Automatic cleaning system

Abstract

To provide an automatic cleaning system which is capable of cleaning a vehicle automatically without requiring a person.SOLUTION: An automatic cleaning system 1 includes a cleaning module 50 which controls a cleaning device 80 for cleaning the inside or the outside of a vehicle 10, a washer module 60 which controls a washer device 90 for washing the outside of the vehicle 10 and a cleaning washer managing device 30 which communicates with each of the cleaning module 50 and the washer module 60. Therein, the cleaning washer managing device 30 includes a cleaning washer control part 31, and the cleaning washer control part 31 controls the cleaning module 50 and the washer module 60 and, thereby, causes the cleaning washer control part to perform such a cleaning processing as to cause the cleaning device 80 to clean the inside of the vehicle 10 and the outside of the vehicle 10, and such a washing processing as to cause the washer device 90 to wash the vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an automatic cleaning system.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for transmitting vehicle cleaning information related to cleaning of a vehicle to a user terminal used by a vehicle user or a maintenance management server that manages maintenance of the vehicle according to the dirt condition in the vehicle interior of the vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in Patent Document 1, when it is determined that cleaning of the vehicle is necessary, manned work by an operator such as a maintenance company is required. For this reason, in businesses such as car sharing and car rental, when it is possible to lend a vehicle to a user in a clean state 24 hours a day, it is necessary to station work staff for cleaning and the like, and it has been difficult to reduce the fixed costs of the work staff.

[0005] This disclosure has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide an automatic cleaning system that can automatically clean a vehicle without requiring a person.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objectives, the automated cleaning system according to this disclosure comprises a cleaning module that controls a cleaning device for cleaning the interior or exterior of a vehicle, a car wash module that controls a car wash device for washing the exterior of the vehicle, and a cleaning and car wash management device that communicates with each of the cleaning module and the car wash module, wherein the cleaning and car wash management device comprises a processor, and the processor controls the cleaning module and the car wash module to perform a cleaning process that causes the cleaning device to clean the interior and exterior of the vehicle and a car wash process that causes the car wash device to wash the vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, the vehicle can be cleaned automatically without the need for human intervention. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of an automated system according to one embodiment. [Figure 2A] Figure 2A is a sequence diagram of the processes executed by an automated system according to one embodiment. [Figure 2B] Figure 2B is a sequence diagram of the processes executed by an automated system according to one embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, an automated system comprising an automated cleaning system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments. Furthermore, in the following description, the same parts will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0010] [Overview of the automated system] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of an automated system according to one embodiment. The automated system 100 shown in Figure 1 comprises an automated cleaning system 1, a vehicle 10, and a vehicle management device 20. The automated cleaning system 1 cleans and washes the vehicle 10 parked in a designated parking area, according to instructions from the vehicle management device 20. Each of the automated cleaning system 1, the vehicle 10, and the vehicle management device 20 is assumed to consist of a predetermined network, such as an internet network, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, and a mobile phone network.

[0011] First, let me explain vehicle 10. Vehicle 10 is envisioned to be a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), battery electric vehicle (BEV), or fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). Vehicle 10 is envisioned to be an autonomous vehicle capable of moving automatically to a predetermined location in accordance with the instructions of the vehicle management device 20.

[0012] Vehicle 10 is equipped with vehicle actuators 11 and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 12. The vehicle actuators 11 are composed of motors for the engine, drivetrain, door mirrors, windows (opening and closing), doors (locking and closing), etc. The ECU 12 is implemented using a processor with hardware. This hardware includes, for example, a communication interface, memory, CPU, DSP, and FPGA. The ECU 12 communicates with the vehicle management device 20 according to a predetermined communication standard, such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark). The ECU 12 also controls the vehicle actuators 11 according to instructions from the vehicle management device 20, moving the vehicle 10 to the designated parking area, locking the doors, folding the door mirrors, etc.

[0013] Next, the vehicle management device 20 will be described. The vehicle management device 20 remotely controls the vehicle actuator 11 of the vehicle 10 to move the vehicle 10 to a designated parking space. The vehicle management device 20 also manages parking spaces in the parking lot and synchronizes with the automatic cleaning system 1 to cause the automatic cleaning system 1 to perform at least one of cleaning or washing the vehicle 10.

