance with the condition of a first traffic light that exists in the direction of travel of the mobile object, control the drive unit based on the condition of the intersection recognized by the recognition unit to stop the mobile object. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to aspects (1) to (12), when the moving body is to be autonomously stopped in front of an intersection, the moving body can be suitably controlled. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a moving object and a control device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing executed by the object recognition unit 130 and the intersection passage control unit 142 working together. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing executed by the object recognition unit 130 and the intersection passage control unit 142 working together. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a process for recognizing the shape of the periphery of an intersection. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a process of searching for the position of a pedestrian traffic light. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a process of searching for a second position. [Figure 8]FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the process of checking the state of the second traffic light TL2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, embodiments of a mobile body control device, a mobile body control method, and a program of the present invention will be described. A mobile body moves both on roadways and in a predetermined area different from the roadway. A mobile body can also move across a crosswalk at an intersection. A mobile body is sometimes referred to as micromobility. An electric kick scooter is a type of micromobility. A mobile body may be a vehicle that can carry a passenger, or may be an autonomous mobile body capable of autonomous travel. The latter type of autonomous mobile body is used, for example, to transport luggage. The predetermined area is, for example, a sidewalk. The predetermined area may also be part or all of a sidewalk, bicycle lane, public open space, etc., or may include all of a sidewalk, sidewalk, bicycle lane, public open space, etc. In the following description, the predetermined area is assumed to be a sidewalk. In the following description, the term "sidewalk" can be appropriately interpreted as "predetermined area." Note that a mobile body may move exclusively on sidewalks by autonomous driving and cross crosswalks to pass through intersections.

[0021] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a moving object 1 and a control device 100 according to an embodiment. The moving object 1 is equipped with, for example, an external environment detection device 10, a moving object sensor 12, an operator 14, an internal camera 16, a positioning device 18, a mode selector switch 22, a movement mechanism 30, a drive unit 40, an external notification device 50, a storage device 70, and a control device 100. Note that some of these components that are not essential for realizing the functions of the present invention may be omitted.

[0022] The external environment detection device 10 is a device of various types whose detection range is in the traveling direction of the moving object 1. The external environment detection device 10 includes an external camera, a radar device, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), a sensor fusion device, etc. The external environment detection device 10 outputs information indicating the detection result (images, object positions, etc.) to the control device 100.

[0023] The mobile body sensor 12 includes, for example, a speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, a yaw rate (angular velocity) sensor, a direction sensor, and an operation amount detection sensor attached to the operator 14. The operator 14 includes, for example, an operator for instructing acceleration / deceleration (e.g., an accelerator pedal or a brake pedal), and an operator for instructing steering (e.g., a steering wheel). In this case, the mobile body sensor 12 may include an accelerator opening sensor, a brake depression amount sensor, a steering torque sensor, etc. The mobile body 1 may also be provided with an operator of a type other than those described above as the operator 14 (e.g., a non-annular rotary operator, a joystick, a button, etc.).

[0024] Internal camera 16 captures an image of at least the head of an occupant of vehicle 1 from the front. Internal camera 16 is a digital camera that uses an imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). Internal camera 16 outputs the captured image to control device 100.

[0025] The positioning device 18 is a device that measures the position of the mobile object 1. The positioning device 18 is, for example, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, and identifies the position of the mobile object 1 based on signals received from GNSS satellites and outputs the position information. Note that the position information of the mobile object 1 may be estimated from the position of a Wi-Fi base station to which a communication device (described later) is connected.

[0026] The mode selector switch 22 is a switch operated by the occupant. The mode selector switch 22 may be a mechanical switch or a GUI (Graphical User Interface) switch set on a touch panel. The mode selector switch 22 accepts an operation to switch the driving mode between, for example, Mode A: an assist mode in which one of steering operation and acceleration / deceleration control is performed by the occupant and the other is performed automatically; Mode A-1: ​​in which steering operation is performed by the occupant and acceleration / deceleration control is performed automatically; Mode A-2: in which acceleration / deceleration operation is performed by the occupant and steering control is performed automatically; Mode B: a manual driving mode in which steering operation and acceleration / deceleration operation are performed by the occupant; and Mode C: an automatic driving mode in which operation control and acceleration / deceleration control are performed automatically.

