System and device

Abstract

This system comprises: a work device that is used for work on a vehicle which is being manufacturing and which can travel by unmanned operation; an acquisition unit that acquires movement information pertaining to the movement of the vehicle which travels by unmanned operation in a work place where the work device is disposed; and a control unit that controls the work device in accordance with the movement information.

Description

Systems and Devices CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is based on Japanese Application No. 2023-150359, filed on September 15, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to systems and devices.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art In a vehicle manufacturing process, a technique for running a vehicle in an unmanned manner is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

[0004] Special table 2017-538619 publication

[0005] In a manufacturing process for a moving body such as a vehicle, when the moving body is moved by unmanned operation rather than being transported by a conveyor or the like, there is room for improvement in terms of improving the workability of assembling parts onto the moving body.

[0006] The present disclosure can be realized in the following forms.

[0007] (1) According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a system is provided. This system is characterized in that operation information regarding the operation of at least one of a working device used to perform work on a mobile body that can move autonomously and the mobile body that moves autonomously to a work location where the working device is located is reflected in the control of the other device. The system of this aspect allows the mobile body and the working device to cooperate, thereby improving the efficiency of work on the mobile body using the working device. (2) The system of the above aspect may include an acquisition unit that acquires the operation information regarding the operation of the mobile body, and a control unit that controls the working device in accordance with the operation information. The system of this aspect allows the working device to operate in accordance with the operation of the mobile body, thereby improving the efficiency of work on the mobile body using the working device. (3) The system of the above aspect may include an acquisition unit that acquires the operation information regarding the operation of the working device and a control unit that controls the mobile body in accordance with the operation information. The system of this aspect allows the mobile body to operate in accordance with the operation of the working device, thereby improving the efficiency of work on the mobile body using the working device. (4) According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus is provided. This device includes an acquisition unit that acquires operation information regarding the operation of a moving object while it is moving in an unmanned operation mode; a generation unit that generates, in accordance with the operation information, operation device control information used to control an operation device that assembles a part on the moving object; and a transmission unit that transmits the operation device control information to the operation device. According to this aspect of the device, the operation device can be operated in accordance with the operation of the moving object, thereby enabling the operation device to appropriately assemble a part on the moving object using the operation device. This improves the efficiency of the work of assembling parts on the moving object. (5) In the device of the above aspect, the operation device includes an arm unit that grips the part and a control unit that controls the arm unit. The generation unit may generate the operation device control information including parameters used to control the arm unit, and the control unit may control the arm unit using the parameters. According to this aspect of the device, the arm unit can be operated by transmitting the operation device control information to the operation device.(6) In the device of the above aspect, the generation unit may further generate mobile object control information used to control the mobile object. According to the device of this aspect, mobile object control information and working device control information can be generated by a single device. (7) In the device of the above aspect, the generation unit may generate at least one of an instruction to stop the mobile object, an instruction to stop the working device, and an instruction to notify the user that an abnormality has occurred, when the operation of the mobile object satisfies a predetermined condition. According to the device of this aspect, appropriate action can be taken when there is a possibility that an abnormality has occurred in the operation of the mobile object. (8) According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a device for assembling parts on a mobile object that can be moved by unmanned operation. The device includes an arm unit that grips the part, a sensor that detects the operation of the mobile object while it is moving, and a control unit that controls the arm unit in accordance with the detection result of the sensor. According to the device of this aspect, parts can be appropriately assembled on a moving mobile object. Therefore, the work efficiency of the work of assembling parts on a mobile object can be improved. (9) According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus for assembling parts on a mobile body that can move unmanned. The apparatus includes an arm unit that grips the part, an acquisition unit that acquires a detection result from a sensor mounted on the mobile body that detects the movement of the mobile body while moving unmanned, and a control unit that controls the arm unit in accordance with the detection result. The apparatus of this aspect allows parts to be appropriately assembled on the moving mobile body. Therefore, the efficiency of the work of assembling parts on the mobile body can be improved. (10) According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus. The apparatus includes an acquisition unit that acquires operation information related to the operation of a working device that assembles parts on a mobile body that is moving unmanned, a generation unit that generates mobile body control information used to control the mobile body in accordance with the operation information, and a transmission unit that transmits the mobile body control information to the mobile body. According to the apparatus of this aspect, the mobile body can be operated in accordance with the operation of the working device, allowing parts to be appropriately assembled on the moving mobile body by the working device. Therefore, the efficiency of the work of assembling parts on the mobile body can be improved.(11) In the device of the above aspect, the generation unit may generate the mobile body control information for controlling the mobile body so that the relative speed between the mobile body and the component when assembling the component to the mobile body is within a predetermined range. This device can reduce impact when assembling a component to the mobile body. (12) In the device of the above aspect, the generation unit may generate at least one of an instruction to stop the mobile body, an instruction to stop the work device, and an instruction to notify the occurrence of an abnormality when the relative speed when assembling the component to the mobile body is not within the range. This device can appropriately deal with a case where there is a possibility of a component assembly failure. (13) According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a device mounted on a mobile body. This device includes an acquisition unit that acquires operation information regarding the operation of a work device that assembles a component to the mobile body while it is moving, and a control unit that controls the mobile body in accordance with the operation information. According to the device of this aspect, the mobile body can be operated in accordance with the operation of the working device, thereby allowing the working device to appropriately assemble parts on the mobile body while it is moving. Therefore, the work efficiency of the work of assembling parts on the mobile body can be improved. (14) According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a device. The device includes: an acquisition unit that acquires operation information related to the operation of a mobile body that can move in an unmanned manner; and a generation unit that generates, in accordance with the operation information, work device control information used to control a working device that assembles parts on the mobile body that is stopped in an unmanned manner at a work location. According to the device of this aspect, the working device can be operated in accordance with the operation of the mobile body, thereby allowing the working device to appropriately assemble parts on the stopped mobile body. Therefore, the work efficiency of the work of assembling parts on the mobile body can be improved. (15) According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a device.This device includes an acquisition unit that acquires operation information regarding the operation of a work device that assembles a part on a mobile body that can be moved in an unmanned manner, the operation being to assemble the part on the mobile body that is stopped in an unmanned manner at a work location, and a generation unit that generates, in accordance with the operation information, mobile body control information used to control the mobile body to stop at the work location. According to this aspect of the device, the mobile body can be operated in accordance with the operation of the work device, allowing the work device to appropriately assemble parts on the stopped mobile body. This improves the efficiency of work performed to assemble parts on the mobile body. (16) According to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a device. This device includes: an acquisition unit that acquires operation information regarding the operation of a mobile body that can be moved in an unmanned manner; a generation unit that generates, in accordance with the operation information, work device control information used to control a work device that can be moved in an unmanned manner and that can carry at least one of a part to be assembled on the mobile body and a tool used to perform work on the mobile body; and a transmission unit that transmits the work device control information to the work device. According to this aspect of the device, the work device can be moved in accordance with the operation of a mobile body that is a work target. This improves the work efficiency of a worker who removes parts or tools from a work device and performs work on a moving object. (17) In the device of the above aspect, the generation unit may generate the work device control information so that the relative speed between the work device and the moving object is within a predetermined range. This device can prevent changes in the distance between the work device and the moving object. This effectively improves the work efficiency of the worker. (18) In the device of the above aspect, when it is determined that work on the moving object has been completed, the generation unit may generate the work device control information to move the work device closer to a subsequent moving object that will perform work after the moving object. This device eliminates the need for a worker to manually move the work device closer to the subsequent moving object. This effectively improves the work efficiency of the worker.(19) In the device of the above aspect, the acquisition unit may acquire operation information regarding the operation of the following moving body while the work device is approaching the following moving body or after the work device has approached within a predetermined distance of the following moving body, and the generation unit may generate the work device control information according to the operation information of the following moving body. According to the device of this aspect, the operation of the moving body can be acquired at an appropriate timing. (20) In the device of the above aspect, the generation unit may generate the work device control information to stop the work device when it determines that work on the moving body has been completed and that the following moving body does not exist. According to the device of this aspect, it is possible to prevent energy from being wasted by continuing the movement of the work device even when there is no following moving body. (21) According to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a work device that can be moved by unmanned operation. This working device includes a platform capable of carrying at least one of parts to be assembled on an unmanned mobile body and tools used for work on the mobile body, a drive device for movement, an acquisition unit for acquiring detection results from a sensor mounted on the mobile body, and a control unit for controlling the drive device in accordance with the detection results. According to this aspect of the working device, the working device can be moved in accordance with the movement of a mobile body that is a work target. This can improve the work efficiency of a worker who removes parts or tools from the working device and performs work on the mobile body. (22) According to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a working device that can be moved in an unmanned manner. This working device includes a platform capable of carrying at least one of parts to be assembled on an unmanned mobile body and tools used for work on the mobile body, a drive device for movement, a sensor for detecting the movement of the mobile body, and a control unit for controlling the drive device in accordance with the detection results from the sensor. According to this aspect of the working device, the working device can be moved in accordance with the movement of a mobile body that is a work target. This can improve the work efficiency of a worker who removes parts or tools from the working device and performs work on the mobile body. The present disclosure may be embodied in a variety of forms other than systems and devices.For example, the present invention can be realized in the form of a method, a computer program, or a recording medium on which the computer program is recorded.

