Control method, program, and information processing device for a mobile object.

Abstract

To suppress or dissolve a deadlock.SOLUTION: A control method includes a step of acquiring first moving body information including a position and speed of a first moving body which is a manned vehicle, a step of designating a first area, where an unmanned vehicle is prohibited from entering, around the first moving body on the basis of the first moving body information, a step of acquiring second moving body information including a position of a second moving body which is an unmanned vehicle, a step of, when the position of the second moving body represented by the second moving body information falls within a predetermined distance range from the first area, halting the second moving body, a step of, when the second moving body is halted, notifying a driver of the first moving body of an evacuation command saying that the first moving body should be evacuated to another place, a step of acquiring evacuation completion information signifying that the first moving body has halted at an evacuation destination, and a step of, when the evacuation completion information is acquired, designating a second area, where the unmanned vehicle is prohibited from entering, around the first moving body so that the second area becomes narrower than the first area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This disclosure relates to a method for controlling a mobile object, a program, and an information processing device. [Background technology]

[0002] Control methods to suppress interference between moving objects are known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes setting a permitted travel zone for an autonomous unmanned vehicle traveling within a mine, and when a manned vehicle approaches that zone, a warning is issued to the manned vehicle to avoid interference between the manned vehicle and the unmanned vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-162976 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] However, in cases where, for example, the destination of a manned vehicle is in the direction of the unmanned vehicle, and the destination of the unmanned vehicle is in the direction of the manned vehicle, even if interference can be avoided, the vehicles may not be able to move toward their destinations, potentially resulting in a deadlock. Therefore, it is necessary to suppress or eliminate deadlocks when manned and unmanned vehicles are moving together.

[0005] This disclosure aims to provide a control method, program, and information processing device for mobile bodies that can suppress or resolve deadlocks when manned and unmanned vehicles are in motion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The method for controlling a moving body according to the present disclosure includes: obtaining first moving body information including the position and speed of a first moving body which is a manned vehicle; setting a first area around the first moving body to prohibit the entry of an unmanned vehicle based on the first moving body information; obtaining second moving body information including the position of a second moving body which is an unmanned vehicle; stopping the second moving body when the position of the second moving body indicated by the second moving body information is within a predetermined distance range from the first area; notifying the driver of the first moving body of an evacuation instruction to evacuate to another place when the second moving body stops; obtaining evacuation completion information indicating that the first moving body has stopped at the evacuation destination; and setting a second area around the first moving body to prohibit the entry of an unmanned vehicle so as to be narrower than the first area after obtaining the evacuation completion information.

[0007] The program according to the present disclosure causes a computer to execute: obtaining first moving body information including the position and speed of a first moving body which is a manned vehicle; setting a first area around the first moving body to prohibit the entry of an unmanned vehicle based on the first moving body information; obtaining second moving body information including the position of a second moving body which is an unmanned vehicle; stopping the second moving body when the position of the second moving body indicated by the second moving body information is within a predetermined distance range from the first area; notifying the driver of the first moving body of an evacuation instruction to evacuate to another place when the second moving body stops; obtaining evacuation completion information indicating that the first moving body has stopped at the evacuation destination; and setting a second area around the first moving body to prohibit the entry of an unmanned vehicle so as to be narrower than the first area after obtaining the evacuation completion information.

[0008] An information processing apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a moving body information acquisition unit that acquires first moving body information including the position and speed of a first moving body that is a manned vehicle and second moving body information including the position of a second moving body that is an unmanned vehicle, a region setting unit that sets a first region that prohibits the entry of unmanned vehicles around the first moving body based on the first moving body information, a stop command unit that stops the second moving body when the position of the second moving body indicated by the second moving body information is within a predetermined distance range from the first region, an evacuation command unit that notifies a driver of the first moving body of an evacuation command to evacuate to another place when the second moving body stops, and an evacuation information acquisition unit that acquires evacuation completion information indicating that the first moving body has stopped at an evacuation destination. The region setting unit sets a second region that prohibits the entry of unmanned vehicles around the first moving body to be narrower than the first region when the evacuation completion information is acquired.

Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress or eliminate a deadlock when a manned vehicle and an unmanned vehicle are moving.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a movement control system according to the present embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the first moving body. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the second moving body. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a control device of the second moving body. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of a management device. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of an information processing apparatus. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of setting of a first region of the first moving body. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of evacuation of the first moving body. [Figure 9]Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of setting up the third domain. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the motion control system. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to these embodiments, and where there are multiple embodiments, they may also be combinations of these embodiments.

[0012] (Movement control system) Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the movement control system according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the movement control system 1 according to this embodiment includes a mobile body 10, a management device 12, and an information processing device 14. The movement control system 1 is a system that controls the movement of the mobile body 10 belonging to the facility W. The facility W is a facility that is managed for logistics, such as a warehouse, but it may be any facility that operates the mobile body 10. In the movement control system 1, the mobile body 10 picks up and transports objects placed within the area AR of the facility W. Area AR is the area where objects are placed or the mobile body 10 moves, and is, for example, the floor surface of the facility W. In this embodiment, the objects transported by the mobile body 10 are transport objects with goods loaded on a pallet. However, the objects are not limited to those with goods loaded on a pallet and may be in any form, for example, goods without a pallet. Also, the mobile body 10 is not limited to transporting objects, but may be a device that moves within the facility W for any purpose.

[0013] Hereafter, the direction along region AR will be defined as the X direction, and the direction along region AR that intersects direction X will be defined as the Y direction. In this embodiment, the Y direction is perpendicular to the X direction. The X and Y directions may also be described as directions along the horizontal plane. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to the X and Y directions, more specifically the direction pointing upward in the vertical direction, will be defined as the Z direction. In this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, "position" refers to the position (coordinates) in the coordinate system (coordinate system of region AR) on the two-dimensional plane of region AR. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the "attitude (orientation)" of the moving object 10, etc., refers to the orientation of the moving object 10, etc. in the coordinate system of region AR, and refers to the yaw angle (rotation angle) of the moving object 10 when viewed from the Z direction, with the X direction being 0°.

[0014] (Waypoint) In the AR region, waypoints WP are set for each position (coordinate). The path of the moving object 10 is set to connect the waypoints WP. In other words, the path of the moving object 10 is the path that connects the waypoints WP that the moving object 10 is scheduled to pass through. Waypoints WP are set according to the layout of the equipment W. For example, waypoints WP are set in a matrix within the AR region.

[0015] (Mobile) In this embodiment, the mobile body 10 includes a first mobile body 10A, which is a manned vehicle that moves under the operation of a driver, and a second mobile body 10B that moves autonomously.

[0016] (First mobile unit) Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the first mobile body. The first mobile body 10A, as a manned vehicle, is a device that moves under the operation of a driver U. For example, the first mobile body 10A moves when operated by a driver U who is riding in the first mobile body 10A. However, it is not limited to this, and the first mobile body 10A may also move when remotely operated by a driver U who is not riding in the first mobile body 10A. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first mobile body 10A is a device capable of transporting objects. More specifically, in this embodiment, the first mobile body 10A is a forklift. However, the first mobile body 10A is not limited to being a forklift that transports objects, and may be any device that can be moved under the operation of a driver U.

[0017] As shown in Figure 2, the first mobile body 10A has an operating unit 80, a drive unit 82, and a control device 84. The operating unit 80 is an interface mechanism that receives input from the driver U and may include, for example, a steering wheel, accelerator, and brake. The drive unit 82 is a drive mechanism that moves the first mobile body 10A. The first mobile body 10A moves when the drive unit 82 is driven by the input from the driver U received by the operating unit 80.

