Remote control system, control device, and remote control method

Abstract

To inhibit remote control of a moving body under an improper situation.SOLUTION: A remote control system includes a moving body that is remotely controllable and that includes a command receiving unit that can change operating conditions between a validated condition where an externally supplied remote control command is received and an invalidated condition where the remote control command is not received, and a first communication unit that transmits at least one of first information signifying that there is a possibility that the operating conditions may be changed to the validated condition and second information signifying that the operating conditions have been changed to the validated condition, and a controller that determines whether it is appropriate to change the operating conditions to the validated condition, and that includes a second communication unit that receives at least one piece of information, and a determination unit that permits the operating conditions to be changed to the validated condition in the case where the determination unit determines that at least one piece of information is received by the second communication unit and a predefined requirement for permission is satisfied.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a remote control system, a moving body, a control device, and a remote control method.

Background Art

[0002] In the manufacturing process of vehicles, a technology for running a vehicle by remote control is known (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In order to improve the convenience for the user, it is preferable that the validity and invalidity of remote control of the moving body can be switched. However, if the switching from invalid to valid remote control is unconditionally possible, remote control may be performed under inappropriate circumstances.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The present disclosure can be realized in the following forms.

[0006] (1) According to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, a remote control system is provided. The remote control system includes a remotely controllable mobile body comprising: a command receiving unit whose operating state is switched between an active state that receives remote control commands supplied from an external source and an inactive state that does not receive the remote control commands; a first communication unit for transmitting at least one of the following information: first information indicating that the operating state may be switched to the active state and second information indicating that the operating state has been switched to the active state; and a control device for determining whether the switching of the operating state to the active state is appropriate, comprising: a second communication unit for receiving the at least one of the information; and a determination unit for permitting the switching of the operating state to the active state when the second communication unit has received the at least one of the information and has determined that predetermined permission conditions are met. This type of remote control system can prevent remote control of moving objects from being performed under inappropriate circumstances. (2) In the remote control system of the above form, if the determination unit determines that the first information has been received by the second communication unit and that the permission conditions have been met, it transmits a permission notice to the mobile unit indicating that it is permitted to switch the operating state to the enabled state. If the command receiving unit does not receive the permission notice within a predetermined period after the first information has been transmitted from the first communication unit, it may restrict the switching of the operating state to the enabled state. This type of remote control system can prevent the command receiving unit from switching from an inactive state to an active state if the permission conditions are not met, thereby suppressing remote control of mobile objects under inappropriate circumstances. (3) In the remote control system of the above form, if the determination unit has received the second information from the second communication unit and has determined that the permission conditions are not met, it may transmit a deactivation command to the mobile unit to cause the operating state to be switched to the disabled state. This type of remote control system allows the command receiving unit to be reset from an enabled state to an disabled state if the permission conditions are not met, thereby preventing remote control of a mobile object under inappropriate circumstances. (4) In the remote control system of the above form, if the determination unit determines after transmitting the deactivation command to the mobile body that the operating state could not be switched to the deactivation state, it may transmit a stop command to the mobile body to restrict the movement of the mobile body. According to this type of remote control system, if the operational state of the command receiving unit does not return from an enabled state to an disabled state, the movement of the mobile object can be restricted, thereby preventing remote control of the mobile object under inappropriate circumstances. (5) The remote control system of the above form further includes a notification unit that notifies when an abnormality occurs, and if the determination unit determines that the operating state could not be switched to the disabled state after transmitting the deactivation command to the mobile body, it may cause the notification unit to notify that an abnormality has occurred. This type of remote control system can notify that an abnormality has occurred if the operational status of the command receiving unit does not return from the enabled state to the disabled state. (6) In the remote control system of the above form, the permission condition may include that the moving body is stopped. This type of remote control system can enhance safety when remote control of a moving object is enabled. (7) In the above-described form of remote control system, the permission conditions may include the switching of the operating state to the effective state by a predetermined device. This type of remote control system can prevent the remote control of a mobile object from being performed after the operational state of the command receiving unit is switched to an active state by an unauthorized device. (8) In the remote control system of the above form, the permission conditions may include the switching of the operating state to the effective state at a predetermined location. This type of remote control system makes it possible to prevent remote control of a mobile object from being performed after the operational state of the command receiving unit is switched to an active state in an unauthorized location. (9) In the above-described form of remote control system, the permission conditions may include the switching of the operating state to the enabled state being performed by a predetermined person. This type of remote control system prevents unauthorized individuals from switching the command reception unit to an active state and subsequently remotely controlling the mobile object. (10) A second embodiment of the present disclosure provides a remotely controllable mobile body. The mobile body includes a command receiving unit whose operating state is switched between an active state that receives remote control commands supplied from an external source and an inactive state that does not receive said remote control commands, and a communication unit for transmitting at least one of the following information: first information indicating that the operating state may be switched to the active state and second information indicating that the operating state has been switched to the active state. This type of mobile device can prevent remote control of the device from being performed under inappropriate circumstances. (11) A third embodiment of the present disclosure provides a control device. This control device includes a communication unit for receiving at least one of the following information from a remotely controllable mobile body, which has a command receiving unit whose operating state can be switched between an active state that accepts remote control commands supplied from an external source and an inactive state that does not accept the remote control commands: first information indicating that the operating state may be switched to the active state and second information indicating that the operating state has been switched to the active state; and a determination unit that, when the communication unit has received at least one of the information and has determined that predetermined permission conditions are met, permits the switching of the operating state to the active state. This type of control device can prevent remote control of a mobile object under inappropriate circumstances. (12) A fourth embodiment of the present disclosure provides a remote control method. This remote control method receives at least one of the following information from a remotely controllable mobile body, which is equipped with a command receiving unit whose operating state can be switched between an active state that accepts remote control commands supplied from an external source and an inactive state that does not accept the remote control commands: first information indicating that the operating state may be switched to the active state and second information indicating that the operating state has been switched to the active state. If the remote control method receives at least one of the following information and determines that predetermined permission conditions are met, it permits the switching of the operating state to the active state. This form of remote control method can prevent remote control of a moving object from being performed under inappropriate circumstances. This disclosure can also be implemented in various forms other than remote control systems, mobile devices, control devices, and remote control methods. For example, it can be implemented in the form of a computer program and a recording medium on which the computer program is stored. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] An explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a remote control system. [Figure 2] An explanatory diagram showing the vehicle's configuration. [Figure 3] An explanatory diagram showing geofence areas. [Figure 4] An explanatory diagram showing how a vehicle is driven by remote control. [Figure 5] A flowchart showing the post-activation processing steps. [Figure 6] A flowchart illustrating the post-activation decision process. [Figure 7] An explanatory diagram showing how the remote control of a vehicle is switched from enabled to disabled. [Figure 8] A flowchart illustrating the pre-activation processing steps. [Figure 9] A flowchart illustrating the pre-activation determination process. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] A. First Embodiment: FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the remote control system 10 in the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle 100 in the first embodiment. The remote control system 10 is used to remotely control a moving body. In this embodiment, the moving body is the vehicle 100. More specifically, the moving body is a battery electric vehicle (BEV). Note that the moving body is not limited to a battery electric vehicle, and for example, it may be a gasoline vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a fuel cell vehicle. The moving body is not limited to the vehicle 100, and for example, it may be an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (so-called flying car).

