Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and program

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control apparatus, a vehicle control method, and a program capable of improving vehicle getting-on / off properties.SOLUTION: A vehicle control apparatus of an embodiment comprises: a position information acquisition part which acquires position information of one's own vehicle capable of traveling with a user riding therein; and a control part which controls the steering and / or the velocity of the vehicle to allow the vehicle to travel. The control part executes control to stabilize the behavior of the vehicle when the vehicle is in a predetermined area, on the basis of the position information of the vehicle acquired by the position information acquisition part, the predetermined area being an area including a transfer target object to which the user transfers from the vehicle or from which the user transfers to the vehicle.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] In recent years, efforts to provide access to sustainable transportation systems that take into consideration vulnerable transport users, such as the elderly, persons with disabilities, and children, have been gaining momentum. To achieve this, research and development efforts are being focused on further improving transportation safety and convenience through developments related to vehicle ingress and egress. In relation to this, vehicles with inverted pendulum-controlled drive wheels (hereinafter referred to as "inverted pendulum vehicles") have been developed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Inverted pendulum 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, or 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] When a user gets off a vehicle and sits on a transfer object such as a toilet bowl, chair, or sofa, or when transferring from a transfer object to a vehicle, it is necessary to adjust the height of the vehicle's seat to make the transfer easier. However, since the user must manually adjust the seat height every time they transfer, this increases the burden on the user and can impair the ease of getting on and off the vehicle, which is an issue.

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program that can further improve the ease of getting on and off a vehicle, thereby contributing 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 position information acquisition unit that acquires position information of a vehicle that can carry a user and travel, and a control unit that controls at least one of the steering and speed of the vehicle to travel the vehicle, wherein the control unit executes control to stabilize the behavior of the vehicle when the vehicle is located in a predetermined area based on the position information of the vehicle acquired by the position information acquisition unit, and the predetermined area is an area where a transfer object exists between the user and the vehicle.

[0008] (2) In the above aspect (1), the control unit stops the vehicle at a position and orientation relative to the transfer object that are set in advance for each of the predetermined areas.

[0009] (3) In the above aspect (1), the control unit adjusts the height of the seating surface of the vehicle to a height set by the user.

[0010] (4) In the above aspect (1), the control unit adjusts the height of the seating surface of the vehicle based on the height of the seating surface of the object to be transferred onto.

[0011] (5): In the above aspect (4), when the user transfers from his / her own vehicle to the object to be transferred to, the control unit adjusts the height of the seating surface of the own vehicle to be higher than the seating surface of the object to be transferred to, and when the user transfers from the object to be transferred to his / her own vehicle, adjusts the height of the seating surface of the own vehicle to be lower than the seating surface of the object to be transferred to.

[0012] (6): In the above aspect (1), the 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 preventing the movement of the vehicle, and the control unit switches to the second inverted state or the third inverted state when it is necessary to stabilize the behavior of the vehicle.

[0013] (7): In the above aspect (6), the control unit switches between the second inverted state and the third inverted state based on the type of the object to be transferred to or the height of the seating surface of the object to be transferred to.

[0014] (8): In the above aspect (1), the control unit executes control to charge the battery installed in the vehicle after the user transfers from the vehicle to the transfer object.

[0015] (9): In the above aspect (1), when the control unit receives an instruction from the user to execute transfer control, the control unit stops the vehicle at a position and orientation relative to the object to be transferred to, and executes control to stabilize the behavior of the vehicle.

[0016] (10): A vehicle control method according to one aspect of the present invention is a vehicle control method in which a computer acquires position information of a vehicle that can carry a user and is capable of traveling, controls at least one of the steering and speed of the vehicle to travel the vehicle, and, based on the acquired position information of the vehicle, executes control to stabilize the behavior of the vehicle when the vehicle is located in a predetermined area, wherein the predetermined area is an area where a transfer object exists between the user and the vehicle.

