Mobile device control device and mobile device control method

Abstract

To provide a mobile body controller and mobile body control method capable of controlling a mobile body so that the mobile body can resume movement along an orbiting route at an appropriate position when the mobile body strays from a predetermined orbiting route because an intervening action is carried out while the mobile body is moving along the orbiting route.SOLUTION: A mobile body controller includes: an orbiting movement control unit 323a that causes a robotic apparatus 10 to move along a predetermined orbiting route; an intervening action control unit 323b that, when acquiring an instruction to alter an action state of the robotic apparatus 10 while the robotic apparatus 10 is orbiting or moving, initiates an intervening action with respect to the orbiting movement of the robotic apparatus 10 so as to alter the action state of the robotic apparatus 10, and then, upon satisfaction of a predetermined requirement for terminating the intervening action, terminates the intervening action; and an orbiting movement resumption control unit 323c that, when the position of the robotic apparatus 10 at a time when the intervening action is terminated falls within an orbiting resumable range within a predetermined distance from the position of the robotic apparatus at a time when the intervening action is initiated, moves the robotic apparatus 10 onto the orbiting route and allows the robotic apparatus to resume the orbiting movement.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a movement control device and a movement control method.

Background Art

[0002] A moving body that performs autonomous driving, such as an industrial robot used in a factory, has a function of automatically driving along a preset route and a function of operating based on information transmitted from a remote location. Using these functions, during normal times, the moving body is automatically driven along a predetermined route, and when necessary, an instruction to change the driving content is wirelessly transmitted from a control device installed at a remote location to the moving body to execute a temporary intervention operation on the automatic driving.

[0003] For example, when an administrator recognizes that there is an obstacle in the traveling direction of the moving body during the automatic driving of the moving body, an instruction to change the traveling direction of the moving body is wirelessly transmitted from the control device to change the traveling route of the moving body, thereby avoiding the moving body from coming into contact with the obstacle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] As described above, when a temporary intervention operation is performed on a moving body that is automatically driving, the moving body deviates from the automatic driving route. Therefore, in order to resume the automatic driving after the intervention operation ends, it is necessary to return the moving body to the automatic driving route. In this case, within the traveling route by automatic driving, the automatic driving can be quickly resumed by moving the moving body to the position closest to the position of the moving body when the intervention operation ends.

[0006] However, there was a problem in that if the autonomous driving route was a circular route and the starting and ending points were close together or the same, it may not be possible to resume autonomous driving from an appropriate point within the route.

[0007] For example, suppose a mobile vehicle starts traveling from the starting point of a circular route, an intervention action begins near the starting point to change the direction of travel, and the intervention action ends near the end of the route, after passing near the start and end points of the route. In this case, if the mobile vehicle is moved to the nearest point on the autonomous driving route to the end of the route from where the intervention action ended and autonomous driving is resumed, the mobile vehicle will reach the end point having traveled very little along the circular route. If it operates in this manner, the mobile vehicle will be unable to perform most of the tasks it would normally perform along the circular route.

[0008] Furthermore, suppose that when the moving object completes a circular route and approaches the end point, an intervention action changes its direction of travel from that position, and the intervention action ends near the beginning of the route, past the end and start points of the route. In this case, if the moving object is moved to the nearest position on the autonomous driving route to the beginning of the route from where the intervention action ended and autonomous driving is resumed, the moving object will travel along the circular route again, even though it has almost completed its journey along that route. When it operates in this way, the moving object will make unnecessary movements.

[0009] This disclosure is made in view of the above circumstances and aims to provide a mobile body control device and a mobile body control method that can control a mobile body so that, when an intervention operation is performed while the mobile body is traveling on a predetermined circular path and it deviates from said circular path, it can resume traveling on said circular path from an appropriate position. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The mobile body control device according to this disclosure includes: a circular path information storage unit that stores information of a predetermined path for a mobile body to move in a circular direction; a position information acquisition unit that acquires position information of the mobile body; an instruction information acquisition unit that acquires instruction information regarding the operation of the mobile body; a circular movement control unit that causes the mobile body to move in a circular direction based on the predetermined path information; an intervention operation control unit that, when the mobile body is moving in a circular direction under the control of the circular movement control unit, receives an instruction to change the operating state of the mobile body from the instruction information acquisition unit, initiates an intervention operation for the circular movement of the mobile body to change the operating state of the mobile body, and terminates the intervention operation when predetermined conditions for termination of the intervention operation are met; and a circular movement restart control unit that, when the position of the mobile body at the time the intervention operation is terminated is within a range within which circular movement can be restarted, which is a predetermined distance from the position of the mobile body at the time the intervention operation was started, moves the mobile body onto the path and restarts circular movement.

