Mobile device management device, management method, and management program

Abstract

To provide an apparatus, method and program for managing a moving body capable of smoothly carrying out a transition from an old operation plan to a new operation plan without contradiction.SOLUTION: An apparatus for managing a moving body in one embodiment comprises an operation plan generating section, an operation control section and a managing section. The operation plan generating section generates an operation plan of at least one moving body. The operation control section controls the operation of the moving body based on the operation plan. The managing section, when there is a need to update the operation plan, estimates a future position of the moving body based on an old operation plan unexecuted on the moving body, generates a future position-based new operation plan by the operation plan generating section, and integrates the old operation plan and the new operation plan together. The operation control section, when the old operation plan and the new operation plan are integrated, controls the operation of the moving body based on an operation plan after integration.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] Embodiments relate to a management device, a management method, and a management program for a moving object.

Background Art

[0002] In the process of the automation of the logistics site, in order to unmanned and streamline the transportation of goods, the introduction of moving objects such as Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) has been progressing. This type of moving object transports goods according to a predetermined task. In a system where multiple moving objects transport goods simultaneously, multiple moving objects transport goods according to their respective tasks. At this time, it is necessary to generate an operation plan so that collisions between moving moving objects and competition of tasks between moving objects do not occur, and to manage the operation of each moving object according to the generated operation plan.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] <已删除,原文无对应英文内容>The embodiment provides a mobile vehicle management device, management method, and management program that enable a smooth and consistent transition from the old operation plan to the new operation plan. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One embodiment of a mobile vehicle management system comprises a route plan generation unit, a route control unit, and a management unit. The route plan generation unit generates a route plan for at least one mobile vehicle. The route control unit controls the operation of the mobile vehicle based on the route plan. When an update to the route plan is necessary, the management unit estimates the future position of the mobile vehicle based on the old route plan that has not yet been executed, generates a new route plan based on the future position using the route plan generation unit, and integrates the old route plan and the new route plan. The operation control unit controls the operation of the mobile vehicle by transmitting a predetermined number of control commands based on the operation plan to the mobile vehicle using the communication unit. Of the first control commands generated based on the old operation plan, it retains the first control commands that have not yet been transmitted to the mobile vehicle and that move the mobile vehicle to a future position, and updates the first control commands that move the vehicle to a position beyond the future position with second control commands generated based on the new operation plan. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a mobile body management device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of node information stored in the node database. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an example of link information stored in the link database. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an example of a route network identified by node information and link information. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an example of task information stored in the task database. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows an example of the operation plan information stored in the operation plan database. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control device. [Figure 8A] Figure 8A is a diagram illustrating the integration of the operation plan. [Figure 8B] Figure 8B is a diagram illustrating the integration of the operational plan. [Figure 8C] Figure 8C is a diagram illustrating the integration of the operational plan. [Figure 9A] Figure 9A shows an example of a control command generated by the operation control unit based on the old operation plan. [Figure 9B] Figure 9B shows an example of a control command generated by the operation control unit based on the integrated operation plan. [Figure 10A] Figure 10A is a diagram illustrating the integration of the operation plan in Modification Example 1. [Figure 10B] Figure 10B is a diagram illustrating the integration of the operation plan in Modification Example 1. [Figure 10C] Figure 10C is a diagram illustrating the integration of the operation plan in Modification Example 1. [Figure 11] Figure 11 shows the hardware configuration of an example of a management device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a block diagram of a mobile body management device according to the embodiment. The management device 100 is a computer that manages the operation of N (N is a natural number) mobile bodies m1, m2, ..., mN. Mobile bodies m1-mN are autonomous mobile bodies such as AGVs, autonomous mobile robots, and autonomous vehicles, and operate based on control commands generated by the management device 100. Mobile bodies m1-mN travel within facilities such as factories and warehouses. Mobile bodies m1-mN are equipped with batteries as an example, and can travel within the travel area of ​​the facility using power from the batteries. Mobile bodies m1-mN may be configured to travel within the facility while holding loads stacked from shelves, etc. Mobile bodies m1-mN may also be configured to autonomously stack and unload loads. Stacking and unloading loads may be done manually.

[0009] The management device 100 includes a management unit 11, a route plan generation unit 12, a route control unit 13, a mobile vehicle management unit 14, and a communication unit 15. The management device 100 may also include a travel area database (DB) 21, a node DB 22, a link DB 23, a mobile vehicle DB 24, a task DB 25, and a route plan DB 26. The travel area DB 21, node DB 22, link DB 23, mobile vehicle DB 24, task DB 25, and route plan DB 26 may be databases stored in storage separate from the management device 100.