[0027] The locomotion mechanism 30 is a mechanism for moving the mobile object 1 on a road. The locomotion mechanism 30 is, for example, a group of wheels including steering wheels and drive wheels. The locomotion mechanism 30 may also be legs for multi-legged walking.

[0028] The drive unit 40 outputs force to the movement mechanism 30 to move the moving body 1. For example, the drive unit 40 includes a motor that drives the drive wheels, a battery that stores power to be supplied to the motor, a steering device that adjusts the steering angle of the steering wheels, etc. The drive unit 40 may also include an internal combustion engine or a fuel cell as a driving force output means or a power generation means. The drive unit 40 may also include a brake device that utilizes frictional force or air resistance.

[0029] The external notification device 50 is, for example, a lamp, a display device, a speaker, or the like, provided on an outer panel of the mobile object 1, and configured to notify information to the outside of the mobile object 1. The external notification device 50 operates differently depending on whether the mobile object 1 is traveling on a sidewalk or a roadway. For example, the external notification device 50 is controlled to emit a lamp when the mobile object 1 is traveling on a sidewalk and not emit a lamp when the mobile object 1 is traveling on a roadway. The light color of this lamp is preferably a color specified by law. The external notification device 50 may be controlled to emit a green lamp when the mobile object 1 is traveling on a sidewalk and emit a blue lamp when the mobile object 1 is traveling on a roadway. If the external notification device 50 is a display device, the external notification device 50 displays a message in text or graphics indicating that the mobile object 1 is traveling on a sidewalk when the mobile object 1 is traveling on a sidewalk.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the moving body 1 as seen from above. In the figure, FW denotes steering wheels, RW denotes driving wheels, SD denotes a steering device, MT denotes a motor, and B denotes a battery. The steering device SD, motor MT, and battery B are included in a drive device 40. AP denotes an accelerator pedal, BP denotes a brake pedal, WH denotes a steering wheel, SP denotes a speaker, and MC denotes a microphone. The moving body 1 shown in the figure is a single-seater moving body, and an occupant P is seated in the driver's seat DS and wearing a seat belt SB. Arrow D1 indicates the direction of travel (velocity vector) of the moving body 1. The external environment detection device 10 is located near the front end of the moving body 1, the internal camera 16 is located in a position where it can capture an image of the occupant P's head from in front of the occupant P, and the mode selector switch 22 is located in the boss portion of the steering wheel WH. An external notification device 50 serving as a display device is also located near the front end of the moving body 1.

[0031] Returning to FIG. 1, the storage device 70 is a non-transitory storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD), flash memory, or random access memory (RAM). The storage device 70 stores map information 72, a program 74 executed by the control device 100, and the like. In the figure, the storage device 70 is illustrated outside the frame of the control device 100, but the storage device 70 may be included in the control device 100. The storage device 70 may also be provided on a server (not shown).

[0032] [Control device] The control device 100 includes, for example, a road type recognition unit 120, an object recognition unit 130, and a control unit 140. The control unit 140 further includes an intersection passage control unit 142. These components are implemented by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software) 74. Some or all of these components may be implemented 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 implemented by a combination of software and hardware. The program may be stored in the storage device 70 in advance, or may be stored in a removable storage medium (non-transitory storage medium) such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the storage device 70 by inserting the storage medium into a drive device.

[0033] The road type recognition unit 120 recognizes whether the moving object 1 is moving on a roadway or a sidewalk. The road type recognition unit 120 recognizes whether the moving object 1 is moving on a roadway or a sidewalk, for example, by analyzing an image captured by an external camera of the external environment detection device 10. Note that the output of a radar device, a LIDAR, a sensor fusion device, etc. may be used supplementarily.