[0011] The range in which the loop can be resumed may be set within a predetermined distance from the position of the moving body when the intervention operation started, in the direction of movement of the moving body along the path and in the direction opposite to the direction of movement, and within a predetermined distance from any point in the path portion that does not straddle the start position or end position of the path.

[0012] The aforementioned circular movement restart control unit may, when moving the moving body along the path, move the moving body toward the point with the shortest travel time or the shortest travel distance relative to the path, or move it in a direction determined based on the orientation of the moving body or the direction of movement of the moving body when performing circular movement.

[0013] Furthermore, the mobile body control method according to this disclosure moves the mobile body in a circular motion based on information of a pre-set path, and when an instruction to change the operating state of the mobile body is received while the mobile body is moving in a circular motion, an intervention operation is started to change the operating state of the mobile body, the intervention operation is terminated when predetermined conditions for termination of the intervention operation are met, and when the position of the mobile body at the time the intervention operation is terminated is within a predetermined distance from the position of the mobile body at the time the intervention operation was started, the mobile body is moved onto the path and circular motion is resumed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the mobile body control device and mobile body control method of this disclosure, when an intervention operation is performed while the mobile body is traveling along a predetermined circular path and it deviates from the circular path, the mobile body can be controlled so that it can resume traveling along the circular path from an appropriate position. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This block diagram shows the configuration of a robot control system using a mobile control device according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a flowchart showing the operation of a mobile control device according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] This is an explanatory diagram of parameters related to the circular route and the route during intervention operations used in the control of a mobile device according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] With respect to the range in which a loop can be resumed set by a mobile device control device according to one embodiment, (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a range in which a loop can be resumed set when the intervention start position is near the center of the loop path, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a range in which a loop can be resumed set when the intervention start position is close to the path start position, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a range in which a loop can be resumed set when the intervention start position is close to the path end position. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] <Configuration of a Robot Control System Using a Movement Control Device According to an Embodiment> The configuration of a robot control system using a movement control device according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. The robot control system 1 according to this embodiment includes a robot device 10 which is a mobile body, a user interface (UI) device 20, and a movement control device 30. The robot device 10 and the movement control device 30 are connected so as to be wirelessly communicable, and the UI device 20 and the movement control device 30 are connected by wire or are connected so as to be wirelessly communicable.

[0017] The robot device 10 is, for example, an industrial robot that travels inside a factory, and has a movement mechanism 11 for moving the device 10 itself and a position sensor 12 for acquiring the position information of the device 10 itself. The position sensor 12 is composed of, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning system) device or a self-position estimation device using SLAM technology.

[0018] The UI device 20 has a display unit 21 for displaying information transmitted from the movement control device 30 such as the position information of the robot device 10, and an operation information input unit 22 for inputting the operation information of the administrator of the robot device 10 to the movement control device 30. The operation information input unit 22 is composed of, for example, a button input device, a touch panel device, or a lever device.

[0019] The movement control device 30 has a circuit path information storage unit 31 and a CPU 32. The circuit path information storage unit 31 stores information on a circuit path set in advance for the robot device 10 to move in a circuit.

[0020] The CPU 32 has a position information acquisition unit 321, an instruction information acquisition unit 322, and an operation control unit 323. The position information acquisition unit 321 acquires the position information of the robot device 10. The instruction information acquisition unit 322 acquires the operation information input from the UI device 20.

[0021] The operation control unit 323 includes a circular movement control unit 323a, an intervention operation control unit 323b, and a circular movement restart control unit 323c that control the robot device 10 based on the information acquired by the instruction information acquisition unit 322.