[0008] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a system according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle according to the first embodiment; FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a server device according to the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of an assembly robot according to the first embodiment; FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a vehicle travels in an unmanned driving manner in a factory; FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for vehicle control according to the first embodiment; FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for assembly robot control according to the first embodiment; FIG. 8 is a first explanatory diagram showing the operation of an assembly robot; FIG. 9 is a second explanatory diagram showing the operation of an assembly robot; FIG. 10 is a third explanatory diagram showing the operation of an assembly robot; FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a system according to a second embodiment; FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of an assembly robot according to the second embodiment; FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for assembly robot control according to the second embodiment; FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a system according to a third embodiment; FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle according to the third embodiment; FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of an assembly robot according to the third embodiment; FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a system according to a fourth embodiment; FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a system according to a fifth embodiment; FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a system according to a sixth embodiment; FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a system according to a seventh embodiment; FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a wagon according to the seventh embodiment; An explanatory diagram showing the operation of a wagon. An explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a system of an eighth embodiment. An explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a wagon of an eighth embodiment. An explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a system of a ninth embodiment. An explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a wagon of a ninth embodiment. A flowchart showing the processing procedure of vehicle control of another embodiment.

[0009] A. First Embodiment: FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a system 10 in a first embodiment. The system 10 is used, for example, in a factory that manufactures vehicles 100. In this embodiment, the vehicle 100 is an electric vehicle (BEV: Battery Electric Vehicle). Note that the vehicle 100 is not limited to an electric vehicle, and may be, for example, a gasoline-powered vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a fuel cell vehicle.

[0010] The system 10 includes a vehicle 100, a server device 200, at least one external sensor 250, an assembly robot 300, and a notification device 500. The vehicle 100 is configured to be able to travel in an unmanned manner. The vehicle 100 is in a state of being manufactured, and the assembly robot 300 performs an assembly operation on the vehicle 100 while the vehicle 100 is traveling in an unmanned manner. In this embodiment, the vehicle 100 travels in an unmanned manner in the form of a so-called platform. Note that the vehicle 100 may be referred to as a mobile body, and the assembly robot 300 may be referred to as a working device.

[0011] In the present disclosure, "unmanned driving" means driving that is not performed by a driver aboard the vehicle 100. "Driving operation" means an operation related to at least one of "driving," "turning," and "stopping" of the vehicle 100. Unmanned driving is achieved by automatic or manual remote control using a device located outside the vehicle 100, or by autonomous control of the vehicle 100. A vehicle 100 traveling in an unmanned driving mode may have a driver on board who does not perform driving operations. A driver who does not perform driving operations includes, for example, a person simply sitting in the driver's seat of the vehicle 100 or a person performing an action other than driving operations. Actions other than driving operations include, for example, assembling parts to the vehicle 100, inspecting the vehicle 100, and operating switches provided on the vehicle 100. Note that driving performed by a driver's operation is sometimes referred to as "manned driving."

[0012] 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle 100 according to this embodiment. The vehicle 100 includes a vehicle control device 110 for controlling each part of the vehicle 100, an actuator group 120 including at least one actuator that is driven under the control of the vehicle control device 110, and a communication device 130 for communicating with a server device 200 via wireless communication. In this embodiment, the actuator group 120 includes an actuator of a drive device for accelerating the vehicle 100, an actuator of a steering device for changing the direction of travel of the vehicle 100, and an actuator of a braking device for decelerating the vehicle 100. The drive device includes a battery, a traction motor driven by power from the battery, and wheels that are rotated by the traction motor. The actuator of the drive device includes the traction motor.

[0013] The vehicle control device 110 is configured by a computer including a processor 111, a memory 112, an input / output interface 113, and an internal bus 114. The processor 111, the memory 112, and the input / output interface 113 are connected to each other via the internal bus 114 so as to be able to communicate bidirectionally. The input / output interface 113 is connected to an actuator group 120 and a communication device 130.

[0014] The processor 111 executes a computer program PG1 pre-stored in the memory 112 to function as an acquisition unit 115 and a control unit 117. The acquisition unit 115 acquires vehicle control information for controlling the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 115 acquires a driving control signal from the server device 200 as the vehicle control information. The driving control signal includes, as parameters, the acceleration and steering angle of the vehicle 100. The driving control signal may include the speed of the vehicle 100 instead of the acceleration of the vehicle 100. The control unit 117 controls the actuator group 120 using the driving control signal. When a passenger is present in the vehicle 100, the control unit 117 controls the actuator group 120 in accordance with the driving operation of the passenger, thereby causing the vehicle 100 to travel. The control unit 117 controls the actuator group 120 in accordance with the driving control signal received from the server device 200, regardless of whether a passenger is present in the vehicle 100. Note that the vehicle control information may also be referred to as mobile object control information.

[0015] 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the server device 200 in this embodiment. The server device 200 is configured by a computer including a processor 201, a memory 202, an input / output interface 203, and an internal bus 204. The processor 201, the memory 202, and the input / output interface 203 are connected via the internal bus 204 to enable bidirectional communication. A communication device 205 is connected to the input / output interface 203 for communicating with the vehicle 100 via wireless communication. In this embodiment, the communication device 205 can communicate with the external sensor 250, the assembly robot 300, and the alarm device 500 via wired communication or wireless communication.

[0016] By executing a computer program PG2 pre-stored in the memory 202, the processor 201 functions as an acquisition unit 211 that acquires vehicle position information related to the position and orientation of the vehicle 100, a generation unit 212 that generates vehicle control information used to control the vehicle 100, a transmission unit 213 that transmits the vehicle control information to the vehicle 100, an acquisition unit 221 that acquires vehicle operation information related to the operation of the vehicle 100, a generation unit 222 that generates work device control information used to control the assembly robot 300, which is a work device, and a transmission unit 223 that transmits the work device control information to the assembly robot 300. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 211 acquires the vehicle position information using detection results output from the external sensor 250. The vehicle position information includes information about the position and orientation of the vehicle 100. The generation unit 212 generates the vehicle control information using the vehicle position information. The generation unit 212 generates a driving control signal as the vehicle control information. The acquisition unit 221 acquires the vehicle operation information using the detection results output from the external sensor 250. In the present embodiment, the vehicle operation information includes information on the position, orientation, and speed of the vehicle 100. The generation unit 222 generates work device control information using the vehicle operation information. In the present embodiment, the generation unit 222 generates, as the operation control information, an operation control signal for operating the assembly robot 300. The generation unit 222 generates the operation control signal so that a part is assembled in a predetermined orientation at a predetermined position on the vehicle 100 while the vehicle 100 is moving, and so that the relative speed between the vehicle 100 and the part during assembly in a direction parallel to the assembly surface of the vehicle 100 is zero. In the following description, an operation of assembling a part in a predetermined orientation at a predetermined position on the vehicle 100, in which the relative speed between the vehicle 100 and the part during assembly in a direction parallel to the assembly surface of the vehicle 100 is zero, is referred to as an ideal assembly operation.