[0034] The road type recognition unit 120 adds points to the roadway score Sr each time it recognizes a plurality of first events indicating that the moving object 1 is traveling on a roadway in an image captured by the external camera. If the roadway score Sr is equal to or greater than a first threshold, it recognizes that the moving object 1 is traveling on a roadway. At this time, the road type recognition unit 120 weights points according to the degree of certainty when recognizing each of the plurality of first events and adds the weighted points to the roadway score Sr. However, if the road type recognition unit 120 recognizes any of a plurality of second events indicating that the moving object 1 is traveling on a sidewalk in an image captured by the external camera, it recognizes that the moving object 1 is traveling on a sidewalk regardless of the roadway score Sr. Examples of first events include the absence of a static obstacle such as a signboard, a moving vehicle, the presence of road markings, the presence of a pedestrian crossing, and being below a step. Examples of second events include the presence of a static obstacle such as a signboard, the presence of tactile paving, and being above a step.

[0035] The object recognition unit 130 recognizes objects present around the mobile object 1 based on the output of the external environment detection device 10. The objects include some or all of the following obstacles: moving objects such as vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians; road boundary structures such as road markings, steps, guardrails, road shoulders, and median strips; road structures such as road signs and billboards; and objects lying (fallen) on the road. The object recognition unit 130 acquires information such as the presence, position, and type of other moving objects by inputting images captured by an external camera of the external environment detection device 10 into a trained model that is trained to output information such as the presence, position, and type of an object when an image captured by the external camera is input. The type of other moving objects can also be estimated based on the size in the image or the intensity of reflected waves received by the radar device of the external environment detection device 10. The object recognition unit 130 also acquires the speed of other moving objects detected by the radar device using, for example, Doppler shift.

[0036] Furthermore, the object recognition unit 130 recognizes the surrounding situation of the moving object 1, including the situation of the intersection through which the moving object 1 passes, based on the output of the external environment detection device 10. The object recognition unit 130 is an example of a "recognition unit" in the claims.

[0037] The control unit 140 controls the drive unit 40 according to the set driving mode, for example. The moving object 1 may execute only some of the driving modes described below, but in all cases, the control unit 140 sets different speed limits for when the moving object 1 moves on a roadway and when it moves on a sidewalk. In this case, the mode selector switch 22 may be omitted.

[0038] In mode A-1, the control unit 140 refers to the information about the travel path and the object based on the output of the object recognition unit 130, and controls the motor MT of the drive unit 40 so that when the moving body 1 moves on a roadway, the distance to an object ahead of the moving body 1 is maintained at a certain level or more, and when the distance to the object ahead of the moving body 1 is sufficiently long, the moving body 1 moves at a first speed V1 (for example, a speed of at least 10 km / h and less than several tens of km / h). When the moving body 1 moves on a sidewalk, the control unit 140 controls the motor MT of the drive unit 40 so that the distance to an object ahead of the moving body 1 is maintained at a certain level or more, and when the distance to the object ahead of the moving body 1 is sufficiently long, the moving body 1 moves at a second speed V2 (for example, a speed of less than 10 km / h). This function is similar to the adaptive cruise control (ACC) function of a vehicle in which the first speed V1 or the second speed V2 is set as a set speed, and the technology used in ACC can be utilized. In mode A-1, the control unit 140 controls the steering device SD to change the steering angle of the steered wheels based on the amount of operation of the operator 14, such as a steering wheel. This function is similar to that of a power steering device, and the technology used in power steering devices can be used. Note that, instead of electronically controlling steering, the mobile object 1 may have a steering device in which the operator 14 and a steering mechanism are mechanically connected.

[0039] In mode A-2, the control unit 140 references information about the traveling path and objects based on the output of the object recognition unit 130, generates a target trajectory that allows the moving object 1 to avoid objects on the traveling path, and controls the steering device SD of the drive unit 40 so that the moving object 1 moves along the target trajectory. Regarding acceleration and deceleration, the control unit 140 controls the motor MT of the drive unit 40 based on the speed of the moving object 1 and the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal or the brake pedal. When the moving object 1 is traveling on a roadway, the control unit 140 controls the motor MT of the drive unit 40 with a first speed V1 as the upper limit speed (in mode A-2, this means that the moving object 1 will not accelerate even if a further acceleration command is given once the upper limit speed has been reached), and controls the drive unit 40 with a second speed V2 as the upper limit speed when the moving object 1 is traveling on a sidewalk.