[0010] The Driving Area DB21 is a database that stores information about driving areas. The driving area information includes map data of facilities that serve as driving areas for mobile vehicles, such as factories and warehouses. Driving areas have coordinate information. The positions of shelves and other items within a facility, as well as the positions of obstacles temporarily placed within a facility, are associated with the coordinates set in the driving area. Here, the map data may be data defined in advance as drawings such as CAD (Computer-Aided Design). Alternatively, if the mobile vehicle has a function to create an environmental map using a self-position detection function, the map data may be the data of the environmental map created by that function.

[0011] Node DB22 and Link DB23 are databases that store information about the route network. The route network is a network structure representing the routes of a mobile object, configured in association with the travel area. The route network consists of nodes and links. Nodes represent the locations of the mobile object's travels and are associated with the coordinates of the travel area. Links represent the connections between nodes.

[0012] Figure 2 shows an example of node information stored in node DB 22. The node information includes node ID, X coordinate, and Y coordinate. The node ID is an ID uniquely assigned to each node for identifying the respective node. The X coordinate is the X coordinate at the position of the node with the corresponding node ID on the map data. The Y coordinate is the Y coordinate at the position of the node with the corresponding node ID on the map data.

[0013] Figure 3 shows an example of link information stored in link DB 23. The link information includes link ID, first node ID, second node ID, and information on the directionality of the nodes. The link ID is an ID uniquely assigned to each link for identifying the respective link. The first node ID is the node ID of the source node of the link with the corresponding link ID. The second node ID is the node ID of the destination node of the link with the corresponding link ID. The directionality of the nodes indicates whether the movement between the nodes is bidirectional or restricted in one direction. If it is bidirectional, the moving object can travel from the source node to the destination node and also from the destination node to the source node. On the other hand, if it is unidirectional, the moving object can only travel from the source node to the destination node.

[0014] Figure 4 shows an example of a travel route network specified by the node information and the link information. The travel route network in the example of Figure 4 is composed of 25 nodes and 40 bidirectional links. The number of nodes and the number of links can be appropriately set according to the size of the travel area and the like. Also, in Figure 4, the nodes are arranged so as to be adjacent. The nodes do not necessarily have to be adjacent. Also, there is no need for a link to be necessarily set between adjacent nodes. Furthermore, in Figure 4, the nodes are square-shaped. The shape of the nodes does not necessarily have to be square-shaped.

[0015] The mobile unit DB24 is a database that stores information for each mobile unit m1-mN. The mobile unit information includes real-time location. This location includes, for example, the mobile unit's waiting area. The mobile unit's location can be obtained, for example, from data received from the mobile unit at regular intervals. Alternatively, the mobile unit's location may be obtained from sensors installed in the travel area. In this case, the sensors are installed, for example, at the location of each node, and when they detect that a mobile unit has passed the corresponding node, they notify the management device 100. The mobile unit information stored in the mobile unit DB24 may include information other than location. For example, the mobile unit information may include the battery level. Furthermore, if the mobile unit is configured to transport cargo, the mobile unit information may include information indicating whether or not it is carrying cargo, and if so, the type and number of cargo being transported. In addition, the mobile unit information may include information related to the specifications of each mobile unit. Information on the mobile unit specifications may include, for example, standard speed, maximum speed, minimum speed, size, and traversable direction. Furthermore, if the mobile vehicle is configured to allow loading and unloading of cargo, the information about the mobile vehicle may include information such as the time required for these operations.

[0016] Task DB25 is a database that stores task information. Task information is information that represents a task assigned to a mobile unit. Tasks can be entered by the operator of the management device 100. Figure 5 shows an example of task information stored in Task DB25. Task information includes task ID, departure point, destination point, and status information. The task ID is an ID assigned to each task. The departure point is the node ID of the departure point of the mobile unit. If the mobile unit to which the task is assigned is not at the departure point at the start of task execution, control is performed to drive the mobile unit to the departure point. The destination point is the node ID of the destination point of the mobile unit, for example, a station. The status is information about the progress status of the task. The progress status of a task includes, for example, the statuses "Not executed," "Executing," and "Completed." "Not executed" indicates that the task has not been executed. "Executing" indicates that the task is being executed. "Completed" indicates that the task has been completed. The progress status of a task does not necessarily include the status "Completed." In this case, the corresponding task may be deleted from the task DB25 upon completion of the task. Furthermore, the task information may include information on intermediate points in addition to the departure and arrival points. Intermediate points are the node IDs of locations that must be passed through during the execution of the task. Additionally, depending on the configuration of the mobile object, the task information may include information on the details of operations performed at the departure point, arrival point, and intermediate points, such as loading and unloading cargo.