[0017] (11): A program according to one embodiment of the present invention causes a computer to acquire position information of a vehicle capable of carrying a user, controls at least one of the steering and speed of the vehicle to drive the vehicle, and, based on the acquired position information of the vehicle, executes control to stabilize the behavior of the vehicle when the vehicle is located in a specified area, the specified area being an area where a transfer object exists between which the user will transfer to and from the vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the above aspects (1) to (11), it is possible to further improve the ease of getting in and out of the vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [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] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the contents of setting information 171. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining control of the vehicle 100 when transferring. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a user U transferring from a vehicle 100 to a toilet OB1. [Figure 12] 1 is a diagram for explaining a user U transferring from a toilet OB1 to a vehicle 100. FIG. [Figure 13] 10 is a diagram for explaining the sliding movement control of the seat 21. FIG. [Figure 14] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a transfer control process of the vehicle 100. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, embodiments of a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program according to 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 move with a user on board using power supplied from, for example, a battery mounted on the vehicle. Furthermore, the electric vehicle of the embodiment not only travels by manual driving by the user, but also has automatic driving control, in which at least one of steering and speed is automatically controlled based on surrounding recognition results obtained from information from sensors, cameras, etc., without relying on the user's driving operation. Note that the automatic driving control may include control to switch the electric vehicle between inverted states and control to adjust the height of the seating surface. Furthermore, a user does not need to be on board during automatic driving control. In the following, an inverted pendulum vehicle is used as an example of an electric vehicle.

[0021] [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 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, starting 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.

[0022] 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 as necessary), 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.

[0023] 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.

[0024] On the other hand, the vehicle 100 is equipped with a plurality of stoppers (movement suppressing units) 103-1 to 103-4 (hereinafter collectively referred to as stoppers 103 as necessary). The support of the stoppers 103 prevents the vehicle 100 from moving from the stopping position, allowing the vehicle 100 to remain stopped at the stopping position. FIG. 3 shows the vehicle 100 stopped at the 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) and are configured to be able to control movement in the vertical direction (arrow A3 shown in FIG. 1) in order to adjust the friction. Note that the stoppers 103 are not limited to this type. For example, the stoppers 103 may be locking mechanisms that suppress rotation of the omnidirectional wheels 101 and the training wheels 102, or brake mechanisms that suppress rotation. Hereinafter, the state in which the vehicle 100 is stopped at the 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.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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.

[0027] 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.

[0028] The operation panel 110 does not necessarily have to be installed on the armrest 24 on the right arm side. For example, the operation panel 110 may be installed on the armrest 24 on the left arm side, or on 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 armrest 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. The vehicle 100 may also use, for example, a mobile terminal used by the user (user terminal) as the operation panel 110.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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).

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] [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, the position information acquisition unit 150, and the control unit 300 are an example of a "vehicle control device."

[0039] 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."

[0040] 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 the three-dimensional inertial motion of the vehicle 100, an acceleration sensor that detects translational motion, a gyro sensor that detects rotational motion, and a three-axis orientation sensor that detects the attitude of the vehicle body. For example, the sensor 120 detects the position, tilt (weight shift), etc. of the user U based on the pressure distribution or the tilt (attitude) of the vehicle 100. The sensor 120 may also detect whether the user U is riding in the vehicle 100 based on the pressure on the seat 21. The sensor 120 may also include a sensor that detects the height of the seating surface (upper surface) of the seat 21 from the floor (ground) and the height from the lowest position that the vehicle 100 can control. The sensor 120 may also include a direction sensor that detects the direction in front of the vehicle 100 and an external sensor that detects objects around the vehicle 100. The sensor 120 may also include a sensor that detects the charge amount (remaining power) of the internal battery 180. The detection result by the sensor 120 is output to the control unit 300.

[0041] The camera 130 captures images of the surroundings of the vehicle 100. The camera 130 captures images of the surroundings at a predetermined cycle or at a predetermined timing, for example. Image data of the surroundings of the vehicle captured by the camera 130 is output to the control unit 300.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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 position information (for example, latitude and longitude) of the vehicle 100, and outputs the information to the control unit 300.