[0040] In mode B, the control unit 140 controls the motor MT of the drive unit 40 based on the speed of the moving object 1 and the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal or the brake pedal. When the moving object 1 is moving on a roadway, the control unit 140 controls the motor MT of the drive unit 40 with the first speed V1 as the upper limit speed (in mode B, this means that the moving object 1 will not accelerate even if a further acceleration command is given once the upper limit speed has been reached), and when the moving object 1 is moving on a sidewalk, the control unit 140 controls the motor MT of the drive unit 40 with the second speed V2 as the upper limit speed. Steering is the same as in mode A-1.

[0041] In mode C, the control unit 140 references information about the path and objects based on the output of the object recognition unit 130, generates a target trajectory that allows the moving object 1 to avoid objects on the path, and controls the drive unit 40 so that the moving object 1 moves along the target trajectory. In this case, the control unit 140 may generate a route to reach the destination in advance and generate the target trajectory along the route, or may generate the target trajectory based on a guideline such as "go straight along the road." Even in mode C, the control unit 140 controls the drive unit 40 with a first speed V1 as the upper limit speed when the moving object 1 is moving on a roadway, and controls the drive unit 40 with a second speed V2 as the upper limit speed when the moving object 1 is moving on a sidewalk.

[0042] [Control when passing through an intersection] The following describes control for passing through an intersection via a crosswalk while moving on a sidewalk in mode C. The intersection passage control unit 142 collates the position of the moving object 1 with map information 72, and is activated when the moving object 1 is moving on a sidewalk and is within a predetermined distance of an intersection with a traffic light. The intersection passage control unit 142 is an example of a "control unit" in the claims.

[0043] When the moving body 1 is moving on the sidewalk and the object recognition unit 130 recognizes that the moving body 1 should stop before an intersection in accordance with the state of the first traffic light located in the moving body 1's direction of travel, the intersection passage control unit 142 controls the drive unit 40 based on the intersection situation recognized by the object recognition unit 130 to stop the moving body 1.

[0044] 3 and 4 are flowcharts showing an example of the flow of processing executed by the object recognition unit 130 and the intersection passage control unit 142 working together.

[0045] First, the object recognition unit 130 recognizes the shape of the periphery of the intersection, including the position of the crosswalk, and stores the shape information resulting from the recognition in memory (storage device 70) (step S200). FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the process of recognizing the shape of the periphery of an intersection. In the figure, D is the planned path of the moving object 1. For example, the object recognition unit 130 uses an arbitrary position of the moving object 1 as a reference (the origin of the coordinate system) to recognize the area A1 of the sidewalk on which the moving object 1 is moving, the crosswalk CR, the area A2 of the sidewalk on the other side of the crosswalk CR, and the like, and stores the shape information indicating these in memory. The intersection passage control unit 142 generates a target trajectory for the moving object 1 to travel based on the shape information. The object recognition unit 130 further repeatedly recognizes the Braille blocks BT and the positions and speed vectors (including speed and movement direction) of traffic participants TP around the intersection, particularly within area A1. Traffic participants include pedestrians, bicycles, wheelchairs, etc. 5 has been described as processing on a virtual plane viewed from above, this processing may also be performed on an image plane of an image captured by the camera of the external environment sensing device 10. The same applies to FIG. 7, which will be described later.

[0046] Returning to FIG. 3, the object recognition unit 130 searches for the position of a pedestrian traffic light based on the shape information (step S202). FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the process of searching for the position of a pedestrian traffic light. This process is performed, for example, on the image plane of the image IM captured by the camera of the external environment detection device 10. For example, the object recognition unit 130 extracts a reference line L1 at a certain distance from the end A2r of the boundary line on the near side of the sidewalk area A2 on the other side of the crosswalk CR, and sets a search area W1 of a predetermined height whose lower side is a line obtained by shifting the reference line L1 upward by an offset height H1. The offset height H1 is the assumed height of a pedestrian traffic light and is set depending on the position of the reference line L1 on the image. The object recognition unit 130 sets the offset height H1 to a smaller value as the reference line L1 is located higher in the image. For example, the object recognition unit 130 searches for a pedestrian traffic light by inputting the image within the search area W1 into a trained model based on machine learning. Hereinafter, the pedestrian traffic light found by the processing in step S202 will be referred to as the first traffic light TL1.