[0009] As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the remote control system 10 includes a remotely controllable vehicle 100, a remote control device 200 for remotely controlling the vehicle 100, and a management device 300. Note that the remote control device 200 may be simply referred to as a control device.

[0010] As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle 100 includes a vehicle control device 110 for controlling each part of the vehicle 100, an actuator group 120 that is driven under the control of the vehicle control device 110, a communication device 130 for communicating with a remote control device 200 by wireless communication, a connector 140 to which a switching device TL for switching between enabling and disabling the remote control of the vehicle 100 is connected, a GSNN (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 150 for acquiring the position information of the vehicle 100, and an in-vehicle camera 160 for photographing the interior of the vehicle 100. In the present embodiment, the actuator group 120 includes an actuator of a driving device for accelerating the vehicle 100, an actuator of a steering device for changing the traveling direction of the vehicle 100, and an actuator of a braking device for decelerating the vehicle 100. The driving device includes a battery, a traveling motor driven by the power of the battery, and driving wheels rotated by the traveling motor. The actuator of the driving device includes the traveling motor. The connector 140 is disposed inside the vehicle 100. The in-vehicle camera 160 can photograph the state in which the switching device TL is connected to the connector 140 by an operator WK. Note that the communication device 130 may be referred to as a first communication unit.

[0011] The vehicle control device 110 is configured by a computer including a processor 111, a memory 112, an input / output interface 113, and an internal bus 114. The processor 111, the memory 112, and the input / output interface 113 are connected to be communicable bidirectionally via the internal bus 114. The actuator group 120, the communication device 130, the connector 140, the GSNN receiver 150, and the in-vehicle camera 160 are connected to the input / output interface 113. A computer program PG1 is stored in the memory 112.

[0012] The processor 111 functions as a vehicle control unit 115, a command receiving unit 116, and an information acquisition unit 117 by executing the computer program PG1. The vehicle control unit 115 controls the actuator group 120. The command receiving unit 116 receives remote control commands supplied from outside the vehicle 100. The remote control command is a control command for driving the actuator group 120. In this embodiment, the remote control command indicates, for example, a target value for the acceleration of the vehicle 100 and a target value for the steering angle. The remote control command may also indicate a target route for the vehicle 100. In this case, the vehicle control unit 115 may determine the target value for the acceleration of the vehicle 100 and the target value for the steering angle from the target route. The remote control command received by the command receiving unit 116 is supplied to the vehicle control unit 115. When a driver is in the vehicle 100, the vehicle control unit 115 can drive the vehicle 100 by controlling the actuator group 120 in accordance with the driver's operation. The vehicle control unit 115 can also drive the vehicle 100 by controlling the actuator group 120 in response to remote control commands received by the command reception unit 116, regardless of whether or not a driver is on board the vehicle 100.