[0017] The external sensor 250 is located outside the vehicle 100. The external sensor 250 is used to detect the position and orientation of the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the external sensor 250 is a camera installed in a factory. The external sensor 250 includes a communication device (not shown) and can communicate with the server device 200 via wired communication or wireless communication. Note that the external sensor 250 is not limited to a camera and may be, for example, a LiDAR.

[0018] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of an assembly robot 300 according to this embodiment. The assembly robot 300 includes a control device 310, an arm unit 320, and a communication device 330. In this embodiment, the control device 310 controls each component of the assembly robot 300. The arm unit 320 is a vertically articulated robot arm. An end effector for gripping a component is attached to the tip of the arm unit 320. In this embodiment, the end effector is configured to clamp the component. The communication device 330 can communicate with the server device 200 via wired or wireless communication. Note that the arm unit 320 is not limited to a vertically articulated robot arm, and may be, for example, a horizontally articulated robot arm, an orthogonal robot arm, or a parallel link robot arm. The end effector may be configured to pick up the component rather than clamp it.

[0019] The control device 310 is configured by a computer including a processor 311, a memory 312, an input / output interface 313, and an internal bus 314. The processor 311, the memory 312, and the input / output interface 313 are connected to each other via the internal bus 314 so as to be able to communicate bidirectionally. The input / output interface 313 is connected to an arm unit 320 and a communication device 330.

[0020] In this embodiment, the processor 311 executes a computer program PG3 pre-stored in the memory 312, thereby functioning as an acquisition unit 315 that acquires task control information and a control unit 317 that controls the arm unit 320. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 315 acquires an operation control signal from the server device 200 as the task control information. The control unit 317 controls the arm unit 320 in accordance with the operation control signal.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1 , the notification device 500 is a device for notifying a manager of the system 10 or a factory worker that an abnormality has occurred in the factory. In the following description, the manager of the system 10 and the factory worker are referred to as the manager, etc. The notification device 500 is, for example, an alarm buzzer or an alarm lamp provided in the factory. The notification device 500 may also be a tablet terminal carried by the manager, etc. The notification device 500 is equipped with a communication device (not shown) and can communicate with the server device 200 via wired or wireless communication.

[0022] 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the vehicle 100 traveling in an unmanned manner in a factory KJ. In this embodiment, the factory KJ includes a first location PL1, a second location PL2, and a third location PL3. The first location PL1, the second location PL2, and the third location PL3 are connected by a travel path SR along which the vehicle 100 can travel. In the factory KJ, a plurality of external sensors 250 are installed along the travel path SR.

[0023] The first location PL1 is a location where work to assemble the vehicle 100 is carried out. The vehicle 100 assembled at the first location PL1 is in a state where it can travel by unmanned operation, in other words, it is in a state where it can perform the three functions of "running," "turning," and "stopping" by unmanned operation. In this embodiment, the vehicle 100 assembled at the first location PL1 is in the form of a platform. The vehicle 100 moves from the first location PL1 to the second location PL2 by unmanned operation.

[0024] The second location PL2 is a location where further work is performed to assemble parts into the vehicle 100. An assembly robot 300 is located at the second location PL2. Parts assembled at the second location PL2 include, for example, body parts, interior parts such as seats, headlamps, and wipers. In this embodiment, the vehicle 100 with parts assembled at the second location PL2 is in the form of a completed vehicle. The vehicle 100 moves from the second location PL2 to the third location PL3 in an unmanned operation.

[0025] The third location PL3 is a location where work to inspect the vehicle 100 is carried out. The vehicle 100 that passes the inspection at the third location PL3 is shipped from the factory KJ. Note that the vehicle 100 shipped from the factory KJ does not have to be in the form of a completed vehicle. In other words, the vehicle 100 shipped from the factory KJ may have parts that have not been installed. In this case, the parts that have not been installed may be installed on the vehicle 100 after the vehicle 100 is shipped from the factory KJ.

[0026] 6 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for vehicle control in this embodiment. In this embodiment, a two-dimensional code recording the individual identification number of the vehicle 100 is affixed to the vehicle 100. When a worker at the factory KJ reads the two-dimensional code with a reading device, the individual identification number is transmitted from the reading device to the server device 200. When the server device 200 receives the individual identification number, vehicle control is initiated. The processor 201 of the server device 200 executes a first routine R100. The processor 111 of the vehicle 100 executes a second routine R200.

[0027] The first routine R100 includes steps S110, S120, S130, and S140. In step S110, the acquisition unit 211 acquires vehicle position information using the detection results output from the external sensor 250. In this embodiment, the vehicle position information includes the position and orientation of the vehicle 100 in the global coordinate system GA of the factory KJ. In this embodiment, the external sensor 250 is a camera installed in the factory KJ, and an image is output from the external sensor 250 as the detection result. The position and orientation of the external sensor 250 are adjusted in advance. The acquisition unit 211 acquires the position and orientation of the vehicle 100 in the factory KJ using the image acquired from the external sensor 250.

[0028] Regarding a method for acquiring the position of the vehicle 100, the acquisition unit 211 can acquire the position of the vehicle 100 by, for example, detecting the outline of the vehicle 100 from an image, calculating the coordinates of the positioning point of the vehicle 100 in the coordinate system of the image, in other words, the local coordinate system of the factory KJ, and converting the calculated coordinates into coordinates in the global coordinate system GA. The outline of the vehicle 100 included in the image can be detected, for example, by inputting the image into a detection model using artificial intelligence. Examples of the detection model include a trained machine learning model trained to achieve either semantic segmentation or instance segmentation. For example, this machine learning model can be a convolutional neural network (CNN) trained by supervised learning using a training dataset. The training dataset includes, for example, multiple training images including the vehicle 100 and ground truth labels indicating whether each region in the training image represents the vehicle 100 or a region other than the vehicle 100. During CNN training, it is preferable to update the CNN parameters by backpropagation (error backpropagation method) so as to reduce the error between the output result of the detection model and the correct label. Regarding the method of acquiring the orientation of the vehicle 100, the acquisition unit 211 can acquire the orientation of the vehicle 100 by, for example, using an optical flow method to calculate a movement vector of the vehicle 100 from position changes of feature points of the vehicle 100 between image frames and estimating the orientation of the vehicle 100 based on the orientation of the movement vector.

[0029] In step S120, the generation unit 212 determines a target position to which the vehicle 100 should next head. In this embodiment, the target position is represented by X, Y, and Z coordinates in a global coordinate system GA. An ideal route IR along which the vehicle 100 should travel is pre-stored in the server device 200. The ideal route IR is represented by nodes indicating the departure point, nodes indicating passing points, nodes indicating the destination, and links connecting the nodes. The generation unit 212 uses the position information of the vehicle 100 and the ideal route IR to determine a target position to which the vehicle 100 should next head. The generation unit 212 determines a target position on the ideal route IR that is ahead of the current location of the vehicle 100.

[0030] In step S130, the generation unit 212 generates a driving control signal for driving the vehicle 100 toward the determined target position. In this embodiment, the driving control signal includes the acceleration and steering angle of the vehicle 100 as parameters. The generation unit 212 calculates the current driving speed of the vehicle 100 from the change in the position of the vehicle 100 and compares the calculated driving speed with a predetermined target speed of the vehicle 100. If the driving speed is lower than the target speed, the generation unit 212 determines an acceleration such that the vehicle 100 accelerates. If the driving speed is higher than the target speed, the generation unit 212 determines an acceleration such that the vehicle 100 decelerates. If the vehicle 100 is located on the ideal route IR, the generation unit 212 determines a steering angle so that the vehicle 100 does not deviate from the ideal route IR. If the vehicle 100 is not located on the ideal route IR, in other words, if the vehicle 100 has deviated from the ideal route IR, the generation unit 212 determines a steering angle so that the vehicle 100 returns to the ideal route IR.

[0031] In step S140, transmitter 213 transmits a driving control signal to vehicle 100. Processor 201 repeats, at a predetermined cycle, a first routine R100 including obtaining position information of vehicle 100, determining a target position, generating a driving control signal, and transmitting the driving control signal.