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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, programs, and various other information. The setting information 171 is referenced or updated by the control unit 300. FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the contents of the setting information 171. The setting information 171 shown in FIG. 9 associates, for example, area information with transfer object information, position information, orientation information, and height information. The area information is information about the area where the user U gets on and off the vehicle 100. The information about the area includes, for example, information about the size of the room (e.g., a toilet) in which the transfer object is installed and information about the installation position of the transfer object (e.g., latitude and longitude, and information about the position in the room (e.g., the right end or the center) in which the object is installed). The transfer object is, for example, an object on which the user U can sit (take a seat), and specifically includes a toilet bowl, a chair (including a wheelchair), a sofa, a bed, etc. The area information may also include information on the surrounding environment of the transfer object (for example, whether there is a handrail, the location of the handrail (e.g., on the right or left side of the transfer object), whether it is barrier-free, etc.), and the charging facilities present in the vicinity.

[0046] The transfer object information includes, for example, information such as the type of the transfer object and the height of the seating surface of the transfer object. The transfer object information may also include information regarding the color, shape, character string, and other features of the transfer object. The transfer object information may be set by the user U or may be acquired from map information or the like based on area information. The map information may be stored in the storage unit 170 or may be acquired from an external device capable of communicating via the wireless communication unit 140.

[0047] The position information is information regarding the stopping position of the vehicle 100 when transferring. The position information may include information regarding the distance between the vehicle 100 and the object to be transferred when transferring. The position information also includes, for example, the position when the user U gets off the vehicle 100 and transfers to the object to be transferred, and the position when the user U transfers from the object to be transferred to the vehicle 100 (when returning to the vehicle 100). The position when getting off the vehicle 100 and the position when getting on the vehicle 100 may be the same position or different positions. The orientation information is information indicating in which direction the vehicle 100 will be stopped relative to the front direction of the object ahead of the vehicle. For example, information such as facing forward, sideways, or backward may be set as the orientation information. The direction of the front direction when the vehicle 100 is stopped may also be set as the orientation information.

[0048] The height information is information relating to the height of the seating surface of the seat 21 from the floor (ground) when transferring between the vehicle 100 and a transfer object. The height information may also be the height from the lowest position of the seat 21 to which the vehicle 100 can be adjusted. The height information includes, for example, height information when the user U gets off the vehicle 100 and transfers to the transfer object, and height information when transferring from the transfer object to the vehicle 100 (when returning to the vehicle 100). The height when getting off the vehicle 100 and the height when getting on the vehicle 100 may be the same height or different heights.

[0049] At least a portion of the above-described setting information 171 can be set in advance by the user U using the operation panel 110 under the control of the control unit 300, for example. The position, orientation, and height that are convenient for transferring vary depending on the user U's body type, physical condition, etc., so by making the above-described setting information configurable for each user U, it is possible to improve the ease of getting in and out of the vehicle 100 for each user U. Note that reference values ​​may be set in advance for the above-described position information, orientation information, and height information, regardless of the area. For example, if the user U does not set at least one of the position information, orientation information, and height information, the reference value is applied.

[0050] In addition to the above information, the setting information 171 may also include 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, etc.

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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.

[0053] 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.

[0054] 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.

[0055] 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 (described later) based on the recognition result by the surroundings recognition unit 320, manual operation by the user U, etc. Details of the processing by the main control unit 310 will be described later.

[0056] 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.

[0057] 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.

[0058] For example, the main control unit 310 controls the omnidirectional wheel control unit 331 to cause the omnidirectional wheel 101 to move in omnidirectional directions or move the omnidirectional wheel 101 up and down. Note that the omnidirectional movement by the omnidirectional wheel 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. The omnidirectional wheel control unit 331 performs balance control to move the vehicle 100 while maintaining the inverted state of the vehicle 100.