[0013] The command receiving unit 116 can switch its operating state between an enabled state, which accepts remote control commands, and an disabled state, which does not accept remote control commands. In the following description, switching the operating state of the command receiving unit 116 from the disabled state to the enabled state is referred to as enabling remote control, and switching the operating state of the command receiving unit 116 from the enabled state to the disabled state is referred to as disabling remote control. The command receiving unit 116 disables remote control when it receives a disabling command, which is a command to disable remote control, and enables remote control when it receives an enabling command, which is a command to disable remote control. In this embodiment, the disabling command is supplied from the remote control device 200 via the communication device 130. The enabling command is supplied from the switching device TL via the connector 140.

[0014] The information acquisition unit 117 acquires information used to determine whether or not remote control of the vehicle 100 should be enabled, and transmits the acquired information to the remote control device 200. In this embodiment, the information acquisition unit 117 acquires information indicating whether the start switch of the vehicle 100 is on or off, identification information of the switching device TL connected to the connector 140, location information indicating the current location of the vehicle 100 obtained from the GSNN receiver 150, and images obtained from the in-vehicle camera 160. The start switch is equivalent to the ignition switch in a gasoline vehicle. If the start switch is off, the vehicle 100 cannot move under its own power.

[0015] As shown in Figure 1, the remote control device 200 is composed of a computer comprising a processor 201, memory 202, input / output interface 203, and internal bus 204. The processor 201, memory 202, and input / output interface 203 are connected via the internal bus 204 to enable bidirectional communication. A communication device 205 for communicating with the vehicle 100 and the management device 300 via wireless communication is connected to the input / output interface 203. The communication device 205 may communicate with the vehicle 100 via wireless communication and with the management device 300 via wired communication. The memory 202 stores the computer program PG2 and the database DB. The communication device 205 is sometimes referred to as the second communication unit.

[0016] The processor 201 functions as a remote control unit 210 and a determination unit 220 by executing the computer program PG2. The remote control unit 210 generates remote control commands for remotely controlling the vehicle 100 and supplies the remote control commands to the vehicle 100. The determination unit 220 determines whether it is appropriate to enable remote control of the vehicle 100.

[0017] The database DB contains identification information for devices authorized to be used to enable remote control of vehicle 100, identification information for persons authorized to enable remote control of vehicle 100, and information indicating the extent of geofenced areas where remote control of vehicle 100 is permitted. Devices authorized to be used to enable remote control include, for example, a switching device TL manufactured by the manufacturer of vehicle 100. Persons authorized to enable remote control include, for example, employees of the manufacturer of vehicle 100 and employees of the dealership of vehicle 100. A geofenced area is an area enclosed by a geofence, which is a virtual fence. Geofenced areas are established to include specific facilities or specific regions.

[0018] The management device 300 is a device for managing the remote control system 10. The management device 300 is, for example, a desktop personal computer. The management device 300 may also be a tablet terminal. The management device 300 is operated by the administrator of the remote control system 10. The management device 300 includes a communication device (not shown) for communicating with the remote control device 200 by wired or wireless communication, and a notification unit 310 for notifying the administrator of an abnormality occurring in the remote control system 10. In this embodiment, the notification unit 310 is a display and notifies of abnormalities by, for example, text message. The notification unit 310 may also be a speaker that notifies of abnormalities by sound, or a lamp that notifies of abnormalities by light.

[0019] Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram showing geofence areas RG. Figure 3 illustrates three geofence areas RG1 to RG3. Geofence area RG1 is set up to include factory KJ where vehicle 100 is manufactured, geofence area RG2 is set up to include dealership DR where vehicle 100 is sold, and geofence area RG3 is set up to include port PT where vehicle 100 is loaded onto a ship. In the following description, when each geofence area RG1 to RG3 is not specifically distinguished, they will simply be referred to as geofence area RG.

[0020] Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram showing how vehicle 100 operates under remote control. Figure 4 illustrates two vehicles 100A and 100B operating within factory KJ. In the following description, when vehicles 100A and 100B are not specifically distinguished, they will simply be referred to as vehicle 100. In this embodiment, factory KJ comprises a first location PL1 where assembly work for vehicle 100 is carried out, and a second location PL2 where inspection of vehicle 100 is carried out. The first location PL1 and the second location PL2 are connected by a travel path SR on which vehicle 100 can travel. Vehicle 100 assembled in the first location PL1 undergoes inspection in the second location PL2. Vehicle 100 that passes the inspection in the second location PL2 is shipped out of factory KJ.