[0047] Returning to FIG. 3 , the object recognition unit 130 determines whether the state of the discovered first traffic light TL1 is “passing prohibited” (step S204). The “passing prohibited” state refers to, for example, a state in which the light is red or yellow and the arrow indicating the direction is not illuminated. On the other hand, the “passing permitted” state refers to, for example, a state in which the light is blue or green, or the arrow indicating the direction is illuminated. The definitions of “passing prohibited” and “passing permitted” may be arbitrarily changed according to the laws and regulations of the country in which the moving object 1 is located. For example, the object recognition unit 130 may include a state in which the light is flashing green or green as the “passing prohibited” state. If the state of the first traffic light is determined not to be “passing prohibited,” i.e., to be “passing permitted,” the intersection passage control unit 142 controls the drive unit 40 to allow the moving object 1 to pass through the intersection via the crosswalk CR (step S214).

[0048] If it is determined that the state of the first traffic light TL1 is "impassable," the intersection passage control unit 142 determines a position (first position) at which to stop the moving object 1 (step S206). The intersection passage control unit 142 determines the first position, for example, according to the following priority order: (1) The location must be such that the status of the first traffic light can be detected. (2) Be in a position where you will not step on the tactile paving blocks. (3) The location must not obstruct the flow of traffic participants moving around the intersection without stopping.

[0049] Then, the intersection passage control unit 142 controls the driving device 40 to move the moving object 1 to the first position and stop it there (step S208).

[0050] Next, the object recognition unit 130 determines whether the external environment detection device 10 can no longer detect the state of the first traffic light TL1 (step S210). If the external environment detection device 10 can detect the state of the first traffic light TL1, the object recognition unit 130 determines whether the state of the first traffic light TL1 is "passing allowed" (step S212). If it is determined that the state of the first traffic light TL1 is "passing allowed", the intersection passage control unit 142 controls the drive device 40 to cause the moving object 1 to pass through the intersection via the crosswalk CR (step S214). If it is determined that the state of the first traffic light TL1 is not "passing allowed", the process returns to step S210.

[0051] If it is determined in step S210 that the external environment sensing device 10 can no longer detect the state of the first traffic light TL1, the intersection passage control unit 142 controls the driving device 40 to move the moving body 1 to the second position and stop it (step S208).

[0052] The second position is a position where the external environment sensing device 10 can detect the state of the first traffic light TL1. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the process of searching for the second position. For example, the intersection passage control unit 142 moves the moving object 1 along an arc centered on the position of the first traffic light TL1 (the position on a virtual plane viewed from above) recognized in the process of step S202, without coming into contact with the traffic participant TP, and along a trajectory possible based on the steering performance of the moving object 1. When the intersection passage control unit 142 receives information from the object recognition unit 130 that the external environment sensing device 10 has detected the state of the first traffic light TL1, the intersection passage control unit 142 determines the position of the moving object 1 at that time as the second position and stops the moving object 1. If the state of the first traffic light TL1 cannot be detected by moving along the arc, the intersection passage control unit 142 may move the moving object 1 closer to or away from the first traffic light TL1 and cause the moving object 1 to move along the arc again. During the above operation, the object recognition unit 130 determines whether or not the external world sensing device 10 has detected the state of the first traffic light TL1 (step S218). If the external world sensing device 10 has detected the state of the first traffic light TL1, the process proceeds to step S212. Furthermore, the intersection passage control unit 142 may determine the second position by moving left or right relative to the first traffic light TL1, moving away from the first traffic light TL1, or a combination of these, in addition to moving along the arc.