[0017] The Operation Plan DB26 is a database that stores information on operation plans generated in the Operation Plan DB12. An operation plan is information on how to operate a mobile object to execute a task. Figure 6 shows an example of operation plan information stored in the Operation Plan DB26. The operation plan information includes the operation plan ID, route, time, and status. The operation plan ID is an ID assigned to each operation plan. The route is the node ID of each point that the mobile object will pass through in the corresponding operation plan. The time is the scheduled time that the mobile object will pass through each point. The status is information on the progress of the operation plan. The progress of an operation plan includes, for example, the status "executed," "sent," and "not sent." "Executed" indicates that the corresponding operation plan has been executed. "Sent" indicates that the control commands for the corresponding operation plan have been sent to the mobile object, but the operation of the mobile object has not yet been completed. "Not sent" indicates that the control commands for the corresponding operation plan have not been sent to the mobile object.

[0018] The management unit 11 manages the operations of the operation plan generation unit 12, the operation control unit 13, the mobile unit management unit 14, and the communication unit 15, respectively. For example, the management unit 11 instructs the operation plan generation unit 12 to generate an operation plan. The management unit 11 then retrieves the operation plan generated by the operation plan generation unit 12 from the operation plan DB 26 and instructs the operation control unit 13 to control the operation of the mobile unit m1-mN based on the operation plan. Furthermore, if it becomes necessary to update the operation plan while the mobile unit m1-mN is in motion, the management unit 11 instructs the operation plan generation unit 12 to do so. The management unit 11 integrates the old and new operation plans generated by the operation plan generation unit 12 and instructs the operation control unit 13 to control the operation of the mobile unit m1-mN based on the integrated operation plan. The operation of the management unit 11 will be explained in detail later.

[0019] The operation plan generation unit 12 generates operation plans for each of the mobile bodies m1-mN based on the information about the travel area stored in the travel area DB 21, node DB 22, and link DB 23, the information about the mobile bodies m1-mN stored in the mobile body DB 24, and the information about the tasks stored in the task DB 25. The operation plan generation unit 12 then stores the generated operation plans in the operation plan DB 26. Operation plans may be generated by any method. For example, when operation plans for multiple mobile bodies are generated simultaneously, the operation plans for each mobile body may be generated in such a way that the total travel distance of each mobile body is minimized, provided that no collisions or other incidents occur between the multiple mobile bodies.

[0020] The operation control unit 13 obtains the operation plan for each mobile unit from the operation plan DB 26 based on instructions from the management unit 11, and generates control commands for each mobile unit based on the obtained operation plan. The control commands include commands to execute travel to each target point node registered in the operation plan. The commands to execute travel may include information such as node ID and speed. If the initial position of the mobile unit is not the starting point, the commands to execute travel may include commands to execute travel to the starting point node of the mobile unit. Furthermore, if the mobile unit is configured to load and unload cargo, the control commands may include commands to execute work at the destination coordinates or node. The commands to execute work may include information such as the content of the work.

[0021] The mobile unit management unit 14 manages the status of each mobile unit. For example, the mobile unit management unit 14 acquires the current location detected by the sensors of mobile units m1-mN via the communication unit 15 and updates the current location of each mobile unit stored in the mobile unit DB 24 based on the acquired current location. Also, for example, the mobile unit management unit 14 acquires the battery level of mobile units m1-mN via the communication unit 15 and updates the battery level of each mobile unit stored in the mobile unit DB 24 based on the acquired battery level.

[0022] The communication unit 15 performs communication between the management device 100 and the mobile units m1-mN. The communication unit 15 performs communication between the management device 100 and the mobile units m1-mN, for example, by wireless communication.

[0023] Next, the operation of the management device 100 will be explained. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the management device 100. Here, for the purpose of explaining Figure 7, it will be assumed that the operation plan DB 26 stores the operation plan generated by the operation plan generation unit 12.