[0014] The vehicle management device 20 comprises a vehicle database 21, an input unit 22, a display unit 23, and a vehicle management control unit 24. The vehicle database 21 is configured using an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and an SSD (Solid State Drive), etc. The vehicle database 21 stores, for each registration number of a vehicle 10, the vehicle 10's dispatch destination information, location information, vehicle type information, vehicle status information, and control processing information. Here, vehicle status information refers to the current fuel and SOC (State of Charge) status of the vehicle 10 and owner information, etc. The input unit 22 is configured using an input interface such as a mouse, keyboard, and touch panel. The input unit 22 receives input from an operator, etc., and outputs information corresponding to the received input to the vehicle management control unit 24. The display unit 23 is configured using a liquid crystal display or an organic electroluminescent display, etc., and displays various information under the control of the vehicle management control unit 24. The vehicle management control unit 24 is implemented using a hardware-based processor. The hardware includes, for example, a communication interface, memory, CPU, DSP, and FPGA. The vehicle management control unit 24 communicates with the vehicle 10 and the cleaning and car wash management device 30 according to a predetermined communication standard, for example, Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0015] Next, we will describe the automatic cleaning system 1. The automatic cleaning system 1 performs at least one of the following in accordance with the instructions of the vehicle management device 20: a cleaning process to clean the vehicle 10 parked in a designated parking area, and a car washing process to wash the vehicle.

[0016] The automatic cleaning system 1 comprises a cleaning and car wash management device 30, a monitoring module 40, a cleaning module 50, a car wash module 60, a monitoring device 70, a cleaning device 80, and a car wash device 90.

[0017] The cleaning and car wash management device 30 communicates with the vehicle management device 20, the monitoring module 40, the cleaning module 50, and the car wash module 60. The cleaning and car wash management device 30 includes a cleaning and car wash control unit 31. The cleaning and car wash control unit 31 is implemented using a processor with hardware. This hardware includes, for example, a communication interface, memory, CPU, DSP, and FPGA. The cleaning and car wash control unit 31 communicates with the cleaning module 50 and the car wash module 60, and controls the cleaning module 50 and the car wash module 60 to perform cleaning processes that cause the cleaning device 80 to clean the interior and exterior of the vehicle 10, and car wash processes that cause the car wash device 90 to wash the vehicle. In one embodiment, the cleaning and car wash control unit 31 functions as a processor.

[0018] The monitoring module 40 controls the monitoring device 70. The monitoring module 40 comprises a monitoring device control unit 41 and an image analysis processing unit 42. The monitoring device control unit 41 is implemented using a hardware-based processor. This hardware includes, for example, a communication interface, memory, CPU, DSP, and FPGA. The monitoring device control unit 41 controls the monitoring device 70, sets the monitoring area of ​​the monitoring device 70, for example, the surrounding area including the parking location of the vehicle 10, as the monitoring area, and monitors this monitoring area by imaging it. The image analysis processing unit 42 is implemented using a hardware-based processor. This hardware includes memory, a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and the like. The image analysis processing unit 42 analyzes the imaging results and detection results obtained by the monitoring device 70 from the monitoring area, and outputs these analysis results to the cleaning and car wash management device 30. Specifically, the image analysis processing unit 42 analyzes the stopping position of the vehicle 10 in its parking location, the registration number of the vehicle 10, vehicle type information, the face of the vehicle 10's user, and any abnormalities of the vehicle 10, based on the imaging results and detection results detected by the monitoring device 70. For example, the image analysis processing unit 42 detects the license plate of the vehicle 10 by analyzing the imaging results detected by the monitoring device 70 using well-known template matching or a trained model. Furthermore, the method for constructing the trained model is not particularly limited, and various machine learning methods such as deep learning using neural networks, support vector machines, decision trees, Naive Bayes, and k-nearest neighbors can be used.

[0019] The cleaning module 50 controls the cleaning device 80. The cleaning module 50 includes a cleaning device control unit 51 and an image analysis processing unit 52. The cleaning device control unit 51 is realized using a processor having hardware. The hardware is, for example, a communication interface, a memory, a CPU, a DSP, and an FPGA, etc. The cleaning device control unit 51 controls the cleaning device 80 according to an instruction from the cleaning and car washing management device 30 to clean the vehicle 10. The image analysis processing unit 52 is realized using a processor having hardware. The hardware is a memory, a GPU, etc. The image analysis processing unit 52 analyzes the degree of dirt of the vehicle 10 based on the detection result and the imaging result input from the cleaning device 80, and outputs this analysis result to the cleaning and car washing management device 30.

[0020] The car washing module 60 controls the car washing device 90. The car washing module 60 includes a car washing device control unit 61. The car washing device control unit 61 is realized using a processor having hardware. The hardware is, for example, a communication interface, a memory, a CPU, a DSP, and an FPGA, etc. The car washing device control unit 61 controls the car washing device 90 according to an instruction from the cleaning and car washing management device 30 to wash the vehicle 10.