[0022] The circular movement control unit 323a moves the robot device 10 in a circular motion based on the path information stored in the circular path information storage unit 31. When the instruction information acquisition unit 322 acquires an instruction to change the operation state of the robot device 10 while the robot device 10 is moving in a circular motion, the intervention operation control unit 323b starts an intervention operation on the circular movement of the robot device 10 to change the operation state of the robot device 10. Further, when the intervention operation control unit 323b satisfies a predetermined intervention operation end condition after the start of the intervention operation, it ends the intervention operation.

[0023] When the position of the robot device 10 when the intervention operation ends is within the circular restart possible range within a predetermined distance from the position of the robot device 10 when the intervention operation starts, the circular movement restart control unit 323c moves the robot device 10 onto the circular path to restart the circular movement.

[0024] <Operation of the Robot Control System 1 According to an Embodiment> Next, the operation of the robot control system 1 according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing executed by the movement control device 30 during the operation of the robot control system 1.

[0025] When the administrator of the robot device 10 performs an operation to instruct the start of circular movement by autonomous driving of the robot device 10 on the operation information input unit 22 of the UI device 20, the operation information input unit 22 transmits the circular movement start instruction information to the movement control device 30.

[0026] In the mobile control device 30, the instruction information acquisition unit 322 acquires the instruction to start circulating movement transmitted from the UI device 20 (YES in S1) and sends it to the operation control unit 323. In the operation control unit 323, the circulating movement control unit 323a acquires the instruction to start circulating movement and, based on the instruction information and the circulating path information stored in the circulating path information storage unit 31, causes the robot device 10 to perform circulating movement (S2).

[0027] After the robot device 10 starts moving in a circular path, and until the circular path is completed (NO in S3), the position sensor 12 of the robot device 10 acquires its own position information at predetermined time intervals and transmits it to the mobile device control unit 30. The mobile device control unit 30 acquires the position information acquired from the robot device 10 using its position information acquisition unit 321 and transmits it to the UI device 20.

[0028] The UI device 20 displays the location information of the robot device 10, acquired from the mobile device control device 30, on the display unit 21. The display unit 21 displays the location information of the robot device 10, for example, by placing a mark of a predetermined shape on the location of the robot device 10 on the map information.

[0029] The administrator visually checks the information displayed on the display unit 21 and, if it determines that the operating state of the robot device 10 needs to be changed due to an obstacle in the robot device 10's path, etc., the administrator performs an instruction operation to change the operating state of the robot device 10 using the operation information input unit 22. Examples of changes to the operating state include changing the direction of travel, changing the travel speed, or changing to an operation other than travel, such as a rotational operation. The administrator performs the instruction operation to change the operating state of the robot device 10 by pressing a button on the UI device 20 which is installed as the operation information input unit 22, touching the touch panel device, or tilting the lever on the lever device. Here, as an example, we will explain the case where the administrator instructs the robot device 10 to change its direction of travel. When the administrator performs the operation to instruct the robot device 10 to change its direction of travel, the operation information input unit 22 transmits the direction of travel change instruction information to the mobile device control device 30.

[0030] In the mobile control device 30, the instruction information acquisition unit 322 acquires the travel direction change instruction information transmitted from the UI device 20 (YES in S4) and sends it to the operation control unit 323. In the operation control unit 323, the intervention operation control unit 323b acquires the travel direction change instruction information and, based on the instruction information, initiates an intervention operation for circular movement to the robot device 10, causing the robot device 10 to change its travel direction (S5).

[0031] Subsequently, when the predetermined conditions for the termination of the intervention operation are met, the instruction information acquisition unit 322 of the mobile device control device 30 detects this. These predetermined conditions for the termination of the intervention operation include, for example, when the administrator cancels the instruction to change the operating state of the robot device 10 using the operation information input unit 22 of the UI device 20, when the administrator operates the loop movement restart button (not shown) installed on the robot device 10, or when a preset time has elapsed since the start of the intervention operation. Here, the administrator's operation to cancel the instruction to change the direction of travel of the robot device 10 is assumed to be the operation of releasing the hand from the button device or touch panel device that was pressed to instruct the change of direction of travel, or the operation of returning the lever device.

[0032] When the instruction information acquisition unit 322 detects that the instruction to change the direction of travel of the robot device 10 has been canceled (YES in S6), it sends the detection information to the operation control unit 323. In the operation control unit 323, the intervention operation control unit 323b acquires the detection information regarding the cancellation of the change instruction and terminates the intervention operation of the robot device 10 (S7).