[0032] The processor 111 of the vehicle 100 executes a second routine R200 while the first routine R100 is being executed. The second routine R200 includes steps S210 and S220. In step S210, the acquisition unit 115 receives a driving control signal from the server device 200. In step S220, the control unit 117 controls the actuator group 120 using the received driving control signal to cause the vehicle 100 to drive at the acceleration and steering angle included in the driving control signal. The processor 111 repeats the second routine R200, which includes receiving the driving control signal and controlling the actuator group 120, at a predetermined cycle. According to the system 10 of this embodiment, the vehicle 100 can be driven by remote control, and therefore the vehicle 100 can be moved without using transportation equipment such as a crane or a conveyor.

[0033] 7 is a flowchart showing the procedure for controlling the assembly robot. This process is executed by the processor 201 of the server device 200. In step S310, the acquisition unit 221 acquires the detection results output from the external sensor 250 and acquires vehicle operation information using the detection results of the external sensor 250. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 221 acquires the position, orientation, and speed of the vehicle 100 while it is running as the vehicle operation information.

[0034] In step S320, the generation unit 222 determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the traveling state of the vehicle 100. In the present embodiment, the generation unit 222 determines that there is an abnormality in the traveling state when at least one of the position, orientation, and speed of the vehicle 100 is outside a predetermined range.

[0035] If it is determined in step S320 that there is no abnormality in the running state, in step S330, the generation unit 222 generates an operation control signal that operates the arm unit 320 in accordance with the vehicle operation information. The generation unit 222 generates the operation control signal so that the part is assembled to the running vehicle 100 in an ideal assembly operation.

[0036] If it is determined in step S320 that there is an abnormality in the driving condition, the generation unit 222 generates an operation control signal to stop the arm unit 320 in step S335, and in step S338, the generation unit 222 generates a driving control signal to stop the vehicle 100 and transmits it to the vehicle 100, and generates an alarm control signal to alert the alarm device 500 of the occurrence of the abnormality and transmits it to the alarm device 500.

[0037] After step S330 or step S338, the transmitter 213 transmits an operation control signal to the assembly robot 300. The processor 201 repeats this process at a predetermined cycle.

[0038] FIG. 8 is a first explanatory diagram schematically illustrating the operation of the assembly robot 300. FIG. 9 is a second explanatory diagram schematically illustrating the operation of the assembly robot 300. FIG. 10 is a third explanatory diagram schematically illustrating the operation of the assembly robot 300. In FIGS. 8 to 10, the velocity vector of the vehicle 100 is represented by an arrow, and the velocity vector of the part PT held by the assembly robot 300 is represented by a hollow arrow. As shown in FIG. 8, when the vehicle 100 is traveling along the ideal path IR in an ideal traveling condition, the assembly robot 300 can properly assemble the part PT on the traveling vehicle 100, for example, by a pre-taught operation. However, when the vehicle 100 is in the middle of manufacturing, the traveling condition of the vehicle 100 is likely to become unstable, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. When the traveling condition of the vehicle 100 becomes unstable, it becomes difficult to properly assemble parts on the traveling vehicle 100, which reduces the workability of the assembly work and makes assembly defects more likely to occur.

[0039] 9 , for example, if the wheel alignment of the vehicle 100 is misaligned, the vehicle 100 cannot travel straight, and the position of the vehicle 100 is likely to deviate to the left or right from the ideal route IR. In this case, the steering angle is repeatedly changed in an attempt to return the vehicle 100 to the ideal route IR, causing the position and orientation of the vehicle 100 to change periodically. As a result, the position and orientation of the part PT relative to the vehicle 100 may deviate to the left or right, and the relative speed between the vehicle 100 and the part PT may increase.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 10 , for example, if there is a large resistance to the running of the vehicle 100, the speed of the vehicle 100 is likely to decrease. In this case, acceleration is repeatedly applied in an attempt to restore the speed of the vehicle 100, causing the speed of the vehicle 100 to change periodically. As a result, the position of the part PT relative to the vehicle 100 may shift forward or backward, or the relative speed between the vehicle 100 and the part PT may increase. The phenomenon shown in Fig. 9 and the phenomenon shown in Fig. 10 may combine to cause the running state of the vehicle 100 to become unstable.

[0041] To address this problem, in this embodiment, the operation of the assembly robot 300 is determined according to the driving state of the vehicle 100, so that even if the driving state of the vehicle 100 becomes unstable, it is possible to prevent the position or orientation of the part PT from shifting relative to the vehicle 100 and to prevent the relative speed between the vehicle 100 and the part PT from increasing.

[0042] According to the system 10 of the present embodiment described above, the operation of the assembly robot 300 is determined in accordance with the traveling state of the vehicle 100, so even if the traveling state of the vehicle 100 becomes unstable, the assembly robot 300 can appropriately assemble the part PT to the traveling vehicle 100. Therefore, the part PT can be appropriately assembled to the vehicle 100 without having to stop the vehicle 100, thereby improving the work efficiency of the work of assembling the part PT.

[0043] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the server device 200 generates working device control information including parameters used to control the arm unit 320 and transmits the information to the assembly robot 300. The assembly robot 300 controls the arm unit 320 using the parameters included in the working device control information. Therefore, by transmitting the working device control information from the server device 200 to the assembly robot 300, the assembly robot 300 can be made to perform an operation according to the traveling state of the vehicle 100.

[0044] In this embodiment, the server device 200 also generates vehicle control information used to control the vehicle 100 and transmits it to the vehicle 100. Therefore, the server device 200 allows the vehicle 100 and the assembly robot 300 to cooperate with each other.

[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the server device 200 determines that there is an abnormality in the running state of the vehicle 100, it stops the vehicle 100 and the assembly robot 300. Therefore, if there is an abnormality in the running state of the vehicle 100, it is possible to stop the assembly of the part PT to the vehicle 100. Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the server device 200 determines that there is an abnormality in the running state of the vehicle 100, it notifies a manager or the like by the notification device 500 that an abnormality has occurred. Therefore, it is possible to make a manager or the like aware of the occurrence of an abnormality at an early stage.

[0046] B. Second Embodiment: Fig. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a system 10b in a second embodiment. Fig. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of an assembly robot 300 in the second embodiment. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the assembly robot 300 is equipped with a camera 340 and that the assembly robot 300 generates vehicle operation information using the detection results of the camera 340. Unless otherwise specified, the other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 12, in this embodiment, the assembly robot 300 is equipped with a camera 340 for detecting the operation of the vehicle 100. The camera 340 is fixed to the tip of the arm unit 320. The camera 340 moves when the arm unit 320 operates. The camera 340 may be fixed to the base of the arm unit 320. In this case, the camera 340 does not move even when the arm unit 320 operates. The assembly robot 300 may be equipped with a LiDAR instead of the camera 340. The camera 340 and LiDAR for detecting the operation of the vehicle 100 are sometimes called sensors.

[0048] In this embodiment, the processor 311 executes a computer program PG3 pre-stored in the memory 312, thereby functioning as an acquisition unit 315 that acquires vehicle operation information, a generation unit 316 that generates an operation control signal for controlling the arm unit 320, and a control unit 317 that controls the arm unit 320. Note that in this embodiment, since the assembly robot 300 generates the operation control signal itself, the server device 200 does not need to be provided with the acquisition unit 221, the generation unit 222, and the transmission unit 223 shown in FIG. 3 .

[0049] FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the procedure for controlling the assembly robot in the second embodiment. This process is executed by the processor 311 of the assembly robot 300. In step S410, the acquisition unit 315 acquires vehicle operation information using the detection results output from the camera 340. In this embodiment, the vehicle operation information includes the position, orientation, and velocity of the vehicle 100 in the global coordinate system GA. The detection results from the camera 340 provide the position, orientation, and velocity of the vehicle 100 in a local coordinate system based on the camera 340. The acquisition unit 315 can acquire the position and orientation of the camera 340 in the global coordinate system GA from, for example, the detection results from the camera 340, the position and orientation of the installation position of the assembly robot 300 in the factory KJ, information from the encoder built into the arm unit 320, and the like. Therefore, the acquisition unit 315 can convert the position, orientation, and velocity of the vehicle 100 in the local coordinate system based on the camera 340 into the position, orientation, and velocity of the vehicle 100 in the global coordinate system GA.