[0059] Furthermore, 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 also moves the auxiliary wheels 102 up and down. The main control unit 310 also controls the stopper drive unit 230 via the stopper control unit 333 to move the stoppers 103 up and down. In this way, the main control unit 310 can switch the vehicle 100 to one of the following inverted states: a first inverted state in which the vehicle stands upright using the ground contact point of the omnidirectional wheel 101 as a fulcrum; a second inverted state in which the vehicle can maintain the inverted state without balance control, 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. In the second inverted state, the vehicle body is more stable than in the first inverted state, and in the third inverted state, the vehicle body is more stable than in the second inverted state. The main control unit 310 is an example of an "inverted state control unit."

[0060] The seat control unit 334 also 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. The seat control unit 334 also 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.

[0061] The headrest control unit 335 moves the headrest 23 in the up and down direction by controlling the headrest driving unit 250. The armrest control unit 336 controls the armrest driving unit 260 to rotate the armrest 24 around the fulcrum.

[0062] The drive control unit 330 may control the drive unit 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 100 (balance state, position, attitude, etc.) detected by the sensor 120 or the position information acquisition unit 150, or may control each drive unit based on the overall control of the main control unit 310.

[0063] 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 angle of tilt of the user U's posture or the time during which the posture is tilted) based on the tilt of the user U's posture (weight shift). In addition to the above-described control, the drive control unit 330 may also perform automatic driving control based on the recognition result by the periphery recognition unit 320. For example, under the control of the main control unit 310, the drive control unit 330 performs speed control to decelerate or stop the vehicle 100 so as not to come into contact with the obstacle when there is an obstacle or the like in the traveling direction of the vehicle 100, and steering control to change the traveling direction. In addition, the drive control unit 330 performs deceleration control when traveling in a narrow space.

[0064] Furthermore, if the operation panel 110 has a switch for specifying the direction of travel or a switch for specifying the speed, the drive control unit 330 causes the vehicle 100 to travel in the direction of travel and at the speed of travel corresponding to the switch operation. Furthermore, if the operation panel 110 has a switch for adjusting the orientation of the vehicle 100 or the height of the seat 21, the drive control unit 330 controls the orientation and height corresponding to the switch operation.

[0065] [Transfer control] Next, control during transfer between the vehicle 100 and a transfer object will be specifically described. Fig. 10 is a diagram for explaining control of the vehicle 100 during transfer. In the example of Fig. 10, it is assumed that a user U is seated on a seat 21 of the vehicle 100. Fig. 10 also shows a toilet bowl OB1 as an example of a transfer object.

[0066] For example, the periphery recognition unit 320 acquires the location information of the vehicle 100 using the location information acquisition unit 150, and determines whether or not the vehicle 100 is located within a predetermined area based on the acquired location information. For example, the periphery recognition unit 320 refers to the area information in the setting information 171 based on the location information of the vehicle 100, and determines whether or not the vehicle 100 is located within a predetermined area set in the area information. Note that the periphery recognition unit 320 may periodically analyze image data captured by the camera 130, and determine whether or not the vehicle 100 is located within a predetermined area based on characteristic information such as color, shape, and character strings obtained as a result of the analysis, or recognize the type and orientation of the object to be transferred.

[0067] When it is determined that the vehicle 100 is located within a predetermined area, the main control unit 310 acquires the position information, orientation information, and height information associated with the area information set in the setting information 171, and controls the user U when transferring. In the example of FIG. 10 , the sensor 120 detects that the user U is aboard the vehicle 100, so the main control unit 310 acquires the position information and height information when the user U gets off the vehicle 100. For example, based on the acquired position information and orientation information, the main control unit 310 controls the drive control unit 330 to stop the vehicle 100 at a position where the distance D1 from the toilet OB1 is the distance set in the position information and in the orientation set in the orientation information with respect to the front direction of the toilet OB1. In the example of FIG. 10 , the vehicle 100 is stopped in an orientation facing the toilet OB1 based on the setting information.

[0068] Furthermore, after the vehicle 100 has stopped, the main control unit 310 controls the drive control unit 330 so that the height VH1 of the seating surface of the seat 21 of the vehicle 100 becomes the height set in the height information of the setting information 171. If height information is not registered in the setting information 171, the main control unit 310 may control the height VH1 of the seating surface of the seat 21 of the vehicle 100 to be higher than the height OH1 of the seating surface (upper surface) of the toilet seat OS1 provided on the toilet bowl OB1 from the floor (ground). The height OS1 of the toilet seat OS1 may be obtained, for example, from the analysis results of image data captured by the camera 130. This allows the user U to transfer from a high seating surface position to a lower seating surface position. This reduces the burden on the user U when transferring and makes it easier for the user U to transfer.