[0033] When the intervention operation control unit 323b terminates the intervention operation of the robot device 10, the loop movement restart control unit 323c determines whether the position of the robot device 10 is within a predetermined distance from the position of the robot device 10 when the intervention operation started (S8). The loop movement restart range is a range set by the loop movement restart control unit 323c as the range in which the loop movement restart control unit 323c can automatically and appropriately move the robot device 10 that has deviated from the loop path back to the loop path.

[0034] The range within which the robot device 10 can resume circulating, as set by the intervention motion control unit 323b, will be explained with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of the parameters used when setting the range within which circulating can resume and when determining whether or not the robot device 10 is within the range within which circulating can resume.

[0035] In Figure 3, the path by which the robot device 10 moves in a circular motion is defined as the circular path R1, the starting position of the circular path R1 is defined as the path start position P1, the ending position of the circular path R1 is defined as the path end position P2, and the distance of one lap of the circular path R1 is defined as the circular distance L0. The path start position P1 and the path end position P2 are located very close to each other. Alternatively, the path start position P1 and the path end position P2 may be the same point.

[0036] The robot device 10 moves along the circular path R1 from the path start position P1 as shown by the solid arrow. When an intervention action is initiated during this movement, it deviates from the circular path R1 and moves along the intervention path R2. The starting position of the intervention action at this time, i.e., the starting position of the intervention path R2, is defined as the intervention start position P3. The ending position of the intervention action, i.e., the ending position of the intervention path R2, is defined as the intervention end position P4. The position closest to the intervention end position P4 on the circular path R1 is defined as the end proximity position P5.

[0037] Furthermore, the distance along the circular path R1 from the intervention start position P3 to the near-end position P5 is defined as the first distance L1, and the distance from the intervention end position P4 to the near-end position P5 is defined as the second distance L2. The first distance L1 corresponds to the distance traveled by the robot device 10 due to the intervention action, and the second distance L2 indicates the distance the robot device 10 has moved away from the circular path R1 due to the intervention action.

[0038] The loop movement restart control unit 323c sets the range in which loop movement can be restarted based on the information of the intervention start position P3. Examples of setting the range in which loop movement can be restarted by the loop movement restart control unit 323c will be explained with reference to Figures 4(a), (b), and (c). Figure 4(a) shows an example of the range in which loop movement can be restarted set when the intervention start position P3 is near the center of the loop path R1. Figure 4(b) shows an example of the range in which loop movement can be restarted set when the intervention start position P3 is close to the path start position P1. Figure 4(c) shows an example of the range in which loop movement can be restarted set when the intervention start position P3 is close to the path end position P2.

[0039] As shown in Figure 4(a), when the intervention start position P3 is near the center of the circular path R1, the circular movement restart control unit 323c first identifies a path portion r1 within a predetermined distance from the intervention start position P3 in the direction of movement of the robot device 10 within the circular path R1. This predetermined distance is αL0, which is the value obtained by multiplying the circular distance L0 of the circular path R1 by a predetermined parameter α. The parameter α is set in advance to a value sufficiently smaller than 1 / 2 and is held by the circular movement restart control unit 323c.

[0040] Furthermore, the circulating movement restart control unit 323c identifies a path portion r2 within the circulating path R1, at a distance αL0 from the intervention start position P3 in the direction opposite to the movement direction of the robot device 10. The circulating movement restart control unit 323c then sets the range within a predetermined distance from any point on path portions r1 and r2 as the circulating restart range M1. Here, as an example, we will describe the case where the range within a predetermined distance L20 in the left-right direction perpendicular to path portions r1 and r2 is set as the circulating restart range M1. The circulating movement restart control unit 323c has information on the distance L20 in advance as a parameter for setting the circulating restart range M1.

[0041] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4(b), if the intervention start position P3 is close to the path start position P1, the loop movement restart control unit 323c first identifies the path portion r1 in the same way as in Figure 4(a). Then, when identifying the path portion r2, the loop movement restart control unit 323c determines whether the path start position P1 is included within a distance αL0 in the direction opposite to the direction of movement of the robot device 10 from the intervention start position P3. If the determination shows that the path start position P1 is included within a distance αL0 in the direction opposite to the direction of movement of the robot device 10 from the intervention start position P3, the section from the intervention start position P3 to the position immediately before the path start position P1 is identified as the path portion r2. This position immediately before the path start position P1 is a position within the loop path R1 between the intervention start position P3 and the path start position P1 that is close to the path start position P1 but does not overlap with the path start position P1.