[0050] In step S420, the generation unit 316 determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the traveling state of the vehicle 100. In the present embodiment, the generation unit 316 determines that there is an abnormality in the traveling state of the vehicle 100 when at least one of the position, orientation, and speed of the vehicle 100 is outside a predetermined range.

[0051] If it is determined in step S420 that no abnormality exists in the traveling state, the generation unit 316 generates an operation control signal for operating the arm unit 320 in accordance with the vehicle operation information in step S430. The generation unit 316 generates the operation control signal so that parts are assembled to the traveling vehicle 100 using an ideal assembly operation. The generation unit 316 can generate the operation control signal, for example, by correcting an operation control signal generated in advance by teaching in accordance with the vehicle operation information. Note that the vehicle operation information may include the relative position, relative orientation, and relative velocity between the tip of the arm unit 320 and the vehicle 100, rather than the position, orientation, and velocity of the vehicle 100 in the global coordinate system GA. Even in this case, the generation unit 316 can generate an operation control signal for the traveling vehicle 100. Since the positional relationship between the camera 340 and the tip of the arm unit 320 is known, the acquisition unit 315 can acquire the relative position, relative orientation, and relative speed between the tip of the arm unit 320 and the vehicle 100 from the position, orientation, and speed of the vehicle 100 in a local coordinate system based on the camera 340.

[0052] If it is determined in step S420 that there is an abnormality in the driving state, then in step S435, generation unit 316 generates an operation control signal for stopping arm unit 320. In step S438, generation unit 316 generates a driving control signal for stopping vehicle 100 and transmits it to vehicle 100, and generates an alarm control signal for causing alarm device 500 to notify that an abnormality has occurred and transmits it to alarm device 500.

[0053] After step S430 or step S438, the control unit 317 controls the arm unit 320 in accordance with the operation control signal. The processor 311 repeats this process at a predetermined cycle.

[0054] According to the system 10b of the present embodiment described above, similar to the first embodiment, even if the traveling state of the vehicle 100 becomes unstable, the assembly robot 300 can appropriately assemble the part PT to the traveling vehicle 100. In particular, in the present embodiment, the assembly robot 300 can acquire vehicle operation information using the detection results of the camera 340 and generate an operation control signal for operating the arm unit 320 by itself.

[0055] C. Third Embodiment: Fig. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a system 10c in a third embodiment. Fig. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle 100 in the third embodiment. Fig. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of an assembly robot 300 in the third embodiment. This embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that an internal sensor 140 is mounted on the vehicle 100 and that the assembly robot 300 generates an operation control signal in accordance with the detection result of the internal sensor 140. Unless otherwise specified, the other configurations are the same as those in the second embodiment.

[0056] 15 , in this embodiment, the vehicle 100 includes at least one internal sensor 140. The internal sensor 140 is mounted on the vehicle 100. The internal sensor 140 detects the operation of the vehicle 100. The internal sensor 140 may include, for example, an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the vehicle 100, a speed sensor that detects the speed, a yaw rate sensor that detects the yaw axis angular velocity, a wheel speed sensor that detects the rotational speed of the wheels, a steering angle sensor that detects the steering angle, a camera, LiDAR, a GPS receiver, etc.

[0057] In this embodiment, the processor 111 executes the computer program PG1 pre-stored in the memory 112, thereby functioning as an acquisition unit 115 that acquires driving control signals as vehicle control information from the server device 200, a control unit 117 that controls the actuator group 120 in response to the driving control signals, and a transmission unit 118 that transmits the detection results of the internal sensor 140 to the assembly robot 300.

[0058] 16 , in this embodiment, the processor 311 of the assembly robot 300 executes a computer program PG3 pre-stored in the memory 312, thereby functioning as an acquisition unit 315 that acquires vehicle operation information, a generation unit 316 that generates an operation control signal for operating the arm unit 320, and a control unit 317 that controls the arm unit 320. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 315 acquires the detection result of the internal sensor 140 from the vehicle 100 as the vehicle operation information.

[0059] According to the system 10c of the present embodiment described above, similar to the second embodiment, even if the traveling state of the vehicle 100 becomes unstable, the assembly robot 300 can appropriately assemble the part PT to the traveling vehicle 100. In particular, in the present embodiment, the assembly robot 300 can generate an operation control signal for operating the arm unit 320 by itself, using the detection result of the internal sensor 140 mounted on the vehicle 100.

[0060] D. Fourth Embodiment: Figure 17 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a system 10d in a fourth embodiment. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the operation of the assembly robot 300 is not adjusted to match the operation of the vehicle 100, but rather the operation of the vehicle 100 is adjusted to match the operation of the assembly robot 300. Unless otherwise specified, the other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0061] In this embodiment, the assembly robot 300 executes operations that have been taught in advance. For example, the position or orientation of a part during assembly may deviate from the ideal position or orientation due to accumulated errors in the arm unit 320 or an error in gripping the part by the arm unit 320. In this case, even if the vehicle 100 travels along the ideal route IR at an ideal speed, the assembly robot 300 will not be able to properly assemble the part onto the traveling vehicle 100. The assembly robot 300 transmits working device operation information related to the operation of the assembly robot 300 to the server device 200. The working device operation information includes, for example, the amount of deviation in the position, orientation, and speed of the tip of the arm unit 320.

[0062] In this embodiment, in step S110 shown in FIG. 6 , the acquisition unit 211 of the server device 200 acquires vehicle position information from the detection results of the external sensor 250 and acquires working device operation information from the assembly robot 300. In step S120, the generation unit 212 determines a next target position based on the vehicle position information and the working device operation information. The generation unit 212 determines the next target position of the vehicle 100 so as to cancel out any positional deviation between the part held by the assembly robot 300 and the vehicle 100. At this time, it does not matter if the next target position deviates from the ideal route IR. In step S130, the generation unit 212 generates a travel control signal so as to cancel out any positional deviation, orientation, or speed deviation between the part held by the assembly robot 300 and the vehicle 100. The process after step S130 is the same as in the first embodiment.

[0063] According to the system 10d of the present embodiment described above, the operation of the vehicle 100 is adjusted so as to cancel out any deviation in the operation of the assembly robot 300. Therefore, even if the operation of the assembly robot 300 becomes unstable, the assembly robot 300 can properly assemble the part PT onto the vehicle 100 while it is moving.

[0064] E. Fifth Embodiment: Fig. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a system 10e in a fifth embodiment. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the assembly robot 300 does not assemble parts onto a vehicle 100 that is in motion, but rather assembles parts onto a vehicle 100 that is stopped. Unless otherwise specified, the other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0065] The vehicle 100 moves unmanned to a work site where assembly work is performed by the assembly robot 300, and stops unmanned at the work site. The assembly robot 300 assembles parts into the vehicle 100 stopped at the work site. After the assembly work is completed, the vehicle 100 moves unmanned to the next work site. For example, if the driving state of the vehicle 100 becomes unstable, there is a possibility that the target stopping position P1 and the actual stopping position P2 may deviate. In this embodiment, if the stopping position of the vehicle 100 deviates, the operation of the assembly robot 300 is adjusted.

[0066] In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 221 acquires, as vehicle operation information, a deviation amount d1 between a target stop position P1 and an actual stop position P2. The acquisition unit 211 can acquire the deviation amount d1, for example, from the detection results of the external sensor 250. The acquisition unit 211 may acquire the deviation amount d1 after the vehicle 100 has stopped, or may acquire the deviation amount d1 by prediction before the vehicle 100 has stopped. For example, the deviation amount d1 can be predicted by determining in advance how much the braking performance of the vehicle 100 deviates from the reference braking performance. The generation unit 222 generates an operation control signal such that the position of the tip of the arm unit 320 during assembly is corrected by the deviation amount d1, and the transmission unit 223 transmits the operation control signal to the assembly robot 300.

[0067] According to the system 10e of the present embodiment described above, the operation of the assembly robot 300 is adjusted so as to cancel out any deviation in the stopping position of the vehicle 100. Therefore, even if the stopping position of the vehicle 100 is deviated, the assembly robot 300 can properly assemble the part PT to the stopped vehicle 100.