[0021] The monitoring device 70 monitors a predetermined parking location where the vehicle 10 parks under the control of the monitoring module 40. The monitoring device 70 is configured using a network camera, a human sensor, a security sensor, a distance camera, etc.

[0022] The cleaning device 80 is configured using an autonomous walking robot having a lighting device for illuminating the interior of the vehicle 10, a robotic arm, a camera, etc. The cleaning device 80 cleans the interior and exterior of the vehicle 10 under the control of the cleaning module 50. Also, the cleaning device 80 images the interior and exterior of the vehicle 10 and outputs this imaging result to the cleaning module 50.

[0023] The car wash system 90, under the control of the car wash module 60, automatically washes the exterior of a vehicle 10 parked in a designated location using detergent and water with brushes or the like. The car wash system 90 is configured using a gantry-type car wash machine or an autonomous walking robot, etc.

[0024] [Processing by automated systems] Next, we will describe the processes performed by the automated system 100. Figures 2A and 2B are sequence diagrams of the processes performed by the automated system 100.

[0025] As shown in Figures 2A and 2B, first, under the remote control of the vehicle management device 20, the ECU 12 drives a vehicle actuator such as an engine or motor to move to a designated parking lot instructed by the vehicle management device 20 and park the vehicle. Once parking is complete, the ECU 12 notifies the vehicle management device 20 that parking is complete (step S1).

[0026] Next, the vehicle management control unit 24 instructs the vehicle 10 to enter cleaning mode (step S2), and after the vehicle 10 executes the cleaning mode (step S3), it notifies the vehicle management control unit 24 that the cleaning mode is complete (step S4). Here, cleaning mode includes stopping the engine of the vehicle 10, turning off the power supply, opening the windows of the vehicle 10, and unlocking the doors of the vehicle 10.

[0027] Subsequently, the vehicle management control unit 24 notifies the cleaning and car wash management device 30 of the request to start cleaning the vehicle 10 (step S5), and the cleaning and car wash control unit 31 instructs the cleaning module 50 to start cleaning (step S6).

[0028] Next, the cleaning module 50 instructs the cleaning device 80 to start cleaning (step S7), and the cleaning device 80 performs a cleaning process to clean the interior and exterior of the vehicle 10 (step S8). Specifically, the cleaning device 80 takes images of the condition of the interior of the vehicle 10, such as the degree of dirtiness, detects any forgotten items in the vehicle 10, checks for wet seats, etc., and then cleans the interior of the vehicle 10, and also performs a cleaning process to disinfect and deodorize the interior of the vehicle 10.

[0029] Subsequently, the cleaning device 80 notifies the cleaning module 50 that the cleaning of the vehicle 10 has been completed (step S9), and the cleaning module 50 notifies the cleaning and car wash management device 30 that the cleaning of the vehicle 10 has been completed (step S10). In this case, the cleaning device 80 may also include normal information indicating that the cleaning of the vehicle 10 was successful, and abnormal information indicating that the cleaning of the vehicle 10 was abnormal if the vehicle 10 could not be cleaned. Of course, if the cleaning and car wash control unit 31 receives abnormal information from the cleaning device 80, it may also notify the cleaning instruction again.

[0030] Next, the cleaning and car wash control unit 31 notifies the vehicle management device 20 of the vehicle departure, instructing the vehicle 10 to leave the depot (step S11), and the vehicle management device 20 notifies the vehicle 10 to deactivate the cleaning mode (step S12).

[0031] Subsequently, the ECU 12 cancels the cleaning mode in accordance with the notification from the vehicle management device 20 to cancel the cleaning mode (step S13), and notifies the vehicle management device 20 that the cleaning mode has been canceled (step S14). Here, canceling the cleaning mode means starting the engine of the vehicle 10, starting the power supply, closing the windows of the vehicle 10, and locking the doors of the vehicle 10.

[0032] Next, the vehicle management device 20 instructs the cleaning and car wash management device 30 to confirm whether or not the car wash facility is available for vehicle 10 to enter (step S15), and the cleaning and car wash control unit 31 notifies the car wash module 60 to check the availability of the car wash equipment 90 (step S16).

[0033] Subsequently, the car wash module 60 performs a car wash area availability check process for the car wash equipment 90 (step S17) and notifies the cleaning and car wash management device 30 of the acceptance confirmation, indicating that the car wash area is available for vehicles 10 (step S18). Here, the car wash area availability check process involves checking the current availability of the car wash area and calculating the number of vehicles 10 that can be accepted based on the operating status of the car wash equipment 90.

[0034] Next, the cleaning and car wash control unit 31 notifies the vehicle management device 20 of permission to enter the car wash (step S19), and the vehicle management control unit 24 notifies the vehicle 10 to move to the car wash (step S20).