[0042] The loop movement restart control unit 323c then sets the range within a distance L20 perpendicular to the path from path sections r1 and r2 as the loop restart range M2. In other words, the loop movement restart control unit 323c sets the loop restart range M2 so as not to cross the path start position P1.

[0043] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4(c), if the intervention start position P3 is close to the path end position P2, the loop movement restart control unit 323c determines whether the path end position P2 is included within a distance αL0 in the direction of movement of the robot device 10 from the intervention start position P3. If the determination shows that the path end position P2 is included within a distance αL0 in the direction of movement of the robot device 10 from the intervention start position P3, the section from the intervention start position P3 to the position immediately before the path end position P2 is identified as path portion r1. This position immediately before the path end position P2 is a position within the loop path R1 between the intervention start position P3 and the path end position P2 that is close to the path end position P2 but does not overlap with the path end position P2.

[0044] Furthermore, the loop movement restart control unit 323c identifies the path portion r2, similar to the case in Figure 4(a). The loop movement restart control unit 323c then sets the range within a distance L20 in the left and right directions perpendicular to the path from path portions r1 and r2 as the loop restartable range M3. In other words, the loop movement restart control unit 323c sets the loop restartable range M3 so as not to cross the path end position P2. Hereafter, when it is not necessary to specify whether the loop restartable range is M1, M2, or M3, it will be referred to as the loop restartable range M.

[0045] The circling motion restart control unit 323c identifies the circling restart range M based on the information of the intervention start position P3, and then determines whether the position of the robot device 10 at the end of the intervention operation is within the circling restart range M. Specifically, the circling motion restart control unit 323c determines that the position of the robot device 10 is within the circling restart range M if the first distance L1 based on the position of the robot device 10 at the end of the intervention operation is shorter than the distance αL0, and the second distance L2 is shorter than the distance L20.

[0046] Returning to the flowchart in Figure 2, if the intervention end position P4 of the robot device 10 is within the range M where circulating can be resumed (YES in S8), the circulating movement resumption control unit 323c moves the robot device 10 onto the circulating path R1 and resumes circulating movement (S9). In other words, when the robot device 10 deviates from the circulating path R1 due to the intervention operation, it can only return to the circulating path R1 from within the range M where circulating can be resumed.

[0047] When moving the robot device 10 along the circular path R1, it may be moved from the intervention end position P4 towards the point with the shortest travel time or the shortest travel distance along the circular path R1. For example, by moving it along the shortest distance perpendicular to the circular path R1 from the intervention end position P4, the robot device 10 can be quickly returned to the circular path R1 and circular movement can be resumed. Alternatively, based on the orientation of the robot device 10 at the end of the intervention operation or the direction of movement of the robot device 10 during circular movement, a direction in which the robot device 10 can smoothly return to the circular path R1 and resume circular movement can be identified, and the robot device 10 may be moved in that direction. By moving it in this way, the robot device 10 can be smoothly moved back to the circular path R1 and circular movement can be resumed.

[0048] In step S8, if the intervention end position P4 of the robot device 10 is not within the range M where lap restart is possible (NO in S8), the lap movement restart control unit 323c outputs notification information to the UI device 20 indicating that the robot device 10 is not within the range M where lap restart is possible (S10), and returns to step S3. The UI device 20 displays the notification information acquired from the mobile body control device 30 on the display unit 21. The administrator then recognizes the displayed notification information and performs the operation to specify the direction of travel of the robot device 10 again using the operation information input unit 22 until the robot device 10 enters the range M where lap restart is possible.

[0049] If the mobile device control unit 30 receives another instruction to change the direction of travel (S4 "YES") while the robot device 10 is still circulating (S3 "NO"), it will perform another intervention operation (S5-S7). Then, when the intervention operation ends with the robot device 10 inside the range M where circulating can be resumed (S8 "YES"), the mobile device control unit 30 will move the robot device 10 onto the circulating path R1 and resume circulating movement under normal operation (S9).