[0024] In step S1, the management unit 11 of the management device 100 obtains the operation plan for each mobile unit from the operation plan DB 26. The management unit 11 then initiates the operation control unit 13 to control the operation of each mobile unit according to the obtained operation plan. The operation control unit 13 generates control commands for each mobile unit based on the operation plan. The operation control unit 13 then controls the operation of the mobile units by transmitting the control commands to the mobile units using the communication unit 15 in predetermined transmission numbers.

[0025] In step S2, the management unit 11 determines whether or not to update the operation plan. The operation plan is updated when, for example, a new task is added, the operation of a mobile vehicle is completed, there is a discrepancy between the operation plan and the actual operation of the mobile vehicle, or an abnormality occurs. Tasks can be added by the operator of the management device 100. The completion of a mobile vehicle's operation can be determined, for example, from the status information registered in the task DB 25. The discrepancy between the operation plan and the operation of the mobile vehicle can be determined, for example, by comparing the information of the mobile vehicle registered in the mobile vehicle DB 24 with the information registered in the operation plan DB 26. The occurrence of an abnormality can be determined, for example, from the information of the mobile vehicle registered in the mobile vehicle DB 24. If, in step S2, it is determined not to update the operation plan, the process returns to step S1. In this case, control of the operation of the mobile vehicle based on the current operation plan continues. If, in step S2, it is determined to update the operation plan, the process moves to step S3. In this embodiment, even if it is determined that the operation plan should be updated, the operation of the mobile vehicle will be carried out based on the old operation plan before the update until the future location, which will be explained later.

[0026] In step S3, the management unit 11 estimates the future position of each currently operating mobile object. The future position is the position where the mobile object will be when the update of the operation plan is completed. In other words, the future position can be determined according to the time required to recalculate the operation plan. The calculation time for the operation plan can vary greatly depending on the number of mobile objects, the number of tasks, the number of candidate destinations, etc. For example, by storing the calculation time required when the operation plan was calculated under various conditions in advance in the operation plan DB 26, the management unit 11 estimates the calculation time from the number of mobile objects, the number of tasks, the number of candidate destinations, etc. when recalculating the operation plan. Then, the management unit 11 estimates the future position of each mobile object from the estimated calculation time. The future position can be calculated, for example, from the product of the mobile object's speed and the calculation time. Note that the method for estimating the future position is not limited to a specific method. For example, the future position may be estimated based on a time that includes a small margin in the calculation time. This margin may include the time required to integrate the old and new operation plans, which will be explained later, and the time required to send control commands based on the integrated operation plan.

[0027] In step S4, the management unit 11 acquires the input information necessary for recalculating the operation plan. In this embodiment, the operation plan is recalculated from future positions. Therefore, the input information includes information on the future positions of each moving object.

[0028] In step S5, the management unit 11 instructs the operation plan generation unit 12 to start recalculating the operation plan. The operation plan generation unit 12 notifies the management unit 11 when the recalculation of the operation plan is complete. The management unit 11 may also notify the user of the management device 100 that the recalculation of the operation plan is in progress. This notification can be made by any method, such as a display.

[0029] In step S6, the management unit 11 determines whether the recalculation of the operation plan has been completed. The process waits until it is determined that the recalculation of the operation plan has been completed in step S6. As described above, in this embodiment, the operation of the mobile body continues based on the old operation plan before the update until the future position. When it is determined in step S6 that the recalculation of the operation plan has been completed, the process proceeds to step S7.

[0030] In step S7, the management unit 11 integrates the old and new operation plans and stores the integrated operation plan in the operation plan DB 26. After that, the process returns to step S1. If the operation plans are integrated in step S7, the operation of the mobile vehicle is controlled according to the integrated operation plan.

[0031] The integration of the operation plans will be explained further below. Figures 8A, 8B, and 8C are diagrams illustrating the integration of the operation plans.

[0032] Figure 8A conceptually illustrates the control of the operation of a mobile object according to the old operation plan. Here, Figure 8A shows the control of operation for one mobile object m. In reality, multiple mobile objects may operate simultaneously.

[0033] In the example in Figure 8A, mobile unit m starts its operation from node n51 according to operation plan A1. In Figure 8A, operation plan A1 is divided into operation plan A11 and operation plan A12. Operation plan A11 is the operation plan corresponding to the control commands that have been transmitted to mobile unit m, i.e., the control commands currently being executed by mobile unit m. Operation plan A12 is the operation plan corresponding to the control commands that have not yet been transmitted to the mobile unit.