[0035] Subsequently, the ECU 12 drives the vehicle actuator 11 in accordance with the notification from the vehicle management control unit 24 to move to the car wash area, and moves to the car wash area where the car wash equipment 90 is located (step S21).

[0036] Next, the ECU 12 notifies the vehicle management device 20 that vehicle entry into the car wash area is complete (step S22), and the vehicle management control unit 24 instructs the vehicle 10 to enter car wash mode (step S23).

[0037] Subsequently, the ECU 12 executes the car wash mode (step S24) and notifies the vehicle management device 20 that the car wash mode is complete (step S25). Here, the car wash mode involves stopping the engine, closing the windows, folding in the side mirrors, etc.

[0038] Next, the vehicle management control unit 24 notifies the cleaning and car wash management device 30 of the request to start washing the vehicle 10 (step S26), and the cleaning and car wash control unit 31 instructs the car wash module 60 to perform the car wash on the vehicle 10 (step S28).

[0039] Subsequently, the car wash device 90 performs a car wash on the vehicle 10 (step S29) and notifies the car wash module 60 that the car wash on the vehicle 10 is complete (step S30).

[0040] Next, the car wash module 60 notifies the cleaning and car wash management device 30 that the car wash of vehicle 10 is complete (step S31), and the cleaning and car wash management device 30 instructs the vehicle management device 20 to take vehicle 10 out of the car wash (step S32).

[0041] Subsequently, the vehicle management device 20 instructs the vehicle 10 to deactivate the car wash mode (step S33), and the vehicle 10 deactivates the car wash mode (step S34).

[0042] Next, the ECU 12 notifies the vehicle management device 20 that the car wash mode has been canceled (step S35), and the vehicle management control unit 24 instructs the vehicle 10 to move (step S36).

[0043] Subsequently, the ECU 12 performs a movement process to move from the current car wash to a designated parking lot (step S37). After step S37, the automatic system 100 terminates this process.

[0044] According to the embodiment described above, the cleaning and car wash control unit 31 controls the cleaning module 50 and the car wash module 60 to perform a cleaning process that causes the cleaning device to clean the interior and exterior of the vehicle, and a car wash process that causes the car wash device to wash the vehicle. As a result, the vehicle can be cleaned automatically without the need for human intervention.

[0045] (Other embodiments) Furthermore, although the row control device according to one embodiment was installed in the vehicle, the functions of the automatic cleaning system may also be realized by a single server.

[0046] Furthermore, in the automatic cleaning system according to one embodiment, the "parts" mentioned above can be replaced with "means" or "circuits," etc. For example, the vehicle management control unit can be replaced with a vehicle management control means or a vehicle management control circuit.

[0047] Furthermore, the program to be executed by the automatic cleaning system according to one embodiment is provided as installable or executable file data recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, flexible disk (FD), CD-R, DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), USB media, or flash memory.

[0048] In this specification, the flowcharts have used expressions such as "first," "then," and "next" to indicate the sequence of processes between steps. However, the order of processes necessary to implement this embodiment is not uniquely determined by these expressions. In other words, the order of processes in the flowcharts described herein can be changed within a reasonable range.

[0049] Further effects and modifications can be readily derived by those skilled in the art. Broader aspects of the present invention are not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments expressed and described above. Accordingly, various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the overall concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0050] Although some embodiments of this application have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, these are illustrative examples, and the present invention can be implemented in various other forms with modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, starting with the embodiments described in the disclosure section of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 1 Automatic cleaning system; 10 Vehicles; 20 Vehicle management device; 30 Cleaning and car wash management device; 31 Cleaning and car wash control unit; 40 Monitoring module; 50 Cleaning module; 60 Car wash module; 100 Automatic system

Claims

[Claim 1] A cleaning module that controls a cleaning device for cleaning the interior or exterior of a vehicle, A car wash module that controls a car wash device for washing the exterior of the vehicle, A cleaning and car wash management device that communicates with each of the cleaning module and the car wash module, Equipped with, The aforementioned cleaning and car wash management device is, Equipped with a processor, The aforementioned processor, By controlling the cleaning module and the car wash module, the cleaning device is made to perform a cleaning process and the car wash device is made to perform a car wash process, causing the interior and exterior of the vehicle to be cleaned by the cleaning device. If, after the cleaning device has finished its cleaning operation, it receives information from the cleaning device indicating that the vehicle has been cleaned and information indicating that the vehicle cleaning was abnormal, it will again notify the cleaning device to perform the cleaning process. Automatic cleaning system.

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