[0018] The control device 84 is a device that controls the first mobile body 10A. The control device 84 is a computer and includes a communication unit 90, a storage unit 92, and a control unit 94. The communication unit 90 is a module used by the control unit 94 to communicate with external devices such as the information processing device 14, and may include, for example, an antenna. In this embodiment, the communication method used by the communication unit 90 is wireless communication, but the communication method may be arbitrary. The storage unit 92 is a memory that stores various information such as the calculation contents and programs of the control unit 94, and includes at least one of the following: RAM (Random Access Memory), main memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory), and external memory such as HDD (Hard Disk Drive).

[0019] The control unit 94 is an arithmetic unit and includes arithmetic circuits such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 94 includes an information transmission unit 96 and a movement control unit 98. The control unit 94 implements the information transmission unit 96 and the movement control unit 98 and performs their processing by reading and executing a program (software) from the storage unit 92. The control unit 94 may perform these processing with a single CPU, or it may have multiple CPUs and perform the processing with those multiple CPUs. In addition, at least a part of the information transmission unit 96 and the movement control unit 98 may be implemented with hardware circuits. Furthermore, the program for the control unit 94 stored in the storage unit 92 may be stored on a recording medium that the control device 84 can read.

[0020] The information transmission unit 96 transmits first mobile body information, indicating the position and speed of the first mobile body 10A, to an external device such as the information processing device 14, and the movement control unit 98 controls the movement of the first mobile body 10A. The specific details of these processes will be described later. The movement control unit 98 automatically controls the first mobile body 10A, for example, by automatically stopping the first mobile body 10A. However, since the first mobile body 10A is a manned vehicle, it does not need to have a function to automatically control the first mobile body 10A, or in other words, it does not need to include a movement control unit 98.

[0021] (Second mobile unit) Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the second mobile unit. The second mobile unit 10B, as an unmanned vehicle, is a device that can move automatically. In this embodiment, the second mobile unit 10B is a device that can transport objects. More specifically, in this embodiment, the second mobile unit 10B is a forklift, or more precisely, a so-called AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) or AGF (Automated Guided Forklift). However, the second mobile unit 10B is not limited to a forklift that transports objects, and may be any device that can move automatically.

[0022] As shown in Figure 3, the second mobile body 10B comprises a vehicle body 20, wheels 20A, straddle legs 21, a mast 22, forks 24, a sensor 26A, and a control device 28. The straddle legs 21 are a pair of axial members provided at one end of the vehicle body 20 in the longitudinal direction and protruding from the vehicle body 20. The mast 22 is movably attached to the straddle legs 21 and moves in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 20. The mast 22 extends along the vertical direction (here, direction Z) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The forks 24 are movably attached to the mast 22 in direction Z. The forks 24 may also be movable relative to the mast 22 in the lateral direction of the vehicle body 20 (in a direction intersecting the vertical and longitudinal directions). The forks 24 have a pair of claws 24A and 24B. The claws 24A and 24B extend from the mast 22 toward the rear of the vehicle body 20. Claws 24A and 24B are positioned apart from each other in the lateral direction of the mast 22. Hereinafter, in the front-rear direction, the direction on the second moving body 10B where the fork 24 is not provided will be referred to as the front direction, and the direction on the side where the fork 24 is provided will be referred to as the rear direction.

[0023] Sensor 26A detects at least one of the position and orientation of an object present around the vehicle body 20. It can also be said that sensor 26A detects at least one of the position of an object relative to the second moving body 10B and the orientation of an object relative to the second moving body 10B. In this embodiment, sensors 26A are provided at the rear end of each straddle leg 21 and on the front side of the vehicle body 20. However, the position of sensors 26A is not limited to this, and they may be provided at any position, and the number of sensors provided may also be arbitrary.

[0024] Sensor 26A is, for example, a sensor that emits laser light. Sensor 26A emits laser light while scanning in one direction (in this case, the horizontal direction), and detects the position and orientation of an object from the reflected light of the emitted laser light. In other words, sensor 26A can be said to be a so-called 2D LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging). However, sensor 26A is not limited to the above and may be a sensor that detects an object in any way, for example, a so-called 3D LiDAR that scans in multiple directions, a so-called 1D LiDAR that does not scan, or a camera.

[0025] Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram of the control device for the second mobile body. The control device 28 is a device that controls the second mobile body 10B. The control device 28 is a computer and, as shown in Figure 4, includes a communication unit 100, a storage unit 102, and a control unit 104. The communication unit 100 is a module used by the control unit 104 to communicate with external devices such as the information processing device 14, and may include, for example, an antenna. In this embodiment, the communication method used by the communication unit 100 is wireless communication, but the communication method may be arbitrary. The storage unit 102 is a memory that stores various information such as the calculation contents and programs of the control unit 104, and includes, for example, at least one of RAM, a main memory device such as ROM, and an external storage device such as an HDD.

[0026] The control unit 104 is an arithmetic unit and includes arithmetic circuits such as a CPU. The control unit 104 includes a route acquisition unit 110, a movement control unit 112, and an information transmission unit 114. The control unit 104 reads a program (software) from the storage unit 102 and executes it to realize the route acquisition unit 110, the movement control unit 112, and the information transmission unit 114, and performs their processing. The control unit 104 may perform these processing with a single CPU, or it may have multiple CPUs and perform the processing with those multiple CPUs. In addition, at least a part of the route acquisition unit 110, the movement control unit 112, and the information transmission unit 114 may be realized with hardware circuits. Furthermore, the program for the control unit 104 stored in the storage unit 102 may be stored on a recording medium that the control device 28 can read.

[0027] The path acquisition unit 110 acquires information about the path the second mobile body 10B travels, the movement control unit 112 controls the movement mechanisms of the second mobile body 10B, such as the drive unit and steering, to control the movement of the second mobile body 10B, and the information transmission unit 114 transmits second mobile body information indicating the position of the second mobile body 10B to an external device such as the information processing device 14. The specific details of these processes will be described later.

[0028] (Management device) Figure 5 is a schematic block diagram of the management device. The management device 12 is a system for managing logistics in facility W. In this embodiment, the management device 12 is a WCS (Warehouse Control System) or a WMS (Warehouse Management System), but it is not limited to WCS and WMS and may be any system, for example, a backend system such as another production management system. The location where the management device 12 is installed is arbitrary; it may be installed within facility W, or it may be installed at a location away from facility W and manage facility W from that location. The management device 12 is a computer and, as shown in Figure 5, includes a communication unit 30, a storage unit 32, and a control unit 34.

[0029] The communication unit 30 is a module used in the control unit 34 to communicate with external devices such as the information processing device 14, and may include, for example, an antenna. In this embodiment, the communication method used by the communication unit 30 is wireless communication, but the communication method may be arbitrary. The storage unit 32 is a memory that stores various information such as the calculation contents and programs of the control unit 34, and includes, for example, at least one of RAM, a main memory device such as ROM, and an external storage device such as an HDD.

[0030] The control unit 34 is an arithmetic unit and includes arithmetic circuits such as a CPU. The control unit 34 includes a target position setting unit 40. The control unit 34 realizes the target position setting unit 40 and executes its processing by reading and executing a program (software) from the storage unit 32. The control unit 34 may execute the processing with one CPU, or it may have multiple CPUs and execute the processing with those multiple CPUs. In addition, at least a part of the target position setting unit 40 may be realized with hardware circuits. Furthermore, the program for the control unit 34 stored in the storage unit 32 may be stored on a recording medium that can be read by the management device 12.