[0050] In the above embodiment, when the robot device 10 is moving along a predetermined circular path R1 and an intervention operation is performed causing it to deviate from the circular path R1, the robot device 10 is controlled to return to the circular path R1 only if it is within the range M where circular movement can be resumed. By controlling the robot device 10 in this way, when the robot device 10 resumes circular movement after an intervention operation, it is possible to avoid situations where the circular movement ends with the robot device 10 having moved very little along the circular path R1, or where it moves repeatedly along the circular path R1. Furthermore, the robot device 10 can be controlled so that it can resume circular movement from an appropriate position.

[0051] Furthermore, by setting the range M in which lap resumption is possible without crossing the path start position P1, it is possible to prevent the robot device 10 from resuming lap movement from near the end of path R1 when it moves from near the beginning to near the end of path R1 due to an intervention action. This prevents the robot device 10 from reaching the path end position P2 while having traveled very little along the lap path.

[0052] Similarly, by setting the range M for restarting the lap without crossing the path end position P2, it is possible to prevent the robot device 10 from restarting the lap from near the beginning of the lap path R1 when it moves from near the end of the lap path R1 to near the beginning due to an intervention action. This prevents the robot device 10 from repeatedly traveling along the same path.

[0053] In the embodiments described above, the case in which the mobile body controlled by the mobile body control device is a robotic device was explained, but the invention is not limited to this, and any device that can be considered as a remotely operable manipulator can be used as the mobile body. For example, a continuous unloader that performs continuous cargo handling operations by the rotational movement of a transport mechanism may be used as the mobile body controlled by the mobile body control device.

[0054] Although several embodiments have been described, it is possible to modify or transform the embodiments based on the above disclosure. All components of the above embodiments, and all features described in the claims, may be taken individually and combined, provided that they do not conflict with each other. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0055] 1. Robot control system 10 Robot equipment 11 Moving mechanism 12 Position Sensors 20 UI devices 21 Display section 22 Operation Information Input Section 30 Mobile device control system 31 Loop Route Information Storage Unit 32 CPU 321 Location information acquisition unit 322 Instruction information acquisition unit 323 Operation Control Unit 323a Orbital movement control unit 323b Intervention Action Control Unit 323c Loop Movement Restart Control Unit

Claims

1. A circular route information storage unit that stores information about a pre-set route for a mobile object to travel in a circular path, A location information acquisition unit that acquires location information of the moving object, An instruction information acquisition unit that acquires instruction information related to the operation of the moving body, A circular movement control unit that moves a mobile object in a circular path based on pre-set path information, When the moving body is moving in a circular motion under the control of the circular motion control unit, and the instruction information acquisition unit acquires an instruction to change the operating state of the moving body, the intervention operation control unit initiates an intervention operation on the circular motion of the moving body to change the operating state of the moving body, and terminates the intervention operation when predetermined conditions for termination of the intervention operation are met. A mobile body control device comprising: a circulating movement restart control unit that moves the mobile body onto the path and restarts circulating movement when the position of the mobile body at the end of the intervention operation is within a range within which circulating movement can be restarted, which is a predetermined distance from the position of the mobile body at the start of the intervention operation.

2. The mobile body control device according to claim 1, wherein the range in which the loop can be resumed is set to be within a predetermined distance from the position of the mobile body when the intervention operation is started, in the direction of movement of the mobile body in the path and in the direction opposite to the direction of movement, and within a predetermined distance from any point in the path portion that does not straddle the start position and end position of the path.

3. The mobile body control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the circular movement restart control unit moves the mobile body toward the point with the shortest travel time or the shortest travel distance relative to the path, or moves the mobile body in a direction determined based on the orientation of the mobile body or the direction of movement of the mobile body when performing circular movement.

4. A mobile body control device that stores information on a predetermined route for a mobile body to move in a circular path, Based on the information of the aforementioned route, the mobile body is made to move in a circular motion. When the aforementioned mobile body is moving in a circular motion, if an instruction to change the operating state of the mobile body is received, an intervention operation is initiated to change the operating state of the mobile body during its circular motion, and when the predetermined conditions for ending the intervention operation are met, the intervention operation is terminated. A method for controlling a moving body, wherein if the position of the moving body when the intervention operation is completed is within a predetermined distance from the position of the moving body when the intervention operation was started, the moving body is moved along the path to resume circular movement.

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