[0034] Suppose it is determined that the operation plan should be updated while operation plan A11 is being executed. In this case, the future position is estimated to be the position where the mobile object m has moved from its current position by the amount of time required to recalculate the operation plan. In the example, node n13 in Figure 8A is the future position. In this case, the new operation plan is calculated using node n13, which is the future position, as input information. For example, suppose the operation plan shown by arrow A2 in Figure 8B is obtained as the new operation plan. At the time the calculation of the new operation plan is completed, the mobile object m is moving towards node n13, which is the future position.

[0035] After the calculation of the new operation plan is completed, the management unit 11 integrates the old operation plan A1 and the new operation plan A2. Specifically, the management unit 11 integrates the old and new operation plans by adopting the old operation plan A1 for the operation plan up to the future location and the new operation plan A2 for the operation plan beyond the future location. Figure 8C shows the integrated operation plan A3. As shown in Figure 8C, the integrated operation plan A3 includes the unexecuted old operation plan A12 and the new operation plan A2 up to the future location.

[0036] Next, we will explain the operation control of the mobile unit m before and after the update of the operation plan. As mentioned above, the operation control unit 13 transmits control commands generated based on the operation plan to the mobile unit m in predetermined numbers using the communication unit 15. Figure 9A shows an example of control commands generated by the operation control unit 13 based on the old operation plan. Of the control commands shown in Figure 9A, the control command to move to node n31 has already been transmitted to the mobile unit m. The mobile unit m moves to node n31 based on the received control commands.

[0037] Suppose it is determined that the operation plan should be updated while the moving object m is moving to node n31. At this time, the management unit 11 estimates the future position based on the time required to recalculate the operation plan. For example, if the future position is node n13, the operation plan generation unit 12 generates an operation plan from node n13. The management unit 11 integrates the old and new operation plans. Here, as shown in Figure 9A, control commands up to node n13, which is the future position, are executable.

[0038] The operation control unit 13 regenerates control commands based on the integrated operation plan. Figure 9B shows an example of control commands generated by the operation control unit 13 based on the integrated operation plan. In the example in Figure 9B, the operation control unit 13 has not sent the control commands that initiate movement to node n12 and the control commands that initiate movement to node n13, which is a future location, from among the executable control commands in the control commands generated based on the old operation plan. Therefore, the operation control unit 13 retains the control commands that initiate movement to node n12 and the control commands that initiate movement to node n13, and updates the subsequent control commands with control commands generated based on the new operation plan.

[0039] As described above, according to the embodiment, if it becomes necessary to update the operation plan during the control of the mobile vehicle's operation, the old and new operation plans are integrated, and control commands are generated based on the integrated operation plan. Therefore, no inconsistencies arise between the old and new operation plans. Furthermore, the future position that serves as the basis for integrating the old and new operation plans is determined according to the time required to recalculate the operation plan. As a result, there is no need to stop the mobile vehicle when transitioning from the old operation plan to the new operation plan. In this way, the transition from the old operation plan to the new operation plan is performed smoothly and without inconsistencies.

[0040] [Example 1] The following describes variations of the embodiment. In this embodiment, the old and new operation plans are integrated to include the future position. This is to enable the transition between the old and new operation plans without stopping the moving object. On the other hand, if stopping the moving object allows for a smoother transition between the old and new operation plans than moving the object to the future position, the integrated operation plan does not necessarily have to include the future position. The management unit 11 may also make a determination as to whether or not to include the future position in such an integrated operation plan.

[0041] For example, suppose a new operation plan is generated for the old operation plan shown in Figure 8A, which returns the mobile object m to a node before its current position, as shown in Figure 10A. In this case, as shown in Figure 10B, the integrated operation plan A3 may be generated such that the mobile object m is moved to a future position based on the unexecuted old operation plan, and then the mobile object m makes a U-turn based on the new operation plan. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 10C, the integrated operation plan A4 may be generated such that the mobile object m is not moved to a future position.

[0042] [Differentiation 2] In this embodiment, control commands are transmitted to the moving object in predetermined numbers. However, in cases where the same type of control commands are transmitted continuously, such as when the moving object moves in a straight line continuously, the control commands may be transmitted to the moving object in more than the predetermined number. On the other hand, even when transmitting a predetermined number of control commands, if the destination of the moving object includes a future position, only the control commands up to the control command that initiates movement to the future position may be transmitted.