[0031] The target position setting unit 40 sets the target position to which the moving body 10 will move. The specific processing details of the target position setting unit 40 will be described later.

[0032] Furthermore, the control device 12 may perform processes other than setting the target location. For example, the control device 12 may also set information for controlling mechanisms other than the movable body 10 installed in the facility W (e.g., elevators, doors, etc.).

[0033] (Information processing device) Figure 6 is a schematic block diagram of the information processing device. The information processing device 14 is a device that processes information related to the movement of the mobile body 10. The information processing device 14 is, for example, an FCS (Fleet Control System), but is not limited to that, and may be any device that processes information related to the movement of the mobile body 10. The information processing device 14 is a computer and, as shown in Figure 6, includes a communication unit 50, a storage unit 52, and a control unit 54. The communication unit 50 is a module used by the control unit 54 to communicate with external devices such as the management device 12 and the mobile body 10, and may include, for example, an antenna. In this embodiment, the communication method used by the communication unit 50 is wireless communication, but the communication method may be arbitrary. The storage unit 52 is a memory that stores various information such as the calculation contents and programs of the control unit 54, and includes, for example, at least one of RAM, a main memory device such as ROM, and an external memory device such as an HDD.

[0034] The control unit 54 is an arithmetic unit and includes arithmetic circuits such as a CPU. The control unit 54 includes a route setting unit 60, a mobile object information acquisition unit 62, an area setting unit 64, a stop command unit 66, an evacuation command unit 68, and an evacuation information acquisition unit 70. The control unit 54 reads a program (software) from the storage unit 52 and executes it to realize the route setting unit 60, the mobile object information acquisition unit 62, the area setting unit 64, the stop command unit 66, the evacuation command unit 68, and the evacuation information acquisition unit 70, and executes their processing. The control unit 54 may execute these processes with a single CPU, or it may have multiple CPUs and execute the processing with those multiple CPUs. In addition, at least a part of the route setting unit 60, the mobile object information acquisition unit 62, the area setting unit 64, the stop command unit 66, the evacuation command unit 68, and the evacuation information acquisition unit 70 may be realized with hardware circuits. Furthermore, the program for the control unit 54 stored by the memory unit 52 may be stored on a recording medium that the information processing device 14 can read.

[0035] The route setting unit 60 sets the route for the second mobile body 10B as an unmanned vehicle, and the mobile body information acquisition unit 62 acquires information about the mobile body 10. The area setting unit 64 sets protective areas (the first area AR1, the second area AR2, and the third area AR3, described later) for the first mobile body 10A that prohibit the entry of the second mobile body 10B. The stop command unit 66 outputs a stop command to stop the second mobile body 10B, the evacuation command unit 68 outputs an evacuation command to evacuate the first mobile body 10A to another location, and the evacuation information acquisition unit 70 acquires evacuation completion information indicating that the first mobile body 10A has stopped at the evacuation destination. The specific details of these processes will be described later.

[0036] In this embodiment, the management device 12 and the information processing device 14 were separate devices, but they may be an integrated device. That is, the management device 12 may incorporate at least some of the functions of the information processing device 14, and the information processing device 14 may incorporate at least some of the functions of the management device 12.

[0037] (Processing of the motion control system) The processing details of the movement control system 1 are described below.

[0038] (Setting the target location) The target location setting unit 40 of the management device 12 sets the target location, which is the destination of the second mobile body 10B, which is an unmanned vehicle. The target location setting unit 40 may set any location within the facility W as the target location. For example, based on pre-set order information indicating the object to be transported and the source and destination of the object, a waypoint WP to which the second mobile body 10B should move may be set, and that waypoint WP may be set as the target location. The target location setting unit 40 may also set the target location for the first mobile body 10A, which is a manned vehicle, in the same manner as described above for the second mobile body 10B.

[0039] The management device 12 transmits the location information of the set target location to the information processing device 14. In other words, the information processing device 14 acquires the location information of the target location set by the target location setting unit 40 of the management device 12. The location information of the target location may be any information indicating the location of the target location, for example, it may be information indicating the coordinates of the target location, or it may be information indicating the identifier of the waypoint WP corresponding to the target location.

[0040] (Setting the route of the second mobile unit) The route setting unit 60 of the information processing device 14 sets a route to the target location based on the location information of the target location, as the route for the second mobile vehicle 10B, which is an unmanned vehicle. In this embodiment, the route setting unit 60 sets a route connecting each waypoint WP from the starting point of the second mobile vehicle 10B to the target location as the route for the second mobile vehicle 10B. The starting point location can be set arbitrarily; for example, the waypoint WP closest to the position where the second mobile vehicle 10B starts moving may be set as the starting point.

[0041] The information processing device 14 transmits route information to the second mobile device 10B, and the route acquisition unit 110 of the second mobile device 10B acquires the route information set by the information processing device 14. The route information may be any information indicating the location of the route, but in this embodiment, it may be location information of waypoints WP included in the route.

[0042] The route setting unit 60 of the information processing device 14 sets areas that overlap with the route set for the second mobile body 10B as occupied areas. An occupied area refers to an area where entry is permitted for the second mobile body 10B that is the target of the occupied area setting, but entry is not permitted for other unmanned vehicles. In this embodiment, the route setting unit 60 sets waypoints WP included in the route as occupied areas during the scheduled time period when the second mobile body 10B is scheduled to travel along the route set for the second mobile body 10B. As a result, waypoints WP included in the occupied area will not be overlappingly reserved as routes that other unmanned vehicles will take during that scheduled time period, thereby suppressing interference and deadlocks between unmanned vehicles.

[0043] Thus, in this embodiment, the information processing device 14 sets the route for the second mobile body 10B, but the entity responsible for setting the route is not limited to the information processing device 14 and may be any entity. For example, the route acquisition unit 110 of the second mobile body 10B may set the route in the same manner as described above.

[0044] (Movement of the second mobile object) The unmanned vehicle, the second mobile unit 10B, moves according to a set path. That is, the movement control unit 112 of the second mobile unit 10B moves the second mobile unit 10B according to the path acquired by the path acquisition unit 110. More specifically, in this embodiment, it is preferable that the path acquisition unit 110 sets a second path (global path) based on a first path (layout path) which is a path acquired from the information processing device 14. In this case, the path acquisition unit 110 sets the second path based on the first path and information on the vehicle specifications of the second mobile unit 10B. Information on vehicle specifications refers to specifications that affect the paths that the second mobile unit 10B can move, such as the size of the second mobile unit 10B and the minimum turning radius. The second path, like the first path, is a path that leads to the target position. More specifically, the second path is a path that the second mobile unit 10B can follow and that reaches the target position.

[0045] The movement control unit 112 moves the second mobile body 10B along a set path (the second path in this embodiment) by sequentially grasping the position information of the second mobile body 10B. The method for acquiring the position information of the second mobile body 10B is arbitrary, but for example, in this embodiment, a detection body (not shown) is provided on the equipment W, and the movement control unit 112 acquires information on the position and orientation of the second mobile body 10B based on the detection of the detection body. Specifically, the second mobile body 10B irradiates laser light toward the detection body and receives the reflected light of the laser light from the detection body to detect its own position and orientation on the equipment W. The method for acquiring information on the position and orientation of the second mobile body 10B is not limited to using a detection body, and for example, SLAM (Simultaneous Localization And Mapping) may be used.