[0068] F. Sixth Embodiment: Figure 19 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a system 10f in a sixth embodiment. This embodiment is similar to the fourth embodiment in that the operation of the vehicle 100 is adjusted in accordance with the operation of the assembly robot 300, but differs from the fourth embodiment in that the assembly robot 300 does not assemble parts onto a moving vehicle 100, but rather assembles parts onto a stopped vehicle 100. Unless otherwise specified, the other configurations are the same as those of the fourth embodiment.

[0069] The vehicle 100 moves unmanned to a work location where assembly work is to be performed by the assembly robot 300, and stops unmanned at the work location. The assembly robot 300 assembles parts onto the vehicle 100 stopped at the work location. After the assembly work is completed, the vehicle 100 moves unmanned to the next work location. For example, if errors accumulate in the operation of the assembly robot 300 or if the gripping position of the part by the arm unit 320 is deviated, there is a possibility that the target part position P3 during assembly and the actual part position P4 may deviate even if the vehicle 100 stops at the target stopping position. In this embodiment, if the operation of the assembly robot 300 is deviated, the stopping position of the vehicle 100 is adjusted.

[0070] The acquisition unit 211 of the server device 200 acquires, for example, vehicle position information related to the position and orientation of the vehicle 100 from the detection results of the external sensor 250, and working device operation information related to the operation of the assembly robot 300. The acquisition unit 211 acquires, as the working device operation information, a deviation d2 between a target component position P3 during assembly and an actual component position P4. The acquisition unit 211 may acquire the deviation d2 after the arm unit 320 has stopped at the assembly position, or may acquire the deviation d2 by prediction before the arm unit 320 has stopped at the assembly position. The generation unit 212 generates a driving control signal such that the stopping position of the vehicle 100 is corrected by the deviation d2, and the transmission unit 213 transmits the driving control signal to the vehicle 100.

[0071] According to the system 10f of the present embodiment described above, the stopping position of the vehicle 100 is adjusted so as to cancel out any deviation in the operation of the assembly robot 300. Therefore, even if the operation of the assembly robot 300 is delayed, the assembly robot 300 can properly assemble the part PT onto the stopped vehicle 100.

[0072] G. Seventh Embodiment: Figure 20 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a system 10g in a seventh embodiment. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the system 10g includes a wagon 400 instead of an assembly robot 300. Unless otherwise specified, the other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment. The wagon 400 may also be referred to as a working device.

[0073] The wagon 400 is placed beside the road on which the vehicle 100 travels. The wagon 400 has a loading platform 405. Parts to be assembled to the vehicle 100 are loaded on the loading platform 405. The worker WK removes the parts from the loading platform 405 and assembles them to the vehicle 100. For example, the worker WK travels back and forth between the wagon 400 and the vehicle 100 to assemble a plurality of parts to the vehicle 100. Note that the loading platform 405 may be loaded with tools used for work on the vehicle 100 instead of or in addition to the parts. The tools are, for example, power tools for assembling parts to the vehicle 100.

[0074] FIG. 21 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the wagon 400. The wagon 400 includes a control device 410, a group of actuators 420 that operate under the control of the control device 410, and a communication device 430 that communicates with the server device 200 via wireless communication. In this embodiment, the group of actuators 420 includes a drive device actuator for accelerating the wagon 400, a steering device actuator for changing the direction of travel of the wagon 400, and a braking device actuator for decelerating the wagon 400. The drive device includes a battery, a traction motor driven by battery power, and wheels that are rotated by the traction motor. The drive device actuator includes the traction motor. Note that the wagon 400 does not necessarily have to include a steering device or a braking device. Even in this case, the wagon 400 can accelerate, decelerate, and switch between forward and reverse travel using the traction motor.

[0075] The control device 410 is configured by a computer including a processor 411, a memory 412, an input / output interface 413, and an internal bus 414. The processor 411, the memory 412, and the input / output interface 413 are connected to each other via the internal bus 414 so as to be able to communicate bidirectionally. A communication device 430 is connected to the input / output interface 413 to communicate with the server device 200 via wireless communication.

[0076] The processor 411 executes the computer program PG4 pre-stored in the memory 412 to function as an acquisition unit 415 that acquires work device control information and a control unit 417 that controls the actuator group 420. In this embodiment, the generation unit 222 of the server device 200 shown in FIG. 3 generates, as the work device control information, operation control signals for controlling the actuator group 420, and the transmission unit 223 transmits the operation control signals to the wagon 400. The control unit 417 of the wagon 400 controls the actuator group 420 in accordance with the operation control signals received from the server device 200.

[0077] 22 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for wagon control. This processing is repeatedly executed by the processor 201 of the server device 200. This processing is started, for example, when an administrator or the like performs a predetermined start operation on the server device 200. In step S710, the acquisition unit 221 determines whether or not the assembly of parts into the vehicle 100 to be worked on has been completed. In the following description, the vehicle 100 to be worked on will be referred to as the target vehicle 100. The acquisition unit 221 determines that the assembly of parts into the target vehicle 100 has been completed, for example, when it receives a signal transmitted when the worker WK operates a button installed at the work location.

[0078] If it is not determined in step S510 that the assembly of the part into the target vehicle 100 is completed, in step S520 the acquisition unit 221 acquires information regarding the operation of the target vehicle 100. In step S530, the generation unit 222 generates an operation control signal to cause the wagon 400 to follow the target vehicle 100. In the present disclosure, the wagon 400 following the target vehicle 100 means that the wagon 400 travels in the same direction as the target vehicle 100. In other words, the wagon 400 following the target vehicle 100 includes not only the wagon 400 traveling behind the target vehicle 100, but also the wagon 400 traveling beside the target vehicle 100 and the wagon 400 traveling in front of the target vehicle 100. In the present embodiment, the generation unit 222 generates an operation control signal such that the relative speed between the wagon 400 and the target vehicle 100 is within a predetermined range. It is preferable that the generating unit 222 generates the operation control signal so that the relative speed between the wagon 400 and the target vehicle 100 becomes zero.

[0079] If it is determined in step S510 that the assembly of parts into the target vehicle 100 has been completed, then in step S525 the generation unit 222 determines whether or not a subsequent vehicle exists. The generation unit 222 determines whether or not a subsequent vehicle exists, for example, by acquiring information about the manufacturing plan and manufacturing performance from the process management system of factory KJ. For example, if the plan is to manufacture 100 vehicles 100 in one day, a subsequent vehicle exists when the assembly of parts into the 50th vehicle 100 of that day is completed, but no subsequent vehicle exists after the assembly of parts into the 100th vehicle 100 of that day is completed.

[0080] If it is determined in step S525 that a following vehicle is present, in step S535, the generation unit 222 generates a control signal to move the station wagon 400 closer to the following vehicle. The generation unit 222 generates an operation control signal so that the distance between the station wagon 400 and the following vehicle becomes equal to or less than a predetermined distance.

[0081] If it is not determined in step S525 that a following vehicle exists, in step S538, the generation unit 222 generates an operation control signal to stop the wagon 400. The generation unit 222 may generate an operation control signal to stop the wagon 400 on the spot, or may generate an operation control signal to move the wagon 400 to a predetermined home position and then stop it.

[0082] In step S540, the transmitter 223 transmits the operation control signal generated in step S530, step S535, or step S538 to the wagon. The processor 201 repeats the above-described process until an administrator or the like performs a predetermined termination operation on the server device 200. The acquirer 415 of the wagon 400 receives the operation control signal via the communication device 430 and controls the actuator group 420 in accordance with the operation control signal.

[0083] FIG. 23 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the wagon 400. As shown in the upper part of FIG. 23 , in an initial state, the wagon 400 is stopped at a predetermined home position in the work area. As shown in the middle part of FIG. 23 , when the target vehicle 100 enters the work area, the wagon 400 follows the target vehicle 100A. The worker WK retrieves a part from the bed of the wagon 400 and assembles it in the target vehicle. Furthermore, the worker WK retrieves another part from the bed of the wagon 400 and assembles it in the target vehicle 100A. In other words, the worker WK performs part assembly work while traveling back and forth between the wagon 400 and the target vehicle 100A. As shown in the lower part of FIG. 23 , after the assembly of the part in the target vehicle 100A is completed, the wagon 400 moves to approach the following vehicle 100B that will next enter the work area. Here, if the wagon 400 does not have the ability to self-propel, the distance between the wagon 400 and the target vehicle 100A increases as the target vehicle 100A moves, which reduces the work efficiency of the worker WK who assembles the parts removed from the wagon 400 into the target vehicle 100A. Even if the wagon 400 does not have the ability to self-propel, if the worker WK manually moves the wagon 400, the distance between the wagon 400 and the target vehicle 100A can be prevented from increasing, but this increases the amount of work required by the worker WK, which reduces the work efficiency of the worker WK. In contrast, in this embodiment, the wagon 400 follows the target vehicle 100A, so the distance between the wagon 400 and the target vehicle 100A is maintained constant while the worker WK performs the part assembly work.