[0069] Furthermore, when the main control unit 310 stops the vehicle 100 due to control at the time of transfer, it executes control (stabilization control) to stabilize the behavior of the vehicle 100 at the stopped position. Stabilizing the behavior means making the vehicle body less mobile, and may include not only preventing movement but also preventing tilting. The stabilization control is, for example, control to switch the vehicle 100 to a second or third inverted state when the state before the vehicle 100 stopped is a first inverted state, and to switch the vehicle 100 to the third inverted state when the state before the vehicle 100 stopped is the second inverted state. Furthermore, the stabilization control may include not switching the vehicle 100 to another inverted state when the inverted state of the vehicle 100 before the control is executed is the third inverted state.

[0070] The inverted state in which the vehicle is stabilized when transferring may be set in advance by the user U, or may be determined based on the type of object to be transferred to and the height of the seating surface of the object to be transferred to. The example in Fig. 10 shows that the execution of stabilization control has resulted in a switch to a third inverted state in which the auxiliary wheels 102-1 to 102-4 and the stoppers 103-1 to 103-4 are in contact with the floor. By performing stabilization control in this manner, the user U can get off the vehicle 100 in a more stable state, making it easier to transfer vehicles.

[0071] In addition, when the user U frequently transfers to a specific transfer object, the user U may register (or update) the area information by pressing a registration button or the like provided on the operation panel 110 at the timing of the transfer, as shown in Fig. 10. In this case, when the main control unit 310 receives a registration instruction by pressing a registration button preset on the operation panel 110, the main control unit 310 registers the current position and orientation of the vehicle 100, height information of the seat 21, etc. acquired by the position information acquisition unit 150, in the setting information 171 in association with the current area information. In this case, the main control unit 310 may also register information acquired by the sensor 120 and the camera 130 in the setting information 171. This allows the user U to easily set the information without having to input it directly.

[0072] Next, the control of the vehicle 100 from when the user U transfers from the vehicle 100 to a transfer object and then returns (transfers) from the transfer object to the vehicle 100 will be described.

[0073] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a user U transferring from the vehicle 100 to the toilet OB1. In the example of FIG. 11, it is assumed that the sensor 120 detects that the user U is boarding the vehicle 100. In the example of FIG. 11, the main control unit 310 determines that the vehicle 100 is present within a predetermined area, and stops the vehicle 100 at a position a distance D2 away from the toilet OB1 based on the position information (position information when the user U gets off the vehicle 100) and orientation information included in the setting information 171. The main control unit 310 executes stabilization control and switches the inverted state of the vehicle 100 to a third inverted state.

[0074] Furthermore, the main control unit 310 causes the seat control unit 334 to adjust the height VH1 of the seating surface of the seat 21 based on the height information (height information when the user U gets off the vehicle 100) of the setting information 171. For example, if the height information is not set, the main control unit 310 adjusts the height VH1 of the seating surface of the seat 21 to be higher than the height OH1 of the seating surface of the toilet seat OS1, as described above.