[0046] The second mobile body 10B acquires second mobile body information via the movement control unit 112. The second mobile body information includes information including the position of the second mobile body 10B, and preferably includes information including the position, orientation (direction), and velocity of the second mobile body 10B. The movement control unit 112 acquires the second mobile body information sequentially. In this embodiment, the movement control unit 112 acquires the second mobile body information sequentially while the second mobile body 10B is moving along a set path (the second path in this example). The method for acquiring the second mobile body information is arbitrary, but for example, the position and orientation may be acquired using a detection device or SLAM as described above, and the velocity may be detected by a velocity sensor provided on the second mobile body 10B.

[0047] The information transmission unit 114 of the second mobile body 10B transmits the second mobile body information to the information processing device 14. That is, the mobile body information acquisition unit 62 of the information processing device 14 sequentially acquires the second mobile body information from the second mobile body 10B.

[0048] (Movement of the first mobile object) The first mobile vehicle 10A, which is a manned vehicle, moves according to the operation of the driver U. The first mobile vehicle 10A moves along a path corresponding to the operation of the driver U. For example, the driver U may grasp the information of the destination location of the first mobile vehicle 10A, which has been set by the management device 12 and the information processing device 14, and move the first mobile vehicle 10A toward that destination location. In this embodiment, the path of the first mobile vehicle 10A does not need to be set in advance by the information processing device 14.

[0049] (Setting up the first domain) Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of setting the first region of the first mobile body. The first mobile body 10A acquires first mobile body information via the information transmission unit 96. The first mobile body information includes information including the position and speed of the first mobile body 10A, and preferably includes information including the position, attitude (orientation), and speed of the first mobile body 10A. The information transmission unit 96 acquires the first mobile body information sequentially. In this embodiment, the information transmission unit 96 acquires the first mobile body information sequentially while the first mobile body 10A is moving according to the operation of the driver U. The method of acquiring the first mobile body information is arbitrary, but for example, the position and attitude may be acquired using a detection device or SLAM, similar to the second mobile body 10B, and the speed may be detected by a speed sensor provided on the first mobile body 10A.

[0050] The information transmission unit 96 of the first mobile body 10A transmits the first mobile body information to the information processing device 14. That is, the mobile body information acquisition unit 62 of the information processing device 14 acquires the first mobile body information from the first mobile body 10A.

[0051] The area setting unit 64 of the information processing device 14 sets a first area AR1 around the first mobile object 10A based on the first mobile object information. The first area AR1 is an area set around the first mobile object 10A and is an area where entry by unmanned vehicles is prohibited. Based on the first mobile object information, the area setting unit 64 sets the first area AR1 to include an area that the first mobile object 10A may reach before coming to a stop, assuming that the first mobile object 10A starts decelerating from its current position (the position indicated by the first mobile object information). Preferably, the area setting unit 64 sets the first area AR1 based on the vehicle specifications information of the first mobile object 10A (such as the size and performance of the first mobile object 10A) in addition to the first mobile object information.

[0052] The method for setting the first area AR1 may be arbitrary. However, in the present embodiment, the area setting unit 64 calculates a first length LY1, a second length LX1, and a position O1 based on the first moving body information and the vehicle specification information, and sets an elliptical area with the first length LY1 as the major axis and the second length LX1 as the minor axis centered on the position O1 as the first area AR1. The position O1 is the position where it is assumed that the first moving body 10A starts to decelerate. The first length LY1 is the distance in the traveling direction of the first moving body 10A that the first moving body 10A may move from when it starts to decelerate until it stops. The second length LX1 is the distance in the direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the first moving body 10A that the first moving body 10A may move until it stops. For example, the area setting unit 64 calculates the distance LO1 from the current position of the first moving body 10A to the position O1 based on the following formula (1), calculates the first length LY1 based on the following formula (2), and calculates the second length LX1 based on the following formula (3). The position O1 is a position that is separated from the current position of the first moving body 10A by a distance LO1 on the traveling direction side of the first moving body 10A.

[0053] LO1 = v s ·t d + v s 2 / (2·D max ) ···(1)

[0054] LY1 = L l + LO1 + L om + 2·E ···(2)

[0055] LX1 = 4·L v + 2·E + L vm ···(3)

[0056] The v in formula (1) s is the value represented by the following formula (4), and is a value considering that the driver U accelerates until applying the brake.

[0057] v s = min(V max , v t + A max (t d+t w )) ···(4)

[0058] Here, v t This is the velocity of the first mobile object 10A as indicated by the first mobile object information, and V max This is the maximum speed of the first mobile body 10A, and A max This is the maximum acceleration of the first moving body 10A, and D max This is the maximum deceleration of the first moving body 10A, and t d The driver U This is the delay before issuing a deceleration command, t w L is the delay from the time the deceleration command is received until the first mobile unit 10A mechanically begins to decelerate from acceleration. v L is half the width of the first moving body 10A (length in the direction perpendicular to the direction of motion), and l is the length of the first moving body 10A (length in the direction of travel), E is the recognition error, and L om L is the value of the elliptic approximation in the direction of propagation. vm This is the elliptical approximation value in the direction perpendicular to the direction of motion. Note that V max , A max , D max , t d , t w , L v , L l The value of E is pre-set as part of the vehicle specifications.

[0059] The information processing device 14 sequentially acquires information about the first mobile object, and each time it acquires information about the first mobile object, it sets (updates) the first area AR1 of the first mobile object 10A. Note that the entity that sets the first area AR1 of the first mobile object 10A is not limited to the information processing device 14. For example, the first mobile object 10A itself may set the first area AR1. Also, the entity that sets the second area AR2 and the third area AR3, described later, is not limited to the information processing device 14, but can be any entity; for example, the first mobile object 10A may set them.

[0060] (Decision to stop the second moving object) As described above, in this embodiment, the first mobile body 10A moves while the first region AR1 is updated, and the second mobile body 10B moves according to the set path. The stop command unit 66 of the information processing device 14 determines whether to stop the movement of the second mobile body 10B based on the position information of the first region AR1 of the first mobile body 10A and the second mobile body information of the second mobile body 10B, in order to suppress interference between the first mobile body 10A and the second mobile body 10B. The stop command unit 66 determines to stop the second mobile body 10B if the current position of the second mobile body 10B (the position indicated by the second mobile body information) is within a predetermined distance range from the first region AR1 of the first mobile body 10A (preferably when the current position of the second mobile body 10B is within the first region AR1). On the other hand, the stop command unit 66 determines not to stop the second mobile body 10B if the current position of the second mobile body 10B is not within a predetermined distance range from the first region AR1 of the first mobile body 10A (preferably when the current position of the second mobile body 10B is outside the first region AR1).

[0061] If the stop command unit 66 determines that the second mobile unit 10B should be stopped, it transmits a stop command to the second mobile unit 10B indicating that the second mobile unit 10B should be stopped. Upon receiving the stop command, the movement control unit 112 of the second mobile unit 10B stops the second mobile unit 10B. If the stop command unit 66 determines that the second mobile unit 10B should not be stopped, it does not transmit a stop command and does not stop the second mobile unit 10B.