[0043] [Difference 3] In the embodiment, the explanation is basically based on the assumption that a new operation plan has been generated. On the other hand, it is possible that the generation of a new operation plan may fail. In this case, the old operation plan may be used as is.

[0044] Next, the hardware configuration of an example of the management device 100 will be described. Figure 11 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of an example of the management device 100. As shown in Figure 11, the management device 100 is a computer having a processor 101, an input interface 102, a display 103, a communication device 104, memory 105, and storage 106. The processor 101, the input interface 102, the display 103, the communication device 104, the memory 105, and the storage 106 are connected via a bus 107.

[0045] The processor 101 is a processor that controls the overall operation of the management device 100. The processor 101 operates as the management unit 11, the operation plan generation unit 12, the operation control unit 13, the mobile unit management unit 14, and the communication unit 15 by executing a management program 1061 stored in the storage 106, for example. The processor 101 is, for example, a CPU. The processor 101 may also be an MPU, GPU, ASIC, FPGA, etc. The processor 101 may be a single CPU, etc., or multiple CPUs, etc.

[0046] The input interface 102 includes input devices such as a touch panel, keyboard, and mouse. When an input device is operated, a signal corresponding to the operation is input to the processor 101 via the bus 107. The processor 101 performs various processes in response to this signal.

[0047] The display 103 is a display such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. The display 103 may be used, for example, to notify the user of the management device 100 that the operation plan is being calculated.

[0048] The communication device 104 is a device for the management device 100 to communicate with an external device. The communication device 104 operates as a communication unit 15 together with the processor 101. The external device is, for example, a mobile device. The communication device 104 may be a communication device for wired communication or a communication device for wireless communication.

[0049] Memory 105 includes ROM and RAM. ROM is non-volatile memory. ROM stores the startup program for the management device 100, etc. RAM is volatile memory. RAM is used, for example, as working memory during processing in the processor 101.

[0050] The storage 106 is, for example, a hard disk drive or a solid-state drive. The storage 106 stores various programs executed by the processor 101, such as the management program 1061. The storage 106 may also store the travel area DB 21, the node DB 22, the link DB 23, the mobile body DB 24, the task DB 25, and the operation plan DB 26. The travel area DB 21, the node DB 22, the link DB 23, the mobile body DB 24, the task DB 25, and the operation plan DB 26 may be stored in a server or the like that can communicate with the management device 100. In this case, the management device 100 sends and receives necessary data to and from the server using the communication device 104.

[0051] The instructions shown in the processing procedure described in the above-described embodiment can be executed based on a software program. A general-purpose computer system can also obtain the same effects as the management device described above by pre-storing this program and reading it. The instructions described in the above-described embodiment are recorded as a program that can be executed by a computer on a magnetic disk (flexible disk, hard disk, etc.), optical disk (CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD±R, DVD±RW, Blu-ray® Disc, etc.), semiconductor memory, or similar recording medium. Any storage format is acceptable as long as it is a recording medium that can be read by a computer or embedded system. The computer can read the program from this recording medium and have the CPU execute the instructions described in the program based on this program, thereby achieving the same operation as the management device in the above-described embodiment. Of course, when the computer acquires or reads the program, it may do so via a network. Furthermore, an operating system (OS) running on a computer, a database management software, a network, or other middleware (MW) operating on a computer, based on instructions from a program installed on a computer or embedded system from a recording medium, may execute some of the processes necessary to realize this embodiment. Furthermore, the recording medium in this embodiment is not limited to a medium independent of the computer or embedded system, but also includes recording media that store or temporarily store programs downloaded via LAN, the Internet, etc. Furthermore, the recording medium is not limited to one; even when the processing in this embodiment is performed from multiple media, these are also included as recording media in this embodiment, and the configuration of the media may be any configuration.

[0052] In this embodiment, the computer or embedded system is used to execute each process in this embodiment based on a program stored on a recording medium, and may be configured as any of the following: a single device such as a personal computer or microcomputer, or a system in which multiple devices are connected via a network. Furthermore, the term "computer" in this embodiment is not limited to personal computers, but also includes arithmetic processing units, microcontrollers, and the like included in information processing equipment, and refers collectively to any equipment or device capable of realizing the functions of this embodiment through a program.