[0021] When the assembly work at the first location PL1 is completed, the vehicle 100 is in a state where it can be moved by remote control. The state in which the vehicle 100 is in a state where it can be moved by remote control means that the vehicle 100 is equipped with a vehicle control device 110, a drive device, a steering device, a braking device, and a communication device 130, and is in a state where it can perform the three functions of "driving," "turning," and "stopping" by remote control. Therefore, at the time when the vehicle 100 is moved by remote control, at least some of the interior parts such as the driver's seat and dashboard may not be attached to the vehicle 100, at least some of the exterior parts such as bumpers and fenders may not be attached to the vehicle 100, and the vehicle 100 may not have a body shell. In this case, the remaining parts such as the body shell may be attached to the vehicle 100 before it is shipped from factory KJ, or the remaining parts such as the body shell may be attached to the vehicle 100 after it has been shipped from factory KJ.

[0022] Each location PL1 and PL2 may be located within the same building or within different buildings on the same site. Each location PL1 and PL2 may be located outdoors rather than indoors. Each location PL1 and PL2 may be dispersed across multiple sites. For example, each location PL1 and PL2 may be dispersed between the first and second factories, which are adjacent to each other separated by a public or private road. In this case, the first and second factories together are called factory KJ, and the roadway SR may include a portion of the public or private road.

[0023] The method by which the remote control unit 210 moves the vehicle 100 remotely will be explained using the example of moving the vehicle 100 from the first location PL1 to the second location PL2. The remote control unit 210 determines a target route for the vehicle 100 to travel to the destination via the travel path SR. Multiple cameras CM are installed in factory KJ to photograph the travel path SR, and the remote control unit 210 can obtain the relative position and orientation of the vehicle 100 with respect to the target route in real time by analyzing the images captured by each camera CM. The remote control unit 210 generates a remote control command to move the vehicle 100 along the target route and transmits the remote control command to the vehicle 100. The vehicle control device 110 mounted on the vehicle 100 moves the vehicle 100 by controlling the actuator group 120 according to the received remote control command. Therefore, the remote control system 10 can move the vehicle 100 from the first location PL1 to the second location PL2 remotely without using transport devices such as cranes or conveyors. In this embodiment, the remote control unit 210 can operate multiple vehicles 100A and 100B simultaneously and in parallel via remote control.

[0024] In this embodiment, after the vehicle 100 moves to the second location PL2, the remote control of the vehicle 100 is deactivated. Subsequently, the remote control of the vehicle 100 can be reactivated. For example, if the remote control of the vehicle 100 is reactivated after it has been transported from factory KJ to dealership DR, it becomes possible to move the vehicle 100 remotely without the need for workers at dealership DR to drive it. Alternatively, if the remote control of the vehicle 100 is reactivated after it has been transported from factory KJ to port PT, it becomes possible to load the vehicle 100 onto a ship remotely without the need for workers at port PT to drive it.

[0025] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the post-activation processing performed in vehicle 100. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the post-activation determination processing performed in remote control device 200. Using Figures 5 and 6, the method executed in the remote control system 10 when remote control of vehicle 100 is activated will be explained. Note that the method executed in the remote control system 10 is sometimes referred to as the remote control method.

[0026] The post-activation processing shown in Figure 5 is repeatedly performed by the vehicle control device 110 of the vehicle 100. When the post-activation processing starts, in step S110, the command receiving unit 116 determines whether or not the remote control of the vehicle 100 has been activated. If it is not determined in step S110 that the remote control of the vehicle 100 has been activated, the command receiving unit 116 skips the processing after step S110 and terminates the post-activation processing. If it is determined in step S110 that the remote control of the vehicle 100 has been activated, the command receiving unit 116 sends an activation notification to the remote control device 200 via the communication device 130 in step S120. The activation notification is a notification indicating that remote control has been activated. The activation notification is sometimes referred to as second information.

[0027] In step S130, the command receiving unit 116 determines whether or not it has received a deactivation command from the remote control device 200. If it is determined in step S130 that it has not received a deactivation command from the remote control device 200, the command receiving unit 116 determines in step S140 whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the activation notification was sent. If it is determined in step S140 that a predetermined time has elapsed since the activation notification was sent, the command receiving unit 116 returns to step S130 and determines again whether or not it has received a deactivation command from the remote control device 200. If it is determined in step S140 that a predetermined time has elapsed since the activation notification was sent, the command receiving unit 116 terminates the post-activation processing.

[0028] If the command receiving unit 116 determines in step S130 that it has received a deactivation command from the remote control device 200, it executes the deactivation of the remote control of the vehicle 100 in step S150. In step S160, the command receiving unit 116 determines whether the deactivation of the remote control of the vehicle 100 was successful. If the command receiving unit 116 determines in step S160 that the deactivation of the remote control of the vehicle 100 was successful, it sends a deactivation success notification to the remote control device 200 in step S170. The deactivation success notification is a notification indicating that the deactivation was successful. After that, the vehicle control device 110 terminates the post-activation processing.