[0053] If the external environment detection device 10 cannot detect the state of the first traffic light TL1, the object recognition unit 130 determines whether there has been a change in the movement of the traffic participant TP around the moving object 1 (step S220). For example, if the object recognition unit 130 detects that the stopped traffic participant TP has started to move, it determines that there has been a change in the movement of the traffic participant TP. If there has been no change in the movement of the traffic participant TP, the process returns to step S216.

[0054] When there is a change in the movement of the traffic participant TP, the object recognition unit 130 determines whether the traffic participant TP is moving in the same direction as the planned direction of the moving object 1 (step S230), and further determines whether the state of the second traffic light TL2 is "no passing" (step S232). FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the process of checking the state of the second traffic light TL2. The second traffic light TL2 is a traffic light that is not in the traveling direction of the moving object 1. More specifically, the second traffic light is, for example, a pedestrian traffic light that is located in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the moving object 1 crosses. For example, the object recognition unit 130 turns the moving object 1 by about 90 degrees via the intersection passage control unit 142 along a trajectory that is possible based on the steering performance, so that the second traffic light TL2 enters the detection range of the external environment detection device 10, and recognizes the state of the second traffic light TL2 in that state.

[0055] If a negative determination result is obtained in at least one of steps S230 and S232, the process returns to step S216. If a positive determination result is obtained in both steps S230 and S232, the intersection passage control unit 142 executes a preparatory movement (step S234).

[0056] The preparatory movement is, for example, a movement of moving the moving object 1 in the same direction as the moving direction of the traffic participant TP at a speed slower than the normal set speed (the second speed V2 described above). At this time, the intersection passage control unit 142 may use the external notification device 50 to output predetermined information (message), for example, "Green light being confirmed," to the periphery of the moving object 1. If the state of the first traffic light is detected while the preparatory movement is being performed and the state is "Passable" (step S236; YES), the process proceeds to step S214, where the intersection passage control unit 142 controls the drive device 40 to cause the moving object 1 to pass through the intersection by taking the crosswalk CR (step S214).

[0057] According to the embodiment described above, when a moving object is to be autonomously stopped in front of an intersection, the moving object can be suitably controlled.

[0058] 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: Recognizing the surrounding situation of the moving body based on the output of an external environment detection device that detects the external situation of the moving body that can move at least in a predetermined area different from a roadway and a crosswalk; When it is recognized that the moving body is moving in the predetermined area and should stop before an intersection according to the state of a first traffic light present in the moving direction of the moving body, controlling the drive unit based on the recognized state of the intersection to stop the moving body; A control device for a mobile object that executes the above.

[0059] 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]

[0060] 10. External sensing devices 12 Mobile Sensor 14 Controls 16 Internal Camera 18 Positioning equipment 22 Mode switch 30 Moving mechanism 40 Drive unit 50 External alarm device 70 Storage device 100 control device 120 Road type recognition unit 130 Object recognition section 140 Control Unit 142 Intersection Passage Control Unit

Claims

1. A control device for a mobile body that can move at least in a predetermined area different from a roadway and a crosswalk, a recognition unit that recognizes a surrounding situation of the moving object based on an output of an external environment detection device that detects an external situation of the moving object; a control unit that controls at least a drive unit that moves the moving body, When the mobile object is moving in the predetermined area and the recognition unit recognizes that the mobile object should stop before an intersection in accordance with the state of a first traffic light present in the traveling direction of the mobile object, the control unit controls the drive unit based on the state of the intersection recognized by the recognition unit, and stops the mobile object at a first position where the state of the first traffic light can be detected by the external environment detection device. Control device for a moving object.

2. the recognition unit recognizes a shape of the periphery of the intersection including the position of the pedestrian crossing while the moving object is approaching the intersection, and stores shape information resulting from the recognition in a memory; The control unit controls the drive unit based on the shape information stored in the memory. The control device for a moving body according to claim 1.

3. When the state of the first traffic light is no longer detectable by the external environment detection device due to a change in a situation in front of the intersection after the moving body is stopped, the control unit moves the moving body to a second position where the state of the first traffic light is detectable by the external environment detection device. The control device for a moving body according to claim 1.