[0084] According to the system 10g of the present embodiment described above, the wagon 400 follows the target vehicle 100, which prevents the distance between the wagon 400 and the target vehicle 100 from becoming too long. This improves the work efficiency of the worker WK who performs work while moving between the wagon 400 and the target vehicle 100A.

[0085] In addition, in this embodiment, the wagon 400 is controlled so that the relative speed between the wagon 400 and the target vehicle 100 is within a predetermined range, thereby effectively preventing the distance between the wagon 400 and the target vehicle 100 from becoming too long.

[0086] Furthermore, in this embodiment, after work on the leading vehicle 100A is completed, the wagon 400 automatically approaches the following vehicle 100B, eliminating the need for the worker WK to manually move the wagon 400 closer to the following vehicle 100B. This further improves the work efficiency of the worker WK.

[0087] In addition, in this embodiment, the wagon 400 acquires the movements of the following vehicle 100B while moving toward the following vehicle 100B, so that the movements of the following vehicle 100B can be acquired early, making it easier for the wagon 400 to follow the following vehicle 100B.

[0088] In addition, in this embodiment, when the following vehicle 100B is not present, the wagon 400 automatically stops. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the wagon 400 from continuing to move even when the following vehicle 100B is not present, thereby preventing energy from being wasted.

[0089] H. Eighth Embodiment: Fig. 24 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a system 10h in an eighth embodiment. Fig. 25 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a wagon 400 in the eighth embodiment. This embodiment differs from the seventh embodiment in that the wagon 400 does not travel in accordance with operation control signals received from the server device 200, but rather generates its own operation control signals using vehicle operation information acquired from the vehicle 100. The other configurations are the same as those of the seventh embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0090] 25 , in the present embodiment, the processor 411 executes a computer program PG4 pre-stored in the memory 412 to function as an acquisition unit 415 that acquires vehicle operation information, a generation unit 416 that generates operation control signals, and a control unit 417 that controls the actuator group 420. In the present embodiment, the acquisition unit 415 acquires a driving control signal from the vehicle 100 as the vehicle operation information. If the vehicle 100 is provided with an internal sensor 140, the acquisition unit 415 may acquire a detection result of the internal sensor 140 from the vehicle 100 and acquire the vehicle operation information from the detection result. The generation unit 416 generates an operation control signal in accordance with the vehicle operation information so that the station wagon 400 follows the vehicle 100, and the control unit 417 controls the actuator group 420 in accordance with the operation control signal.

[0091] According to the system 10h of the present embodiment described above, similarly to the seventh embodiment, the wagon 400 follows the target vehicle 100, and therefore it is possible to prevent the distance between the wagon 400 and the target vehicle 100 from becoming long. In particular, in the present embodiment, the wagon 400 can be made to follow the vehicle 100 without relying on remote control from the server device 200.

[0092] I. Ninth Embodiment: Fig. 26 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a system 10i in a ninth embodiment. Fig. 27 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a wagon 400 in the ninth embodiment. This embodiment differs from the seventh embodiment in that a camera 440 is mounted on the wagon 400, and the operation of the wagon 400 is determined according to the relative position of the wagon 400 and the vehicle 100 acquired by the camera 440. The other configurations are the same as those of the seventh embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0093] As shown in FIG. 27 , in this embodiment, the wagon 400 is equipped with a camera 440. The camera 440 is fixed in a position where it can capture an image of the vehicle 100 from the wagon 400. In this embodiment, the camera 440 is a stereo camera, and can acquire the distance from the vehicle 100 in addition to the operation of the vehicle 100. The camera 440 is connected to an input / output interface of the control device 410. The wagon 400 may be equipped with, for example, a LiDAR or a sonar instead of the camera 440. Note that in the present disclosure, the camera 440, LiDAR, sonar, etc. for detecting the operation of the vehicle 100 may be referred to as a sensor.

[0094] In this embodiment, the processor 411 executes a computer program PG4 pre-stored in the memory 412 to function as an acquisition unit 415 that acquires vehicle operation information, a generation unit 416 that generates operation control information, and a control unit 417 that controls the actuator group 420. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 415 acquires the detection results of the camera 440 and acquires the vehicle operation information from the detection results. For example, the acquisition unit 415 acquires the distance between the station wagon 400 and the target vehicle 100 by analyzing the image acquired by the camera 440. The generation unit 416 generates an operation control signal in accordance with the vehicle operation information so that the station wagon 400 follows the vehicle 100, and the control unit 417 controls the actuator group 420 in accordance with the operation control signal.

[0095] According to the system 10i of the present embodiment described above, similarly to the seventh embodiment, the wagon 400 follows the target vehicle 100, and therefore it is possible to prevent the distance between the wagon 400 and the target vehicle 100 from becoming long. In particular, in the present embodiment, the wagon 400 can be made to follow the vehicle 100 autonomously.

[0096] J. Other Embodiments: (J1) In each of the above-described embodiments, the server device 200 executes the processes from acquiring the position information of the vehicle 100 to generating the driving control signal. In contrast, at least a part of the processes from acquiring the position information of the vehicle 100 to generating the driving control signal may be executed by the vehicle 100. For example, the following embodiments (1) to (3) may be employed.

[0097] (1) The server device 200 may acquire position information of the vehicle 100, determine a target position to which the vehicle 100 should next head, and generate a route from the current location of the vehicle 100 indicated in the acquired position information to the target position. The server device 200 may generate a route to a target position between the current location and the destination, or may generate a route to the destination. The server device 200 may transmit the generated route to the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 may generate a driving control signal so that the vehicle 100 drives on the route received from the server device 200, and control the actuator group 120 using the generated driving control signal.

[0098] (2) The server device 200 may acquire position information of the vehicle 100 and transmit the acquired position information to the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 may determine a target position to which the vehicle 100 should next travel, generate a route from the current location of the vehicle 100 indicated in the received position information to the target position, generate a driving control signal so that the vehicle 100 travels on the generated route, and control the actuator group 120 using the generated driving control signal. Note that in each of the above-described embodiments, the vehicle operation information may be a route from the current location of the vehicle 100 to the target position.

[0099] (3) In the above embodiments (1) and (2), the vehicle 100 may be equipped with an internal sensor, and detection results output from the internal sensor may be used for at least one of generating a route and generating a driving control signal. The internal sensor may include, for example, a camera, LiDAR, millimeter-wave radar, an ultrasonic sensor, a GPS sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, etc. For example, in the above embodiment (1), the server device 200 may acquire detection results from the internal sensor and reflect the detection results in the route when generating a route. In the above embodiment (1), the vehicle 100 may acquire detection results from the internal sensor and reflect the detection results in the driving control signal when generating a driving control signal. In the above embodiment (2), the vehicle 100 may acquire detection results from the internal sensor and reflect the detection results in the route when generating a route. In the above embodiment (2), the vehicle 100 may acquire detection results from the internal sensor and reflect the detection results in the route when generating a route.