[0029] If it is not determined in step S160 that the deactivation of the remote control of the vehicle 100 was successful, the command receiving unit 116 sends a deactivation failure notification to the remote control device 200 in step S180. The deactivation failure notification is a notification indicating that the deactivation failed. In step S190, the vehicle control unit 115 stops the vehicle 100 by turning off the start switch of the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the vehicle control unit 115 turns off the start switch of the vehicle 100 in accordance with the stop command received from the remote control device 200 via the communication device 130. After that, the vehicle control device 110 finishes the post-activation processing.

[0030] The post-activation determination process shown in Figure 6 is repeatedly executed by the remote control device 200. When the post-activation determination process starts, in step S210, the determination unit 220 determines whether or not it has received an activation notification from the vehicle 100 via the communication device 205. If it is determined in step S210 that an activation notification has not been received from the vehicle 100, the determination unit 220 skips the processing after step S210 and terminates the post-activation determination process.

[0031] If it is determined in step S210 that an activation notification has been received from the vehicle 100, the determination unit 220 determines in step S220 whether or not the predetermined permission conditions are met. In this embodiment, the determination unit 220 determines that the permission conditions are met if at least one of the following conditions A to D is met. Condition A: Remote control activation was performed with the start switch of vehicle 100 in the OFF position. Condition B: Remote control activation was performed by a switching device TL registered in the database DB. Condition C: The activation of remote control was performed by a worker WK registered in the database DB. Condition D: Remote control was enabled within a geofence area (RG) registered in the database (DB). Furthermore, the permit conditions may be that any one of conditions A to D is met, or two or more of conditions A to D are met, or three or more of conditions A to D are met, or all of conditions A to D are met.

[0032] Regarding condition A, in this embodiment, the determination unit 220 obtains information from the vehicle 100 indicating whether the start switch is on or off at the time of activation, along with the activation notification. When condition A is included in the permission conditions, safety can be enhanced when the remote control of the vehicle 100 is activated.

[0033] Regarding condition B, in this embodiment, the switching device TL transmits its identification information to the vehicle 100 via the connector 140 along with an activation command. The determination unit 220 obtains the identification information of the switching device TL from the vehicle 100 along with the activation notification. The determination unit 220 determines whether the switching device TL used for activation is registered in the database DB. If condition B is included in the permission conditions, it is possible to prevent the remote control of the vehicle 100 from being activated by an unauthorized switching device TL.

[0034] Regarding condition C, in this embodiment, the in-vehicle camera 160 captures the face of worker WK connecting the switching device TL to the connector 140. The determination unit 220 acquires the image of worker WK captured by the in-vehicle camera 160 along with the activation notification. The determination unit 220 uses facial recognition with the image to determine whether or not the worker WK in the image is a person registered in the database DB. If condition C is included in the permission conditions, it is possible to prevent unauthorized persons from activating remote control of the vehicle 100.

[0035] Regarding condition D, in this embodiment, the determination unit 220 acquires the location information of the vehicle 100 from the GSNN receiver 150 along with the activation notification. The determination unit 220 determines whether the location information of the vehicle 100 is located within the geofence area RG registered in the database DB. If condition D is included in the permission conditions, it is possible to suppress the activation of remote control of the vehicle 100 in an unauthorized location.

[0036] If the determination unit 220 determines that the permission conditions are met in step S220, it skips the processing after step S220 and terminates the post-activation determination process. In other words, if the determination unit 220 determines that the permission conditions are met in step S220, it does nothing and terminates the post-activation determination process. The determination unit 220 may also send a notification to the vehicle 100 indicating that it permits the activation of remote control if it determines in step S220 that the permission conditions are met.

[0037] If it is determined in step S220 that the permission conditions are not met, the determination unit 220 sends a deactivation command to the vehicle 100 in step S230. In step S240, the determination unit 220 determines whether or not it has received a notification of successful deactivation from the vehicle 100. If it is determined in step S240 that it has received a notification of successful deactivation from the vehicle 100, the determination unit 220 skips the processing after step S240 and terminates the post-activation determination process.

[0038] If the determination unit 220 does not determine in step S240 that it has received a notification of successful deactivation from the vehicle 100, it determines in step S250 whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the deactivation command was sent. If the determination unit 220 does not determine that the predetermined time has elapsed in step S250, it returns to step S240 and determines whether it has received a notification of successful deactivation. If the determination unit 220 determines that the predetermined time has elapsed in step S250, it sends a stop command to the vehicle 100 in step S260, which is a command to turn off the start switch. In step S270, the determination unit 220 sends a notification to the management device 300 indicating that it failed to deactivate the remote control of the vehicle 100. The management device 300 notifies the administrator via the notification unit 310 that it failed to deactivate the remote control of the vehicle 100. After that, the determination unit 220 terminates the post-activation determination process.