[0075] Here, after the user U transfers from the vehicle 100 to the toilet OB1, the main control unit 310 may refer to the area information in the setting information 171 and, if there is a charging facility nearby, cancel the stabilization control of the vehicle 100, move the vehicle 100 to the location of the charging facility using automatic driving control, and perform control (charging control) to charge the internal battery 180 using power supplied from the charging facility. This allows for efficient charging by effectively utilizing the time when the vehicle 100 is not in use. Note that the charging control may be performed, for example, when the charge amount of the internal battery 180 is less than a predetermined amount. The charging time may be set depending on the type of object to be transferred to or may be set in advance by the user U. When the set charging time has elapsed or when the charge amount of the internal battery 180 reaches or exceeds a predetermined amount, the main control unit 310 moves the vehicle 100 to allow the user U to board. Furthermore, when the main control unit 310 receives an instruction to perform transfer control from the user U, the main control unit 310 may stop the vehicle 100 at a predetermined position and orientation relative to the toilet OB1 and perform control to stabilize the behavior of the vehicle 100. The instruction to execute the transfer control may be, for example, a predetermined voice from the user U (for example, a voice calling the vehicle 100 back), or may be an instruction from the operation panel 110 when the user U transfers to the toilet OB1 while holding the operation panel 110. This allows the vehicle 100 to move to the transfer position at a timing desired by the user U.

[0076] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a user U transferring from a toilet OB1 to a vehicle 100. In the example of FIG. 12, it is assumed that the sensor 120 detects that the user U is not in the vehicle 100. In the example of FIG. 12, the main control unit 310 determines that the vehicle 100 is present within a predetermined area, and stops the vehicle 100 at a position a distance D3 away from the toilet OB1 based on the position information (position information when the user U gets on the vehicle 100) and orientation information included in the setting information 171. The main control unit 310 executes stabilization control and switches the inverted state of the vehicle 100 to a third inverted state.

[0077] Furthermore, the main control unit 310 controls the seat control unit 334 to adjust the height VH2 of the seat surface of the seat 21 based on the height information in the setting information 171 (height information when the user U gets on the vehicle 100). If the height information is not set, the main control unit 310 adjusts the height VH2 of the seat surface of the seat 21 to be lower than the height OH1 of the seat surface of the toilet seat OS1, as described above. This allows the user U to move from a higher position to a lower position even when transferring back to the vehicle 100, thereby reducing the burden on the user U when transferring and allowing the user U to transfer easily. After the user U transfers to the vehicle 100, the main control unit 310 switches the inverted state of the vehicle 100 to the first or second inverted state, either by instructing the user U or automatically, thereby enabling the vehicle 100 to move.

[0078] <Modification> In the transfer control described above, the main control unit 310 may perform a sliding movement (horizontal movement) of the seat 21 in addition to (or instead of) adjusting the height of the seat 21. In this case, the main control unit 310 changes the inverted state of the vehicle 100 to the second or third inverted state.

[0079] Fig. 13 is a diagram for explaining the sliding movement control of the seat 21. The example of Fig. 13 shows a situation in which a user U in a wheelchair VC1 (an example of an object to be transferred) is about to transfer from the wheelchair VC1 to a vehicle 100. The example of Fig. 13 also shows a situation in which the vehicle 100 is in a second inverted state. In the transfer control, the main control unit 310 controls the seat drive unit 240 by the seat control unit 334 to slide the seat 21 to a position that makes it easy for the user U to get on.

[0080] 13, the main control unit 310 moves the seat 21 in the front direction (X-axis direction in the figure) as a basic control. By moving the seat 21 in the front direction of the vehicle 100 in this way, the user U can more easily transfer from the wheelchair VC1 to the vehicle 100. For example, because the vehicle 100 is provided with training wheels 102 at the front end thereof for the purpose of stabilizing (maintaining balance) the vehicle 100, there is a high probability that the training wheels 102 will interfere with the user's transfer operation. For this reason, the main control unit 310 moves the seat 21 at least forward of the training wheels 102 at the front end of the vehicle 100 (to a position closer to the user U), thereby enabling a smoother transfer.

[0081] It is desirable that the movement amount ΔD of the seat 21 be limited to a predetermined distance so that the vehicle 100 does not tilt even when the user U applies a load to the tip of the seat 21 in the X-axis direction. The predetermined distance is, for example, less than one-third of the length W of the seat 21 (length in the X-axis direction). The movement amount ΔD may also be set by the user U in the setting information 171.

[0082] After the seat 21 has slid, if it is detected that the user U has sat on the seat 21, the main control unit 310 causes the seat control unit 334 to execute control to return the seat 21 to its original position. Note that the above-described sliding control of the seat 21 may be realized in part or in whole by manual operation by the user U. In this case, the seat 21 may be provided with a member (for example, a handle) to assist the user U in manual operation.