[0053] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be carried out in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 11 Management Unit, 12 Operation Plan Generation Unit, 13 Operation Control Unit, 14 Mobile Unit Management Unit, 15 Communication Unit, 21 Driving Area Database (DB), 22 Node DB, 23 Link DB, 24 Mobile Unit DB, 25 Task DB, 26 Operation Plan DB, 100 Management Device, 101 Processor, 102 Input Interface, 103 Display, 104 Communication Device, 105 Memory, 106 Storage, 107 Bus, 1061 Management Program.

Claims

1. A route plan generation unit that generates a route plan for at least one mobile vehicle, An operation control unit that controls the operation of the mobile body based on the aforementioned operation plan, When it is necessary to update the aforementioned operation plan, the operation plan generation unit estimates the future position of the mobile body based on the old operation plan that has not yet been implemented, generates a new operation plan based on the future position, and integrates the old operation plan and the new operation plan. It is equipped with, The aforementioned operation control unit, The operation of the mobile body is controlled by transmitting control commands based on the operation plan to the mobile body in predetermined increments using the communication unit. Of the first control commands generated based on the old operation plan, the first control command that has not been transmitted to the mobile body and moves the mobile body to the future position is retained, and the first control command that moves the mobile body to a position later than the future position is updated with a second control command generated based on the new operation plan. A device for managing mobile objects.

2. The management unit estimates the future position based on the calculation time required for the operation plan generation unit to generate the new operation plan. A mobile body management device according to claim 1.

3. The management unit estimates the computation time based on at least one of the number of mobile bodies, the number of tasks for the mobile bodies, and the number of candidate destinations. A mobile body management device according to claim 2.

4. The management unit integrates the new operation plan and the old operation plan so that the old operation plan is adopted from the current position of the moving object at the time of generation of the new operation plan until the future position, and the new operation plan is adopted from the future position onward. A mobile body management device according to claim 1.

5. The operation control unit controls the operation of the mobile body by transmitting more than the number of consecutive identical control commands to the mobile body using the communication unit when the control commands based on the operation plan are multiple consecutive identical control commands. A mobile body management device according to claim 1.

6. The operation control unit controls the operation of the mobile body by transmitting control commands to the mobile body up to the future position using the communication unit during the update of the operation plan. A mobile body management device according to claim 1.

7. The management unit determines that an update to the operation plan is necessary when a new task is added for the mobile unit, when the operation of the mobile unit is completed, when there is a discrepancy between the operation plan and the actual operation of the mobile unit, or when an abnormality occurs. A mobile body management device according to claim 1.

8. To generate a flight plan for at least one mobile unit, Controlling the operation of the mobile body based on the aforementioned operation plan, When it is necessary to update the aforementioned operation plan, the future position of the mobile body is estimated based on the old operation plan that has not yet been implemented. To generate a new operation plan based on the aforementioned future location, To integrate the aforementioned old operation plan and the aforementioned new operation plan, Controlling the operation of the aforementioned mobile vehicle based on the integrated operation plan, It is equipped with, Controlling the operation of the aforementioned mobile body is, The operation of the mobile body is controlled by transmitting control commands based on the operation plan to the mobile body in predetermined numbers using the communication unit, Of the first control commands generated based on the aforementioned old operation plan, the first control command that has not been transmitted to the mobile body and moves the mobile body to the aforementioned future position is retained, and the first control command that moves the mobile body to a position later than the aforementioned future position is updated with a second control command generated based on the aforementioned new operation plan. including, Methods for managing mobile objects.

9. To generate a flight plan for at least one mobile unit, Controlling the operation of the mobile body based on the aforementioned operation plan, When it is necessary to update the aforementioned operation plan, the future position of the mobile body is estimated based on the old operation plan that has not yet been implemented. To generate a new operation plan based on the aforementioned future location, To integrate the aforementioned old operation plan and the aforementioned new operation plan, Controlling the operation of the aforementioned mobile vehicle based on the integrated operation plan, A mobile body management program for causing the computer of the mobile body management device to execute the following: Controlling the operation of the aforementioned mobile body is, The operation of the mobile body is controlled by transmitting control commands based on the operation plan to the mobile body in predetermined numbers using the communication unit, Of the first control commands generated based on the aforementioned old operation plan, the first control command that has not been transmitted to the mobile body and moves the mobile body to the aforementioned future position is retained, and the first control command that moves the mobile body to a position later than the aforementioned future position is updated with a second control command generated based on the aforementioned new operation plan. including, A management program for mobile devices.

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