[0039] Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram showing how the remote control of vehicle 100 is changed from enabled to disabled. Figure 7 shows two vehicles, 100A and 100B. In the example shown in Figure 7, the permission condition is that the activation of the remote control was performed using a switching device TL registered in the database DB (condition B). Switching device TL1 shown in Figure 7 is a switching device TL registered in the database DB, but switching device TL2 is a switching device TL not registered in the database DB. When worker WK1 activates the remote control of vehicle 100A using switching device TL1, vehicle 100A sends an activation notification TE along with the identification information of switching device TL1 to the remote control device 200. The identification information of switching device TL1 is registered in the database DB; in other words, the activation of the remote control of vehicle 100A satisfies the permission condition, so the remote control device 200 does not send a deactivation command to vehicle 100A. In response, if worker WK2 activates the remote control of vehicle 100B using the switching device TL2, vehicle 100B sends an activation notification TE along with the identification information of the switching device TL2 to the remote control device 200. The identification information of the switching device TL2 is not registered in the database DB; in other words, the activation of the remote control of vehicle 100B does not meet the permission conditions. Therefore, the remote control device 200 sends a deactivation command SD to vehicle 100B, and the remote control of vehicle 100B is returned from enabled to disabled. If the remote control of vehicle 100B does not return from enabled to disabled due to a communication error or the like, the remote control device 200 sends a notification to the management device 300. Upon receiving the notification from the remote control device 200, the management device 300 activates the notification unit 310 to notify the administrator that an abnormality has occurred. Thus, the administrator can understand that the remote control of vehicle 100B did not return from enabled to disabled.

[0040] According to the remote control system 10 of this embodiment described above, when remote control of the vehicle 100 is activated, an activation notification is sent from the vehicle 100 to the remote control device 200. If the determination unit 220 of the remote control device 200 receives the activation notification and determines that the permission conditions are met, it permits the activation of remote control of the vehicle 100. If the determination unit 220 receives the activation notification and determines that the permission conditions are not met, it sends a deactivation command to the vehicle 100. Therefore, it is possible to prevent remote control of the vehicle 100 from being performed under inappropriate circumstances.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the remote control of the vehicle 100 is not disabled even after sending a deactivation command, the determination unit 220 sends a stop command to the vehicle 100 to turn off the power switch. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the remote control of the vehicle 100 from being performed under inappropriate circumstances.

[0042] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the remote control of the vehicle 100 is not disabled even after a deactivation command is sent, the determination unit 220 sends a notification to the management device 300, causing the notification unit 310 to perform notification. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the remote control of the vehicle 100 under inappropriate circumstances.

[0043] B. Second Embodiment: Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the contents of the pre-activation processing performed in the remote control system 10b of the second embodiment. Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the contents of the pre-activation determination processing performed in the remote control system 10b. The remote control system 10b of the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the pre-activation processing shown in Figure 8 and the pre-activation determination processing shown in Figure 9 are performed prior to the activation of the remote control of the vehicle 100. The other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0044] The pre-activation process shown in Figure 8 is repeatedly performed by the vehicle control device 110 of the vehicle 100 while the remote control of the vehicle 100 is disabled. When the pre-activation process starts, in step S310, the command receiving unit 116 determines whether or not there is a possibility of enabling the remote control of the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the command receiving unit 116 determines that there is a possibility of enabling the remote control of the vehicle 100 when it detects a predetermined operation. In this embodiment, the command receiving unit 116 determines that there is a possibility of enabling the remote control of the vehicle 100 when the switching device TL is connected to the connector 140. In the case where the connector 140 is provided with a cover, the command receiving unit 116 may determine that there is a possibility of enabling the remote control of the vehicle 100 when the cover of the connector 140 is removed. The command receiving unit 116 may also determine that there is a possibility of enabling the remote control of the vehicle 100 when the in-vehicle camera 160 detects that worker WK is attempting to perform an operation to enable remote control.

[0045] If it is not determined in step S310 that there is a possibility of enabling remote control of the vehicle 100, the command receiving unit 116 skips the processing after step S310 and terminates the pre-activation processing. If it is determined in step S310 that there is a possibility of enabling remote control of the vehicle 100, the command receiving unit 116 sends a pre-notification to the remote control device 200 in step S320 indicating that there is a possibility of enabling remote control of the vehicle 100. This pre-notification is sometimes referred to as the first information.

[0046] In step S330, it is determined whether or not an authorization notification has been received from the remote control device 200. The authorization notification is a notification indicating permission to activate remote control. If it is determined in step S330 that an authorization notification has been received from the remote control device 200, the command receiving unit 116 terminates the pre-activation processing. If it is not determined in step S330 that an authorization notification has been received from the remote control device 200, the command receiving unit 116 determines in step S340 whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the prior notification was sent. If it is not determined in step S340 that a predetermined time has elapsed since the prior notification was sent, the command receiving unit 116 returns to step S330 and determines whether or not an authorization notification has been received from the remote control device 200. If it is determined in step S340 that a predetermined time has elapsed since the prior notification was sent, the command receiving unit 116 restricts the activation of the remote control of the vehicle 100. For example, the command receiving unit 116 restricts the activation of the remote control of the vehicle 100 by refusing to accept activation commands for a predetermined period. Subsequently, the command reception unit 116 completes the pre-activation processing.