[0083] Furthermore, when transferring from an object to be transferred to (for example, a toilet OB1 or a wheelchair VC1) to the vehicle 100, the main control unit 310 may tilt the vehicle 100 in the direction of the object to be transferred to (in other words, in the direction of the user U). By tilting the vehicle body by a predetermined angle toward the user U, it is possible to make it easier for the user U to get on the vehicle 100. Furthermore, when the pressure on the seat 21 detected by the sensor 120 is equal to or greater than a threshold, the main control unit 310 performs control to cancel the tilting and return the vehicle 100 to its original position.

[0084] [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 description will mainly focus on the transfer control processing between the vehicle 100 and the transfer target object. Note that the processing shown below may be repeatedly executed at a predetermined cycle or at a predetermined timing. The predetermined timing is, for example, the timing when it is accepted that the user U has pressed a transfer button provided on the operation panel 110, which indicates that transfer control is to be executed.

[0085] FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a transfer control process for the vehicle 100. In the example of FIG. 14, the control unit 300 determines whether the vehicle 100 is located within a predetermined area based on the position information of the vehicle 100 (step S100). If it is determined that the vehicle 100 is located within the predetermined area, the control unit 300 acquires position information, orientation information, and height information from the setting information 171 (step S110), and adjusts the position, orientation, and height of the vehicle 100 based on the acquired information (step S120). Next, the control unit 300 executes stabilization control of the vehicle 100 (step S130). Note that the process of step S130 may be executed during the process of step S120 (for example, when the vehicle is stopped at a set position and orientation, but before the height adjustment).

[0086] Next, the control unit 300 determines whether the transfer of the user U has been completed (step S140). If it is determined that the transfer has not been completed, the control unit 300 waits until the transfer is completed. If it is determined that the transfer has been completed, the control unit 300 cancels the vehicle stabilization control (step S150) and executes driving control by operation by the user U or automatic driving control (step S160). This ends the processing of this flowchart. If it is determined in the processing of step S100 that the vehicle 100 is not within the predetermined area, the processing of this flowchart ends.

[0087] 14, if the control unit 300 determines in step S140 that the user has not completed the transfer even after a predetermined time has elapsed, the control unit 300 may determine that the transfer will not be made and execute the processes from step S150 onwards, or may simply end the process of this flowchart. Furthermore, if the control unit 300 receives an instruction from the user U via the operation panel 110 during the process of step S140 indicating that the user U will not transfer, the control unit 300 may execute the processes from step S150 onwards or end the process of this flowchart. Furthermore, even if the control unit 300 determines in the process of step S100 that the vehicle 100 is not within the predetermined area, the control unit 300 may execute the processes from step S110 onwards if it receives that the user U has pressed a transfer button provided on the operation panel 110.

[0088] According to the embodiment described above, the vehicle control device includes a position information acquisition unit 150 that acquires position information of a vehicle (an example of a host vehicle) 100 that can carry a user and travel, and a control unit 300 that controls at least one of the steering and speed of the vehicle 100 to travel the vehicle 100, and the control unit 300 executes control to stabilize the behavior of the vehicle 100 when the vehicle 100 is in a predetermined area based on the position information of the vehicle 100 acquired by the position information acquisition unit 150, and the predetermined area is an area where a transfer object where a user will transfer to or from the vehicle 100 is present, thereby further improving ease of boarding and disembarking the vehicle. This can contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0089] Specifically, according to the embodiment, for example, in narrow areas where transfers are required (e.g., toilets), the user does not need to manually adjust the position, orientation, and seat height of the vehicle 100 each time; these adjustments can be made automatically, thereby reducing the burden on the user when transferring.

[0090] 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: Acquires location information of a vehicle that can be driven with a user on board, controlling at least one of the steering and speed of the host vehicle to cause the host vehicle to travel; Based on the acquired position information of the vehicle, when the vehicle is present in a predetermined area, control is executed to stabilize the behavior of the vehicle; The predetermined area is an area where a transfer object exists between the user and the vehicle. Vehicle control device.