[0062] (Deadlock between the first mobile unit and the second mobile unit) Here, if the second mobile body 10B is located on the direction of travel of the first mobile body 10A, the driver U of the first mobile body 10A may stop the first mobile body 10A to avoid interference with the second mobile body 10B. On the other hand, as described above, when the second mobile body 10B approaches the first region AR1 of the first mobile body 10A, it stops to avoid interference with the first mobile body 10A. Therefore, for example, in cases where the second mobile body 10B is located on the direction of travel of the first mobile body 10A, and the first mobile body 10A is located on the direction of travel of the second mobile body 10B, there is a risk of a deadlock occurring as both are unable to move while stopped. In the example in Figure 7, the second mobile body 10B is located at waypoint WP1 and moving toward waypoint WP2, and the first mobile body 10A is located at waypoint WP2 and moving toward waypoint WP1. Furthermore, since waypoint WP1 is within the first region AR1 of the first mobile body 10A, the second mobile body 10B is stopped. In this case, the driver U of the first mobile body 10A cannot proceed to waypoint WP1 because the second mobile body 10B is in the way, and will keep the first mobile body 10A stopped at that position until the second mobile body 10B moves. On the other hand, the second mobile body 10B will also be stopped at that position until the first mobile body 10A moves, resulting in a deadlock. A deadlock between the first mobile body 10A and the second mobile body 10B may also occur in other cases.

[0063] In contrast, in this embodiment, when the second mobile unit 10B stops, a retreat command is notified to the driver U of the first mobile unit 10A, prompting the driver U of the first mobile unit 10A to move to another location. As a result, the first mobile unit 10A moves away from the second mobile unit 10B, allowing the second mobile unit 10B to resume movement, thus resolving the deadlock that has occurred or preventing the occurrence of a deadlock. The specific process will be described below.

[0064] (Notification of evacuation order) The evacuation command unit 68 of the information processing device 14 notifies the driver U of the first mobile unit 10A of the evacuation command after the second mobile unit 10B has stopped following the transmission of the stop command. The evacuation command is a command to move the first mobile unit 10A to another location. The trigger for determining whether to notify the evacuation command can be arbitrary. For example, the evacuation command unit 68 may decide to output an evacuation command if, after transmitting a stop command to the second mobile unit 10B, the second mobile unit information received from the second mobile unit 10B indicates that the second mobile unit 10B has stopped (for example, if its speed is zero). Alternatively, the evacuation command unit 68 may decide to output an evacuation command if the second mobile unit 10B has stopped due to a deadlock. The criteria for determining whether a deadlock has occurred may be arbitrary, but for example, the evacuation command unit 68 may determine that a deadlock has occurred and output an evacuation command if the second mobile unit 10B remains stopped for a predetermined time or longer after transmitting a stop command (for example, if the second mobile unit information indicates that it is stopped for a predetermined time or longer).

[0065] The evacuation command unit 68 may notify the driver U of the evacuation command by any means. For example, the evacuation command unit 68 may transmit the evacuation command to a terminal carried by the driver U or to the first mobile unit 10A, causing the terminal or the first mobile unit 10A to output the evacuation command. The method of outputting the evacuation command here is arbitrary; for example, an image or sound indicating the evacuation command may be output. That is, for example, an image indicating the evacuation command may be displayed on a display mounted on the terminal carried by the driver U or to the first mobile unit 10A, or sound indicating the evacuation command may be output to a speaker mounted on the terminal carried by the driver U or to the first mobile unit 10A. Alternatively, for example, the evacuation command may be output to a display or speaker provided in the equipment W.

[0066] (Setting the evacuation location) The evacuation command unit 68 may set an evacuation position, which is the destination for the first mobile body 10A. The evacuation command unit 68 may set any position as the evacuation position, but it is preferable to set the evacuation position based on the current position and destination of the second mobile body, and more specifically, based on the current position and path of the second mobile body 10B. It is preferable that the evacuation command unit 68 sets an evacuation position at a position that is far from the section of the path of the second mobile body 10B from the current position to the destination (target position) of the second mobile body 10B.

[0067] Alternatively, the evacuation command unit 68 may set an evacuation position based on at least one of the first mobile body information and the destination of the first mobile body 10A. In this case, for example, the evacuation command unit 68 may calculate a position (preferably the closest position) that is within a predetermined distance from the current position of the first mobile body 10A, among positions that are far from the section from the current position of the second mobile body 10B to the destination (target position), based on the first mobile body information, and set that position as the evacuation destination. Alternatively, the evacuation command unit 68 may calculate a position that is far from the section from the current position of the second mobile body 10B to the destination (target position), among positions that overlap with the path connecting the current position of the first mobile body 10A and the destination, based on the current position and destination of the first mobile body 10A, and set that position as the evacuation destination. Furthermore, information about the destination of the first mobile unit 10A may be acquired at will. For example, information about the destination entered into the second mobile unit 10B by the driver U of the first mobile unit 10A may be transmitted, or the destination indicated by the work content of the first mobile unit 10A may be acquired.

[0068] The evacuation command unit 68 notifies the driver U of the first mobile unit 10A of the information of the evacuation position set in this manner, along with the evacuation command. The method of notifying the evacuation position may be arbitrary. For example, the driver U may output an image or sound indicating the evacuation position to a terminal carried by the driver U or to a display or speaker mounted on the first mobile unit 10A. Alternatively, for example, the first mobile unit 10A may be equipped with a light source that illuminates the road surface on the direction of travel, and the light source may illuminate a light indicating the evacuation position. In this case, for example, the light source may illuminate an arrow-shaped light indicating the direction to the evacuation position. Alternatively, for example, light sources (lamps) may be provided at each position of the equipment W, and the evacuation position may be notified by turning on the light source located near the evacuation position. Alternatively, for example, the driver U may be wearing an HMD (Head Mount Display), and the HMD may display an AR (Au) indicating the evacuation position. gm An ented reality image (for example, an arrow indicating the direction to an evacuation position) may be superimposed on the road surface.

[0069] The trigger for setting the evacuation position is arbitrary. For example, the decision to set the evacuation position may be made when it is determined that an evacuation command should be issued. Alternatively, for example, the decision to set the evacuation position may be made when a request to indicate the evacuation position is received from the driver U of the first mobile unit 10A after an evacuation command has been issued. The request to indicate the evacuation position may be received by any method; for example, it may be received from a terminal carried by the driver U or entered into the first mobile unit 10A. However, setting the evacuation position is not mandatory, and the driver U may move the first mobile unit 10A toward an evacuation destination of their own choosing without setting an evacuation position.

[0070] (Acquisition of evacuation completion information) Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the evacuation of the first mobile unit. When the driver U of the first mobile unit 10A receives an evacuation command, he moves the first mobile unit 10A from its current position to the evacuation destination (in this example, the set evacuation position). After the driver U has moved the first mobile unit 10A to the evacuation destination, he stops the first mobile unit 10A at the evacuation destination. The driver U then notifies the information processing device 14 of the evacuation completion information, indicating that the first mobile unit 10A has stopped at the evacuation destination. As a result, the evacuation information acquisition unit 70 of the information processing device 14 acquires the evacuation completion information.

[0071] The method for obtaining information on the completion of evacuation is arbitrary. For example, when a terminal carried by the driver U or a display mounted on the first mobile unit 10A receives an evacuation command, it may display an image prompting the driver to input that evacuation is complete. In this case, once the driver U has completed the evacuation and stopped, they may input that evacuation is complete on the display (touch panel) showing the image, and the terminal or the first mobile unit 10A may transmit the evacuation completion information to the information processing device 14. Alternatively, for example, the steering wheel of the first mobile unit 10A may be equipped with a sensor (e.g., a pressure sensor) that detects whether the driver U is holding the steering wheel, and when the sensor detects that the driver U is not holding the steering wheel, the first mobile unit 10A may transmit the evacuation completion information to the information processing device 14. Alternatively, for example, a sensor (for example, a pressure sensor installed in the driver U's seat) is provided in the location where the driver U sits on the first mobile body 10A to detect whether the driver U is on board. If the sensor detects that the driver U is not on board, the first mobile body 10A may transmit evacuation completion information to the information processing device 14. Alternatively, for example, the trigger may be when the driver U turns off the power to the first mobile body 10A. In this case, for example, the information processing device 14 may acquire as evacuation completion information that the power to the first mobile body 10A has been turned off and that the first mobile body 10A is in the evacuation position in the immediately preceding first mobile body information. Alternatively, for example, the information processing device 14 may acquire as evacuation completion information that the first mobile body information indicates that the first mobile body 10A is in the evacuation position. In this case, the information processing device 14 may output a command to the movement control unit 98 of the first mobile body 10A to stop, thereby automatically stopping the first mobile body 10A and making it impossible to start it even by the driver U's operation.