4. A control device for a mobile body that can move at least in a predetermined area different from a roadway and a crosswalk, a recognition unit that recognizes a surrounding situation of the moving object based on an output of an external environment detection device that detects an external situation of the moving object; a control unit that controls at least a drive unit that moves the moving body, when the control unit recognizes that the moving body is moving in the predetermined area and that the moving body should stop before an intersection in accordance with the state of a first traffic light present in the moving direction of the moving body, the control unit controls the drive unit based on the state of the intersection recognized by the recognition unit to stop the moving body; the first traffic light whose state is detected by the recognition unit is a pedestrian traffic light, The recognition unit searches for the position of the first traffic light in the output of the external environment detection device based on the position of a sidewalk connecting to the intersection and an assumed height of a pedestrian traffic light. Control device for a moving object.

5. the recognition unit recognizes traffic participants present in the vicinity of the intersection, the control unit stops the moving body at a position that does not obstruct the flow of traffic participants who are moving without stopping around the intersection. The control device for a moving body according to claim 1.

6. A control device for a mobile body that can move at least in a predetermined area different from a roadway and a crosswalk, a recognition unit that recognizes a surrounding situation of the moving object based on an output of an external environment detection device that detects an external situation of the moving object; a control unit that controls at least a drive unit that moves the moving body, The recognition unit recognizes the position of a tactile paving block located before an intersection, When the moving object is moving in the predetermined area and the recognition unit recognizes that the moving object should stop before the intersection in accordance with the state of a first traffic light present in the moving direction of the moving object, the control unit controls the drive unit based on the state of the intersection recognized by the recognition unit, and stops the moving object at a position where the moving object does not step on the braille block. Control device for a moving object.

7. A control device for a mobile body that can move at least in a predetermined area different from a roadway and a crosswalk, a recognition unit that recognizes a surrounding situation of the moving object based on an output of an external environment detection device that detects an external situation of the moving object; a control unit that controls at least a drive unit that moves the moving body, When the state of a first traffic light present in the traveling direction of the moving body before the intersection cannot be detected by the external environment detection device after the moving body has stopped, the recognition unit recognizes the state of a second traffic light not present in the traveling direction of the moving body and traffic participants present around the intersection; When the recognition unit recognizes that the moving object is moving in the predetermined area and that the moving object should stop according to the state of the first traffic light, the control unit controls the drive unit based on the situation of the intersection recognized by the recognition unit to stop the moving object, and performs a preparatory operation to cross the intersection based on the recognized state of the second traffic light and the movement of the traffic participants. Control device for a moving object.

8. The preparatory action is an action of moving the moving body in the same direction as the moving direction of the traffic participant at a speed slower than a normal set speed. The control device for a moving body according to claim 7.

9. the preparatory action includes an action of outputting predetermined information to the periphery of the moving object using an information output device; The control device for a moving body according to claim 7.

10. A method for controlling a mobile object executed by a processor that controls a mobile object that can move at least through a predetermined area different from a roadway and a crosswalk, comprising: Recognizing a surrounding situation of the moving object based on an output of an external environment detection device that detects an external situation of the moving object; When it is recognized that the moving body is moving in the predetermined area and should stop before an intersection in accordance with the state of a first traffic light present in the moving direction of the moving body, a drive unit of the moving body is controlled based on the recognized state of the intersection, and the moving body is stopped at a first position where the state of the first traffic light can be detected by the external environment detection device. A method for controlling a moving object, comprising:

11. A storage medium storing a program executed by a processor that controls a mobile object that can move at least in a predetermined area different from a roadway and a crosswalk, Recognizing a surrounding situation of the moving object based on an output of an external environment detection device that detects an external situation of the moving object; When it is recognized that the moving body is moving in the predetermined area and should stop before an intersection in accordance with the state of a first traffic light present in the moving direction of the moving body, a drive unit of the moving body is controlled based on the recognized state of the intersection, and the moving body is stopped at a first position where the state of the first traffic light can be detected by the external environment detection device. A storage medium storing a program that causes the processor to execute the above.

Images