[0047] The pre-activation determination process shown in Figure 9 is repeatedly executed by the remote control device 200 while the remote control of the vehicle 100 is disabled. When the pre-activation determination process starts, in step S410, the determination unit 220 determines whether or not it has received a prior notification from the vehicle 100. If it is determined in step S410 that it has not received a prior notification from the vehicle 100, the determination unit 220 skips the processing after step S410 and terminates the pre-activation determination process.

[0048] If it is determined in step S410 that prior notification has been received from the vehicle 100, the determination unit 220 determines in step S420 whether or not the permission conditions are met. In this embodiment, the determination unit 220 determines that the permission conditions are met if at least one of the following conditions E to H is met. Condition E: The start switch of vehicle 100 must be in the OFF position. Condition F: Remote control must be enabled by a switching device TL registered in the database DB. Condition G: Remote control must be enabled by a worker WK registered in the database DB. Condition H: Remote control must be enabled within the geofence area RG registered in the database DB. Furthermore, the permit conditions may be that any one of conditions E to H is met, or two or more of conditions E to H are met, or three or more of conditions E to H are met, or all of conditions E to H are met.

[0049] If it is determined in step S420 that the permit conditions are not met, the determination unit 220 terminates the pre-activation determination process. If it is determined in step S420 that the permit conditions are met, the determination unit 220 sends a permit notification to the vehicle 100 in step S430. After that, the determination unit 220 terminates the pre-activation determination process.

[0050] According to the remote control system 10b of this embodiment described above, if the command receiving unit 116 determines that a predetermined time has elapsed since sending a prior notification without receiving a permission notification, it restricts the activation of remote control of the vehicle 100. Therefore, compared to the first embodiment, it is possible to more reliably suppress the remote control of a moving object under inappropriate circumstances.

[0051] C. Other embodiments: (C1) In the remote control systems 10 to 10b of the embodiments described above, the vehicle 100 is equipped with a connector 140 to which the switching device TL is connected. In contrast, the vehicle 100 does not need to be equipped with a connector 140. In this case, an activation command may be supplied from the switching device TL by wireless communication.

[0052] (C2) In the remote control systems 10 to 10b of each embodiment described above, the vehicle 100 is equipped with a GSNN receiver 150. In contrast, if conditions D and H described above are not included in the permit conditions, the vehicle 100 does not need to be equipped with a GSNN receiver 150.

[0053] (C3) In the remote control systems 10 to 10b of each embodiment described above, the vehicle 100 is equipped with an in-vehicle camera 160. In contrast, if conditions C and G described above are not included in the permission conditions, the vehicle 100 does not need to be equipped with an in-vehicle camera 160. The person performing the activation operation may be an employee of the manufacturer of the vehicle 100, or an employee of the dealership DR of the vehicle 100, who is authorized to perform the activation operation.

[0054] (C4) In the remote control systems 10 to 10b of the embodiments described above, the determination unit 220 is provided on the remote control device 200. In contrast, the determination unit 220 may be provided on a computer separate from the remote control device 200. In this case, the computer on which the determination unit 220 is provided may be called the control device.

[0055] (C5) In the remote control systems 10 to 10b of each embodiment described above, the vehicle control unit 115 turns off the start switch of the vehicle 100 in step S190 of the post-activation processing in accordance with the stop command received from the remote control device 200 via the communication device 130. In contrast, the vehicle control unit 115 may be programmed to turn off the start switch of the vehicle 100 in step S190 of the post-activation processing even if no stop command is received.

[0056] (C6) In the remote control systems 10 to 10b of the embodiments described above, the remote control unit 210 acquires the relative position and orientation of the vehicle 100 with respect to the target route using a camera CM installed in factory KJ. Alternatively, the remote control unit 210 may acquire the relative position and orientation of the vehicle 100 with respect to the target route using a LiDAR installed in factory KJ. Or, the remote control unit 210 may acquire the relative position and orientation of the vehicle 100 with respect to the target route using a GSNN receiver 150 mounted on the vehicle 100. The remote control unit 210 may not automatically generate remote control commands, but may generate remote control commands according to the operation of an operator outside the vehicle 100. For example, an operator may operate a driving device that includes a display showing the position and orientation of the vehicle 100, a steering wheel for operating the vehicle 100, an accelerator pedal, and a brake pedal, and the remote control unit 210 may generate remote control commands in response to the operation applied to the driving device.

[0057] (C7) In each of the embodiments described above, the first location PL1 is the place where the assembly work of the vehicle 100 is carried out. In contrast, the first location PL1 may be, for example, the place where the work of adjusting the optical axis of the headlamp of the vehicle 100 or the work of adjusting the wheel alignment of the vehicle 100 is carried out, or the place where the inspection of the vehicle 100 is carried out.