[0091] 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]

[0092] 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 location information acquisition unit that acquires location information of a vehicle that can carry a user and travel; a control unit that controls at least one of the steering and the speed of the host vehicle to cause the host vehicle to travel; the control unit, when the host vehicle is present in a predetermined area, executes control to stabilize the behavior of the host vehicle by preventing a body of the host vehicle from moving, based on the location information of the host vehicle acquired by the location information acquisition unit; the predetermined area is an area where a transfer object exists between the user and the vehicle, 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 auxiliary wheels other than the main wheels, or a third inverted state in which it maintains the inverted state by preventing the movement of the host vehicle by frictional forces between the ground contact means other than the main wheels and the auxiliary wheels and the floor surface, The control unit When the behavior of the host vehicle is stabilized from the first inverted state, the host vehicle switches to the second inverted state or the third inverted state; When the behavior of the host vehicle is stabilized from the second inverted state, the host vehicle switches to the third inverted state. Vehicle control device.

2. the control unit stops the vehicle at a position and orientation relative to the transfer object that are set in advance for each of the predetermined areas. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

3. The control unit adjusts the height of the seating surface of the vehicle to a height set by the user. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

4. the control unit adjusts the height of the seating surface of the host vehicle based on the height of the seating surface of the object to be transferred. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

5. The control unit When the user transfers from his / her own vehicle to the object to be transferred to, the height of the seating surface of the own vehicle is adjusted to be higher than the seating surface of the object to be transferred to; When the user transfers from the object to be transferred to his / her own vehicle, the height of the seating surface of the own vehicle is adjusted to be lower than the seating surface of the object to be transferred to. The vehicle control device according to claim 4.

6. the control unit switches between the second inverted state and the third inverted state based on the type of the object to be transferred to or the height of the seating surface of the object to be transferred to. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

7. the control unit executes control to charge a battery mounted on the vehicle after the user transfers from the vehicle to the transfer object. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

8. When the control unit receives an instruction to execute transfer control from the user, the control unit executes control to stop the host vehicle at a position and orientation relative to the transfer target object and stabilize the behavior of the host vehicle by preventing a main body of the host vehicle from moving. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

9. The computer Acquires location information of a vehicle that can be driven with a user on board, controlling at least one of the steering and speed of the host vehicle to cause the host vehicle to travel; When the vehicle is located in a predetermined area, the control unit 100 executes control to stabilize the behavior of the vehicle by preventing the body of the vehicle from moving based on the acquired position information of the vehicle; the predetermined area is an area where a transfer object exists between the user and the vehicle, 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 auxiliary wheels other than the main wheels, or a third inverted state in which it maintains the inverted state by preventing the movement of the host vehicle by frictional forces between the ground contact means other than the main wheels and the auxiliary wheels and the floor surface, When the behavior of the host vehicle is stabilized from the first inverted state, the host vehicle switches to the second inverted state or the third inverted state; When the behavior of the host vehicle is stabilized from the second inverted state, the host vehicle switches to the third inverted state. Vehicle control method.

10. On the computer, The user is allowed to board the vehicle and acquire location information of the vehicle that is capable of traveling. controlling at least one of the steering and speed of the host vehicle to cause the host vehicle to travel; When the vehicle is located in a predetermined area, the control unit executes control to stabilize the behavior of the vehicle by preventing the body of the vehicle from moving based on the acquired position information of the vehicle; the predetermined area is an area where a transfer object exists between the user and the vehicle, 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 auxiliary wheels other than the main wheels, or a third inverted state in which it maintains the inverted state by preventing the movement of the host vehicle by frictional forces between the ground contact means other than the main wheels and the auxiliary wheels and the floor surface, When the behavior of the host vehicle is stabilized from the first inverted state, the host vehicle is switched to the second inverted state or the third inverted state; When the behavior of the host vehicle is stabilized from the second inverted state, the host vehicle is switched to the third inverted state. program.

Images