[0072] Once the information confirming the completion of the evacuation is obtained, the stop command unit 66 of the information processing device 14 transmits a stop release command to the second mobile body 10B to release the stop of the second mobile body 10B. Upon receiving the stop release command, the movement control unit 112 of the second mobile body 10B resumes the movement of the second mobile body 10B. This allows the second mobile body 10B to move to the target position without being obstructed by the first mobile body 10A. In the example in Figure 8, the first mobile body 10A has stopped at waypoint WP3, the evacuation destination, and the information confirming the completion of the evacuation has been obtained. Therefore, the second mobile body 10B receives the stop release command and resumes its movement from waypoint WP1 to waypoint WP2. Note that the trigger for transmitting the stop release command, that is, the trigger for resuming the movement of the second mobile body 10B, is not limited to the acquisition of the evacuation completion information (the first mobile body 10A stopping at its destination). For example, after outputting a stop command, the stop command unit 66 may transmit a stop release command to the second mobile body 10B if the current position of the second mobile body 10B falls outside a predetermined distance range from the first region AR1 of the first mobile body 10A (for example, if the current position of the second mobile body 10B falls outside the first region AR1).

[0073] (Setting up the second domain) When the information processing device 14 receives information that the evacuation is complete, the area setting unit 64 sets the second area AR2 of the first mobile body 10A. The second area AR2 is an area set around the first mobile body 10A (i.e., around the evacuation destination) and is an area where entry by unmanned vehicles is prohibited. In other words, when the evacuation is complete, the area setting unit 64 switches the protective area where entry by unmanned vehicles is prohibited from the first area AR1 to the second area AR2. Therefore, similar to the first region AR1, the stop command unit 66 stops the second mobile body 10B, which is an unmanned vehicle, if its current position (the position indicated by the second mobile body information) is within a predetermined distance range from the second region AR2 (preferably when the current position of the second mobile body 10B is within the second region AR2), and does not stop the second mobile body 10B if it is not within a predetermined distance range from the second region AR2 (preferably when the current position of the second mobile body 10B is outside the second region AR2).

[0074] The area setting unit 64 sets the second area AR2 such that its area is smaller than the area of ​​the first area AR1. Preferably, the area setting unit 64 sets the second area AR2 such that its area is smaller than the area of ​​the first area AR1 and larger than or equal to the size of the first mobile body 10A, based on the vehicle specifications information of the first mobile body 10A. More specifically, it is preferable that the area setting unit 64 sets the second area AR2 such that the length of the second area AR2 in the direction of travel of the first mobile body 10A is shorter than the length of the first area AR1 in the direction of travel of the first mobile body 10A.

[0075] The method for setting the second region AR2 may be arbitrary, but in this embodiment, the region setting unit 64 calculates the first length LY2, the second length LX2, and the position O2 based on the position information of the evacuation destination of the first mobile body 10A (the current position of the first mobile body 10A) and the vehicle specification information, and sets an elliptical region with position O2 as the center, the first length LY2 as the major axis, and the second length LX2 as the minor axis, as the second region AR2. Position O2 is the position corresponding to the evacuation destination of the first mobile body 10A (for example, the position of the evacuation destination). The first length LY2 is the length corresponding to the length of the first mobile body 10A in the direction of travel. The second length LX2 is the length corresponding to the width of the first mobile body 10A. For example, the region setting unit 64 calculates the first length LY2 based on the following equation (5) and calculates the second length LX2 based on the following equation (6). Note that position O2 may be the destination where the first mobile body 10A retreats (the current position of the first mobile body 10A).

[0076] LY2=L l +2·E ···(5)

[0077] LX2 = 4·L v +2·E ···(6)

[0078] Thus, once the area setting unit 64 receives information that the evacuation is complete, that is, once it is confirmed that the first mobile object 10A has stopped at the evacuation destination, it reduces the protective area that prohibits the entry of unmanned vehicles from the first area AR1 to the second area AR2. This suppresses interference with the movement of other unmanned vehicles caused by the first mobile object 10A moving to the evacuation destination. In other words, in the example shown in Figure 8, another second mobile object 10B (unmanned vehicle) is attempting to move from waypoint WP4 to waypoint WP5. In this case, for example, if the protective area of ​​the first mobile object 10A, which has stopped at waypoint WP3, the evacuation destination, remains the first area AR1, the section between waypoint WP4 and waypoint WP5 will be located within the first area AR1, and the second mobile object 10B will stop. In contrast, by reducing the protective area of ​​the first mobile object 10A, which has stopped at waypoint WP3, to the second area AR2, the section between waypoint WP4 and waypoint WP5 does not overlap with the second area AR2, allowing the second mobile object 10B to continue moving.

[0079] Furthermore, after setting the second region AR2, the first movement of the first mobile body 10A body If it indicates that information is moving (for example, if the speed is greater than zero), the region setting unit 64 sets the first region AR1 and returns the protected region from the second region AR2 to the first region AR1.

[0080] (Setting the third domain) It is preferable for the area setting unit 64 of the information processing device 14 to also set a third area AR3 as a protected area. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of setting a third area. The area setting unit 64 sets the third area AR3 if the first mobile information indicates that the first mobile 10A is stopped (for example, if the speed of the first mobile 10A is zero) after notifying the evacuation command but before acquiring the evacuation completion information. Furthermore, the area setting unit 64 switches the protected area that prohibits entry of unmanned vehicles from the first area AR1 to the third area AR3 if the evacuation command has been output and the first mobile 10A is stopped at the evacuation destination (for example, if the position indicated by the first mobile information is the evacuation destination and the speed is zero). Therefore, similar to the first region AR1, the stop command unit 66 stops the second mobile body 10B, which is an unmanned vehicle, when its current position is within a predetermined distance range from the third region AR3 (preferably when the current position of the second mobile body 10B is within the third region AR3), and does not stop the second mobile body 10B when it is not within a predetermined distance range from the third region AR3 (preferably when the current position of the second mobile body 10B is outside the third region AR3).

[0081] The area setting unit 64 sets the third area AR3 such that its area is smaller than the area of ​​the first area AR1 and larger than the area of ​​the second area AR2. Preferably, the area setting unit 64 sets the third area AR3 such that its area is smaller than the area of ​​the first area AR1 and larger than the area of ​​the second area AR2, based on the vehicle specifications information of the first mobile body 10A. More specifically, it is preferable that the area setting unit 64 sets the third area AR3 such that its length in the direction of travel of the first mobile body 10A is shorter than the length of the first area AR1 in the direction of travel of the first mobile body 10A and longer than the length of the second area AR2 in the direction of travel of the first mobile body 10A. Furthermore, it is preferable for the region setting unit 64 to set the third region AR3 such that the length of the third region AR3 in the direction opposite to the direction of travel of the first moving body 10A is longer than the length of the first region AR1 in the direction opposite to the direction of travel, and also longer than the length of the second region AR2 in the direction opposite to the direction of travel. By making the length of the third region AR3 in the direction opposite to the direction of travel longer in this way, interference with other moving bodies 10 can be suppressed even if the first moving body 10A suddenly starts moving in the opposite direction.