[0058] (C8) In each of the embodiments described above, the second location PL2 is a place where the vehicle 100 is inspected. In contrast, the second location PL2 may be a place where, for example, work is performed to adjust the optical axis of the vehicle 100's headlights or to adjust the wheel alignment of the vehicle 100, or it may be a place for storing the vehicle 100 before shipment.

[0059] (C9) In the remote control system 10b of the second embodiment described above, pre-activation processing and pre-activation determination processing are performed, followed by post-activation processing and post-activation determination processing. In contrast, in the remote control system 10b, pre-activation processing and pre-activation determination processing are performed, but post-activation processing and post-activation determination processing are not required. Even in this case, the pre-activation processing and pre-activation determination processing can prevent remote control of the moving object from being performed under inappropriate circumstances.

[0060] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various configurations without departing from its spirit. For example, the technical features in the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each form described in the summary of the invention can be replaced or combined as appropriate in order to solve some or all of the above-described problems, or to achieve some or all of the above-described effects. Furthermore, if a technical feature is not described as essential in this specification, it can be deleted as appropriate. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0061] 10,10b...Remote control system, 100...Vehicle (mobile unit), 110...Vehicle control device, 111...Processor, 112...Memory, 113...Input / output interface, 114...Internal bus, 115...Vehicle control unit, 116...Command reception unit, 117...Information acquisition unit, 120...Actuator group, 130...Communication device, 140...Connector, 150...GSNN receiver, 160...In-vehicle camera, 200...Remote control device, 201...Processor, 202...Memory, 203...Input / output interface, 204...Internal bus, 205...Communication device, 210...Remote control unit, 220...Determination unit, 300...Management device, 310...Notification unit

Claims

1. A remote control system, A remotely controllable mobile body comprising: a command receiving unit whose operating state can be switched between an active state that accepts remote control commands supplied from an external source and an inactive state that does not accept such remote control commands; and a first communication unit for transmitting at least one of the following information: first information indicating that there is a possibility that the operating state will be switched to the active state, and second information indicating that the operating state has been switched to the active state; A control device comprising: a second communication unit for receiving at least one of the aforementioned pieces of information; and a determination unit that, when the second communication unit has received at least one of the aforementioned pieces of information and determines that predetermined permission conditions are met, permits switching the operating state to the enabled state; A remote control system equipped with the following features.

2. A remote control system according to claim 1, When the determination unit determines that the first information has been received by the second communication unit and that the permission conditions have been met, it transmits a permission notification to the mobile unit indicating permission to switch the operating state to the enabled state. The command receiving unit is a remote control system that restricts the switching of the operating state to the enabled state if it does not receive the permission notification within a predetermined period after the first information is transmitted from the first communication unit.

3. A remote control system according to claim 1, A remote control system in which, if the determination unit receives the second information from the second communication unit and determines that the permission conditions are not met, it transmits a deactivation command to the mobile unit to switch the operating state to the disabled state.

4. A remote control system according to claim 3, A remote control system in which, after the determination unit has transmitted the deactivation command to the mobile body, it determines that the operating state could not be switched to the deactivation state, and then transmits a stop command to the mobile body to restrict its movement.

5. A remote control system according to claim 3, It is further equipped with a notification unit that notifies when an anomaly occurs. The remote control system includes a determination unit that, after transmitting the deactivation command to the mobile body, determines that the operating state could not be switched to the deactivation state, and then causes the notification unit to notify that an abnormality has occurred.

6. A remote control system according to claim 1, A remote control system in which the permission conditions include the mobile body being stationary.

7. A remote control system according to claim 1, A remote control system in which the permission conditions include the switching of the operating state to the enabled state by a predetermined device.

8. A remote control system according to claim 1, A remote control system in which the permission conditions include the switching of the operating state to the enabled state at a predetermined location.

9. A remote control system according to claim 1, A remote control system in which the aforementioned permission conditions include the switching of the operating state to the enabled state being performed by a predetermined person.

10. A control device, A communication unit for receiving at least one of the following information from a remotely controllable mobile body, which has a command receiving unit that switches its operating state between an active state that accepts remote control commands supplied from an external source and an inactive state that does not accept such remote control commands: first information indicating that the operating state may be switched to the active state and second information indicating that the operating state has been switched to the active state. A determination unit that, when the communication unit receives at least one of the pieces of information and determines that predetermined permission conditions are met, permits switching the operating state to the enabled state, A control device equipped with the following features.

11. A remote control method performed by a computer, A remotely controllable mobile body is equipped with a command receiving unit that can switch its operating state between an active state that accepts remote control commands supplied from an external source and an inactive state that does not accept such remote control commands. The mobile body receives at least one of the following pieces of information: first information indicating that the operating state may be switched to the active state, and second information indicating that the operating state has been switched to the active state. Upon receiving at least one of the aforementioned pieces of information and determining that predetermined permission conditions are met, the system permits switching the operating state to the enabled state. Remote control method.

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