[0100] (J2) In each of the above-described embodiments, the server device 200 does not have to be provided. If the server device 200 is not provided, the above-described exchange of information between the vehicle 100 and the assembly robot 300 via the server device 200 and the exchange of information between the vehicle 100 and the assembly robot 300 via the server device 200 may be performed directly without going through the server device 200. If the server device 200 is not provided, the vehicle control processing procedure is executed by the processor 111 of the vehicle 100. As shown in FIG. 28 , in step S610, the processor 111 acquires position information of the vehicle 100 using detection results output from the external sensor 250. In step S620, the processor 111 determines a target position to which the vehicle 100 should next head. The ideal route IR is pre-stored in the memory 112. In step S630, the processor 111 generates a driving control signal for driving the vehicle 100 toward the determined target position. In step S640, the processor 111 controls the actuator group 120 using the driving control signal to cause the vehicle 100 to drive at the acceleration and steering angle indicated in the driving control signal. The processor 111 repeatedly acquires position information of the vehicle 100, determines a target position, generates a driving control signal, and controls the actuator group 120 at a predetermined cycle. In this manner, the vehicle 100 can drive autonomously rather than being remotely controlled by the server device 200. The processor 111 of the vehicle 100 may also acquire position information of the vehicle 100 and working device operation information of the assembly robot 300, determine a target position of the vehicle 100 according to the working device operation information, generate a driving control signal for driving the vehicle 100 toward the determined target position, and control the actuator group 120 according to the driving control signal.

[0101] (J3) In each of the above-described embodiments, the vehicle 100 may be equipped with an internal sensor, and detection results output from the internal sensor may be used for at least one of generating a route and generating a driving control signal. For example, the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results of the internal sensor and, when generating a route, reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the route. The vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results of the internal sensor and, when generating a driving control signal, reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the driving control signal.

[0102] (J4) In each of the above-described embodiments, the vehicle 100 acquires the position information of the vehicle 100 using the detection results of the external sensor 250. Alternatively, the vehicle 100 may be equipped with an internal sensor, and the vehicle 100 may acquire position information using the detection results of the internal sensor, determine a target position to which the vehicle 100 should next travel, generate a route from the current location of the vehicle 100 represented in the acquired position information to the target position, generate a driving control signal for traveling along the generated route, and control the actuator group 120 using the generated driving control signal. In this case, the vehicle 100 can travel without using any of the detection results of the external sensor 250. The vehicle 100 may acquire a target arrival time or congestion information from outside the vehicle 100 and reflect the target arrival time or congestion information in at least one of the route and the driving control signal.

[0103] (J5) In each of the above-described embodiments, server device 200 automatically generates a driving control signal to be transmitted to vehicle 100. However, server device 200 may generate a driving control signal to be transmitted to vehicle 100 in accordance with manual operation by an operator located outside vehicle 100. For example, the operator may operate a control device that includes a display that displays an image output from external sensor 250, a steering wheel for remotely operating vehicle 100, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, and a communication device for communicating with server device 200 via wired or wireless communication, and server device 200 may generate a driving control signal in accordance with the operation applied to the control device.

[0104] (J6) In each of the above-described embodiments, rather than adjusting for a difference in the operation of the vehicle 100 by the operation of the assembly robot 300, the difference in the operation of the vehicle 100 may be adjusted by the operation of the vehicle 100 and the operation of the assembly robot 300. Furthermore, rather than adjusting for a difference in the operation of the assembly robot 300 by the operation of the vehicle 100, the difference in the operation of the assembly robot 300 may be adjusted by the operation of the vehicle 100 and the operation of the assembly robot 300.

[0105] (J7) In each of the above-described embodiments, each component may be attached from any direction, such as the top, bottom, front, rear, right or left side of the vehicle 100, and may be attached from the same direction or from different directions.

[0106] (J8) The vehicle 100 may be manufactured by combining multiple modules. A module refers to a unit composed of multiple parts grouped according to the location or function of the vehicle 100. For example, the platform of the vehicle 100 may be manufactured by combining a front module that forms the front portion of the platform, a central module that forms the center portion of the platform, and a rear module that forms the rear portion of the platform. The number of modules that form the platform is not limited to three, and may be two or less, or four or more. Furthermore, in addition to or instead of the parts that form the platform, parts that form portions of the vehicle 100 that are not part of the platform may be modularized. Furthermore, various modules may include any exterior part such as a bumper or a grille, or any interior part such as a seat or a console. Furthermore, not limited to the vehicle 100, any type of mobile object may be manufactured by combining multiple modules. Such a module may be manufactured, for example, by joining multiple parts using welding or fasteners, or by integrally molding at least some of the parts that form the module into a single part by casting. The molding method for integrally molding a single component, particularly a relatively large component, is also called gigacasting or megacasting. For example, the front module, center module, and rear module described above may be manufactured using gigacasting.

[0107] (J9) In each of the above-described embodiments, vehicle 100 is not limited to a passenger car, and may be, for example, a truck, a bus, a construction vehicle, or the like. Vehicle 100 is not limited to a four-wheeled vehicle, and may be, for example, a two-wheeled vehicle. Vehicle 100 is not limited to a vehicle that runs on wheels, and may be a vehicle that runs on caterpillars.

[0108] (J10) Transporting the vehicle 100 by using the unmanned driving of the vehicle 100 is also called "self-propelled transport." The configuration for realizing self-propelled transport is also called a "vehicle remote-controlled autonomous transport system." The production method for producing the vehicle 100 by using self-propelled transport is also called "self-propelled production." In self-propelled production, for example, at a factory KJ where the vehicle 100 is manufactured, at least a portion of the transport of the vehicle 100 is realized by self-propelled transport.

[0109] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be realized in various configurations without departing from the spirit thereof. For example, the technical features in the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each aspect described in the Summary of the Invention section can be appropriately replaced or combined to solve some or all of the above-described problems or achieve some or all of the above-described effects. Furthermore, if a technical feature is not described as essential in this specification, it can be appropriately deleted.

[0110] 10...system, 100...vehicle, 110...vehicle control device, 111...processor, 112...memory, 113...input / output interface, 114...internal bus, 115...acquisition unit, 117...control unit, 118...transmission unit, 120...actuator group, 130...communication device, 140...internal sensor, 200...server device, 201...processor, 202...memory, 203...input / output interface, 204...internal bus, 205...communication device, 211...acquisition unit, 212...generation unit, 213...transmission unit, 221...acquisition unit, 222...generation unit, 223...transmission unit, 250...external sensor 300...assembly robot, 310...control device, 311...processor, 312...memory, 313...input / output interface, 314...internal bus, 315...acquisition unit, 316...generation unit, 317...control unit, 320...arm unit, 330...communication device, 340...camera, 400...wagon, 405...carriage platform, 410...control device, 411...processor, 412...memory, 413...input / output interface, 414...internal bus, 415...acquisition unit, 416...generation unit, 417...control unit, 420...actuator group, 430...communication device, 440...camera, 500...alarm device

Claims

1. A system comprising: a working device used for work on a vehicle under manufacture capable of traveling unmanned; an acquisition unit that acquires operation information related to the operation of the vehicle traveling unmanned in a work location where the working device is located; and a control unit that controls the working device in accordance with the operation information.

2. An apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires operation information relating to the operation of a vehicle that is traveling unmanned and in production; a generation unit that generates work device control information used to control a work device that assembles parts on the traveling vehicle in accordance with the operation information; and a transmission unit that transmits the work device control information to the work device.

3. An apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein the working device comprises an arm unit that grasps the part and a control unit that controls the arm unit, the generation unit generates the working device control information including parameters used to control the arm unit, and the control unit controls the arm unit using the parameters.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein the generating unit further generates vehicle control information used to control the vehicle.

5. A device as described in claim 2, wherein the generation unit generates at least one of a command to stop the vehicle, a command to stop the working device, and a command to notify the occurrence of an abnormality when the operation of the vehicle satisfies a predetermined condition.

6. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the working device is provided with a sensor that detects the operation of the vehicle, and the acquisition unit acquires the operation information using the sensor.

7. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle is provided with a sensor for detecting the operation of the vehicle, and the acquisition unit acquires the operation information using the sensor.

8. The device according to claim 4, wherein the device is located outside the vehicle, and the transmitting unit transmits the vehicle control information to the vehicle.

9. An apparatus as described in claim 4, wherein the generation unit generates the vehicle control information for controlling the vehicle so that the relative speed between the vehicle and the part when the work device assembles the part on the vehicle is within a predetermined range.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the generation unit generates at least one of a command to stop the vehicle, a command to stop the work device, and a command to notify the occurrence of an abnormality when the relative speed between the vehicle and the part when the part is being assembled to the vehicle is not within a predetermined range.

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