[0082] The method for setting the third region AR3 is arbitrary, but in this embodiment, the region setting unit 64 calculates a first length LY3, a second length LX3, and a position O3 based on the first mobile body information and vehicle specification information, and sets an elliptical region with position O3 as the center, the first length LY3 as the major axis, and the second length LX3 as the minor axis, as the third region AR3. Position O3 is the position corresponding to the current position of the first mobile body 10A. The first length LY3 is the distance in the direction of travel of the first mobile body 10A that it may move from the time it resumes moving until it stops. The second length LX3 is the distance in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the first mobile body 10A that it may move from the time it resumes moving until it stops. For example, the area setting unit 64 calculates the distance LO3 from the current position of the first moving body 10A to position O3 based on the following equation (7), calculates the first length LY3 based on the following equation (8), and calculates the second length LX3 based on the following equation (9). Position O3 is a position located a distance LO3 away from the current position of the first moving body 10A in the direction of travel of the first moving body 10A.

[0083] LO3=v s ·t d +v s 2 / (2·D max ) ···(7)

[0084] LY3=L l +2·LO3+L om +2·E ···(8)

[0085] LX3 = 4·L v +2·E+L vm ...(9)

[0086] v in equation (7) s This is the value shown in equation (10) below, and it takes into account that the driver U is accelerating. However, v in equation (10) t It is zero.

[0087] v s =min(V max ,v t+A max (t d +t w )) ···(10)

[0088] Although the first mobile unit 10A is stopped, before the information confirming the completion of evacuation is acquired, that is, before the driver U has confirmed that it has stopped, there is a possibility that the first mobile unit 10A may resume movement. In such a case, if the protective area is set to the second area AR2, there is a risk that the first mobile unit 10A may resume movement and interfere with an unmanned vehicle approaching the second area AR2. In contrast, in such a case, by setting the third area AR3, which is wider than the second area AR2, interference with the unmanned vehicle can be suppressed. Furthermore, by making the third area AR3 narrower than the first area AR1, interference with the movement of the unmanned vehicle can be suppressed without making the protective area too wide. In other words, by setting the third area AR3 in this way, interference with the unmanned vehicle can be suppressed without interfering with the movement of other unmanned vehicles as much as possible.

[0089] Furthermore, after switching to the third area AR3, if evacuation completion information is acquired, the area setting unit 64 sets the second area AR2, and switches the protective area that prohibits entry of unmanned vehicles from the third area AR3 to the second area AR2. On the other hand, after switching to the third area AR3, the first movement of the first mobile body 10A body If it indicates that information is moving (for example, if the speed is greater than zero), the region setting unit 64 sets the first region AR1 and returns the protected region from the third region AR3 to the first region AR1.

[0090] (Processing flow) The following describes the processing flow of the movement control system 1 as explained above. Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the movement control system. The information processing device 14, using the movement information acquisition unit 62, sequentially acquires information on the first movement body 10A and the second movement body 10B, and the area setting unit 64 sequentially updates and sets the first area AR1 of the first movement body 10A. As shown in Figure 10, the information processing device 14, using the stop command unit 66, determines whether the second movement body 10B is within a predetermined distance range from the first area AR1 of the first movement body 10A (step S10). If it is not within the predetermined distance range (step S10; No), it moves to step S26. On the other hand, if the second movement body 10B is within a predetermined distance range from the first area AR1 (step S10; Yes), the stop command unit 66 sends a stop command to the second movement body 10B (step S12) to stop the movement of the second movement body 10B. Furthermore, the information processing device 14 sets an evacuation position using the evacuation command unit 68 and notifies the driver U of the first mobile unit 10A of the evacuation command and the evacuation position (step S14). After that, the driver U moves the first mobile unit 10A to the evacuation position and stops the first mobile unit 10A. After notifying the evacuation command, the information processing device 14 determines whether the first mobile unit 10A has stopped based on the first mobile unit information (step S16). If it has not stopped (step S16; No), it returns to step S16. If it has stopped (step S16; Yes), it sets the third area AR3 (step S18) and switches the protective area to the third area AR3. After that, when the information processing device 14 obtains evacuation completion information indicating that the first mobile unit 10A has stopped at the evacuation destination (step S20; Yes), it sets the second area AR2 (step S22) and switches the protective area to the second area AR2. If the evacuation completion information is not acquired (Step S20; No), the process returns to Step S20. Also, once the information processing device 14 has set the second area AR2, it outputs a stop release command to the second mobile body 10B (Step S24), causing the second mobile body 10B to resume movement. Afterward, the process moves to Step S26. If the process is not terminated (Step S26; No), the process returns to Step S10. If the process is terminated (Step S26; Yes), the process is terminated.

[0091] (effect) As described above, the method for controlling a mobile body according to the first aspect of this disclosure includes the steps of: acquiring first mobile body information including the position and speed of a first mobile body 10A which is a manned vehicle; setting a first area AR1 around the first mobile body 10A that prohibits the entry of unmanned vehicles based on the first mobile body information; acquiring second mobile body information including the position of a second mobile body 10B which is an unmanned vehicle; and determining that the position of the second mobile body 10B indicated by the second mobile body information is a predetermined distance from the first area AR1. The present invention includes the steps of: stopping the second mobile unit 10B if it is within the separation range; notifying the driver U of the first mobile unit 10A of an evacuation command to move to another location when the second mobile unit 10B has stopped; obtaining evacuation completion information indicating that the first mobile unit 10A has stopped at the evacuation destination; and, once the evacuation completion information has been obtained, setting a second area AR2 around the first mobile unit 10A that prohibits the entry of unmanned vehicles, so that it is narrower than the first area AR1. According to this disclosure, when the second mobile unit 10B has stopped, an evacuation command is output to the first mobile unit 10A, prompting the driver U of the first mobile unit 10A to move to another location. As a result, the first mobile unit 10A moves away from the second mobile unit 10B, and the second mobile unit 10B can resume movement, thereby appropriately resolving or suppressing a deadlock. Furthermore, once evacuation completion information is obtained, the protected area can be reduced from the first area AR1 to the second area AR2, thereby preventing the first mobile unit 10A from interfering with the movement of other unmanned vehicles when it moves to the evacuation site.

[0092] A control method for a moving body according to a second aspect of this disclosure is the control method according to the first aspect, wherein the length of the second region AR2 in the direction of travel of the first moving body 10A is shorter than that of the first region AR1. By setting the second region AR2 in this way, interference with the movement of other unmanned vehicles can be effectively suppressed.

[0093] A control method for a mobile body according to a third aspect of this disclosure is a control method according to the first or second aspect, further comprising the step of setting a third area AR3 around the first mobile body 10A to prohibit the entry of unmanned vehicles, which is narrower than the first area AR1 and wider than the second area AR2, when the first mobile body information indicates that the first mobile body 10A is stopped after a retreat command has been notified but before information on the completion of retreat has been obtained. By setting the third area AR3 in this way, interference with unmanned vehicles can be suppressed without interfering with the movement of other unmanned vehicles as much as possible.

[0094] A control method for a moving body according to a fourth aspect of this disclosure is a control method according to a third aspect, wherein the length of the third region AR3 in the direction of travel of the first moving body 10A is shorter than that of the first region AR1 and longer than that of the second region AR2. By setting the third region AR3 in this way, interference with other unmanned vehicles can be suppressed without interfering with the movement of other unmanned vehicles as much as possible.

[0095] A control method for a moving body according to a fifth aspect of this disclosure is a control method according to a fourth aspect, wherein the length of the third region AR3 in the direction opposite to the direction of travel of the first moving body 10A is longer than that of the first region AR1 and the second region AR2. By setting the third region AR3 in this way, interference with other unmanned vehicles can be suppressed without interfering with the movement of other unmanned vehicles as much as possible.

[0096] A control method for a moving body according to the sixth aspect of this disclosure is a control method according to any of the first to fifth aspects, further comprising the steps of: setting a retraction position for the first moving body 10A based on the position and destination of the second moving body 10B when the second moving body 10B stops; and notifying the driver U of the first moving body 10A of information indicating the retraction position. By setting a retraction position, the first moving body 10A can be moved to a position where it can appropriately avoid the second moving body 10B, thereby appropriately resolving or suppressing a deadlock.

[0097] A control method for a mobile body according to the seventh aspect of this disclosure is a control method according to the sixth aspect, wherein in the step of setting a retraction position, the retraction position is set based on at least one of the first mobile body information and the destination of the first mobile body. By setting the retraction position based on the information of the first mobile body 10A, a position convenient for the first mobile body 10A can also be set as the retraction position.

[0098] A program according to the eighth aspect of this disclosure includes the steps of: acquiring first mobile information including the position and speed of a first mobile body 10A which is a manned vehicle; setting a first area AR1 around the first mobile body 10A based on the first mobile information, which prohibits the entry of unmanned vehicles; acquiring second mobile information including the position of a second mobile body 10B which is an unmanned vehicle; and if the position of the second mobile body 10B indicated by the second mobile information is within a predetermined distance range from the first area AR1, The computer is instructed to perform the following steps: stop the second mobile unit 10B; when the second mobile unit 10B stops, notify the driver U of the first mobile unit 10A of an evacuation command to move to another location; obtain evacuation completion information indicating that the first mobile unit 10A has stopped at the evacuation destination; and, once the evacuation completion information is obtained, set a second area AR2 around the first mobile unit 10A to be narrower than the first area AR1, which prohibits the entry of unmanned vehicles. According to this disclosure, deadlocks can be appropriately resolved or suppressed, and interference with the movement of other unmanned vehicles can be suppressed.

[0099] The information processing device 14 according to the ninth aspect of this disclosure includes: a mobile body information acquisition unit 62 that acquires first mobile body information including the position and speed of a first mobile body 10A which is a manned vehicle, and second mobile body information including the position of a second mobile body 10B which is an unmanned vehicle; an area setting unit 64 that sets a first area AR1 around the first mobile body 10A based on the first mobile body information, prohibiting the entry of unmanned vehicles; a stop command unit 66 that stops the second mobile body 10B when the position of the second mobile body 10B indicated by the second mobile body information is within a predetermined distance range from the first area AR1; an evacuation command unit 68 that notifies the driver U of the first mobile body 10A of an evacuation command to evacuate to another location when the second mobile body 10B has stopped; and an evacuation information acquisition unit 70 that acquires evacuation completion information indicating that the first mobile body 10A has stopped at the evacuation destination. When the area setting unit 64 receives information that the evacuation is complete, it sets a second area AR2 around the first mobile body 10A to be narrower than the first area AR1, prohibiting the entry of unmanned vehicles. According to this disclosure, deadlocks can be appropriately resolved or suppressed, and interference with the movement of other unmanned vehicles can be suppressed.

[0100] Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the embodiments are not limited to those described herein. Furthermore, the aforementioned components include those that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those that fall within the so-called equivalent range. Moreover, the aforementioned components can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the components can be made without departing from the gist of the embodiments described above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0101] 10 Mobile Units 10A First Mobile Unit 10B 2nd mobile object 12 Management device 14 Information Processing Devices 62 Mobile object information acquisition unit 64 Area setting section 66 Stop command section 68 Evacuation Command Department 70 Evacuation Information Acquisition Unit AR1 1st area AR2, Second Domain AR3, Third Domain

Claims

1. The steps include acquiring information about the first mobile object, which is a manned vehicle, including its position and speed, Based on the first mobile object information, a first area is set around the first mobile object where entry by unmanned vehicles is prohibited; The steps include acquiring information about the second mobile object, which is an unmanned vehicle, including its position, The steps include stopping the second moving object if the position of the second moving object, as indicated by the second moving object information, is within a predetermined distance range from the first region, When the second mobile unit stops, the driver of the first mobile unit is notified of an evacuation command to move the first mobile unit to another location. The steps include obtaining information indicating that the first mobile object has stopped at the evacuation destination, The step of obtaining the evacuation completion information and then setting a second area around the first mobile body to prohibit the entry of unmanned vehicles, such that the area is smaller than the first area, is included. A method for controlling a moving object.

2. The method for controlling a moving body according to claim 1, wherein the length of the second region in the direction of travel of the first moving body is shorter than that of the first region.

3. A method for controlling a mobile body according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising the step of setting a third area around the first mobile body to be narrower than the first area and wider than the second area, if the first mobile body information indicates that the first mobile body is stopped after the evacuation command has been notified but before the evacuation completion information has been obtained.

4. The method for controlling a moving body according to claim 3, wherein the length of the third region in the direction of travel of the first moving body is shorter than that of the first region and longer than that of the second region.

5. The method for controlling a moving body according to claim 4, wherein the length of the third region in the direction opposite to the direction of travel of the first moving body is longer than that of the first region and the second region.

6. When the second moving body stops, the steps include setting the retraction position of the first moving body based on the position and destination of the second moving body, A method for controlling a mobile body according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising the step of notifying the driver of the first mobile body of information indicating the retraction position.

7. The method for controlling a mobile body according to claim 6, wherein in the step of setting the retraction position, the retraction position is set based on at least one of the first mobile body information and the destination of the first mobile body.

8. The steps include acquiring information about the first mobile object, which is a manned vehicle, including its position and speed, Based on the first mobile object information, a first area is set around the first mobile object where entry by unmanned vehicles is prohibited; The steps include acquiring information about the second mobile object, which is an unmanned vehicle, including its position, The steps include stopping the second moving object if the position of the second moving object, as indicated by the second moving object information, is within a predetermined distance range from the first region, When the second mobile unit stops, the driver of the first mobile unit is notified of an evacuation command to move the first mobile unit to another location. The steps include obtaining information indicating that the first mobile object has stopped at the evacuation destination, Once the evacuation completion information is obtained, the computer is instructed to perform the following steps: set a second area around the first mobile body to be smaller than the first area, in which entry of unmanned vehicles is prohibited. program.

9. A mobile body information acquisition unit acquires first mobile body information, including the position and speed of a first mobile body which is a manned vehicle, and second mobile body information, including the position of a second mobile body which is an unmanned vehicle. A region setting unit sets a first region around the first mobile object based on the first mobile object information, in which entry by unmanned vehicles is prohibited. A stop command unit that stops the second moving object when the position of the second moving object, as indicated by the second moving object information, is within a predetermined distance range from the first region, When the second mobile unit stops, the evacuation command unit notifies the driver of the first mobile unit of an evacuation command to move the first mobile unit to another location, Includes an evacuation information acquisition unit that acquires evacuation completion information indicating that the first mobile body has stopped at the evacuation destination, When the area setting unit obtains the evacuation completion information, it sets a second area around the first mobile body to prohibit the entry of unmanned vehicles, such that the second area is narrower than the first area. Information processing device.

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